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Hams Hall. BMW Group’s UK engine manufacturing plant, located in North Warwickshire, has reached a major milestone. Officially opening and starting production in 2001, the plant is this week marking 20 successful years manufacturing highly efficient and award-winning three and four-cylinder petrol engines. A committed workforce of more than 1,000 people support the day-to-day operations of the site, which opened on 8 February, 2001. Around a third of the team are also celebrating their own 20-year or more contribution to the plant, with some of the original project team members who were involved in the development of the site still a part of today’s workforce. Plant director, Dirk Dreher said: “Twenty years of manufacturing our...

München. In 2021, the FUTURE FORUM by BMW Welt will be exploring the big issues of our future. Now in its third year, visitors can once again look forward to inspiring, digital live formats and expert talks featuring top-class speakers. Since October 2019, the FUTURE FORUM by BMW Welt has been a progressive platform that invites experts from different disciplines and movers and shakers with an innovative spirit to share their visions of the future. It’s a source of inspiration and actively promotes discussions on all issues of tomorrow. True to the slogan EXPLORE THE FUTURE. GET INSPIRED. JOIN THE CONVERSATION. In 2021, the FUTURE FORUM by BMW Welt will focus on established digital and hybrid formats, allowing participants access to...

Munich. The BMW Group will begin sourcing aluminium produced using solar electricity with immediate effect. This marks an important milestone on the road to the company’s goal of lowering CO2 emissions in its supplier network by 20% by 2030. Since producing aluminium is highly energy-intensive, the use of green power – such as solar electricity – offers considerable potential for reducing CO2 emissions. That is why the BMW Group also plans to source aluminium produced with green power in the long term – enabling it to avoid approx. 2.5 million tonnes of CO2 emissions over the next ten years. This is equivalent to about three percent of the CO2 targets the company has set for its supplier network. “We aspire to lead the way in...

Munich. The market launch of the BMW M5 CS is the absolute highlight among the innovations that will enrich the BMW model range in spring 2021. The first special model based on the BMW M5 Competition takes on the top position in the BMW M GmbH range in terms of engine power, performance and exclusivity, underlining the brand's close ties with racing. Model diversity in the premium segment of the compact and mid-size class will be expanded from March 2021 with additional drive variants for the BMW 4 Series Coupé and the BMW 2 Series Gran Coupé. What is more, attractive additions to the standard or optionally available equipment in numerous BMW model series enhance driving pleasure, comfort, individuality and safety. A feature previously...

Munich. Pioneering energy efficiency, impressive economy and hallmark driving pleasure are combined in the new entry-level plug-in hybrid models of the BMW 3 Series and the BMW 5 Series. Both model series will be supplemented by two further models each with electrified drive from March 2021. The new model variants of the BMW 3 Series Sedan and BMW 3 Series Touring as well as the BMW 5 Series Sedan and BMW 5 Series Touring feature the fourth generation of BMW eDrive technology. In this way the BMW Group is consistently continuing its model offensive in the field of vehicles with electrified drive systems. It is already quite clear that electromobility is increasingly becoming a key driver of sustainable growth for the company. For the...

Munich. When an ideal balance is called for between dynamics and ride comfort, the BMW 3 Series and 4 Series models consistently set the benchmark within their segments in the premium market. In terms of electrically powered vehicles, the new BMW i4 is set to take on this role very soon. The first purely electrically powered 4-door Gran Coupé enriches locally emission-free mobility with sheer driving pleasure. “For the first time, we’ve developed a BMW with sporty DNA for purely electric driving entirely from scratch,” explains project manager David Alfredo Ferrufino Camacho. “The BMW i4 offers everything BMW stands for – and it’s fully electric, too.” A few months prior to its world premiere, the BMW i4 is currently completing the...

Munich. As one of the pioneers in the use of a smartphone as a digital vehicle key since 2018, BMW is pressing ahead with the development and popularisation of its BMW Digital Key feature, which is available to iPhone users today. In line with this goal, the premium car manufacturer will introduce the BMW Digital Key Plus, a convenient and secure way to unlock and start your car without taking your iPhone out of your bag or pocket. This latest incarnation of the service is based on Ultra-Wideband (UWB) technology, the technology found on the U1 chip of iPhone. The BMW Digital Key Plus feature will be first launched with the all-electric BMW iX for iPhone. Ultra-Wideband technology for enhanced convenience and security. The new...

Munich. With yet another new sales record, the BMW M GmbH continued to grow also in the 2020 fiscal year. Despite the effects of the Corona pandemic on the market, it was possible to increase the number of BMW M automobiles sold by 6 percent to 144,218 units. Thanks to this result, the subsidiary company of the BMW Group with the status of an independent company has significantly strengthened its market leadership within the competitive environment first gained in 2019. “The fact that we were able to conclude this exceptionally challenging year with yet a further record is great validation of our consistent growth strategy,” says Markus Flasch, chairman of the board of the BMW M GmbH. “We can be particularly proud of the fact that we...

Munich. The BMW Group once again confirmed its position as the world’s leading premium automotive manufacturer last year, with a total of 2,324,809 BMW, MINI and Rolls-Royce vehicles (-8.4%) delivered to customers worldwide. 686,069 vehicles were sold at Group level in the fourth quarter, an increase of three percent (+3.2%) year-on-year. Sales of plug-in hybrid vehicles climbed almost 40 percent (38.9%) compared to the previous year, reflecting strong customer interest in this drive train variant. “We responded to the effects of the corona pandemic with great agility in sales management and production. As a result, we succeeded in concluding the year with a strong fourth quarter and once again we lead the premium segment...

Munich. 20 years have passed since the first generation of BMW iDrive made its debut. Now, at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) 2021, BMW is announcing the next chapter in its display and operating system, which is set to transport driver-vehicle interaction into a new digital and intelligent age. The CES will take place on 11 – 14 January 2021 in exclusively digital form. BMW is utilising the virtual forum the event provides to give a global audience an initial preview of its upcoming all-new BMW iDrive system, which will be officially unveiled later in 2021. BMW’s digital offering at CES 2021 also includes an entertaining teaser video that visualises the development of the user experience inside a BMW over the last two decades. The...

Munich. BMW has a very special surprise in store for its drivers as the New Year dawns. Starting on 31 December, an animation can be played in the vehicle display – a New Year’s message accompanied by some fittingly festive music and a stunningly orchestrated ambient lighting sequence. The New Year Festive Animation will be available (in participating markets) to all customers with suitably equipped vehicles from 1 – 7 January. Starting the car brings up a special banner in the Control Display. Clicking on it then activates the New Year programme, comprising a full-screen festive animation in the Control Display with aptly chosen backing music and an accompanying light show courtesy of the ambient lighting system. Customers also have...

Munich. The ceremonies may have taken place digitally this year, but BMW’s joy in receiving a number of prestigious awards for its current range of models, design philosophy and technology was very real despite the switch to virtual. The Munich-based premium carmaker earned praise once again in 2020 both in Germany and abroad with an array of title wins and top rankings in expert assessments and public votes. These distinctions ranged from awards for new models and prizes for BMW’s current design language, its latest technological innovations and its brand presence, to special accolades recognising the brand’s exceptional quality, reliability, safety and customer satisfaction record. The models crowned by specialist publications...

Munich. The ongoing commitment of BMW to transformation and digitalisation has earned the brand several awards once again this year. The readers of motoring magazines Auto Bild & Computer Bild and auto, motor und sport / Moove singled out innovative connectivity features and digital services for special praise. They were particularly impressed by BMW’s strategic development of digital products and services, as well as the brand’s seamless integration of smart devices and its intuitive operating concept. The BMW Digital Key topped the rankings in this year’s Connected Car Awards presented by Auto Bild & Computer Bild. The smartphone-based digital car key allows owners to lock and unlock their vehicle easily and safely. They can also...