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BMW 730Ld IS THE PROFESSIONAL DRIVER CHAUFFEUR CAR OF CHOICE
The BMW 730Ld Saloon has been crowned Car of the Year at the Professional Driver Car of the Year Awards 2011, while also taking the title of Chauffer Car of the Year. Not to be outdone, the BMW 530d
Gran Turismo retained its title of Executive Car of the Year for the second year in a row.
The BMW 7 Series was commended for its unrivalled mix of passenger luxury, low running cost and driver satisfaction making it the ideal chauffer car both for the driver and the driven. Its exceptional
quality and improved fuel consumption, along with an excellent manufacturer-backed chauffer programme clinched the title.
The 5 Series Gran Turismo was praised for its abundance of rear leg room, command driving position, its sheer versatility and high quality. Its unique interior packaging matched with the choice of
powerful yet economic drivetrains and an outstanding satellite navigation system, earned the 5 Series Gran Turismo its title as the judges applauded it as a car made for chauffeuring.
Mark Bursa, editor of Professional Driver magazine and chair of the judging panel, said: "The BMW 730Ld offers an exceptional mix of comfort, rear-seat luxury and driveability. Since 2009, the 7
Series has been improved, with better fuel economy now above 40mpg combined. And crucially, it's part of a beefed-up manufacturer-backed chauffeur programme that makes it much more affordable for chauffeurs on a
lease basis than either the Jaguar XJL or the Mercedes S-class"
Stephen Chater, BMW Group Corporate Operations Manager, said: "We are delighted to win these awards showing the 7 Series and 5 Series Gran Turismo to be class leading competitors in the chauffeur
market. They highlight everything that BMW believe in; building cars of the highest quality that, thanks to EfficientDynamics, are amongst the most efficient in their sector."
A total of 33 cars were entered for the Professional Driver Magazine Car of the Year Awards, which were judged by more than thirty judges from the chauffeuring and private hire sector and the motoring
media.
The BMW 5 Series Gran Turismo and the BMW 7 Series are available on the BMW Chauffeur Programme, offering competitive contract hire rates, enhanced specification packages and predictable running costs.
To make these vehicles appeal to the driver as well as the driven, tailored benefits include BMW Service Inclusive, which lasts for 5 years or 60,000 miles and covers all of the vehicle's basic
servicing requirements. As part of the programme, professional drivers are also covered in the event of an immobilisation which cannot be repaired at the roadside. Should this occur a replacement vehicle which is
PCO licensed for London, can be provided, giving operators peace of mind that clients will always be catered for to the highest standards. London PCO licensed demonstrators are also now available, so customers can
put the vehicles to the test with their clients.
New BMW sub-brand: BMW i
Munich. 21.02.2011
The new BMW sub-brand focused on developing sustainable mobility solutions has been launched. "BMW i represents a new movement in premium mobility. With the introduction of this new sub-brand, the BMW
Group reaffirms its leadership as the most innovative and sustainable premium car company. The products and services have been conceived around a revolutionary approach: purpose designed and purpose built for
sustainable, premium mobility. It's a new day in our industry; a new era for individual mobility. This is BMW i – Born Electric." said Ian Robertson, member of the Board of Management of BMW AG responsible for Sales
and Marketing, in Munich on Monday.
In a first move, two models will be launched under the new sub-brand from 2013 – the BMW i3 and BMW i8. The BMW Group will also significantly expand its range of mobility
services over the years ahead. To achieve this, a Venture Capital company was founded in New York City, BMW i Ventures, with an investment totalling up to 100 million US dollars.
"BMW i offers visionary cars
and services, inspiring design, and an entirely new concept of premium mobility – all with a focus on sustainability", explained Robertson. The BMW i brand comprises vehicles and services developed since 2007 as
part of project i, a BMW Group think tank exploring sustainable mobility solutions. It is the BMW Group's response to changing customer needs, including increasing demand for alternative drive trains, such as
electric drive systems and hybrids. There is a widespread desire in megacities for solutions which intelligently combine the benefits of various mobility concepts in a single package.
Revolutionary vehicle concepts
"With BMW i, we are building on the success and strength of our core brand," emphasised Robertson. The BMW i3– previously known as the Megacity Vehicle – will be the BMW Group's
first series-produced car for urban areas to be driven by electric power alone. The BMW i8, meanwhile, is based on the BMW Vision EfficientDynamics concept study. Its plug-in hybrid drive blends the sporting ability
of a high-performance machine with the fuel consumption and emissions of a small car.
Both models are based on a revolutionary construction concept known as LifeDrive architecture. An aluminium chassis houses
the powertrain, and the passenger cell consists of high-strength but extremely lightweight carbon fibre-reinforced plastic (CFRP). "Both cars have been designed specifically for their respective alternative drive
systems. We used the innovative architecture and CFRP to cancel out practically all of the extra weight added by the batteries. For our customers this means superior driving dynamics combined with significantly
increased range using electric power," explains Klaus Draeger, BMW Board member responsible for development.
BMW i8 to be built in Leipzig
Like the BMW i3, the BMW i8 will also be manufactured at BMW's
Leipzig plant. Around 400 million euros will be invested in new plant facilities and some 800 jobs will be created up to 2013. Development and production synergies will be achieved through both vehicles using the
same component sets for the electric motors, power electronics, and high-voltage lithium-ion batteries.
A range of vehicle-independent services
An additional range of mobility services – which can
also be used independently of the cars – will be an integral component of BMW i. This will allow the creation of a new, profitable area of business over the long term and attract new customers to the company's
brands.
"Mobility requirements are changing in rapidly expanding megacities" adds Ian Robertson. "Our commitment to car-enabled mobility services, like BMW ConnectedDrive, will be significantly expanded under
BMW i. We'll also grow our car-related premium mobility services. What's truly groundbreaking is that we'll begin offering car-independent premium mobility services.
BMW i aims to provide customized mobility solutions across a seamless network of premium products and premium services." The focus is on solutions which will improve usage of existing parking spaces, as well as intelligent navigation systems with local information, intermodal route planning, and premium car-sharing.
In addition to services developed in-house, the BMW Group is pursuing collaborations with partner companies and exploring strategic capital investments in providers of mobility services. To this end, the
venture capital company BMW i Ventures has the goal to expand the range of products and services offered by BMW i in the long term by taking stakes in highly innovative service providers.
New York-based My
City Way is the first company in which BMW i Ventures has taken a stake. Of the partnership, Ian Robertson said, "I am thrilled to announce that we have just signed our first strategic partnership with My City
Way. As a mobile app, My City Way provides users with information on public transportation, parking availability, and local entertainment for over 40 cities in the US. Another 40 cities will be part of the
global rollout, including Munich, of course."
BMW at the Geneva Motor Show 2011
A multitude of unique new developments in the fields of drive systems and intelligent networking of the driver, the vehicle and the environment will be presented by BMW to the public at the Geneva
Motor Show from 3rd to 13th of March 2011; all of these contributing to a steady, continuous increase in both vehicle efficiency and driving pleasure.
The leading position in the automobile world occupied by BMW in the development of innovative driver assistance systems and mobility services will be further strengthened at the 2011 Motor Show by the
world premiere of an extraordinary concept vehicle. The BMW Vision ConnectedDrive study demonstrates current and future methods of mobile networking in a particularly focused way. The design and technology of this
spectacular roadster are aimed at making the vehicle an integral part of a networked world. Comfort, safety and the infotainment experience in the vehicle can be precisely optimised by the innovative functionality,
individually tailored to suit the requirements of both the driver and passenger. New technologies and design concepts are employed to add even more facets to the unmistakable BMW driving pleasure.
BMW presents new aspects of its distinctive driving pleasure to the motoring public with the development of concepts for electromobility. In the framework of BMW EfficientDynamics, the purely electric
drive has adopted a key role on the road to CO2-free mobility. For the first time, electromobility styled by BMW is on the verge of becoming available to everyone for day-to-day use. The 2011 International Motor
Show is the venue for the world premiere of the BMW ActiveE, an emission-free vehicle that offers the sporty feel, so typical of the brand, to up to four people.
BMW has also extended its lead in the field of conventionally-powered production vehicles, with the introduction of efficiency-raising technologies. At the 2011 Geneva Motor Show, the BMW 320d
EfficientDynamics Touring Edition will be presented to the public for the first time. Its four-cylinder diesel engine develops a maximum output of 120 kW/163 bhp and yet consumes only an average of 4.3 litres per
100 kilometres in the EU test cycle (CO2: 114 g/km). In the mid-range premium segment, the BMW 320d EfficientDynamics Touring Edition, together with the similarly configured sedan, provide by far the best
combination of driving pleasure and economy.
Furthermore, the Geneva Motor Show is also the setting for the world premiere of the new BMW X1 xDrive28i and thus for a new generation of 2.0-litre petrol engines. For the first time in a
four-cylinder engine, the drive unit is fitted with BMW TwinPower Turbo Technology with a turbocharging system based upon the Twin Scroll principle together with High Precision Injection and the VALVETRONIC
fully-variable valve control system. The result convincingly meets the objectives of BMW EfficientDynamics - more driving pleasure at significantly lower consumption and CO2 emissions.
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