BMW Group Press Conference, Auto Shanghai 2017

Olaf Kastner, President and CEO, BMW Group Region China

Good morning!

Both of these cars show the innovative power of the BMW Group.

They demonstrate our expertise in electromobility, which began 45 years ago.

Back in 1972, the all-electric BMW 1602 prototype allowed for emission-free mobility at the Olympic Games in Munich.

Today, our commitment to sustainable mobility is stronger than ever.

I am delighted to present the World Premiere of the BMW i8 Protonic Frozen Yellow Edition. This very striking, limited edition i8 will come to China in September.

Trends come and go. Icons remain. These cars are proof of that.

In China, our New Energy Vehicles have been well-received. We were the number one brand in electrification leadership according to an external consumer study last year. And this year looks set to build on that success with a strong start in electromobility. We are heavily involved in developing the NEV eco-system with our ChargeNow brand, which will see nearly 50% growth in publicly available charging and a total of 2,500 charging pillars in 15 cities by the end of this year.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

We have entered a new phase of localization in China. We have just launched the BMW 1 Series Sedan especially designed for China. Two weeks ago, we delivered the three millionth car. In a few weeks, we will open a new production facility in Shenyang.

In line with ‘Made in China 2025’, we will bring more state-of-the-art Industry 4.0 technology to the New Plant Dadong. With our increasing local R&D development, which will soon include High Voltage Battery production, we are well-prepared for China’s NEV development.

All of this demonstrates our commitment to shape the future of premium mobility.

Thank you for joining us today.

Peter Schwarzenbauer, Member of the Board of Management of BMW AG, MINI, Rolls-Royce, BMW Motorrad, Customer Engagement and Digital Business Innovation BMW Group

Riding, driving, and being driven is not just about going from A to B. It is also about freedom, luxury, comfort and excitement. For more than 100 years, our company has been providing emotional mobility. Buying a BMW Group vehicle is not only a rational decision, it’s a highly emotional one.

And all of our brands are emotional to the core, each in its own unique way.

BMW stands for sheer driving pleasure. Innovative mobility services and connectivity features complement the premium experience. And there is more to come. For example, we will start our car-sharing service ReachNow in Chengdu this year with a fully electric fleet.

BMW is also known for its emotional products on “two wheels”:

BMW Motorrad makes your life an extraordinary ride. Whether it be through sheer speed, adventure, cruising, or even silent electric riding.

Rolls-Royce is the very pinnacle of luxury. You can see that for yourself – and take a look at the new darker side of this brand at the Rolls-Royce press conference at 11:40 h CST.

And MINI? Well, if you want to experience one of the most emotional cars – in my opinion you should get inside a MINI, and give it a spin. For an extra dose of adrenalin and passion you should try out a MINI John Cooper Works.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Today, I have brought along the latest member of this family:

What a great MINI! This is a car for those who want the extraordinary. Versatility, off-road excitement, MINI typical performance on the road: the new MINI John Cooper Works Countryman combines all these characteristics.

This is the second generation MINI Countryman. And John Cooper Works takes it into a league of its own. Inspired by its racing heritage, John Cooper Works creates the sharpest and most powerful MINIs.

The new MINI John Cooper Works Countryman is a truly exceptional vehicle:

-      The Countryman offers the most space of any car in the MINI line-up

-      It is the most versatile MINI

-      And the John Cooper Works model features the brand’s most powerful
       engine

China is already a strong market for MINI. Last year we achieved a ten percent increase. And we achieved double-digit growth in the first quarter of this year as well.

That’s because MINI offers one-of-a-kind fascination and emotion.

Now let’s talk about BMW Motorrad. We started selling motorcycles here in China only five years ago. Since then, sales have been growing significantly. We nearly doubled sales from 2014 to 2015 and last year we grew sales by more than 50%.

The Chinese market is becoming more and more important, and we expect substantial growth in the future. You can look forward to further fascinating models soon. Here’s a great one to start with …

This must surely be the most stunning BMW Motorrad ever. This is the exclusive BMW HP4 RACE. RACE – you can take that literally. In terms of technology, the new HP4 RACE is in the same category as current superbike racing machines.

The HP4 RACE is the first motorcycle with a carbon fibre main frame produced industrially using the RTM process. Only the BMW Group has this competence. The wheels are also made of this ultra-light but rigid material. Ready to race, this bike has a dry weight of just 146 kilograms! That means, same performance as a World Championship bike, but lighter!

Any customer lucky enough to take this bike on the racetrack will experience pure emotion. They’ll be among a select few: production will be limited to just 750 units of the BMW HP4 RACE.

And BMW Motorrad really is all about the experience, as I know well.

My personal highlight of 2016 was a bike tour through Tibet – and I want to share a few impressions of that trip with you. What a fantastic landscape for going off-road on a BMW Motorrad.

So you’ve heard a lot about “power” this morning - and there’s more to come.

Dr. Ian Robertson (HonDSc), Member of the Board of Management of BMW AG, Sales and Brand BMW, Aftersales BMW Group

I just can’t get enough of that sound! Now – Peter’s been talking about performance, power and exclusivity. Here’s the answer from BMW:

The world premiere of the all-new BMW M4 CS!

M – the most powerful letter in the world – is once again celebrating performance with a special edition model. After the success of the BMW M4 GTS, this is the second limited edition model of the M4 Coupe. This car starts a new tradition of CS cars positioned between the Competition variants of the M models – and the models used in club and motor sport.

The new CS will be powered by the M4 six-cylinder-engine. It boasts 460 horsepower, with a maximum torque of 600 Nm. Suspension is designed for exceptional sportiness, and Cup tyres come as standard.

And this car breaks the “4-second-barrier” – needing just 3.9 seconds from nought to a hundred. To reach that speed, lightweight construction was essential: many parts are made from carbon fibre.

Customers can look forward to exclusive colours and the BMW M specific OLED rear lights with their 3D effect. Production begins in July, so if you’re a fan – you won’t have to wait much longer!

Of course, BMW M is something very special. For more than four decades, it has played an integral role in shaping the BMW brand. And now let’s get another listen to that great sound!

Here in Shanghai, we are bringing the BMW brand even closer to our customers. We opened the new BMW Experience Center here last month. With over 45,000 m² and a Dynamic Driving Area, I invite everyone to come to the Center and experience the range of our brand – from BMW M to BMW i.

This is just one more facet of our engagement in China. And the vehicle we’re about to see is the perfect example of how we respond to the desires and wishes of our customers in China:

Ladies and Gentlemen,

The World Premiere of the all-new BMW 5 Series Long Wheelbase, created exclusively for Chinese customers!

Manufactured here in China at the new Dadong Plant facilities, the wheelbase has been extended by 13 cm – compared to the standard 5 Series Sedan. That extra space goes to the passengers in the back – something I know our customers here truly appreciate.

This exclusive new car sets the benchmark in aesthetics, driving pleasure and comfort in the premium business sedan segment. It is the most innovative and most connected vehicle in its class. Our customers will really enjoy the seamless communication and entertainment options, as well as the advanced driver assistance systems.

We’ve reduced the weight of this new 5 Series by up to 130 kilograms. That’s the weight of an adult plus their luggage. This means performance is sharper and even more dynamic – and acceleration and fuel efficiency are best in segment! The newly designed chassis was extensively tested here in China – and with new damper technology, it offers supreme ride comfort.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

It’s no wonder that the BMW 5 Series is the best-selling premium model on the Chinese market. I am sure that this stunning vehicle – the third generation of our BMW 5 Series Long Wheelbase – will continue that success story.

The 5 Series embodies the “heart” of the BMW brand and it accounts for around 30% of our BMW sales here. We’ve manufactured and sold around 800,000 5 Series over the years in China. I’m delighted to announce that the all-new BMW 5 Series Long Wheelbase will also be offered as a plug-in hybrid version.

The 5 Series Long Wheelbase will arrive in the showrooms in June and it’s just one of the 14 new products we are launching this year in China.

The BMW Group has already started well this year. We had a great first quarter in China with over 12% growth in sales. Worldwide, we achieved a new all-time high in the first three months by delivering nearly 600,000 BMW Group vehicles.

At the BMW Group, we are driven by our passion for emotional mobility.

And we continue to strive towards our goal of sustainable mobility.

We will electrify all our BMW Group brands and model series and we are aiming to sell 100,000 electrified vehicles this year alone.

We’ve made a good start in the first quarter of 2017, we already doubled electrified sales compared to last year. We look forward to telling you more about that as the year progresses.

Our portfolio is future-proof. And whatever you order, you always get passion and joy.

Thank you.