PressClub South Africa · Article.
Leading South African CEO joins list of BMW i8 owners.
Mon Aug 24 16:39:00 CEST 2015 Press Kit
The Chief Executive Officer of Imperial Holdings, Mr Mark Lamberti, has added his name to the list of the first owners of the new BMW i8 in South Africa.
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Thando Pato
BMW Group
Tel: +27-12-522-2070
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Author.
Thando Pato
BMW Group
The Chief Executive Officer of Imperial Holdings, Mr Mark Lamberti, has added his name to the list of the first owners of the new BMW i8 in South Africa. Mr Lamberti recently took delivery of his new Sophisto Grey BMW i8 from BMW Group South Africa’s Head Office in Midrand.
The new BMW i8, which went on sale in South Africa in March 2015, is a highly contemporary sports car boasting a high degree of everyday utility. It combines the uncompromising performance of a BMW M3 with the fuel consumption of a subcompact. Thanks to its plug-in hybrid drive, most daily journeys can be taken in emission-free all-electric mode. Since market introduction, 67 BMW i8s have been delivered to customers in South Africa and 5 000 globally.
“We congratulate Mr Lamberti on his new BMW i8 and wish him many happy memories in the most progressive sports car. The BMW i8 is the sports car of the future, which is why there is a huge interest in it. There is currently no other vehicle that combines the performance of a sports car with the fuel consumption and emission figures of a small vehicle,” says Mr Tim Abbott, Managing Director of BMW Group South Africa.
Mr Lamberti, who has owned several BMWs, is both a sports car enthusiast and an environmentalist, which is why the BMW i8 appealed to him. “The aesthetics inside and out are very appealing, but I also think it is important to help set an example when it comes to environmental consciousness. Issues of fuel efficiency and carbon footprints are of considerable importance to me and to the Imperial Group,” he explains.
Mr Lamberti refers to himself as an “unashamed petrol head” and says he has always been an early adopter when it comes to cars. “I have owned many cars that have been considered ground breaking in their day. Now I’m going to be an unashamed electric head.”
He adds that he plans to make the BMW i8 his daily commuting car. “Theoretically, I can get to and from work on one charge when running in full electric mode.”
Earlier this year, the BMW i8 clinched victory at the 2015 World Car Awards in the category of World Green Car. Besides offering excellent fuel efficiency, the BMW i8 can be driven up to 37 kilometers with electric power alone and accelerate in the style of a purebred sports car. The system performance of the BMW i8 is 266 kW and accelerates from 0 – 100km/h in just 4.4 seconds, and records a combined fuel consumption of 2.1 l/100 km as well as combined CO2 emissions of 49 g/km. The extensive use of innovative materials such as carbon fibre reinforced plastic (CFRP) and vehicle architecture specially designed for electromobility, as well as the BMW i8's energy-efficient production processes, underline the overall future-oriented concept of the BMW i8.
For more information visit www.bmwi.co.za
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For media queries, please contact:
Ms Thando Pato
Manager: Product Communications (MINI, BMW i and BMW Motorrad)
BMW Group South Africa
Telephone: +27-12-522-2070
Mobile: +27-72-232-5624
Email: thando.pato@bmw.co.za
Internet: www.press.bmwgroup.com/za.html
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