November News in Brief from BMW Group UK

BMW Group UK announces a significant enhancement to its Roadside Assistance Programme with the introduction of 72 new, state-of-the-art service vans. Meanwhile, BMW has continued its winning streak, securing multiple accolades from Professional Driver Magazine, Pocket-lint, What Car?, Parkers and Fleet News. BMW Group Plant Hams Hall has also seen success this quarter, with a win at the 2023 Manufacturer MX Awards.

BMW Group UK enhances customer experience with state-of-the-art Roadside Assistance fleet upgrade
BMW Group UK, together with Allianz Partners, has announced a major upgrade to its Roadside Assistance Programme with the introduction of 72 new state-of-the-art service vans. This enhancement, part of a multi-million-pound investment, increases the recovery fleet from 41 to 72 vehicles, significantly boosting roadside support capabilities.

These new advanced vans replace an existing fleet of support cars and are better equipped to handle a wider range of roadside issues efficiently. The increased storage capabilities for spare parts, including emergency spare wheels, significantly increases the likelihood of completing repairs on the roadside. All vans have been equipped with the latest remote diagnosis systems, meaning that before arriving on location, technicians can where possible obtain the necessary spare parts to complete the repair.

Another notable advancement in the new fleet is the ability to tow vehicles, reducing the need for a separate recovery truck if a vehicle is not repairable on the roadside, further streamlining the customer experience.

Every roadside technician has also been fully trained in High Voltage (HV) systems and is ready to service the entire BMW Group product range.

Mario Moser, Director for Aftersales & Customer Support at BMW Group UK, highlighted the upgrade as a reflection of the company’s continued focus on enhancing its customer experience, stating, “With the introduction of these advanced service vans to our Roadside Assistance Programme, we are set to get our customers back on the move even faster, ensuring that any interrupted journey is resolved as seamlessly and quickly as possible."

BMW 7 Series comes out on top at Professional Driver Magazine Awards
The Professional Driver Awards are among the most rigorous in the automotive industry. There are five categories in total, and a one-day judging event was held in August with an invited audience of Professional Driver readers.

The all-new BMW 7 Series and i7 have both impressed the readers of Professional Driver in 2023, with the BMW 760e narrowly beating the i7 in the judges’ voting for the Chauffeur Car of the Year category. Mark Bursa, Professional Driver Editor, said: “The plug-in BMW 760e took the honours as our Chauffeur Car of the Year, but the margin was incredibly close.”

Following extensive testing of both the PHEV and fully-electric 7 Series models – which both feature the very latest in-car technology, including the optional BMW Theatre Screen – the judges were unable to pick an out-and-out winner for the Car of the Year Award and therefore “as a result, we decided to give our overall award to the impressive new 7 Series range, rather than one specific model.”

BMW i4 comes out on top at Pocket-Lint Awards 2023
Adding a seventh feather to its cap for 2023, the BMW i4 topped the Best Car category at the Pocket-Lint Awards. The Pocket-Lint team said on the night that the all-electric model, which launched in November 2021, is “the ideal gateway EV to draw people away from their combustion cars.” The first all-electric midsize luxury model developed BMW, the i4 “pulls off that particular trick of feeling like a BMW to drive, while showcasing the latest in electric power. There's quality and refinement at every turn, evidence of that premium BMW heritage, fused with the greatest soundtrack you'll find in an EV - composed by Hans Zimmer - and sleek looks that turn heads.”

Three wins for BMW 3 Series at What Car? Used Car Awards 2023
The BMW 3 Series continues to make an impression in 2023, bringing home not one but three category wins at the What Car? Used Car Awards, including the coveted Used Car of the Year accolade, as well as Used Executive Car of the Year and Used Hybrid Car of the Year for the 330e. Judges praised “the variety of options available to used 3 Series buyers, from swish petrols and frugal diesels to the tempting plug-in hybrid 330e.”

BMW 3 Series “Most Reliable” Company Car for second year running at Fleet News Top 50 Awards
Fleet News asked leasing companies to establish the most reliable brands and cars they had on their fleet over the previous 12 months as part of the research into this year's FN50 report.

Once again, the BMW 3 Series was voted the Most Reliable Company Car in 2023. Since the original BMW 3 Series of 1975, the model has been a stalwart of the company car customer and continues to be a market leader in its class in the UK. Offered in several variants, including petrol, diesel and plug-in hybrid, the executive model continues to excite the fleet world and end users across the country.

Parkers awards BMW 7 Series and i7 with Best Luxury Car
Celebrating those cars that set the industry standard, the Parkers New Car Awards seeks to recommend the best vehicles for the UK’s car-buying public.

The new BMW 7 Series and i7 continue to impress across the board, with Parkers.co.uk awarding it the Best Luxury Car award for 2024. Keith Adams, Parkers.co.uk Editor, said: “this is a luxury car that turns heads and despite its size is brilliant to drive.” Boasting innovative new technology, including the unique 31.3” rear-passenger Theatre Screen, Adams believes “the all-electric i7 is the pinnacle of EVs currently on sale.”

BMW Group Plant Hams Hall wins at 2023 Manufacturer MX Awards
Organised by The Manufacturer in partnership with the Institution of Mechanical Engineers (IMechE), The Manufacturer MX Awards are widely considered the gold standard in industry awards and are the only peer-reviewed and judged programme of their kind for UK manufacturing.

The judges witnessed numerous advancements at Plant Hams Hall, including the integration of digital team boards, real-time data collection and the utilisation of smart maintenance practices, including the deployment of a cutting-edge four-legged robot. The seamless linkage of various digital tools and systems via the plant's ‘digital twin’ for enhanced transparency led them to honour the plant with the coveted Smart Factory award.

Whilst collecting the Smart Factory award at the ceremony in Liverpool last week, Plant Director Dirk Dreher, said: “We’re transforming our plant into a BMW iFactory of the future, and this award win is another step forward in our journey to becoming lean, green and digital. The fact that finalists are judged by experienced industry experts and evaluated against the highest benchmarks, makes it an exceptional achievement.”

ENDS

The BMW Group
With its four brands BMW, MINI, Rolls-Royce and BMW Motorrad, the BMW Group is the world’s leading premium manufacturer of automobiles and motorcycles and also provides premium financial and mobility services. The BMW Group production network comprises over 30 production sites worldwide; the company has a global sales network in more than 140 countries.

In 2022, the BMW Group sold nearly 2.4 million passenger vehicles and more than 202,000 motorcycles worldwide. The profit before tax in the financial year 2022 was € 23.5 billion on revenues amounting to € 142.6 billion. As of 31 December 2022, the BMW Group had a workforce of 149,475 employees.

The success of the BMW Group has always been based on long-term thinking and responsible action. The company set the course for the future at an early stage and consistently makes sustainability and efficient resource management central to its strategic direction, from the supply chain through production to the end of the use phase of all products.

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