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 RD 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.