Board Member Speeches at the Mondial de l’Automobile 2014, Paris, 2 October, 2014

 

Presenter

Welcome to the BMW Group! You expect to see the latest models at a motor show, of course – but the BMW Group is concerned with so much more than that. It seeks to provide answers to the challenges of today. This morning, we want to begin by looking at mobility from a different perspective. To assist us, we have invited one of the world’s most renowned experts on Europe and Franco-German relations to join us. A historian and political scientist, she lives here in Paris and teaches at the Sorbonne: Please welcome Professor Hélène Miard-Delacroix!

 

Talk between presenter and Professor Hélène Miard-Delacroix

The press conference will open with guest speaker Prof. Hélène Miard-Delacroix answering questions about the unique strengths and qualities of a united Europe; the importance of stable France-German relations at all levels; the need for investment in innovation and technology; and the role of guidance and leadership. She will also voice her opinion on the future of the car in major cities, public transport and new mobility concepts.

 

Presenter

Ladies and Gentlemen, We’ve heard what the expert has to say. Now, let’s see and hear where the answers lie. I would like to invite on stage a man whose company lays claim to be an innovator and pioneer. Please join me in welcoming the Chairman of the Board of Management of the BMW Group,
Dr. Norbert Reithofer!

 

Dr. Norbert Reithofer,
Chairman of the Board of Management of BMW AG

Bonjour and good morning, Ladies and Gentlemen!

You have been talking about changes in our society. Well, our electric BMW i3 here was designed specifically with megacities like Paris in mind. It is the only electric car in the world integrated with public transport to this extent. In a traffic jam, the i3 will even show you alternative means of transport to reach your destination faster. Believe me: That was not an easy step for us as a car maker.

More than any other factor, customers decide how quickly new technologies become established on the marketplace. The i3 is already on the roads in many cities – including Paris. Several hundred customers in France have bought a BMW i3 since the start of 2014; in the second half of the year, we are launching it onto the market in metropolitan regions of China.

Sustainable mobility is gradually becoming reality – wherever customers find it to be an attractive and innovative option. As an engineer, I learned to look at things from a functional perspective and to always ask: Why? Because by questioning things, we create innovation.

Innovation has always been one of Europe’s strengths – thanks in significant part to the automotive industry. Europe is not only the largest sales region for the BMW Group – around 70 per cent of our cars are also produced here, at 16 locations in four countries, if you include contract manufacturing.

Europe has unique strengths and qualities.

• So let us focus on the common ground – the things that unite us.
• Let us strengthen our industrial base and
• invest in future technologies and innovations!

Then, we will be able to compete with other regions of the world as a serious partner. BMW i has given progress a face. The same applies to BMW,
Rolls-Royce and MINI. MINI is the perfect car for the city. For the BMW Group, MINI is an important part of our portfolio. Here is our first world premiere today: the new MINI Hatch 5 Door!

 

Peter Schwarzenbauer,
Member of the Board of Management of BMW AG, MINI,
BMW Motorrad, Rolls-Royce, Aftersales BMW Group

World premiere MINI Hatch 5-doors

Ladies and Gentlemen, Last year, we showed you the new MINI 3 Door. Today,
I am presenting another model on the road for the first time in MINI history:
the first MINI Hatch with five doors!

The idea for such a MINI based on the three-door concept has been around for a long time. But not until today – 55 years after the first Mini rolled off the production line – is this variant finally being released onto the market. We know from our customers that a lot of people have been waiting for this MINI. We want to offer all these people much more than “just” a MINI with two extra doors.

For a start, it has a longer wheelbase – which means: a more spacious interior, more luggage volume and more functionality. In fact, it is a completely stand-alone model.

With this model, MINI aims to capitalise on the growing segment for five-door hatchbacks – which is twice the size of the three-door compact segment. MINI continues to evolve, with the brand representing a young and progressive lifestyle. MINI is also a brand with visions for the future, as you can see from the “Superleggera” here at our stand: A real superhero.

It shows the direction for MINI could go. I promise that MINI will be defined by models with a strong personality and unique characteristics in the future. And with MINI Yours, customers can now make their MINI even more individual, more creative and more exclusive. Because in everything we do, the needs and wishes of our customers come first – and that also applies in a very unique way to Rolls-Royce.

 

Peter Schwarzenbauer

World premiere Rolls-Royce Phantom Metropolitan.

Let’s move on from the smallest BMW Group cars to the ultimate in automotive creation. Rolls-Royce Motor Cars remains at the very pinnacle of the super-luxury segment. We are confident that 2014 will be another record-breaking year.

Demand for Wraith remains strong around the world. Ghost Series II has a strong order book. Some of your colleagues were able to test-drive it for themselves last week in London at the European media launch and many more will drive it in the coming weeks at media launches in the USA, China and the Middle East.

Phantom continues to impress our most demanding customers around the world. Alongside our model portfolio, our bespoke programme plays a decisive role in the success of Rolls-Royce.

Bespoke is our pledge to make any Rolls-Royce as unique as its owner’s fingerprint. Rolls-Royce bespoke represents a unique offering within the automobile industry – delivering precisely what customers expect from a super-luxury brand.

Bespoke IS Rolls-Royce.

Today, I would like to introduce the latest masterpiece from our bespoke designers and master craftsmen and women from The Home of Rolls-Royce at Goodwood – here in Paris, the global capital of style and elegance:
The Rolls-Royce Phantom Metropolitan.

This unique masterpiece unites hand craftsmanship with typical Rolls-Royce attention to detail: 500 minute wooden elements are combined by hand in a process called marquetry to create inlays representing metropolitan city skylines, while 6,800 hand-sewn stitches bring elegant detail to the leather seats.

The exterior is also inspired by the world’s great cities. The bespoke colour “Darkest Tungsten” provides the perfect background for the hand-painted coach line which is embellished with a three-dimensional metropolitan theme.

The Phantom Metropolitan is not just a car, it is art in the truest sense, as you can see for yourselves at the Rolls-Royce stand.

 

Peter Schwarzenbauer

BMW Motorrad: S 1000 RR, R 1200 RS, C evolution

BMW Motorrad motorcycles are popular with both men and women, regular and occasional riders alike. Our new models highlight the brand’s powers of innovation, its customer orientation and the broad spectrum of wishes we are able to fulfil.

• The new S 1000 RR is a reinterpretation of our supersports bike, which is sure to thrill motorsports aficionados with even more performance, lower weight and new technical features.
• Fans of our boxer-engine models will surely grow to love the new R 1200 RS and R 1200 R. I brought the RS along for you today. The R 1200 RS combines the qualities of a touring motorcycle with the dynamic performance of a sports bike, making it the perfect choice for sporty driving on country roads or for longer trips.
• The combination of a pure BMW roadster with a boxer engine has captivated fans since the first BMW motorcycle was launched more than 90 years ago. The new R 1200 R continues in this tradition. It is a dynamic all-round motorcycle with definite touring characteristics.
• BMW Motorrad is also ushering in the age of electro-mobility with its
  C evolution electric scooter. Built for urban mobility, it is geared towards tech-savvy, environmentally-conscious scooter drivers.

These three motorcycles are as different as our customers.

They are designed to appeal to new customers and continue the BMW Motorrad success story. To achieve this, we are also continuing our model offensive

and creating innovations for our customers. Systems such as driving stability systems, innovative lighting concepts and convenience functions like Keyless Ride – already familiar from BMW cars – are now finding their way into our motorcycles.

Motorcycle fans – and I can confirm this myself – love to feel the wind in their face. And that ties in nicely with our next world premiere, presented by my colleague, Herbert Diess.

 

Dr.-Ing. Herbert Diess,

Member of the Board of Management of BMW AG, Development

World premiere BMW 2 Series convertible

Ladies and Gentlemen, I have brought along a great world premiere for you today: The new BMW 2 Series Convertible!

Following on from the BMW 4 Series Convertible and the M4 Convertible, we are presenting our third open-top model this year, offering convertible fans especially in the US and here in Europe even more choice. From my own experience, I can assure you, it makes driving with the top down a real joy – thanks to the best driving dynamics in the segment with:

• new and powerful engines,
• the best aerodynamic characteristics of any competitor with a

                   Cw value of 0.31, and

• 20 per cent more torsional stiffness than the previous model.

The 2 Series Convertible is also significantly larger: It has grown 72 mm in length and 26 mm in width, with a 30 mm longer wheelbase – making it even more practical, with more luggage space and a larger through-load.

Even driving with the roof up is a pleasure, since the acoustic soft top, which comes as standard, reduces cabin noise significantly. The classically elegant roof can also be optioned in three different colours.

We aim to set new standards with every model we build – including in the area of connectivity – so the BMW 2 Series Convertible naturally comes with the latest version of BMW ConnectedDrive.

We are the first automobile manufacturer to introduce over-the-air updates for the navigation system. Connected Drive ensures the latest navigation data is always available – with automatic updates up to four times a year, thanks to the built-in SIM card and 4G network coverage.

These days, it is hard to imagine individual mobility in urban areas without connectivity – especially in cities like Paris. Connectivity and efficient dynamics are converging – benefiting both customers and the city.

The BMW 2 Series Convertible will be available from 28 February 2015 – just in time for the new Convertible season. The same applies to the first open-top
M Performance car – the BMW M235i Convertible.

I have no doubt that our customers will be impressed – here in France, too.

 

Dr. Ian Robertson (HonDSc)

Member of the Board of Management of BMW AG,

Sales and Marketing BMW, Sales Channels BMW Group

World premiere BMW X6

Bonjour Mesdames et Messieurs! We have another exciting world premiere for you – the BMW X6. A true display of power and sporty dynamics – a top athlete in its class!

Please welcome on stage with me another exceptional athlete: Thierry Dusautoir, the captain of the French Rugby team.

The precision and performance demanded in the game of rugby are values which are also perfectly reflected in the BMW brand.

And we are proud to be the official partner of the French, English and South African national rugby union teams. And next year is a particularly special year for the sport.

 

Talk with Thierry Dusautoir.

The power, the pace and the precision of rugby – all of these traits are embodied in the new BMW X6. This new model has everything it takes to continue the success story of the first generation, with:

• Higher performance, yet 22 percent lower fuel consumption.
• More versatility and lots of space.
• An even more luxurious interior.
• State of the art technology.
• And an even more striking design – with additional new packages such as “Design Pure Extravagance” and for the first time, the “M Sport” package.

Since its introduction in 2008, the BMW X6 has enjoyed phenomenal global success with around 260,000 units sold year-to-date. I firmly believe that this vehicle will continue that success story and further contribute to the tremendous global popularity of the BMW X family: Today, one in four BMW vehicles sold worldwide is an X model.

At BMW, our range of premium vehicles covers the entire spectrum of our customers’ needs. And the BMW brand stands for dynamics and sporting flair as much as for sustainability.

And all of our vehicles will always stand for “Le Plaisir de conduire”.

 

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/ Photo & Media provided by BMW  Press Release

/ MediaPaper.KR mediapaper@ymail.com  Sejin Oh

/ The News Article was written by receiving a Press Release.