"Die besten Autos 2009": BMW Group Scores Double Victory in the "auto, motor und sport" Readers' Choice.

Munich. Finishing No 1 in the luxury performance class with the new BMW
7 Series and scoring the ninth class victory in a row with the MINI,
the BMW Group once again achieved absolutely outstanding results in
this year's choice of "Die besten Autos" by the readers of
the leading German motor magazine "auto, motor und sport".
Right from the start, BMW's new luxury performance saloon brought home
an outstanding victory in this particularly prestigious category. The
MINI, in turn, was once again the unchallenged No 1 in the overall
rating of Mini Cars. In addition to this double victory, the BMW
Group's latest models scored no less than three second and two third
places in five further categories. The awards were presented to the
Board Members of BMW AG Dr. Klaus Draeger and Ian Robertson in the
"Alte Reithalle" of the Stuttgart Maritim Hotel. An
overview of the award-winning BMW Group models: BMW 7 Series
Winner in the Luxury Class BMW 5 Series No 2 in the
Upper Midrange Class BMW 3 Series No 2 in the Midrange
Class BMW X5 No 2 in the SUV Class BMW 1
Series No 3 in the Compact Class BMW 3 Series
Convertible No 3 in the Convertible Class MINI Winner in the Mini Cars
Class The "Die besten Autos" readers' vote was conducted this
year for the 33rd time. In all, no less than 336 models competed in ten
vehicle categories, with more than 100 000 readers participating in the
vote. The positive opinion they expressed of the BMW Group's latest
models is reflected by ongoing great demand for premium cars from both
BMW and MINI: Delivering more than 1.4 million units to customers in
2008, the BMW Group once again remained the most successful
manufacturer of premium automobiles worldwide. Launched in autumn
2008, the new BMW 7 Series has made an extremely successful entry into
the international automobile market not only in the opinion of
professional testers, but also in the eyes of the public. Now the top
position in the "Die besten AUtos" readers' choice again
reflects this positive response, BMW's new luxury performance saloon
receiving no less than 26.1 per cent of the votes. And indeed, the new
BMW 7 Series is truly fascinating not only through its stylish design
and the exclusive interior, but also through its unique combination of
driving comfort, dynamism and efficiency. The long series of victories
scored by the MINI in the "auto, motor und sport" readers'
choice likewise reflects the ongoing increase in sales of the only
premium brand in the small car segment: In 2008 more than 232 000 cars
of the MINI brand were delivered to customers worldwide, representing
an increase over the previous year by 4.3 per cent. And receiving no
less than 31.1 per cent of all votes in the Mini Cars Class, MINI was
once again the superior winner in the "Die besten Autos"
contest. Accounting for 18 class wins in the "Die besten
Autos" readers' choice and therefore reigning as the record winner
of all times, the BMW 3 Series came second in its category this year,
just like the BMW 5 Series and the BMW X5. Finishing third in the
Compact Cars Class, in turn, the BMW 1 Series once again scored an
important position on the winners' podium. The BMW 3 Series Convertible
brought home the same outstanding result in the Open Cars Class. And
last but certainly not least, both the BMW 1 Series Convertible and the
BMW 6 Series Convertible received such great support from the readers
of "auto, motor und sport" that no less than three BMW models
are among the six top cars in this category. Together, the three BMWs
accounted for a total vote of 18.3 per cent, by far the best result of
any one manufacturer in the Convertibles Category.