'Million Dollar Baby' and 3.5 million kilometers with the BMW Hydrogen 7. - Swank proudly joins a select group to get behind the wheel of BMW's hydrogen-powered luxury sedan.

Munich/Woodcliff Lake, NJ. Hilary Swank, two times Academy Award-winning Best
Actress for Boys Don't Cry and Million Dollar Baby, received the keys to a BMW
Hydrogen 7 today, the world's first hydrogen-powered luxury sedan. The BMW
Hydrogen 7 technology melds the luxury of BMW's largest sedan with the
virtually emission-free power of a hydrogen combustion engine.

With the first kilometers covered by Hilary Swank, altogether 3.5 million
kilometers have been driven with the BMW Hydrogen 7. This impressive amount has
been generated by the usage of the vehicle by numerous worldwide renowned
personalities. Hilary Swank joins Brad Pitt, Angelina Jolie, Will Ferrell, Jay
Leno, Edward Norton, Cameron Diaz, Melissa Etheridge and others who have opted
for a BMW Hydrogen 7 as their energy-efficient ride of choice. The vehicle has
also made an impact oversees, with luminaries such as Michael Glos, German
Federal Minister for Economy and Technology, and Hans-Gert Pöttering, President
of the European Parliament, and many others.

Swank's storied career spans 18 years. In addition to winning two Academy
Awards, Swank is also the recipient of one Screen Actors Guild Award and two
Golden Globe Awards for Best Actress. While most of Swank's time is consumed by
her acting career, she has never forgotten her humble upbringing, and continues
to give back as much as possible. Earlier this year, Swank was presented with
the Entertainment Industry Foundation's 2008 Courage Award, in recognition of
her efforts on behalf of the EIF's Women's Cancer Research Fund. She also
attended the worldwide renowned Charity Gala Cinema for Peace in Berlin where
she experienced the BMW Hydrogen 7 for the first time: 'Having experienced the
'clean driving pleasure' of the BMW Hydrogen 7 in February, I feel very honored
being able to drive this forward-looking vehicle for a longer period of time.
For me, the car is the result of a responsible research and development. What
I'm hoping to do is to get people inspired to be open for alternative energy
technologies which bring relief to our environment.'
The BMW Group, as a pioneer, is pressing ahead consistently with hydrogen
technology. The group has grappled intensively with the issue of sustainable
mobility for more than two decades. Petrol is expected to be replaced by
hydrogen as a source of energy in the long term. Onward this year, the BMW
Hydrogen 7 will be handed over to selected representatives from the world of
lifestyle, politics and economy. A small series of 100 vehicles was produced at
first. The BMW Hydrogen 7 combines the full integration of hydrogen technology
with the BMW's typical driving dynamics, refinement and interior comfort.

Text and press pictures with further information on the technology of the BMW
Hydrogen 7 are available in the BMW Press Club at www.press.bmwgroup.com

For further information, please contact:

BMW Group
Susanne Spatz
PR Programme
Tel.: +49 89 382 20961
Fax: +49 89 382 40636
E-Mail: Susanne.Spatz@bmw.de

BMW Group
Daniel Kammerer
Technology Communications
Head of Alternative Drivetrain Communications
Tel.: +49 89 382 25506
Fax: +49 89 382 23927
E-Mail: Daniel.Kammerer@bmw.de

BMW Group
Michael Blabst
Head of Technology Communications
Tel.: +49 89 382 24697
E-Mail: Michael.Blabst@bmw.de