BMW Group DesignworksUSA designs iconic espresso machine for Starbucks Coffee Company.

Munich. The coffee experience. The brown bean is a global, multi-faceted
cultural asset - trendy, versatile, delicious. In the modern city, the coffee
shop has established itself as meeting place for the discerning coffee
connoisseur. Now the world's leading retailer, roaster and promoter of coffee
specialties is offering its customers the opportunity to experience unsurpassed
coffee enjoyment at home. In collaboration with BMW Group DesignworksUSA and
Saeco, the leading coffee machine manufacturer, Starbucks has developed a
unique espresso machine for domestic use.
Those who wish to brew their coffee in the style of the espresso master, known
in Italian bars and cafés as the Barista, can in the future fulfil this wish in
a classy fashion using the newly developed semi automatic espresso machine
Sirena™. This model combines the product characteristics of the original
classic version, which is described as a portafilter, with state-of-the-art
technical components. The espresso machine Sirena™ will be launched at select
Starbucks Coffee company-operated stores in North America and on line in
November 2007.
The designers were faced with the challenge of creating an authentic product,
the design of which reflected above all the distinctive identity of Starbucks
and the quality associated with it. At the same time both product experience
and design were to symbolize the expertise of Starbucks as well as its brand
statement "Daily Inspiration" on a sustained basis.
Starbucks epitomizes modern and discerning coffee-drinking more than most other
brands as the company has refined and enhanced coffee culture with its
coffeehouses. Its unmistakeable image and characteristic flair are reflected
in the product design of the espresso machine Sirena™. In order to achieve
these ambitious project objectives, the coffee specialist Starbucks
collaborated with the global design studio BMW Group DesignworksUSA and the
Italian company Saeco. The premium manufacturer Saeco is the leading producer
of fully automatic coffee machines. The Sirena ™ excels through its
distinctive, iconic design, superior quality and durability. Its styling and
functionality fulfill the high standards set by Starbucks for its outstanding
coffee products and is the embodiment of the unique, reflective, authentic and
inspiring Starbucks lifestyle.
Two-year development period: From design to a premium product
During the two-year development phase BMW Group DesignworksUSA significantly
utilized its skills in the fields of design strategy, product and color design
as well as material design. In addition to the incorporation of technical
requirements, functional user convenience and exemplary design, it was most
essential that a clearly visible, unmistakeable design identity was created.
In achieving this aim experts from BMW Group DesignworksUSA were intensively
involved in the entire product development process. It was imperative that the
new design language reflected both quality and functionality of the newly
developed espresso machine as well as the fundamental values of the Starbucks
brand. In this crucial stage it was necessary to translate the specific brand
values into the appropriate product character with regard to product
architecture, gesture, color, material, surface, operation and proportions.
From a total of seven initial design concepts ranging from classic to
progressive alternative interpretations of the basic orientation, four designs
were chosen in a complex decision process and then revised and optimized.
Finally, the end product design was the result of a combination of various
elements derived from refined sketches. Two factors in particular were crucial
for the final design, namely the American Art-Deco styling as well as Galleria,
a concept that conveys the basic iconic gesture. In this respect the
specialists at BMW Group DesignworksUSA were able to incorporate in particular
their feel for the composition of cultural archetypes and visual patterns.
Professional coffee brewing at the push of a button.
Whether you are a beginner or an expert, the sophisticated but
simple-to-understand functionality of the Sirena™ makes professional coffee
brewing at home so very easy. In addition to optimum user convenience the
machine offers clear and intelligible control of functions. For example,
colored illuminating diodes signalize a specific status. The integration of two
boilers into the system facilitates the brewing of espresso parallel to
characteristic milk froth with a rapid steam process. The deposit area serves
additionally as a hotplate for cups or beakers. The entire machine housing is
made of metal. The black and silver colored material is produced in a complex
die casting process. The Pannarello for milk foaming made of rustproof steel is
a very typical feature.
Authentic design as a factor of success for premium brands.
With their involvement in the development of the Sirena™ semi automatic
espresso machine designers at BMW Group DesignworksUSA have once again
demonstrated their outstanding conceptual and creative know-how. This
competence is based on thirty five years of international and cross industry
experience with high-quality products and well-known brands. The cooperation
with international manufacturers from the most diverse industries places the
highest demands on design quality: on the understanding of identity and
development possibilities of brands, as well as on the ability to incorporate
customers' needs and design expectations.
Thanks to these capabilities, BMW DesignworksUSA provides its clients with
valuable incentives for translating the product concept into a tailor-made
product character, a factor of success in achieving corporate objectives. The
BMW Group subsidiary based in Munich, Los Angeles and Singapore partners with a
number of renowned brand manufacturers. In addition to its activities in the
field of automotive design. BMW DesignworksUSA serves clients in the field of
IT and electronics, entertainment, lifestyle, packaging, in the home decor and
luxury segment as well as in the fields of transportation design and sport.

For questions, please contact:

Corporate Communications

Dirk Arnold, Product Communication BMW Cars
Tel: +49 89 382 12325, Fax: +49 89 382 20626

Kristina Weith, Product Communications, Design and Concept Cars
Tel: +49 89 382 26707, Fax: +49 89 382 20626

Media website: www.press.bmwgroup.com
E-mail: presse@bmw.de

BMW Group DesignworksUSA's website: www.designworksusa.com.com