Joy is the basis for three victories: the "Auto Trophy 2009" goes to the BMW X1, the BMW 1 Series Convertible and the new BMW brand campaign.

Munich. Sheer driving pleasure generates enthusiasm again and again. Two current models were able to win their respective vehicle categories in this year’s readers’ vote by the magazine “AutoZeitung”: the BMW X1 and the BMW 1 Series Convertible. What is more, the new brand campaign focusing on the characteristic feeling of joy conveyed by BMW was also awarded the “Auto Trophy 2009”. The award ceremony, held yesterday at the “Meilenwerk” in Berlin, was attended by Dr. Norbert Reithofer, Chairman of the Board of Management BMW AG, Dr. Klaus Draeger, Member of the Board of Management of BMW AG, Development and Ian Robertson, Member of the Board of Management, Sales and Marketing.

The “Auto Trophy” is one of the most important automobile awards in Germany and was awarded for the 22nd time this year. Over 104,000 readers of “AutoZeitung” participated in the vote. They chose their favourites out of 370 current models in 27 categories. The BMW X1 won the category “Off-road vehicles up to 30,000 Euros” only a few weeks after its world premiere at the International Automobile Show in Frankfurt (IAA). The BMW X1, produced at the BMW plant in Leipzig since September, brings the particular style of sheer driving pleasure peculiar to BMW X vehicles to a model in the compact segment for the first time. After a successful market launch, the vehicle’s achievement in the “Auto Trophy” 2009 comes as no surprise. “With the BMW X1 we have captured the essence of the times. Customer response to date has been outstanding,” confirmed Board Chairman Dr. Norbert Reithofer at the award ceremony.

The open-top BMW 1 Series was able to repeat its success from last year in the vehicle category “Convertibles up to 30,000 Euros”. The elegant, sporty four-seater once again impressed the public with its aesthetic appeal characteristic of BMW convertible models coupled with the agility typical of the BMW 1 Series. Not only is the engine range unique, with four petrol and three diesel power units covering an output range of 105 kW/143 bhp to 225 kW/306 bhp, the efficiency of the BMW 1 Series Convertible is also remarkable. The benchmark is primarily set in this area by the BMW 118d Convertible, which accelerates from 0 to 100 km/h in 9.5 seconds and in the EU test cycle achieves an average fuel consumption of 4.9 litres over 100 kilometres and a CO2 output of 129 grams per kilometre.

The “Auto Trophy” for the BMW 1 Series Convertible was received by Head of Development Dr. Klaus Draeger from the hands of TV presenter Barbara Schöneberger and Editor-in-Chief of "AutoZeitung” Volker Koerdt. Ian Robertson, Head of Sales and Marketing, was pleased to receive the award for the “best advertising of the year”. This prize also went to BMW for the second time in succession. After the launch campaign for the BMW 1 Series Coupé in 2008, this year it was the new brand campaign which met with an especially positive response. It makes “joy” - the core value of the brand BMW - the central theme of communication. Joy is conveyed in emotional style in TV commercials, on the internet, on posters and in print advertisements. The new brand campaign is designed for consistent use worldwide: through the theme of “joy” it focuses on two main points -  the efficient dynamics and the aesthetic design of BMW brand vehicles.