Speeches of Board Members Dr. Norbert Reithofer, Ian Robertson, Dr. Klaus Draeger, World premiere of the new BMW 3 Series Sedan, Munich, BMW Welt, October 14, 2011

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

Ladies and gentlemen,

We are especially proud of this car. The BMW 3 Series has been a key factor in establishing the worldwide reputation of the BMW brand. For this we thank our customers all over the world: over 12 million people have purchased a BMW 3 Series since 1975. In doing so, they have made the BMW 3 Series the most successful series in the premium segment.

Every new generation of the 3 Series offers customers even more innovative features:

• When the first generation of the BMW 3 Series came on the market in 1975, I was still a student. I was not able to afford the car myself, but the two-door sedan with a 4-cylinder engine and driver-oriented cockpit made quite an impression on me.
• In its second generation, the BMW 3 Series diversified with a four-door model, a convertible, the M3 and the Touring. These were followed by the first diesel engine and the first all-wheel drive in a BMW 3 Series.
• In its third generation, the BMW 3 Series expanded to include the Coupé and the Compact.
• The fourth generation of the BMW 3 Series rose to achieve one of the top spots for registered vehicles in Germany. No other car in its class had ever achieved this before.
• In the fifth generation of this model, Sheer Driving Pleasure became significantly more efficient with Efficient Dynamics.

Five generations – a total of 36 years of the BMW 3 Series. This clearly demonstrates that we have continually extended our lead in the "Sporty Medium Class" of the premium segment.

The BMW 3 Series remains the highest-volume series produced by our company - even though we continue to extend and diversify our product range.

Every generation of the 3 Series Sedan has been built in Munich. This is where the heart of the company lies. This is where we have our Group headquarters, our Munich plant, the BMW Welt and the BMW Museum. And there was never any question for us: the sixth generation of the BMW 3 Series would be manufactured here in Munich, too.

The launch of this new model confronts our employees at our Munich plant with unique challenges:

1. They will ensure that the new 3 Series is available for customers worldwide right on time for the market launch on February 11, 2012.
   The plants in Regensburg, Rosslyn and Shenyang will follow.
2. Once again we will demonstrate that automobile production is possible within an urban context even in the 21st century, providing it is modern and sustainable.
   
   

At the premiere this afternoon at the Munich plant, everyone had a clear sense that our employees could not wait to get going. They are excited about the new BMW 3 Series. On Monday the time will finally come when production starts.

My colleague Ian Robertson will tell you what the new BMW 3 Series has to offer our customers in just a moment.

Thank you.

Ian Robertson, Member of the Board of BMW AG, Sales and Marketing

Over the past 36 years the 3 Series has been at the heart of the BMW brand and it’s easy to understand why: 

• It has driven the BMW Group’s dynamic growth;
• It has offered customers the freedom to choose how they experience sheer driving pleasure with numerous body styles;
• And it has received the affection of more customers than any other model in its class. And it’s just getting warmed up.

The BMW 3 Series Sedan has been a global success from day one. And it hasn’t looked back since, becoming the best selling BMW model of all time. In fact, one out of every five BMWs sold is a 3 Series Sedan. Now available in 132 countries, the 3 Series has become a long-term growth engine for the BMW Group.

The 3 Series has sold over 12 million cars since its launch, establishing itself as the worldwide segment leader.  But then, the 3 Series has always been a pioneer. The historic success of the 3 Series is shared by a handful of variants. Indeed, it was the first model in its segment to offer such a wide variety of body styles beyond a Sedan, including:

• Convertible,
• Coupe,
• Touring, and for a period of time a
• Compact.

Venturing into so many body styles was truly unique for a sporty mid-sized car like the 3 Series. And it was able to do so from a position of strength and self-confidence only the successful 3 Series Sedan could provide.

The sixth generation of the BMW 3 Series has again set new standards – with the sportiest sedan in its segment and with a new set of design options for further personalization.

Just as the first 3 Series broke the mould in 1975, this Sedan is rewriting the rules.  For years, the 3 Series has been delighting customers with the perfect car to suit their needs. The new Sedan expands upon this success by catering to customers’ desire for an even more personalized BMW. As a first, the 3 Series Sedan will be available in three lines, each offering a unique character:

• The “Sport line” aims to strengthen the car’s already sporty nature by emphasizing its dynamic impression; whereas
• The “Luxury line” offers a touch of additional refinement to the car’s elegant design; and for its part
• The “Modern line” creates a harmonious interior space by minimizing contrasts and optimizing natural elements.

In addition to these new lines, the new 3 Series Sedan will of course be available with the M Sport Package.

With its blend of sporty performance, aesthetics, and fuel efficiency, the 3 Series offers drivers something so pure, so desired, and yet impossible to substitute or quantify: “Freude am Fahren” or “Sheer Driving Pleasure”.

Whatever the language, the message is the same: the BMW 3 Series Sedan serves as the global BMW brand ambassador because it offers so many customers so much joy around the world. This is why the 3 Series is the heart of the BMW brand. 

Thank you!

Dr. Klaus Draeger, Member of the Board of BMW AG, Development

In addition to its design, I believe one of the most impressive aspects of the new BMW 3 Series is its range of technological innovations.

The BMW 3 Series has always been a sporty statement within its segment. This is reflected in the racing versions across all BMW 3 Series generations – a gallery of successful touring cars and long-distance automobiles.  To this day, the first generation of the BMW M3 remains the most successful touring car ever.

Agility and driving dynamics remain the car's outstanding disciplines in the sixth generation, too. The variable sports steering adapts the transmission ratio of the steering gear to the respective driving conditions using only physical gears, highlighting the car's light-footedness on fast bends.

It is often small details which enable a sporty driving style: one example is the optional M sports brake. This multiple-piston brake with aluminium fixed calipers and particularly large brake discs weighs less and enables very short braking distances. The Head-Up Display also supports a sporty driving style. For the first time in this class, we are offering this feature with a complete colour spectrum – for less distraction on the road.

The networking of the car is especially important to me personally. It is unique in this class:

• With BMW ConnectedDrive, the new BMW 3 Series is state-of-the-art in terms of infotainment.
• Our premium customers rightfully expect us to provide especially highly capable interface technology.
• A wealth of driver assistance systems increases safety on the road.

In addition to sporty flair, driving comfort has also been significantly enhanced. New Efficient Dynamics features offer even better performance while further reducing fuel consumption.

For the market launch of the new BMW 3 Series Sedan there is a new 4-cylinder spark ignition engine in addition to the optimised diesel engines and the familiar
6-cylinder petrol engine. Like the other engines, the new power unit also features BMW TwinPower Turbo Technology. The latter considerably increases performance as well as providing a significant reduction in fuel consumption.

This effect is supported by a series of other innovations:

• Automatic engine start-stop function: as standard
• Driving experience switch with ECO PRO mode: as standard
• 8-speed automatic transmission: available for the first time in this segment.

The aerodynamic body also contributes to the reduction of fuel consumption: as an engineer, I find the Cd figure of 0.26 highly impressive. Intelligent lightweight construction has made the BMW 3 Series about 40 kg lighter.

All these fuel consumption benefits culminate in the new BMW 320d EfficientDynamics Edition. With a maximum output of 163 bhp and maximum torque of 380 Nm, this car accelerates in just 8 seconds from zero to 100 kilometres per hour and has a fuel consumption of only 4.1 litres per 100 kilometres on the EU test cycle. This is equivalent to a CO2-emissions figure of 109 grams per kilometre.

In the course of its history, the BMW 3 Series has been an innovative trendsetter in the field of engine and drive technology. In autumn 2012, we are enriching the BMW 3 Series further with the addition of a new engine technology.

Here is the new BMW ActiveHybrid 3.

It is the world's first ever full hybrid among the compact sports sedans of the premium segment. In this way we are offering our customers a highly efficient hybrid vehicle in our top-selling series.

• The maximum output available is 340 bhp.
• The drive develops up to 450 Nm.
• Fuel consumption per 100 kilometres is 6.4 litres on the EU test cycle.

I could give you a lot more detail on this automobile. But you will receive all the information afterwards on a USB stick.

Thank you for your attention.