BMW Press Conference, Auto Beijing 2014, Speeches

Speeches Dr. Ian Robertson, Member of the Board of Management of BMW AG, Sales and Marketing BMW and Mr. Karsten Engel, President and CEO of BMW Group Region China, at the BMW Press Conference at the Beijing Auto Show 2014.

Dr. Ian Robertson

Ni men hao ladies and gentlemen! 

It’s great to be back in Beijing.

And today I'm thrilled to present the new BMW 4 Series Gran Coupé!

This is the first four-door coupé in its class.

It’s the third model to join the new BMW 4 Series, which is longer, wider and more dynamic than any of the vehicles in our previous midsize range.

With coupés, design plays a very special role. The BMW 4 Series Gran Coupé is exceptionally good-looking with a fine balance between elegance and sporting flair.  It looks fast even at a standstill. At the same time, it is very elegant, just like the 6 Series Gran Coupé.

The sleek silhouette, sweeping roofline and four frameless windows are an expression of pure elegance. Its broader stance gives it a particularly athletic presence. Four doors make it easy to enter and exit the car. The luggage compartment is bigger than in the two-door version and accessed via a large automatic tailgate – which is very convenient for a coupé.

Clearly, the 4 Series Gran Coupé will be an important addition to our product portfolio. With its combination of stunning design and performance, we are very confident that it will be a success here in China and worldwide.

China plays an increasingly important role in our worldwide business.

It is now our largest single market for BMW Group sales.

Our strong performance here goes hand in hand with our growing commitment to China. Last year we expanded our production capacity here up to 300,000 cars. We have invested 1.5 billion Euros in our production facilities, with our joint venture partner, Brilliance Automotive, over the past decade.  And our close cooperation with BBA continues.

If we take a quick look at global sales, the BMW Group ended the first quarter on a very positive note. In total, we delivered around 487.000 vehicles worldwide, which was a record first quarter for the BMW Group.

This year is set to mark a further milestone in the company's history. We are aiming for a significant increase in deliveries. To be precise, a new Group sales record of over two million vehicles.

As we aim for further growth, three elements are essential:

1. A balance in worldwide sales
2. Strength in Innovation, and
3. A focus on sustainability

The BMW Group is always looking ahead.  This means planning for tomorrow's success, today.  A great example of this are our BMW i vehicles.

Today, I am very proud to present – for the first time in China - the BMW i8!

This is the new generation in sports cars.

It’s the car customers have been waiting for. The worldwide response has been phenomenal.

With lightweight construction and emotional design, the BMW i8 combines the energizing performance of a sports car with benchmark efficiency.

It’s also the world’s first series vehicle to feature laser light technology. With this technology, a driver can see not just 300, but 600 meters ahead in the dark. Laser light technology is also 30 per cent more energy-efficient.

I am sure that our customers in China will be big fans of this car.

Customers in China really appreciate premium and luxury.

That’s why we decided to present a very special world premiere right here in Beijing!

The BMW Vision Future Luxury is a glimpse of future possibilities, far beyond tomorrow. 

Innovative technologies play a key role – they span intelligent lightweight engineering, innovative interior design and a radically new user interface.

This study already looks spectacular from the outside, but it’s also very exciting inside. Let’s take a quick tour of the interior.

The outstanding quality of the interior is instantly recognisable. For one, there is no visible jointing – different materials seamlessly flow into one another. And these materials are of exceptionally high quality.

The blend of carbon fibre, lime wood, aluminium and leather represents what we consider the perfect combination of luxury and style.

The Vision’s cockpit showcases a totally new user interface design: A wrap-around cluster of three interlaced displays, with three-dimensional technology. The main display is the BMW Vision Head Up Display, where images of buildings, traffic signs and hazards can be projected directly in the field of view. In the Vision, front-seat passengers also have their own information display.

In the back, two Rear Seat Displays set into carbon surrounds and a detachable Rear Seat Touch Command Tablet give the finishing touch to the integrated user interface concept. The BMW Vision Future Luxury offers a luxurious haven of personal space throughout, including two large, deeply contoured single seats in the rear.

Now let’s move on and take a look at the exterior. This is BMW’s modern interpretation of luxury. Exclusivity is one key aspect, but innovation is equally important. The exterior design perfectly showcases the advanced aerodynamics and innovative lightweight engineering – using elements such as carbon fibre.

Design is clean and simple at the front, with the traditional iconic BMW front-end cues – the twin kidney grille and the twin headlights. The lean contours of the headlights hint at the technology behind them: BMW Laserlight. And for the first time, we are presenting a study which utilizes Organic LEDs for the rear lighting.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

words alone don’t do it justice. So, please, I now invite you to come and join me to take a look at the BMW Vision Future Luxury.

Ends.