“Wertmeister 2015”: Class victories for the BMW i3, the BMW 3 Series Touring and the BMW X3.

Munich. The notion of sustainable driving pleasure has gained a new meaning. Approximately one year after its market launch the BMW i3 received the “Wertmeister 2015” award in the all-new “electric vehicle” category. The award is presented by the trade magazine “Auto Bild”. The clear success of the BMW i3 confirms that the purchase of the first premium vehicle designed exclusively for purely electrical and locally emission free driving is a decision in favour of ecological awareness and high value stability. Conventionally driven BMW brand models also came out on top in the assessment of their value retention. The accolade for the highest value stability in the midrange segment went to the BMW 325d Touring. In the “compact SUV” category the BMW X3 xDrive35d clinched victory, followed by the BMW X4 xDrive30d.

Each year since 2014, the trade magazine with the highest circulation in Europe has presented the models in the German market with the highest value retention with the “Wertmeister” award. The latest ranking list published by “Auto Bild” is based on predictions by Schwacke, a renowned marketing monitoring institute, pertaining to the anticipated resale value after a period of four years of a vehicle first registered in 2015. The automotive experts compared the value development of current models in 13 categories. In addition to each model’s characteristics, purchase price, running costs and results of comparative tests, the determined value also gives consideration to further influencing factors, the time of market launch, brand image, the segment-specific competitive situation and the overall economic development. The results provide potential new-car buyers with valuable assistance in making a purchase decision as the difference between the original price and resale value is one of the most essential cost factors. “Customers who opt for a Wertmeister today will incur a limited loss when reselling the car in a few years,” the editors of Auto Bild conclude.

Thanks to hallmark driving pleasure, state-of-the-art technology, exemplary efficiency and premium quality BMW models repeatedly won first place in the “Wertmeister” ranking. Also in the electric vehicle segment, which was assessed for the first time, these characteristics are ideal prerequisites for lasting value retention, as proven by the result achieved by the BMW i3. Trendsetting design features, a passenger cell made of CFRP (carbon fibre reinforced plastic) and BMW eDrive technology make the compact five-door vehicle an exception with excellent prospects on the second hand car market. The BMW i3, which is driven by a 125 kW/170 hp electric motor (combined energy consumption: 12.9 kWh, combined CO2 emissions: 0 g/km), is clearly in the lead, with an expected residual value of 60.1 percent of the original selling price.

The BMW 3 Series is “Wertmeister 2015” in the fiercely contested midrange segment for the third time in succession. The BMW 325d Touring (160 kW/218 hp, combined fuel consumption: 5.2 – 5.1 l/100 km, combined CO2 emissions: 137 – 134 g/km), which replaces the BMW 320d Touring, was able to defend its title. An expected residual value of 53.7 percent after four years gives the sporting and elegant five-door vehicle a clear lead over its competitors.

The double victory achieved by BMW in the “compact SUV” segment also underlines the attractiveness and popularity of the current model portfolio. The neck-to-neck race within the BMW X family ended with the victory of the BMW X3 xDrive35d (230 kW/313 hp, combined fuel consumption: 6.0 l/100 km, combined CO2 emissions: 157 g/km), whose resale value is assessed at 63.9 percent of the original selling price. With a value of 63.5 percent, the second place winner in the “Wertmeister” ranking in this segment, the BMW X4 xDrive30d (190 kW/258 PS, combined fuel consumption: 6.1 – 5.9 l/100 km, combined CO2 emissions: 159 – 156 g/km), is also a perfect example for high value retention.

This outstanding success is completed by further top-three positions in the “Wertmeister” ranking. The BMW 218d Active Tourer (second place in the “compact van” segment), the BMW 535d Touring (third place in the “luxury class“), the BMW X1 sDrive18d (third place in the “small SUV” category) and the BMW X5 xDrive30d (third place in the “SUV” segment) also excel with lasting attractiveness and high value stability.

Further information on official fuel consumption figures, specific CO2 emission values and the electric power consumption of new passenger cars are included in the following guideline: "Leitfaden über Kraftstoffverbrauch, die CO2-Emissionen und den Stromverbrauch neuer Personenkraftwagen" (Guideline for fuel consumption, CO2 emissions and electric power consumption of new passenger cars), which can be obtained from all dealerships, from the Deutsche Automobil Treuhand GmbH (DAT), Hellmuth-Hirth-Str. 1, 73760 Ostfildern-Scharnhausen and at http://www.dat.de/angebote/verlagsprodukte/leitfaden-kraftstoffverbrauch.html. LeitfadenCO2 (Guideline CO2) (PDF ‒ 2.7 MB)