BMW 7 Series Wins Best Car 2004 Once Again in China

Locally Produced BMW 3 Series Receives Top Quality and Drivability
Awards of the Year Beijing - In the third year of "The Best
Cars" survey initiated by by ams, the auto motor und sport's China
branch, BMW Group has become once again the biggest winner with the BMW
7 Series, BMWZ4 and MINI Cooper receiving "Best Cars 2004"
awards out of the total ten categories for all domestic and imported
car models. This opinion poll has involved more than 15,000 readers of
China's leading auto publication China Auto Pictorial. The BMW 7
Series was voted as the best car in the luxury performance segment in
the previous survey in 2003. Winning the best car award this year is a
further recognition of the strong sales of the BMW flagship series.
Worldwide, Chinese mainland is now one of the three most important
markets of the 7 Series, and the largest V12 model market. By the end
of November 2003, more than 5,700 BMW 7 Series cars were delivered to
the Chinese mainland customers. The BMW Z4 won the best car award in
the convertible category. And, MINI was voted the best car in the small
car segment. In the last production year, the previous 5 Series also
scored very high with a mere less than one per cent votes than its main
competitor. The opinion poll also shows the BMW brand image remains its
leading position in China. Out of thirteen areas measuring a brand
image, BMW was at the top position in seven areas, including value for
money, good styling, environment-friendliness, reliability, well made,
advanced technology, as well as "I like the make". Very
impressively, only two months after its market entry, the locally
produced BMW 3 Series won the top quality and drivability award of the
year. The award of "Car of the Year" was decided by a jury
consisting of nine senior editors in China. Through the joint venture
BMW Brilliance Automotive Ltd., BMW started produced 3 Series sedan in
China in September and launched the 6-cylinder BMW325i in late October
2003. The other seven best car awards were distributed among Opel
Agila of GM (Mini car), New Beetle (Compact car), Mercedes Benz C Class
(Middle range car), Mercedes Benz E Class (Upper mid-sized Car), Toyota
Previa (MPV), Ferrari 360 Modena M (Sports Car), and Porsche Cayenne
(SUV and off roader). The car of the year award went to Honda Accord
because of its market impact. If you have any questions, please
contact: BMW Group Africa and Caribbean Region Jean-Michel Juchet
General Manager Marketing and Public Relations Phone: +49/89/382-21248,
Fax: +49/89/382-26844 Email: Jean-Michel.JA.Juchet@bmw.de