A trusted team: Christopher Bangle hands over his post as Head of Design at the BMW Group to Adrian van Hooydonk.

Munich. Christopher E. Bangle, the BMW Group's Head of Design, has worked
closely with Adrian van Hooydonk in BMW Group design development for nearly17
years. Now he is handing over his post to van Hooydonk, who is currently Head
of BMW Automobile Design. "Christopher Bangle has had a lasting impact on the
identity of BMW Group's brands. His contribution to the company's success has
been decisive, and together with his teams he has mapped out a clear and
aesthetic route into the future," said Dr Klaus Draeger, BMW AG's Board Member
for Development. Dr Draeger went on to explain that the BMW Group was currently
"in an excellent position", thanks to a broad portfolio of automobiles and
several new vehicle concepts due for market launch in the coming months and
years. The BMW AG Management Board, he added, is looking forward to working
with van Hooydonk as Head of BMW Group Design - a man who shares Bangle's
fascination for technology and aesthetics, tradition and innovation. Dr Draeger
affirmed that van Hooydonk would be in a position to continue to build on a
design philosophy, which extends across the BMW Group's brands. Bangle's plan
to pursue his own design-related endeavours beyond the auto industry marks the
start of a new phase in his life while maintaining strong ties with the BMW
Group.


Over the years numerous designs for new vehicles and vehicle concepts have been
developed under Christopher Bangle's leadership. As well as continuing the BMW
3, 5 and 7 Series, he and his teams were responsible for a range of other
models, including the BMW Z3, BMW Z4, BMW X5, BMW Z8, BMW X3, the new BMW 6
Series, the BMW X6 and the BMW 1 Series. Other developments under the auspices
of Christopher Bangle include the new MINI and Rolls-Royce models and a number
of innovative motorcycle concepts. During his tenure, Christopher Bangle was
also instrumental in making the company's consultancy subsidiary, BMW Group
DesignworksUSA, what it is today: a global design agency in North America,
Munich and Singapore for leading international brands and companies in a wide
variety of industries.


Thanks to their outstanding design quality numerous products from all three of
the BMW Group's automobile brands have won a host of renowned awards from
around the world. Bangle has always had a special aptitude for working with his
teams to strengthen the identities and unmistakable images of the BMW Group's
brands and to inspire design innovations, said Dr Draeger, Board Member for
Development. Over the years he has received a dozen patents for his technical
applications and design. These, along with the one hundred additional patents
awarded to the BMW Group Design under Bangle's auspices, are a testimony to his
creative and innovative power.


Born in the USA, Christopher Bangle, aged 52, has been Head of BMW Group Design
Development since October 1992. After studying at the University of Wisconsin
and the Art Center College of Design in Pasadena, he began his working life in
Rüsselsheim, where he worked for Adam Opel AG. In 1985 he joined FIAT, where he
became Director of the FIAT Centro Stile in 1992. Shortly afterwards he left
the Italian automaker to come to Munich.

Throughout his career with the BMW Group Bangle's right-hand man has been
Adrian van Hooydonk, who is now set to become his successor. He described van
Hooydonk as "truly a top professional in our business," adding, "I am sure that
the many strong design strategies he has helped us create for the BMW Group
will continue to develop and evolve."

Adrian van Hooydonk, aged 44, will take over as Director of BMW Group Design
with immediate effect. In his new position he will be responsible for design
development for the BMW, Rolls-Royce and MINI brands. Born in the Netherlands,
van Hooydonk studied at Delft Polytechnic University in Holland and later at
the Art Center Europ in Vevey, Switzerland, until 1992. From there he came to
Munich, where he joined BMW as a designer. In the year 2000 he went to
California to work for the BMW Group subsidiary Designworks USA. He was
Director of the internationally renowned design agency from 2001 to 2004. Then,
under Bangle as the BMW Group's Head of Design, he became Head of the Brand
Design Studio for BMW Automobiles.

The BMW 6 Series and 7 Series lines clearly bear the hallmark of van Hooydonk's
design influence, as do the Z9 Concept Car, the BMW Concept CS (unveiled in
2007) and the M1 Hommage Study. In 1997 van Hooydonk created the ACV 30 Show
Car for MINI and more recently he and his team have developed the designs for
the new BMW 7 Series and Z4 as well as for the Concept Progessive Activity
Sedan, which celebrates its premiere at the Geneva Auto Show in early March
2009.

"I am honoured and extremely excited to take on this new responsibility", says
van Hooydonk. "BMW, MINI and Rolls-Royce produce the best cars and motorcycles
in their segment, and I am really looking forward to being able to contribute
to the future development of these brands." Speaking of his hopes for the years
to come, van Hooydonk added: "I have no doubt that there are challenges ahead,
but BMW's depth in engineering and the passion of its talented design team are
as strong as ever. Together I am sure we will be able to create some very
sophisticated and extremely attractive concepts."