PressClub United Kingdom · Article.
May News in Brief
Thu May 04 12:00:00 CEST 2006 Press Release
The BMW Sauber F1 Team Pit Lane Park .... The new BMW 3 Series Convertible M Sport Edition .... Cinema surround sound award for BMW Z4 .... New bikes by BMW .... BMW most wanted used car brand .... BMW Driver Training announces trips of a lifetime for 2006 .... Record breaking three months for www.bmweducation.co.uk .... BMW centre scoops two top awards
The BMW Sauber F1 Team Pit Lane Park:
BMW is to bring the thrill of Formula One closer to its fans by building an
authentic pit lane and stadium at selected Grand Prix this year. In a first for
Formula One, the BMW Sauber F1 Team Pit Lane Park will play host to up to
16,000 visitors a day, all of whom will witness the BMW Sauber F1 drivers and
their cars at close quarters.
The unique attraction makes its debut at the European Grand Prix at the
Nürburgring on 5-7 May 2006. Open from 10am to 6pm each day of a Grand Prix
weekend, entrance to the BMW Sauber F1 Pit lane Park is free to all GP ticket
holders. Inside, fans will be greeted by a 90-metre section of track with a
turning circle at one end and an extensive pit garage at the other.
Aside from watching the 'on track' F1 action that'll see drivers practice
starts, powering down the strip, and the team pit stops, spectators will also
be able to take part. An interactive wheel change challenge and a question and
answer session with BMW Sauber F1 experts also feature. Other highlights
include static displays of F1 cars allowing fans to compare the weight of an F1
part with its series production equivalent, demonstrations by Formula BMW cars
or the chance to slip into some race overalls and have photos taken in the
cockpit of an F1 car.
Mario Theissen, BMW Motorsport Director, said: "The fans have told us that they
want to get closer to the action, find out more information and experience the
sport for themselves. This theme park allows us to bring them right up close to
the sport."
A BMW Sauber F1 Team Pit Lane Park will also be staged at Grand Prix in
Barcelona, Silverstone, Montreal, Monza and Shanghai.
The new BMW 3 Series Convertible M Sport Edition:
The onset of summer marks the introduction of two new models to the BMW 3
Series Convertible line-up. Featuring increases in specification compared to
standard M Sport variants, the BMW 320Ci M Sport Edition and the 320Cd M Sport
Edition both offer customers exceptional value.
Model Price OTR Power hp Torque Nm Zero - 62 mph Top Speed mph Combined
consumption Mpg Emissions CO2
320Ci M Sport Edition £31,345 170 210 9.1 138 30.1 225
320Cd M Sport Edition £31,595 150 330 9.7 131 44.8 167
Based on the popular M Sport derivative of the 3 Series Convertible range, a
specification level that accounts for 72 per cent of all sales in this sector,
the M Sport Edition adds £1,660 of additional equipment for just a £250 price
increase. Over and above the 'standard' M Sport specification, Edition cars
feature metallic paintwork, front seat heating, rain sensing wipers, headlamp
wash, Silver Alu Cube interior trim, chrome exhaust tailpipe (BMW 320 Ci only),
chrome kidney grille and a chrome surround for the interior dials.
The BMW 320Ci is on sale now priced at £31,345 and the BMW 320Cd M Sport
Edition is priced at £31,595.
Note: The M Sport package on 3 Series Convertibles consists of M Aerodynamic
package, 18-inch M Double-spoke alloy wheels, laser cloth and alcantara
upholstery, M leather multi-function steering wheel, Sports seats, Sports
suspension and High-Gloss Shadowline exterior trim.
Cinema surround sound award for BMW Z4:
BMW is the first European car manufacturer to be awarded a THX certification
for its LOGIC 7 Professional car audio system. The standard awarded to the BMW
Z4 underscores the unsurpassed sound quality offered by BMW's flagship in-car
entertainment system.
The THX standard was established in 1983 by filmmaker George Lucas as he strove
to improve the way cinema audiences experienced feature films. With this
technical know how, scientists from THX worked closely with BMW engineers to
develop the LOGIC 7 Professional system for the BMW Z4. Strict criteria such as
the layout, positioning and acoustic performance of the sound system were all
assessed.
Edgar Kirk, Head of Development of Audio Systems at BMW, said: "One of the
particular challenges is to develop optimum sound systems for a convertible
required to offer the same listening experience with the roof both open and
closed."
Such detailed work, combined with the way that a LOGIC 7 Professional system
breaks sound down into seven separate waves and then reconstructs them for
optimum quality, led to the Z4 receiving the commendation.
BMW's award-wining LOGIC 7 Professional sound system comes with digital
10-channel audio amplifier and sound processor, two woofer speakers, two
further low range speakers, four midrange speakers and two high range. The
total power output of the system is 470 Watts and buyers of a Z4 can order
LOGIC 7 Professional for £710.
New bikes by BMW:
BMW cars are renowned for their advanced technology, rear-wheel-drive, 50:50
weight distribution and supreme build quality all packaged in a unique design.
The same can be said when it comes to the firm's two-wheeled products as
demonstrated by the new BMW Mountain bike Enduro and BMW Cruise bike.
BMW's Mountain bike Enduro comes to the market with an acclaimed aluminium
frame fitted with all round adjustable pneumatic suspension featuring Manitou
Black Platinum telescopic air suspension fork and Manitou Radium RL air shock.
Buyers of this state-of-the-art mountain bike also get a machine that has a
four-bar rear end for ultimate wheel control and an Sram 27-speed chain gear
drivetrain with Truvativ KRG Firex Team ISIS DRIVE for near instantaneous
shifting. A Hayes HFX MAG XC disc brake system provides the stopping power. The
bike also has dual pedal functionality - one for normal footwear, the other
click system compatible. Available in three frame sizes, the 14.2kgs BMW
Mountain bike Enduro retails at £1,895.
Aimed at those more interested in leisurely two-wheeled travel, the BMW Cruise
bike offers riders unsurpassed comfortable cruising. Featuring aluminium front
suspension with a fixed rear end, the latest cycle to come from BMW is also
equipped with Continental City Contact tyres for a smooth ride. A 24-speed
Shimano gearing system ensures smooth progress while conventional Shimano Alivo
V-brakes provide the stopping power. The BMW Cruise bike is available in three
frame sizes and retails at £575.
BMW most wanted used car brand:
BMW is now the most searched for marque on the UK's biggest used car database.
The renowned www.autotrader.co.uk website handles an average of 18 car buyer
searches every second or 1.6 million searches every day. Research comparing
2005 to previous years has found that used car buyers increasingly prefer to
search for German cars, with BMW being the most popular. The marque now
accounts for 9.3 per cent of all used car searches.
BMW Driver Training announces trips of a lifetime for 2006 :
BMW's Driver Training programme is celebrating its 30th year with a range of
courses that'll see customers tackle the Namib Desert or race up a frozen
alpine road.
Aimed at giving BMW owners and enthusiasts the chance to sharpen their driving
skills, improve on-road awareness while also visiting some exotic locations BMW
Driver Training courses are an annual hit. A plethora of courses are on offer
with a team of more than 100 highly qualified and seasoned instructors to call
upon for guidance. Courses cost from £99 and further information is available
at www.bmw.de/fahrertraining
Record breaking three months for www.bmweducation.co.uk:
BMW's online education resource, www.bmweducation.co.uk, has witnessed its
biggest ever growth in website visitors since it was launched in 2001. The
first three months of 2006 saw a record 85 per cent growth in the number of
people using the free access portal.
Spurring on this growth has been the revised BMW CleanEnergy resource unveiled
in March. Aimed at all senior pupils aged 12 years and above, the section,
highlighting the issues surrounding current and future energy resources, now
features new data and interactive tests to broaden the understanding of pupils.
The introduction of an all-new Wet Play Pack for primary schools provides young
children with creative and engaging activities, including road safety tips,
when they can't play outside.
BMW centre scoops two top awards:
BMW's Thorne Vehicle Distribution Centre, the facility that handles all new BMW
cars entering the UK, has been awarded the RoSPA Gold Standard in the 2006
Health and Safety awards. RoSPA also assessed all the companies that reached
this standard and in 2006 Thorne was crowned best overall beating off numerous
efforts from other blue chip companies.
Ends