March News in Brief.

Fleet News Awards Victory for BMW

BMW has taken home two headline awards for Fleet Manufacturer of the Year, for the third year in a row, and New Company Car of the Year with the BMW 3 Series at the 25th annual Fleet News Awards.

The BMW 5 Series Saloon also defended its title of Best Premium Car, taking home the award for the third year. It was commended for being a well rounded car blending economy and performance, thank to the use of class-leading EfficientDynamics technology, as well as offering strong residuals and an outstanding drive. The new BMW 3 Series was also triumphant, not only taking the headline award of New Company Car of the Year but also Best Executive car.

A panel made up of fleet industry experts as well as senior members of the Fleet News editorial team were involved in the lengthy judging process, chaired by former SMMT chief executive Christopher McGowan and audited by Deloitte. Both New Company Car of the Year and Fleet Manufacturer of the Year were voted for by readers too.

Stephen Chater, Corporate Operations Manager for BMW Group, said: “To take home these prestigious awards is a real honour.  It’s great to see BMW’s consistent approach to sustainable mobility, through the use of EfficientDynamics technologies, being recognised by the experts in the UK fleet market.”

Get your BMW on track from just £39

This summer BMW, in conjunction with Club MSV and the BMW Car Club, is once again giving BMW owners the chance to take advantage of an exclusive offer to experience the full capability of their own cars at some of the country’s leading race tracks. 

Four novice track evenings, staged just for BMW drivers, are being held with prices ranging from just £39 to £49.  Following a safety briefing, participants will be taken on a familiarisation lap before putting theory into practice and discovering what it means to drive the ultimate driving machine on a famous motor racing circuit. 

The novice track evenings will be taking place at Bedford Autodrome, Brands Hatch, Snetterton and Cadwell Park. The first evening will be staged at Bedford Autodrome on Monday, 8 April. Experienced instructors will be on hand to offer some first class advice and in-car tuition. For further information or to book one of the limited spaces at this or any of the other locations visit www.clubmsv.co.uk/bmwontrack

BMW crowned Franchise of the Year at the AM Awards 2013

The 2013 AM Awards has bestowed the prestigious title of Franchise of the Year on BMW UK.

Richard Hudson, BMW UK Sales Director, remarked: “BMW is delighted to be recognised for the investment that has been put in to building such good relationships with our franchise partners and to be named Franchise of the Year is an incredible honour and testament to the hard work and focus from the team at BMW UK.”

AM commended BMW UK for having a connected approach to business and working openly with franchise holders.  Dealers praised BMW UK for embracing the importance of customers, with its five-star rating system encouraging them to do the same.

Tim Rose, Managing Editor of AM, said: “A collaborative ethos and a comprehensive product portfolio, catering perfectly for the efficiency-conscious modern motorist, are just two of the aspects which won BMW the AM Award for Franchise of the Year.”

BMW 5 Series Gran Turismo a category winner in Chauffeur Car of the Year

The BMW 5 Series Gran Turismo has fought off tough competition, in the luxury car segment, to win the accolade of Chauffeur Car of the Year in the £50,000 and under category.

Voted for by chauffeurs, the 5 Series Gran Turismo was recognised for its attractive chauffeur programme as well as trumping its rivals in the level of luxury offered to passengers.  It was this combination together with impressive economy that saw the 5 Series Gran Turismo reign victorious.

Paul Gibson, Editor of TheChauffeur.com commented: "The BMW 5 Series Gran Turismo provides excellent comfort levels for any chauffeured passenger, and with the excellent affordable chauffeur programme on offer, the 5 Series Gran Turismo is a good option for a chauffeur company offering premium services. Against the Jaguar XF and Mercedes-Benz E-Class, I think the GT makes the passenger feel like they're in a more special place whilst comfort suspension gives them an excellent ride at the same time.”

Ends

The BMW Group

The BMW Group is the leading premium manufacturer of automobiles and motorcycles in the world with its BMW, MINI and Rolls-Royce brands. As a global company, the BMW Group operates 28 production and assembly facilities in 13 countries and has a global sales network in more than 140 countries.

In 2012, the BMW Group sold about 1.85 million cars and more than 117,000 motorcycles worldwide. The profit before tax for the financial year 2012 was euro 7.82 billion on revenues amounting to euro 76.85 billion. At 31 December 2012, the BMW Group had a workforce of 105,876 employees.

The success of the BMW Group has always been built on long-term thinking and responsible action. The company has therefore established ecological and social sustainability throughout the value chain, comprehensive product responsibility and a clear commitment to conserving resources as an integral part of its strategy. As a result of its efforts, the BMW Group has been ranked industry leader in the Dow Jones Sustainability Indexes for the last eight years.

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For further information please contact:

Krystyna Kozlowska            BMW Media Relations Executive

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Gavin Ward                           BMW Media Relations Manager
Tel:  01344 480829            Email: Gavin.Ward@bmw.co.uk

Piers Scott                            General Manager, Product and Internal Communications

Tel: 01344 480113             Email: Piers.Scott@bmw.co.uk

Graham Biggs                       Corporate Communications Director

Tel:  01344 480109            Email:  Graham.Biggs@bmw.co.uk

Press office fax:                    01344 480306

Media website:                    www.press.bmwgroup.co.uk
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