BMW KICKS OFF ITS 14TH ANNUAL CHARITY RIDE WITH AN EXCLUSIVE FOUR-DAY MOTORCYCLE TRIP THROUGH CALIFORNIA

Motorcycle enthusiasts help raise over $75,000 for children's charity and
California Highway Patrol

Woodcliff Lake, NJ - October 7, 2004... BMW of North America will launch its
14th annual BMW Motorcycle Charity Ride by raising over $75,000 for two
charitable organizations. A donation of $52,500 will be made to the St. Francis
Medical Center's "Footprints" program in Lynwood California. The program
provides shoes and clothing for hundreds of underprivileged children in East
Los Angeles. Another $22,800 donation will go to the California Highway Patrol
11-99 Foundation for the families of lost, injured or disabled CHP officers.
More than 60 motorcyclists will begin the Charity Ride at BMW of North America
- Western Region Training Center; 1175 S. Dupont Avenue; Ontario, CA; October
7th at 8:00AM PCT.

The elite, four-day, 1200-mile motorcycle journey has a loyal following
including attorneys, doctors, publishers and entertainment moguls who ride
together each year to raise money for these charities. Each participant
donates $1,200 to take part in the event.

The scenic trip begins at BMW regional headquarters in Ontario and goes through
Death Valley, Yosemite National Park, and Pismo Beach, California before ending
back in Ontario. The California Highway Patrol provides a ceremonial
motorcycle escort for the first few miles of the ride, with a large group from
the CHP 11-99 Foundation surrounding the motorcyclists for a grand send-off.
Ride Marshals will be driving the original 1955 Buick Highway Patrol car from
the 1950's TV series, "Highway Patrol".

The BMW Charity Riders have developed a scenic yet challenging route for the
2004 participants:

* Day One (Thursday, 10/7) Coming 'round the mountain: Ontario to Death Valley
- The motorcyclists will kick-off the tour with simple roads and freeways, then
head north to Furnace Creek through the beautiful Avawatz and Owslhead
Mountains.

* Day Two (Friday, 10/8) (From Low to high - surge high): Death Valley to
Yosemite - The riders will start at below sea level, traversing the desert
floor, then climb to Tioga Pass at an outstanding 10,000 feet. That evening,
they will stay in the Yosemite area.

* Day Three (Saturday, 10/9) Sunset in the valley: Yosemite to Pismo Beach -
The BMW Charity Riders will move across Central California's Joaquin Valley,
through Cottonwood Pass and down to the incredible Morro Rock of Morro Bay.
Then, the riders will travel South on CA 101 to Pismo Beach for a glorious
beachfront banquet as the sun sets into the Pacific.

* Day Four (Sunday, 10/10) Beach, Freeways - Pismo Beach to Ontario - The
Riders will travel approximately 4½ hours along CA 166 and 33, two of the
finest and most scenic motorcycle roads anywhere.

The Charity ride began fourteen years ago with a small group of Los Angeles
area BMW employees and loyal customers eager to pursue their passion of
motorcycling with a philanthropic edge. The number of participants rose
sharply in the 1990s, enabling the initiative to raise approximately $400,000
for the charities thus far.

About St. Francis Medical Center
St. Francis Medical Center (SFMC) exists to serve the healthcare and social
needs: body, mind, and spirit, of the communities of Southeast Los Angeles. St.
Francis Medical Center is founded upon and advances the healing ministry of
Christ in the tradition of service established by St. Vincent de Paul, St.
Louise de Marillac and St. Elizabeth Ann Seton. SFMC promotes healthy
families, responsible stewardship of the environment, and a just society
through value-based relationships and community-based collaboration.

About California Highway Patrol 11-99 Foundation
From its beginning in 1981, the goal of the California Highway Patrol 11-99
Foundation (CHP) has been to serve the employees of the California Highway
Patrol. Over the years, it has become apparent that the greatest need is to
provide scholarship opportunities for the children and spouses of CHP
employees. The scholarship fund provides CHP children and spouses with
educational opportunities, based on financial need and academic excellence.
Thus far, over $2 million has been awarded.

BMW Group In America
BMW of North America, LLC has been present in the United States since 1975.
ROLLS-ROYCE Motor Cars NA, LLC began distributing vehicles in 2003. The BMW
Group in the United States has grown to include marketing, sales, and financial
service organizations for the BMW brand, the MINI brand, and the ROLLS-ROYCE
brand of Motor Cars; DesignworksUSA, an industrial design firm in California; a
technology office in Silicon Valley and various other operations throughout the
country. BMW Manufacturing Co., LLC in South Carolina is part of BMW Group's
global manufacturing network and is the exclusive manufacturing plant for all
Z4 Roadster and X5 Sports Activity Vehicles. The BMW Group sales organization
is represented in the U.S. through networks of 340 BMW passenger car centers,
327 BMW Sports Activity Vehicle centers, 148 BMW motorcycle retailers, 76 MINI
passenger car dealers, and 25 ROLLS-ROYCE Motor Car dealers. BMW (US) Holding
Corp., the BMW Group's sales headquarters for North, Central and South America,
is

located in Woodcliff Lake, New Jersey.

Information about BMW Group products is available to consumers via the Internet
at:

www.bmwusa.com
www.bmwmotorradusa.com
www.miniusa.com
www.rolls-roycemotorcars.com
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Journalist note: Information about the BMW Group and its products is available
to journalists on-line at the BMW Group PressClub at the following address:
www.press.bmwgroup.com.

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