BMW 3 Series and 5 Series Ranked #1 in 2010 J.D. Power & Associates APEAL Study

Woodcliff Lake, NJ - July 20th, 2010 …The BMW 3 Series and 5 Series Sedans were ranked highest by J.D. Power & Associates in their respective categories in the 2010Automotive Performance, Execution and Layout (APEAL) study. This prestigious award is given to models with high sales, high customer satisfaction rates, and little or no need for cash incentives.  The BMW 3 Series was ranked highest in the Entry Premium Car segment, and the BMW 5 Series was ranked highest in the Midsize Premium Car segment. The BMW 1 Series was first runner-up in the Entry Premium Car segment behind the 3 Series Sedan.

Additionally, the BMW nameplate was ranked very high among automakers. The stated industry average nameplate ranking by J.D. Power & Associates was 778 out of 1000 points, while BMW came in at 846 points, a score which places BMW above its primary competitors and third among all automakers in the study.

The APEAL Study examines how gratifying a new vehicle is to own and drive, based on owner evaluations of more than 80 vehicle attributes. The 2010 APEAL Study is based on responses gathered between February and May 2010 from more than 76,000 purchasers and lessees of new 2010 model-year cars and trucks who were surveyed after the first 90 days of ownership.

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 of motor vehicles, including motorcycles, the MINI brand, and the Rolls-Royce brand of Motor Cars; DesignworksUSA, a strategic design consultancy 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 X5 Sports Activity Vehicles and X6 Sports Activity Coupes.  The BMW Group sales organization is represented in the U.S. through networks of 338 BMW passenger car centers, 336 BMW Sports Activity Vehicle centers, 143 BMW motorcycle retailers, 97 MINI passenger car dealers, and 31 Rolls-Royce Motor Car dealers.  BMW (US) Holding Corp., the BMW Group’s sales headquarters for North America, is located in Woodcliff Lake, New Jersey.

The BMW Group

With its three brands – BMW, MINI and Rolls-Royce – the BMW Group is one of the world’s most successful premium manufacturers of cars and motorcycles. It operates internationally with 24 production sites in 13 countries and a global sales network with representation in more than 140 countries.

During the financial year 2009, the BMW Group sold approximately 1.29 million cars and more than 87,000 motorcycles worldwide. The profit before tax for 2009 was euro 413 million, revenues totaled euro 50.68 billion. At 31.December 2009, the BMW Group had a workforce of approximately 96,000 employees.

Long-term thinking and responsible action have long been the foundation of the BMW Group’s success. Striving for ecological and social sustainability along the entire value-added chain, taking full responsibility for our products and giving an unequivocal commitment to preserving resources are prime objectives firmly embedded in our corporate strategies. For these reasons, the BMW Group has been sector leader in the Dow Jones Sustainability Indices for the last five years.

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

www.bmwgroupna.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.bmwna.com.  Additional information, images and video may be found at www.bmwgroupusanews.com.  Broadcast quality video footage is available via The NewsMarket at www.thenewsmarket.com.

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