BMW introduced several new models and refreshes at Geneva this year but the main event was the introductions of the 6 Gran Coupe and M6. To a full gallery Dr. Reithofer and Dr. Draeger drove the new models out on to the stage. The Gran Coupe is set to become one of BMW ‘s most luxurious models while the M6 should be a contender for performance leader. The Gran Coupe will have from the start of production an available M Sport Package. The M6 introduces BMW M to the world of Carbon Ceramic brakes.
Official Release A warm welcome from the BMW Group!
In 2007, we first unveiled our Efficient Dynamics fleet here in Geneva.
In 2011, we presented Connected Drive here – our concept for networked driving and enhanced safety and comfort.
Today, we want to demonstrate what aesthetics and emotion mean in an automobile.
Today, this vehicle is making its world debut. It’s the new BMW 6 Series Gran Coupé.
Anyone who knows BMW will know that this is the first four-door coupé in the history of our brand. It’s also our third model in the BMW 6 Series range: So our customers can now choose between a convertible, a coupé, and a four-door coupé.
The Management Board issued our designers a clear goal:
– Create a design that expresses the independent character of this vehicle completely, and
– Create a vehicle with a sporty look and a sleek roofline.
Today, you can see for yourselves what a fantastic job our designers have done.
Efficiency is something all of our customers value. No matter what engine is powering it, the BMW 6 Series Gran Coupé offers a unique combination of driving performance and fuel efficiency.
This vehicle next to me is the BMW 650i Gran Coupé.
This is what it offers:
– Fuel consumption: 8.6 litres per 100 km
– CO2 emissions: 199 g per kilometer
– Acceleration from 0 to 100 km/h: 4.6 seconds.
– Peak engine performance: 450 hp
That’s Efficient Dynamics at its best.
The BMW Gran Coupé will come onto the market in June 2012. It will be available from the outset with the M Sport package and a range of BMW Individual options specially developed for the Gran Coupé.
I am absolutely convinced that our customers will love our Gran Coupé.
After a record performance in 2011, our sales have continued to develop positively in the first two months of 2012. In January and February, more than 230,000 customers bought a BMW, MINI or Rolls-Royce automobile.
This has been the strongest start to any year yet. Our products are highly desirable.
We are offering our customers more and more diversity – in both the larger and the smaller vehicle segments, and in terms of drive technologies.
Our new BMW 3 Series has been on the market for a few weeks now. Customers are delighted about the new 3 Series Sedan. The trade press has already given it top marks as well. As well, the 3 Series has won all comparison tests against competitors.
And the BMW ActiveHybrid 3 is set to follow in autumn.
It will be the first full hybrid compact sports limousine in the premium segment. And you can see it here on our stand, along with the new BMW 3 Series Saloon with all-wheel drive.
Mid-March will see the launch of the new BMW 5 Series. This will take the latest BMW ActiveHybrid technology into its first markets.
With these two vehicles, each of our strongest-selling model series will have an attractive hybrid variant in its lineup.
At the end of 2013, we will be entering the world of electric mobility.
That will take sheer BMW driving pleasure to even greater heights – because then our spectrum will range from the sustainable BMW i family to our efficient, high-performance BMW M vehicles.
Here to tell you more about BMW M Power and about what’s in store for 2012 is my colleague Dr Klaus Draeger.
Thank you very much.
Dr. Klaus Draeger, Member of the Board of Management, Development
Ladies and gentlemen,
We have another world debut for you: the new BMW M6 Coupé.
Sportiness is – and always has been – at the core of the BMW brand.
Since 1978, our BMW M sub-brand has been giving people motorsport feeling out on the roads. And our success shows we made the right decision.
Last year, BMW M GmbH sold more than 19,000 BMW M automobiles. This is an increase of more than 12.8 percent over 2010.
I could talk for hours about the new BMW M6 Coupé. But don’t worry – I’m going to keep it short!
Here are the key facts and figures:
– 560 hp V8 engine with M TwinPower Turbo Technology
– Acceleration from standstill to 100 km/h in 4.2 seconds.
– Average fuel consumption of 9.9 litres per 100 km in the EU test cycle. That’s 30% less than the previous model.
– Seven speed M double clutch transmission with Drivelogic
– New, optional carbon ceramic brakes
But there’s another important detail of the second-generation M6: the roof.
It’s made of carbon fibre reinforced plastic. The special design of the roof underlines the dynamic presence. This roof not only brings down the car’s overall weight but also lowers its centre of gravity.
The BMW M6 Convertible is due for market launch in July, with the BMW M6 Coupé set to follow in October.
Here on our stand, we are also presenting to you for the very first time the new BMW X6.
Since its market launch in 2008, we’ve sold more than 150,000 BMW X6’s to customers. We’ve now revised and updated this model, giving it an even sharper profile.
And we’ve another world premiere for you:
Here in Geneva, we are launching a completely new product category:
our BMW M Performance Automobiles.
So what’s M Performance all about?
It’s an exclusive range of engines delivering peak performance and significant levels of efficiency. At the same time, they’re designed for everyday use.
Try for yourself the triple turbo engine. We’ve developed it exclusively for the BMW M Performance Automobile range. It’s the most innovative, powerful and efficient straight six-cylinder diesel engine in the world.
Ladies and gentlemen,
BMW and motorsport have a long tradition together – with touring car racing in particular. For us, production-based car racing is especially important. That’s why we’re returning to the German Touring Car Championship, DTM. Between 1984 and 1992 we won a total of 49 DTM races. And we took the Championship title three times.
At 5 pm today, we are offering a sneak preview of what’s to come. We would like to invite you all to join our DTM Talk. There’s one thing I can already tell you now: Joining us will be Bruno Spengler, who has made Switzerland his home.
And there’s one more world premier in store. Allow me to hand you back to our Chairman, Dr. Reithofer, for a few final words.
Thank you very much!
Dr. Norbert Reithofer, Chairman of the Board of Management, BMW AG
Ladies and gentlemen,
At BMW, we offer our customers a range of vehicles combining performance, sustainability, emotion and innovation.
And that’s no contradiction. We would like to invite you up here on to the stage to see for yourself what we have to offer.
Thank you very much!