BMW X5 RECOGNIZED FOR RESIDUAL VALUE BY AUTOMOTIVE LEASE GUIDE
WOODCLIFF LAKE, N.J., July 13, 2000...The BMW X5 Sports Activity Vehicle has
been awarded the top recognition in the "Compact SUV" category of Automotive
Lease Guide(r) 2000 Residual Value Awards.
The Automotive Lease Guide (ALG) Awards honors vehicles from the current model
year that are predicted to retain the highest percentage of original price. To
determine the winners, ALG carefully studies the historical used data, economic
indicators, industry trends, brand strength, new vehicle transaction
price/sales performance, quality and reliability indicators. Award winners
from 10 segments are featured on ALG.com, Lease Source.com, Cars.com and other
automotive sites.
"A key focus at BMW is ensuring that our vehicles represent value over the long
term," said Tom Purves, Chairman and CEO of BMW (US) Holding Corp. "We are
very pleased to receive this award for one of the industry's best performing
models."
According to Automotive Lease Guide's Vice President, Raj Sundaram, "Residual
values are a very important benchmark and manufacturers are increasingly
determined to have them maximized."
Integral to the X5's class-leading residual value is the high level of safety
and security technology engineered into the vehicle. Introduced in late 1999
as a 2000 model, the BMW X5 Sports Activity Vehicle offers a unique
all-wheel-drive system combined with a special version of Dynamic Stability
Control -- BMW's electronic stability enhancement system which offers safe,
predictable traction and handling on all manners of roads. The X5 also
provides pioneering safety technology by combining the company's dual
threshold, dual inflation rate SMART airbag system with the award-winning Head
Protection System. To date, the BMW X5 is the first and only light-duty truck
sold with a head protection system.
Based in Santa Barbara, Calif., Automotive Lease Guide is a privately held
company that has been forecasting automotive residual values for over 35 years
and has been the industry benchmark in the U.S. and Canadian markets.
BMW IN AMERICA
BMW of North American Inc. was established in 1975. Since then, the company
has grown to include marketing, sales and financial service organizations in
the United States; a South Carolina manufacturing operation; DESIGNWORKS/USA,
an industrial design firm in California; a technology office in Palo Alto and
various other operations throughout the country. BMW is represented in the
U.S. through a network of more than 340 car, 300 Sports Activity Vehicle and
160 motorcycle retailers. BMW US Holding Corp., the Group's headquarters for
North, Central and South America, is located in Woodcliff Lake, N.J.
Information about BMW products is available to consumers via the World Wide Web
on the BMW homepage. The address is: http:www.bmwusa.com.
Contact: Martha McKinley
Business Communications Manager
(201)307-3786