Munich/Oxford. One MINI, one mission – and now a milestone: on 20 June 2026, a MINI Cooper D reached the 1,000,000 kilometres mark at Plant Oxford.

For the owner, Peter Kirchoff, this number is far more than just a statistic. It represents passion, commitment, and an extraordinary bond between him and his MINI.

Peter Kirchoff configured the car exactly to his personal preferences – precisely 30 years after his very first driving lesson. “Even though the vehicle was mainly intended for long-distance journeys, as a MINI fan there was never any other option for me.” Peter’s decision proved right: over the course of twelve years, the MINI became an exceptionally reliable companion both in everyday life and on long journeys across Europe.

From dream specification to long-distance legend.
The vehicle impressed with a remarkable combination of efficiency and durability. Speaking on the durability of his MINI, Peter stated, “My MINI has never let me down: the original engine, no major repairs, no accidents – and sensationally low fuel consumption of 2.56 litres. Qualities other long-distance drivers can only dream of.”

“Nemo” – a name with character.
The MINI was given a name early on - Nemo. The reason is as personal as it is easy to understand for anyone who sees the car. Peter had chosen Volcanic Orange paint with white bonnet stripes., Peter Kirchoff covered hundreds of thousands of kilometres with Nemo & has travelled through 25 countries, whilst turning the vehicle into the centerpiece of an extraordinary project.

The Project one M.
The concept of reaching one million was no coincidence, but part of a clear plan. The “The Project one M” began when the vehicle was delivered by Autohaus Schmidt in Hamm. It was designed to run over twelve years – and was pursued with consistency. Anyone following Peter’s Facebook profile can see the precision behind the project: driving data has been continuously documented, analysed, and shared transparently. The result is a milestone that was not only driven, but systematically achieved.

Oxford – the emotional destination.
The choice of destination to hit 1,000,000 km was deliberate: Oxford is the birthplace of the modern MINI and remains the heart of its production to this day. The first modern MINI rolled off the production line there on 26 April 2001.

Markus Grüneisl, Head of Plants Oxford and Swindon, said: “Oxford has been part of the MINI story since the first classic Minis rolled off the line here in 1959. As we celebrate 25 years of modern MINI production, this milestone is a fitting tribute to the expertise and dedication of our team, and we’re delighted to welcome Peter and his MINI to the plant. We are proud that a MINI built here can reach 1,000,000 kilometres with ease and still look this good.”

From one goal to the next stage.
Reaching a million kilometers does not mark the end of the journey – Peter is already looking ahead. “Completing the Project one M is at the same time the start of the One Million Miles Project.” An ambitious goal – and one that perfectly matches the story of this British MINI.

And if Nemo should one day weaken?
That question has also crossed Peter’s mind – even if only in theory: “In the unlikely event that I do not make it to 1,000,000 miles, I will probably buy an Aceman JCW E.” A clear commitment to the evolution of the MINI brand.

A MINI for eternity.
Nemo’s story is an impressive demonstration of what MINI stands for: character, efficiency, and driving fun – even across extreme distances. We wish Peter Kirchoff all the best for the next steps and believe his MINI is more than capable of many more hundreds of thousands of kilometers.

Corporate Communications
Franziska Liebert, Spokesperson MINI
Phone: +49-176-601-61611
E-mail: Franziska.Liebert@mini.com

Micaela Sandstede, Head of Communications MINI
Phone: +49-176-601-61611
E-mail: micaela.sandstede@bmw.de

Lisboa. A colaboração entre a MINI Portugal e a Gravity Wave marca a primeira ação da startup em território nacional, após o sucesso alcançado em Espanha com o projeto MINI for the Oceans, através do qual foram recolhidas mais de 9 toneladas de plástico do Mediterrâneo, posteriormente transformadas em mobiliário urbano produzido a partir de redes de pesca recicladas.

Em Portugal, o concelho de Setúbal foi escolhido para acolher esta primeira intervenção, reforçando o compromisso da MINI com a sustentabilidade e com o impacto positivo nas comunidades locais. O projeto inclui a doação de mobiliário urbano sustentável à Câmara Municipal de Setúbal, composto por:

- 5 caixotes do lixo

- 5 bancos urbanos

Estes equipamentos foram produzidos a partir de 3 a 4 mil redes de pesca recolhidas no Porto de Setúbal, posteriormente recicladas e transformadas em novos produtos, reforçando a ligação direta entre a iniciativa e o território. A concretização desta iniciativa contou ainda com o apoio da Santogal Seixal, cuja colaboração foi fundamental para estabelecer o contacto com a Câmara Municipal de Setúbal e viabilizar a entrega dos materiais.

Além desta primeira implementação, a parceria entre a MINI Portugal e a Gravity Wave prevê estender-se a outras iniciativas ao longo do ano, envolvendo outros portos nacionais, ampliando o impacto ambiental e social do projeto e contribuindo para a redução da poluição marinha em diferentes regiões do país.

Nas palavras de Gonçalo Empis, Head of MINI Portugal: “A parceria com a Gravity Wave representa um passo muito relevante para a nossa marca, não apenas pelo impacto ambiental direto, mas também pela capacidade de envolver a comunidade e dar visibilidade a soluções reais de economia circular. A MINI tem uma longa história de inovação e responsabilidade social, e este projeto reflete exatamente a forma como queremos contribuir para um futuro mais sustentável, urbano e consciente.”

Para mais informações, por favor contactar:

Corporate Communications

BMW Group Portugal

João Trincheiras, Corporate Communications Director

E-mail: Joao.Trincheiras@bmw.pt

Sobre o BMW Group

Com as suas quatro marcas BMW, MINI, Rolls-Royce e BMW Motorrad, o BMW Group é o líder mundial no fabrico de automóveis e motociclos premium, prestando igualmente serviços financeiros de alta qualidade. A rede de produção do BMW Group inclui mais de 30 unidades de produção em todo o mundo; a empresa tem uma rede global de vendas em mais de 140 países. Em 2025, o BMW Group vendeu mais de 2.46 milhões de veículos de passageiros e mais de 202.500 motociclos em todo o mundo. O lucro antes de impostos no exercício de 2025 foi de 10.2 mil milhões de euros, sobre receitas no valor de 135.4 mil milhões de euros. A 31 de dezembro de 2025, o BMW Group tinha um efetivo de 154.540 colaboradores. O sucesso do BMW Group tem sido, desde sempre, construído numa ótica de longo prazo e assente numa conduta responsável. A Sustentabilidade é um elemento-chave da estratégia corporativa do BMW Group e abrange todos os produtos da cadeia de valores, desde a produção até ao fim de utilização de todos os seus produtos.

• Rolls-Royce Motor Cars presents the Black Badge Ghost Tourist Trophy, inspired by The Hon. Charles Stewart Rolls’ victory in the 1906 Isle of Man Tourist Trophy
• Bespoke commission displayed on the Isle of Man in the 120th anniversary year of Rolls’ triumph
• Recalls the Light 20 H.P. Rolls-Royce driven by Rolls and his riding mechanic, Eric Platford, featuring Bespoke details rooted in the history of the race
• Black Badge Ghost gives contemporary form to Rolls’ restless appetite for risk, speed and mechanical possibility

“Charles Rolls lived with an extraordinary sense of adventure. As a racing driver, balloonist, aviation pioneer, engineer and innovator, he helped define the courage and curiosity that still shape Rolls-Royce Motor Cars today. His victory in the 1906 Isle of Man Tourist Trophy was not simply a sporting achievement: it was a test of judgement, nerve and faith in a finely prepared motor car. The Black Badge Ghost Tourist Trophy honours that spirit, recalling both the motor car he drove and the character that made his achievement so significant.”
John Beckley, Regional Director, United Kingdom, Europe and Central Eastern Asia, Rolls-Royce Motor Cars

“Charles Rolls was a high-voltage Edwardian: experimental, audacious and moving faster than the world around him. His victory in the 1906 Isle of Man Tourist Trophy demonstrated both courage and discipline – a demanding course, limited fuel, a finely prepared motor car and an absolute belief in what machines could make possible. The Black Badge Ghost Tourist Trophy carries that spirit with restraint. Every Bespoke detail is rooted in the race, yet the overall expression is contemporary, quietly assured and deeply controlled.”
Alistair Barkley, Designer, Rolls-Royce Motor Cars

Rolls-Royce Motor Cars has presented the Black Badge Ghost Tourist Trophy on the Isle of Man, marking 120 years since Charles Rolls’ victory in the 1906 Isle of Man Tourist Trophy.

The commission takes its inspiration from the Light 20 H.P. Rolls-Royce driven by Rolls and his riding mechanic, Eric Platford. Held over four laps of the Isle of Man course, the Tourist Trophy tested touring motor cars in the most exacting terms: speed had to be balanced with endurance, mechanical sympathy and carefully judged fuel use.

The event took place on the Highroads Course, which was shortened to 40.38 miles. Rolls started fourth and was leading by the end of the opening lap. By the final lap, he had built a 10-minute advantage – a remarkable margin in a race governed by restraint as much as pace. He and Platford completed four laps of the course in 4 hours, 6 minutes, and 0.06 seconds, at an average speed of 39.4 mph. There was just one pint and one ounce of fuel remaining in the 20 H.P. at the end of the race; it is this level of precision, aptitude and attention to detail shown by Rolls and Platford that continues to define Rolls-Royce Motor Cars today.

Charles Rolls was independent in thought, technically fluent and restless in pursuit of what machines could make possible. It was his restless quest for the new and the extraordinary which drew him to the exhilaration of early motor racing, ballooning and aviation. In Black Badge Ghost, that restlessness finds a contemporary form – assertive in character, exacting in detail and disciplined in execution.

The Black Badge Ghost Tourist Trophy carries the memory of the race through quiet, precise Bespoke details – each one connected to the Island, the course, the winning motor car or the man behind the achievement.


THE COLOUR OF VICTORY

The exterior of the commission is finished in Dark Emerald, selected to recall the green hue of the Light 20 H.P. Rolls-Royce driven by Rolls in the 1906 Tourist Trophy. A single Tan Coachline provides a restrained contrast, accompanied by a hand-painted Coachline motif featuring the number 4 in Arctic White. The number references Rolls’ starting position for the race, and the four laps of the course he completed in just over four hours.


A PRIVATE ARCHIVE

Inside, the Black and Tan palette creates an atmosphere of controlled intensity. Black leather and Black Badge Technical Fibre give the cabin a darker, contemporary edge, softened by Tan leather, stitching and seat piping, and the warmth of Mocassin lambswool.

The rear Waterfall carries an embroidered outline of the Isle of Man Short Highroads Course, placing the landscape of the victory within the intimacy of the cabin. Further references are concealed within the central ‘eyeball’ air vents, where engravings record details from the race-winning motor car and the event itself, including the registration number AX157, chassis number 26350B, race date 27.09.1906, and start and finish line coordinates, 54˚09’27.1” N 4°29’ 54.7” W.

Bespoke Illuminated Treadplates fitted to all four door sills also reference chassis number 26350B. Together, these elements form a discreet private archive within the Black Badge Ghost Tourist Trophy.

•Oportunidade antecipada para encomendar o BMW i3 50 xDrive.

•Segundo modelo da Neue Klasse.

•Os modelos da Neue Klasse são sinónimo de progresso tecnológico, sistemas de propulsão potentes, elevada autonomia e tempos de carregamento reduzidos.

•O “BMW i3 50 xDrive as First Edition” inclui um equipamento completo e amplas possibilidades de personalização.

• Preços atrativos para o BMW i3 50 xDrive no modelo base (65 500 euros) e para o “BMW i3 50 xDrive as First Edition” (74 000 euros)

Munique. A BMW inicia uma nova e emocionante era no prazer de condução com o seu segundo modelo da Neue Klasse - o novo BMW i3. Os clientes podem fazer as suas encomendas do BMW i3 50 xDrive totalmente elétrico na versão “First Edition” antes do lançamento oficial no mercado, exclusivamente nos concessionários BMW.

Jochen Goller, Membro do Board of Management of BMW AG, Customer, Brands, Sales, afirma: “O novo BMW i3 é um automóvel revolucionário para nós. Sendo um modelo totalmente elétrico, irá competir num segmento de grande volume e é, por isso, extremamente significativo para o BMW Group. Ao mesmo tempo, já podemos constatar, pelo elevado nível de interesse neste modelo, que será muito bem recebido pelos nossos clientes. O início das encomendas a 18 de junho na versão “First Edition” – antes do lançamento oficial no mercado – constitui um importante passo neste sentido.”

O novo BMW i3 – o segundo modelo da Neue Klasse a ser lançado – também personifica o salto tecnológico dado pela marca. A tecnologia BMW eDrive de sexta geração altamente eficiente, alia-se ao novo BMW Panoramic iDrive e ao “Heart of Joy” para elevar o “Sheer Driving Pleasure” a um patamar totalmente novo. A experiência de condução assistida entra também numa nova era com o BMW Symbiotic Drive. Além disso, o BMW i3 traz uma interpretação moderna das características de design emblemáticas de uma berlina BMW.

Os clientes poderão configurar o seu novo “BMW i3 50 xDrive as First Edition” com uma série de equipamentos adicionais para complementar o já extenso equipamento de série do veículo. Isto inclui o Pack Desportivo M, o Pack exterior BMW Iconic Glow e o BMW 3D Head-Up Display. O “BMW i3 50 xDrive as First Edition” pode ser encomendado pelo preço de 74 000,00 EUR (WLTP, combinado [EnVKV]: consumo de energia 16,1–13,5 kWh/100 km; emissões de CO₂: 0 g/km; classe de CO₂ A) e oferece uma autonomia de 758 – 906 km. Com a sua tecnologia de 800 V, o sistema BMW eDrive de sexta geração do BMW i3 50 xDrive permite uma potência máxima de carregamento de até 400 kW. Após dez minutos de carregamento em corrente contínua, isto traduz-se em 423 km de autonomia.

No lançamento oficial no mercado, no outono de 2026, o BMW i3 50 xDrive (WLTP, combinado [EnVKV]: consumo de energia 16,1 – 13,4 kWh/100 km; emissões de CO₂: 0 g/km; classe de CO₂ A), na versão de série e com uma autonomia de até 912 km estará disponível ao preço de 65 500,00 EUR.

Mike Reichelt, Head of Neue Klasse BMW, explica: “O BMW Série 3 tem sido um ícone da nossa marca há sete gerações e, por conseguinte, há mais de cinco décadas. Personifica o puro prazer de condução, a inovação e o design intemporal. Com o Neue Klasse e o seu conjunto tecnológico, estamos literalmente a saltar uma geração de veículos. Este é o ADN da nossa berlina desportiva num conceito de veículo completamente novo, à medida que escrevemos o próximo capítulo da história de sucesso do BMW Série 3.”

O BMW i3 exemplifica a nova linguagem de design da BMW: centrada no essencial, num estilo moderno e inconfundível.
Com o seu design de 2.5 volumes, o novo BMW i3 oferece uma interpretação moderna das proporções características de uma berlina desportiva BMW – sendo imediatamente reconhecível como um BMW Série 3. A sua silhueta é definida por uma longa distância entre eixos, uma superfície envidraçada recuada e pequenas saliências. Familiar, mas também nova, é a frente com quatro faróis, uma assinatura típica da marca. A linguagem de design “Neue Klasse” orienta a nova interpretação da icónica zona dianteira. A dupla grelha BMW - tal como os seus faróis - fundem-se numa assinatura luminosa inovadora, tornando-a numa peça de design única. Os faróis traseiros, com a sua horizontalidade acentuada, apresentam a forma abstrata de um “L”. As jantes realçam a postura desportiva do novo BMW i3.

Elevando o foco no condutor a um novo patamar.
Os interiores modernos e dinâmicos caracterizam a linguagem de design “Neue Klasse”: O habitáculo espaçoso do novo BMW i3 permite-lhe explorar todo o potencial de uma arquitetura de veículo totalmente orientada para a mobilidade elétrica.
O BMW Panoramic iDrive com o Sistema Operativo BMW X utiliza um ecrã e um sistema operativo exclusivos numa nova dimensão orientada para o condutor. No seu cerne está o BMW Panoramic Vision, que projeta conteúdos ao longo de toda a largura da parte inferior do pára-brisas. A lógica de funcionamento multimodal do BMW Panoramic iDrive combina interações táteis, hápticas e por voz. O BMW Intelligent Personal Assistant desempenha aqui um papel fundamental, permitindo que inúmeras funções do veículo, a introdução de destinos de navegação e os conteúdos multimédia sejam controlados através de uma linguagem fluída.

O BMW i3 dá um salto tecnológico com o sistema de propulsão elétrica de sexta geração.
O primeiro BMW Série 3 totalmente elétrico possui um motor elétrico no eixo dianteiro e outro no eixo traseiro, que, em conjunto, produzem uma potência total de 345 kW/469 cv. O binário máximo é de 645 Nm. O BMW i3 50 xDrive acelera dos 0 aos 100 km/h em 4,7 segundos. O novo “BMW i3 50 xDrive as First Edition” apresenta motores e valores de desempenho idênticos.
No novo BMW i3, a tecnologia BMW eDrive de sexta geração, altamente eficiente, une forças com o supercomputador “Heart of Joy” e o sistema de condução BMW Dynamic Performance Control. Em conjunto, conferem ao veículo características de condução seguras e extremamente precisas. O “Heart of Joy” responde dez vezes mais rápido do que os sistemas anteriores e reduz o número de intervenções de controlo necessárias. O resultado eleva o “Sheer Driving Pleasure” a um patamar totalmente novo. A experiência de condução assistida no BMW i3 entra igualmente numa nova dimensão com o BMW Symbiotic Drive.
A função Soft Stop garante a travagem mais suave da história da BMW. O controlo preciso dos motores elétricos leva a berlina totalmente elétrica a uma paragem impercetivelmente suave, sem qualquer solavanco nem ruídos de travagem.
No que diz respeito às tecnologias de assistência ao condutor no novo BMW i3, o BMW Symbiotic Drive permite uma interação perfeita entre as funções de assistência e o comportamento de condução. Com os sistemas de assistência à condução ativos, o condutor pode responder às diversas situações - acelerando, virando o volante ou travando - sem desativar o sistema de assistência relevante durante o processo. O Assistente em autoestrada (opcional) permite uma condução assistida na autoestrada “hands-free” até 130 km/h com mudanças de faixa automatizadas após confirmação por sinal visual.

Maior autonomia, tempos de carregamento mais curtos.
Outra característica do salto tecnológico dado pelo novo BMW i3 é a bateria de alta tensão com novas células cilíndricas que oferecem uma capacidade de 108,7 kWh. O design “pack-to-open-body” do compartimento da bateria transforma esta última numa parte estrutural do novo BMW i3.
O “BMW i3 50 xDrive as First Edition” tem uma autonomia de até 906 quilómetros (de acordo com o ciclo de testes WLTP) e, por isso, oferece uma elevada capacidade de percorrer longas distâncias, combinada com tempos de carregamento drasticamente reduzidos, graças à tecnologia de 800 V. As taxas de carregamento em corrente contínua (CC) de até 400 kW permitem que o BMW i3 50 xDrive carregue, em dez minutos, energia suficiente num ponto de carregamento rápido de CC para uma autonomia de até 423 km (de acordo com a norma ISO 12906 no ciclo WLTP).

O equipamento de série do “BMW i3 50 xDrive as First Edition” inclui o Pack Desportivo M Sport e o Pack exterior BMW Iconic Glow.
O extenso equipamento de série do BMW i3 50 xDrive inclui o Panoramic Vision, o Driving Assistant Plus, o Comfort Access, a BMW Digital Key Plus e bancos dianteiros elétricos e aquecidos. Uma característica de destaque do “BMW i3 50 xDrive as First Edition” é o Pack Desportivo M. Este inclui o Pack M exterior, travões M Sport azuis e projeção do logótipo M nos espelhos retrovisores exteriores, complementados no interior do veículo pelo design exclusivo do interior BMW M em Veganza e M PerformTex Black (estando disponíveis outras variantes de estofos). O Pack Desportivo M torna evidente à primeira vista, o potencial dinâmico da nova berlina totalmente elétrica.

As especificações do “First Edition” incluem também o Pack exterior BMW Iconic Glow, que realça a profundidade visual das icónicas grelhas da BMW com uma iluminação de contorno precisa. Outra característica deste pacote é uma animação de boas-vindas e despedida, que apresenta três efeitos de luz visualmente impressionantes. O Pack exterior BMW Iconic Glow permite personalizar e adaptar estes efeitos ao gosto pessoal de cada cliente.

Outros destaques do interior incluem bancos multifunções, o BMW 3D Head-Up Display e o sistema de som HiFi Harman Kardon.
O interior do “BMW i3 50 xDrive as First Edition” inclui uma série de opcionais de destaque: Entre estes contam-se os bancos dianteiros multifunções com regulação elétrica, controlo de climatização de três zonas automático, vidros com proteção solar e o volante aquecido.
O BMW 3D Head-Up Display complementa o ecrã e o sistema operativo do novo BMW i3, estando integrado acima do BMW Panoramic Vision. Além disso, o BMW 3D Head-Up Display projeta conteúdos selecionados exclusivamente na linha de visão do condutor. Isto permite uma perceção espacial extremamente precisa – como por exemplo, instruções de navegação.
O sistema de som HiFi Harman Kardon com suporte para Dolby Atmos proporciona um nível de qualidade de som particularmente elevado ao “BMW i3 50 xDrive as First Edition”.

O funcionamento automático da porta da bagageira, incluindo o Smart Opener, proporciona um acesso extremamente fácil ao compartimento de carga. O toque final nas especificações do “First Edition” é o Carregamento rápido AC, que aumenta a potência de carregamento CA de 11 para 22 kW.

Opcionais no novo “BMW i3 50 xDrive First Edition”.
O cliente pode dar um toque ainda mais pessoal ao seu “BMW i3 50 xDrive as First Edition” com a ajuda de equipamentos opcionais específicos do modelo. Uma opção é o teto de vidro panorâmico opcional, com vidros de conforto climático, cria uma sensação de espaço banhado pela luz. Também é possível encomendar um gancho de reboque de rotação elétrica.

A extensa oferta de entretenimento disponível através do BMW Connected Drive permite aos clientes especificar funções adicionais opcionais do BMW Maps, o Security Assistant e um pacote de dados como parte do BMW Digital Premium.
No que diz respeito a funções de condução e estacionamento, o cliente pode escolher ainda mais opções para o “BMW i3 50 xDrive as First Edition”: A gama de opcionais concebidas para aumentar a segurança e o conforto inclui o Assistente de estacionamento Plus e Professional, bem como o Assistente de autoestrada.

Ampla gama de opcionais em matéria de cores exteriores, jantes, acabamentos interiores e volantes.

Estão disponíveis um total de seis acabamentos de pintura exterior para o “BMW i3 50 xDrive as First Edition”. Entre estes encontra-se a exclusiva tonalidade metálica M Le Castellet Blue.
A gama de jantes compreende três modelos aerodinâmicos e uma variante BMW Individual: os clientes podem escolher entre jantes de 19 e 20 polegadas.
No que diz respeito ao interior do novo “BMW i3 50 xDrive as First Edition”, o design de interiores “Contemporary” e “BMW M” permitem a escolha de várias combinações de cores. Além disso, a gama de volantes oferece ainda mais possibilidades de personalização, estando disponíveis por encomenda - o volante desportivo opcional, o volante M e o volante BMW Individual (apenas em combinação com o design de interiores “Contemporary” bicolor Digital White).

Para mais informações, por favor contactar:

Corporate Communications
BMW Group Portugal
João Trincheiras, Corporate Communications Director
E-mail: Joao.Trincheiras@bmw.pt

Sobre o BMW Group
Com as suas quatro marcas BMW, MINI, Rolls-Royce e BMW Motorrad, o BMW Group é o líder mundial no fabrico de automóveis e motociclos premium, prestando igualmente serviços financeiros de alta qualidade. A rede de produção do BMW Group inclui mais de 30 unidades de produção em todo o mundo; a empresa tem uma rede global de vendas em mais de 140 países. Em 2025, o BMW Group vendeu mais de 2.46 milhões de veículos de passageiros e mais de 202.500 motociclos em todo o mundo. O lucro antes de impostos no exercício de 2025 foi de 10.2 mil milhões de euros, sobre receitas no valor de 135.4 mil milhões de euros. A 31 de dezembro de 2025, o BMW Group tinha um efetivo de 154.540 colaboradores. O sucesso do BMW Group tem sido, desde sempre, construído numa ótica de longo prazo e assente numa conduta responsável. A Sustentabilidade é um elemento-chave da estratégia corporativa do BMW Group e abrange todos os produtos da cadeia de valores, desde a produção até ao fim de utilização de todos os seus produtos.

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Munich. The BMW M Concept Neue Klasse celebrates its world premiere at the 24 Hours of Le Mans. It showcases the new BMW M design language and sets a clear signal for the brand’s all-electric future. The future BMW M product portfolio combines expressive design, high performance and innovative materials.

The vehicle builds a bridge between its history and motorsport.
It is instantly recognisable as a high-performance automobile. BMW M thus remains true to its guiding principle: “Born on the racetrack. Made for the streets.”

“The new BMW M design language forms the expressive spearhead of the Neue Klasse – determined and purposeful,” says Oliver Heilmer, Head of Design BMW Compact Class, Neue Klasse and BMW M. “At BMW M, form consistently follows function. Every detail serves performance. This project is truly special to me because it carries the BMW M character into a new era.”

Form, function and motorsport references in the exterior design.
Powerful proportions, precise lines and a muscular shoulder section with wide wheel arches define the unmistakable BMW M character.

Numerous M-specific design measures optimise aerodynamics – including the reinterpreted M aero exterior mirrors in the colours of BMW M.

A distinctive air outlet shapes the V-shaped front bonnet. It supports the cooling of the electric drivetrain.

A forward-facing shark nose and a light signature with depth effect characterise the front end. Headlights and kidney grille form a single unit. The new M Yellow Lights create a focused view of the road. The yellow light icons are set to become a new signature feature of future BMW M automobiles and reference GT racing cars as well as the BMW M Hybrid V8.

The front apron of the BMW M Concept Neue Klasse adopts a trimaran-style bumper, inspired by the form of high-speed sailing boats. The three-part design underlines the vehicle’s technical appearance. It also provides structural support for the front splitter – an aerodynamic element at the lower edge of the front end.

Another new lighting accent for future BMW M automobiles are the three-dimensional Track Lights located in the outer sections of the front apron.

Track Lights and trimaran design also shape the rear apron of the BMW M Concept Neue Klasse. The Track Lights frame the trimaran element above the floating diffuser. A striking ducktail spoiler improves aerodynamics, increases downforce at the rear axle and at the same time sets a striking accent within the clean surface design of the rear end.

Natural fibre elements are used in both the exterior and interior of the BMW M Concept Neue Klasse – for example in the front splitter, the bonnet air outlet and the diffuser. For the first time, natural fibre is not only used in its pure form but also in a refined finish with M branding in the roof graphic.

The newly developed Monza Red metallic paint finish and the red-and-blue coded centre-lock wheels strengthen the visual link to BMW M and motorsport.

Driver-focused cockpit for an intense BMW M experience.
The interior of the BMW M Concept Neue Klasse is reduced and consistently geared towards the driving experience in a next-generation all-electric BMW M.

Four newly developed bucket seats provide secure support even in highly dynamic driving situations and integrate structural elements made from natural fibre materials. The seat upholstery in Bathurst Blue and Berry Red picks up the BMW M colours in a two-tone Merino leather finish. Red five-point belts emphasise the sporty character.

For the first time in a BMW M vehicle, high-quality black nubuck leather is used. It can be found on the steering wheel, the door panels and the roll bar.

The floating dashboard is finished in black knit material and features M-specific hexagonal backlighting.

Red accents on the M gear selector, the shift paddles on the M steering wheel and in the digital displays add targeted sporty highlights in the cockpit and put performance centre stage.

High performance and BMW M driving experience in a new dimension.
The BMW M Concept Neue Klasse represents the next chapter in the M-typical blend of dynamics, agility and precision. The innovative BMW M eDrive drive concept with four electric motors and BMW M Dynamic Performance Control elevates driving experience and racetrack capability to a new level.

“Even in the new all-electric era, we continue the M-typical tradition of transferring both technological innovations and defining design features directly from motorsport into series production,” says Franciscus van Meel, Chairman of the Board of Management of BMW M GmbH.

BMW M eDrive is based on the Neue Klasse’s Gen6 technology and was developed specifically for all-electric BMW M automobiles. The drivetrain concept combines four electric motors with the central control software BMW M Dynamic Performance Control in the high-performance computer Heart of Joy. Thanks to the integrated, wheel-specific control of the drivetrain and braking systems, BMW M eDrive opens up new potential for driving dynamics and driving safety. It enables high recuperation performance, optimal traction right up to the limit and particularly direct response.

The 800-volt technology and the high-voltage battery with an energy content of more than 100 kWh create the conditions for long-range capability. A BMW M-specific optimised version of sixth-generation cylindrical cells provides particularly high output when delivering energy to the electric motors and during charging. The housing of the high-voltage battery is structurally integrated with both the front and rear axle, thereby additionally contributing to driving dynamics.

Le Mans. On its third attempt, BMW M Team WRT celebrated its long-awaited first major success at the legendary 24 Hours of Le Mans (FRA). In an exciting race, Robin Frijns (NED), René Rast (GER), and Sheldon van der Linde (RSA) secured second place in the #20 Shell BMW M Hybrid V8. It was the first overall podium at Le Mans for BMW M Motorsport since its victory with the BMW V12 LMR in 1999. A repeat of the historic triumph was within reach, but in the end, final driver Frijns was 10.9 seconds short of the winning Toyota .

The historic Le Mans weekend began as early as Thursday, when the #15 BMW M Hybrid V8, with drivers Kevin Magnussen (DEN), Raffaele Marciello (SUI), and Dries Vanthoor (BEL) claimed the first pole position for BMW M Motorsport and BMW M Team WRT at Le Mans. In the race, the #20 crew, starting from fourth on the grid, took the lead early on and led the field at times. A safety car period about six hours before the finish brought the field back together and set the stage for a thrilling showdown right up to the final lap. While car #20 celebrated at the end with a podium finish, car #15 retired early. After an unavoidable collision and a puncture, a technical defect ultimately forced the crew to retire the car.

In the LMGT3 class, things looked promising after qualifying with starting positions five and six at the beginning of the race. However, over the course of the 24 hours, the two BMW M4 GT3 EVOs were unable to keep up with the pace at the front. Augusto Farfus (BRA), Sean Gelael (INA), and Darren Leung (GBR) finished in seventh place. Their teammates Dan Harper (GBR), Parker Thompson (CAN), and Anthony McIntosh (USA) retired with gearbox problems.

Quotes after the 24 Hours of Le Mans:

Franciscus van Meel (CEO of BMW M GmbH): “It was an incredibly emotional weekend with the world premiere of our BMW M Concept Neue Klasse and a thrilling, nerve-wracking 24-hour race at Le Mans. Second place, the first podium for BMW M Motorsport in 27 years, just ten seconds behind the winner after a perfect performance – it could hardly have gone better. A huge thank you to everyone at BMW M, BMW M Motorsport, and BMW M Team WRT who contributed to this great success. You have all shown what can be achieved when you work tirelessly to make a project like the BMW M Hybrid V8 a success. Congratulations!”

Andreas Roos (Head of BMW M Motorsport): “What a magnificent and historic result! Pole position and second place on the podium – incredible! I’m absolutely delighted for the drivers Robin Frijns, René Rast, and Sheldon van der Linde. But it was a gigantic achievement by everyone: the drivers, the team, and all the colleagues at BMW M Motorsport. We can be very proud of this – thank you all! We have worked for years to be successful at Le Mans again, and now we have reaped the reward with second place. It was an incredibly exciting race. For us, it was a rollercoaster ride, but in the end, to finish second just ten seconds behind is a fantastic achievement. Pit stops, strategy – everything worked perfectly. Congratulations to Toyota on a well-deserved victory! It’s a shame that car #15 retired and we had hoped for a much better result in the LMGT3 class. We will analyzey that, but for now, the joy prevails.”

Vincent Vosse (Team Principal, BMW M Team WRT): “That was one of the strongest races we have ever had as a team with the BMW M Hybrid V8. Absolutely flawless. No penalties, no bad pit stops – nothing. Congratulations to everyone in my team and at BMW M Motorsport! We are one unit, we are making progress, and we deserved this podium. I’m not disappointed at all that we didn’t win. Toyota deserved it – congratulations! I feel sorry for the crew of car #15. On the LMGT3 side, we have to admit that we simply had no chance. That is very disappointing. Many thanks to the team and drivers for their great effort. They gave everything, but unfortunately, it just wasn’t enough this time.”

Robin Frijns (BMW M Team WRT, #20 Shell BMW M Hybrid V8, 2nd place): “I honestly don’t quite know what to say yet. Second place at Le Mans is a fantastic achievement, but seeing the victory so close does hurt a bit. The last safety car brought the Toyotas, who had problems just before, back into the game. That was tough for us, as they had a bit more pace than we did. We led for long stretches of the race, but in the end, second place was the maximum we could achieve after the safety car.”

René Rast (BMW M Team WRT, #20 Shell BMW M Hybrid V8, 2nd place): “It’s a bittersweet podium. On the one hand, it’s a great achievement to be on the podium at Le Mans. The team and we as drivers did everything right, I would say. But unfortunately, Le Mans didn’t choose us as winners this time. We led for long phases of the race, but the last safety car threw our strategy off a bit and when you’re so close to victory, of course you want to win.”

Sheldon van der Linde (BMW M Team WRT, #20 Shell BMW M Hybrid V8, 2nd place): “At first, I don’t really know whether to laugh or cry. When you finish just ten seconds behind the winner after 24 hours, it’s not easy to accept at first. But if we look at the past two years and see the huge progress we’ve made, we can be very proud. The team gave everything to put us in this position. Of course, you never know if you’ll get another chance to win Le Mans, but we’ll definitely try again.”

Kevin Magnussen (BMW M Team WRT, #15 BMW M Hybrid V8, DNF): “It just wasn’t our race. A few things went wrong, but that’s also Le Mans. Luckily, our sister car made up for our bad luck and scored a fantastic podium. That’s ultimately a great success for all of us. As for us in car #15: We’ll come back stronger.”

Augusto Farfus (Team WRT, #32 BMW M4 GT3 EVO, 7th place LMGT3): “First of all, congratulations to the Hypercar crew on the podium. It was a great fight and a deserved result. Our race was tough. We did everything right, had no technical problems, and nailed every pit stop. Unfortunately, it just wasn’t enough to fight for the podium. We simply didn’t have the pace. Still, it’s always a great honour to be on the grid here at Le Mans.”

Dan Harper (Team WRT, #69 BMW M4 GT3 EVO, DNF): “I had imagined my first Le Mans, just like Parker and Anthony, differently. But you also have to see it this way: I was here for the first time at this very special event, and it was an honor to be part of it. Hopefully, there will be many more Le Mans appearances to come! This time, unfortunately, we didn’t have the pace to run at the front. Then came the gearbox problem. Nevertheless, we can be proud of what we achieved.”

Le Mans. Fantastic qualifying for the 24 Hours of Le Mans (FRA)! Dries Vanthoor (BEL), driving the #15 BMW M Hybrid V8 for BMW M Team WRT, secured the very first pole position ever for BMW M Motorsport at Le Mans. With a time of 3:22.564 minutes, Vanthoor was initially second by the tiniest margin of 0.005 seconds, but the fastest lap of the Cadillac ahead of him was cancelled. In the #20 Shell BMW M Hybrid V8, Robin Frijns (NED) completed the excellent team result in the Hypercar class by finishing fourth.

Both WRT cars also made it into Hyperpole 2 in the LMGT3 class. There, Sean Gelael (INA) and Parker Thompson (CAN) put the two BMW M4 GT3 EVOs into the fifth and sixth starting positions. The 24 Hours of Le Mans will begin on Saturday at 16:00 CEST.

Quotes after qualifying for the 24 Hours of Le Mans:

Andreas Roos (Head of BMW M Motorsport): “A fantastic qualifying session for the 24 Hours of Le Mans – it couldn’t have gone any better. Just getting all four cars into Hyperpole 2 was a huge success in itself, but to have now secured BMW M Motorsport’s first ever pole position at Le Mans is simply fantastic! Congratulations to Dries Vanthoor on a brilliant lap and many thanks to everyone who has worked on this project over the years. This is a fantastic reward for their efforts. We’ll relish seeing our BMW M Hybrid V8 right at the front of the grid on Saturday, but now we’re focusing fully on race preparation.”

Vincent Vosse (Team Principal, BMW M Team WRT): “That is a great surprise! I am very happy to be on pole position for the first time in Hypercar. I take that, of course, but at the same time congratulations to Cadillac and Jack Aitken for putting on a great show! Overall, we at WRT can be extremely happy with the qualifying results. Now let’s focus on the race.”

Dries Vanthoor (BMW M Team WRT, #15 BMW M Hybrid V8, Pole position): “I’m super happy to be on pole at Le Mans! This is such a great event, and now being on pole here and giving everyone in the team what they deserve, is awesome. At the same time our goal is to win the race, so we need to keep it clean over 24 hours to be right there on Sunday.”

Robin Frijns (BMW M Team WRT, #20 Shell BMW M Hybrid V8, 4th place): “It was the goal to be in the top-five, and in the end we are in P4. That means we are a bit out of the jungle at the start, which is good. My laptimes were pretty far off. I wasn’t so happy with my runs in Hyperpole 2. I’m not where I should be, so we need to see where we can improve for the race.”

Sean Gelael (Team WRT, #32 BMW M4 GT3 EVO, 5th place LMGT3): “It‘s probably one of the best positions to start the big 24-hour race from. Third row, the slip stream in front of us – that’s good! We are happy, and we are where we want to be for the start of the race.”

Parker Thompson (Team WRT, #69 BMW M4 GT3 EVO, 6th place LMGT3): “Overall a very nice job by both sides of the garage at Team WRT. Starting P5 and P6 is a great result for the team and a fantastic place to start the race from. We are out of the areas of chaos at the back. Great job by everybody!”

Munich. Miguel Oliveira (POR) is ready to return aboard the #88 BMW M 1000 RR of the ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team. After missing the race weekends at Most (CZE) and at MotorLand Aragón (ESP) due to shoulder injuries sustained in Hungary at the beginning of May, Oliveira is aiming to make his comeback this weekend at Misano (ITA), where round seven of the 2026 FIM Superbike World Championship (WorldSBK) will take place.

After claiming four podium finishes aboard the BMW M 1000 RR during his debut WorldSBK season, Oliveira suffered a setback at round four of the championship at Hungary’s Balaton Park Circuit. An incident for which he was blameless in the Superpole Race resulted in a fractured shoulder blade among other injuries. Over the following weeks, he underwent an intensive rehabilitation programme in his native Portugal. He was already present at MotorLand Aragón last weekend to support the team at the circuit, and he is now ready to return to racing action at Misano. As is customary in WorldSBK, the final decision will be made following the medical assessment at the venue.

His teammate Danilo Petrucci (ITA), meanwhile, will remain on the sidelines. Petrucci sustained a fractured coccyx at Most. Although his recovery is also progressing very well, it has been jointly decided that he should continue to rest for another weekend. Petrucci will be present at Misano however to support the team. As a result, Michael van der Mark (NED) will switch sides within the garage and reunite with the crew that supported him as a race rider for five years. The BMW test rider and FIM EWC factory rider had stepped in for Oliveira at Most and Aragón and will now replace Petrucci at Misano.

“We are very pleased that Miguel’s recovery has progressed so well that we can now plan for his comeback at Misano,” said Sven Blusch, Head of BMW Motorrad Motorsport. “After some difficult weeks, this is a step back towards normality for us. We would like to thank everyone who contributed to Miguel’s recovery following his injury. With Danilo, we have agreed to wait a little longer. He is already feeling significantly better, but we do not want to rush anything. He will still be with us at Misano and support the team as much as possible. Mickey will continue to race for us as a substitute rider. He has already done an excellent job at Most and Aragón, and I am sure that his victory with the BMW Motorrad World Endurance Team at last weekend’s 8 Hours of Spa Motos will give him even more momentum.”

“I’m looking forward to rejoining the team and getting back on my BMW M 1000 RR,” said Oliveira. “Returning at Misano has been the target throughout my recovery, and I’m pleased to be in a position to make that happen. Earlier this week, I also rode a production bike during a track day to assess my condition and gain some valuable time on track. I want to thank everyone who has supported me during this recovery process, my family, the medical team, the team itself and all the fans who have been sending messages of encouragement. Naturally, I know the challenge that awaits. The level of competition is extremely high, and I’m still working my way back to full fitness. My priority this weekend is to rebuild my rhythm, regain confidence on the bike and continue progressing session by session. The rest will come with time and hard work.”

Round seven of the 2026 WorldSBK season at Misano will take place from 12th to 14th June.

Sessão fotográfica do novo BMW iX3 em Lisboa, Cascais e Serra da Arrábida. 

Balaton Park Circuit. Since 2003, the prestigious BMW M Award for the fastest qualifier has been an integral part of MotoGP™ – and the presentation of the winner’s car is one of the highlights of every season. This year, MotoGP™ even provided the stage for a world premiere: the prize car for the 2026 BMW M Award is the all-new BMW M2 with xDrive (fuel consumption combined: 10.4–10.3 l/100 km; CO₂ emissions combined: 235–233 g/km according to WLTP, CO₂ class: G)*, which was unveiled to the global public for the very first time during the Grand Prix of Hungary.

One special feature of the vehicle: the BMW M2 with xDrive is the first member of the BMW M2 family to feature all-wheel drive. The unveiling at Balaton Park Circuit was carried out by Carlos Ezpeleta, Chief Sporting Officer at MotoGP™, and Zsuzsanna Pócs, Head of Marketing BMW Group Hungary. Following the presentation, Becky Evans (@queenb) and MotoGP™ rider Jorge Martín had the opportunity to experience BMW M’s latest highlight during the “BMW M Racing Balance” challenge on the racetrack.

Equipped with innovative BMW M technologies, the BMW M2 with xDrive delivers sheer driving pleasure in all conditions throughout the year. The advanced all-wheel-drive system ensures reliable traction on any surface and in any weather, allowing drivers to fully exploit the car’s performance at all times. Under the hood, power comes from the inline six-cylinder engine developed for the BMW M2 with xDrive, featuring BMW M TwinPower Turbo technology. The car accelerates from 0 to 100 km/h in 3.7 seconds – 0.3 seconds quicker than the comparable rear-wheel-drive model. Externally, the BMW M Award winner’s car stands out with its BMW Individual Borusan Turkish Blue paint finish. The BMW M2 with xDrive is the first BMW M2 derivative to be available in this exclusive color.

After the unveiling, the action moved onto the track at Balaton Park Circuit. During the “BMW M Racing Balance” challenge, Evans and Martín were able to directly test the perfectly balanced handling and all-wheel-drive performance of the BMW M2 with xDrive. This challenge requires both balance and sensitivity: while the driver pushes to the limit in pursuit of the fastest possible lap time, the passenger holds a bowl filled with balls – and must try to prevent any of them from falling out.

With the BMW M2 with xDrive, BMW M GmbH continues its tradition of honoring the achievements of MotoGP™ riders throughout the season with a special prize in the form of an exclusive BMW M high-performance automobile. Since 2003, the BMW M Award has been a cornerstone of BMW M’s activities as the “Official Car of MotoGP™” and is traditionally presented at the season finale. In every MotoGP™ qualifying session, points are awarded for finishing positions, following the same system used in the races. The rider with the highest number of points after the final qualifying session of the season wins the award. Record holder Marc Márquez has claimed the honor eight times, most recently last year. Francesco Bagnaia has won the BMW M Award three times so far. The list of winners also includes Valentino Rossi, Casey Stoner, Jorge Lorenzo, Fabio Quartararo, Sete Gibernau, and Nicky Hayden.

For more information on BMW M GmbH and the involvement as the ‘Official Car of MotoGP™’ since 1999, see: www.bmw-m.com

• Rolls-Royce presents Spectre Series II and Black Badge Spectre Series II: a landmark motor car, further elevated with greater power, extended range and an enhanced Bespoke offering
• Re-engineered technology extends range by up to 18% (390 miles/628km WLTP) and reduces charging times by up to 14%
• Black Badge Spectre Series II becomes the most powerful Rolls-Royce ever created, delivering 500kW of power through Infinity Mode and up to 1100Nm torque in Spirited Mode
• Bespoke possibilities expanded to support increasingly ambitious commissions
• Iced Black exterior detailing introduced for Black Badge Spectre Series II
• New clock design draws on aviation instruments, housed within a Clock Cabinet vitrine
• New Bespoke interior offering: Duality Twill and Placed Perforation now available for Spectre

“Spectre is a landmark motor car for Rolls-Royce – conceived by our engineers, designers and craftspeople, informed by our clients and acclaimed the world over. It amplifies the qualities our clients value most: silence, effortlessness and abundant power, confirming that Rolls-Royce is perfectly suited to electrification. This motor car’s extraordinary reception around the world has also established Spectre as one of the most compelling canvases for Bespoke in our contemporary product portfolio, inspiring clients to pursue ever more individual and ambitious commissions. With Spectre Series II, we extend those possibilities even further. This refinement of a modern masterpiece is made in the spirit of our co-founder, Sir Henry Royce, who said: ‘Small things make perfection, but perfection is no small thing’.”
Chris Brownridge, Chief Executive, Rolls-Royce Motor Cars

“Spectre has consistently been recognised as one of the most elegant automotive forms of the modern era. Clients frequently cite its design as one of the defining reasons for their commission, and it will undoubtedly take its place in future collections of remarkable motor cars. In expanding the palette of materials and crafts introduced for Spectre Series II, we respond directly to our clients’ desire to approach Spectre with even more creative ambition, as they explore its possibilities as a canvas on which to tell their story.”
Domagoj Dukec, Director of Design, Rolls-Royce Motor Cars


Rolls-Royce announces Spectre Series II, introducing a suite of technical and creative enhancements to the marque’s landmark super-coupé.

Since its introduction in 2022, Spectre has become one of the most significant and celebrated Rolls-Royce motor cars of the modern era, widely praised for its timeless design, serene performance and effortless driving character. Spectre Series II builds on this success. Engineering updates unlock up to 18% more range (390 total miles, WLTP), alongside higher torque of 1,015 Nm increased to 1,100 in Spirited Mode and up to 14% reduction in charging times. Newly crafted interior illuminations, an expanded palette of exquisite materials, and striking exterior treatments further elevate Spectre’s interior possibilities. These changes sharpen Spectre’s character while preserving the qualities that have already established it as a future classic.


CONSIDERED REFINEMENT, SILENT POWER

While Spectre's range and performance already exceeded client expectations, engineers at Goodwood have recalibrated the motor car’s drivetrain to deliver even greater immediacy and control for Series II, further strengthening Black Badge Spectre’s standing as the most powerful Rolls-Royce in history. Power output now reaches 442 kW whilst torque rises to 1,015 Nm. In Black Badge Spectre Series II, Infinity Mode unlocks 500 kW of power, while Spirited Mode summons up to 1,100 Nm torque.

Thanks to re-engineered battery cell technology Spectre Series II’s potential driving distance is increased by up to 18% to 390 miles (WLTP) and charging times have been reduced by up to 14%. This reinforces the marque’s commitment to both electric serenity and uncompromised capability.


SPECTRE: A DEFINING CANVAS FOR BESPOKE

Spectre has emerged as one of the most compelling canvases for Bespoke in Rolls-Royce’s contemporary portfolio, with some clients requesting more than 20 individual and personal Bespoke elements in their motor car. Demand for Bespoke commissions on Spectre is surpassed only by Phantom. In addition to the near-limitless opportunities for Bespoke through the marque’s Private Offices, Spectre Series II introduces a new suite of crafted elements, materials and finishes as a response to clients’ increasing desire for highly ambitious and expressive commissions.


EXTERIOR COMPOSURE, REINFORCED

The super-coupé’s celebrated fastback profile, clean surfacing and split headlamp signature are retained for Spectre Series II, underlining the marque’s confidence in this initial, widely acclaimed design. Since launch, Spectre has been widely praised as one of the most elegant automotive forms of the era and now stands alongside Phantom Coupé and other revered Goodwood-era models in the marque’s collector canon. Of the numerous international accolades Spectre has received, its timeless design is consistently celebrated by judging panels, while clients have embraced Spectre as a true modern masterpiece. To accentuate Spectre’s form and surfacing, a new solid exterior finish, named Ethereal Blue, has been developed for Spectre Series II.


SCULPTED WHEEL DESIGN

A new 23-inch forged alloy wheel design introduces a highly faceted multi-spoke treatment that captures and reflects light from every angle. The wheel is forged with exceptionally sharp 2.5 mm radii, allowing the surfaces to retain their crisp diamond-like definition even after polishing. Each wheel is hand-finished for up to six hours to achieve this precise faceting and is available in two finishes: part-polished and fully polished.


INTERIOR EXPRESSION AND MATERIAL INNOVATION

Responding to the exceptional creative ambition of Spectre clients, Spectre Series II significantly expands the interior palette, offering new materials, treatments and crafted details of remarkable depth and variety. Among them is Duality Twill – a contemporary interior rayon fabric made from bamboo, now available within Spectre for the first time. This material was inspired by the extensive bamboo grove in Le Jardin des Méditerranées on the Côte d'Azur, which neighbours Sir Henry Royce’s former winter home, Villa Mimosa.

The twill textile is embroidered with an artistic ‘Duality’ graphic. Based on an abstract interpretation of the two interlinked letter R initials of the marque’s founders, the design reflects a nautical influence, reminiscent of the interweaving rope lines found on sailing yachts – another subtle allusion to the French Riviera.

A Duality Twill interior on Spectre Series II can incorporate up to 2.6 million stitches, 10 miles of thread, requiring up to 25 total hours to construct. The twill textile is available in Lilac, Chocolate, Black and a newly introduced Sage: a cool, verdant green that introduces a soft luminosity to Spectre Series II’s interior suite. Clients can select from more than 50 different colours of thread for the embroidered elements, either contrasting with or complementing the base layer.

Placed Perforation leather is also available for Spectre Series II, where precision-cut patterns are created to reveal unique artworks. For its debut, designers created a pattern inspired by the shifting silhouettes cast by clouds in moonlight. Spanning the shoulder and headrest areas of the front and rear seats, it comprises 78,138 perforations in three different sizes: 0.8 mm, 1.0 mm and 1.2 mm. If the perforations are extended to the illuminated door option, the pattern subtly disperses as it approaches each light source, creating a soft, atmospheric diffusion effect reminiscent of starlight emerging through shifting night skies.

A new distinctive high gloss Brindled Walnut veneer reflects the marque’s deeply considered approach to material craft. The finish is created by combining walnut sourced from non-fruiting trees – which would ordinarily be burned – with residual eucalyptus fibres from fine paper production, forming a richly layered ‘tiger stripe’ pattern. These elements are first compressed and then precisely cut into veneer sheets.

The finish is sealed with a lacquer infused with a fine powder of glass flakes, before a final clearcoat is applied. This layered process creates the impression that the shimmering particles are suspended beneath the surface, adding a sense of depth and movement to the veneer.

The Interior Panel and Clock Gallery now span the entire width of the fascia, joined by a new Illuminated Fascia artwork. Its directional wave pattern is composed of 8,108 individual pixel-like illuminations that appear to flow across the surface, reinforcing Spectre Series II’s strong horizontal character. The design draws inspiration from the shifting mist that settles over the woodlands of the South Downs, which rise beyond the Home of Rolls-Royce at Goodwood.

A new timepiece has also been introduced. Its design takes inspiration from precision aviation instruments, which prioritise absolute legibility. The dial features cast metal hands and a pared-back graphic treatment that reflects the motor car’s contemporary character. As well as housing a new timepiece, the unique inset vitrine showcases an up-lit Spirit of Ecstasy figurine crafted from solid stainless steel.


A BOLD NEW PALETTE FOR BLACK BADGE

For Black Badge Spectre Series II, a suite of new design enhancements further dramatise the marque’s alter ego, amplifying its intense and uncompromising character.

A new Iced Black Exterior Detailing offer has been developed, transforming almost all of the motor car’s brightwork with a matte finish. The treatment is applied to the grille surround, sideframe finishers, bumper inserts, ‘Double R’ Badge of Honour side surround, door handles and the Spirit of Ecstasy. The effect is achieved using a specially developed matte clear coat, creating a refined, satin-like finish. Notably, the vanes of the Pantheon Grille remain polished – a decision taken by Rolls-Royce designers to preserve the motor car’s identity.

A new wheelset has also been developed to create an even more imposing visual character for Black Badge. The open-spoke design places emphasis on the motor car’s powerful braking hardware while a polished outer ring – pushed to the very edge of the wheel – accentuates the diameter of the seven-spoke structure. A subtle sparkle effect is achieved through fine glass flakes embedded within the finish. This bold new design is also available in Iced Matte Black – the first time a Black Badge wheel has been offered in this finish – created using a specialised high-temperature curing process.


SPECTRE AND ITS CLIENTS

At the heart of Spectre’s success is its founding philosophy. It was conceived as a Rolls-Royce first – defined by silence, effortlessness and presence – brought to life through electric power. In doing so, it delivers an experience completely in tune with the marque’s values, confirming Rolls-Royce’s authority in shaping the future of super-luxury motoring.

This approach has clearly resonated with clients. In 2025, Spectre retained its position as the marque's second best-selling model globally.

To inform the development of Spectre Series II, Rolls-Royce specialists mapped how clients live with their Spectre. Typically the second Rolls-Royce in a seven-car garage, Spectre is nonetheless driven extensively. While the average annual mileage of around 4,000 miles (6,500 km) remains consistent with other two-door Rolls-Royce motor cars, such as Wraith, Dawn, and Phantom Coupé, Spectre is increasingly used for personal driving enjoyment, charged almost exclusively at home, and most often driven solo – affirming its identity as a true driver’s Rolls-Royce.

Spectre’s effortless usability has seen many clients embrace it as a daily motor car. One European client has travelled more than 30,000 miles (50,000 km) in the two years since taking delivery – more than three times the average annual mileage typically recorded by a Rolls-Royce.

In the United States, one well-known collector based in Los Angeles has also made Spectre a daily companion. One particular pleasure of their ownership, they have told the marque, is the short journey from their residence at the top of a hill to their garage below – a drive in which the motor car arrives with more range than it started, thanks to regenerative braking.

Spectre’s peerless driving experience is an important expression of this motor car’s success though not the only one. It is equally recognised by clients as a long-term emotional asset and a unique canvas for Bespoke individualisation. For example, Spectre has been reimagined as a tribute to a client-couple’s lifelong relationship, symbolised by a Bespoke Starlight Headliner configured with the constellations as they were on the day they first met; a celebration, through exquisite marquetry, of a cherished family dog, named Bailey; an extension of a client’s home, directly mirroring the hues and textures of their living space; and a continuation of a notable haute joaillerie collection, drawing inspiration from a colour associated with their favourite designer. A client in Korea has taken the act of commissioning further still by creating a gallery space within their residence in which to display their Spectre as a work of art.

These insights reflect the emotional breadth, creative depth and driving pleasure clients now associate with this landmark motor car, all of which shaped the subtle refinements introduced for Spectre Series II.


SPECTRE SERIES II: INTEGRITY, ENHANCED

Spectre’s evolution for Series II is a powerful affirmation of the motor car’s design integrity and engineering permanence. It emerges within a new era of commissioning shaped by deeper collaboration through the marque’s expanding global Private Office network, and a broader creative repertoire than ever before. It respects the instincts of those who recognised Spectre’s significance from the outset and offers new opportunities for expression to those who commission it next.

Lisboa. Reconhecido pelo seu estilo “classic with a twist”, o designer construiu uma carreira assente na combinação entre alfaiataria tradicional e detalhes inesperados: com cores vibrantes, riscas icónicas e um humor subtil que se tornou a sua marca registada. Paul Smith é considerado desde os anos 70 uma referência global na moda masculina, projetando o espírito britânico para o mundo e estabelecendo colaborações com marcas que partilham a mesma visão de irreverência e atenção ao detalhe, como a MINI.

Do Clássico ao Elétrico: A Linha do Tempo Criativa de Paul Smith com a MINI

A colaboração entre Paul Smith e a MINI não é de agora - tem raízes profundas e várias edições marcantes ao longo das décadas:

1998 – MINI Paul Smith Classic
Uma das colaborações mais famosas entre as duas marcas: um MINI clássico pintado em azul exclusivo “Paul Smith Blue”, com detalhes em verde‑limão escondidos (como o compartimento da bateria). Tornou‑se um ícone de colecionador.
2019 – MINI Electric Paul Smith “Striped”
Criado para celebrar o design sustentável, este protótipo apresentava riscas multicoloridas e materiais reciclados, refletindo a visão moderna do designer.
2021 – MINI “Striped Edition” e MINI “Recharged”
Paul Smith reinterpretou novamente o MINI clássico, desta vez com um interior minimalista e carroçaria azul mate. Mais tarde, o projeto “Recharged” eletrificou esse mesmo Mini, transformando-o num símbolo de design sustentável.
2024/2026 – MINI Paul Smith Edition (actual)
A colaboração evolui para uma edição oficial de produção, introduzida na nova geração MINI Cooper (3‑portas, 5‑portas e Cabrio).
Para esta edição, Paul Smith recupera novamente o seu ADN: riscas, cores britânicas reinterpretadas e detalhes humorísticos como o desenho “Rabbit”.

O que define esta parceria?

A MINI e Paul Smith partilham três pilares fundamentais:

• Design icónico reinterpretado
• Atenção obsessiva ao detalhe
• Humor e irreverência britânica

Para mais informações, por favor contactar:

Corporate Communications

BMW Group Portugal
João Trincheiras, Corporate Communications Director
E-mail: Joao.Trincheiras@bmw.pt

Sobre o BMW Group
Com as suas quatro marcas BMW, MINI, Rolls-Royce e BMW Motorrad, o BMW Group é o líder mundial no fabrico de automóveis e motociclos premium, prestando igualmente serviços financeiros de alta qualidade. A rede de produção do BMW Group inclui mais de 30 unidades de produção em todo o mundo; a empresa tem uma rede global de vendas em mais de 140 países. Em 2025, o BMW Group vendeu mais de 2.46 milhões de veículos de passageiros e mais de 202.500 motociclos em todo o mundo. O lucro antes de impostos no exercício de 2025 foi de 10.2 mil milhões de euros, sobre receitas no valor de 135.4 mil milhões de euros. A 31 de dezembro de 2025, o BMW Group tinha um efetivo de 154.540 colaboradores.
O sucesso do BMW Group tem sido, desde sempre, construído numa ótica de longo prazo e assente numa conduta responsável. A Sustentabilidade é um elemento-chave da estratégia corporativa do BMW Group e abrange todos os produtos da cadeia de valores, desde a produção até ao fim de utilização de todos os seus produtos.

www.bmwgroup.com
LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/company/bmw-group/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/bmwgroup
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bmwgroup
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bmwgroup

Munique/Lisboa. A MINI e Paul Smith juntam aquilo que define ambas as marcas de forma icónica: atenção meticulosa ao detalhe e a liberdade de reinterpretar o design clássico com toques inesperados. O MINI Paul Smith Edition traduz o estilo característico do designer britânico numa edição distinta para a família MINI Cooper - reconhecível através de pormenores específicos no exterior e no interior do veículo. A edição está agora disponível para o MINI Cooper 3‑portas (elétrico e a combustão), MINI Cooper 5‑portas e MINI Cooper Cabrio.

Detalhes com um toque britânico 

Três cores exteriores estão disponíveis para esta edição, incluindo duas exclusivas. Statement Grey reinterpreta de forma contemporânea o tom do MINI Austin Seven de 1959 - um cinzento limpo com uma subtil matiz azul. Inspired White evoca o bege clássico da MINI numa tonalidade moderna. A completar a palete de cores encontra-se o Midnight Black Metallic, uma elegante tonalidade preta incluída na gama atual de cores MINI.

O visual é definido por contrastes marcantes na carroçaria, tejadilho e cores dos assentos, combinados com as riscas características do design de Paul Smith. Os espelhos retrovisores, a moldura da grelha do radiador e as tampas do centro das jantes destacam‑se em todos os modelos na cor Nottingham Green - uma referência à cidade natal do designer britânico. Nos modelos de tejadilho rígido, estão disponíveis duas opções específicas da edição: Nottingham Green ou um tom preto mais discreto com riscas mate e brilhantes em tom‑sobre‑tom.

No interior, a Paul Smith Edition combina a sobriedade britânica com detalhes criativos. O revestimento Vescin/malha em Nightshade Blue combina com superfícies em malha preta com subtis riscas tom‑sobre‑tom. Uma projeção “Hello” ao abrir a porta, a inscrição “Every day is a new beginning” no friso da porta e o elemento têxtil com riscas características no volante desportivo acrescentam toques distintivos. Um desenho à mão de um “Rabbit” no tapete completa o sentido de humor tipicamente britânico.

Principais destaques do MINI Paul Smith Edition

• Disponível para o MINI Cooper 3 portas (elétrico e combustão), MINI Cooper 5 portas e MINI Cooper Cabrio 
• Cores exteriores exclusivas: Statement Grey, Inspired White ou Midnight Black Metallic 
• Nottingham Green como cor do tejadilho e dos assentos (espelhos, moldura da grelha, tampas do centro das jantes) 
• Opções de tejadilho: Nottingham Green com risca característica no lado do condutor, ou Jet Black com riscas tom‑sobre‑tom 
• Detalhes distintivos como a projeção luminosa “Hello”, o gráfico “Rabbit” no tapete e o friso da porta com “Every day is a new beginning” 
• Três fundos exclusivos Paul Smith no modo Personal para o ecrã central/consola circular 

Edição especial em Portugal

A edição especial MINI Paul Smith já se encontra disponível em Portugal, com produção a iniciar no mês de Julho. O PVP anunciado para o mercado português inicia-se nos 38.223,54€ para o MINI Cooper 3 portas, 39.215,70 € no caso do MINI Cooper 5 Portas e 45.201,10 € para o MINI Cooper Cabrio.

Para mais informações, por favor contactar:

Corporate Communications

BMW Group Portugal

João Trincheiras, Corporate Communications Director

E-mail: Joao.Trincheiras@bmw.pt

Sobre o BMW Group

Com as suas quatro marcas BMW, MINI, Rolls-Royce e BMW Motorrad, o BMW Group é o líder mundial no fabrico de automóveis e motociclos premium, prestando igualmente serviços financeiros de alta qualidade. A rede de produção do BMW Group inclui mais de 30 unidades de produção em todo o mundo; a empresa tem uma rede global de vendas em mais de 140 países. Em 2025, o BMW Group vendeu mais de 2.46 milhões de veículos de passageiros e mais de 202.500 motociclos em todo o mundo. O lucro antes de impostos no exercício de 2025 foi de 10.2 mil milhões de euros, sobre receitas no valor de 135.4 mil milhões de euros. A 31 de dezembro de 2025, o BMW Group tinha um efetivo de 154.540 colaboradores. O sucesso do BMW Group tem sido, desde sempre, construído numa ótica de longo prazo e assente numa conduta responsável. A Sustentabilidade é um elemento-chave da estratégia corporativa do BMW Group e abrange todos os produtos da cadeia de valores, desde a produção até ao fim de utilização de todos os seus produtos.

www.bmwgroup.com

LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/company/bmw-group/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/bmwgroup

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bmwgroup

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bmwgroup

Munich. Summer 2026 is set to bring new items of standard and optional equipment as well as innovations in digitalisation and powertrain technology and practical features that will make the current BMW model range even more attractive. The optional new Black Package will lend the top models of the BMW 3 Series, BMW 4 Series Gran Coupé and BMW i4 Gran Coupé even more sporting appeal. And the BMW iX3 will in future be available with optional heated rear seats.

Dynamic and black: New Black Package for the M Performance models of the BMW 3 Series, BMW 4 Series Gran Coupé and BMW i4 Gran Coupé.

The new Black package makes the M Performance models of the BMW 3 Series, BMW 4 Series Gran Coupé and BMW i4 Gran Coupé look even more dynamic. It is only available in conjunction with the M Sport package Pro, which includes M Sport brakes in red.

In the interior, the Black Package adds striking accents with motorsport-inspired carbon fibre details. In addition to the Carbon Fibre M interior trim, the M leather steering wheel with carbon decorative trim further emphasises the car’s superb sporting appeal. On the exterior, the Black Package includes exclusive model badges in black on the rear and sides, as well as black 19" M light alloy wheels. The BMW M340i xDrive Sedan (WLTP combined (EnVKV): fuel consumption 7.5 l/100 km; CO₂ emissions 172 g/km; CO₂ class: F), like the BMW M340i xDrive Touring (WLTP combined (EnVKV): fuel consumption 7.8 l/100 km; CO₂ emissions 176 g/km; CO₂ class: G), comes with 19" M light alloy wheels Double-spoke style 995 M Jet Black with mixed tyres. Additional M light alloy wheels and sport tyres are available as options for the Black Package.

The BMW M440i xDrive Gran Coupé (WLTP combined (EnVKV): fuel consumption 7.9 l/100 km; CO₂ emissions 179 g/km; CO₂ class: G) and the BMW i4 M60 xDrive Gran Coupé (WLTP combined (EnVKV): energy consumption 20.9 kWh/100 km; CO₂ emissions: 0 g/km; electric range: 434 km (WLTP); CO₂ class(es): A) feature an additional black model badge in the BMW kidney grille. For both models, the Black Package comes with 19" M light-alloy wheels Double-spoke style 861 M Jet Black with mixed tyres.

These BMW M light alloy wheels will now also be available as a separate option for all M Performance models of the BMW 4 Series Coupé, BMW 4 Series Convertible and BMW 4 Series Gran Coupé, optionally with sport tyres.

Debuting in the new BMW iX3: German-language version of the AI-based BMW Intelligent Personal Assistant.
BMW is adding AI features to the BMW Intelligent Personal Assistant. With completely natural-sounding conversations, the AI-based assistant takes voice interaction between humans and vehicles to a whole new level. The new BMW Intelligent Personal Assistant understands natural language and recognises context. Using Amazon Alexa+ AI technology, it becomes a smart assistant for everyday driving. The German language version was introduced in the new BMW iX3 from mid-April 2026 production onwards. Vehicles of this model series produced prior to this date are due to receive the feature via a software update from the end of May 2026. Further BMW models featuring BMW Operating System 9 and BMW Operating System X will follow from the second half of 2026. At the same time, availability will be extended to other markets.

BMW iX3: New entry-level Neue Klasse model takes driving pleasure to a whole new level.
The BMW iX3 model series will include a second powertrain version from summer 2026. The new BMW iX3 40 (WLTP combined (EnVKV): energy consumption 17.3–14.5 kWh/100 km; CO₂ emissions: 0 g/km; electric range: 534–637 km (WLTP); CO₂ class: A) adds an entry-level model to the series. It features the radically new sixth-generation BMW eDrive technology (Gen6) developed specifically for the Neue Klasse. All components are designed for 800-volt technology. A highly efficient electrically excited synchronous motor (EESM) is integrated into the rear axle. This 235 kW/320 hp electric motor generates 500 Nm of torque and drives the rear wheels. The BMW iX3 40 accelerates from 0 to 100 km/h in 5.9 seconds and has a top speed of 200 km/h. Its high-voltage battery has a usable energy capacity of 82.6 kWh and can be recharged at up to 300 kW. Its maximum range is 637 km on the WLTP cycle. Thanks to state-of-the-art electronics and software architecture, the Neue Klasse technology in the new BMW iX3 40 delivers an unprecedented level of driving pleasure.

New exterior colours and equipment options for the BMW iX3.
From summer 2026, a total of nine particularly attractive BMW Individual special paint finishes will become available for all BMW iX3 engine variants. In addition to Orinoco pearl effect, Sepang Bronze Metallic, Twilight Purple pearl effect, Grigio Telesto pearl effect metallic, Java Green II metallic, Purple Silk metallic and Malachite Green metallic, the range also includes Voodoo Blue and Urban Green solid. New options also include 21" M Aerodynamic wheels 1051 M Jet Black, as well as the Contemporary Agave bicolour interior design. Heated rear seats are another new option, available in conjunction with the optional Innovation package.

Debut for a patented innovation: BMW M Ignite technology introduced for all BMW M six-cylinder engines.
All BMW M six-cylinder in-line engines will feature the innovative BMW M Ignite technology from summer 2026. This highly efficient new technology consists of a pre-chamber ignition system for petrol engines patented by BMW. Derived from motorsport, it enables a significant reduction in fuel consumption under high loads. In addition, BMW M Ignite technology plays a key role in meeting the stringent requirements of the Euro 7 standard. All variants of the BMW M3 and BMW M4 will come with this new technology from July 2026, with the M2 to follow from August 2026. All models’ displacement and power outputs will remain unchanged from those of the corresponding outgoing engines.

Quick help when you need it most: Tyre repair kit Plus.
The BMW 2 Series Coupé, the BMW 4 Series Coupé and the BMW 4 Series Convertible will come with the tyre repair kit Plus (Seal & Drive Tire Kit) as standard from summer 2026. It makes for particularly quick and reliable help.

A sporty look for car keys.
All BMW X3 models with the M Sport package or M Sport package Plus will in future feature car keys with BMW M stripes.

BMW Intelligent Personal Assistant: Create and use routines.
From July 2026, BMW Operating System X will offer new options for creating routines. The BMW Intelligent Personal Assistant analyses daily usage patterns to suggest routines, thereby simplifying recurring tasks in everyday driving. Users can also create their own custom routines by specifying the conditions under which they are to be executed and which actions are to be performed automatically. 

All descriptions of model variants, equipment, technical data, consumption and emission values are for vehicles as offered on the German market.

Lisboa. O BMW Group Portugal assinala um novo marco na sua estratégia de eletrificação ao ultrapassar as 10.000 soluções de carregamento BMW e MINI instaladas no país, em parceria com a CME. Este resultado reflete a aceleração da mobilidade elétrica em Portugal e evidencia a relevância de uma oferta integrada, simples e fiável, capaz de acompanhar o cliente ao longo de toda a experiência de utilização de um veículo eletrificado.

Com uma abordagem end-to-end, o BMW Group Portugal tem vindo a consolidar uma oferta de carregamento que integra aconselhamento, pré-verificação técnica, proposta de instalação, fornecimento do equipamento e suporte operacional. Em parceria com a CME, este modelo tem permitido alargar a cobertura a todo o território nacional e responder de forma eficaz às necessidades de clientes particulares e empresariais - quer em ambiente doméstico - quer em soluções de carregamento para escritórios e frotas.

Este marco reforça igualmente a aposta das marcas BMW e MINI em soluções de carregamento próprias, concebidas para tornar a experiência de mobilidade mais conveniente, conectada e ajustada aos diferentes perfis de utilização. O portefólio disponibilizado em Portugal contempla opções adequadas a distintas necessidades de potência e tipologias de instalação.

A dinâmica operacional observada ao longo dos últimos anos evidencia uma procura crescente pelas soluções BMW Home & Office Charging, sustentada por campanhas dedicadas, por uma oferta integrada de wallbox e instalação e por uma capacidade de execução consistente no terreno. A abrangência geográfica das instalações, incluindo Portugal continental, Madeira e Açores, demonstra a maturidade da operação e a relevância de uma rede preparada para apoiar a transição para a mobilidade elétrica em diferentes realidades de utilização.

Nas palavras de José Mendes da Silva - Responsável pela área de Innovation & Sustainability do BMW Group Portugal: "Ultrapassar as 10.000 soluções instaladas a nível nacional representa um marco muito relevante para o BMW Group Portugal e um sinal claro da evolução do mercado. Mais do que disponibilizar automóveis eletrificados, queremos assegurar aos nossos clientes uma experiência de carregamento simples, fiável e integrada, seja em casa, no local de trabalho ou em contexto empresarial."

BMW e MINI consolidam a sua estratégia de eletrificação em Portugal

Ao reforçar o investimento em soluções de carregamento, o BMW Group Portugal continua a desenvolver as condições necessárias para acelerar a adoção da mobilidade elétrica, apoiando clientes, concessionários e empresas com uma proposta de valor completa. Mais ainda, numa altura em que a rede de carregamento pública nacional conta com cerca de 16.500 tomadas de carregamento ativas, este marco alcançado em conjunto com a CME confirma a dimensão do contributo do BMW Group Portugal para o desenvolvimento da infraestrutura elétrica no mercado nacional, bem como a ambição de liderar a transformação da mobilidade premium em Portugal.

Para mais informações, por favor contactar:

Corporate Communications

BMW Group Portugal

João Trincheiras, Corporate Communications Director

E-mail: Joao.Trincheiras@bmw.pt

Sobre o BMW Group

Com as suas quatro marcas BMW, MINI, Rolls-Royce e BMW Motorrad, o BMW Group é o líder mundial no fabrico de automóveis e motociclos premium, prestando igualmente serviços financeiros de alta qualidade. A rede de produção do BMW Group inclui mais de 30 unidades de produção em todo o mundo; a empresa tem uma rede global de vendas em mais de 140 países.

Em 2025, o BMW Group vendeu mais de 2.46 milhões de veículos de passageiros e mais de 202.500 motociclos em todo o mundo. O lucro antes de impostos no exercício de 2025 foi de 10.2 mil milhões de euros, sobre receitas no valor de 135.4 mil milhões de euros. A 31 de dezembro de 2025, o BMW Group tinha um efetivo de 154.540 colaboradores.

O sucesso do BMW Group tem sido, desde sempre, construído numa ótica de longo prazo e assente numa conduta responsável. A Sustentabilidade é um elemento-chave da estratégia corporativa do BMW Group e abrange todos os produtos da cadeia de valores, desde a produção até ao fim de utilização de todos os seus produtos.

www.bmwgroup.com

LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/company/bmw-group/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/bmwgroup

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bmwgroup

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bmwgroup

Munich. To mark the 40th anniversary of the BMW M3 E30, the LEGO Group and the BMW Group have come together to extend their collaboration with a special project. For the first time in their history, the two companies have teamed up to co‑create a unique LEGO^® Speed Champions BMW M3 E30 kit with a livery jointly designed by BMW Group and LEGO Group design teams.

This collaboration elevates the two companies’ successful partnership to a new level. The distinctive livery pays tribute to the car’s legendary heritage and draws inspiration from the BMW M Motorsport division. Besides the visually captivating forms and colours of the livery, it is unique in that it is applied not only to the scaled-down replica LEGO^® Speed Champions BMW M3 E30 version, but also to the actual BMW M3 E30. Accordingly, the launch of the small-scale version will be accompanied by an authentic showcar.

The LEGO^® Speed Champions BMW M3 is characterised by special attention to detail in its design, faithful to the original vehicle. Among the recreated design features are the BMW kidney grille, the rear spoiler and the front end with its four round headlights, characteristic of the first-generation BMW M3. The set contains 358 pieces and is 17 centimetres long and 7 centimetres wide. Builders will be able to enjoy endless racing fun, with functional wheels and a realistic driver minifigure wearing a BMW M T-shirt.

For added excitement, fans around the globe will soon be able to match their outfits with their beloved minifigure. A scaled-up version of the minifigure T-shirt will be available from 1 August 2026 onwards from BMW dealers and on lifestyle.bmw.com. Made from organic cotton, it features a high-quality print on the front and back.

Driven by the goal of reproducing iconic racing cars with LEGO bricks, the LEGO^® Speed Champions line has been delighting car enthusiasts and collectors of all ages. The iconic BMW M3 E30 sits perfectly within this tradition, allowing generations of fans to experience BMW Group culture and engineering excellence. This latest edition is sure to ignite racing passion as builders assemble the legendary touring car featuring a one-of-a-kind livery.

The LEGO^® Speed Champions BMW M3 E30 is now available for pre-order at LEGO.com and will be released in LEGO stores and at BMW dealers on 1 August 2026, €27.99 RRP. Available through BMW dealers in the EU/UK, as well as from lifestyle.bmw.com, LEGO shops, and LEGO.com worldwide.

In celebration of the 40th anniversary of the BMW M3 E30, the product launch on 1 August 2026 will be highlighted by a public presentation in Berlin. At the event, fans will be able to experience the BMW M3 E30 showcar with the co-created livery among many other highlights – marking another exciting milestone in this collaboration with the LEGO Group. 

Munich/Cernobbio. Revealed at the 2026 Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este, the Vision BMW ALPINA is a design study that heralds a new chapter for a brand defined by extreme capability, sophistication, and the mastery of both performance and comfort.

“Alpina has always represented a very specific idea of performance and re finement—where speed and comfort are complementary ambitions. Our role as the new custodians of this brand is to preserve this distinctiveness and shape it for a contemporary context,” says Adrian van Hooydonk, head of BMW Group Design. “Vision BMW ALPINA shows how these qualities can be expressed with discipline and modernity, suggesting what our direction is for this brand as we move it into the future.”

DESIGN AND FORM: THE SHAPE OF SPEED 
The Vision BMW ALPINA is a respectful interpretation of the brand’s heritage, shaped by the most contemporary creative instincts. At 5,200 mm in length, its presence is substantial: wide, low, and confident. The coupé roofline is long and raked, its form immediately signals both speed and the ability to ac commodate four adults in genuine comfort. A V8 powertrain drives the experi ence, tuned to produce the characteristic notes of the Alpina exhaust: rich and deep at low speed, sonorous at high revs. 

“In Vision BMW ALPINA, we distil every element of the brand to its essence and apply it in a deeply modern and sophisticated way,” says Maximilian Mis soni, head of BMW Design Midsize & Luxury Cars and BMW ALPINA. “Every detail reflects substance: in engineering, in materials, and in the story it tells. The statements it makes are subtle and revealed only on a closer read. This interplay between purity and richness defines our approach to BMW ALPINA design.”

The front end is defined by powerful volumes and a forward-leaning stance that promises speed without overstatement. The shark nose reinterprets BMW’s kidney grille as a three-dimensional sculpture that leads the car’s form and frames the brand emblem with quiet confidence.

From this shark nose, the exterior is organized around a single visual axis: the speed feature line. Rising from the lower front corners at a six-degree inclina tion, it runs along the side of the body and wraps around the rear—assertive enough to suggest motion, controlled enough to remain refined.

HALLMARKS AND PRINCIPLES: “SECOND READ” SOPHISTICATION
Subtle secondary details reward attention without demanding it. This “Sec ond Read” principle runs throughout the Vision BMW ALPINA.

Deco-lines have been part of Alpina’s language since 1974. For the Vision BMW ALPINA, the modernized deco-lines are distilled and painted on the side of the body beneath the clear coat—a quiet gesture that reflects how the brand’s defining details can be adapted to what comes next.

Inward-facing return surfaces are treated with particular care, finished in a dark metallic tone that rewards a closer read. This approach is inspired by the BMW 507, which uses chrome only on the inside of its kidney grilles.

The shark nose captures the same “Second Read” sophistication: the inner surfaces feature a finely scaled signature Deco-line graphic, while a con cealed, softly backlit perimeter reveals it only when active.

A warm white tone characterizes the daytime running lights and traces the kidney surrounds, inspired by the first light over the Bavarian Alps. Clear-cut illuminated crystals add a precise highlight within the slender lamps.

The elliptical four-pipe exhaust remains, as does the “ALPINA” lettering—re interpreted as a machined, polished metal element on the lower front apron. The 22-inch front and 23-inch rear wheels feature the 20-spokes design that has been a constant at Alpina since 1971. 

INTERIOR AND DETAILS: ARCHITECTURAL CLARITY
The cabin is generous in every sense: space, material quality, and the care with which technology has been integrated. Architectural volumes define the layout, with each element designed as a standalone form, not absorbed into a homogeneous interior.

The six-degree speed feature line continues through the interior, dividing the darker upper segment and the lighter lower segment. Full-grain leather— sourced from producers across the Alpine region—pairs with stitching inspired by the Deco-lines. 

Craft details are restrained but well considered: a bridge stitch inspired by his toric steering wheel hand-stitching appears sparingly in heritage blue and green colors, while a watchmaking-inspired beveling technique was used for the metal components, combining satin and polished finishes. Clear-cut crys tal is reserved for the controls that shape how the automobile drives, under lining the value BMW ALPINA places on the driving experience itself.

Behind the rear console, a glass water bottle sits beside BMW ALPINA crystal glasses that rise on a self-deploying mechanism. Each glass is engraved with 20 deco-lines and features a six-degree rim profile, held by concealed mag nets and softly lit against the open-grain center console.

A COMFORTABLE DRIVER IS A FASTER DRIVER
Burkard Bovensiepen understood something much of the automotive world has forgotten: a comfortable driver is a faster driver. That belief remains cen tral to the Vision BMW ALPINA. Alpina offers Comfort+, a setting beyond the standard BMW comfort calibration that delivers a more supple, refined char acter, and it is retained here.

BMW Panoramic iDrive, including the new passenger screen, spans the dash board with a digital user interface language crafted specifically for BMW AL PINA. Heritage blue and green are introduced with discipline, intensifying as the driver moves from Comfort+ to Speed mode within the BMW Panoramic Vision head-up display. The background imagery is equally considered. The Alpine landscape depicted is an exact rendering of the mountain range visible when looking south from Buchloe. 

ROOTED IN THE BRAND’S ORIGINS
The Alpina story began in 1965 in Buchloe, Germany, a small Bavarian town in the shadow of the Alps. Burkard Bovensiepen—destined for a career in typewriter manufacturing—chose instead high-performance tuning, founding Alpina and then refining BMW road and racing cars. From the outset, his phi losophy was clear: speed and comfort were complementary, not competing ambitions.

In endurance racing, while rivals stripped weight, Burkard added extra pad ding to the driver’s seat: he understood that a more comfortable driver is a faster driver. That insight carried over to the road cars that followed, cele brated for composure and sophistication at high speed over long distances.

ALPINA B7 COUPÉ: A POINT OF MATURITY
The Alpina B7 coupé of the late 1970s marked a turning point: Alpina’s phi losophy was applied to a luxury car, and every model that followed was rec ognized as luxurious. Based on the BMW E24 6 Series, its long bonnet, wide stance, and shark nose looked fast even at rest, while the cabin could com fortably carry four people across a continent. The Vision BMW ALPINA is the next chapter of that story.

BMW ALPINA—AN EXCLUSIVE BRAND WITHIN THE BMW GROUP
BMW ALPINA became an exclusive brand within the BMW Group in 2026, bringing proven stewardship and a clear responsibility: to understand what Alpina means to those who cherish it and to honor that in what follows.

"BMW ALPINA fills a gap in our portfolio between BMW and Rolls-Royce as we see even more potential in the high-end segment. With Alpina we have a strong legacy and a global community, which we want to build on, while pre serving the essence of what the brand stands for—speed, comfort and sophis tication,“ says Oliver Viellechner, head of BMW ALPINA.

Next year, customers will be able to experience the first model of the BMW ALPINA brand—inspired by the BMW 7 Series, but unmistakably BMW ALPINA. 

Munich/Cernobbio. BMW Motorrad presents the Vision K18, a vision bike that offers a confident outlook on a new expression of performance, luxury and dynamism. The Vision bike will be unveiled to the public for the first time in the exclusive setting of the Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este on Lake Como.

Conceived as a one-off vision bike, the BMW Motorrad Vision K18 stands for uncompromising passion, confident long-distance performance and outstanding visual presence. Long-distance travel is reimagined as a sensual experience: emotion is central, performance is the key – and is staged with all the senses. The Vision K18 embodies BMW Motorrad’s ambition to combine technical excellence with emotional appeal, making performance not only measurable but also visibly tangible. At the same time, it positions the inline six-cylinder as part of BMW DNA and sends a clear signal of pioneering spirit: greater radicality and sharper character down to the finest detail – as inspiration for future series-production solutions.

At the heart of the concept is a traditional 1,800 cm³ inline six-cylinder engine which, as both a design and technical centerpiece, shapes the entire appearance – and at the same time was the starting point for the vision. As an iconic BMW power unit that has stood for authority, smooth running and character for decades, it provided the impetus to rethink the vehicle from the ground up and to celebrate the drivetrain as a visible feature: technology is deliberately revealed, proportions subordinate themselves to the engine, and performance becomes directly tangible as a piece of engineering. The strikingly elongated silhouette follows this logic, and its flyline takes cues from high-speed aircraft such as the Concorde – for an appearance that conveys dynamism even at a standstill.

BMW Motorrad’s current six-cylinder models are positioned in the touring segment – built for confidence and comfort on long journeys. Accordingly, the design follows a sculptural, elongated formal language inspired by long-haul aviation: expansive base bodies – as seen on iconic high-speed aircraft – form a clear, calm foundation from which technically necessary components deliberately “break out” in contrast. Large body surfaces meet complex, openly displayed technology with graphically precise cut-outs and openings. Distinct inline-six references reinforce this principle: six intakes, six tailpipes and six LED headlights cite the exceptional engine architecture in a visual way. Hand-formed body parts as well as a hydraulically lowerable suspension underscore the exclusive, visionary character.

The aspiration for quality and emotion results from the interplay of craftsmanship and high-tech: parts of the aluminum bodywork are painstakingly formed by hand (“planished”), including a seamless side panel more than two meters long that appears as if cast from a single piece. Contrasting materials such as aluminum and forged carbon, along with special surfaces and processes – for example, structures created by flame spraying – set deliberate accents; the resulting bright, metallic look is intended as a reminiscence of classic Formula 1 exhaust headers. Visible technical highlights such as the striking intake, the hydraulically lowerable suspension and an actively cooled headlight make the engineering character of the vision immediately tangible. For the team, one of the key challenges was the precise coordination between highly complex technical components and elements crafted with masterful workmanship.

A central element of the MW Motorrad Vision K18 is the visual guiding idea “The Heat of Speed”. A deliberately employed heat-haze effect makes the power of the inline six-cylinder visible and translates performance into an emotionally tangible image. The chosen stage is intentionally a runway setting, reflecting both the aviation inspiration as well as the theme of confident high speed and long-distance capability.

With the Vision K18, BMW Motorrad delivers a powerful emotional statement. It is an expression of attitude, design expertise and a passion for extraordinary engine concepts – Full Force Forward. This guiding motif translates forward momentum into proportion and line: a downward overall gesture like an aircraft taking off, an arrow-shaped silhouette, and a presence reminiscent of a sprinter in the starting blocks. Radically executed proportions make the ambition visible in every detail: swapping the positions of the airbox and the tank enables a maximally flat rear line. In contrast, there is a very wide tail section that, framed in carbon, accommodates six tailpipes. The front also reflects power with its staged intake – air is routed through six tubes to the central air filter.

Markus Flasch, CEO BMW Motorrad: “With the BMW Motorrad Vision K18, we show how we interpret performance, luxury and emotion in a new, very confident way. For us, the inline six-cylinder is far more than an engine – it is a statement. The Vision K18 translates this power into a sculptural form that makes dynamism and speed tangible even at a standstill. This bike stands for our passion to redefine the boundaries of design and performance repeatedly.”

Disclaimer.
The vehicles shown may be modified and fitted with third-party accessories and/or proprietary parts that are not manufactured, distributed or tested by BMW. BMW accepts no liability for the modifications (including the fitting, characteristics and use of the accessories shown). NOTE: Modification of series production vehicles (including the fitting and use of third-party and self-made parts) can impair riding characteristics! Riding our vehicles in modified condition is at your own risk.


You will find press material on BMW motorcycles and BMW Motorrad rider equipment in the BMW Group PressClub at https://newsroom.bmwgroup.com/global/en.

Munich. Continuity and experience at the helm of the Group: At the end of today, Oliver Zipse will hand over the position of Chairman of the Board of Management of BMW AG to Dr.-Ing. Milan Nedeljković. Zipse is concluding his tenure on the Board of Management as planned after a total of 35 years with the company.

The entire Supervisory Board of the company expresses its sincere gratitude to Oliver Zipse for his outstanding contributions to the BMW Group. During his tenure, he strategically realigned the company and successfully guided the BMW Group through global crises such as the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Through his strategic leadership and long-standing commitment, Oliver Zipse has shaped the development of the BMW Group. His name will be closely associated with the NEUE KLASSE, as BMW’s central future-oriented project,” says Supervisory Board Chairman Dr. Nicolas Peter. “Oliver Zipse has always taken a clear stance, even in the face of external resistance, thereby keeping the company strategically on course during volatile times.”

“For more than 35 years, the BMW Group has been my professional home. I am leaving with a deep sense of gratitude: for the trust that was placed in me, for the professional challenges that have taken me to various areas in the company; and above all, for an exceptional team that is shaping the mobility of the future with passion and a pioneering spirit. It has been a great honour for me to lead the BMW Group as Chairman of the Board of Management for seven years”, says Oliver Zipse, Chairman of the Board of Management of BMW AG.

His successor, Milan Nedeljković, has been a member of the Board of Management of BMW AG since 2019 and has been responsible for Production. The 57-year-old began his professional career with the company in 1993 as a trainee and has extensive international experience. Nedeljković held various management positions, including at the Oxford, Leipzig and Munich plants, as well as Head of Corporate Quality. His contract as Chairman of the Board of Management runs through 2031.

Dr. Nicolas Peter: “Milan Nedeljković impresses with entrepreneurial thinking and a consistent goal-oriented approach, as well as a clear focus and stringent execution of complex issues. He places great importance on the responsible use of resources, whether economic or ecological.”

Milan Nedeljković says: “With the NEUE KLASSE, we are bringing a generation of vehicles to the road that sets technological and emotional benchmarks. Our product momentum is outstanding. Together with our global footprint, this gives us a tailwind. In a dynamic environment, consistent and entrepreneurial action is required. Profitability and speed are crucial. I look forward to leading this extraordinary company into the future.”

Dr. Raymond Wittmann (47) will succeed him as Board Member for Production effective 14 May. He has been with the BMW Group since 2015 and has been responsible for Corporate Strategy and Development since 2024. Prior to this, he held several management positions in various corporate divisions.

“Raymond Wittmann combines strategic thinking with operational excellence and sound business management,” says Dr. Nicolas Peter. “With his broad, cross-divisional experience and international perspective, he possesses the key qualities required to lead the Production division.”

As part of today’s Annual General Meeting, the Supervisory Board will propose that Dr. Christian Bruch, Chairman of the Executive Board of Siemens Energy AG, be re-elected to the Supervisory Board for a term of four years. The term of office of Mr Heinrich Hiesinger, former Chairman of the Executive Board of ThyssenKrupp AG, will end with the close of today’s Annual General Meeting.

Following the 106th Annual General Meeting of BMW AG, a separate meeting of the preferred shareholders will be held today. It is to decide on the approval of converting all preferred shares into ordinary shares.

If you have any questions, please contact:

BMW Group Corporate Communications

Max-Morten Borgmann, head of Communications BMW Group, Finance, Sales

Telephone: +49 89 382-24118

Email: Max-Morten.Borgmann@bmwgroup.com

Dr. Dominic Stoiber, Communications BMW Group, Finance, Sales

Telephone: +49 151 601-51137

Email: Dominic.Stoiber@bmw.de

Lennart Wermke, Communications BMW Group Financial Services

Telephone: +49 151 601-98096

Email: Lennart.Wermke@bmwgroup.com

Media website: https://newsroom.bmwgroup.com/global/en

Email: presse@bmwgroup.com

The BMW Group

With its four brands, BMW, MINI, Rolls-Royce and BMW Motorrad, the BMW Group is the world’s leading premium manufacturer of automobiles and motorcycles and also provides premium financial services. The BMW Group production network comprises over 30 production sites worldwide; the company has a global sales network in more than 140 countries.

In 2025, the BMW Group sold 2.46 million passenger vehicles and more than 202,500 motorcycles worldwide. The profit before tax in the financial year 2025 was € 10.2 billion on revenues amounting to € 133,5 billion. As of 31 December 2025, the BMW Group had a workforce of 154,540 employees.

The economic success of the BMW Group has always been based on long-term thinking and responsible action. Sustainability is a key element of the BMW Group’s corporate strategy and covers all products – from the supply chain through production to the end of their useful life. 

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Indústria Automóvel Europeia em Transformação: Desafios e Oportunidades

O setor dos transportes enfrenta hoje uma crescente pressão política e económica. As metas para a descarbonização são cada vez mais ambiciosas, ainda que os custos da energia, veículos e infraestruturas continuem a subir, agravados por tensões geopolíticas que acrescentam incerteza. Nesse contexto, a indústria automóvel europeia debate como encontrar um caminho sustentável e equilibrado para todos, que garanta a competitividade do setor, sem comprometer a sua capacidade de crescimento e inovação. Embora a eletrificação seja muitas vezes vista como a solução dominante, cresce a consciência de que uma transição eficaz exigirá uma abordagem diversificada, integrando diferentes tecnologias e ritmos de adaptação para conciliar metas climáticas com competitividade industrial.

Nesse sentido, e durante o arranque do debate, foi salientado que a descarbonização exige um esforço conjunto, que deve priorizar o desenvolvimento das capacidades industriais europeias, evitando o regime outsourcing das cadeias de fornecimento que enfraqueceria a indústria local. A transição deve ser assim feita de forma ponderada, reconhecendo que não é possível avançar demasiado depressa sem comprometer a resiliência económica. Portugal foi apresentado como um exemplo a seguir, destacando-se como um dos mercados de veículos elétricos com maior crescimento na Europa, resultado do forte investimento em infraestruturas de carregamento público e apoios fiscais significativos - incentivos estes que ainda não se verificam em toda a Europa.

Diversificação tecnológica e transição gradual

Apesar do progresso tecnológico ser considerado adequado, especialmente no que diz respeito à eletrificação, existem desafios significativos em termos de infraestrutura e adaptação dos consumidores, o que reforça a necessidade de uma abordagem regulatória mais flexível e abrangente. A rápida eletrificação enfrenta limitações práticas, como a disponibilidade e acessibilidade das infraestruturas de carregamento e a variedade de necessidades dos consumidores em diferentes regiões.

Apostar exclusivamente na eletrificação até 2035 poderá ser, segundo Thomas Becker  – Senior Vice President Governmental Affairs do BMW Group, demasiado restritivo:

“Não devemos colocar todos os ovos na mesma cesta”. A indústria precisa de manter uma abordagem aberta, que inclua uma diversidade de soluções tecnológicas para responder às diferentes realidades dos países europeus. Essa flexibilidade é essencial para garantir uma transição eficaz, que concilie metas ambientais com a competitividade industrial e a aceitação social.

Na perspectiva de Becker, a regulamentação deve permitir que diferentes tecnologias coexistam e evoluam, adaptando-se às necessidades específicas de cada mercado, promovendo não só a eletrificação, mas também soluções híbridas e outras tecnologias emergentes, garantindo assim uma transição sustentável e inclusiva para o setor automóvel.

A visão do mercado português

Em Portugal, onde a idade média do parque automóvel ronda os 14,5 anos, a modernização e a adoção de soluções híbridas plug-in são essenciais para cumprir as metas de redução de emissões e evitar pesadas multas aos fabricantes automóveis. Para tal, incentivos mais robustos são necessários para acelerar esta transição, garantindo que todas as soluções coexistam e contribuam para os objetivos climáticos. Durante a conversa foi também mencionado o crescente aparecimento de marcas chinesas no mercado, prevendo-se que nos próximos anos a quota de mercado asiática aumente consideravelmente em território europeu - um desafio acrescido a uma indústria que luta para manter a sua competitividade e sustentabilidade:

“O parque automóvel português é envelhecido, com uma média de idade entre os 13 e os 14 anos de idade. Os incentivos atuais ainda não são suficientes para renovar eficazmente este parque, não permitindo a qualquer cidadão ter acesso a veículos elétricos ou eletrificados. Ainda assim, temos assistido a uma crescente penetração das marcas chinesas no mercado europeu. Estas marcas, muitas vezes com preços competitivos e alinhadas com as novas legislações, estão a ganhar quota de mercado a um ritmo acelerado, representando já cerca de 7% do mercado na UE. Para garantir a sustentabilidade e competitividade da indústria nacional e europeia, é fundamental implementar mecanismos que reforcem a posição dos fabricantes locais, promovendo diretamente a renovação do parque automóvel, bem como o investimento na circularidade de materiais e baterias in-situ.” - Hélder Barata Pedro, Secretário-Geral da ACAP

O papel da digitalização e da indústria portuguesa

O debate destacou ainda a importância da digitalização como ferramenta fundamental para aproximar as ambições de sustentabilidade da realidade prática. A monitorização em tempo real da saúde das baterias e a análise do comportamento dos utilizadores permitem otimizar o desempenho e reduzir emissões, um aspecto ainda pouco explorado na regulamentação atual da União Europeia.

“A digitalização é a ponte entre as ambições de sustentabilidade e a implementação no mundo real. Os dados transformam ideologias em integração prática, permitindo monitorizar e otimizar o desempenho dos veículos. É fundamental que a regulamentação acompanhe essa complexidade para que possamos manter os empregos e o valor acrescentado na Europa.” afirmou Christine Marconcin Legl, Chief Operating Officer da Critical TechWorks

Já a indústria portuguesa, que produz cerca de 300 mil carros por ano, tem um papel importante na cadeia europeia de fornecimento automóvel. Contudo, os fornecedores nacionais estão preocupados com o futuro e a necessidade de uma visão global e resiliente que contemple a reutilização e reciclagem de materiais e baterias. A abertura a novos mercados, como a Índia ou o recente acordo Mercosul, são vistos como essenciais para garantir a competitividade da indústria europeia num cenário global.

“Em Portugal, estamos preocupados com o futuro da indústria automóvel, especialmente no que diz respeito à sustentabilidade e à competitividade. É fundamental que as políticas europeias considerem a realidade dos mercados e promovam incentivos que ajudem a renovar o parque automóvel, garantindo que ninguém fique para trás nesta transição.” Gonçalo Lage, Deputado do PSD e Coordenador do grupo da Comissão de Infraestruturas, Mobilidade e Habitação

Impacto social e o futuro da mobilidade

Quanto ao impacto social, foi sublinhado que milhares de postos de trabalho foram eliminados nos últimos anos e que as políticas públicas ainda não têm conseguido compensar estas perdas. A transição deve ser gerida de forma a garantir que trabalhadores e empresas não sejam deixados para trás, promovendo o desenvolvimento tecnológico e económico sem mudanças indesejadas.

No que respeita às tecnologias emergentes, a diversidade de opções no mercado é apontada como o caminho correto. A introdução de veículos a hidrogénio dentro do BMW Group, por exemplo, está prevista para 2028 com o BMW iX5 a liderar esta inovação. Entre o painel de oradores, foi geral o sentimento de que o Hidrogénio é uma forte aposta para o futuro da mobilidade, especialmente na vertente de veículos pesados e de longo curso, por se tratar de uma solução eficiente e de rápido abastecimento. Contudo, o desenvolvimento das infraestruturas inerentes será fundamental para o sucesso destas soluções.

Perspetivas e Sustentabilidade no Setor Automóvel: Um Diálogo Essencial

Ao longo de 1h30, e entre um painel de oradores interessado em abordar as temáticas de uma forma abrangente e com exemplos concretos, a talk tornou-se essencial para compreender os caminhos possíveis para o futuro do setor automóvel na Europa e em Portugal. Esta iniciativa reforçou igualmente o compromisso do BMW Group em participar ativamente na discussão sobre o futuro sustentável da mobilidade, promovendo um diálogo aberto entre indústria, política e sociedade por forma a construir soluções equilibradas e viáveis.

“Portugal é um mercado em rápida evolução, com a combinação certa de condições — indústria e consumidor. Precisamos de mais desta lógica em toda a Europa. Se assim for, estamos confiantes de que o nosso futuro será brilhante. O sucesso não será moldado por escolhas rígidas ou soluções isoladas, mas sim pela capacidade de combinar ambição climática, diversidade tecnológica e resiliência económica de forma equilibrada e realista.” - Thomas Becker, Senior Vice President Governmental Affairs, BMW AG

¹ Organizado pela Fundação AIP, o Portugal Smart Cities Summit é o maior marketplace nacional dedicado ao debate e apresentação de soluções pensadas para inovação urbana, sustentabilidade e tecnologia.

Durante três dias, centenas de empresas, startups, municípios, administração pública, universidades, centros de investigação, redes colaborativas e especialistas convidados reúnem-se na FIL, num ambiente que integra quatro áreas temáticas - Living (qualidade de vida e bem-estar territorial), Move (mobilidade e logística inteligentes), Eco (sustentabilidade e ambiente) e Connect (tecnologia e inteligência urbana e territorial) - e três palcos de conferências.

Para mais informações, por favor contactar:

Corporate Communications

BMW Group Portugal

João Trincheiras, Corporate Communications Director

E-mail: Joao.Trincheiras@bmw.pt

Sobre o BMW Group

Com as suas quatro marcas BMW, MINI, Rolls-Royce e BMW Motorrad, o BMW Group é o líder mundial no fabrico de automóveis e motociclos premium, prestando igualmente serviços financeiros de alta qualidade. A rede de produção do BMW Group inclui mais de 30 unidades de produção em todo o mundo; a empresa tem uma rede global de vendas em mais de 140 países. Em 2025, o BMW Group vendeu mais de 2.46 milhões de veículos de passageiros e mais de 202.500 motociclos em todo o mundo. O lucro antes de impostos no exercício de 2025 foi de 10.2 mil milhões de euros, sobre receitas no valor de 135.4 mil milhões de euros. A 31 de dezembro de 2025, o BMW Group tinha um efetivo de 154.540 colaboradores. O sucesso do BMW Group tem sido, desde sempre, construído numa ótica de longo prazo e assente numa conduta responsável. A Sustentabilidade é um elemento-chave da estratégia corporativa do BMW Group e abrange todos os produtos da cadeia de valores, desde a produção até ao fim de utilização de todos os seus produtos.

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Munich. With BMW M Ignite technology, a new engine technology patented by BMW in 2024 is set to enter series production. This new kind of pre-chamber ignition system for petrol engines will debut in the six-cylinder in-line units for the BMW M2, BMW M3 and BMW M4 from mid-2026. One of its standout benefits is a significant reduction in fuel consumption under high loads – during track use, in particular. This new engine innovation has its roots in motor sport, making it another example of the transfer of technology from the race track to the road. And it also plays a major role in meeting the stringent requirements of the Euro 7 standard.

The centrepiece of BMW M Ignite technology is the pre-chamber positioned within the cylinder head. It is connected with the cylinder’s main combustion chamber by overflow openings. The pre-chamber has its own spark plug and ignition coil, meaning the engine has two ignition systems.

At low and medium revs, the conventional spark plug in the main combustion chamber fires before the spark plug in the pre-chamber. But when the engine is operating under higher revs and loads, the pre-chamber ignition takes over the lead role, with part of the fuel-air mixture channelled through the openings into the pre-chamber also ignited there. The flames generated as a result exit the pre-chamber at around the speed of sound.

These ignition jets then ignite the mixture in the main combustion chamber above the piston at multiple points at the same time. The result is a significantly higher combustion speed. Meanwhile, the possible cause of uncontrolled combustion – i.e. “knocking” – is also countered effectively. An additional effect of this technology is a drop in the temperature of the exhaust gas.

Other new technical features alongside the pre-chamber ignition include a higher compression ratio and turbochargers with variable turbine geometry.

BMW M Ignite technology boosts the efficiency of the six-cylinder in-line engines dramatically, especially when the engine is being pushed to its limits. Under high loads, fuel consumption drops substantially. This is particularly beneficial for BMW M customers who drive their cars on race circuits – e.g. during track days: the fuel consumption reduction enabled by BMW M Ignite technology means they can keep lapping for longer on the same amount of fuel.

As well as these efficiency gains, BMW M Ignite technology also helps to meet the new European Euro 7 standard, which will come into force in November 2026. In this way, BMW M is ensuring the high-performance cars fitted with this technology will continue to meet European registration requirements in the future. The new engines therefore represent another instance of technology from racing cars making its way into series-production models.

All variants of the BMW M3 and BMW M4 will come with BMW M Ignite technology from July 2026. Production of the BMW M2 featuring this technology will get underway in August 2026. The displacement and power outputs of all the models with BMW M Ignite technology will be unchanged from those of the corresponding outgoing engines.

Munich. Parallel to the ramp-up of the Neue Klasse, the BMW Group has released solid financial figures in the first quarter: The Munich-based premium automaker reported an EBT of € 2,348 million – surpassing the two previous quarters (Q3/Q4 2025). Group EBT margin of 7.6 % was on par with the figure for the full year 2025 (7.7 %). Free cash flow in the Automotive segment totalled € 777 million, significantly above the same quarter of the previous year (+88.1 %).

As such, the BMW Group has maintained its positive momentum from the previous year in the first quarter of 2026. The company’s attractive product portfolio, technology‑open approach and resilience in key global regions ensure it maintains its successful course.

“Once again, our earnings for the first quarter demonstrate the value of strategic consistency, operational strength and a high degree of flexibility. We are well positioned to deliver continued success, despite challenging conditions,” said Oliver Zipse, Chairman of the Board of Management of BMW AG.

Order intake in Europe reaches record levels

The BMW brand achieved its highest ever order intake figure for a single quarter in Sales Region Europe. From January to March, orders for all-electric vehicles increased by more than 60% in Europe compared to the previous year. The BMW iX3* alone secured more than 50,000 orders since its design premiere in September by the end of March.

“During the first three months on the year, we received more orders in Europe than in any other quarter in the Company’s history. The key to our success lies in our broad product range: with our strong brands, we serve key segments and allow customers to select from the full range of drivetrains,” said Zipse. “The successful launch of the BMW iX3 and the positive feedback on the BMW i3 confirm that we made the right decisions with the Neue Klasse. Every future BMW model will feature the new technology clusters and use the new design language – regardless of drivetrain. Thus, we are elevating our product portfolio to a whole new level.”

The BMW Group delivered a total of 565,780 vehicles to customers worldwide in the first quarter. This represents a slight decrease of -3.5% compared with the same period last year. The BMW brand delivered a total of 496,006 vehicles to customers across the world in the first quarter of 2026 (-4.6%). One in ten of all BMW units delivered was a BMW M model.

MINI maintains its growth trajectory

The MINI brand increased its global sales for the fifth consecutive quarter, delivering 68,503 vehicles – growth of +6.0%. BEVs accounted for 35.1% of all MINI deliveries.
The Rolls-Royce brand delivered a total of 1,271 vehicles to customers in the first quarter (-8.0%). BMW Motorrad delivered 42,735 motorcycles and scooters to customers over the same period (-4.2%).

BEV demand growing in Europe

The BMW Group’s vehicle deliveries increased by 3.1% across all drivetrains in Europe, its largest sales region. Battery‑electric vehicles accounted for 25.3% of all sales in Europe (global: 15.5%). The BMW Group remains confident that it will meet the EU (27 + 2) CO₂ targets for 2026.
In the Americas sales region, which slightly declined by -4.0%, the decline in deliveries of all-electric BMW automobiles was largely offset by increased deliveries of vehicles with combustion engines. In China, where the total market contracted sharply by -17.5%, BMW Group deliveries performed somewhat better, falling by -10.0% during the reporting period.

Currency effects weigh on revenues

Group revenues totalled € 31,007 million (2025: € 33,758 million; -8.1%; adjusted for currency translation effects: -4.3%) highlighting the persistently intense competition in the automotive sector – particularly in China – as well as the slight decline in sales. Furthermore, adverse currency effects had a negative impact, primarily the Chinese renminbi and the US dollar.

Disciplined cost management continues to deliver results

The BMW Group successfully delivered nominal costs reductions in the first quarter to tackle external challenges. The cost of sales went down by -6.4%, while administrative and sales expenses fell by -5.1% across the Group. As planned, the Company reduced its research & development expenditure from the 2024 peak to € 1,755 million (Q1/2025: € 1,984 million; -11.5%). The research & development expenditure ratio (German Commercial Code) fell to 5.7% (Q1/2025: 5.9%). Investments also decreased in the first quarter to € 1,723 million in line with planning (Q1/2025: € 2,819 million; -38.9%). The capital expenditure ratio came in at 2.0% (Q1/2025: 3.6%).

“Flexibility and speed of execution are two of the BMW Group’s strengths. That’s abundantly clear with the Neue Klasse – a stringent and comprehensive renewal of our entire vehicle portfolio in record time. The automotive innovations coming to market will strengthen our competitive position and improve our profitability,” said Chief Financial Officer Walter Mertl. “In a demanding economic environment, we remain highly focused on costs, leveraging multiple opportunities across the company with an approach designed to deliver sustained results.”

Share buyback on track

The Annual General Meeting in May 2025 authorised the Board of Management to buy back up to 10% of BMW AG’s share capital over the next five years. Based on this new authorisation, the Board of Management approved a third share buyback programme with a volume of up to € 2 billion, to be completed no later than 30 April 2027. The first tranche of shares worth € 750 million were repurchased by December 2025. The second tranche of shares, amounting to € 625 million, is on track to be purchased by 31 August 2026. On 31 March 2026, BMW AG held shares with a nominal value of € 12,225,269. This corresponds to 1.99% of the share capital on the same date.

Group EBT well over € 2 billion again despite the tariffs burden

The Group achieved earnings before tax (EBT) of € 2,348 million in the first three months of the year (Q1/2025: € 3,113 million; -24.6%). In doing so, the company delivered earnings of more than € 2 billion in a demanding economic environment once again. The EBT margin for the period was 7.6% (Q1/2025: 9.2%). Group net profit amounted to € 1,672 million (Q1/2025: € 2,173 million; -23.1%).

EBIT margin in the annual guidance corridor of 4–6%
The Automotive segment achieved an EBIT of € 1,345 million (Q1/2025: € 2,024 million; -33.5 %) and an EBIT margin of 5.0 % (Q1/2025: 6.9 %; -1.9 percentage points) – in the middle of the forecast annual range of 4–6% – and extra tariffs accounted for a 1.25 percentage point reduction in the EBIT margin in the quarter. This was a significantly larger hit than the same quarter in the previous year, in which only EU import tariffs were due on battery‑electric vehicles from China. The EBIT margin was also affected by depreciation and amortisation from the BBA purchase price allocation amounting to 1.2 percentage points.

Fierce competition across major automotive markets, especially in China, impacted pricing and sales volumes, weighing on EBIT. As anticipated, currency and raw material price effects dampened the company’s first‑quarter earnings performance.

Free cash flow in the Automotive segment increased significantly to € 777 million in the first three months of the year (Q1/2025: € 413 million). The marked reduction of capital expenditure compared with prior‑year figures had a positive impact on free cash flow. Conversely, the typical seasonal increase in inventories weighed on working capital. The segment’s free cash flow is expected to exceed
€ 4.5 billion for the full year.

Financial Services: slight growth in new contracts with end customers

The Financial Services segment secured 420,212 new credit financing and leasing contracts with end customersin the first quarter. The growth of 4.3 % compared to the same quarter last year is largely attributable to the changes in the competitive landscape in the Chinese market since mid‑2025. The penetration rate** – the share of BMW Group vehicles either leased or financed through the Financial Services segment – increased to 51.6% in the reporting period(Q1/2025: 43.0%; +8.6%).

The segment generated a profit before tax (PBT) of € 381 million in the first three months of the year (Q1/2025: € 650 million; –41.4%). The decline was primarily driven by an increase of the existing risk provision for cross-sector compensation schemes for motor finance customers in the United Kingdom.

Moreover, the income from the resale of end-of-lease vehicles was lower.

Outlook for the 2026 financial year confirmed

The BMW Group confirms its full‑year forecast after the first quarter, in a deteriorating economic environment. Forecasts for the global economy and automotive markets have been revised downwards in recent weeks. The global automotive market is now expected to see a slight decrease.

For the 2026 financial year, the BMW Group continues to expect a higher level of volatility related to tariffs. The company anticipates a negative impact from higher tariffs of around 1.25 percentage points on the EBIT margin in the Automotive segment.

The geopolitical situation in the Middle East is currently characterised by a high degree of uncertainty due to the ongoing conflict in the region. The outlook assumes that the conflict will not be enduring.

The BMW Group continues to see overall growth potential in Europe and the United States. In China, the company looks to balance sales volume, transaction prices and dealer profitability.

Globally, the company forecasts that deliveries will be on a par with the previous year and that fully-electric vehicles will account for the same share of sales as 2025.

The BMW Group remains disciplined in cost management. In the 2026 financial year, the company will further reduce capital expenditure, manufacturing costs, research & development spending, as well as sales & administrative expenses. Compared to the prior year, the BMW Group expects a lower additional burden from tariffs as previously outlined. This will be offset by increasing depreciation resulting from investments and the capitalization of development costs in previous years. Additionally, earnings will be negatively impacted by adverse currency and raw material effects, by pricing and product measures to stabilize transaction prices in China, by a significantly lower capitalization rate resulting from the development portfolio structure, and by overall lower revenues related to the used-car market. The BMW Group will partially offset these higher burdens through the afore-mentioned cost reductions.

Regarding forecast KPIs: The EBIT margin for the Automotive Segment is forecast to be within the range of 4–6%. Return on Capital Employed (RoCE) will be between 6–10%.

In the Financial Services Segment, Return on Equity (RoE) is projected to be between 13–16%.

In the Motorcycles Segment, deliveries are forecast to be on a par with the previous year, with an EBIT margin within the range of 4.0–6.0% and a Return on Capital Employed (RoCE) of 10–14%.

In light of the forecast developments, a moderate decline in Group earnings before tax is expected for 2026.

The BMW Group’s actual business performance may deviate from these expectations – for example, due to changes in political and macroeconomic conditions.

** Starting in the 2026 financial year, the penetration rate will also include financing and leasing contracts for young used vehicles that are sold to end customers for the first time in the reporting year.

GLOSSARY – explanatory comments on key performance indicators

Deliveries to customers

A new or used vehicle is recorded as a delivery once it is handed over to the end user (which also includes leaseholders under lease contracts with BMW Financial Services). In the US and Canada, end users also include (1) dealers when they designate a vehicle as a service loaner or demonstrator vehicle and (2) dealers and other third parties when they purchase a company vehicle at auction and dealers when they purchase company vehicles directly from the BMW Group. Deliveries may be made by BMW AG, one of its international subsidiaries, a BMW Group retail outlet, or independent third-party dealers. The vast majority of deliveries – and hence the reporting of deliveries to the BMW Group – is made by independent third-party dealers. Retail vehicle deliveries during a given reporting period do not correlate directly to the revenues that the BMW Group recognises in respect of that particular reporting period.

Payout ratio

The payout ratio is preliminary. Although the Board of Management and the Supervisory Board will propose a fixed dividend per share at the Annual General Meeting, the number of shares entitled to a dividend is expected to fall by the Annual General Meeting due to the ongoing share buy-back programme. Accordingly, the total amount to be distributed to shareholders is also still expected to change by 13 May.

EBIT

Profit before financial result. Profit before financial result comprises revenues less cost of sales, less selling and administrative expenses and plus/minus net other operating income and expenses.

EBIT margin

Profit/loss before financial result as a percentage of revenues.

EBT

EBIT plus financial result.

PHEV

Plug-in-hybrid electric vehicle - hybrid vehicle with petrol engine and electric drive.

If you have any questions, please contact:

BMW Group Corporate Communications

Dr Britta Ullrich, Finance Communications

Telephone: +49 89 382-18364

Email: britta.ullrich@bmwgroup.com

Sebastian Keßler, Communications BMW Group, Strategy

Telephone: +49 89 382-21616

Email: Sebastian.KE.Kessler@bmwgroup.com

Max-Morten Borgmann, head of Communications BMW Group, Finance, Sales

Telephone: +49 89 382-24118

Email: Max-Morten.Borgmann@bmwgroup.com

Media website: https://newsroom.bmwgroup.com/global/en

Email: presse@bmwgroup.com

The BMW Group

With its four brands, BMW, MINI, Rolls-Royce and BMW Motorrad, the BMW Group is the world’s leading premium manufacturer of automobiles and motorcycles and also provides premium financial services. The BMW Group production network comprises over 30 production sites worldwide; the company has a global sales network in more than 140 countries.

In 2025, the BMW Group sold 2.46 million passenger vehicles and more than 202,500 motorcycles worldwide. The profit before tax in the financial year 2025 was € 10.2 billion on revenues amounting to € 133,5 billion. As of 31 December 2025, the BMW Group had a workforce of 154,540 employees.

The economic success of the BMW Group has always been based on long-term thinking and responsible action. Sustainability is a key element of the BMW Group’s corporate strategy and covers all products – from the supply chain through production to the end of their useful life. 

www.bmwgroup.com

LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/company/bmw-group/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/bmwgroup

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bmwgroup

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bmwgroup

Munich/Dingolfing. One out of two million: A BMW i5 M60 xDrive sedan in Tansanit Blue assembled at Plant Dingolfing is the two-millionth all-electric vehicle produced by the BMW Group. The anniversary vehicle is going to a customer in Spain.

BMW Group Plant Dingolfing: home to the most all-electric models

Plant Dingolfing began series production of all-electric automobiles in 2021 with the BMW iX. Today, it builds the widest range of BEV models within the BMW Group: the BMW iX, the BMW i5 sedan and touring, and the BMW i7. Since 2021, more than 320,000 all-electric vehicles have already been built at the Lower Bavarian site. This means that almost every sixth of the BMW Group’s total of two million BEVs comes from Dingolfing. In 2025, more than a quarter of the vehicles produced at Plant Dingolfing were all-electric.

Clear strategy with maximum flexibility

As part of the BMW iFACTORY, the BMW Group continues to pursue a technology-open approach in its plants: vehicles with different powertrains are flexibly produced in a mixed build on a single production line. For several years now, at least one all-electric model has been rolling off the line at every German BMW Group plant - e-mobility has become the new normal across the company’s production network. In doing so, the BMW Group is making a significant contribution to Germany being the world’s second-largest production location for electric cars today.

Munich. When BMW Motorrad launched its first BMW helmet in 1975, it marked the beginning of a success story. At the time, visor technology was comparatively simple. The first System Helmet followed in 1981, featuring a flip-up and removable chin section. This technical concept has been continuously refined and perfected by BMW Motorrad over the decades and is now presented in its eighth generation with the System 8 and 
System 8 Carbon helmets.

A historical retrospective summarizes the highlights of the past 50 years:

1. BMW Full-Face Helmet – the “Römer-Helmet“
In May 1975, BMW, in cooperation with Römer, introduced a lightweight and safe full‑face helmet made of glass‑fibre‑reinforced plastic. With a weight of just 1,400 grams, the helmet featured a double‑secured fastening system and a high‑quality leather interior.

Key features included a removable, draught-deflecting chin guard, clear and sun visors, and a large field of vision. Reflective elements enhanced visibility in road traffic, contributing to increased rider safety.

This helmet marked the starting point for BMW’s ongoing commitment to safety, comfort and visibility and laid the foundation for the continuous development of modern 
BMW motorcycle helmets.

2. BMW System Helmet I
The BMW System Helmet introduced in 1981 combined high levels of protection with low weight and excellent wearing comfort. It featured a robust glass‑fibre shell and effective impact absorption. Its aerodynamic design ensured a stable fit and reduced wind noise, while the visor could be operated with one hand and offered a wide field of vision.

A standout feature was the removable chin section, allowing the helmet to be quickly converted into various off‑road configurations. Independent tests confirmed its outstanding quality. A modern helmet concept that successfully combined safety, comfort and versatility.

3. BMW System Helmet II
The new BMW system helmet introduced in 1985 represented a further development of its successful predecessor, offering enhanced comfort and improved aerodynamics. The helmet shell, chin section and visor mechanism were optimised in the wind tunnel and featured a ribbed structure designed to reduce air turbulence and wind noise. The revised chin section profile reduced lift and aerodynamic drag, improving riding stability.

The robust yet lightweight glass‑fibre‑reinforced plastic shell, combined with an energy‑absorbing inner liner, continued to provide a high level of protection. Additional comfort was ensured by leather padding in the contact areas and a secure chin strap with push‑button fastener. The visor could be operated with one hand, was scratch‑resistant, wind‑tight and lockable in multiple positions. Tinted and “self‑healing” Sekurit visors as well as a practical sun visor were available as optional accessories. A particular innovation was the BMW air‑channel system, which ensured an effective supply of fresh air without draughts, prevented visor fogging and guaranteed optimal ventilation even at low speeds or in urban traffic.

4. BMW System Helmet III
Introduced in 1989, the BMW System Helmet III represented a further optimised evolution of its predecessor, offering increased safety in compliance with ECE 22‑03, improved aerodynamics and reduced wind noise. The redesigned chin section provided enhanced cheek protection, while the ventilation system ensured individually adjustable fresh‑air supply, even with the visor closed. The visor was scratch‑resistant, featured an anti‑fog coating and could be locked in six positions. The chin bar could be opened by push‑button and tilted up by 100 degrees – continuing to offer excellent suitability for riders wearing glasses and making the helmet easy to put on and take off. A wide range of accessories further underlined its versatility.

5. BMW System Helmet 4
Presented in 1997, the BMW System Helmet 4 represented the next evolution featuring a lightweight yet exceptionally durable helmet shell made of a composite of glass fibre, Kevlar and carbon. The three‑dimensionally shaped visor provided distortion‑free visibility, was scratch‑resistant and featured an anti‑fog coating.

Wind‑tunnel‑tested aerodynamics significantly reduced wind noise, while the ventilation system ensured a constant supply of fresh air – even with the visor closed. The flip‑up chin section, operated with  one hand, continued to make putting on and removing the helmet particularly easy. As with its predecessors, the helmet could be quickly converted from a full‑face to an open‑face configuration.

A wide range of accessories and a high degree of flexibility made the BMW System Helmet 4 especially comfortable and safe.

6. BMW System Helmet 4 EVO
The BMW System Helmet 4 EVO, introduced in 2001, was the first BMW helmet to meet the new ECE 22‑05 safety standard, including testing of the chin section. It featured an improved ventilation system with larger air outlets and a visor with a new anti‑fog coating, ensuring clear visibility in all weather conditions. The visor locking system included a narrow “city position” gap, significantly reducing noise levels. The removable interior lining, made of Coolmax and velvet materials, offered a high level of wearing comfort and allowed for easy cleaning. Aerodynamic performance was additionally enhanced by a redesigned spoiler with a double trailing edge, reducing yaw and pitching moments at high speeds and thereby reducing strain on the rider’s head. Like its predecessor, the helmet could be quickly converted from a full‑face to an open‑face or off‑road configuration and featured a practical flip‑up chin section. New colour options completed the offering.

7. BMW System Helmet 4 Elite
Presented in 2001, the BMW System Helmet 4 Elite stood out for its particularly lightweight yet high-strength helmet shell made of carbon fibre and Kevlar, reducing overall weight by approximately 180 grams. The interior featured Schoeller ComfortTemp material, which uses microscopic capsules to absorb and release heat as required, helping to balance temperature fluctuations and enhance wearing comfort.

The helmet shell was finished in carbon black, while the flip-up chin section was designed in white aluminium with a yellow “Carbon“ lettering. As with previous models, the helmet could be quickly and  easily converted into an open-face helmet. Additional features included interchangeable cheek and neck pads as well as preparation for the installation of an intercom system.

The BMW System Helmet 4 Elite combined state-of-the-art materials, high levels of safety, significantly reduced weight and individual comfort with proven versatility.

8. BMW System Helmet 5
Introduced in 2005, the BMW System Helmet 5 represented an advanced generation of flip‑up helmets, featuring a lightweight yet high‑strength shell made of a glass‑fibre, carbon and Kevlar laminate. With a noise level of just 86 dB(A) at 100 km/h, it ranked among the quietest helmets in its class. A key innovation was the integrated Bluetooth communication system (WCS 1), enabling wireless rider‑to‑rider communication – even at speeds exceeding 150 km/h.

Aerodynamics were optimised to ensure stability in the airflow and minimal resistance during head movements. Impact absorption further improved by a segmented EPS inner shell designed to respond individually to different load levels. The chin section could be opened and closed easily using a one‑handed Bowden‑cable mechanism.

The ventilation system was fully adjustable, featuring closable visor ventilation, multiple head ventilation stages and effective exhaust outlets. A special neck strap ensured a secure fit and prevented helmet rotation. The interior, made of breathable and removable Coolmax material, further enhanced wearing comfort.

9. BMW System Helmet 6
Introduced in 2009, the BMW System Helmet 6 represented a lightweight and comfortable further development of BMW flip‑up helmets, with a weight ranging from 1,570 to 
1,670 grams. For the first time, it featured a continuously adjustable integrated sun visor, as well as an innovative four‑joint mechanism that ensured a slim  appearance even when open. The helmet shell made of glass‑fibre‑reinforced plastic, combined with a segmented EPS inner shell, provided excellent impact absorption.

The three‑dimensionally curved, scratch‑resistant outer visor offered 100% UV protection, while the dual‑pane visor with a hydrophilic inner surface delivered highly effective anti‑fog performance. Ventilation was ensured by a large top intake and a rear negative‑pressure exhaust, providing efficient climate control.

With a noise level of just 86 dB(A) at 100 km/h, the helmet ranked among the quietest flip‑up helmets of its time. A ratchet buckle on the chin strap, combined with integrated neck straps further enhanced safety. The removable Alcantara and Coolmax interior lining was washable and available in various sizes. The helmet was prepared for optional 
BMW communication systems and offered in a range of colours and designs.

10. BMW System Helmet 6 Evo
In 2013, the BMW System Helmet 6 EVO was regarded as one of the safest and most comfortable flip‑up helmets on the market. It featured an integrated, continuously adjustable sun visor with 100% UV protection, which could also be operated while wearing gloves. Thanks to the four‑joint mechanism, the sporty design remained slim and visually appealing even when the helmet was open.

Aerodynamically, the helmet remained stable in the airflow and generated only minimal rotational forces during head movements. With a noise level of between 84 and 86 dB(A) at 100 km/h, it ranked among the quietest flip‑up helmets in its segment. The lightweight shell made of glass‑fibre‑reinforced plastic, combined with a multi‑part EPS inner shell, ensured excellent impact absorption.

The removable interior lining made of synthetic leather and DuPont Coolmax enhanced wearing comfort. The ventilation system was effective and easy to adjust, featuring forehead and rear ventilation as well as visor ventilation. The ratchet buckle on the chin strap combined the advantages of double‑D and plug‑in fasteners, while integrated neck straps prevented helmet rotation in the event of an accident.

The helmet was prepared for BMW communication systems and was available in multiple colours and sizes.

11. BMW System Helmet 7 Carbon
The BMW System Helmet 7 Carbon was unveiled to the public in October 2016 and launched on the market for the 2017 motorcycle season. A key innovation was the full‑carbon helmet shell, which made the helmet significantly lighter while further enhancing safety.

In 2021, the model was further developed into the BMW System Helmet 7 Carbon EVO, featuring, among other improvements, optimisations to aerodynamics and the visor mechanism.

The removable chin section allowed the helmet to be converted into an open‑face configuration. In addition, the helmet was specifically prepared for integration with the BMW Motorrad communication system.

12. BMW System Helmet 8
As the successor to the System Helmet 7 Carbon EVO, the BMW System Helmet 8 is part of the BMW Motorrad Clothing Collection 2026.

The eighth‑generation BMW System Helmet 8 Carbon, certified to ECE 22‑06 standards, offers outstanding protection with minimal weight thanks to its helmet shell made from a carbon‑aramid‑glass‑fibre composite. A more attractively priced alternative is the BMW System Helmet 8, which features the same equipment and ECE 22‑06 certification but uses a glass‑fibre‑aramid  composite shell. Both helmets deliver excellent impact absorption values and outstanding overall safety performance. Thanks to two helmet shell sizes, they are only as large as necessary.

Maximum safety and comfort are ensured by a polystyrene inner shell with varying densities, while integrated neck straps provide a secure fit. High‑quality interior padding made from OEKO‑TEX® Standard 100 materials, together with an efficient head and visor ventilation system, ensures optimal functionality and comfort. In the BMW System Helmet 8 Carbon, the Multi‑Directional Impact Protection System (MIPS Integra TX®) further reduces rotational head movement in the event of an impact, thereby lowering the risk of injury.

Thanks to the multi‑joint mechanism, the new BMW Motorrad System Helmet 8 Carbon and System Helmet 8 remain highly compact even when flipped open and are approved for riding in the open position. Aerodynamics and aeroacoustics have been noticeably optimised for this purpose, while a large, highly effective spoiler provides additional support when riding with the helmet closed. Clear visibility is ensured by the dual‑pane visor with anti‑fog inner lens (Pinlock 200) and a scratch‑resistant coating on both sides of the outer visor.

Additional practical features include a central button for opening the chin section, a chin strap with ratchet buckle, and an integrated sun visor operated via a slider mechanism. For an even more intensive riding experience, the new BMW Motorrad System Helmet 8 Carbon and System Helmet 8 can be upgraded with the innovative BMW ConnectedRide COM P1 communication system. Optional visor kits (orange, clear, tinted, blue mirrored and silver mirrored) are available, along with a total of ten different graphics and color options. Market launch is planned for May 2026.


You will find press material on BMW motorcycles in the BMW Group PressClub at https://newsroom.bmwgroup.com/global/en.

Munich/Oxford. 2026 marks a major milestone for MINI: 25 years ago production of the modern MINI began under BMW Group, a quarter century defined by innovation, design and unmistakable British spirit! With its unique place in everyday life, from city streets to cinema screens, MINI has spent the past 25 years building on its legacy, combining heritage with modern innovation and driving fun, winning the hearts of millions of drivers worldwide.

Founded in 1959, Mini was born out of the visionary thinking of Sir Alec Issigonis, whose revolutionary small‑car concept responded to the challenges of its time by redefining how space, efficiency and driving enjoyment could be combined. With its compact dimensions, innovative front‑wheel‑drive layout and exceptional agility, the classic Mini quickly transcended its original purpose to become an automotive icon. Motorsport successes in the 1960s, most notably under the Cooper name, cemented MINI’s reputation as a car that delivered authentic driving fun far beyond its size.

Over the decades, Mini became deeply embedded in popular culture, embraced by artists, designers and drivers alike, and recognised worldwide as a unique expression of British character. A decisive new chapter began with the brand’s acquisition by BMW Group, which preserved Mini’s heritage while opening the door to a sustainable future. The first modern MINI, engineered by BMW Group, rolled off the line at Plant Oxford on 26^th April 2001, marking the start of a new chapter, blending its unmistakable design DNA and go‑kart feeling with modern technology, premium quality and contemporary relevance.

“Marking 25 years of the modern MINI is truly a milestone. Our unmistakable British roots, unique design, go-kart feeling and playful spirit have made MINI a global icon. For more than a quarter century, BMW Group’s expertise has contributed to MINI’s ongoing success. Thanks to our dedicated global MINI team, the brand continues to excite and inspire drivers for generations.” said Jean-Philippe Parain, Head of MINI.

The current model lineup is the most extensive and varied in the brand’s history, with five models, each reflecting its own unique character. Powertrain options include fully electric or highly efficient combustion engines.

Owning a MINI is so much more than simply travelling from A to B – it is a statement of individuality. With an impressive range of customization options, every MINI becomes a true reflection of its owner's unique tastes and character. From selecting paint colors to choosing upholstery and interior trims, each MINI can be finely tailored to personal preferences. Over the past 25 years, a host of options have been offered — among them, the famous bonnet stripes and the distinctive multi-tone roof stand out. Thanks to innovative techniques at the Oxford factory, the striking three-color roof design provides a visual highlight. Special editions have strengthened MINI’s image internationally and set new trends. In 2026, MINI pays tribute to British design and playful elegance with the MINI Paul Smith Edition.

In 2025, MINI recorded global sales of 288,290 vehicles. Battery electric vehicles comprised more than one third of worldwide deliveries and even surpassed 50% in markets like the Netherlands, Turkey, Sweden, and China. The sub-brand John Cooper Works reached an all-time high with 25,630 units sold, representing 8.9% of the total MINI volume.

Since joining the BMW Group, MINI has experienced a remarkable evolution, continuously developing yet remaining faithful to its heritage. BMW’s expertise has been actively integrated into MINI for more than 25 years, introducing advancements such as enhanced user interfaces, innovative assistant features and improved safety systems. The latest generations of the MINI family impressively demonstrate the safety commitment: numerous 5-star ratings in the Euro NCAP crash test confirm the high level of protection offered.

MINI manufacturing in British BMW Group Plants

Over the past 25 years, modern MINI production has evolved across four model generations, spanning a range of body styles including the original 3-door, 5-door, Roadster, Coupe, Clubman, Clubvan and Convertible. In total, 4,671,664 MINIs have now been built in Britain since 2001.

MINI’s modern era has been powered by its UK production heartland. At the centre of that story are two UK manufacturing hubs: Plant Oxford, the home of MINI production, and BMW Group Plant Swindon, where thousands of precision-engineered body panels are crafted every day.

Together, these two sites represent one of the UK’s most significant automotive manufacturing hubs, with a workforce of more than 3,000 highly skilled people producing around 800 MINIs a day. At Plant Oxford, a new MINI drives off the production line every 78 seconds.

Plants Oxford and Swindon have been at the heart of their communities for a very long time – 113 and 70 years respectively. The wider production story took another important step in 2006 when BMW Group Plant Hams Hall in North Warwickshire began producing engines for the MINI, with more than 4.6 million engines produced for the Oxford-built models.

Markus Grüneisl, CEO, BMW (UK) Manufacturing Ltd said “This 25-year milestone is a proud moment for MINI and for everyone involved in its production here in the UK. From the very beginning, our plants in Oxford and Swindon have been at the heart of MINI’s global success, combining exceptional craftsmanship with innovation. Above all, it is our people – their creativity, expertise and pride in what they do – that continue to make MINI so special.”

66+ years of vibrant automotive history – a look back at the milestones of MINI:

In case of queries, please contact:
Corporate Communications

Franziska Liebert, Spokesperson MINI
Phone: +49-89-382-28030
E-Mail: franziska.liebert@mini.com

Micaela Sandstede, Head of Communications MINI
Phone: +49-176-601-61611
E-mail: micaela.sandstede@bmw.de

Munich. For decades, the abbreviation “RS” on BMW Motorrad competition motorcycles stood for “Rennsport” (racing), while since the appearance of the BMW R 100 RS in 1976, it has identified BMW production motorcycles as machines designed for the dual purpose of “Reise und Sport” (travel and sport).

BMW Motorrad and the legendary RS series models – this model designation has represented both touring capability and sporty riding pleasure to this day. As the world’s first large‑series motorcycle, the BMW R 100 RS in 1976 featured a frame‑mounted full fairing developed in the wind tunnel, defining the segment of the sport‑tourer as we know it today.

With the BMW R 1300 RS presented last year, BMW Motorrad continues this 50‑year tradition, offering a sport‑tourer with a two‑cylinder boxer engine whose genes carry forward the all‑round qualities of the established BMW RS concept into the future. Whether for sporty backroad riding, dynamic two‑up enjoyment, or long‑distance touring – the BMW R 1300 RS opens up new, thrilling dimensions in sport‑touring like never before.

To achieve this, the BMW R 1300 RS has been technically elevated to an entirely new level. Consistently focused on riding dynamics, it offers a significantly sportier experience than its predecessor, thanks to a completely new engine, chassis, and aerodynamics, without abandoning traditional BMW RS virtues such as touring comfort and long‑distance capability. In short: the BMW R 1300 RS continues the success story of BMW RS series motorcycles with boxer engines in its seventh generation.

How versatile BMW Motorrad implemented the motto “travel and sport” in its production motorcycles is shown not only by the models with the legendary two‑cylinder boxer engine, built in its basic form for 103 years. Powered also by four‑cylinder technology, the RS concept proved to be an excellent solution within the BMW Motorrad K series when it came to perfectly combining touring capability, travel comfort, and sporty performance.

To mark the anniversary “50 years of BMW RS production motorcycles,” BMW Motorrad looks back on the key milestones of RS history:


The BMW RS Two‑Valve Boxer Models

BMW R 100 RS

The BMW R 100 RS was the third BMW equipped with the 1000 cc boxer engine, presented as a highlight at the IFMA trade fair in 1976. As the world’s first production motorcycle, it came with a standard full fairing aerodynamically optimized by Pininfarina and painted in a slightly bluish shimmering metallic silver. It offered unprecedented wind and weather protection and enabled surprisingly high average speeds on the highway with a relaxed seating position. BMW Motorrad therefore reinterpreted the abbreviation RS (formerly “Rennsport”) to mean “Reisesport” (“travel sport”). In its final production year, 1984, BMW celebrated the successful RS with the BMW R 100 RS Classic 500, a special edition limited to 500 units with a two‑tone finish in Madison Grey / Alaska Blue and white pinstriping.

BMW R 100 RS Nardò Record Bike

On October 29 and 30, 1977, BMW Motorrad attempted to break several motorcycle world records in Nardò, Italy, using a modified BMW R 100 RS. Record runs were completed over 10, 100, and 1,000 kilometers, as well as 1, 6, 12, and 24 hours. Helmut Dähne, together with engine expert Helmut Bucher, increased the power output of the 
BMW R 100 RS boxer engine to 84 hp. With a 19‑inch rear wheel and the fairing’s lower section removed, the motorcycle achieved more than 220 km/h. In total, the 
BMW Motorrad team set five new world records: over 10 km, 100 km, 6 hours, 12 hours, and 24 hours.

BMW R 100 RS (Monolever)

For fans of the large 1000 cc two‑cylinder boxers, the BMW K 75 and K 100 models with three‑ and four‑cylinder engines, as well as the 800 cc boxers, were not considered alternatives. Particularly in the USA and Japan, calls for a return of the large boxer grew louder. Thus, it was a small sensation when BMW Motorrad presented the BMW R 100 RS again at the 1986 IFMA. Originally planned as a limited‑edition special model of 1,000 units, BMW reintroduced the R 100 RS into its permanent lineup due to high demand and built it until 1992.

The BMW RS Four‑Valve Boxer Models

BMW R 1100 RS

Introduced in 1993, the BMW R 1100 RS brought the concept of the air‑cooled two‑cylinder boxer into the future with four‑valve technology, air/oil cooling, and modern digital ignition/fuel injection. The newly developed 1100 cc boxer engine offered 50% more power than the previous two‑valve generation while consuming less fuel. BMW also introduced an innovative front‑suspension system: the Telelever, offering high comfort and excellent braking stability.

BMW R 1150 RS

When the BMW R 1150 GS debuted in 1999, many riders wondered why the 
BMW R 1100 RS did not receive the updated 1130 cc engine first. BMW initially expected the BMW R 1100 S—introduced in 1998—to serve as the sportier successor to the 
R 1100 RS. However, many R 1100 RS riders did not view the R 1100 S as their desired upgrade. When the BMW R 1150 RT launched in 2001, demand grew for a more powerful RS. While there was not enough time for a complete redesign, BMW introduced the 
BMW R 1150 RS in autumn 2001, pairing the RT’s engine and exhaust with the familiar 
R 1100 RS fairing. It received new colors and was available exclusively with a full fairing.

BMW R 1200 RS

Presented in September 2014 at Intermot, the BMW R 1200 RS represented the fifth generation of RS boxer motorcycles. One of its highlights was the liquid‑cooled boxer engine with vertical instead of horizontal flow. Delivering 92 kW (125 hp) and 125 Nm, it offered excellent performance and smoothness. It also introduced the semi‑active 
BMW Dynamic ESA suspension.

BMW R 1250 RS

Unveiled at EICMA 2018 in Milan, the BMW R 1250 RS featured a 1254 cc boxer engine with 100 kW (136 hp) and BMW ShiftCam variable valve timing. Benefits included improved cylinder filling and stronger torque at low and mid‑range rpm. The chassis featured a steel main frame, Upside‑Down fork, single‑sided swingarm, Dynamic Traction Control, and optional Dynamic ESA “Next Generation” with automatic load compensation.

BMW R 1300 RS   
              

The BMW R 1300 RS is the latest sport‑tourer with a refined boxer engine and dynamic design. With 1300 cc and an output of 107 kW (145 hp), it is the most powerful production BMW boxer engine to date. Standard features include three riding modes and engine drag torque control (MSR). Optional features include the automated shift assistant (ASA) and the Dynamic Suspension Adjustment (DSA) system with adjustable damping, spring rate, and load compensation. It is also the world’s first production motorcycle with a telescopic fork featuring adjustable spring rate.

The BMW RS Four‑Cylinder Models

BMW K 100 RS (Two‑Valve)

Introduced at the 1983 Paris Motor Show, the BMW K 100 RS was the second member of the new K family. Technically identical to the K 100 base model, it featured a modern half fairing with aerodynamic qualities. The low center of gravity created by the horizontally mounted engine and the relatively low weight made it agile and enjoyable even off the highway. It remained a common sight on the road even 30 years after introduction.

BMW K 100 RS (Four‑Valve)

In 1989, the modernized BMW K 100 RS was introduced. Essentially a BMW K1 with the familiar RS fairing, the BMW K 100 RS 4V featured complete K1 technology beneath the bodywork. With a dual‑seat design and the ability to mount saddlebags again, it appealed to riders who wanted K1 technology without its polarizing looks and touring limitations.

BMW K 1100 RS

Following the debut of the BMW K 1100 LT, fans eagerly awaited the 1100 cc engine in an RS chassis. The BMW K 1100 RS arrived in 1992, featuring a facelift with the K 100 RS upper fairing and an all‑new lower section. With excellent riding qualities and strong all‑round performance, it won several comparison tests in motorcycle magazines.

BMW K 1200 RS

For many years, BMW adhered to a voluntary commitment among manufacturers not to offer motorcycles with more than 100 hp on the German market. That changed in 1997 with the introduction of the BMW K 1200 RS, delivering 130 hp from 1,172 cc and a top speed of 245 km/h. As a big‑bike, it offered excellent long‑distance comfort and experienced a sales boost after a 2001 facelift.

You will find press material on BMW motorcycles in the BMW Group PressClub at https://newsroom.bmwgroup.com/global/en. 

Munich/Zagreb. The BMW Group and the Croatian University of Zagreb’s Regional Centre of Excellence for Robotic Technology (CRTA) continue to advance joint research in battery cell production. The “Insight” research project will develop and implement practical AI models to optimise battery cell production at the BMW Group. The research project covers the entire battery cell value chain: from electrode production to end-of-line testing and in-house developed direct recycling.

How the research project saves raw materials, costs and time

At the Battery Cell Competence Centre (BCCC) in Munich, the BMW Group is developing battery cells for future generations of high-voltage batteries. As part of this process, numerous test series are conducted, which by their very nature require significant time and material investment. At the same time, these tests tie up manufacturing equipment and laboratory capacity. This is where the “Insight” research project comes in: Its artificial intelligence network uses existing test data, as well as real-time data from ongoing production, to accurately predict battery cell process parameters and performance data. As a result, the duration and number of test series can be significantly reduced, while maintaining or improving quality. In this way, the newly developed AI systems reduce the material and time required in individual process steps by more than 50 percent.

Other cell production use cases

The research project’s prediction models not only reduce the number of test series but also support final approval of battery cells. Following initial charging at the end of production, the cells must be stored for a defined period at precisely specified temperatures before they can be installed in a battery housing. This phase, also referred to as the “quarantine”, requires corresponding storage capacity. However, the research project’s AI systems are able to conduct a full analysis of the battery cells in advance, potentially eliminating this process step in the future.

Research collaboration combines theory and practice

Since the project was launched in 2024, the BMW Group and the University of Zagreb have been developing joint solutions using artificial intelligence to improve battery cell production. To this end, doctoral candidates and students at the University of Zagreb are collating and structuring available production data and using it to create AI models that can identify specific patterns. These AI models then make predictions that further optimise production performance, quality and costs. “We are working on scaling the newly developed AI models from the prototype environment,” explains Christian Siedelhofer, head of Technology Development Lithium-Ion Battery Cells at the BMW Group. One option would be to enable cell manufacturers. “We are also examining to what extent these models are suitable for additional use cases within our production network.”

Win-win through knowledge sharing

The University of Zagreb contributes expertise in mechanical engineering, electrical engineering and computer science to the project. Ongoing knowledge sharing benefits both partners: The University of Zagreb provides the BMW Group with access to the latest research findings, while its doctoral candidates and students have the opportunity to apply their theoretical knowledge in practice.

Development of young talent

Another aspect of the cooperation is the development of young talent. “Our joint project gets doctoral candidates and students interested in AI and battery cells and the exciting work we do at our Battery Cell Competence Centres,” says Stefan Kerscher, head of Technology Development Battery Cells at the BMW Group. “We are delighted when young talents decide to embark on a career with our company.” The cooperation offers students intensive mentoring and the opportunity to expand their professional network across the industry, enhancing their attractiveness on the job market and opening up outstanding career opportunities. The cooperation between the BMW Group and the University of Zagreb strengthens the innovation capability and competitiveness of both partners.

Battery cell expertise along the entire value chain

The BMW Group consolidates its battery cell know-how at its Competence Centres in Munich, Parsdorf and Salching. The Battery Cell Competence Centre (BCCC) in Munich houses research and development for the battery cells of the future. The best battery concept from the BCCC will be produced under near-series conditions at the Cell Manufacturing Competence Centre (CMCC) in Parsdorf. Close cross-divisional collaboration between Development, Purchasing and Production integrates product and process in a unique way. In addition to producing sample cells, the BMW Group is also focusing its efforts on the reuse of materials. As part of this process, the company has put into service a Cell Recycling Competence Centre (CRCC) in Salching, Lower Bavaria, together with Encory GmbH, which will implement the innovative direct recycling concept. The intellectual property for the recycling method is owned by the BMW Group.

Munich. The BMW Group is further simplifying public charging of its electric vehicles and setting a new standard for convenience and user-friendliness.

Since March 16^th, customers in Germany have been able to charge their all-electric BMW or MINI directly at public DC charging points using Plug & Charge - without the need for a prior charging contract.

The credit card on file with BMW or MINI is used for this: After logging in with the corresponding customer ID in the vehicle, it automatically authenticates itself at the charging station when plugged in and the charging process starts immediately.

An additional app, charging card or manual steps at the charging station are therefore no longer necessary.

The new function can be set up in just a few steps via the Plug & Charge menu in the customer's my BMW or MINI app.

Billing is transparent and based on the provider's current ad hoc charging price - this price is also displayed in the vehicle and the app for supported charging stations.

The costs are paid directly via the stored credit card, so that drivers retain full cost control and transparency at all times.

The new offer is available to all Plug & Charge-capable BMW and MINI vehicles and, for the first time, also opens up Plug & Charge to customer groups without an existing charging contract - including tourists or fleet- and company-car drivers who only temporarily log into their vehicle with their BMW or MINI account.

The service launches with Mer Germany across over 1,400 charging points in Germany and Austria, enabled by Hubject's Plug&Charge ecosystem and payment facilitation. Further charging point operators and additional markets will gradually follow in the course of 2026.

With this offer, the BMW Group is emphasising its claim to make electric mobility not only sustainable, but also as simple and suitable for everyday use as possible.

Munich. In line with its sustainability strategy, the BMW Group is once again systematically leveraging product sustainability innovations in the new BMW 7 Series. This is evident, for example, in the use of a new battery cell technology and a higher percentage of secondary material in the wheel rims. These measures represent a targeted further development, applying proven sustainability approaches to another BMW model.

Sixth-generation (Gen6) battery cells in the new BMW i7: Measures to reduce CO₂e in core component.
Essential levers for reducing supply chain CO₂e emissions include increased use of secondary materials and renewable energies, in combination with selected product and process innovations.
Gen6 battery cells for the BMW i7’s high-voltage battery are manufactured exclusively using energy from renewable sources. The same applies to production of the necessary anode and cathode active material. Cell production also relies in part on secondary raw materials for the lithium, cobalt and nickel required. This reduces the overall supply chain CO₂e footprint of the Gen6 battery cell in the new BMW i7 60 xDrive by approximately 33 percent compared to the previous Gen5 cell used in the BMW i7 to date.

Aluminium wheels with high percentage of secondary raw materials.
From 2026, selected rim designs for the BMW i7 will be available with 70 percent secondary aluminium. Electrolysis of the remaining primary aluminium, as well as wheel rim production, is carried out in part using renewable energy. All components with a high percentage of secondary raw materials meet the BMW Group’s same strict quality standards, while also contributing to resource efficiency.

Enhanced efficiency during use phase.
With its EfficientDynamics technology package, the BMW Group optimises vehicle efficiency across all relevant subsystems during the use phase. This includes aerodynamics, lightweight construction, rolling resistance and overall energy management. EfficientDynamics has been used by the BMW Group across all drive technologies since 2007.

Production at BMW Group Plant Dingolfing.
All model variants of the new BMW 7 Series Sedan are produced at BMW Group Plant Dingolfing. The facility in Lower Bavaria, the Group’s primary plant for BMW luxury cars, increasingly relies on renewable energy for electricity and heating. 100 percent of its external electricity comes from renewable sources, some of which is also generated directly on site. In late 2025, an approximately 100,000-square-metre rooftop photovoltaic system with an output of almost 11 MWp was commissioned at the facility. In addition, a biomass heating plant went on-stream late last year to ensure that locally-produced heat is partially supplied from renewable energy sources.

In line with BMW Group’s sustainable development goals.
The BMW Group’s commitment to the Paris Climate Agreement and to reaching “net zero” no later than 2050 is an integral part of its holistic 360° approach to sustainability, which is anchored in its corporate strategy. The BMW Group has set itself ambitious science-based CO₂e targets for the coming years and intends to reduce its CO₂e emissions by a total of at least 40 million tonnes from 2019 levels by 2030.

Transparency through BMW Vehicle Footprint.
The BMW Group has published its vehicles’ Product Carbon Footprint, as validated by the German Technical Inspection Association (TÜV), in the so-called Vehicle Footprint for several years. This report is publicly available here for all drive trains of the new BMW 7 Series from the start of production and can also be accessed in the My BMW app. In this way, the BMW Group creates transparency around the percentage of secondary materials and CO₂e emissions throughout the vehicle’s lifecycle.

Munich/Graz. MINI and Austrian design studio Vagabund present a new creative collaboration: two unique one-off vehicles based on the MINI Countryman, both of which set a powerful statement for adventure spirit, community culture and festival lifestyle.

“A long-standing tradition and core value of the MINI brand is individual vehicle customization. Together with Vagabund, MINI continues this approach and demonstrates how a creative reinterpretation of the MINI Countryman – inspired by festival culture and music – can be brought to life through an engaged community,” says Jean‑Philippe Parain, Head of MINI.

MINI x Vagabund: The Duo
Vagabund successfully adds a distinctive design layer to the MINI Countryman that authentically expresses individuality, design philosophy and community spirit. MINI deliberately provides the platform – Vagabund contributes their creative signature. The result: two charismatic vehicles that reinterpret the versatility and openness of the MINI Countryman in an entirely new way.

“For us, design does not begin with the object, but with the idea behind it – and it only ends when that idea becomes tangible. The MINI x Vagabund one-offs translate a clear concept into an experiential statement. Two distinctive characters, united by MINI Countryman DNA, create a composition full of tension – making design visible as an emotional experience,” explains Paul Brauchart, Co-Founder and Head of Creative Vagabund.

Holger Hampf, Head of MINI Design: “MINI Design stands for vehicles with strong character that people enjoy driving and living with—true to the motto: lifestyle meets function and fun. Through our collaboration with Vagabund on these two vehicles, we were able to once again showcase our attention to detail and technical craftsmanship in a striking way.”

With a sophisticated sound system, graphic accents and a bold colour concept, the two vehicles themselves become moving sound stages. The vehicle finished in Melting Silver features sand-coloured & white body exterior details: playful, graphic and light. The Midnight Black example stands in deliberate contrast – monochrome black, precise and technical. It is this contrast that enhances their perception and creates an overall impression that only becomes fully apparent when both vehicles are experienced together.

Bodywork & proportions
Distinctively reworked wheel arches create a visually wider stance and give the vehicles a further striking appearance. A front bumper attachment ensures a harmonious connection between the wings and the original front apron. Front and rear bumpers are colour-coordinated with the additional body modifications, with the radiator grille being revised accordingly. Along the side sills, sits prominently integrated VAGABUND lettering as a three-dimensional element.
The raised ride height further emphasizes the off-road character of the two MINI Countryman S ALL4 models. In addition, 20‑inch wheels are fitted, showcasing intentionally closed-off 3D‑printed wheel cover designs, which gives the wheels a muscular appearance and creates a clear visual association with loudspeakers.

The roof rack consists of three laser-cut and folded aluminium plates, complemented by an integrated stainless-steel mesh as an open surface. This construction visually references the design language of speaker covers, creating a connection between roof, side profile and overall vehicle design – turning the roof rack into an integral design element.

The vehicle as a sound system
The rear side windows have been removed and replaced by a specially-developed sound system designed specifically for outdoor sound projection, with community events in mind. At its heart is a newly developed loudspeaker housing made from cast polymer granite – a material that offers ideal conditions for precise and unadulterated sound reproduction.

Tweeters and mid-range speakers are integrated directly into the bodywork, while additional subwoofers in the rear deliver a powerful punch when the tailgate is opened. Each vehicle functions as an independent sound system – however together, both MINI Countryman show cars form a mobile stage, creating an immersive audio experience.

On the opposite side of the vehicle, a special detail can be found: an iconic Walkman integrated into a 3D‑printed housing. With a characteristic MINI sense of humour; this creates a deliberate counterpoint to the open external sound system – a personal, decelerated feeling. The combination of analogue nostalgia and contemporary construction underlines the experimental character of the entire concept.

MINI Individualization by Vagabund
Through Vagabund, the MINI Countryman becomes a moving platform for encounters and cultural exchange. The vehicles create community moments where people come together and enable experiences that go beyond the thrill of driving.

Vagabund is renowned for its expertise in rethinking existing products via visual transformations. The two one-off vehicles demonstrate how creative power lies in form, function and attention to detail. MINI and Vagabund share this approach: individuality instead of convention, craftsmanship instead of overbearing aesthetics, community instead of distance.

The MINI x Vagabund collaboration shows how MINI carries its historic commitment to individualization into the future: bold design interpretations, culture-driven themes (such as music), cultural leaders and community, combined with a high level of craftsmanship. The result is inspiring one-off examples that showcase the MINI Countryman in new and elevated ways. MINI will present one of the two one-off vehicles to the public for the first time at Auto China 2026 in Beijing. Following its premiere at the motor show, the models will be brought closer to people live and in action across a wide range of platforms – staying true to the community-driven approach.

C02 emissions:
The described vehicles are show cars that are not available for sale.

In case of queries, please contact:
Corporate Communications

Julian Kisch, Press Spokesperson, Product Communications MINI
Phone: +49-151-601-38072
E-mail: julian.kisch@mini.com

Micaela Sandstede, Head of Communications MINI
Phone: +49-176-601-61611
E-mail: micaela.sandstede@bmw.de

Michaela Martinus, Spokesperson MINI Design
Phone: +49-160-96313773
E-Mail: michaela.martinus@bmw.de

Munich. Driven by very strong customer interest in the first Neue Klasse model, the BMW iX3*, the BMW Group recorded a significant increase in incoming orders for fully-electric vehicles in Europe in the first quarter of 2026. From January to March, new BEV orders rose by around 40% year-on-year. The BMW Group also reported higher orders across all drivetrain technologies in the region compared to the previous year. 

“We are seeing exceptionally strong demand for the new BMW iX3. With well over 50,000 new orders since ordering opened in Europe, customer interest in the BMW iX3 is exceeding our high expectations. More than half of the BMW X3s ordered are already fully electric,” said Jochen Goller, member of the Board of Management of BMW AG responsible for Customer, Brands, Sales. “The strong demand for the BMW iX3 underlines the quantum leap in technology we are making with the Neue Klasse. We are also receiving extremely positive feedback on the recently revealed second model of the Neue Klasse, the BMW i3,” Goller added.

Across all drivetrain technologies, the BMW Group delivered a total of 565,748 BMW, MINI and Rolls-Royce vehicles to customers in the first quarter of this year (-3.5%). Demand for models with internal combustion engines remained slightly above the high level of the previous year. The BMW Group achieved significant sales growth in its domestic market of Germany, with 68,022 units delivered (+10.7%). In China, BMW Group sales outperformed the overall strong market decline.

The first BMW iX3s were delivered to customers in Europe in March. Although the ramp-up of the first Neue Klasse model has only just begun, sales of fully-electric vehicles in Europe in the first quarter of 2026 already exceeded the high level recorded in the same period of last year. In the first quarter, the BMW Group delivered 87,458 fully-electric vehicles to customers worldwide (-20.1%). In the US, the discontinuation of BEV incentives impacted the entire market. At the same time, demand for BMW models with internal combustion engines increased. In an overall challenging market environment, the BMW Group was able to hold its ground well and is confident that the attractive, technology-neutral product portfolio as well as the worldwide availability of the Neue Klasse models will generate an increasingly positive momentum.

The BMW brand delivered a total of 496,050 vehicles to customers worldwide in the first quarter (-4.6%). Following last year’s all-time high, BMW M GmbH sales for the first three months of the year totalled 47,544 units (-5.9%). For the fifth consecutive quarter, MINI increased its global sales year-on-year. With 68,427 units delivered, the brand recorded growth of +5.9%. In the Europe sales region, MINI achieved a significant increase in BEV sales. The Rolls-Royce brand delivered 1,271 vehicles to customers in the first quarter (-8.0%). During the same period, BMW Motorrad sold 42,735 motorcycles and scooters (-4.2%).

BMW Group sales Q1 2026 at a glance

¹BEVs and PHEVs                                                                                   

BMW & MINI sales in the regions/markets

²Provisional registration figures

³Asia-Pacific, Eastern Europe, Middle East, Africa

The delivery figures reported in this press release are provisional and may change up until the BMW Group Report 2026 is published. Notes on how delivery figures are prepared can be found in the BMW Group Report 2025 on p. 429.

BMW Group Corporate Communications

Dr Sina Unger, Communications Sales

Telephone: +49 89 382-47564

Email: sina.unger@bmwgroup.com

Carolin Bachmann, Communications Sales

Telephone: +49 89 382-38801

Email: carolin.bachmann@bmwgroup.com  

Max-Morten Borgmann, head of Communications BMW Group, Finance, Sales

Telephone: +49 89 382-24118

Email: max-morten.borgmann@bmwgroup.com

Media website: https://newsroom.bmwgroup.com/global/en

Email: presse@bmwgroup.com

The BMW Group

With its four brands, BMW, MINI, Rolls-Royce and BMW Motorrad, the BMW Group is the world’s leading premium manufacturer of automobiles and motorcycles and also provides premium financial services. The BMW Group production network comprises over 30 production sites worldwide; the company has a global sales network in more than 140 countries.

In 2025, the BMW Group sold 2.46 million passenger vehicles and more than 202,500 motorcycles worldwide. The profit before tax in the financial year 2025 was € 10.2 billion on revenues amounting to € 133,5 billion. As of 31 December 2025, the BMW Group had a workforce of 154,540 employees.

The economic success of the BMW Group has always been based on long-term thinking and responsible action. Sustainability is a key element of the BMW Group’s corporate strategy and covers all products – from the supply chain through production to the end of their useful life. 

www.bmwgroup.com

LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/company/bmw-group/

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Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bmwgroup

Le Castellet. The BMW M Motorsport teams started the GT World Challenge Europe powered by AWS Endurance Cup season with strong results. In the 6-hour race at Le Castellet (FRA), a BMW M4 GT3 EVO crew reached the podium in all four classes. The reigning overall champions Kelvin van der Linde (RSA) and Charles Weerts (BEL), together with Jordan Pepper (RSA), finished fourth overall, which also meant third place in the Pro Cup. BMW M Motorsport newcomer Tim Tramnitz (GER) celebrated a strong debut, finishing third in the Gold Cup alongside Jens Klingmann (GER) and Ugo de Wilde (BEL). In the Silver and Bronze Cup, Team WRT and Paradine Competition celebrated podium finishes.

No win, but plenty of respectable results and many important points were recorded at the end of the race at Circuit Paul Ricard. The #32 BMW M4 GT3 EVO of Pepper, van der Linde and Weerts stayed in the top five for much of the race but lacked the final bit of pace to challenge for victory. The same applied to the #98 BMW M4 GT3 EVO of ROWE Racing. Starting from 22nd on the grid, Jake Dennis (GBR), Augusto Farfus (BRA) and Raffaele Marciello (SUI) had a great comeback drive to finish sixth overall. The #46 BMW M4 GT3 EVO, driven by Dan Harper (GBR), Max Hesse (GER) and Valentino Rossi (ITA), lost significant time due to a 30-second penalty for ignoring blue flags and finished in twelfth place.

In the Gold Cup, newcomer Tramnitz impressed in his first two stints in a GT race car with strong lap times and made a major contribution to the podium finish for the #998 BMW M4 GT3 EVO of ROWE Racing in the iconic GEN M design. In the Silver Cup, Amaury Cordeel, Matisse Lismont (both BEL) and Ignacio Montenegro (ARG) in the #30 BMW M4 GT3 EVO of Team WRT fought for victory until the final lap and crossed the line in second place. In the Bronze Cup, BMW M works driver Dries Vanthoor (BEL), together with James Kellett and Darren Leung (both GBR), finished third in the #991 BMW M4 GT3 EVO of Paradine Competition.

Reactions after the race.

Vincent Vosse (Team Principal, WRT): “I think we got the maximum out of this race. Fourth overall and third in the Pro Cup mean valuable points for car #32. Unfortunately, car #46 received a penalty. I’m very happy about the podium for our car #30. Now we will analyse everything, work hard, and come back stronger in the next races.”

Kelvin van der Linde (#32 BMW M4 GT3 EVO, Team WRT, 4th place): “We worked well as a driver crew and got the maximum out of our package. The guys at the front were just a bit too fast for us this time but we scored important points for both the Endurance Cup and the overall standings. The season is still long, and hopefully we’ll be stronger again at the next race event.”

Augusto Farfus (#98 BMW M4 GT3 EVO, ROWE Racing, 6th place): “This sixth place from starting position 22 feels like a podium. We didn’t have the package we needed here to fight for a podium finish but we fought hard and scored important championship points. Now we’ll aim to do better at the next race at Monza.”

Valentino Rossi (#46 BMW M4 GT3 EVO, Team WRT, 12th place): “A better result would have been possible for us, as our pace wasn’t bad for much of the race. However, in my second stint I had major issues with tyre grip and lost a lot of time. Then came the time penalty. That’s very unfortunate, because it put us a lap down and we had no chance to fight back into the top ten. Still, there are positives to take from this race. It was only the first weekend of a long season.”

Tim Tramnitz (#998 BMW M4 GT3 EVO, ROWE Racing, 3rd place Gold Cup): “I’m super happy with the podium! We didn’t necessarily expect that after how the weekend went. It went very well for me. I had a lot of fun and learned a lot, especially driving into the night was something completely new and special for me. Jens and Ugo also did a great job.”

Nürburgring. Schubert Motorsport’s comeback on the Nürburgring Nordschleife (GER) led to victory. The Team Principal Torsten Schubert led team secured overall victory in the second race of the 2026 Nürburgring Langstrecken Serie (NLS), the 57th Adenauer ADAC Circuit Trophy. At the wheel of the #77 BMW M4 GT3 EVO were BMW M works drivers Philipp Eng (AUT), Marco Wittmann (GER), and Robin Frijns (NED), who shared driving duties.

The team used the race, listed as NLS 3 on the calendar (the first scheduled race was cancelled due to snowfall), as preparation for the 24-hour race in mid-May. Starting from second on the grid, car #77 was among the front-runners from the opening laps, delivered a flawless performance, and after four hours of racing through the “Green Hell,” claimed a well-deserved victory.

The privately entered #23 BMW M4 GT3 EVO from the BMW M Motorsport customer team Gamota Racing also turned heads. Antal Zsigo (SVK), Moritz Kranz and David Jahn (both GER) not only achieved an impressive sixth place overall, but also celebrated victory in the SP9 Pro-Am class.

The BMW M4 GT4 EVO celebrated a 1-2 finish in the SP10 category. The #177 car from AV Racing by BLACK FALCON triumphed ahead of the team's sister #180 car. In the BMW M2 class, Hofor Racing by Bonk Motorsport prevailed with the #888 BMW M2 Racing. In the BMW M240i class, Adrenalin Motorsport Team Mainhattan Wheels triumphed with the #650 BMW M240i Racing. In total, BMW teams celebrated an impressive nine class victories.

Reactions after NLS 3:

Torsten Schubert, Team Principal Schubert Motorsport: “After securing the SPX class win last time with the BMW M3 Touring 24H, this overall victory is further proof that together with Yokohama we are absolutely competitive under these conditions. Our timing during the first pit stop with the Code 60 period was perfect, which moved us to the front. It’s great to see that we were able to hold that position until the finish.”

Marco Wittmann (#77 BMW M4 GT3 EVO, Schubert Motorsport, overall winner): “This is a fantastic success – both for Team Schubert on its return to the GT3 class on the Nordschleife this season, and for our tyre partner Yokohama. This victory is the perfect motivation for further preparation for the 24-hour race. Together with Yokohama, our goal now is to find the perfect operating window for the tyre under all conditions.”

Philipp Eng (#77 BMW M4 GT3 EVO, Schubert Motorsport, overall winner):
“Every race on the Nordschleife is a pleasure – and winning makes it even more special. A victory is always great, but we know there is still a lot of work ahead of us with the 24-hour race in mind. We’ve now gathered a lot of data that we can analyse in the coming weeks.”

Robin Frijns (#77 BMW M4 GT3 EVO, Schubert Motorsport, overall winner): “After it didn’t work out in the previous attempts, it’s very nice to have now completed the first race with the BMW M4 GT3 EVO and it went very well. I think we won the race thanks to the best strategy. We didn’t have the fastest car, but overall it was enough for victory.”

+++ Seven top 20 players will compete at the BMW Open by Bitpanda (11-19 April, MTTC Iphitos) +++ All-electric “World Car of the Year” BMW iX3 for the winner of the ATP 500 tournament +++ Social commitment FUTURE ACES enters its second season +++ BMW is involved as title partner in its home city for the 39th time +++

Munich. Kick-off to the BMW Open by Bitpanda 2026 at BMW Welt: This year's Winner‘s Car of the ATP 500 tournament was presented at a press conference today (Friday). The winner can look forward to the new all-electric BMW iX3 50 xDrive (WLTP energy consumption combined: 17,9 - 15,1 kWh/100 km; WLTP CO₂ emissions combined: 0 g/km; CO2-class: A), the first model of the Neue Klasse. The road to the title promises great excitement and top-class sport, as the strongest field in the history of the tournament is coming to Munich. Led by defending champion Alexander Zverev (GER), who is aiming for his fourth BMW Open victory and would thus become the sole record winner, as well as Ben Shelton (USA) and Alexander Bublik (KAZ), a total of seven players from the top 20 of the world rankings will be competing in the singles competition.

Since last year, the BMW Open by Bitpanda has attached particular importance to them scoring as many aces as possible. Together with its tournament partners, BMW launched the FUTURE ACES initiative at the tournament's premiere as an ATP 500 event and donated a coaching lesson for young people in need for every ace scored during the tournament. Over the past twelve months, six young people who would otherwise have no access to tennis have been able to train regularly and be integrated into club life at MTTC Iphitos. They will all continue to be supported by the aces of this year's tournament, and a new group will be able to start the programme.

Statements.

Tim Beltermann, Head of BMW Germany: “The BMW iX3 is the first Neue Klasse model, with which BMW has entered a new era of driving pleasure. The all-electric Sports Activity Vehicle has established a new design language and set standards for driving dynamics, and is therefore the perfect Winner’s Car for this great tournament. I wish us all first-class tennis and, in connection with that, many aces for FUTURE ACES. Through tennis, young people gain skills and perspectives that help them on their way to a self-determined life.”

Patrik Kühnen, Tournament Director: “World-class tennis from the very first rally and across all competitions – we couldn't wish for more in terms of sport and are proud to present the fans and spectators with what is probably the most attractive field of participants in this traditional tournament history.”

Dr. Fabian Tross, Chairman MTTC Iphitos: “We have managed the balancing act of organising a major ATP 500 tournament while at the same time retaining the familiar atmosphere that has always characterised the BMW Open by Bitpanda. This has been very well received by the audience, with the venue already full on the qualifying weekend and a great atmosphere. This is anything but commonplace on the ATP Tour.”

Christian Okon, CEO MMP Event, Tournament Organiser: “This year's field emphasises that Munich is already a top address on the ATP Tour in its second year as an ATP 500 tournament. Coupled with the special atmosphere and the unique set-up, we have all the ingredients for a fantastic week of tournament action.”

Winner‘s Car 2026: BMW iX3 50 xDrive.

The BMW iX3 is the first model in the New Class, with which BMW has launched a new era of driving pleasure. An instant success, it has established a new design language and set standards for driving dynamics and performance. A range of up to 805 kilometres, battery charging at up to 400 kW and an energy consumption of just 17.9–15.1 kWh/100 km (WLTP) demonstrate the outstanding abilities of the new BMW iX3. The new BMW Panoramic iDrive brings innovation to the interior. The high-performance control unit Heart of Joy and BMW Dynamic Performance Control take driving pleasure to an entirely new level.

Plenty of compelling reasons for the expert jury at the World Car Awards to declare the BMW iX3 the 2026 “World Car of the Year” – and thus the standout new vehicle on the international automotive markets – following extensive test drives. On top of that, the model won the 2026 “World Electric Vehicle” title. The BMW iX3 is therefore an absolute winner in its own right, making it the ideal special prize for the champion of the BMW Open by Bitpanda 2026.

FUTURE ACES: Programme giving children and young people access to tennis.

The long-term FUTURE ACES programme gives disadvantaged children and young people access to tennis and helps to broaden their future prospects. FUTURE ACES was initiated by the BMW Group and implemented together with partners of the BMW Open by Bitpanda – above all with MTTC Iphitos and the organiser MMP.

Every ace hit during the BMW Open corresponds to a coaching lesson at MTTC Iphitos. Children and young people are given the opportunity to learn tennis and develop their skills in a supportive environment. Mentors from the partners and other measures accompany the participants with the aim of strengthening their skills and opening up long-term prospects. The programme promotes the development of the participants‘ potential and supports them on their path to a self-determined life as FUTURE ACES.

At the BMW Open by Bitpanda 2025, 361 coaching hours were earned. This enabled 16 young people to try out tennis at a Whitsun camp lasting several days. Six youngsters decided to stick with the programme and were integrated into regular training and club life in the long term. The programme will continue in 2026: The aces and the associated donation will be used to continue supporting the six youngsters, and a new FUTURE ACES cohort will also start after the BMW Open 2026.

Star players BMW Open by Bitpanda 2026.

The singles field at this year's BMW Open by Bitpanda has it all. Including Alexander Zverev (GER), Ben Shelton (USA) and Alexander Bublik (KAZ), a total of seven players from the top 20 of the world rankings are taking part. Flavio Cobolli, Luciano Darderi (both ITA), Jiri Lehecka (CZE) and Francisco Cerúndolo (ARG) complete this group. In addition to Zverev, Yannick Hanfmann, Jan-Lennard Struff and Justin Engel will also fly the German flag via a wild card. For the first time, tennis fans in Munich will have the chance to see shooting star Joao Fonseca from Brazil and top Greek player Stefanos Tsitsipas in action.

Fans can also look forward to Grand Slam champions and illustrious names in the doubles competition. First and foremost, the number one seeds Kevin Krawietz and Tim Pütz from Germany. In addition to former BMW Open winners such as Alexander Erler and Lucas Miedler (both AUT) and world-class doubles players, prominent singles specialists are also on the entry list this year. Zverev will be competing with doubles legend Marcelo Melo (BRA), with whom he shares a friendship. Francisco Cerúndolo, Darderi and Arthur Rinderknech (FRA) will also be competing in the doubles.

Allianz Para Trophy.

Once again, the Allianz Para Trophy will be played at MTTC Iphitos from 16 to 18 April alongside the BMW Open by Bitpanda. The UNIQLO Wheelchair Tennis Tour tournament has long since established itself as a sporting highlight. The Allianz Para Trophy has been upgraded to a 500-category tournament and is featuring the premiere of the “Quad Division” this year, in which players with disabilities in at least three limbs compete. As in the “Open Division”, the field of players in Munich consists of eight athletes. The “Quad Division” has an outstanding line-up, as the top three players in the current world rankings will be competing. First and foremost is the world number one, Niels Vink from the Netherlands, who has already won the “Career Golden Slam” – all Grand Slam titles and the Paralympic gold medal. Fans can also look forward to world-class sport in the “Open Division”. For example, Gustavo Fernández from Argentina, who has won Grand Slam titles at Roland Garros and Wimbledon in his career to date, will be competing.

About BMW Welt.

With its iconic, award-winning architecture, BMW Welt is one of Bavaria’s most visited attractions and symbolizes the BMW Group’s innovative strength. Since its opening in 2007, it has welcomed over 2 million visitors annually. Together with the BMW Museum and BMW Group Classic, it forms an important part of the brand experience in Munich.

BMW Welt unites all BMW Group brands – BMW, BMW M, MINI, Rolls-Royce Motor Cars, and BMW Motorrad – under one roof. Visitors will find exhibitions and brand presentations and can pick up new vehicles in a unique setting. Since its opening, more than 280,000 vehicles have been delivered.

The event program includes a year-round program of cultural, artistic, sporting, and entertainment events. BMW Welt’s spaces are also available for external events. The offerings are complemented by guided tours, product consultations, and the educational program at THE CAMPUS for children and families. Several restaurants, including the fine-dining restaurant THE CLOUD by Käfer, provide culinary options.

Munich/Milan. Presenting A Garden of Curiosity – an immersive installation cocreated by MINI and Paul Smith for the Salone del Mobile. Set in the historic Palazzo Borromeo d’Adda in Milan, A Garden of Curiosity adds yet another highlight to the rich history the collaborators already share. Connected by their British heritage and iconic designs, the two design houses come together to celebrate optimism, curiosity and innovative spirit. The installation combines Paul Smith’s signature use of colour with the eye for detail for which MINI is renowned and invites visitors to explore and enjoy the playful world of design. 

“Paul Smith and MINI complement one another perfectly, as our collaboration for this project demonstrates once again. We are united by the joy of design, and our shared enthusiasm for craftsmanship, innovation and individuality makes A Garden of Curiosity an experience full of colour, sound and expression,” said Holger Hampf, Head of MINI Design.

Visitors immerse themselves in colour and sound: an experience for all the senses

Set amid the enchanted garden of the Palazzo Borromeo d’Adda, the installation is accessed via a wooden footbridge that takes visitors across the courtyard and through a red door. The door represents a symbolic invitation to look and see. On the other side is the green space created by MINI and Paul Smith. It consists of pathways that are lined with plants and grasses and lead to open platforms and cubic installations. The iconic Paul Smith Signature Stripe runs discreetly through the garden as a recurring design element. Architecture, textures, colour and sound converge to create sensory experiences. 

Interactive theme rooms

The Colour Theory Room acts as a visual intersection between Paul Smith’s signature colour palette and the colours of the new MINI Paul Smith Edition. Visitors can arrange colour samples on an interactive wall, the overall picture changing constantly throughout the day with each new personal design. In keeping with the philosophy of Sir Paul, the wall also gives visitors the opportunity to experiment with colour combinations.  

The Listening Room builds on this experience with Sir Paul’s voice recordings, highlighting the importance of colour theory. Another open platform invites visitors to experience the space with all their senses, allowing them to consciously enjoy a moment away from the hustle and bustle of Milan.

Adding the joy of discovery to the installation, the new MINI Cooper Convertible Paul Smith Edition is waiting to be found and invites visitors to take a closer look. Its appearance and details not only reflect Paul Smith’s distinctive style, but also capture the brand’s playful, optimistic and independent spirit. This exclusive highlight of the installation merges into the charming overall scene.

“I’ve always adored my visits to Milan for Salone del Mobile and I’m delighted to be back in the city to introduce the world of design to my new MINI. I look forward to sharing this special project with you all,” said Sir Paul Smith.

Heritage meets curiosity

Walking through the courtyard to the installation, visitors are immersed in the history of MINI and Paul Smith. Here, they can explore three cars from the collaboration between the two companies, which stretches back to 1998: the Paul Smith 40th Anniversary Mini, the MINI STRIP by Paul Smith and another MINI Cooper from the latest Edition. The specially created colour Nottingham Green adds stylish accents to the Edition’s mirror caps, octagonal radiator grille and wheel hub covers with Paul Smith lettering. A selection of others details also reflect the distinctive style of Paul Smith and ensure this MINI Edition captures the essence of ‘classic with a twist’. 

The Paul Smith 40th Anniversary Mini: A one-off car from 1999, whose bodywork morphed into a living work of art with 86 stripes in 26 colours. The interior also contained surprising use of colour (e.g. the lime green glove compartment) and highlighted Paul Smith’s playful style.

The MINI STRIP by Paul Smith: Another one-of-a-kind creation, the MINI STRIP of 2021 – based on the MINI Cooper  – was reduced to the essentials, as per the principle of ‘less is more’. The minimalist design put the focus on construction and function, with the aim of showcasing a new-at-the-time, responsible approach to design.

A Garden of Curiosity will be open on 21 – 26 April 2026 as part of the Salone del Mobile in Milan. It can be visited in the House of MINI at Via A. Manzoni 41 each day between 10.00 a.m. and 7.00 p.m.

Munich. The BMW Group is adopting a new and innovative hydrogen tank technology for the BMW iX5 Hydrogen. The new arrangement and size of the tanks enables a higher range of up to 750 km (up to 385 miles)*. The new BMW Hydrogen Flat Storage system offers the added advantage of making exceptionally efficient use of the space it occupies in the vehicle and is compatible with the Gen6 high-voltage battery, meaning that no room is lost inside the cabin. Models with fuel cell technology can therefore be built on the same production line as those with other drive system types. The 700 bar high-pressure hydrogen tanks additionally benefit from the mechanical protection provided by the vehicle structure, further increasing safety.

“Our new storage concept allows us to fit the hydrogen drive system into the new X5 precisely and in a way that saves space,” says Dr Joachim Post, Member of the Board of Management of BMW AG responsible for Development. “Think of it as installation Tetris: every customer gets the drive system best suited to their needs and a true BMW X5 with no compromises. This is technology openness and the art of engineering just the way we developers love them!”

Smart storage, more range.
The new flat tank system consists of seven high-pressure tanks made of carbon-fibre reinforced composite, which are connected with one another in parallel and integrated into a robust metal frame. What makes the design special is that, instead of individual pressure vessels, there are several chambers connected to form an enclosed unit. This unit is controlled by a central main valve. In this way, the optimised storage concept enables the BMW iX5 Hydrogen to achieve a greater range. This development alone accounts for several patent applications filed by the BMW Group. The system is able to store at least seven kilograms of hydrogen in total and can be filled from empty in under five minutes. As is customary for BMW hydrogen models, refuelling is safe, clean and fast. 

Experience hallmark BMW driving pleasure, refuel faster, drive further.
The BMW Hydrogen Flat Storage technology forms part of the powertrain. It combines with the fuel cell system and an innovative high-voltage battery to deliver the driving pleasure for which BMW is renowned. Here, the new BMW iX5 Hydrogen also benefits from the new Heart of Joy drivetrain and chassis control software, as well as BMW Dynamic Performance Control. It is also equipped with latest-generation Gen3 fuel cell technology, which is more efficient and powerful than any preceding generation. 

Flexible production to meet customer requirements. 
Thanks to the smart and highly flexible architecture of the new BMW X5, five different drive system variants of the model can be built to suit customer requirements: from battery-electric systems and plug-in hybrids through highly efficient conventional drive systems to hydrogen fuel cell technology.
Synergies in production are optimised. Uniform geometrical specifications for energy storage systems and drive components reduce technical complexity and lower production costs. At the same time, the flexible platform increases manufacturing robustness, facilitates the integration of new technologies and maximises scalability. It paves the way for widespread introduction of the BMW iX5 Hydrogen into the BMW Group’s production network in 2028.

BMW Hydrogen strategy 
A technology-open approach and a diverse product portfolio continue to be key success factors for the BMW Group. By integrating fuel cell technology into the new BMW X5 series, the company is strategically expanding its production line-up and making the advantages of hydrogen available to its customers. Hydrogen enables electric driving with a long range and fast refuelling, diversifies energy sources and reduces dependence on a single infrastructure or chain of raw materials.

Through the "HyPowerDrive" project the development of the powertrain and the tank system of the BMW iX5 Hydrogen is funded by the Federal Ministry of Transport (BMV) within the framework of the IPCEI Hy2Move. The federal government is providing funding of EUR 191 million. In addition, the project is (co-)financed by the state of Bavaria with a total of EUR 82 million. The funding is implemented by the Project Management Jülich (PtJ) and coordinated by NOW GmbH.

Munich. The BMW Group is adopting a new and innovative hydrogen tank technology for the BMW iX5 Hydrogen. The new arrangement and size of the tanks enables a higher range of up to 750 km (up to 385 miles)*. The new BMW Hydrogen Flat Storage system offers the added advantage of making exceptionally efficient use of the space it occupies in the vehicle and is compatible with the Gen6 high-voltage battery, meaning that no room is lost inside the cabin. Models with fuel cell technology can therefore be built on the same production line as those with other drive system types. The 700 bar high-pressure hydrogen tanks additionally benefit from the mechanical protection provided by the vehicle structure, further increasing safety.

“Our new storage concept allows us to fit the hydrogen drive system into the new X5 precisely and in a way that saves space,” says Dr Joachim Post, Member of the Board of Management of BMW AG responsible for Development. “Think of it as installation Tetris: every customer gets the drive system best suited to their needs and a true BMW X5 with no compromises. This is technology openness and the art of engineering just the way we developers love them!”

Smart storage, more range.
The new flat tank system consists of seven high-pressure tanks made of carbon-fibre reinforced composite, which are connected with one another in parallel and integrated into a robust metal frame. What makes the design special is that, instead of individual pressure vessels, there are several chambers connected to form an enclosed unit. This unit is controlled by a central main valve. In this way, the optimised storage concept enables the BMW iX5 Hydrogen to achieve a greater range. This development alone accounts for several patent applications filed by the BMW Group. The system is able to store at least seven kilograms of hydrogen in total and can be filled from empty in under five minutes. As is customary for BMW hydrogen models, refuelling is safe, clean and fast. 

Experience hallmark BMW driving pleasure, refuel faster, drive further.
The BMW Hydrogen Flat Storage technology forms part of the powertrain. It combines with the fuel cell system and an innovative high-voltage battery to deliver the driving pleasure for which BMW is renowned. Here, the new BMW iX5 Hydrogen also benefits from the new Heart of Joy drivetrain and chassis control software, as well as BMW Dynamic Performance Control. It is also equipped with latest-generation Gen3 fuel cell technology, which is more efficient and powerful than any preceding generation. 

Flexible production to meet customer requirements. 
Thanks to the smart and highly flexible architecture of the new BMW X5, five different drive system variants of the model can be built to suit customer requirements: from battery-electric systems and plug-in hybrids through highly efficient conventional drive systems to hydrogen fuel cell technology.
Synergies in production are optimised. Uniform geometrical specifications for energy storage systems and drive components reduce technical complexity and lower production costs. At the same time, the flexible platform increases manufacturing robustness, facilitates the integration of new technologies and maximises scalability. It paves the way for widespread introduction of the BMW iX5 Hydrogen into the BMW Group’s production network in 2028.

BMW Hydrogen strategy 
A technology-open approach and a diverse product portfolio continue to be key success factors for the BMW Group. By integrating fuel cell technology into the new BMW X5 series, the company is strategically expanding its production line-up and making the advantages of hydrogen available to its customers. Hydrogen enables electric driving with a long range and fast refuelling, diversifies energy sources and reduces dependence on a single infrastructure or chain of raw materials.

Through the "HyPowerDrive" project the development of the powertrain and the tank system of the BMW iX5 Hydrogen is funded by the Federal Ministry of Transport (BMV) within the framework of the IPCEI Hy2Move. The federal government is providing funding of EUR 191 million. In addition, the project is (co-)financed by the state of Bavaria with a total of EUR 82 million. The funding is implemented by the Project Management Jülich (PtJ) and coordinated by NOW GmbH.

Munich. The BMW M Racing Academy, BMW M Motorsport’s support programme for customer racing, has launched its second season with an eventful week. The “Class of 2026,” consisting of Josh Green (USA), Thomi Rackl (GER), and Ryder Quinn (AUS), worked on their physical and mental performance with the experts at Formula Medicine and had the unique opportunity to train with engineers in the BMW M Motorsport simulator in Munich (GER).

Accompanied by BMW M works drivers Jens Klingmann (GER) and Robby Foley (USA), the Class of 2026 first travelled to Tuscany. At Formula Medicine in Viareggio (ITA), Green, Rackl, and Quinn trained alongside BMW M works drivers Ugo de Wilde (BEL) and Tim Tramnitz (GER), under the guidance of Dr. Riccardo Ceccarelli and his renowned team, focusing on both mental and physical fitness. In addition, the participants took part in various activities in Italy to get to know each other better and further strengthen the team spirit within the group.

Back in Munich, the Class of 2026 had the special opportunity to train in the BMW M Motorsport simulator, configured to the BMW M Hybrid V8. Closely supported by Klingmann, Foley, and BMW M Motorsport engineers, Green, Rackl, and Quinn worked on their driving skills and gained extensive insights into feedback processes with the team. They also received social media and communication training, followed by a tour of BMW Group Classic, offering detailed insights into the brand’s history and identity.

Green, Rackl, and Quinn had qualified for the BMW M Racing Academy at the end of last year after an extensive selection process in Munich (GER), standing out in a highly competitive field of GT4 drivers. Throughout the year, the three participants will receive intensive support in various areas. At the Nürburgring 24 Hours (May 16–17, GER), the Class of 2026 will gain comprehensive insights into race operations and be integrated into various processes of BMW M Motorsport teams.

In addition to Klingmann and Foley, BMW M works driver Max Hesse (GER) once again serves as a mentor for the BMW M Racing Academy this year. The trio already supported the Class of 2025 last season, providing valuable insights into the work of a professional racing driver. In 2026, Klingmann, Hesse, and Foley will further intensify this role.

Alongside the BMW M Racing Academy programme, Green, Rackl, and Quinn will compete in full racing seasons in some of the world’s top GT4 series. Green will race in GT4 America, Rackl in the GT4 European Series, and Quinn in GT4 Australia. The Australian already attracted international attention in February with his GT3 appearance at the Bathurst 12 Hour.

Quotes from the BMW M Racing Academy kickoff week.

Jens Klingmann, BMW M works driver: “We’ve had a very exciting week with the Class of 2026. We are very satisfied with the guys and very proud to have them on board. It’s important for us to observe how they develop and grow – whether at Formula Medicine, in the BMW M Motorsport simulator, or at BMW Group Classic, where they learn about BMW’s history and identity. Physical and mental aspects are incredibly important for a racing driver, so it was interesting and enjoyable to see how they approached these areas and to get to know them better. The simulator session was a very special opportunity and another highlight of the week. As mentors, we provide them with all the information, knowledge, tips, and tricks so they can make the most of what we offer. We want to help them develop as professional drivers both on and off the track. We’re looking forward to a long season with more great activities.”

Robby Foley, BMW M works driver: “We are extremely satisfied with the Class of 2026. The baseline level is very high, and we can build on that as the programme progresses. All three are very strong young drivers with their own personalities. I’m impressed by the maturity they show at such an early stage of their careers - especially in pressure situations that are new and demanding for them. Our role as mentors is to help them learn more about themselves. Over the past few days, they’ve taken away valuable lessons on multiple levels that they can now apply in the car. Overall, it was a very successful first week, and I’m really looking forward to the rest of the season.”

Ryder Quinn, BMW M Racing Academy member: “The kickoff week was fantastic. I learned so much in all areas. Driving in the simulator was sensational. It quickly becomes clear how valuable it is for both driver and team. Visiting Formula Medicine, the best in their field, was incredibly insightful. I was able to focus both mentally and physically on the areas where I need to improve. The cognitive aspect, in particular, gave me great value. That’s something I can take with me - not only as a racing driver but also as a person. As the Class of 2026, we get along extremely well. It’s great that we come from such different parts of the world but still share such a strong connection in many areas.”

Thomi Rackl, BMW M Racing Academy member: “The week was amazing. On a scale from one to ten, it was a twelve. Even though it was our first time working together, it immediately felt familiar, was a lot of fun, and very educational. At Formula Medicine, we had a great mix and went deep into mental training, which is an incredibly important area. That’s where I learned the most - for example, that it helps to take a breath, step back, and evaluate situations from the outside. That allows me to become more professional both on and off the track. Driving in the BMW M Motorsport simulator and working together with the engineers was also a real highlight.”

Josh Green, BMW M Racing Academy member: “It’s hard to describe everything I’ve learned in just a few words. My highlight was the session in the BMW M Motorsport simulator. Especially between sessions, I learned a lot from Jens and Robby. I discovered a lot about myself, particularly in working with the engineers. The experience at Formula Medicine was also incredible. I had never undergone such comprehensive health and athletic testing before. On both the physical and mental side, I learned a lot about myself - including strategies to stay calm under pressure. Getting familiar with the routines of Ugo and Tim was also very interesting. The week was absolutely fantastic.”

Munich / Zagreb. The BMW Group is cooperating with Rimac Technology (Croatia) on the new all-electric BMW i7.

The aim of the joint project is to bring the Gen6 technology developed by BMW for an innovative high-voltage storage system for more range and higher charging speed to the new all-electric BMW 7 Series Sedan.

The sixth generation of BMW eDrive technology (Gen6) is finding its way into the BMW brand's top-of-the-range all-electric model in the form of its 4695 lithium-ion cylindrical cell. The cell is characterised, among other things, by a 20 percent higher volumetric energy density compared to the prismatic cells of the Gen5.

The high-voltage battery, which combines Gen6 cell technology with the established Gen5 module design, enables the new BMW i7 to achieve a significantly increased range.

BMW i7 customers can also charge much faster thanks to the newly developed technology. The charging capacity is increased and the charging time reduced accordingly.

The new BMW i7 will celebrate its world premiere on April 22^nd  at Auto China 2026 in Beijing.

"We are quickly rolling out the technologies of the Neue Klasse across our entire model portfolio - including, of course, in our all-electric luxury sedan. The teams of both companies have developed a tailor-made solution for the new BMW i7," says Dr. Thomas Engelhardt, Senior VP Development High-Voltage Storage and Charging at the BMW Group. "The excellent collaboration with Rimac Technology is a good example of European innovative strength."

The high-voltage battery is manufactured on state-of-the-art equipment at Rimac Technology in Croatia and delivered ready for assembly at BMW Group Plant Dingolfing, the world's only production facility for the BMW 7 Series.

Mate Rimac, Founder and President of Rimac Group, CEO and CTO Bugatti Rimac says: “BMW has always been known for pushing engineering to the highest level, which made this collaboration especially exciting for us.
Together, we developed a high-voltage battery system that unlocks the full potential of the new cylindrical cells in record time, delivering significant improvements in energy, range, and charging performance.
We are proud to now see this system being produced at scale at our new Rimac Campus.”

Rimac Technology is a Tier 1 supplier belonging to the Rimac Group that specialises in electrification in the automotive sector with innovative products. The portfolio is defined by high-voltage battery systems, e-axles as well as electronics and software solutions that are developed and produced in-house. This makes it possible to offer solutions that combine advanced technology with a high degree of customisation. The long-term partnership with the BMW Group demonstrates the company's transformation from a niche supplier for super sports cars to a Tier 1 supplier for high-volume vehicle projects.

Poucas semanas após o lançamento no mercado do novo BMW iX3, a segunda variante do sistema de tração do modelo celebra a sua estreia. O novo BMW iX3 40 (com um consumo combinado de energia elétrica: 14,6 kWh/100 km; classe de CO₂: A; autonomia elétrica: até 635 km; segundo WLTP)^¹ juntar-se-á à gama como modelo de entrada.

O novo BMW iX3 40 incorpora a nova tecnologia BMW eDrive de sexta geração (Gen6), desenvolvida especialmente para o Neue Klasse. Todos os componentes são concebidos para funcionar com uma arquitetura com tecnologia de 800V e o motor síncrono (EESM) que impulsiona o eixo traseiro - tem elevados níveis de eficiência. O motor elétrico entrega 235 kW/320 cv^¹ e 500 Nm^¹ de binário. O novo BMW iX3 40 acelera dos 0 aos 100 km/h em 5,9 segundos^¹, alcançando uma velocidade máxima de 200 km/h^¹.

Tempos de carregamento mais curtos e uma autonomia máxima de até 635 km

A bateria de alta voltagem do novo BMW iX3 40 possui uma capacidade útil de 82,6 kWh^¹. As suas células cilíndricas de iões de lítio têm 20% maior densidade energética do que as células prismáticas usadas na Gen5 e estão integradas diretamente na bateria de alta voltagem segundo o conceito cell-to-pack. A construção pack-to-open-body transforma a bateria num componente estrutural do veículo. Isto reduz a quantidade de material necessária e diminui o peso.

O novo BMW iX3 40 oferece uma autonomia de até 635 km segundo o ciclo de testes WLTP^¹. A sua potência máxima de carregamento é de 300 kW^¹. Quando ligado a uma estação de carregamento rápido a corrente contínua (CC) de 800V, o BMW iX3 40 pode ser carregado em apenas 10 minutos, oferecendo até 300 km^¹ de autonomia. A autonomia pode ser aumentada de 10% a 80% da capacidade em apenas 21 minutos numa estação de carregamento CC.

O BMW iX3 pode igualmente ser carregado em corrente alternada (CA) a uma potência padrão de até 11 kW. O carregamento em CA até 22 kW é possível como opcional, permitindo carregar a bateria de 0 a 100% em 4 horas e 15 minutos^¹. Além disso, o novo BMW iX3 40 dispõe de várias funções de carregamento bidirecional, que transformam o carro numa powerbank móvel e num dispositivo de armazenamento de energia doméstico.

Design novo e inconfundível 

Tal como o BMW iX3 50 xDrive (consumo de energia: 17,9–15,1 kWh/100 km (WLTP); emissões combinadas de CO₂: 0 g/km (WLTP); autonomia elétrica: 678–805 km (WLTP); classe de CO₂: A), o novo modelo de entrada exibe o design exterior inconfundível da geração Neue Klasse, incluindo a reinterpretada grelha frontal como elemento distintivo, assim como um tratamento moderno das superfícies, linhas precisas e grandes áreas envidraçadas.

O interior do novo BMW iX3 40 foi concebido como um espaço convidativo e continua a nova linguagem de design da marca. O revolucionário sistema de visualização e operação BMW Panoramic iDrive com o novo BMW Operating System X, (desenvolvido com o contributo português da Critical TechWorks³), confere ao novo BMW iX3 uma experiência digital imersiva e personalizada onde as funcionalidades de realidade aumentada são totalmente focadas no condutor.

Tal como no seu design exterior e interior, a configuração de série do novo BMW iX3 40 é idêntica à do BMW iX3 50 xDrive.

BMW Intelligent Personal Assistant agora com Amazon Alexa+² 

A lógica multifuncional do BMW Panoramic iDrive combina interação por toque, háptica e voz. Já o BMW Intelligent Personal Assistant desempenha um papel central no conceito operacional do novo BMW iX3, auxiliando o condutor na otimização do uso das janelas, ar condicionado e conforto dos bancos, gerir chamadas telefónicas, controlar o entretenimento a bordo e muito mais. Também pode ser usado para aceder a menus de funções e operar certas aplicações.

A integração da Amazon Alexa+^² no BMW Intelligent Personal Assistant representa um salto tecnológico da marca, pois a tecnologia de IA utilizada é um Large Language Model (LLM) - uma IA generativa que compreende a linguagem e é capaz de formular as suas próprias respostas. Isto permite interações por voz mais conversacionais, facilita trocas intuitivas e inteligentes, e suporta o acesso a bases de conhecimento externas, serviços na nuvem e conteúdos multimédia, bem como o controlo das funções do veículo. 

A ligação a uma conta Amazon permite uma integração fluida de serviços relevantes e expande o âmbito de utilização muito para além da operação tradicional do veículo. A disponibilidade será alargada gradualmente, ainda que não tenha data prevista para integração no mercado nacional.

Novos níveis de dinamismo e travagem mais suave

A tecnologia Neue Klasse também eleva o prazer de condução a novos patamares no novo BMW iX3 40. Isto é suportado pela nova arquitetura eletrónica e de software do veículo, que inclui quatro super computadores de alto desempenho a debitar 20 vezes maior poder de processamento do que os modelos anteriores.

O computador de controlo Heart of Joy que inclui o software BMW Dynamic Performance Control, responde dez vezes mais rápido do que os sistemas anteriores, ajudando assim a proporcionar uma condução extremamente fácil, ágil e segura, estabelecendo novos padrões dinâmicos. Outro marco é a função Soft Stop. Graças ao controlo preciso do motor elétrico, o novo BMW iX3 40 trava quase de forma impercetível até à paragem, sem solavancos ou ruído no ato de travagem - oferecendo o processo de paragem mais suave na história da marca.

Lançamento no mercado e preço 

O novo BMW iX3 40 estará disponível em Portugal a partir do verão de 2026 com um PVPr de 64.200€.

¹ Todos os valores são provisórios. O desempenho de carregamento depende da especificação do veículo, carga e condição da bateria, temperatura ambiente/bateria, perfil de condução, consumidores auxiliares, configurações específicas de carregamento do veículo e da potência de carregamento fornecida pelo ponto de carregamento. 

² Será implementado gradualmente para todos os modelos BMW com BMW Operating System 9 e X, a partir do segundo semestre de 2026. A disponibilidade será ampliada progressivamente, começando pela Alemanha e pelos EUA, não havendo para já previsão de chegada ao mercado nacional.

³ A Critical TechWorks (CTW), uma joint-venture entre o BMW Group e a empresa portuguesa Critical Software, é hoje o maior hub de desenvolvimento de software do BMW Group na Europa e um dos principais responsáveis pela tecnologia que equipará os novos modelos da BMW, MINI. Na BMW Motorrad, esta implementação será feita de forma gradual, abrangendo a maioria dos novos modelos. Com mais de 3.300 colaboradores nos escritórios de Lisboa, Porto e Braga, a CTW desenvolve hoje uma parte significativa do software presente nos novos modelos baseados na plataforma Neue Klasse. Entre os sistemas com contributo português e presentes no novo BMW i3, incluem-se:

• O novo BMW Panoramic iDrive, centrado no condutor com a abordagem "Eyes on the road", aliando uma experiência digital imersiva e personalizada a funcionalidades de realidade aumentada;
• Sistemas avançados de condução assistida, como o Modelo Digital da Estrada e a Previsão de Mudança de Faixa;
• Funcionalidades de aprendizagem contínua, com reprocessamento de dados em tempo real;
• Infraestruturas de base como a POSIX, Safe POSIX e Node 0, que sustentam a arquitetura modular e segura do sistema operativo BMW;
• A nova geração da MyBMW App, que liga condutor, veículo e mundo exterior;
• A infraestrutura que possibilita Remote Software Updates, que mantêm os veículos tecnologicamente atualizados ao longo do seu ciclo de vida.

Além do que acontece a bordo dos veículos, a CTW está também envolvida no desenvolvimento de soluções de eficiência que permitam um plano de produção mais inteligente, otimizar a logística através da digitalização e ainda outras operações internas do BMW Group.

Para mais informações, por favor contactar:

Corporate Communications

BMW Group Portugal

João Trincheiras, Corporate Communications Director

E-mail: Joao.Trincheiras@bmw.pt

Sobre o BMW Group

Com as suas quatro marcas BMW, MINI, Rolls-Royce e BMW Motorrad, o BMW Group é o líder mundial no fabrico de automóveis e motociclos premium, prestando igualmente serviços financeiros de alta qualidade. A rede de produção do BMW Group inclui mais de 30 unidades de produção em todo o mundo; a empresa tem uma rede global de vendas em mais de 140 países.

Em 2025, o BMW Group vendeu mais de 2.46 milhões de veículos de passageiros e mais de 202.500 motociclos em todo o mundo. O lucro antes de impostos no exercício de 2025 foi de 10.2 mil milhões de euros, sobre receitas no valor de 135.4 mil milhões de euros. A 31 de dezembro de 2025, o BMW Group tinha um efetivo de 154.540 colaboradores.

O sucesso do BMW Group tem sido, desde sempre, construído numa ótica de longo prazo e assente numa conduta responsável. A Sustentabilidade é um elemento-chave da estratégia corporativa do BMW Group e abrange todos os produtos da cadeia de valores, desde a produção até ao fim de utilização de todos os seus produtos.

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Additional photos of the new BMW F 450 GS - Shot on site at the International Media Launch in Sicily, March 2026.

Munich / Las Vegas, Nevada - April 2, 2026 – Street League Skateboarding (SLS), the world’s premier street skateboarding league, and BMW M, the high-performance car manufacturer, today announced their new multi-year global partnership. The collaboration brings together two global cultural pioneers on four wheels, with elite skateboarding and high-performance automotive coming together under the shared vision of, “Owning the Streets.”

The partnership officially launches this weekend with the SLS Championship Tour event in Downtown Los Angeles, a city renowned for its street culture, art, performance and style.

As part of the wide-ranging partnership, BMW M aims to deliver tangible value to the skateboarding community by positioning itself not only as a sponsor, but as a strategic partner - driving culturally relevant initiatives that highlight the parallels between skateboarding and racing.

Beside logo presence, car integrations, athlete shuttles and initiatives like “Best Seats in the House”, one of the main feature elements of the partnership is the introduction of the BMW M Most Valuable Performance (BMW M MVP) Award, a new season-long award recognizing the spectacular moments in SLS events across the Championship Tour. This BMW M MVP award will highlight not just the winning moment of each event, but the individual performances that shape the season such as a clutch buzzer-beater trick, a comeback moment, the highest scoring trick of the event or a never-been-done (NBD) trick.  The stakes will be high, with one male and one female skater to be awarded each season. The winners will be determined through a combination of an industry judging panel and fan voting.

“Our partnership with BMW M highlights SLS’ global position as the premium platform in the skateboarding industry. To have a brand as iconic as BMW M recognize the synergy of performance, culture, art and creativity is testament to the status of the SLS brand globally,” said Brett Clarke, Chief Revenue Officer at SLS’ parent company, Thrill Sports.

Clarke continued, “We’re excited to not only have BMW M involved in our SLS Championship Tour events, but also use our industry-leading content platform and global audience to tell the stories of the culture that is skateboarding - be that the talent, the skate spots, the journey, the equipment or the creative mindset”

The partnership between SLS and BMW M deliberately goes beyond traditional sponsorship. At its core is the joint development of authentic, culturally relevant content – carried by international SLS athletes as credible ambassadors of a shared performance mindset.

“BMW M shares similar values with the skateboarding culture and community, which makes this collaboration a natural choice for us.” says Sylvia Neubauer, Vice President Customer, Brand & Sales at BMW M.

Neubauer continued, “In both motorsport and skateboarding, performance is not claimed, but earned – through repetition, through failure, and through the determination to keep trying. Street League Skateboarding embodies this mindset in an authentic way. This is exactly where performance becomes culture.”

Beyond the Championship Tour, the partnership will also feature original content that showcases skateboarding culture and the characters that drive the lifestyle both in competition and on the streets. SLS and BMW M will roll out several content formats, for example the all-new series “Skaters in Cars Scouting Spots” which will follow skaters exploring cities, local spots and skate culture around the world in BMW M vehicles.

The partnership will also include a number of short form and social-focused content pieces, highlighting the connection of the sport of skateboarding to the streets.

This collaboration reflects SLS’s continued growth and commitment to partnering with premium brands like BMW M to elevate skateboarding’s cultural impact, while giving BMW M a unique platform to engage new audiences as both brands come together to own the streets worldwide.

BMW M x SLS represents a partnership that does not react to trends, but is built on shared convictions. Where performance does not end – but begins.

Um painel internacional de jurados composto por 98 jornalistas especializados atribuiu ao novo BMW iX3 não um, mas dois importantes prémios. O primeiro modelo da Neue Klasse foi distinguido como "Carro Mundial do Ano 2026", superando os concorrentes de todas as categorias, e o galardão de "Veículo Mundial Elétrico 2026".

Durante rigorosos testes de condução, o modelo com a motorização xDrive50 (consumo de energia combinado: 17,9–15,1 kWh/100 km (WLTP); emissões de CO₂ combinadas: 0 g/km (WLTP); autonomia elétrica: 678–805 km (WLTP); classe(s) de CO₂: A)* impressionou o júri com o seu excecional desempenho e dinâmica de condução, bem como pela sua tecnologia de ponta. Para o BMW Group, esta é a décima e décima primeira vitória nos prestigiados World Car Awards, já que em 26 de fevereiro, Oliver Zipse - Presidente do Conselho de Administração da BMW AG, tinha sido distinguido com o prémio "Personalidade do Ano 2026”.

O BMW iX3 é o primeiro modelo Neue Klasse, tendo sido oficialmente apresentado no IAA Mobility 2025. Com um sucesso imediato, o BMW iX3 estabeleceu uma nova linguagem de design, definindo altos padrões na dinâmica de condução e desempenho. Com uma autonomia de até 805 quilómetros, carregamento de bateria de até 400 kW e um consumo de energia de apenas 17,9–15,1 kWh/100 km (WLTP), o BMW iX3 demonstra capacidades excecionais em estrada.

O novo BMW Panoramic iDrive traz inovação ao interior. A unidade de controlo de alto desempenho Heart of Joy e o BMW Dynamic Performance Control elevam o prazer de condução a um novo patamar - razões sólidas para que o júri especializado dos World Car Awards tenha declarado o BMW iX3 "Carro Mundial do Ano 2026" e "Veículo Mundial Elétrico 2026" e, por isso, o novo veículo mais destacado nos mercados automóveis internacionais. Os prémios foram anunciados no Salão Internacional do Automóvel de Nova Iorque (de 1 a 12 de abril de 2026).

O sucesso do BMW iX3 baseia-se na avaliação independente de 98 jornalistas de 33 países. Estes emitiram as suas avaliações detalhadas após testarem os diversos veículos em competição. O BMW iX3 superou 57 concorrentes para conquistar o título principal. Já um total de 43 veículos competiram pelo título de "Veículo Mundial Elétrico".

Oliver Zipse eleito "Personalidade do Ano 2026" 

O desenvolvimento do Neue Klasse está intrinsecamente ligado a Oliver Zipse. Como Presidente do Conselho de Administração da BMW AG desde 2019, Oliver tem conduzido o BMW Group através de um período de profundas mudanças e transformação estratégica - lançando as bases para os modelos do Neue Klasse. O júri explicou: “Sob a sua liderança, a BMW manteve uma abordagem tecnologicamente aberta à eletrificação, digitalização e sustentabilidade, mantendo simultaneamente um forte foco na identidade da marca e na rentabilidade. A liderança firme e orientada para a engenharia de Zipse ajudou a moldar o rumo da BMW num panorama automóvel mundial em rápida evolução.”

Júri informa mais de 413 milhões de leitores 

Criados em 2003 para reconhecer a inovação e produtos de destaque no sector Autómovel mundial, os World Car Awards são entregues anualmente com base no veredicto de um prestigiado júri internacional. Em mais de 20 anos, consolidaram-se firmemente como um complemento aos prémios nacionais e regionais, tendo os resultados das avaliações do júri ajudado mais de 413 milhões de leitores em todo o mundo nas suas decisões de compra - tornando o prémio um dos galardões mais cobiçados da indústria internacional. 

Os veículos elegíveis para "Carro do Ano" devem ser produzidos em volumes de pelo menos 10.000 unidades por ano e ter um preço inferior ao dos carros de luxo nos seus principais mercados. Os modelos nomeados para "Veículo Elétrico" devem ser produzidos em pelo menos 5.000 unidades anuais. Outro requisito é que o veículo tenha estado à venda em pelo menos dois mercados importantes (China, Europa, Índia, Japão, Coreia, América Latina, EUA) e em pelo menos dois continentes distintos, entre 1 de janeiro de 2025 e 30 de março de 2026. Para além dos títulos principais, o evento deste ano distinguiu prémios em outras quatro categorias, incluindo “Carro de Luxo do Ano”, “Carro Desportivo do Ano”, “Carro Urbano do Ano” e “Design do Ano”.

Para mais informações, por favor contactar:

Corporate Communications

BMW Group Portugal

João Trincheiras, Corporate Communications Director

E-mail: Joao.Trincheiras@bmw.pt

Sobre o BMW Group

Com as suas quatro marcas BMW, MINI, Rolls-Royce e BMW Motorrad, o BMW Group é o líder mundial no fabrico de automóveis e motociclos premium, prestando igualmente serviços financeiros de alta qualidade. A rede de produção do BMW Group inclui mais de 30 unidades de produção em todo o mundo; a empresa tem uma rede global de vendas em mais de 140 países.

Em 2025, o BMW Group vendeu mais de 2.46 milhões de veículos de passageiros e mais de 202.500 motociclos em todo o mundo. O lucro antes de impostos no exercício de 2025 foi de 10.2 mil milhões de euros, sobre receitas no valor de 135.4 mil milhões de euros. A 31 de dezembro de 2025, o BMW Group tinha um efetivo de 154.540 colaboradores.

O sucesso do BMW Group tem sido, desde sempre, construído numa ótica de longo prazo e assente numa conduta responsável. A Sustentabilidade é um elemento-chave da estratégia corporativa do BMW Group e abrange todos os produtos da cadeia de valores, desde a produção até ao fim de utilização de todos os seus produtos.

www.bmwgroup.com

LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/company/bmw-group/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/bmwgroup

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bmwgroup

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bmwgroup

• Le Rossignol: the name of the house in which Sir Henry Royce’s designers and engineers lived in the South of France
• French for ‘the nightingale’, Le Rossignol was named as a tribute to Rolls-Royce’s Derby factory
• Henry Royce personally designed the Derby factory on Nightingale Road
• Nightingale Road was home to Rolls-Royce motor car production from 1908 to 1939
• Royce later built Le Rossignol near Villa Mimosa, his residence in the South of France
• Le Rossignol reflects Royce’s pursuit of creative focus and deep connection with the Côte d’Azur

 
“The time Sir Henry Royce spent on the French Riviera offers a more private view of how he worked. Le Rossignol, which was purpose-built as a residence for his designers and engineers, adjacent to his house, became a setting for focused creativity, where ideas were formed, tested and refined. That it was named as a heartfelt tribute to Nightingale Road, the Rolls-Royce factory in Derby which Sir Henry himself personally designed, only adds to the significance of this special location in Rolls-Royce’s story. Sir Henry’s closeness to his creative team, and his belief in their ability to achieve remarkable things, remains a point of pride at Rolls-Royce Motor Cars today. It lives on in the work that demands the most from us and matters most to our clients.”
Domagoj Dukec, Director of Design, Rolls-Royce Motor Cars

During the later years of his life, Sir Henry Royce spent each winter at his private residence on the French Riviera. The villa, named La Mimosa, was built in the hills above the village of Le Canadel in 1911, after Sir Henry had visited the area during a period of rest after the intense effort of establishing Rolls-Royce’s manufacturing base at Nightingale Road, Derby.

In addition to La Mimosa, Royce had two other houses built: Le Bureau served as a design studio, and Le Rossignol – French for ‘the nightingale’ – was the house in which the designers and engineers lived. It was very important to Royce that the designers and engineers were close to him, so they were able to bring their respective visions to reality quickly.

Le Rossignol’s naming was a heartfelt tribute to Nightingale Road, where Royce had personally designed the factory buildings, down to their internal layout, in 1908. He also revealed his genius for logistics, orchestrating the transfer of plant and machinery from the previous Manchester site without a single day’s delay in production. The name Le Rossignol commemorated Sir Henry’s achievements in Derby, and reflected the purpose of this new building: a quiet space where ideas could be developed, tested and perfected to Royce’s standards.

Royce often invited his most trusted engineers and designers to visit him at La Mimosa, many of whom stayed at Le Rossignol while working closely with him. Despite the tranquillity of the French Riviera, he remained obsessive in his commitment to precision and productive use of time.

One visiting engineer recounted how he was once invited to listen to some records with Royce. Expecting an evening of music, he was instead handed a set of recorded French language lessons. When the guest remarked that this was not what he had anticipated, Royce replied: “No time for leisure. We must use every moment to learn.”

Yet even with such discipline, Royce found moments of pleasure on the Riviera. In a rare moment of levity, he was photographed on the balcony of La Mimosa, playing the flute in the sunshine with the renowned British sculptor Francis Derwent Wood. He also took every opportunity to test his creations on the winding corniches near Le Canadel, often driving them himself.

Even when unwell, Royce couldn’t resist the thrill of his motor cars’ performance. On one journey back to England for emergency surgery, with Commercial Managing Director Claude Johnson at the wheel, Royce noticed a car gaining behind them and urged Johnson to accelerate, insisting: “A Rolls-Royce should never be overtaken.” As the motor car drew closer, Royce recognised its outline and said: “Don’t worry. It’s one of ours.”

The Riviera remained Royce’s sanctuary until his death in 1933, and was a place where nature, design and discipline coexisted. The legacy of Le Rossignol, both as a name and a place of disciplined creation, endures quietly within the Rolls-Royce story: an echo of the brand’s creative heritage that continues to inspire today.

Munich. The BMW Museum opened its doors to more than 847,000 guests last year – a new record. Highlights included the arrival of the exhibition “Belle Macchine. Italian Automotive Design at BMW” and the “50 Years of BMW Art Cars and the BMW 3 Series” special exhibition, which was replaced by a 50th anniversary celebration for the BMW 6 Series. Since the market launch of its founding father in spring 1976, the 6 Series has grown into a trailblazing design classic. And the original car can still claim the longest production run of any BMW model series – at 13 years. The new exhibition, which explores every aspect of the car fondly known as the “sharknose”, will be open to visitors in the BMW Museum’s Rotunda until the end of January 2027. It is accompanied by a “floating” body-only model of the 6 Series outside the Museum building and by a selection of cars in the Art Car Gallery and the permanent exhibition’s “car tower”.

One of the BMW greats, then as now.
The BMW Museum is recalling 50 years of BMW 6 Series history through a selection of hand-picked exhibits. BMW set new standards in automotive construction with the introduction of the 6 Series in the mid-1970s. “For five decades now, the BMW 6 Series has been a paragon of elegance, sporting potency and long-distance comfort,” says Helmut Käs, Head of BMW Group Classic and BMW Museum. “This iconic design has established itself as one of the most influential in BMW history and is highly valued by fans and collectors around the world.”

From 1976 to 1989, the original BMW 6 Series was produced exclusively in coupé form. The new model borrowed its technical underpinnings from the BMW 5 Series and took its cues stylistically from the sumptuous luxury coupés of the 1960s. Its bodies were initially made by Karmann, then produced at BMW Plant Dingolfing from 1982. The line-up featured five engine variants and a US-specific model. Chief designer Paul Bracq oversaw the creation of a dynamic, timeless shape: the pointy “sharknose”, eye-catching side profile and generously sized windows come together into an unmistakable visual whole. It took a while for a successor to the original 6 Series to emerge. The BMW 8 Series occupied the “large coupé” slot in the range from 1989, and it wasn’t until 2003 that a new generation of the BMW 6 Series – the E63 – arrived. The 6 Series also made a name for itself in motor sport. In 1983, BMW joined the fray in close-to-series Group A touring car racing with the 635CSi – and duly won the European Touring Car Championship in 1984 and 1986 and the German Production Car Championship in 1984.

The BMW 6 Series becomes a movie star.
As they approach the entrance to the Museum, visitors are greeted by an apparently floating BMW 6 Series, inspired by the “Flying Cars” series by French photographer Sylvain Viau. The aesthetic employed here recalls the futuristic visual language of classic science fiction films and previews the special exhibition in the Rotunda, where the role of the BMW 6 Series in movie and TV history is highlighted. Indeed, the BMW 6 Series Coupé carved out a space for itself on screens big and small, featuring in international productions such as Dallas and Back to the Future II, as well as German TV shows including Tatort and Der Bulle von Tölz.

“The BMW 6 Series remains a popular movie car to this day, especially in more avant-garde productions,” explain the curators of the special exhibition, Anna Schleypen and Klaus-Anton Altenbuchner. “It is no ‘off-the-peg’ solution, and neither could it be described as a typical action machine or pure luxury cruiser. Rather, the 6 Series is a car rich in character. The special exhibition pays tribute to its show-business side with a film set lifted straight from the 1970s against the Munich skyline. As such, it quite literally shines the spotlight on the movie star BMW 6 Series’ iconic connection to the silver screen.” The BMW 628CSi (1982) and BMW M635CSi (1985) strike a dynamic pose against this atmospheric film backdrop, while fictional movie posters showcase the car from different angles on the way up through the Rotunda.

The BMW 628CSi is one of the most successful of all 6 Series variants. Its 2.8-litre fuel-injected engine represented a high-tech upgrade on its arrival in 1979, replacing its carburettor predecessor. The 628CSi was in production until 1987, winning over drivers with its masterful blend of grace, sportiness and high comfort. The BMW M635CSi, available from 1984 with the 286 hp engine from the M1 and capable of a top speed in excess of 250 km/h (155 mph), was considered the fastest four-seater in the world at the time. 5,655 examples were built up to 1989, making this rare M model a modern BMW legend.

Two iconic 6 Series: the BMW 635CSi and BMW 633CSi
As well as the cinematic history of the BMW 6 Series, the special exhibition also focuses on the model’s cultural significance. The BMW Museum’s Art Car Gallery is (alternately) presenting two examples of the BMW 635CSi from the BMW Art Car Collection, which has been celebrating its 50-year anniversary since last year with the BMW Art Car World Tour. In 1982, Austrian artist Ernst Fuchs created the fifth BMW Art Car in the collection – the first based on a series-produced model. Fuchs’ Art Car, which he called “Firefox on Harehunt”, is a homage to mythology, speed and spiritual symbolism. Four years later, pop-art luminary Robert Rauschenberg added a sixth car to the collection, transforming the 635CSi into a black-and-white collage of art history, photography and everyday culture.

With the BMW 633CSi, the BMW Museum is showing another key member of the 6 Series family in its “car tower”. Unveiled at the same time as the 630CS, the 633CSi was initially fitted with the then state-of-the-art Bosch L-Jetronic fuel injection system. In September 1979, it then gained DME digital engine electronics, which brought further reductions in pollutant emissions and fuel consumption. However, the engine did experience a slight dip in output – from 200 hp to 197 hp.

An overview of the cars on display.
BMW 6 Series body-only model. / outside the BMW Museum
BMW 628CSi (1982). / BMW Museum, Rotunda
BMW M635CSi (1985). / BMW Museum, Rotunda
BMW 633CSi (1976). / BMW Museum, “car tower”
BMW Art Car #5 by Ernst Fuchs, BMW 635CSi (1982). / BMW Museum, Art Car Gallery (exhibition duration: 17 March – 13 July 2026)
BMW Art Car #6 by Robert Rauschenberg, BMW 635CSi (1986). / BMW Museum, Art Car Gallery (exhibition duration: 7 September – end of 2026)

The exhibition “Belle Macchine. Italian Automotive Design at BMW” will continue to run alongside the 50‑year anniversary celebration for the BMW 6 Series until the end of 2026. All the exhibitions are open to visitors during the BMW Museum’s usual opening times: Tuesday to Sunday, 10.00 a.m.–6.00 p.m. (last entry at 5.30 p.m.). Further information can be found at BMW Museum.

Portimão. It was the perfect stage for Miguel Oliveira’s first successes in the FIM Superbike World Championship (WorldSBK) and with the #88 BMW M 1000 RR of the ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team. At his home round at Portimão (POR), the Portuguese rider celebrated his first podium finishes in this world championship – in just his second race weekend as a WorldSBK rider. Cheered on by more than 82,000 fans, local hero Oliveira finished third in all three races.

With fourth place in Saturday morning’s Superpole qualifying, Oliveira secured a strong starting position for his home races. With a lap time of 1:39.068 minutes, he even stayed below the previous circuit record set by World Champion Toprak Razgatlioglu (TUR) last year on the BMW M 1000 RR. In Race 1 on Saturday afternoon, the Portuguese rider followed this up with his first WorldSBK podium in third place, creating a true festival atmosphere in the grandstands. Oliveira repeated this result in the short Superpole race on Sunday morning. Accompanied by the crowd’s enthusiastic cheers, he went on to secure third place again in Race 2. This was also a special birthday gift for team principal Shaun Muir, who celebrated his 60th birthday on race Sunday.

His Italian teammate Danilo Petrucci, also new to the ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team this season on the #9 BMW M 1000 RR, qualified ninth and secured a position on the front rows of the grid. ‘Petrux’ improved over the course of the weekend and finished seventh in the final race on Sunday afternoon. On Saturday, he crossed the line in tenth place, and in the Superpole race he finished twelfth.

The third WorldSBK race weekend of the 2026 season will take place from 17th to 19th April at Assen, the Netherlands.

Reactions after the Portimão round.

Sven Blusch, Head of BMW Motorrad Motorsport: “It was the perfect start to our European season. We are all still overwhelmed by the atmosphere here. It was truly a special weekend. Miguel’s home race, seeing him on the podium in all three races, and more than 82,000 spectators – we have never experienced anything like that before. For Miguel and the Portuguese fans it was a magic weekend, and for us as well. We worked very hard over the winter to get our new riders to the front as quickly as possible. We said: first top ten results, then top five. Now we are already on the podiums. And this is just the beginning – we will continue working to reach the very top. Miguel deserves absolute credit for the performance he showed this weekend. And the same goes for Danilo. We must not forget that this was only our second race weekend together. In qualifying things did not quite come together for him, and overtaking is very difficult here. However, Danilo’s pace was also very strong. He did a very good job this weekend, and I believe we can also bring him onto the podium quickly. We are incredibly happy with our rider lineup and are now looking ahead to Assen. A big thank you to the team in Munich, Berlin, and England. Everyone did an outstanding job over the winter. We all hoped to be back on the podium soon, but that it happened so quickly is something special. And it is perfect to wish Shaun a happy birthday. I would also like to give him a very special thank you. Shaun is a key pillar of our success, and we are incredibly happy to have him on board at BMW.”

Christian Gonschor, Technical Director BMW Motorrad Motorsport: “It was a wonderful weekend. We are happy to be in Europe, and to already return from the second race weekend with a triple podium shows the potential of our bike. Thank you to the entire team in Munich, Berlin, and England, to all suppliers and partners. The performance of our BMW M 1000 RR and the fact that we have taken another step forward with the package were already clearly visible in qualifying. Last year, with the lap times of our two riders, we would have been in first and second place, and Miguel even beat Toprak’s record. This means that we have taken another step forward and made the package even stronger. However, we could see that our competitors have also improved, and the field has become even more competitive. The fact that we were able to give Miguel the opportunity to stand on the podium three times in front of his home crowd makes us all very happy. Now our shared goal is to soon see both riders on the podium. The path to that is set, and three podiums speak for themselves. The potential is there, and now it’s time to keep working and having fun.”

Shaun Muir, Team Principal ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team: “It has been absolutely a very special birthday gift for me. It‘s been a great weekend. Full credit to Miguel and his team. They‘ve worked so hard and tirelessly. A home round for Miguel, with the phenomenal number of more than 82,000 spectators over the course of the weekend – I‘m totally over the moon for the way they performed. At the other side of the garage, it‘s so close. Danilo is making steps. He is just maybe a little bit off where he wants to be, but we had a much better second race. He made some improvements and I think we can all pat ourselves on the back and look forward to the next round at Assen.”

Miguel Oliveira, ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team: “I’m happy to be on the podium in front of my home crowd. It was special for sure to get all the crowds cheering my name and supporting BMW. That was a really, really cool moment. I am happy because it is a good start. We know that we have work ahead of us but we are motivated to work and this is a small reward for the team to show that we are heading in a good direction, that the package is working with me and we should just focus on taking out the maximum we can from ourselves, from my riding and from this bike. The weekend has been super solid, already since Saturday morning. It’s true that today I struggled much more because I used the front tyre too much. The conditions were slightly different. In race two, I had Alex Lowes behind me but I just forgot about him and did my own race. I tried not to do any mistakes and be as consistent as possible. It was just enough to come home in third. I know it's only the second round and I feel there is some happiness but at the same time we want to achieve more. There is not any kind of pressure but we know where we want to go and we have many opportunities and many races to come. So I‘m looking forward to keep learning and keep getting the best out of the bike and myself. Now we go to Assen, a new track for BMW and me together, so hopefully we can get up to speed quickly already on Friday and and get a good job done.”

Danilo Petrucci, ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team: “The weekend was more difficult than I expected. Sincerely I was hoping for more but I still have to find my way to ride the bike. Still we change the bike mostly every session because every time we discover some new things but at the moment we still have to understand how to correctly use the bike. Finally today we understood something more and I've been faster than yesterday, so this is important. I'm so happy to work in this team. They are putting in a lot of effort, and this makes me proud. But at the moment, I can say thanks to them just with the words. I would like to say thanks to them with the results. But every time I finish the race, I cannot wait to have another one. The spirit is good and I can’t wait to go to Assen. It is one of my favourites tracks. Last year, I was on the podium there, fighting with Toprak. Maybe we can replicate that result this year. In general I’m really happy about Miguel’s three podiums because they give a boost of energy to all the team. It also means that the bike is capable to do that and keeps me motivated for the next round. I just want to say that I’m giving all I have for being on the podium again.”

Facts and figures.

Superpole.

Air temperature: 20°, track temperature: 37°, humidity: 60%, conditions: dry.

*  New all time lap record

Race 1.

Air temperature: 21°, track temperature: 38°, humidity: 49%, conditions: dry, laps: 20.

Fastest race lap: Nicolò Bulega, lap 3, 1:39.962

Superpole Race.

Air temperature: 19°, track temperature: 29°, humidity: 39%, conditions: dry, laps: 10.

Fastest race lap: Nicolò Bulega, lap 4, 1:39.107 (new record)

Race 2.

Air temperature: 22°, track temperature: 40°, humidity: 31%, conditions: dry, laps: 20.

Fastest race lap: Iker Lecuona, lap 3, 1:39.792

Current riders’ classification (R02/12, after 6 of 36 races).

Current manufacturers’ classification (R02/12, after 6 of 36 races).

• Four Cullinan motor cars celebrate the material palette and design codes of yachting
• Each features a hand-painted fascia inspired by the wake of a tender at speed
• Unique Starlight Headliners chart the prevailing winds of the Mediterranean Sea
• Intricate marquetry compass motif comprises more than 40 individual pieces
• Reflects Rolls-Royce’s links to yachting, including C.S. Rolls’ family yacht, Santa Maria

“Yachting is a world inhabited by many of our clients, and one we’ve come to know intimately. These highly Bespoke Cullinan motor cars celebrate the deep connection between that culture and Rolls-Royce: a relationship that began with our founder, Charles Rolls, and continues to this day. From shared design values with racing vessels to collaborations with marine designers for clients who wish to pair their motor car with their yacht, maritime craft has long informed our approach. In these four Bespoke commissions, that long-standing association is expressed through meticulous marine-inspired details and authentic materials, true to the spirit of adventure that defines Cullinan and the world of yachting alike.”
Martina Starke, Head of Bespoke Design, Rolls-Royce Motor Cars

Rolls-Royce presents Cullinan Yachting: four Private Commissions celebrating the aesthetics, materials and spirit of contemporary yachting. Each motor car is defined by one of the cardinal points of the compass – North, South, East or West – a subtle thematic thread expressed through both interior and exterior details.

All four commissions feature marine-grade teak detailing, hand-painted nautical fascias, Mediterranean wind-pattern Starlight Headliners, and distinctive exterior finishes. Together, they reflect Rolls-Royce’s longstanding relationship with the world of maritime craft – from Charles Rolls’ own family yacht to contemporary client collaborations with leading yacht designers.


HAND-PAINTED FLOURISHES: AWASH WITH COLOUR

Hand-painted elements are an increasingly sought-after form of Bespoke expression, with Rolls-Royce now employing full-time artisans dedicated to this specialised craft. In each of the Cullinan Yachting motor cars, the fascia and picnic tables include artworks that capture the trailing wake of a tender at speed, bound for a yacht at anchor. The direction of the wake reflects the orientation of each commission – North, South, East or West – ensuring each motor car is a true one-of-one.

Development of the composition required two months of experimentation, refining paint hue combinations, application techniques and lacquering processes. To achieve the lifelike wave effect, pigment is airbrushed onto the wet lacquer before being shaped by hand with a fine brush. By directing air across the surface and manually guiding the paint, the artist achieves a natural sense of movement.

The painted composition sits within a broader treatment spanning the full width of the motor car. The fascia is finished in a Bespoke paint named Piano Milori Sparkle: a rich, metallic blue that evokes the deep, crystalline tones of the Côte d’Azur.

Beyond the fascia, Open Pore Teak is used throughout the interior, including the rear Waterfall, rear centre console lid and door panels. Commonly found on yacht decks, this material was selected for its maritime authenticity, natural tactility and understated visual warmth.

On the rear Waterfall, a marquetry compass motif anchors the theme. Each design comprises more than 40 individual pieces of veneer in Sycamore, Teak, Ash and Black Bolivar, precisely cut and assembled by hand.


BESPOKE INTERIOR: A VOYAGE OF DISCOVERY

The interior is finished in Arctic White and Navy Blue leather, with contrast stitching, piping and headrest monograms in Navy. The seat inserts feature a Bespoke rigging pattern, hand-stitched in diagonal bands using Rolls-Royce’s signature thread. Created by an artisan with a personal connection to the Royal Navy, and trained in yarn, weave and embroidery construction, the piece has been carefully orchestrated to echo the twining of rope, where multiple strands are twisted together to create strength. The direction of each stitch reflects this structural composition, elegantly translating the craft of nautical ropework into embroidery. A rope motif also appears on the illuminated treadplates, visible when opening the coach doors.


STARLIGHT HEADLINER: STEER BY THE STARS

Each Cullinan Yachting is fitted with a unique Starlight Headliner, combining static and animated hand-placed fibre-optic ‘stars’ in patterns inspired by Mediterranean wind maps. The shifting air currents – charted and interpreted by the Rolls-Royce Bespoke Collective of designers, craftspeople and engineers – are rendered in subtle motion across the roof of the interior suite.


FOUR DIRECTIONS, FOUR IDENTITIES

The exterior finish of each Cullinan Yachting reflects the cardinal point of the compass it is named after. North is presented in Crystal over Light Blue, evoking the colder waters of higher latitudes; South captures warmer climes in a deep, serene Crystal over Arabian Blue IV; East is rendered in Dark Silk Teal, suggesting the calm and mystery of deep water; while West appears in Sapphire Gunmetal, echoing a storm-lit ocean sky. The motor cars are finished with a hand-painted compass motif on the front wings, in which the corresponding directional point is highlighted in red, complemented by a hand-applied Twin Coachline in Phoenix Red and Arctic White.

Each commission is resolved with 22-inch Fully Polished alloy wheels, subtly recalling the mirror-polished brightwork and deck fittings of contemporary yachts.


ROLLS-ROYCE’S YACHTING LEGACY: MORE THAN A CENTURY OF CONNECTION

The connections between Rolls-Royce and the world of yachting are deep and longstanding. In Rolls-Royce's design language, the lower line of the bodywork – known as the ‘waft line’ – borrows directly from yacht design, creating an uncomplicated sense of motion by reflecting the road passing beneath it, much as a yacht hull reflects the water as it cuts through it.

Many heritage motor cars, together with Goodwood-era series models including Phantom Drophead Coupé and Spectre, as well as the contemporary coachbuilt Boat Tail commissions, have incorporated design cues and material influences from racing yachts. A particularly potent reference-point is the peerless J-class, built in the 1930s to compete in the prestigious America’s Cup. With their elegant proportions, long overhangs, sweeping lines and large sail plans, these classic high-performance vessels combined beauty with breathtaking speed, and are still revered as floating works of art.

There is also a more direct, personal link between the marque and the maritime world. Long before he met Henry Royce, Charles Rolls' family owned the substantial but graceful Santa Maria - a schooner-rigged steam yacht, with two masts and auxiliary steam power, typical of fashionable late Victorian and early Edwardian nautical society. After graduating from Cambridge in 1898, the youthful Rolls briefly served as her Third Engineer in what was one of his earliest engineering roles, before fulfilling his true vocation as a pioneer of both motoring and aviation.

Logbooks and records from the late 19th and early 20th centuries show Santa Maria taking the family on frequent cruises from Shoreham, less than 30 miles from the Home of Rolls-Royce, on the south coast of England to the Mediterranean, where her ports of call included Naples, Malta, Algiers and Côte d'Azur. The latter – still a favoured destination and home port for many Rolls-Royce clients who are also yacht owners – provides the creative focal point for Cullinan Yachting.

Munich/Cernobbio. From May 15 to 17, 2026, BMW Group Classic is organizing the legendary Concorso d'Eleganza Villa d'Este in cooperation with the luxury hotel Villa d'Este.

Around 50 of the most spectacular automobiles of their time will compete for the coveted trophies in the following competition classes, first and foremost the "Trofeo BMW Group – Best of Show", with which the top-class jury will select the overall winner of the Concorso d'Eleganza.

Class A            Automotive Tailoring: The Decade of Opulence, 1924-1934

Class B            Future Couture: Dressed For Speed, 1935–1939

Class C            Viva Villa d’Este: Extravagant 1950s Style

Class D           “The Top Goes Down, The Price Goes Up”: Selling Sunshine

Class E           They Earned Their Names: Enzo’s Endurance Legends

Class F            Every Scratch Tells A Story: Ageing Gracefully Without Restoration

Class G           From Carnaby Street To The Autostrada: The Swinging GT Driver

Class H           The Pace Race: The Supercar Comes of Age

Once again, spectacular concept cars from various manufacturers will be awarded prizes in their own traditional class.

The Concorso d'Eleganza parade on the terrace of the Villa d'Este luxury hotel will take place as usual on Saturday. In addition to the main prize "Trofeo BMW Group - Best of Show", all participants will compete with their vehicles for the respective class victories, the "Coppa d'Oro" audience award, presented by the Villa d'Este, and numerous other prizes, such as the "Trofeo del Presidente", which will be awarded by the Head of BMW Group Classic and President of the Concorso d'Eleganza Villa d'Este, Helmut Käs.

Jonas Kaufmann, star tenor and BMW Group Classic brand ambassador, will once again present the "Trofeo Il Canto del Motore" for the best engine sound, chosen by the jury.

The "Trofeo BMW Group - Best of Show" winner will be presented with a special timepiece from A. Lange &  Söhne: the unique 1815 CHRONOGRAPH in 18-carat white gold with a solid red gold dial and the hand-engraved red gold dial and the hand-engraved coat of arms of the Concorso d'Eleganza Villa d'Este on the hinged back. A. Lange & Söhne has been a loyal companion of the Concorso d'Eleganza Villa d’Este for 15 years. This long-standing partnership will be honored accordingly during the event.

Broad Arrow Auctions, driven by Hagerty (NYSE: HGTY), returns as the official auction partner of BMW AG for the prestigious Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este, presenting over 70 of the world’s most desirable collector cars for sale on 16-17 May 2026, with preview days taking place from Friday 15 May.

Early highlights for this premier collector car auction feature technological and design marvels of motoring history, including a 1929 Bugatti Type 43 Roadster by Eugène Matthys, a stunning 1926 Bugatti Type 37 Grand Prix and modern-era supercar heroes such as a 1990 Ferrari F40 and an iconic 2011 BMW M3 GTS. Full details of the sale, including available lots, can be found under https://www.broadarrowauctions.com/events .

BMW Group Classic would like to thank its partners and sponsors A. Lange & Söhne, Broad Arrow Auctions, Vranken Pommery Monopole and Schedoni Modena for their support.

Helmut Käs, Head of BMW Group Classic and President of the Concorso d'Eleganza Villa d'Este: 

"We can hardly wait for the event to start, the excitement grows every year as the Concorso d'Eleganza Villa d'Este draws closer. I can already promise that the field of participants at the Concorso will be spectacular. I am grateful to have a reliable partner at my side in the luxury hotel Villa d'Este, which together with the BMW Group sets new standards in organization year after year. I would also like to thank the loyal sponsors of the Concorso d'Eleganza Villa d'Este."

Davide Bertilaccio, CEO Villa d’Este S.p.A: 

“In partnership with BMW Group Classic, we are proud to create an atmosphere where excellence comes naturally, where history continues to inspire innovation, and where every guest becomes part of a truly timeless and extraordinary experience. This is made possible thanks to the commitment and dedication of the Villa d’Este team, in close collaboration with the BMW team, as well as their meticulous attention to detail, which makes this event truly memorable. As the event draws closer, we are delighted to present to our guests the latest edition of the Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este. More than a tribute to a distinguished tradition, it represents one of the most prestigious and longest-running Concours events in the world, a living celebration of craftsmanship, passion and cultural heritage.”

Tickets for "Amici & Automobili - Wheels & Weisswürscht" and the "Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este Public Day - Il Festival" can be purchased here:

https://www.concorsodeleganzavilladeste.com/blocks/tickets-packages  

Stay informed on these channels:

Concorso d'Eleganza Villa d'Este App for iOS and Android (please download the latest version)

Concorso d'Eleganza Villa d'Este website: https://www.concorsodeleganzavilladeste.com/   

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/concorsodeleganza_vde/

BMW Group Classic Media Server für Downloads:

https://bmwgroupclassic-downloads.com/Events/2026/

INTRODUCTION

Rolls-Royce Motor Cars has a longstanding relationship with the world of yachting, through a shared interest in harnessing fine materials and craftsmanship in the pursuit of performance and an overlapping clientele. Historically and in the modern era, racing yachts have informed key elements of Rolls-Royce’s design language, and provided direct inspiration for motor cars, including the fabled Phantom Drophead Coupé and the Boat Tail Coachbuild commissions.


A SHARED HERITAGE

The links between the marque and the maritime world are deep, personal and predate the marque’s foundation. Charles Rolls’ family owned the substantial but graceful Santa Maria – a schooner-rigged steam yacht, with two masts and auxiliary steam power, typical of fashionable late Victorian and early Edwardian nautical society. Logbooks and records from the late 19th and early 20th Centuries show Santa Maria taking the family on frequent cruises from Shoreham on the south coast of England to the Mediterranean, where her ports of call included Cannes, Naples, Malta and Monaco, still favoured destinations and/or home ports for the many Rolls-Royce clients who are also yacht owners.

After graduating from Cambridge in 1898, six years before his historic first meeting with Henry Royce, the youthful Rolls briefly served as her Third Engineer. This was his foundational engineering role before fulfilling his true vocation as a pioneer of both motoring and aviation. His fellow motoring enthusiast, Lord Montagu of Beaulieu was, like so many of the marque’s aristocratic early adopters, also an active yachtsman and motorboat racer.


MAKING WAVES

In the decades that followed, Rolls-Royce forged deep connections with the maritime world, much as it did in aviation, as a world-class engine manufacturer. In the early 1960s, the graceful Riva Caravelle yachts were powered by Rolls-Royce engines, combining Italian craftsmanship with British engineering excellence. (Between 1989 and 1997, Vickers owned both Rolls-Royce Motor Cars and Riva.) In 1965, Rolls-Royce developed the ‘Rolls-Rio’, a marine-adapted V8, in collaboration with another leading Italian boatbuilder, Avionautica Rio.

From 1954 to 1997, Her Majesty’s Yacht Britannia was the official vessel of the British Royal Family, the late Queen Elizabeth II describing it as “the one place I can truly relax”. Now permanently berthed at Ocean Terminal in Leith, Edinburgh, as a five-star tourist attraction, during her service life, HMY Britannia famously carried a Rolls-Royce Phantom V Park Ward limousine for the Queen’s use when the yacht docked in foreign ports. The motor car was hoisted on and off the deck using a small crane, or davit, and kept in a garage on the Shelter Deck: in order to fit inside, it had to have its bumpers removed, then reattached at the destination.


ON LAND AND SEA

The strongest historical connection between Rolls-Royce and yachting lies in their shared clientele. During the early 20th century, yacht-racing was a highly prestigious and exclusive pursuit, attracting many of the same wealthy British and American industrialists, financiers, aristocrats and entrepreneurs who were also Rolls-Royce owners.

Then as now, the pinnacle of this rarefied sport was the America’s Cup. For many, this reached its own zenith in the 1930s, when it was contested by the peerless J-class yachts. With their elegant proportions, long overhangs, sweeping lines and enormous sail plans, these classic high-performance vessels combined beauty with breathtaking speed, and are still revered as floating works of art.

One example, Endeavour, was owned by Sir Thomas ‘Tommy’ Sopwith. Another aviation pioneer, whose designs included some of the most influential machines of the First World War, Sopwith ran a Rolls-Royce dealership early in his career, and owned an extensive collection of Rolls-Royce motor cars throughout his life. Similarly, the media magnate Sir William Berry, Viscount Camrose, owned both a J-Class yacht, named Cambrai, and a Rolls-Royce Phantom II.


THE LANGUAGE OF SPEED

In the early 20th century, Rolls-Royce motor cars were frequently bodied in styles directly inspired by yachts, incorporating materials such as mahogany and construction methods derived from traditional boatbuilding.

In Rolls-Royce’s contemporary design language, the lower line of the bodywork – known as the ‘waft line’ – borrows directly from yacht design. A defining feature of Phantom, Ghost, Cullinan and Spectre, it creates an uncomplicated sense of motion by reflecting the road passing beneath it, much as a yacht hull reflects the water as it cuts through it.

Launched in 2007, Phantom Drophead Coupé was designed to evoke a classic motor yacht at speed, with a dynamic rise in the waistline over the rear wheels, and graceful lines sweeping up towards the front. Completing the nautical theme, the tonneau cover, boot lining and rear passenger cabin were finished in bleached teak decking.

A decade later, the first Coachbuilt motor car of the modern era, ‘Sweptail’, was inspired by classic yachts in the commissioning client’s personal collection. It was followed in 2022 by the triptych of Boat Tail Coachbuild commissions, which, like their 20th Century predecessors, feature a rear deck inspired by classic yachts, with extensive use of wood and a sculptural, hull-like form.

Most recently, Spectre – the marque’s electric super coupé – continues this lineage. Its design was informed by J-class racing yachts, with a vertical bow line leading the eye rearwards to the sweeping fastback form.


ON COMMON GROUND

The present-day Home of Rolls-Royce at Goodwood is located close to Chichester Harbour, the largest recreational boating harbour in Europe. A designated Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, its tidal waters flow through a direct channel connection at the harbour mouth into the eastern Solent, and onward into the Solent itself – one of the world’s most important maritime and yachting centres, and home to one of the most active sailing communities anywhere.

Cowes, at the very heart of the Solent, is the birthplace of organised international yacht racing and international sailing culture; it is also home to Cowes Week, one of the longest-running regular sailing regattas in the world. The world’s oldest international sailing trophy, the America’s Cup, originated from a race that began in the Solent. Many other competitive offshore sailing races also either begin or are culturally rooted there, including the Fastnet Race and the Round the Island Race​, which both start and finish off Cowes. In addition, the round-the-world sailing competition, known today as the Ocean Race, originally started and finished in Portsmouth.

The decision to establish the modern Home of Rolls-Royce Motor Cars at Goodwood was shaped in part by its proximity to one of the world’s most concentrated centres of maritime craft skills. Across the Solent region, generations of specialist knowledge endure through bespoke boat builders, naval architects and master shipwrights.

Munich/Wackersdorf. The BMW Group is relocating its Recycling and Dismantling Centre (RDC) from Unterschleißheim to the company’s Wackersdorf site, with a significant expansion. At the new location, a technologically state-of-the-art competence centre for circularity is being built, advancing vehicle dismantling and recycling expertise for the future. Commissioning is scheduled for early 2029.

“The circular economy is a key element of the BMW Group’s corporate strategy,” says Jörg Lederbauer, Vice-President Circular Economy, Spare Parts Supply High Voltage Battery and Electric Powertrain at the BMW Group. “Our new competence centre in Wackersdorf will be a core component of our circular value chain and will help make the mobility of the future more resource efficient. We want to find the best way to keep materials in the cycle, ensuring that resources retain their value for further use in the long term. This will also reduce our dependence on primary raw materials. At the same time, the use of high-quality secondary materials will continue to significantly lower our vehicles’ carbon footprint.”

For more than 30 years, at its current location in Unterschleißheim, near Munich, the BMW Group Recycling and Dismantling Centre (RDC) has developed methods aimed at achieving significant advances in the recycling of parts and the recovery of materials, and has tested them in practice. The insights gained by the RDC into the recyclability of components and materials, in line with Design for Circularity principles, are already incorporated into product development at the BMW Group. These insights also feed into the cooperation with PreZero, which the BMW Group recently entered into in order to leverage the strategic and economic potential of the circular economy in end‑of‑life vehicle recycling. 

The recycling industry’s global network also benefits from the work of the RDC. Around 3,000 businesses in 32 countries rely on a shared recycling database for information on how recyclable components can be disassembled cost-effectively and valuable materials efficiently recovered.

At the future site, process, material and technology development will be even more closely integrated with vehicle recycling operations. The new scope of activities at the Competence Centre Circularity includes the recycling of hydrogen vehicles, automation of dismantling processes and development of expertise in innovative shredding and sorting technologies.

The BMW Group sees Wackersdorf as the ideal new location for the Competence Centre Circularity, with BMW Group Plant Wackersdorf having embodied flexibility for decades: Housing cockpit production, the Rolls-Royce door and flap production centre, parts supply for overseas plants and the battery testing centre, the site has wide-ranging expertise and is firmly established within the BMW Group network.

“In recent years, the company has set a decisive course for the future of the Wackersdorf location. Throughout this process, the entire plant team has consistently demonstrated flexibility. Building the competence centre for circularity here provides our site with a broader foundation. In this way, we are tapping into an attractive, future-oriented area of activity,” says Stefan Betz, head of BMW Group Plant Wackersdorf.

“The company is systematically continuing its successful transformation. Establishing the new Competence Centre Circularity here represents an important strategic decision by the company in favour of the Wackersdorf location – and, above all, its employees. As employee representatives, we also supported this,” says André Mandl, Works Council Chairman for BMW Group Plants Regensburg and Wackersdorf.

“In Wackersdorf, BMW has been a strong partner by our side for many decades. We are delighted that the BMW Group is reaffirming its commitment to the location with this move. It sends a clear signal for our site and for sustainable future technologies,” says Thomas Falter, Mayor of Wackersdorf.

“The cutting-edge Competence Centre Circularity will make a major contribution to regional value creation and further development of the circular economy,” adds Thomas Ebeling, District Administrator of Schwandorf District. “In combination with the trechnology transfer centre planned for Wackersdorf by the Regensburg University of Applied Sciences and the University of Applied Sciences Amberg Weiden, close integration of business and academia on the circular economy will now also be possible. In this way, we are strengthening the region.”

Following the location decision, the detailed planning phase for the Competence Centre Circularity at the new site can now begin. The existing RDC in Unterschleißheim will remain fully operational until the relocation. The BMW Group will provide further information on the next steps in due course.