Founded in 1916, the BMW Group has brought countless classic models to customers all over the world in its 100-year history of car manufacturing. As one of the most successful luxury car manufacturers with a long history, BMW has always adhered to the development concept of inheriting classics and exploring innovations, and has been constantly changing and advancing with the times, completing the leapfrog development of the brand and products time and time again.
2024 is a crucial year for the BMW Group, and at the "2024 BMW Group Night" held the day before the opening of the Beijing Motor Show, the much-talked-about BMW next-generation concept car made its debut in China, showing a leap forward in the direction of the BMW brand and products, revealing the characteristics of the next-generation product line: "Very future, more BMW". The MINI Aceman, the Group's first all-electric crossover model, made its world premiere, and the all-new electric MINI Cooper was officially unveiled in China, forming a new MINI family with the all-new MINI Countryman, marking the beginning of a new chapter for the MINI brand.
Charles Gole, Director of Customer, Brand & Sales of the BMW Group, said: "In the process of transforming our products to smart electrification, we are determined to move forward and achieve remarkable results. The BMW Group has delivered more than 1 million BEVs worldwide, covering all major market segments. This year, we will present more than 20 new and upgraded models of the BMW and MINI brands in the Chinese market. These products are highly digital, which perfectly matches the needs of Chinese customers. ”
BMW firmly moves towards the "new generation"
As a company that has been in the ascendancy for more than 100 years, the BMW Group's success factors across cycles are proactive change, continuous innovation and comprehensive responsibility. The new generation (Neue Klasse) was originally the general name for a series of BMW models that were very successful in the 60s of the last century. With the launch of the classic next-generation series, BMW has completely renovated its product lineup and R&D, production and marketing models to lay the foundation for today's success. Today, the BMW Group refers to a series of new models that will be launched worldwide in 2025 as the "Next Generation", representing another strategic and significant step forward in the design, technology and manufacturing concept of this series, and the BMW Group is once again embracing a new future with new vision, new capabilities and new products.
In terms of electric drive technology, the new generation model will be equipped with the sixth-generation BMW eDrive technology and cylindrical battery cells for the first time, which will increase energy density by more than 20%, increase vehicle efficiency by 25%, and increase cruising range by 30%. In terms of human-machine interaction, the new-generation model will be equipped with the first-of-its-kind BMW panoramic vision bridge, which represents a quantum leap forward in head-up display technology.
In addition to the company's commitment to electrification, BMW has maintained a strong commitment to driving pleasure. This is also reflected in the new generation of products. The new generation of models will adopt a new electronic and electrical architecture, an advanced "domain control" design, and an intelligent center composed of four "super brains" to elevate the intelligent driving experience and pure driving pleasure to a higher dimension. The "New Generation" is the leader of BMW's innovations, and its innovations will be gradually applied to all BMW models in the future.
Regardless of oil and electricity, further strengthen the product offensive
This year marks the 30th anniversary of the BMW Group's entry into the Chinese market, which plays a crucial role in the future development of the Group. Regarding the product launch plan in the Chinese market, Gao Le said: "China is the largest market for the BMW Group in the world. We are committed to further consolidating our strong position in the Chinese market. Regardless of oil and electricity, we are accelerating our product offensive in various market segments. In 2024, we will present more than 20 new and upgraded models of the BMW and MINI brands in the Chinese market. ”
At the show, the BMW Group's 15 major car series under the two major brands were unveiled, covering almost all luxury market segments, from entry-level compact to large luxury cars, and including fuel, pure electric, plug-in hybrid, and hydrogen power drive forms, reflecting the BMW Group's strong innovation ability and market appeal in China's luxury car market. Among them, the world premiere of the new all-electric BMW i4 perfectly combines the iconic coupe aesthetics with pure driving pleasure, inheriting the sports DNA of the BMW brand, this product shows that BMW will always take pure driving pleasure as its own unique personality label in the market where gasoline and electric technology routes coexist.
The new BMW i4 will also continue to strengthen the BMW 4 Series family's leading position in the luxury mid-size segment. Since its launch in 2020, the current BMW 4 Series has sold nearly 400,000 units worldwide. In 2023, the BMW 4 Series family will be the top seller in China's luxury midsize coupe segment. The BMW 4 Series family models are the epitome of pure driving pleasure and continue to lead the segment in success.
The two new electric members of the all-new MINI family, the all-new electric MINI Aceman and the all-new electric MINI Cooper, have inherited the iconic concept of the classic MINI, and integrated more new connotations into the MINI brand DNA through digitalization and electrification. The industry's first circular OLED instrument cluster brings a unique visual presentation, and behind it is the innovation brought by the difficult adaptation of software UI/UX. Another essence of the MINI brand - go-kart-like driving pleasure is also "not to be outdone", with the blessing of electric power, the vehicle has a lower center of gravity, four wheels are more extended, the power output is more rapid, and the driving dynamics are comprehensively improved. With the collision of classics and innovations, MINI once again sublimates its unique brand charm, making the new MINI family more MINI than ever.
Compared with overseas markets, the Chinese market has many unique advantages. The BMW Group, which has been rooted in the Chinese market for 30 years, will continue to cultivate this fertile soil and further reflect the strength of Chinese innovation in its product line to better meet the needs of Chinese customers. For an automaker like the BMW Group, which combines innovation genes and historical heritage, the prelude to the development of the "new generation" has begun, and the "new era" belonging to BMW will also come.