Reporter Zhang Shuo reports from Beijing
"We respect history and heritage, and this is BMW's way into the future. At the 2023 Munich Motor Show, BMW Group Chairman Philip Zipzer and BMW Group Senior Vice President Design Hojtonke said so. And this sentence can also be interpreted as: "innovate in inheritance, develop in innovation, constantly absorb the wisdom of the pioneers, and write the current chapter." ”
On April 30, 2024, during the 18th Beijing International Automobile Exhibition 2024, BMW Discover the New Generation Concept 2024 held on the banks of the Liangma River came to a successful conclusion. It is reported that the exhibition will set up three exhibition spaces in the Qihao Riverside Theater, the lawn of the Bulgari Hotel and the Friendship Square, displaying a series of historical classic cars and future concept cars that reflect BMW's innovative spirit, immersively interpreting BMW's journey to the "new generation", conveying the BMW brand's determination to continue to innovate in inheritance and firmly move towards the "new generation" of the automotive industry.
"Therefore, the loss will be gained, or the benefit will be lost. "We see that on the occasion of the 30th anniversary of entering the Chinese market, BMW has deepened the concept of "At Home in China" with a series of practical actions, creating more tangible value for Chinese society step by step. Innovation in inheritance, change is common, and general is long-lasting.
We also see that at a time when the fission of the industry is intensifying, and when many car companies are rolling up sales, BMW, which has maintained its leading position in the global luxury segment for three consecutive years, continues to make efforts in R&D and market terminals, and its sales figures have grown steadily. At this time, the corporate social responsibility strategy was upgraded, and "left-hand responsibility, right-hand sales" showed the extraordinary business wisdom of the enterprise - that is, the logic of the new business civilization, which by no means stopped at business. The more in the deep fission period of the industry, the more we must "stand on the moon and look at the earth". Judge problems and trends in the context of industry and society, grasp the true meaning of the unchanged in the era of change, and become an enterprise of the times. Ultimately, these practices will be rewarded for sustainable and inclusive growth.
The reporter of "China Business Daily" learned that BMW exhibited a total of 6 vehicles, including: 3 BMW classic "new generation" models (BMW 1500, BMW 2000, the first generation of BMW 5 Series) and 3 concept cars of the "new generation" of the new platform in this century. In addition, BMW China's 18-year-old CSR program "BMW China Culture Journey" also exhibited two intangible cultural heritage works on the same stage. These vehicles and exhibits, combined with cultural heritage and forward-looking concepts, will share BMW's thoughts on the electrification, intelligence and sustainable development of the automotive industry with the public in the form of an "urban auto show".
Looking back on history, during the Yuan Dynasty, the scientist Guo Shoujing creatively introduced the Baifu Spring from Changping, Beijing to the capital of the Yuan Dynasty, and opened the Tongzhou and Beijing sections of the Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal. The Liangma River, at that time, was the last kilometer of the Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal. During the Ming and Qing dynasties, the merchant horse convoy from the south to the north would wash and drink horses near here, so it was called "Dry Horse River", and the later homonym was "Liangma River".
Thirty years ago, BMW's Beijing representative office was set up on the banks of the Liangma River. Therefore, during the Beijing Auto Show, BMW deliberately chose to hold the "BMW Bright Horse: 2024 BMW Exploring the New Generation Concept Exhibition" on the banks of the Liangma River to show the public BMW's "new generation" transformation path.
Tracing back to its roots, in 1961, BMW presented the BMW 1500 at the International Motor Show (IAA) in Germany, and the 1500 is both the model name and the engine displacement, that is, 1500cc. At that time, the large-displacement engine dominated the market, but at the same time the automotive industry had to be transformed due to the oil crisis, and this 80 hp, 1.5-liter small engine was born. Launched in 1962, the BMW 1500 was well received by consumers along with the subsequent 1600, 1800, 2000 and 2800 models, and was praised as "an excellent combination of the best technology and timeless and modern design", creating a new market segment of "premium sports sedans", collectively known as the "new generation" model. These products eventually evolved into the first generation of the 3 Series, 5 Series and 7 Series in the 70s of the 20th century, laying the foundation for BMW's product range.
The "Next Generation" models of the 60s laid the foundation for the BMW Group's success, and the groundbreaking spirit of innovation that it represents has an impact to the present day. BMW's next-generation BMW Vision Concept, together with the BMW Dee Digital Concept (BMW iVision Dee) and the BMW iVision Circular, constitute BMW's thinking on reshaping the future of automobiles, anchoring the three characteristics of future personal mobility: electrification, digitalization and circular sustainability. BMW believes that in the era of electric interconnection in the automotive industry, cars are not only travel tools or digital toys, but also smart companions for drivers and passengers, and the future of personal travel will be more humane, smarter, and more responsive to consumers' sense of responsibility for the environment and society.
The BMW i Circular Concept Car adheres to the principle of "rethink, reduce, recycle, reuse", and achieves 100% reuse of reused materials and 100% recyclability, which is a good interpretation of the car's "cradle-to-cradle" circular design concept.
The BMW Dee Digital Concept Car combines digital, emotional, and experiential experiences, breaking the boundaries between the virtual and real worlds, transforming the car from a right-hand man to a more humanized smart companion. At the same time, the BMW Dee Digital Concept E-INK Edition is the first to feature full-color E-INK technology, allowing it to have up to 32 fully variable, individually configurable color exteriors.
People see that BMW's design is always at the forefront of the times, and it will not stop breaking new ground and creating.
The Liangma River is the last kilometer of the Grand Canal, and this year coincides with the 10th anniversary of the Grand Canal's successful inscription on the World Heritage List. Without the Grand Canal, there would be no Beijing City, so there is a saying that "Beijing City floated from the Grand Canal". BMW China's 18-year-old CSR program, BMW China Culture Journey, has announced that it will join the ranks of protecting the culture of the Grand Canal. BMW is proud to be part of the conservation of the Grand Canal World Heritage Site. BMW values and respects history and heritage, and draws wisdom and inspiration from history and heritage into the future, which is how BMW enters the future. In 2007, BMW launched the "BMW China Culture Tour" in China, becoming the first automobile company to promote the protection of intangible cultural heritage, and now BMW has launched the Grand Canal Conservation Project, becoming the first automobile company to promote and protect the culture of the Grand Canal. Therefore, in this exhibition, together with the BMW Concept Car, some of the intangible cultural heritage works that BMW Culture Journey has helped to preserve, interpreting BMW's thinking on inheritance and innovation, as well as sustainable development, with the concept of cultural inheritance and circular design.
This year marks the 30th anniversary of BMW's presence in China. Adhering to the concept of "At Home in China", the BMW Group is not only committed to continuously contributing to China's economic growth, but also deeply involved in technological innovation and socio-cultural development. As an important part of the Grand Canal culture, the Liangma River represents "connection" and "mobility", connecting history, present and future, which coincides with BMW's vision of the "new generation". At a time when the industry is vigorously developing automobile culture, BMW uses "Liangma River" as a cultural carrier to show the public BMW's vision for the future of mobility, tell the story of brand inheritance and innovation, show the style of the automobile industry, promote automobile culture, and contribute to the development of China's automobile culture.
Culture is the best bridge to connect people. Learning from history and heritage is the most beautiful way to enter the future. The 2024 BMW Discover the Next Generation Concept Exhibition has come to a successful conclusion, not the end, but a new starting point. The Liangma River, which continues the thousand-year-old cultural context, and BMW, which has a century-old heritage and innovation, will shine more brightly at the junction of history and the future.
(Editor: Tong Haihua Proofreader: Yan Jingning)