One hundred years ago on 7 March 1916 in Munich, major steps were taken in an office in Lerchenauer Straße, to form a very forward thinking aviation manufacturing company that would evolve in rapid time to become one of the biggest industrial success stories the world has ever known. The original name of the aero brand was Bayerische Flugzeugwerke AG, which later became part of a formation of companies under the banner Bayerische Motoren Werke AG, known today as BMW Group.
BMW Group is still an all-covering business umbrella under which sits many well known BMW brands and resource houses such as BMW Motorrad, BMW automobiles, MINI, Rolls Royce etc. As the eldest surviving European motorcycle producer, BMW Motorrad and its motorcycles were – and still are – an important life-blood for the BMW Group during its growing 100 years. The first BMW branded motorcycle, the R 32, first saw light of day in 1923 and swiftly helped BMW strengthen its engineering excellence, technology and passion for sport.
On the morning of 7 March, the new BMW Group Classic building in Moosacher Straße 66 opened its doors for the very first time, welcoming international journalists to a press conference giving details about the centenary. Moosacher Straße 66 is a significant address as it is the place where the company first began.
Then, in the afternoon at the Munich Olympic Hall was arguably the biggest press conference ever held by BMW Group. Introductions and inspirational speeches by noted BMW Group staff included Harald Krüger, Chairman of the Board of Management, Adrian van Hooydonk Head of BMW Group Design, and Maximilian Schöberl, Head of BMW Group Corporate Communications and Governance. There was also a very special on-screen message of support from the German Chancellor Angela Merkel to the attending 2,000-plus guests from the world of sport, business, politics, research, society and media.
This memorable day-long event was also broadcast live across the world via satellite TV and social media live streaming. Special mention should be given to the live broadcast beamed direct to Munich’s Allianz Arena, where over 30,000 employees from BMW’s various sites and offices across the city watched the event as it unfolded. For BMW Group employees, one of the highlights at the start of the event was the reveal of the “Associates’ Symbol” consisting of portrait photographs of employees from around the world, which were submitted in the run-up to the event.
Another part of the conference included the dramatic reveal of a “Vision Vehicle”, a unique automobile by the name of BMW VISION NEXT 100 designed to showcase BMW technology of today and the future. This Vision Vehicle complete with examples of future tech in communication, safety and driver aids will become part of a BMW Group World Tour entitled “Iconic Impulses. The BMW Group Future Experience” and taking in Beijing, London and Los Angeles.
The World Tour will enable visitors to experience the BMW Group as a thought leader presenting visions that reach far beyond the short-term, offering a multi-faceted and inspiring perspective on the future of mobility. BMW Group realises that many fans and owners of BMW products will be unable to make the World Tour exhibition. For this reason core components of “The Future Experience” will be displayed in the ‘double cone’ of BMW Welt from 22 March, adding a further highlight to BMW Welt, which already welcomes around three million visitors a year.
For many of the watching crowds, the biggest smiles came with news that BMW Motorrad’s Vision Vehicle will make its world debut later this year at the World Tour’s Los Angeles event, 11-16 October. Of course there are many more lined up activities involving BMW Motorrad products and people.
To further mark the centenary year, a special publication to be produced will provide a wealth of information not only about the history of the BMW Group but also about key future issues, such as energy, demographic change, globalisation, digitalisation and mobility. Of course, BMW Motorrad will feature heavily within the volumes, which will then become a limited edition book available from leading bookstores, October 2016 onwards.
Planned for 9-11 September, 2016 in Munich is the BMW Festival – THE NEXT 100 YEARS. This massive live event will feature high-profile personalities and international stars from the world of music taking to the stage, while renowned DJs will ensure a real festival atmosphere. Already extensive information about the BMW Festival can be found at: www.bmw-festival.de/
The Festival will be held in the grounds of the Munich Olympic Park, including the Olympic Stadium, Olympic Hall and the “Parkharfe”. The BMW Museum, BMW Welt and the area around the iconic ‘Four-Cylinder’ headquarters building will also be included, and events will be rounded off in the evenings by the BMW Festival Night. The first BMW Festival Night will be exclusively for BMW Group employees; the second will be open to all.
BMW Motorrad would like to thank past, present and future loyal customers, friends and fans for their support over the first 100 years and wishes everyone a happy and safe future. The BMW Group firmly believes that personal mobility is and will remain a fundamental human need – and we all need our Motorrad motorcycle fix.
资料提供 [ BMW Motorrad ]
