BMW at the 81st Geneva Motor Show 2011

BMW ActiveE

With its outstanding technical expertise and consistent development strategy, BMW opens the door to solutions, both sustainable and attractive, which address the question of individual mobility in the future. The new models and concept cars on display at the 2011 International Motor Show in Geneva highlight the innovative power of the world’s most successful premium automobile manufacturer. A multitude of unique new developments in the fields of drive systems and intelligent networking of the driver, the vehicle and the environment will be presented by BMW to the public at the Geneva Motor Show from 3rd to 13th of March 2011; all of these contributing to a steady, continuous increase in both vehicle efficiency and driving pleasure.

The leading position in the automobile world occupied by BMW in the development of innovative driver assistance systems and mobility services will be further strengthened at the 2011 Motor Show by the world premiere of an extraordinary concept vehicle. The BMW Vision ConnectedDrive study demonstrates current and future methods of mobile networking in a particularly focused way. The design and technology of this spectacular roadster are aimed at making the vehicle an integral part of a networked world. Comfort, safety and the infotainment experience in the vehicle can be precisely optimised by the innovative functionality, individually tailored to suit the requirements of both the driver and passenger. New technologies and design concepts are employed to add even more facets to the unmistakable BMW driving pleasure.

BMW presents new aspects of its distinctive driving pleasure to the motoring public with the development of concepts for electromobility. In the framework of BMW EfficientDynamics, the purely electric drive has adopted a key role on the road to CO2-free mobility. For the first time, electromobility styled by BMW is on the verge of becoming available to everyone for day-to-day use. The 2011 International Motor Show is the venue for the world premiere of the BMW ActiveE, an emission-free vehicle that offers the sporty feel, so typical of the brand, to up to four people.

BMW has also extended its lead in the field of conventionally-powered production vehicles, with the introduction of efficiency-raising technologies. At the 2011 Geneva Motor Show, the BMW 320d EfficientDynamics Touring Edition will be presented to the public for the first time. Its four-cylinder diesel engine develops a maximum output of 120 kW/163 bhp and yet consumes only an average of 4.3 litres per 100 kilometres in the EU test cycle (CO2: 114 g/km). In the mid-range premium segment, the BMW 320d EfficientDynamics Touring Edition, together with the similarly configured sedan, provide by far the best combination of driving pleasure and economy.

Furthermore, the Geneva Motor Show is also the setting for the world premiere of the new BMW X1 xDrive28i and thus for a new generation of 2.0-litre petrol engines. For the first time in a four-cylinder engine, the drive unit is fitted with BMW TwinPower Turbo Technology with a turbocharging system based upon the Twin Scroll principle together with High Precision Injection and the VALVETRONIC fully-variable valve control system. The result convincingly meets the objectives of BMW EfficientDynamics - more driving pleasure at significantly lower consumption and CO2 emissions.

Captivating innovation - BMW Vision ConnectedDrive.
Pioneering technology heightens driving pleasure. BMW Vision ConnectedDrive makes its case in a most persuasive way, presenting immediately-mesmerising, intelligent solutions. The character of this concept study, presented as a two-seater roadster, is one of a mobile component in a networked world, both in design as well as by virtue of extensive technological innovations. BMW demonstrates with this vehicle the unique potential that can be realised by both the current and future developments in BMW ConnectedDrive, optimising comfort, safety and the enjoyment of infotainment in the vehicle.

The boundless opportunities to attain even more driving pleasure by means of intelligent networks is demonstrated most impressively at the Geneva Motor Show by the world premiere of BMW Vision ConnectedDrive, by the design of the bodywork and interior of the concept vehicle, an inspiring light installation, a new display and operating concept and a multimedia presentation at the show. The design embodies the bond between the driver and the vehicle and the dialogue between the driver and the passenger as well as the interaction of the occupants of the car with the environment. The functional areas of BMW ConnectedDrive are symbolised on three levels - comfort, safety and infotainment. The elementary exchange of data and information for all three functional areas is visualised by an intricately complex light installation and presentation at the exhibition.

In addition to the dynamic charisma generated in typical BMW style by a long bonnet blending seamlessly with the windscreen, the long wheelbase and the seating positions set well back, the design of the concept vehicle visualises the fusion of exterior, interior and environment, made possible only by BMW ConnectedDrive. Surfaces, strongly expressive and powerfully taut, are enhanced by distinctive flowing lines. The layering principle, which requires that individual components take on a number of tasks, has been implemented both in the interior and the exterior. Sensors integrated into the headlights and the rear lights assist in monitoring the traffic situation and the environment. Antennas instead of wing mirrors transmit information to the outside world and capture navigation data.

An enhanced Head-Up Display is one of the innovations in the field of display and operating concepts of the BMW Vision ConnectedDrive family. It delivers a three-dimensional display of information and icons which provide an optical fusion of the actual view of the road ahead with virtual content. For example, this augmented reality application projects information about the route precisely onto the location of a possible turn-off - in relation to the actual field of view. Information is displayed either in the foreground or in the background, depending upon its relevance and the current traffic situation. In addition, the concept vehicle is equipped with a freely programmable instrument cluster; its display complements the projections generated by the Head-Up Display. The range and breadth of its functionality exceeds by far the display capabilities of classic cockpit instruments. By means of a display, which also presents information in three dimensions, individual pieces of information can be optically emphasized to a greater or lesser degree depending upon the driving situation, in order to gain the appropriate amount of attention.

Via the Passenger Information Display, the passenger in a BMW Vision ConnectedDrive vehicle can also take advantage of additional functionalities provided by intelligent networking. As a co-pilot he can evaluate information or address details for the navigation system received online and forward them to the driver’s instrument panel if necessary. Thus the interaction between the driver and the passenger and networking with the environment reach new levels. The Emotional Browser makes an even more varied and individually-tailored choice of information possible. During the journey, this system captures and filters additional information about the environment through which the vehicle is currently travelling, in terms of people, mood or location. This personal configuration can be set at the start of the journey, but can also be adjusted on the road to be more or less detailed, to suit individual requirements.

Ready to go: the BMW ActiveE, the first BMW with a purely electric drive.
Zero emissions, four seats and the sporty feel typical of the brand. These are the most striking features of the BMW ActiveE whose world premiere is one of the highlights of the 2011 Geneva Motor Show. The BMW Group presents the next major milestone on the road to sustainable, CO2-free mobility. In addition to the MINI E, the BMW ActiveE is the second electric test vehicle created by the BMW Group. This car accelerates from zero to 100 km/h in 9 seconds and delivers an output of 125 kW/170 bhp and a maximum torque of 250 Nm; it enjoys the dynamism and agility of a BMW, even from a standing start - something that is characteristic of electric vehicles. In everyday traffic situations, the newly developed lithium-ion energy storage unit ensures a range of around 160 km (100 miles).

Just like the MINI E, the BMW ActiveE is a conversion car, an electric vehicle based upon the shell of a vehicle with an internal combustion engine. And yet with the BMW ActiveE, all of the electric drive components such as the energy storage unit, the electric motor and the power electronics have been integrated into a vehicle body for which these things were never intended - and this has been achieved without any loss of space or comfort in the interior. The BMW ActiveE is the first electric vehicle produced by the BMW Group that provides four fully-fledged seats and a luggage compartment with a volume of 200 litres. The job done by the BMW Development Engineers is all the more impressive when you consider that this is “just” a test vehicle. The BMW ActiveE integrates pre-series versions of the drive and energy storage unit from the future Megacity Vehicle, some with identical, some with similar geometry, into a vehicle of a completely different concept, in order to road-test these components for the first time. Apart from a small air scoop on the bonnet and a smaller luggage compartment, there are almost no differences in the exterior or interior from the production version of the BMW 1 Series Coupe.

BMW EfficientDynamics - new models, new engines, new ideas.
Within the framework of BMW EfficientDynamics, conventional internal combustion engines are also undergoing continuous improvement with regard to fuel consumption and emissions, in parallel with the further development of electromobility and the BMW ActiveHybrid Technology. With the current range of models, BMW is extending its present lead in this field even further with efficiency-optimised engines and transmissions in addition to numerous other efficiency-enhancing measures. Another example of advances made with the aid of this technology, which has great future potential, can be seen in the BMW 320d EfficientDynamics Touring Edition, which will be presented for the first time at the 2011 Geneva Motor Show. Powered by a 120 kW/163 bhp four-cylinder diesel engine, this model delivers by far and away the most economical relationship between driving pleasure and fuel consumption in its class. The BMW 320d EfficientDynamics Touring Edition accelerates in 8.3 seconds from zero to 100 km/h and has an average fuel consumption of 4.3 litres per 100 km in the EU test cycle with CO2 emissions of 114 grams per kilometre.

The integration of a centrifugal force pendulum into the dual-mass flywheel in the transmission is one of the efficiency-enhancing innovations from which the BMW 320d EfficientDynamics Touring Edition benefits. It ensures particularly quiet, vibration-free running while driving at very low engine speeds. In combination with a longer final drive ratio, a significant reduction in engine speeds has been achieved across all everyday road speed ranges. Furthermore, in the case of the BMW 320d EfficientDynamics Touring Edition, Brake Energy Regeneration, the Auto Start-Stop function, the Gear Shift Indicator, the Electric Power Steering, demand-controlled ancillary components, Air Vent Control, aerodynamically optimised alloy wheels and low rolling resistance tyres all contribute towards low fuel consumption and reduced CO2 emissions.

An important instrument used to increase the efficiency of petrol engines is BMW’s TwinPower Turbo Technology, which is now available for four-cylinder engines. In the new generation of 2.0-litre engines, the combination of turbocharging according to the Twin Scroll principle, the direct petrol injection technology High Precision Injection and BMW’s patented VALVETRONIC fully-variable valve control system delivers a significant performance bonus while simultaneously effecting a notably increased degree of efficiency.

The first model to be fitted with this new drive unit is the new BMW X1 xDrive28i, presented in Geneva. Its 2.0-litre engine with BMW TwinPower Turbo Technology develops a maximum output of 180 kW/245 bhp and a maximum torque of 350 Nm available at only 1,250 rpm. With this under the bonnet, the BMW X model accelerates from zero to 100 km/h in only 6.1 seconds. Its average fuel consumption in the EU test cycle is 7.9 litres per 100 kilometres with CO2 emissions of 183 grams per kilometre. Compared with the previous model, the BMW X1 xDrive28i has a significantly improved spurt capability while using 16% less fuel.

The introduction of additional innovations from BMW EfficientDynamics to models in other BMW series has also led to even lower levels of fuel consumption and emissions. For example, in the spring of 2011 the number of BMW models fitted with Auto Start-Stop as standard equipment - also in combination with an automatic transmission - will increase yet again. In addition to the new BMW X3 xDrive30d and the new BMW 640i Convertible, the latest models in the BMW 5 Series fitted with the BMW xDrive intelligent four-wheel drive system - the BMW 535i xDrive Sedan, the BMW 530d xDrive Sedan and the BMW 530d xDrive Touring - are all equipped with this technology.

The Air Curtain, a further innovation from BMW EfficientDynamics to improve the aerodynamics, will be presented in the spring of 2011. The new BMW 1 Series Coupe, the new BMW 1 Series Convertible and the BMW 1 Series M Coupe are all fitted with newly-designed front aprons that reduce air resistance. By carefully channelling the air, the aerodynamically undesirable turbulence that occurs in the vicinity of the wheel arches is significantly reduced.

The spectrum of innovations that contribute to a continuous decrease in both fuel consumption and emissions also encompasses the development of BMW ConnectedDrive. With the development of cutting-edge driver assistance systems, BMW is making an additional contribution to a particularly potent combination of driving pleasure and efficiency.

BMW xDrive on the road to success - 47 models with intelligent four-wheel drive.
The popularity of the BMW xDrive intelligent four-wheel drive system is increasing daily. By consistently driving forward the development of the technology and equipping additional models with the system, BMW is also injecting fresh impetus to this development in 2011. The latest version of the permanent, electronically controlled four-wheel drive system not only optimises traction and driving stability even better than ever on slippery surfaces but now also enhances driving dynamics in bends. At the 2011 Geneva Motor Show, BMW presents four additional models that are equipped with xDrive.

The triumph of BMW’s intelligent four-wheel drive system is closely related to the phenomenal success enjoyed by the BMW X models throughout the world. Furthermore, the system has demonstrated its unique qualities to good effect in a growing number of models belonging to other series. By virtue of its incredibly quick and precise reaction to every change in the traffic situation, xDrive guarantees superior traction, maximum safety, the very best handling and an optimal, smooth performance characteristic in all weather and road conditions. The selection of four-wheel drive vehicles available in BMW’s range of automobiles will be expanded yet again in the spring of 2011. The latest additions are the BMW X3 xDrive30d as well as three further four-wheel drive models from the BMW 5 Series. BMW now offers 47 models that benefit from the variable distribution of drive torque between the front and rear wheels provided by xDrive. This adds even more to the driving pleasure for which the brand is famed.

New perspectives on high performance and individuality - the current product range offered by BMW M GmbH and Original BMW Accessories.

The BMW M GmbH presentation at the 2011 Geneva Motor Show includes a number of attractive new additions to its product range. In addition to the range of models, recently complemented by the BMW 1 Series M Sedan, the M Sport package for the BMW X1 as well as products developed by BMW Individual for the new BMW 6 Series Convertible are on show. With these model-specific options, BMW M GmbH addresses the drivers’ desires to experience high performance in everyday driving situations and also to express their own personal style with particularly exclusive personalisation options in an even greater number of vehicle segments.

An even more intense, sport-oriented driving experience is at the centre of the innovations in the Original BMW Accessories range presented in Geneva. The BMW Performance product line now includes additional retrofit options for the BMW 1 Series and the BMW 3 Series, as well as for the BMW X5 and BMW X6. The highlights include the new BMW Performance sports steering wheel and the BMW Performance Power Kit for the BMW120d and BMW 320d. For the new BMW 520d, an option to boost power and torque is now available. What is more, the range of BMW Performance sport silencers has been expanded to include model-specific versions for the four-cylinder diesel engines fitted to the BMW 1 Series and BMW 3 Series, as well as for the BMW X5 xDrive35i and BMW X6 xDrive35i.

Furthermore, the complete range of M Performance components for the BMW M3, complemented by many new additions, can be viewed at the Geneva Motor Show.