BMW sizzles and dazzles, as it unleashes brace of models in Chengdu

Jochen Goller, senior vice-president, of BMW Brilliance Automotive Co. [Photo provided to China Daily]

A giant M-shape screen, standing alone in the BMW pavilion, manifested the extraordinariness of the launch ceremony before the audience of more than one 100 guests and journalists at the ongoing Chengdu Motor Show 2017.

Radio DJ Mike D set the pace with dynamic rhythm on the rainy morning, as senior BMW executives proudly revealed their unrivalled progressive sports business sedan, an all-new BMW 5 Series Standard Wheelbase version.

Hard on the heels of a video sequence moving from backstage to arena, a senior racing trainer in his white auto racing suit unveiled the limited M3 and M4 Fans editions, encircled by a group of racing driver-dressed dancers.

Protonic Red, Speed Yellow, Java Green, Mediterranean Blue, and Sophisto Grey - representing dynamic, sportiness, excitement, quality and technology - featured among the body colors seen in the BMW vehicles.

Surrounded by a constant stream of visitors was the Sophisto Grey-colored all-new BMW 5 Series Standard Wheelbase version, just imported to the Chinese market to meet the diverse demands from premium clients.

"Driving a BMW, and Riding a BMW. The new 5 Series standard wheelbase version and the long wheelbase version are definitely living up to this bold promise," Jochen Goller, senior vice-president, of BMW Brilliance Automotive Co, told the audience.

"Both versions of the all-new BMW 5 Series share the same emotional design, engineering excellence and state-of-the-art innovation," he said.

The BMW M Sport Package - featuring a BMW M blue color braking caliper, M sports seats and an M steering wheel - immediately commands people's attention and declares its sporty character and top-in-class aerodynamics.

The new standard-wheelbase BMW 5 Series brings the company's latest innovation - the BMW Display Key, with a color display and touch control to access important vehicle data. This smart key can help to remotely park the car and customers can also use it to check whether their doors, windows and sunroof are closed.

"I sincerely invite you to take a test-drive and experience in person BMW's well-known 'sheer driving pleasure'," Goller said.

Speaking in the capital of southwestern Sichuan province, he said: "I was told this smart voice control system can even understand the Sichuan dialect, thanks to BMW's Natural Language Understanding technology localized in China and for China."

The all-new 5 series is built to be the unrivalled intelligent and connected car in its segment. The sedan of ers a Remote 3D View, wireless connection to Apple CarPlay, Gesture Control and a touch screen.

The company believes the all-new sedan is taller, wider and more spacious than its direct competitors, and accelerates faster and consumes less fuel.

The top-model 540i sprints from 0 to 100km/h in only 5.1 seconds - unrivalled in this segment, while the 530i consumes only 6.7 liters of petrol over 100 km.

"The BMW 5 Series is the pillar of our brand, and the segment leader in China and also worldwide," Goller noted.

A total of about 66,000 BMW 5 Series have been sold in the first seven months of this year, industry data show.

The sixth generation of the BMW 5 Series set a benchmark in the segment, with more than 800,000 units sold during its seven-year life cycle in China, contributing more than 30 percent to the brand's sales volume in the Chinese market.

Chinese customers share different tastes and diversified needs, and the company always puts Chinese customers at the heart of our its business, according to Goller.

"The customers of the standard or long wheelbase 5 Series have many things in common, including their social status, and their demand for a vehicle that is great for private use on weekends and for business during the week," he said during an interview with China Daily.

Customers with household needs, like carrying young children in their car, want the roominess of more space and tend to select the long wheelbase version.

People with fewer family members prefer the standard wheelbase for a sporty performance and driving excitement, and quite a lot of them live overseas.

"Many of the standard wheelbase model buyers have driven the cars aboard. When they come back, they want to keep living the experience," Goller added.

M Sport Dark Edition

The BMW 3 Series M Sport is recognized by the world's 'beemer' fans as the ultimate driving machine, and its special edition has now come to the Chengdu Motor Show with its incomparable distinctive sport aesthetics.

The BMW 3 Series M Sport Dark Edition made its China premiere with a bolder sporty exterior design, refined racing style interior, and more high-technology equipment.

Honored as the Sports King, the German brand's global model demonstrates the series' sporty creed, through a superior-as-ever driving experience powered by the B series engine, matching an eight-speed automatic transmission.

The Dark Edition brings black mirror caps, a black M performance kidney grille, dark front and rear lights, dark wheel rims, sport seats and a M Sport Package steering wheel as standard.

Besides, a touch screen, Apple CarPlay, digital instrument cluster and Harman Kardon sound system are on board.

Highlights

Sporty characteristics:

540i with B58 3.0T engine boasts fastest acceleration in segment, 0-100km/h in 5.1 secs

M Sport Package provided as standard, M sports seats and M steering wheel, and 19-inch M wheels in black and M braking caliper in blue are available for high-end models.

Fascinating driving:

Fine-tuned sporty chassis

Balanced 50/50 front and rear axle weight distribution

BMW Efficient Lightweight construction concept lowers weight by up to 100kg, realized by lightweight chassis, aluminum body

Cutting-edge connectivity:

The high resolution 10.25-inch screen uses BMW's latest ID6 display technology, the large, tile-style panels can be arranged as desired and show the content of the underlying menus in constantly updated form

Display key with LCD touch screen, remote parking, ventilation setting, displaying car status

Full color 3rd generation Head-Up Display with a visible size increase of 70 percent

Wireless Apple CarPlay connection, unique in segment

Remote 3D view, unique in segment

BMW Connected App offering journey management

Wireless Charging & Wi-Fihotspot

5D interface

Natural Language Understanding through Intelligent Voice Assistant with recognition of natural language

Gesture control

Latest generation iDrive system

Touch screen

Thermos-sensitive buttons

Suggested retail price:

BMW 525i M Sport at 465,800 yuan ($69,940)

BMW 530i M Sport at 549,800 yuan

BMW 540i M Sport at 661,800 yuan