USA - BMW at the North American International Auto Show, in Detroit, in January

On 12 January 2015, BMW will welcome in the new car year by unveiling a raft of new products at the North American International Auto Show (NAIAS) in Detroit.

A fixture on the calendar since 1907, the event originally known as the Detroit Auto Show has a long tradition in the USA. This year will be the 27th time it has been held on an international stage, and more than 200 exhibitors will gather at the COBO Center on the Detroit River to present their latest offerings to a large audience. More than 18 million people have visited the show since 1989. The public days take place from 17 – 25 January.

Celebrating their world premieres in Detroit are the new BMW 6 Series Convertible, Coupe and Gran Coupe, as well as the new BMW M6 Coupe, BMW M6 Convertible and BMW M6 Gran Coupe high-performance models. They will be joined at the NAIAS by the cutting-edge BMW i models and innovative services encompassing the world of electric mobility. The prototype of a drive module for electric hydrogen fuel cell drive systems will be presented for the first time. And BMW ConnectedDrive will be showcasing its over-the-air regular automatic map updating technology.

The new BMW 6 Series Convertible, the new BMW 6 Series Coupe and the new BMW 6 Series Gran Coupe: three genuine athletes grace the luxury class.

One highlight of the BMW stand at this year’s Detroit Motor Show is the world premiere of the new BMW 6 Series model range. Through three generations, the BMW 6 Series has defined that unique blend of style and elegance with the performance and handling that one would expect of The Ultimate Driving MachineTM. For the 2016 model year the third-generation of BMW 6 Series receives a range of enhancements that refine the character that is unique to the 6 Series. Now offered in three distinct body styles – traditional two-door Coupe, open-air Convertible and unique four-door Gran Coupe – all three are again offered with a choice of BMW TwinPower Turbo engines, the 315 horsepower inline-six in the 640i models and the 445 horsepower V8 in the 650i models.

The new BMW M6 Coupe, the new BMW M6 Convertible and the new BMW M6 Gran Coupe: driving dynamics, exclusivity and efficiency from the top drawer.

Another Detroit highlight will be the world premiere of the new BMW M6 models. The BMW M6 Coupe, BMW M6 Convertible and BMW M6 Gran Coupe allow BMW M GmbH to restate its leadership in the high-performance luxury segment. The outgoing models had already set new benchmarks with the flawless balance of power, efficiency, agility, comfort and luxury that is typical of M models. And now the new BMW M6 line-up is poised to write a fresh chapter in this success story, fuelled by enhancements to a rock-solid concept. Part of the credit here goes to an extended range of standard equipment (including LED headlights and Park Distance Control), the cutting-edge tech-style interior with an enhanced iDrive Display and center console in black panel design, and the even greater scope for individualization brought about by new exterior colors, new leather shades, a full-leather trim variant with contrast stitching and attractive accents in black chrome. The unparalleled 4.4-liter V8 turbocharged engine, meanwhile, delivers a two-pronged promise of extraordinary performance and outstanding efficiency. This high-tech engine boasts innovative M TwinPower Turbo technology and develops 560 hp.

The mobility of the future: BMW i rolls out additional services to complement the BMW i3 and BMW i8.

Following the successful launch of the electric-powered BMW i3 and the BMW i8 plug-in hybrid sports car, BMW i is now extending its range of services focusing on every aspect of electric mobility and rolling them out internationally. With the BMW i3 and BMW i8, BMW i offers customers not only a choice of electric vehicles, but also far-reaching complementary products to ensure the cars provide long-term service. ChargeNow, for example, is a charging and payment service which is enjoying continuous expansion. In the US, ChargeNow provides access to the nationwide network of Chargepoint charging stations. The network of DC fast charging stations in the US will continue to expand, thanks in part to the introduction of the BMW i DC fast charger, the industry’s first wall-mounted DC fast charger.

The ParkNow web and app-based service helps BMW i drivers to find a space as and when they need one while out and about. ParkNow offers car park and roadside parking spaces in hundreds of cities across North America and can filter the results of searches according to price, distance and the availability of services such as charging stations and car washes. DriveNow offers car-sharing options for more than 350,000 registered customers in the USA and Europe at the latest count, and another international rollout is now in the pipeline. And finally, “second-life” pilot projects in the US, Germany and China allow lithium-ion batteries from BMW i vehicles to be used as stationary energy storage devices after their service life on the road has come to an end.

Emission-free, usable every day: fully integrated hydrogen and fuel cell technology enable electric driving over extended distances.

The Detroit show will also see the first presentation of a drive module prototype revealing a structure for the drive and energy storage components, as well as their possible integration into a future Fuel Cell Electric Vehicle (FCEV). While pure battery-based electric vehicles specialize in covering mobility needs in urban metropolitan surroundings, hydrogen fuel cell drive systems offer electric mobility with a high operating range and very short refuelling times. This explains why hydrogen fuel cell technology is an integral long-term component of the BMW Group’s EfficientDynamics strategy. In order to take into account the particular requirements of this technology in cars and to utilize its potential as fully as possible, BMW is replicating its approach with its series-produced BMW i3 and BMW i8 models by focusing on a specific vehicle architecture for a future Fuel Cell Electric Vehicle. The fuel cell unit of the drive module includes the first fruits of the company’s cooperation with Toyota, the industry’s leading manufacturer of fuel cell technology. This builds on Toyota’s 2015 series production technology, which BMW and Toyota were able to adapt to suit the specific requirements of BMW.

Always up to date thanks to intelligent connectivity: navigation map updates via mobile phone networks.

With regular automatic map updating for the navigation system, BMW is widening its lead as the world’s top provider of on-line-based in-car services. Updating takes place over the air (via the mobile phone network) using the vehicle’s built-in SIM card. This innovative solution, which entails no license fees or data transfer charges for customers, forms part of the new generation of the BMW Navigation System. The system updates itself regularly several times a year whenever a new regional map version becomes available. The update is installed conveniently and completely automatically. Regular updating means there is never any delay before users are able to use the latest map software, providing the basis for an impeccable navigation experience.