BMW at the Goodwood Festival of Speed 2014.

• New BMW i8 to be seen in action for the first time in the UK
• The BMW M5 30 Jahre Edition and a special M4 Coupé to storm up Goodwood’s famous hill  
• BMW Pavilion to showcase all-new M cars at this summer’s Festival

The Goodwood Festival of Speed, 26-29 June 2014, will see a trio of spectacular BMWs drive up the famous 1.16 mile hill.  BMW’s most advanced sport car ever, the new BMW i8, will be seen for the first time in the UK along with the BMW M5 30 Jahre Edition – the most powerful production car in the history of the brand.  With a special M4 Coupé in action too, and a line-up of the hottest new BMW M cars on stand, this summer’s Festival promises one of the most exciting displays ever for the Bavarian manufacturer.

The new BMW i8 will steer its way up Goodwood’s hill, showcasing the searing acceleration of the new plug-in hybrid sport car. The BMW i8 uses a three-cylinder turbocharged petrol engine, with a 1.5-litre capacity, in conjunction with an electric motor that takes BMW’s EfficientDynamics philosophy to a new high. Utilising both power sources enables the sprint from zero to 62mph to take just 4.4 seconds, going on to an electronically limited top speed of 155mph.  All the while combined fuel consumption stands at 135mpg and CO₂ emissions come in at 49g/km.

With the introduction of optional BMW laser headlights, the BMW i8 is the world’s first production car to offer this innovative lighting technology.

The BMW i8 launches in the UK in July 2014,  costs £99,845 OTR and will qualify for a HM Treasury Plug-In Car grant of £5,000. At the wheel of the BMW i8 in the ‘Supercar’ category will be British born factory BMW GT driver, Alexander Sims.

The BMW M5 30 Jahre Edition

To celebrate 30 years of the BMW M5, BMW has created an exclusive, special-edition of the current, fifth-generation model boasting performance that sets it apart from its stablemates. The BMW M5 30 Jahre Edition (30 years of the M5) will be produced in a limited run of just 300 vehicles worldwide. Only 30 cars will come to the UK.

Developing 600hp and peak torque of700Nm, this special-edition (combined fuel consumption 28.5mpg; CO₂ emissions: 231g/km) is not only the most powerful BMW M5 ever to emerge from series production under the auspices of BMW M, but also the most powerful production car in the history of the brand. The M5 30 Jahre Edition sprints from zero to 62mph in a lightning fast 3.9 seconds. Its BMW Individual-inspired looks and dynamic and comfort-enhancing equipment make this special edition M5 set to be a highly desirable collector’s item.

The M5 30 Jahre Edition represents a new high point in 30 years of success that began at BMW Motorsport GmbH in Munich in 1984, andcontinues to raise the pulses of car fans around the world today. It is on sale now and costs £91,890 OTR. At the helm of the BMW M5 in the ‘First Glance’ category at Goodwood will be one of the UK’s best ever international racing drivers, Steve Soper.

An Individual M4 in action

The first ever BMW Individual M4 Coupé built for the UK will premiere at Goodwood. The Tanzanite Blue metallic Coupé will be the first M4 built in a BMW Individual colour and with a Merino leather upholstery interior from the BMW Individual Collection.

Components from the new BMW M Performance Accessories range, which launches on 12 September 2014, have been provided to significantly add to the M4’s aerodynamic and athletic appearance. These include a carbon-fibre front splitter, carbon-fibre rear spoiler, carbon-fibre rear diffuser and carbon-fibre wing mirrors. The distinctive look is complemented by the M Performance sports exhaust, with Titanium exhaust trims, and by interior enhancements including an Alcantara steering wheel with race display.

Built especially in time for the Festival of Speed, the vehicle’s specification was chosen by fans of ‘PistonHeads.com’ and two lucky competition winners will drive the car up the hill as part of the Moving Motor Show. During the Festival, in the ‘First Glance’ category, the car will be driven by one of the UK’s best known television presenters and ex-racing driver, Tiff Needell.

Two UK premieres and a packed BMW stand

The BMW Pavilion will host the fifth generation of the iconic high-performance sports car from BMW M. The new BMW M3 Saloon and new BMW M4 Coupé will entice visitors to an already-exciting stand featuring the BMW i8, the special anniversary M5 30 Jahre Edition, other models from the company’s M division, and two UK premieres.

Also on show is the eagerly anticipated new BMW M4 Convertible - the fifth-generation high-performance open-top car of its kind. Powered by the same 431hp M TwinPower Turbo in-line six-cylinder engine as the M3 Saloon and M4 Coupé, the Convertible offers the option of six-speed manual or seven-speed M Double Clutch transmissions.

The M4 Convertible exhibits all the hallmarks of a car created by BMW’s high-performance specialists – lightweight engineering, carefully honed aerodynamics, advanced race-derived chassis tuning and electronic driver assistance technologies and a sporty elegant profile, open or closed. The BMW M4 Convertible launches in the UK on 6 September 2014, priced at £60,745 OTR.

On stand too will be the new BMW X4. It combines the hallmark features of the BMW X family with the sporting elegance of a classical coupé, resulting in BMW’s first Sports Activity Coupé (SAC) for the premium mid-size segment. The BMW X4 arrives in dealerships on 12 July 2014 and will be priced from £36,595 OTR for an X4 xDrive20d SE.

Whilst Alexander Sims, Tiff Needell and Steve Soper will all be aiming for a quick run up the hill, they will also be in the BMW Pavilion for interviews and autographs. They will be joined by legendary Formula 1 commentator, Murray Walker OBE, and by presenter for BT Vision’s Premier League football coverage, Jake Humphreys. Visitors with a culinary interest will also be in for a treat: the BMW Pavilion will also host one of the world’s best chefs, Jason Atherton, for a series of interviews.

Once again this year, BMW and MINI owners will be able to access the exclusive BMW Owners’ Lounge, on the first floor of the Pavilion,by presenting their keys at the entrance.

Visitors will also be able to view the BMW Dashboard – an imposing 10 metre LED screen that will form the main focal point of the BMW Pavilion. This will contain live feeds from Instagram, Twitter, show weather updates and will also be interspersed with interesting BMW and Goodwood facts. Performance-oriented fans will be able to play on a BMW simulator game pod, whilst fans of BMW M will be able to enjoy the Heritage totem – an interactive totem that takes visitors through the history of BMW M.

Representing BMW Group UK at the Goodwood will be Martin Harrison, Media Relations Officer on 07815 377083, who will be available to answer media enquiries. 

Happy 30th Birthday to the BMW M5 Supersaloon, celebrate with a new Limited Edition M5 30 Jahre Edition.

To celebrate 30 years of the BMW M5 – the founder member of the high-performance business Saloon segment – BMW has created an exclusive, special-edition of the current, fifth-generation model boasting performance that sets it apart from its stablemates. The BMW M5 30 Jahre Edition (30 years of the M5) will be produced in a limited run of just 300 vehicles worldwide. Only 30 cars will come to the UK.

Developing 600hp and peak torque of 700Nm, this special-ed ition (combined fuel consumption 28.5mpg; CO₂ emissions: 231g/km) is not only the most powerful BMW M5 ever to emerge from series production under the auspices of BMW M GmbH, but also the most powerful production car in the history of the brand. The M5 30 Jahre Edition sprints from zero to 62mph in a lightning fast 3.9 seconds. Its BMW Individual-inspired looks and dynamic and comfort-enhancing equipment make this special edition M5 set to be a highly desirable collector’s item.

Further increased performance.

Under the bonnet of the BMW M5 30 Jahre Edition is a 4.4-litre V8 engine with M TwinPower Turbo technology and an output of 600hp, 40hp more than the standard model. This power boost has been achieved through carefully calculated tweaks to the engine management and an increase in charge pressure.

The foundation for these upgrades was provided by the Competition package – itself a car that already came with a power upgrade. Conceived to appreciably enrich the handling characteristics of the BMW M5, it can be ordered as an option for the regular model and is part of the special edition’s standard specification. The Competition package comprises modifications including a revised chassis set-up with firmer spring/damper tuning and a 10mm drop in ride height. Added to which, the Active M Differential on the final drive gains its own control unit to further improve traction. Elsewhere, the steering with M-specific Servotronic function has more direct mapping and the M Dynamic Mode of the DSC (Dynamic Stability Control) system is focused even more keenly on delivering sporty handling.

Exclusive design exudes dynamic performance.

In keeping with the anniversary celebrations which have inspired its creation, the special-edition model has been given the BMW Individual treatment. As a result, it cuts a more dynamic, head-turning figure than its standard siblings. The striking BMW Individual Frozen Dark Silver metallic paint accentuates the elegantly muscular forms of the BMW M5. The kidney grille surround, gills with ‘30 Jahre M5’ badge on the front wing, door handle inserts and twin exhaust tailpipes all come in black chrome. The same is true of the 20-inch bi-colour M light-alloy wheels.

The interior of the BMW M5 30 Jahre Edition includes exclusive touches to highlight the anniversary. The driver and front passenger will be greeted by ‘30 Jahre M5’ lettering on the front door sill finishers, while a plaque bearing ‘30 Jahre M5’ and ‘1/300’ inscription is integrated into the Dark Aluminium Trace interior trim. The ‘30 Jahre M5’ logo is also embroidered into the backrests of all four of the high-performance Saloon’s seats.

Both the driver and front passenger in the M5 30 Jahre Editon can settle into M Sport multifunction seats upholstered in Individual Black Alcantara and Full Merino leather. Alcantara Anthracite trims the centre console and door panels as well as the M Sport multifunction steering wheel. A harman/kardon surround-sound system with a total of 16 speakers is also included as standard and a 1,200-watt Bang & Olufsen Advanced audio system is available as an option. In addition to the exclusive content this car it also features as standard such equipment as Adaptive LED Headlights, Comfort Access with smart opener, Driving Assistant, lumbar support and split folding rear seats with additional 12 volt power sockets.

The M5 30 Jahre Edition represents a new high point in 30 years of success that began at BMW Motorsport GmbH in Munich in 1984, and continues to raise the pulses of car fans around the world today. It is on sale now and costs £91,890 OTR.