At this year's Guangzhou Auto Show, in addition to the overall rise of independent brands, German luxury brands have made steady breakthroughs in the new energy era, once again raising public awareness with their superior performance and high-end smart driving. Represented by the BMW Group, its three major brands of BMW, MINI and BMW Motorrad gathered together to show their “wisdom” with a clear purpose: to use innovation to provide a new era of driving pleasure.
Specifically, BMW’s research and development of intelligent driving technology is accelerating. The “vehicle-road-cloud integration” V2X technology will be “available” in the new BMW 5 Series in January next year, once again seizing the opportunity. The smart cockpit continues to undergo local research and development, and the latest BMW operating system is specially customized for Chinese consumers to enhance the driving experience.
Gao Xiang, President and CEO of BMW Group Greater China, said: “'Pure driving pleasure' is BMW's commitment that will not change over time. BMW's innovation has always been people-centered, seamlessly integrating forward-looking hardware and software capabilities, allowing users and products to The connection touches people's hearts and makes every second on the road full of joy. In the future, we will continue to increase investment in research and development, join hands with China's innovation forces, and provide Chinese consumers with a more humane, smarter and more responsible travel experience through system integration. ”
Stronger safety: stronger high-end intelligent driving, three-dimensional car-road cloud avoidance
In the era of intelligent network connection, BMW believes that “smart cars” should not be separate “smart” individuals, but should drive on “smart roads” and connect to “powerful clouds” before we can talk about “future travel”.
Starting from January 2025, the new BMW 5 Series, a “smart car” equipped with a “vehicle-road-cloud integration” V2X module, will be mass-produced in Shenyang. This is the first time BMW has launched a model equipped with V2X technology. V2X technology is crucial for high-quality signal transmission for high-level autonomous driving.
Currently, BMW V2X technology can realize three scene functions: Emergency Braking Warning (EBW), Red Light Violation Warning (RLVW) and Intersection Collision Warning (ICW). It can not only achieve “beyond visual range” safety warning, It is not limited by traditional perception systems such as cameras and radars, and has enhanced safety warning capabilities based on the active emergency braking (AEB) function. The mass production of innovative V2X technology will not only add a layer of safety buff to “pure driving pleasure”, but will also provide BMW with an opportunity to advance high-end autonomous driving in the future.
In the future, when “smart roads” are in place, BMW V2X technology can act as a vehicle's “clairvoyant” and provide safety protection for “smart travel”.
The L2+ intelligent driving assistance system already equipped in the new BMW 5 Series was developed based on the concept of “safety first, human and machine driving together”, and is equipped with the world's first automatic lane change function with line of sight confirmation. This year, this function has a “new” ramp assist function. When driving out of a highway or ring road according to the on-board navigation route guidance, the driver can turn his head and observe the right exterior rearview mirror, and the vehicle will automatically change lanes to the right lane, which is convenient The driver enters the ramp.
Higher wisdom: No need to learn hidden technologies, just follow your heart and have no interruptions
The saying “Trends fade, but style lasts forever” is enough to illustrate BMW’s persistence: BMW digital innovation has always centered on driving pleasure. BMW is committed to creating a more natural and smoother human-vehicle interaction that is safe and easy to use without interfering with driving.
BMW's smart cockpit understands Chinese consumers better, and its main focus is “Shy (hidden) technology”. There is EASE, which allows “zero-level” information transmission, “zero interruption” for driving concentration, and “zero pressure” for driving experience. Every second in the car is enjoyable; there is also BOOST, which makes the car more enjoyable. Drive fast, run for a long time, and brake firmly, truly realizing the communication between the car and people, which only adds to the driving pleasure without adding confusion.
BMW's latest operating system is based on maps, and its “zero-level” design allows “click where you need it”, and the learning cost is almost zero. 70% of the functions are developed locally by BMW and customized for Chinese consumers, including Tencent Video, iQiyi Video, QQ Music, Moji Weather and other audio, video and information functions exclusive to the Chinese market, which are both practical and emotional.
In addition, the new BMW Intelligent Personal Assistant is more “smart”, can delay listening, and can also take the initiative to care: remind you to close the window when it rains, suggest turning on the air conditioner when it is hot, and timely remind you not to drive tiredly. It can be called the perfect “assistant” of BMW. Not only that, this “assistant” is also evolving. The next generation of BMW smart cockpit will be unveiled at the International Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in January next year, and will be officially launched with the new generation of BMW models, which will be the same as that of 2020. Like the BMW iDrive system, the industry's first digital cockpit that came out many years ago, it has epoch-making significance.
The BMW digital key not only embodies the senseless “Shy technology”, but also achieves a sense of “enjoyment” and calmness. BMW is the first car brand to apply UWB (Ultra Wideband) technology. Vehicles equipped with BMW Digital Key Plus do not require a physical key to unlock. When the owner approaches the vehicle with a smartphone or smart watch, the vehicle will automatically unlock, welcoming the driver with a full sense of ceremony. arrival.
This year, BMW has surpassed “system isolation” for the first time in the industry. As long as the car owner authorizes it, iOS and Android users can drive the same car, which is safe and convenient. Smartphones and watches are more than just “car keys”. Through the My BMW App, customers can check the vehicle status in real time, remotely turn on the air conditioner, and even remotely park the vehicle. In the Chinese market, My BMW App already has 11 million registered users, and up to 700,000 BMW users use the App every day; in 2023 alone, the My BMW App application activation rate of BMW cars sold in the Chinese market is as high as 98%, which shows its practicality and popularity. Welcome.
New products are constantly coming: Gasoline and electric driving are the soul of fun, and natural sports are the most popular
Mr. Shao Bin, Senior Vice President of Marketing at BMW Brilliance Automotive Co., Ltd. said: “We have always made bold breakthroughs in design and research and development. Innovation is the unchanging gene of the BMW brand.” BMW's innovation is not only reflected in the pure driving pleasure of different power forms , which is also reflected in the continuously enriched technological connotation to bring users an emotionally touching experience. This must start with the BMW M brand, the best endorsement of BMW’s pure driving pleasure.
The BMW M brand continues to expand its product lineup in China this year. In addition to the strong debut of the new BMW M5, the innovation “incubator” of the M brand, the new BMW M2, M3, and M4 have all completed mid-term facelifts. Not only that, the M core driving control technology derived from the track has been widely used in mainstream BMW models, and the number of M arrays has been expanded to 23 models. With petrol, electricity and plug-in hybrid, BMW always lives up to every passion for driving.
In Huacheng, the new BMW M235L four-door coupe gives young people the most accessible option to experience the spirit of BMW M. It is the youngest new member of the BMW M brand and the second domestic M performance car. It is equipped with a 2.0T “BMW's most powerful four-cylinder engine” tuned by BMW M, interpreting the M gene from the track to the street. All models of the new BMW 2 Series four-door coupe also made their debut at the Guangzhou Auto Show. This is also the first time that a BMW four-door coupe is produced in Shenyang. All new cars come standard with the M sports package, equipped with a 2.0T engine, which unleashes your playful nature and makes you sporty when you get started.
The X family, which holds up half of the BMW sky, brings the new BMW X3, the most passable luxury SAV in its class. For the first time, the Guangzhou Auto Show showed the all-new BMW X3 innovative cockpit and luxurious interior, allowing guests present to experience the exquisite and concise space of “simplification to interpret complexity” and the carefully polished future cockpit texture. The new BMW X3 is equipped with an active noise reduction function for the first time, which uses the in-car speakers to generate sound waves to offset the low-frequency interference noise of the engine. It is like wearing “noise-cancelling headphones” for the car, making it easier to talk in the car and enjoy music more immersively.
China's exclusive seat configuration is also shown to domestic consumers for the first time. The rear seat cushion length is nearly 65 mm longer than the current model, and the seat cushion filling is 10 mm thicker. It is specially created for Chinese consumers, bringing a safe and comfortable riding experience. . The new BMW X3 will be delivered in the first quarter of 2025, and the new BMW X3 M50 will also be introduced into the country in the second quarter of next year, continuing the legend of the BMW X family that began 25 years ago.
BMW's core models also use gasoline and electricity to answer the “2024 year-end test paper” with “fun”. In addition to the blockbuster news that high-end models are equipped with innovative V2X technology, the new BMW 5 Series also launches the innovative pure electric BMW i5 eDrive40L and the innovative pure electric BMW i5 xDrive50L, forming a “complete integration” of the luxury driving pleasure matrix of the new BMW 5 Series. “, continuing to maintain high competitiveness with driving pleasure as its core in the mid- to large-sized luxury sedan camp.
Among them, the i5 eDrive40L has a cruising range of 713 kilometers under CLTC conditions, which is the longest cruising range among BMW pure electric models; the i5 xDrive50L refreshed the 0-60 mph acceleration record among domestic BMW models in 4.2 seconds, becoming the “Chinese BMW electric car” “Strong performance model”. The new BMW 5 Series family is equipped with gasoline-electricity and dual-axle parallel push. There are a total of 18 car models, each with its own “driving pleasure” features, enriching the product matrix and consolidating the luxury intelligent network connection label.
The BMW 4 Series family is both petrol and electric, offering fuel-powered two-door, convertible, four-door coupe, and pure electric BMW i4 models to choose from. As the only luxury pure electric coupe in its class, the pure electric BMW i4 combines many sports driving essences.
Nowadays, the new pure electric BMW i4 is launched, with standard rear axle air suspension, front and rear axle HRS hydraulic rebound damping technology, high-performance lightweight aluminum four-piston brake calipers, M sports package and more than 10 high-value items Sporty and luxurious configuration, pure driving pleasure is at your fingertips. Two new car paints, Cape York Green and Flame Red, dazzling crystal-textured interior components, and the first laser taillights of the same type as the BMW M4 CSL have been added, which further enhances the sense of luxury and sportiness.
More than just new: looking forward to new generation models and defining BMW’s future
The “broadness” of innovation and the “broadness” of driving pleasure are not limited to the BMW brand. During the Guangzhou Auto Show, the new MINI family officially gathered for the first time, ushering in a new era for the MINI brand. The entire family has a clear product layout – different models in small, medium and large sizes, with oil and electricity, fully meeting the needs of MINI users in different personalized scenarios.
BMW motorcycles bring “two-wheeled” urban riding fun. Two urban travel series motorcycles, the BMW C 400 GT and BMW C 400 X, have been launched, bringing riders a unique “two-wheeled” travel experience.
At the Guangzhou Auto Show, BMW also announced that the first domestically produced new-generation model will roll off the production line at the Lida plant of BMW Shenyang Tiexi Factory in 2026. This reflects BMW's “newness”: innovation-driven, solid advancement, and step-by-step progress towards a new era. The “New Generation” will redefine the BMW brand, demonstrate the core characteristics of future BMW: electrification, digitalization, recycling and sustainability, and fully enter the future in the three dimensions of design, technology and concept. The innovative results of the new generation will gradually be applied to all future BMW models, forming BMW’s vision for future travel.
Text | Qi Yaoqi