BMW imbues running with spirit of joy

Marathons exemplify marque's ethos of exceeding one's limits

The 2015 Shanghai International Marathon will take place on Nov 8. BMW, the honorary sponsor of the event, with its slogan "Run and Create Your Miracle" is organizing 1,600 runners to join with marathon fans and professional runners including 100-meter Asian Champion sprinter Zhang Peimeng.

Running has gradually gained popularity in China in recent years.

Taking marathons as an example, the number of large-scale marathon events in China has grown from 22 in 2011 to 100 in 2015, with more than 1 million participants.

Chinese endurance runners are mainly executives and private business owners with an average age range of 20 to 35.

They are keen to run marathons because of the race's simplicity, passion and the accompanying lifestyle that is healthy, active and sustainable.

Marathons are not limited to athletes but open to all, exemplifying the same concept as the core brand value of BMW - "Joy".

BMW said it shares its joy with the public through consistently promoting marathons.

Worldwide, BMW has sponsored eight major marathon and running events in 19 cities. BMW is the title sponsor of the Berlin and Tokyo Marathons.

In China, BMW sponsors major marathon events, including the Shanghai, Lanzhou and Xiamen Marathons, which allow it to share joy with tens and thousands of people in each city.

In addition to the sponsorship of professional marathon competitions, BMW has also initiated and supported many other running events for the public, including the Running Carnival, the Color Run and the Run for Fun.

Thanks to BMW's sporty genes as well as its strong branding culture, the carmaker has a high degree of expertise in the field of sports. BMW is an active and major player in marathons, golf and motorsports. Worldwide, BMW has been actively supporting the Olympic Games in many markets.

In 2011, BMW became the only automobile partner of the Chinese Olympic Committee. BMW's tradition of supporting marathons started in 1972 at the Munich Olympic Games.

These sports embody the sportsmanship of pursuing perfection and exceeding limits," said Karsten Engel, president and CEO of BMW Group Region China. "And these ideas are in line with BMW's carmaking philosophy." The passion and joy experienced by those who take part in and watch such sports fits well with BMW's brand values. "This is the same as what we do at BMW: we don't just build cars, we create joy," Engel said.

BMW i3 and NEV

During the races, BMW i3 models will be the official timing cars and they are expected to become a highlight beside the runners.

When operating, the electric BMW i3 is zero-emission, green, environmentally friendly and healthy. It leads a revolution in future mobility.

Born electric, the BMW i3 opens up a completely new version of urban mobility for the future.

As a mega-city vehicle, the BMW i3 possesses revolutionary vehicle architecture, innovative connectivity between driver, vehicle and environment, and typical driving pleasure. The BMW i stands for visionary vehicles and mobility services, inspiring design and a new understanding of premium, which is strongly defined by sustainability.

The BMW i3 is an uncompromisingly sustainable vehicle designed for urban areas.

It is purpose-built for emission-free electric mobility and an intelligent form of urban transportation and commuting, with revolutionary lightweight design, tailor-made BMW i ConnectedDrive features and hassle-free charging solutions.

The market response to the BMW i3 is very positive. On a global basis, deliveries of the BMW i series as of September 2015 increased 95 percent from a year earlier, to 20,576 units.

In addition, BMW provides the richest new-energy vehicle product lineup in China, including both battery electric vehicles and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles.

Three variants of the BMW i3, BMW i8, BMW 530Le are already available in China, and the BMW X5 plug-in hybrid is to be launched within the year. In the long term, the company vows to provide plug-in-hybrid technology across all model ranges.

Currently, both the BMW i3 and BMW 530Le have been granted government incentives in many cities. Sales are seen to be growing. But more importantly, BMW is continuously investing in the development of charging infrastructure, which is the decisive factor in its long-term development," Engel said.

BMW is also actively exploring new business models and future mobility by launching its BMW Mobility Service Strategy. Starting with its ChargeNow service, BMW plans to increase the number of public charging pillars to alleviate customer anxiety about vehicle range, in cooperation with its Chinese partners. These efforts have been recognized by the relevant government departments in China.

"BMW is determined to lead e-mobility development in China. We are confident that the NEV market will see further rapid growth with the development of charging infrastructure and increasing customer acceptance," Engel said.

Just as thousands of runners on marathon race tracks push their individual limits, BMW insists on going ever further with passion to innovate and the ability to continue improving its incredible brand.

yangcheng@chinadaily.com.cn

(China Daily 11/07/2015 page19)