BMW Group DesignworksUSA Recreates Iconic 1951 Chair Found on eBay by Emeco

Redesigned Classic to Debut at Salone Internazionale del Mobile in Milan in April

LOS ANGELES, March 1 -- BMW Group DesignworksUSA, the California-based design studio, and aluminum chair company, Emeco have revitalized an iconic Emeco chair popular in the 1950s that was rediscovered on the auction website eBay. Designed by Adrian van Hooydonk, the updated '1951' will debut at the Salone Internazionale del Mobile in Milan, April 13 - April 19, 2005.

Emeco originally built the chair for US government hospitals in 1951. The discovery on eBay of the original chair prompted Emeco CEO Gregg Buchbinder to approach DesignworksUSA and Adrian van Hooydonk to redefine and reinterpret the classic aluminum design for a new era.

Named a "Master of Design" by a prestigious US magazine in 2004, Adrian van Hooydonk is currently the director of the BMW brand car design studio in Munich, Germany, and served until recently as President of BMW Group DesignworksUSA. The 40-year-old Netherlands-born van Hooydonk was responsible for the design of the exterior of the Mini ACV30 concept car shown in Monte Carlo in 1997 and at the Museum of Modern Art in 1999; the exterior of the BMW Z9 Gran Turismo shown in Frankfurt in 1999; and the exterior design of the BMW 6 and 7 Series.

"I found it extremely rewarding to work closely with Emeco on the design of the new '1951,'" said Mr. van Hooydonk. "Lines and surfaces were discussed at length, as well as the "stance" of the new '1951,' which is a lot more dynamic than the original. The use of new materials other than aluminum will allow customers to add color to their Emeco. As in good car-design, these added functional elements now come in a clean, simple and dynamic look that will appeal to customers on not just a physical and intellectual level, but an emotional level as well."

The '1951' is the first Emeco product that combines new materials for the seat and back -- technically molded ABS plastic -- with classic aluminum construction. The brushed/anodized aluminum frame supports the generous ABS plastic seat and back and is available in five standard colors. The chairs stack 6 high, affording easy storage and will be available for US$250 at Emeco retailers. The redesigned '1951' chair joins award-winning work by Philippe Starck and Frank Gehry.

"We appreciated the straightforwardness of the 50s' original, but agreed that it needed reinterpretation and a fresher, more contemporary look," said Emeco's Chairman and CEO Gregg Buchbinder. "That's DesignworksUSA's and Adrian's expertise. Maintaining Emeco's DNA, they created a sleek interpretation of the 1951 piece that we believe will appeal to all lovers of classic design."

The chairs and stools carry Emeco's lifetime guarantee and are made in America at the Hanover Pennsylvania facility. Their debut at the Salone Internazionale del Mobile in Milan (Italy), the premiere international trade show featuring the top contenders in home design and furnishings, represents the first time they will be shown to the public.

Emeco

Emeco was founded in 1944 to make all-aluminum chairs for the US Navy. In 1998, Mr. Buchbinder purchased the company and began a friendship with the renowned French architect, Philippe Starck, creating a series of products that united Emeco's historic manufacturing capabilities with Mr. Starck's classic designs for a new century. In 2000, Mr. Starck's 'Hudson' chair for Emeco won the GOOD DESIGN Award and was inducted into the permanent design collection of the Museum of Modern Art in New York. In 2004, Emeco collaborated with the American architect Frank Gehry on 'Superlight', a chair that utilizes aluminum's ability to be both strong and flexible. Mr. Gehry's chair won another GOOD DESIGN award in 2004 and was included in collections at the Corcoran Gallery in Washington, DC and the Pinakothek der Moderne in Munich. Emeco has made over 1,000,000 Navy chairs since 1944, and now sells its aluminum furniture in 29 countries. Information on company and products can be found on the Internet at http://www.emeco.net/ .

BMW Group DesignworksUSA

DesignworksUSA is a premier international design consultancy headquartered in Newbury Park, California with a branch office in Munich, Germany. Founded in 1972 by designer Charles Pelly, the company was acquired by the BMW Group in 1995, and covers four main areas: Product Development, Transportation Design, Automotive Design and Advanced Communication. With a deep understanding of future context, the DesignworksUSA studios bring the highest level of design creativity, diversity and quality to a broad but select range of premium products including cars, sports equipment, motorcycles, lifestyle products, trains, fashion, airplanes and high-technology devices. The firm translates consumer brand attitudes into strategic design visions and products. Its website is http://www.designworksusa.com/ .

BMW Group In America

BMW of North America, LLC has been present in the United States since 1975. ROLLS-ROYCE Motor Cars NA, LLC began distributing vehicles in 2003. The BMW Group in the United States has grown to include marketing, sales, and financial service organizations for the BMW brand, the MINI brand, and the ROLLS-ROYCE brand of Motor Cars; DesignworksUSA, an industrial design firm in California; a technology office in Silicon Valley and various other operations throughout the country. BMW Manufacturing Co., LLC in South Carolina is part of BMW Group's global manufacturing network and is the exclusive manufacturing plant for all Z4 Roadster and X5 Sports Activity Vehicles. The BMW Group sales organization is represented in the U.S. through networks of 340 BMW passenger car centers, 327 BMW Sports Activity Vehicle centers, 148 BMW motorcycle retailers, 80 MINI passenger car dealers, and 25 ROLLS-ROYCE Motor Car dealers. BMW (US) Holding Corp., the BMW Group's sales headquarters for North, Central and South America, is located in Woodcliff Lake, New Jersey.

Information about BMW Group products is available to consumers via the Internet at:

   http://www.bmwusa.com/
   http://www.bmwmotorradusa.com/
   http://www.miniusa.com/
   http://www.rolls-roycemotorcars.com/

NOTE TO EDITORS: Information about the BMW Group and its products is available to journalists on-line at the BMW Group PressClub at the following address: www.press.bmwgroup.com.