BMW Launches Unique Delivery Experience at New Performance Center
5 October 1999
BMW Launches Unique Delivery Experience at New Performance Center
Performance Center Delivery Includes Factory and
Museum Tours and Personalized Driving Instruction
WOODCLIFF LAKE, N.J., Oct. 5 -- BMW of North America, Inc.,
is launching a uniquely individualized new vehicle delivery option at the new
BMW Performance Center in Spartanburg County, SC.
The BMW Performance Center Delivery Program provides customers with a
complete automotive experience -- a tour of the $1.3 billion state-of-the-art
BMW Manufacturing facility, a visit to the Zentrum museum, a thorough
introduction to features of their new vehicle, and specialized driving
instruction by professional BMW drivers on the Performance Center's driving
skills course.
BMW Performance Center Delivery can be arranged though BMW's national
network of authorized automotive and Sports Activity Vehicle centers and is
available on all BMWs sold in the US, both those produced in Germany and in
South Carolina. Customer orders for German-built models need to be placed at
least 11 weeks in advance of delivery, while South Carolina-built vehicles,
the Z3 roadster, the M roadster, the Z3 coupe and the M coupe, require at
least 8 weeks. The new BMW X5 Sports Activity Vehicle, also built in
Spartanburg, will become part of the program when it goes on sale later this
year at authorized BMW SAV centers. Destination and handling charges are
applicable on all Performance Center Deliveries. The manufacturer's suggested
retail price includes the Performance Center Delivery.
Performance Center Delivery Experience
The Performance Center Delivery experience begins for customers flying
into the area with transportation from the Greenville-Spartanburg Airport to a
local hotel where lodging and a welcome dinner for two is provided. On the
day of delivery, BMW delivery specialists provide a complete briefing on the
customer's new vehicle, a tour of the nearby manufacturing facility, time to
explore the BMW Zentrum, a museum dedicated to more than an 75 years of BMW's
history, and customized instruction on the Performance Center Driving School
course.
Extending the Experience and Touring the South
Customers are encouraged to use their Performance Center Delivery as a
launching point for a Carolina driving tour. With its unique combination of
history, scenery, exhilarating roads and recreational opportunities, upstate
South Carolina offers a variety of vacation options. The Performance Center
staff will assist customers with destination planning, including four tour
packages. They are:
-- Ride and Drive: world class golf
-- Extreme Sports: action sports such as kayaking, rock climbing and white
water rafting
-- Historic Travel Time: exploring the 330-year-old city of Charleston and
have access to miles of coastline with spectacular ocean beaches
-- Nooks and Crannies: antique hunting and bed-and-breakfast inns in the
mountains of North and South Carolina
BMW Driving School Enhances Experience
The BMW Performance Center Driving School is an integral part of the
delivery experience. BMW owners are given a customized driving experience in
a model similar to the one they purchased. The Driving School utilizes
1.7 miles of paved roads that can be configured into 35 variations to simulate
every day driving conditions. There is also 300-foot diameter smooth concrete
skid pad that can be made as slick as black ice to allow students to test the
limits of adhesion and BMW's handling systems, including ABS brakes, All
Season Traction and Dynamic Stability control.
The drivers skills course boasts a unique water wall accident avoidance
system where water erupts from under the road surface to create liquid
obstacles. Students are challenged to use their mental and physical reflexes
and the dynamics of the vehicle to maneuver around the water wall.
In addition, there is a 1.4 mile "Other Roads" course for the BMW X5
sports activity vehicle which will be introduced alter this year.
The BMW Performance Center Driving School offers six distinct one- and
two-day programs and is open to licensed drivers 18 years and older.
Additional information about the school, including class schedules and costs,
is available toll-free at 888-345-4BMW (4269)
"The BMW Performance Center is the only facility of its type. It's an
ideal place to learn about BMW's rich heritage and experience what BMW
ownership is all about," explained Tom Purves, chairman and CEO of BMW (US)
Holding Corp. "By selecting delivery of a new BMW in South Carolina,
customers will receive a comprehensive introduction to the BMW experience
along with their new vehicle."
The BMW Performance Center is also the home of professional development
programs for BMW corporate and retail organization employees. The facility
also serves as a conference center for other corporations and groups.
BMW In America
BMW entered the US market in 1975. Since then, the company has grown to
include marketing, sales and financial service organizations in the United
States; a South Carolina manufacturing operation; a design firm in California;
a technology office in Palo Alto and various other operations throughout the
country. BMW is represented in the US through a network of more than
337 automobile and 160 motorcycle retailers. BMW (US) Holding Corp., the
Group's headquarters for North, Central and South America, is located in
Woodcliff Lake, New Jersey.
Information about BMW products is available to consumers via the World
Wide Web on the BMW homepage. The address is: http://www.bmwusa.com.