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Last week, BMW Group Malaysia officially handed over the keys to a fleet of new BMW 7 Series and BMW 5 Series cars to Sunlight Limousines, Malaysia’s largest luxury limousine conglomerate to be utilised as the official corporate limousines across some of the country’s premium addresses.

Present at the private handover ceremony, Dr. Gerhard Pils, Managing Director of BMW Group Malaysia said, “We are certainly pleased to present our fleet of BMW cars which will be utilised as the official limousines at some of Malaysia’ finest five star establishments. With the addition of our flagship model, the new BMW 7 Series as well as our award-winning premium executive sedan, the new BMW 5 Series to some of the country’s premium credentials, BMW Group Malaysia aims to continue to expand and explore new opportunities and partnerships in the luxury and premium limousine and fleet businesses in the country.”

Dr. Pils added that Sunlight Limousine’s decision to select BMW vehicles as part of its limousine service is a testament to BMW’s superior product quality particularly in terms of luxurious comfort, fuel efficiency and service reliability, all of which are key requirements in the luxury and premium limousine fleet business.

Echoing Dr. Gerhard Pils’ sentiments, Mr. C.F Leong, Managing Director, Sunlight Limousine Sdn. Bhd. said, “We are particularly proud to have been given the opportunity to work with a prestigious brand such as BMW which is a highly recognisable brand. As we strive to offer an enjoyable travelling experience to our exclusive customers, we believe the new fleet of BMW 7 Series and BMW 5 Series will deliver nothing less than absolute premium comfort.”

Leong added that a special offer of the premier limousine service will also be extended to BMW White Card members with a special discounted rate of up to 20% across all types of hires and transfers varying between RM250 to RM450 for airport transfers and RM240 to RM4,500 for local and outstation hire with the option of hourly or daily hire rates.

In taking delivery of the fleet of BMW cars, the executive drivers at Sunlight Limousine also underwent the specialised BMW Chauffeur Training Program. The only program of its kind in the country, the BMW Chauffeur Training Program instructs professional drivers to fully understand and experience their cars as well as help them utilise the innovative features and technologies in their new cars. Also covered in the training is trouble shooting techniques during emergencies and the best care techniques for the cars.

Before the announcement of Budget 2013 in Malaysia, we received some comments (a.k.a wishlists) from many industry players. In this article from Dr. Gerhard Pils, Managing Director of BMW Group Malaysia, the German automaker would like to see a continued emphasis on the positive steps towards encouraging the uptake of advanced environmentally friendly technology in the automotive industry which continues to provide significant economic opportunities for both local as well as international automotive companies present in Malaysia.

Do you think we have a good chance of getting a cheaper BMW 320d or 520d?

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Today, BMW Group Malaysia introduced the all new BMW 320i, the latest iteration of the best-selling premium sports sedan in the world. Previously, the BMW F30 3-series is only available with 328i, 335i and 320d. Hence, the 320i is a new count to the latest generation of the 3-series.

Introducing the new sedans, Dr. Gerhard Pils, Managing Director of BMW Group Malaysia said, “The new BMW 320i underlines two key tenets that we at BMW Group Malaysia are offering to our valuable customers in the premium segment here – elegant luxury and sporty personality. The cars also further reinforce BMW’s position as the leader in the premium segment, highlighting exactly why the BMW 3 Series continues to be the most successful premium and sporty vehicle in the world.”

Dr. Pils added that since the introduction of the sixth generation of the BMW 3 Series in the country earlier this year, BMW has already delivered more than one thousand units of the model, making the BMW 3 Series one of the principal contributors to the premium carmaker’s current and continued success in Malaysia.

In engine offering, both the new BMW 320i Luxury and Sport Line now feature the newly accomplished BMW TwinPower Turbo 2.0-litre inline 4 petrol engine. Combined with twin-scroll turbocharger, Valvetronic, Double VANOS, High Precision Injection and equipped with the 8-speed automatic Steptronic transmission, the engine is capable of churning out an impressive 135kW / 184hp resulting in the all new BMW 320i achieving a 0-100km/h sprint of only 7.6 seconds.

Like its other contemporary BMW models, the new BMW 320i also features the latest BMW EfficientDynamics innovations such as Brake Energy Regeneration, the Auto Start/Stop function as well as the ECO PRO mode as part of its driving experience control options. These innovative offerings for efficiency results in the new sports sedan registering an impressive average fuel consumption reading of only 6 litres per 100km with CO2 emissions amounting to a mere 141 g/km, making the new BMW 3 Series the most efficient car in its class.

The new variants of the BMW 320i are also fitted with a host of features and equipment to exude the complete premium innovation experience that the BMW brand has to offer, be it behind the wheel or in the passenger seat. Both the new BMW 320i Luxury and Sport Line feature BMW Live and BMW TeleServices as a standard feature which are accessed through a 6.5” free-standing LCD panel and central BMW iDrive controller.

Additionally, BMW ConnectedDrive, the other innovation offering for in-car vehicle connectivity, provides owners with complete USB and Bluetooth connectivity to expand functionality for mobile phones and portable music players, on-board mobile office applications and on-board internet, making the experience with the new 320i, true Sheer Driving Pleasure.

In looks, the BMW Lines of Luxury and Sport sets the new BMW 3 Series apart – no BMW 320i is now identical. The distinctive design schemes of the cars are aimed to give the vehicle more personality with unmistakeable characteristics.

Already garnering several awards worldwide including the highly revered 2012 Red Dot Award for its design, the new BMW 3 Series Sedan fully embodies the core BMW values of sportiness, elegance and dynamics. Its exterior design displays sharp lines which demarcate the taut surfaces within typical BMW proportions. As a systematic evolution of the front design from earlier models, its headlights and kidney grille form a continuous visual unit. The main theme of the interior design, meanwhile, is “layering” – the interplay and offsetting of various layers to allow optimal access to all important functions.

The Luxury Line adds a classic taste to the sixth generation BMW 3 Series. The discreet high-gloss chrome elements of the kidney grille, air inlets and side window frames create a particularly elegant exterior for drivers favouring a rich look and feel whilst 17” style 414 multi-spoke light-alloy wheels complete the distinguished posh exterior personality of the vehicle. Meanwhile, classic colours with further chrome accents and fine wood-trim ‘Fineline’ anthracite and highlight trim finishers in Pearl Gloss further highlight comfort and lushness within the interior of the car.

On the other spectrum, the BMW 320i Sport Line’s distinctive exterior elements are the high-gloss black kidney grille, air inlets and tailpipe trim which underscore a more dynamic and athletic appeal. The car’s sporty character is further enhanced with the presence of 17” style 393 double-spoke light-alloy wheels. Interior wise, the characteristics of the Sport Line is further emphasized with the presence of sport seats and a sporty leather steering wheel with red contrast stitching. Further to this, subtle yet distinctive interior trim accents, seat details and a sporty instrument cluster design with trim finishers in Coral Red Matt further complements the cars sporty character.

The individual elements of the BMW Lines are perfectly matched to create a distinctive character that is simply unmistakeable. The availability of such design options creates a clear differentiation between the model series, enabling drivers to tailor their BMW 3 Series to their design preferences and personal lifestyle. Both BMW Lines are also designed with top quality materials and finishings rendered with precise detail to underline the BMW 3 Series ambience of premium and sporty luxury.

The new BMW 320i is also covered by BMW’s extensive service program, the BMW Service + Repair Inclusive (BS+RI) which covers the normal wear-and-tear repairs or replacements as well as maintenance, service and repair of factory components of the vehicle. The service program offers peace-of-mind BMW ownership and provides cover from 3 years from its original registration date or 60,000km whichever comes first.

The retail price (on the road, without insurance, with BMW Service + Repair Inclusive (BS+RI)) for the new BMW 320i Luxury Line or BMW 320i Sport Line is RM238,800.00 in Peninsular Malaysia. At the same time, you can also check out our previous article about All-new Sixth Generation BMW 3 Series Launched in Malaysia.

Photo Gallery: BMW 320i Sport & Luxury Line Malaysia

Today, BMW Group Malaysia introduced the all-new and updated version of the BMW X6. The BMW X6 was first introduced to the world in 2008 and delivered over 155,000 units worldwide, the BMW X6 blends the best of two worlds by exemplifying superior driving dynamics and performance in the sleek design lines of a BMW Coupe.

Presenting the new BMW X6 to the market in the form of the BMW X6 xDrive35i, Dr. Gerhard Pils, President of BMW Group Malaysia said “With a total of 263 BMW X6’s already delivered in Malaysia since its introduction in August 2008, the new BMW X6 xDrive35i continues to build on the success of one of the most historic achievements in recent automotive history.”

Dr. Pils further added that he was confident that the all-new innovative interpretation of the BMW X6’s feature and design qualities will continue to strike a chord with BMW customers and that the car would continue to be a firm contributor to the company’s business success.

The new BMW X6 further accentuates its Coupe heritage with the new contemporary BMW kidney grills together with a three-dimensional chrome frame and angled lower slats. The integration of BMW’s New Adaptive Full-LED Twin Headlights with three-dimensional light rings together with a distinctive cut-off top and bottom edges and superimposed LED-powered accent lights to the sides further enhances the aesthetic menace and powerful aggression of which the BMW X6 embodies.

Meanwhile, fog lights with surrounds done in matt finish are also included as a standard feature and are spaced apart on the front apron along the upper section of the cars outer air inlets to further accentuate the new BMW X6’s broad structure. From the rear, the new L-shaped taillights with two LED-powered light clusters provide a characteristically BMW night appearance. This new feature marks the first use of LED technology in the segment and further enhances the BMW X6’s predatory appeal.

For the interior, the new BMW X6 continues to deliver a unique combination of exclusive luxury, sporting dynamics and powerful design down to the very last detail. The car’s sophisticated five-seat interior further delivers high-quality surfaces which exudes premium quality and comfort with all-new Nevada leather upholstery featured as standard as well as an optional Vermillion Red finish for customers who would like to continue to evoke a sense of raw power and sophistication for both the driver and passengers alike. The progressive contemporary character of the BMW X6 is further enhanced by a host of products from the comprehensive BMW ConnectedDrive range of driver assistance systems and mobility services including the BMW Head-Up Display, rear-view camera with Top View, Navigation System Professional as well as extended Bluetooth functions featuring Bluetooth office, Bluetooth Audio Streaming and on-board internet.

The new BMW X6 also comes with the BMW Group’s revolutionary and award winning 8-speed sports automatic transmission which includes steering wheel shift paddles. Working in conjunction with the car’s definitive Dynamic Performance Control, the BMW X6 benefits from even greater precision to its electronically controlled power distribution thereby further optimizing driving stability, traction as well as dynamic performance of the car’s 3.0-litre six-cylinder in-line engine, capable of generating 225kW/306hp with torque of 400 Nm.

“The BMW X6 demonstrates the BMW Group’s ability to deliver fresh and emotional designs and evokes a passion for performance, style and comfort in a suburban vehicle unlike any other. It is the latest in the BMW range of segment setting vehicles which we are proud to introduce to the Malaysian market.” said Dr. Pils.

The all-new BMW X6 xDrive35i will be in BMW dealerships nationwide from Saturday, 14th July 2012. The retail price (on the road, without insurance) for the all-new BMW X6 xDrive35i is RM698,800.

Photo Gallery: 2012 BMW X6 Facelift

Toyota Motor Corporation and BMW AG signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) aimed at a long-term strategic collaboration in four fields: joint development of a fuel cell system, joint development of architecture and components for a future sports vehicle, collaboration on powertrain electrification and joint research and development on lightweight technologies.

Also, with Norbert Reithofer, Chairman of the Board of Management of BMW AG and Akio Toyoda, President of Toyota Motor Corporation signed a Joint Statement to reconfirm their companies’ shared intention to strengthen the long-term, strategic collaboration between them at BMW Group headquarters in Munich.

Reithofer said: “We aim to further strengthen our competitive position in sustainable future technologies. We signed an MoU to this effect today. Toyota and the BMW Group share the same strategic vision of sustainable individual future mobility.

“Together we have a great opportunity to continue leading our industry through this transformation.”

Toyoda added: “BMW and Toyota both want to make ever-better cars. We respect each other. That is why we already can take the next step together.”

He went on to say: “Toyota is strong in environment-friendly hybrids and fuel cells … I believe BMW’s strength is developing sports cars. I get so excited thinking about the cars that will result from this relationship.”

In March 2012, the BMW Group and Toyota Motor Corp signed a binding agreement on collaborative research in the field of next-generation lithium-ion battery cells.

In addition, the BMW Group and Toyota Motor Europe entered into a contract in December last year, under which the BMW Group will supply highly efficient 1.6 litre and 2.0 litre diesel engines to Toyota Motor Europe starting in 2014.