news

the annual chengdu auto show adds a bit of excitement to the auto market at the end of august. this year's exhibition hit a new high in scale and many new products were unveiled.

on the opening day of the 2024 chengdu auto show, a total of 13 new cars from the bmw group's bmw and mini brands made their debut, setting a record for the number of new cars bmw has participated in the chengdu auto show over the years.

as one of the four major a-level auto shows in china, the chengdu auto show has always been a weathervane and barometer for the development of the auto industry in the central and western regions. one of the important reasons why it is valued by enterprises and industries is that the development potential and vitality of the western auto market have been fully verified. as the center of the southwest market, chengdu is not only the city with the highest number of cars in the country, but also the main force leading auto consumption.

according to statistics, by the end of june 2024, the number of motor vehicles in china will reach 440 million, and chengdu's car ownership will grow steadily, continuing to rank first in the country. according to relevant data, there are more than 30 automobile manufacturers in chengdu, covering passenger cars, buses and trucks, with more than 350 models in production, and the scale of the automobile industry has exceeded 210 billion yuan.

"we mainly told two stories at the chengdu auto show - bmw m and bmw x. bmw m has a 52-year history, and the bmw x family has a 25-year history." in the eyes of gao xiang, president and ceo of bmw group greater china, chengdu is one of the most important and key cities for bmw. for this reason, bmw brought the new bmw x3 long-wheelbase version, which was originally planned to debut at the guangzhou auto show, to the chengdu auto show booth.

"considering the strategic importance of chengdu and the western region market, suv models are also very popular among western region customers. we specially brought the new x3 long wheelbase version to the chengdu auto show for its global debut. this car is tailor-made for the chinese market and we are full of confidence in it," said gao xiang.

gao xiang, president and ceo of bmw group greater china

"m" and "x" take the lead and shine at chengdu auto show

in terms of the bmw chengdu auto show lineup, the new bmw x3 long wheelbase version and the new bmw m5 are undoubtedly the biggest highlights. the former made its global debut at the chengdu auto show, while the latter made its china debut.

as one of the most representative models of the bmw x family, the bmw x3 has pioneered the luxury mid-size suv (sav) market segment since 2003, leading the market with its unique driving pleasure and luxury quality, and has gained more than 3.5 million users worldwide, with china being the largest single market for the bmw x3. today, the all-new bmw x3 long-wheelbase version has entered its fourth generation, offering full sincerity to chinese users with its cutting-edge design aesthetics, outstanding practical functions and bmw's iconic driving passion.

specifically, the new bmw x3 long-wheelbase version has a longer wheelbase for the first time, increasing by 110 mm to 2975 mm based on the standard wheelbase version, which is consistent with the bmw x5 standard wheelbase version; the body length and width are leading in the same class, at 4865 mm and 1920 mm respectively, demonstrating an unprecedented sense of volume and grandeur.

in terms of design, the new bmw x3 long wheelbase version presents the main theme of bmw design language in the new era through the concepts of "humanity-oriented", "exquisite simplicity" and "inspirational technology". at the same time, the new car also has a series of china-exclusive high-end customization, such as china-exclusive rear seats with larger inclination angles and thicker cushions, the unique panoramic star track skylight in the same class, and the wireless charging plate on the rear center armrest, etc. china-exclusive luxury configurations, achieving a double improvement in luxury and value.

according to the plan, the new bmw x3 long-wheelbase version 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.

the debut of the all-new bmw m5 has also attracted much attention and anticipation. the bmw m5 has always been a beacon of bmw m's innovative technology. in the nearly 40 years of legendary evolution, each generation has been equipped with the strongest and most advanced power system of bmw m at the time. now, the all-new bmw m5, which has evolved to the seventh generation, is equipped for the first time with high-performance hybrid technology derived from the bmw m hybrid v8 racing car of the le mans 24 hours endurance race, becoming the first high-performance hybrid sedan of bmw m.

it is reported that the hybrid drive system consists of a 4.4-liter m-exclusive high-performance v8 twin-turbocharged engine and a high-performance motor, which further improves the efficiency of the internal combustion engine and provides more torque output at low speeds. the maximum power reaches 535 kw (727 horsepower), the peak torque is 1,000 nm, and the acceleration from 0 to 100 km/h takes only 3.5 seconds, satisfying the pursuit of ultimate driving pleasure. at the same time, it also provides customers with electric (electric), econtrol, hybrid (hybrid), dynamic and dynamic plus modes, allowing this "road racing car" to be oil-powered, electric and hybrid.

it is worth mentioning that 2024 is a big year for m products. in addition to the new bmw m5, the new bmw m2 coupe and the new bmw m3, the first domestically produced bmw m performance car, the new bmw x1 m35li, and the upgraded bmw m240i coupe were also unveiled and launched at the auto show. by the end of this year, the number of m high-performance cars and performance models provided by bmw in china will reach 23, covering almost all bmw market segments. in addition, the bmw m carnival, a common festival for bmw fans, will also return in november this year, presenting a "fast and furious" performance carnival.

in addition, at this chengdu auto show, bmw's innovative products in various luxury market segments, including the bmw x5 black flame special edition, the new bmw 3 series family, the new bmw 4 series four-door coupe, the new bmw 530i and the new mini family, were all unveiled, attracting the attention of the entire audience.

the new bmw m5

“bmw pursues long-termism”

it can be seen that whether it is a product that "continues to innovate and maintain driving pleasure" or an immersive brand event that conveys automotive culture and creates a unique experience, all of them convey bmw's strategic determination in the face of a complex market: adhere to the brand essence of pure driving pleasure, embrace change with innovation, and move towards new success.

since the beginning of this year, competition in the automobile market has been everywhere, from price, configuration, service, to technology, strategy, and competition has penetrated almost every pore of the automobile industry. however, bmw, which "looks at the pine trees in the dusk and remains calm when the clouds fly by", has always adhered to its strategic determination. strategy means whether you stand high enough and see far enough; determination means whether you can stick to your original intention and adhere to long-termism.

"as a company, we need to constantly balance market share, profit levels, dealer profitability and consumer demand. the current price war is unhealthy and unsustainable for automakers, consumers and dealers. we hope to maintain our own pace as much as possible and achieve a good balance between sales rhythm and sales quality." gao xiang frankly said that he hopes the market can have more long-termism and less competition for short-term interests, and jointly contribute to the long-term, sustainable and healthy development of the chinese auto market.

in his opinion, competition in the automotive industry is like a marathon. only by putting responsibility first can we move forward steadily, and only by long-termism can we achieve long-term success. "bmw puts long-term customer interests at the top of its priority list. we not only deliver satisfactory products to customers today, but also prepare for the future with clear product planning. we are confident in our development direction," said gao xiang.

in fact, from the data point of view, bmw's strategy has begun to show results. official data shows that in the first half of this year, the bmw group delivered a total of about 375,900 bmw and mini brand vehicles in the chinese market. in the first seven months of this year, the sales volume of bmw's pure electric models in the chinese market increased by more than 20% year-on-year.

the upcoming new generation of models is expected to become a strong growth point for bmw in the future. according to the plan, bmw's new generation of models will start trial production this fall, and the chinese r&d team is expected to start road testing of the new generation of models in 2025. the sixth-generation power battery system equipped with the new generation of models will start trial production before the end of this year, and the first "new generation" model will be officially put into production in shenyang in 2026.

bmw is making intensive but orderly preparations to welcome the new generation of models. in april this year, bmw announced that it would invest another 20 billion yuan in the shenyang production base for large-scale upgrades and technological innovations at the dadong plant, further laying the foundation for localized vehicle production of new generation models; and the bmw sixth-generation power battery project, an important supporting project for the new generation of models, was fully started last year. the total investment in the project is 10 billion yuan, which is five times the existing power battery production area.

"the more challenging the market environment is, the more we need to invest firmly in the future. although there are many challenges in the current market, we are not particularly anxious about this because we believe that in the long run, the market and the industry will move towards sustainable and healthy development." looking to the future, gao xiang remains optimistic about the chinese market and emphasized that bmw will firmly invest in the long-term development of the chinese market.

he said that in the past 30 years, bmw has developed rapidly in the chinese market and has grown together with the chinese economy and society. bmw is a beneficiary of china's rapid economic development. "we believe that the current challenges are temporary, and we are confident in the long-term development of the chinese market. bmw has a strong strategic determination. when the industry wave hits, we have our own persistence and confidence, independent thinking, and independent judgment." gao xiang said. text/wang niannian

daily economic news