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Munich. In future, drivers will be able to choose whether they wish to be driven or do the driving themselves. With the BMW Vision M NEXT, the BMW Group is revealing its take on how driving pleasure might look in future for those who enjoy taking the wheel themselves. It offers a foretaste of the BMW M brand’s electrified future by placing the focus squarely on the actively engaged driver. Intelligent technologies on board provide comprehensive yet carefully targeted assistance to turn them into the ultimate driver.
Hosting the exclusive world premiere of the BMW Vision M NEXT is the new #NEXTGen infotainment platform at BMW Welt. This standalone event concentrating on personal mobility solutions “made by the BMW Group” adds another regular fixture to the calendar of car shows / technology & future-focused trade events around the world which the company already attends. The Group’s latest technological advances in the fields of design, autonomous driving, connectivity, electrification and services will be showcased here, alongside spectacular world premieres such as that of the BMW Vision M NEXT.

“The BMW Vision M NEXT provides a glimpse into the future of sporty driving,” says Adrian van Hooydonk, Senior Vice President BMW Group Design. “Where the BMW Vision iNEXT illustrated how autonomous driving is set to transform life on board our vehicles, the BMW Vision M NEXT demonstrates how state-of-the-art technology can also make the experience of driving yourself purer and more emotionally engaging. In both models, the focus is firmly on the people inside. Design and technology make the ‘EASE’ and ‘BOOST’ experiences more natural and more intense.”

The EASE and BOOST experience concepts.
The BMW Vision iNEXT and BMW Vision M NEXT Vision Vehicles represent prototype versions of BMW’s future experience concepts “EASE” and “BOOST”. EASE encompasses all the experiences during a journey when the vehicle assumes the task of driving. Here, the vehicle is transformed into a living space on four wheels, where the passengers can feel safe and secure. From rest and relaxation, via talking, interacting and enjoying in-car entertainment, all the way to maximum concentration – the experiences on offer with the EASE concept are as varied as the occupants’ needs. BOOST, meanwhile, stands for the ultimate active driving experience. The EASE and BOOST concepts are underpinned in equal measure by the building blocks for the BMW Group’s future, comprising the innovation areas of Autonomous driving, Connectivity, Electrification and Services (ACES). The Design lends these areas visual expression and makes the underlying technology something you can engage with (D+ACES).

Exterior exudes BMW sports-car DNA.
“The BMW Vision M NEXT is a progressive hybrid sports car that makes a very clear and confident statement, in terms of both appearance and interaction,” says Domagoj Dukec, Vice President BMW Design. The emotion-stirring exterior design clearly announces the BMW Vision Vehicle’s performance potential, borrowing styling cues from both classic and contemporary BMW sports cars in the process. The BMW Vision M NEXT draws its inspiration from the iconic BMW Turbo and groundbreaking BMW i8 plug-in hybrid and adopts a future-focused interpretation of design elements such as the low-slung, wedge-shaped silhouette, gullwing doors and striking colour scheme. The unmistakable sports-car proportions are composed of surfaces characterised by clarity and pared-down styling. The front and rear ends are finished in the matt-neon shade Thrilling Orange, producing a vivid contrast against the exterior’s otherwise silk-matt Cast Silver metallic paintwork. This use of colour blocking gives the Vision Vehicle an added air of modernity and emphasises its inherent dynamism.
The actual driving experience in the BMW Vision M NEXT is every bit as captivating as its exterior looks. The Power PHEV drive system in offers the choice between electric all-wheel drive and pure rear-wheel drive, with either all-electric propulsion or the power of a turbocharged four-cylinder petrol engine. System output of 441 kW (600 hp) produces a top speed of 300 km/h (186 mph) and enables the BMW Vision M NEXT to sprint from 0 to 100 km/h (62 mph) in just three seconds. There is also a BOOST+ mode that puts extra power on tap at the push of a button. The maximum range when driving in all-electric mode is 100 km (62 miles) – more than enough to complete the majority of journeys purely on electric power. This means the BMW Vision M NEXT is a sports car that would also be suitable for use in city centres where zero-emissions zones may come into force in the future.

Incorporating a modern take on classic design icons: the front end.
The expressive front-end design serves up a confident and modern interpretation of classic BMW icons. The signature BMW kidney grille is flanked on either side by triangular elements in Thrilling Orange, which serve to accentuate the air intakes at the sides and the integral headlights. These elements combine with the blade-shaped air intake below the kidney grille to create a cutting-edge racing aesthetic.
The soft outer curves of the kidney grille openings are reminiscent of a turbine’s air intake and give the front end added dynamic impact, while the colour gradient used for the inside of the two kidney elements creates a sense of depth. The grille openings are each blanked off by a transparent layer with a laser-etched, illuminated pattern that seems to be floating inside – a highly sophisticated touch that gives added emphasis to this section of the car.
The BMW Vision M NEXT headlights are positioned on the outer edges of the front end, higher up than the kidney grille. Arranged one above the other rather than side by side, their constituent elements represent a highly distinctive interpretation of BMW’s classic four-eyed front end. The headlights hand a debut to Laser Wire lighting technology, whereby glass fibres coated with phosphorous are used to produce headlight elements with a new, super-slim and extremely precise form. All of which further underscores the Vision Vehicle’s future-focused character.

Trailblazing dynamism: the flanks.
The low-slung, wedge-shaped sports-car silhouette of the BMW Vision M NEXT, the reward climb of its flank lines and the diagonal splash of contrasting orange colour endow it with dramatic forward-surging intent, even when standing still. The black side skirts made from recycled carbon fibre make the car look even lower on the road. The sports-car silhouette frames a small number of crisp lines running along the clearly sculpted surfaces. The lines of the powerfully contoured shoulders are also used to create the effect of the iconic Hofmeister kink, instead of incorporating it into the window graphic in the usual BMW fashion. The design is broken up by a gill-like aperture that narrows as it sweeps back from the window surface towards the tail, giving the car a more elongated appearance. A second look reveals another highlight in the form of the Air Flow. This opening located just in front of the rear wheels is designed to carefully channel the onrushing air towards the rear end in a way that further improves aerodynamics.
Precisely engineered gaps in the wheels’ intricate, three-dimensional multi-spoke design result in low weight, maximum rigidity and reduced drag and so optimise the transfer of power to the road. The spokes’ open, three-dimensional architecture maximises cooling of the large brake discs at the front, while inserts optimise aero efficiency at the rear. The rear wheels on the BMW Vision M NEXT measure 22 inches in diameter, making them one inch larger than the front wheels (21 inches) and further emphasising the car’s wedge-shaped appearance.

Low-slung, broad and extremely dynamic: the rear end.
The broad, low-slung rear end makes a stylistic statement with its distinctly sporty tone. Its colour scheme divides the car’s sculptural tail into two sections. The top section in Thrilling Orange creates a visual link between the coloured areas of the flanks, further adding to the impression of width. The area below it is made from recycled carbon fibre and incorporates an aerodynamically optimised diffuser. The design of the rear window takes its cue from the BMW M1. The three-piece louvres are made from glass and emphasise the horizontal focus of the rear-end styling.
The rear lights feature the same Laser Wire technology used for the headlights. Their glass lenses frame the rear end in a sweeping flourish on either side, bringing its width and sporting presence to the fore. Inside each light unit, a single wafer-thin glass fibre produces an abstract ECG trace of a heartbeat fashioned with pin-sharp precision. The two-dimensional reinterpretation of the distinctive pair of BMW roundels from the BMW Turbo and BMW M1 – a gift to BMW aficionados – gives them the impression of floating in the rear lights’ transparent lenses.

Focusing on the driver: the interior.
Facial recognition technology allows the car to unlock automatically as the driver approaches. Pressing the touch sensor on the gullwing doors prompts them to swing open, revealing a cabin that merges the driver and vehicle into one. The classy, minimalist interior revolves entirely around the actively engaged driver, both stylistically and technologically. The interior appears as if cut from a single mould, with functional elements such as the air vents integrated almost out of sight. Its geometry is deliberately restrained in nature so the driver can devote their attention entirely to the driving experience. The seat shells form part of a seat sculpture with a flowing design. They are upholstered in a foam material with shape memory properties that moulds itself to, cushions and supports the body to optimum effect. The head restraints seem to hover above both seat shells, increasing the sense of lightness. The extremely comfortable seating position immerses the driver in the driving experience.

Eyes on the road, hands on the wheel: the BOOST Pod.
“The entire interior is focused on the BOOST Pod. The geometry has a deliberately low-key feel so that the driver can concentrate fully on the driving experience,” explains Domagoj Dukec. Taking pride of place in the interior, the BOOST Pod forms the interface between driver and vehicle. It brings together all the control options and information across three distinct visual tiers in the driver’s direct field of view. The first plane is formed by the horizontally arranged steering wheel featuring two small displays. Following this in the driver’s line of sight is a Curved Glass Display, a new addition whose transparent surface stretches around the steering wheel like a visor. The full-surface Augmented Reality Head-Up Display in the windscreen constitutes the third plane. Everything therefore happens directly in the driver’s line of sight. The driving settings can be modified on the steering wheel, while information such as revs, road speed, energy management, the driver’s heart rate and availability of BOOST+ mode is spread among a total of five clusters in the Curved Glass Display behind. BOOST+ mode can be engaged at the touch of a button to release extra power. The car alerts the driver when the ideal moment arrives to activate BOOST+.

Taking driver focus to the next level: focus logic.
“In the BMW Vision M NEXT, intelligent technologies help the driver and deliver the right content at the right time. Operation is clear and intuitive, with all information presented in the driver’s direct field of view. This is a deliberate counterpoint to the BMW Vision iNEXT, which focused on multimodal operation from every seat,” continues Dukec.
The BMW Vision M NEXT therefore shows the way ahead for BMW’s fabled driver focus. The cabin’s geometry and technology have both been devised to help focus attention on the task of driving and prevent distractions. To this end, the information displayed is adapted to the current speed – based on the principles of focus logic. As the vehicle speeds up, the information centres increasingly on driving-related data and moves into the driver’s eye-line. It is possible to communicate with the Intelligent Personal Assistant at all times while driving – if drivers wish to book the visionary Valet Parking Service for their destination, for instance. Here, a concierge is on hand when they arrive to take the vehicle, park it and bring it back again at the desired time. All done simply and seamlessly using the MyBMW App.

Innovative materials for a luxurious ambience and optimum performance.
“We have designed a modern and luxurious interior with the help of innovative materials. Whereas its geometry is clear and restrained, individual details are showcased like top-class accessories,” says Dukec. The pioneering mix of materials employed in the BMW Vision M NEXT, including woven synthetic fibres, anodised titanium and painted surfaces, has never been seen before in a vehicle in this form, which is why it brings out the car’s character to such stunning effect. Use of leather has been kept deliberately to a minimum, which is why it only adorns the design details that the driver’s and passenger’s hands touch directly, such as the steering wheel and door pull handles. Instead, the interior is dominated by a Midnight Blue microfibre fabric whose look and feel are akin to leather, but is also highly distinctive. Judicious use of Thrilling Orange contrasts injects additional sporting flair.
A particularly striking touch here is the accent line in the driver’s area that runs forwards from the seat over the BOOST Pod, indicating the ideal line of sight over the road. A light element in the BOOST Pod further strengthens this line.

The metallic surfaces in Titanium Bronze have a warm, shimmering tone, adding to the exclusive ambience in the car’s interior. Neat design touches such as the barely visible pockets in the door and centre console allow everyday essentials to remain securely stowed away even when cornering at high speed. The gyroscopic cupholder is able to compensate for strong lateral and longitudinal dynamic forces. A glance upwards reveals both the visible roof structure made from recycled carbon fibre and the headliner, whose tone-in-tone paint finish with mild sheen effect blends in perfectly with the rest of the interior’s colour scheme.

The past and future of dynamic driving.
With its enthralling blend of design and driving experience, the BMW Vision M NEXT fuses BMW’s sporting heritage with the possibilities of tomorrow’s world, and illustrates how the D+ACES building blocks for the future will be able to enhance how the driver experiences a car’s dynamics.

San Luis Potosi/Munich. High-level representatives of the Mexican government and the BMW Group officially opened the company’s new automotive plant in San Luis Potosi in Mexico today.

Oliver Zipse, member of the Board of Management of BMW AG responsible for Production, stated during the ceremony: “The new plant in San Luis Potosi is an important pillar of the BMW Group’s global production strategy. We aim to achieve a balance in our production and sales in the different world regions. We want to strengthen our footprint in important and growing markets. Plant San Luis Potosi will significantly boost our regional production flexibility in the Americas. From here, we are delivering our locally produced BMW 3 Series Sedan to customers worldwide.”

The company has invested more than one billion US dollars in the new production location. The plant, which already employs 2,500 people, will have a capacity of up to 175,000 units per year once the ramp-up phase is fully completed.

San Luis Potosi will build the BMW brand’s most successful model series: the BMW 3 Series Sedan. In the company’s more than 100-year history, this iconic car has come to represent the heart of the brand, setting the standard for dynamic performance, efficiency and design.

The ceremony in San Luis Potosi was attended by guests including Dr. Alfonso Romo Garza, Head of the Office of the Presidency of the Mexican Republic; Dr Juan Manuel Carreras López, governor of the state of San Luis Potosi; Oliver Zipse, member of the Board of Management of BMW AG responsible for Production; Milagros Caiña-Andree, member of the Board of Management of BMW AG responsible for Human Resources and Labour Relations, and Dr Andreas Wendt, member of the Board of Management of BMW AG responsible for Purchasing and Supplier Network.

Head of Human Resources Milagros Caiña-Andree highlighted the BMW Group’s strong commitment to vocational education: “Our highly-trained employees form a strong foundation for our new BMW Group Plant San Luis Potosi and help us meet high quality standards for our premium products. Our dual vocational training programme is already in its fourth generation.”

At an innovative new training centre on the plant grounds, all new staff and apprentices are trained in the BMW Group’s latest production processes and technologies, based on the dual vocational training model. The centre is not just focused on expanding employees’ and apprentices’ technical skills, but also boosting motivation, enthusiasm and team spirit.

The plant is working with four technical institutes in this area and has already trained 250 apprentices in technical occupations.

Dr Andreas Wendt, member of the Board of Management of BMW AG responsible for Purchasing and Supplier Network: “We have a strong supplier base we can build on in Mexico, having sourced high-quality, technologically sophisticated and innovative products from here for more than ten years. Every BMW Group vehicle today already contains at least one part from one of our 220 Mexican suppliers. Our new plant will benefit from short supply routes and the high level of flexibility this gives our supply chain.”

The BMW Group has operated its own local purchasing office in Mexico since 2008. In 2017, the office relocated from Mexico City to San Luis Potosi, where it now employs 105 people. The BMW Group’s purchasing volume in Mexico reached USD 2.5 billion last year.

Focus on flexibility, digitalisation and sustainability
Hermann Bohrer, director of the Mexican plant: “The plant was designed from the start to allow us to respond quickly and flexibly to future model variants and production volumes. We use innovative Industry 4.0 technologies, including new automation solutions and modern assistance systems. Sustainability was also a major focus from the beginning – and we are setting new standards in this area.”

Latest Industry 4.0 technologies
The BMW Group used digital 3D plans during construction of the plant, both for the building itself and for the installation of equipment. During every phase of construction, architects entered specific information, such as location, dimensions and completion date into digital models. Digital 3D-scanning technology was also used during construction for the first time. Combining these two technologies allowed for real-time analysis of construction progress and cost-efficient modifications, providing the BMW Group with continuous planning reliability.

The new BMW Group plant is a pioneer in the field of intelligent maintenance. Smart Maintenance Assistant Software is being used for the first time, enabling proactive maintenance throughout the plant to be planned ahead of time, thereby increasing equipment availability. Service activities are based on current, intelligently organised system data instead of predefined maintenance intervals. Using smart devices such as tablets and smartphones, staff receive all relevant information regarding equipment status.

Various Industry 4.0 technologies are used, for example, in assembly, where screens have largely replaced paper throughout the assembly process. Two screens per takt provide staff with all the information they need – information which, in the past, was only available on paper. This digital job card is being used for the first time at the BMW Group plant in Mexico.

Robots and employees work directly alongside one another in engine pre-assembly, cooperating in a way which plays to the strengths of each. Robots have the power to turn the heavy convertor, while the employees have the manual dexterity to make the final adjustments to fit them together precisely.

New sustainability benchmarks
From the first full year of production, the facility in San Luis Potosi will be the BMW Group’s most resource-efficient plant.

Careful use of water resources is a primary sustainability objective. The site, with the production network’s lowest water consumption per vehicle produced, will be the BMW Group’s first paint shop to generate no process wastewater at all. The water needed for the painting process is reconditioned and reused.

The use of renewable energy sources ensures that the plant will be supplied with 100% CO2-free electricity in future. A solar energy plant on-site, covering an area of more than 70,000 m2, will produce part of the energy.

Production for the global market
The new plant in Mexico expands the BMW Group production network to a total of 31 locations. In line with the BMW Group’s Strategy NUMBER ONE > NEXT, this ensures the company has a flexible and efficient international production network, with a good balance of value creation between Europe, Asia and the Americas.

The new location in Mexico is another building block in this growth strategy. The country is a member of the NAFTA free-trade area with Canada and the United States. It also has a large number of free-trade agreements, including with the European Union and MERCOSUR, which make it easier to export cars and import supplied parts.

The NAFTA region in particular, with its consistently high sales volumes, is a key market for the BMW Group. Twenty five years ago, the BMW Group opened its plant in Spartanburg, USA, and has since invested nearly nine billion US dollars in the site. The company will invest a further 600 million US dollars there by 2021 to gear it up for future generations of the BMW X models. The number of jobs will increase in parallel to around 11,000. In total, the company supports almost 70,000 direct and indirect jobs in the US.

The BMW Group in Mexico
The BMW Group sales company in Mexico is celebrating its 25th anniversary this year. The local sales company is not only responsible for the Mexican market, but also manages the company’s business strategy for the whole Latin America region, covering a total of 28 countries. Delivering continuous growth, Mexico is the most important market in this region.

In 2018, the BMW Group sold a total of 25,090 vehicles (18,501 BMW, 6,589 MINI) in Mexico – an increase of more than 13% over the previous year.

Munich. Noiseless, emissions-free but very powerful: the MINI Electric will soon enrich the experience of locally emissions-free mobility with the addition of unique driving fun and the individual flair that is so typical of the British premium brand. The recent “testing programme” for the first purely electrically powered MINI was equally unconventional: on a foray to Frankfurt airport, a close-to-series prototype of the new model demonstrated just what electromobility in the style of MINI is capable of setting in motion. The MINI Cooper SE slipped straight into the role of an aircraft tug, setting off to the loading point towing a Boeing 777F freight aircraft with an unladen weight of some 150 tons. The unusual hook-up was filmed in a video clip. Created collaboratively by the BMW Group and Lufthansa Cargo, the 45-second commercial shows the MINI Cooper SE as a “muscle car” pulling the significantly larger and heavier transport aircraft across the airfield. The clip marks the start of a number of social media videos portraying the MINI Cooper SE in an exciting and entertaining manner. The videos, which will be published in the lead up to its market introduction, will link various topics of the BMW Group to be brought together.”

The MINI Cooper SE will go into serial production at the British plant in Oxford as of November 2019. It is based on the MINI 3 door and combines locally emissions-free driving with the brand’s characteristic go-kart feeling, premium quality and expressive design. As such, the MINI Electric offers a new type of sustainable mobility defined by driving fun and individuality, reflecting consistent implementation of the BMW Group’s electrification strategy. After the BMW i3 it is the second purely electrically powered model within the company’s premium automobile portfolio. Having been the epitome of thrilling mobility in the urban environment for 60 years, the MINI brand will in future combine locally emissions-free driving in city traffic with a unique emotional experience. In this way, the MINI Electric will be a driving force for future drive technology. Helping the MINI Cooper SE perform its muscle car role, the performance characteristics of the electric motor combine spontaneous power delivery with a high level of torque available directly from standing. The ongoing expansion of the range of vehicles with electrified drive across its various brands and segments is one of the key areas via which the BMW Group is shaping the mobility of the future based on its corporate strategy NUMBER ONE > NEXT.

With its spectacular show of strength at Frankfurt airport, the MINI Cooper SE prototype hooked up with an aircraft that already had an important role to play in the presentation of innovative BMW Group vehicle and technology concepts several months ago. Last September, the long-haul transport aircraft provided the setting for a rather special vehicle showcase – namely that of the BMW Vision iNEXT World Flight. Over a period of five days, media representatives were given the opportunity to view the BMW Group’s latest vision vehicle at the five venues in Munich, New York, San Francisco and Peking.

In preparation for this, Lufthansa Cargo and BMW Group trade fair construction specialists converted the most efficient freight aircraft of its class into an exclusive, airworthy presentation platform for the BMW Vision iNEXT. This vision vehicle stands as a symbol for the BMW Group’s pool of future technologies and innovations that is used for all the company’s brands. The serial production vehicle model based on the vision model will be produced at the BMW Group plant in Dingolfing from 2021 onwards as the latest BMW Group technology flagship, featuring numerous innovations from the future-oriented areas of D-ACES (Design – Automated Driving, Connectivity, Electrification and Services).

The BMW Group
With its four brands BMW, MINI, Rolls-Royce and BMW Motorrad, the BMW Group is the world’s leading premium manufacturer of automobiles and motorcycles and also provides premium financial and mobility services. The BMW Group production network comprises 30 production and assembly facilities in 14 countries; the company has a global sales network in more than 140 countries.

In 2018, the BMW Group sold over 2,490,000 passenger vehicles and more than 165,000 motorcycles worldwide. The profit before tax in the financial year 2018 was € 9.815 billion on revenues amounting to € 97.480 billion. As of 31 December 2018, the BMW Group had a workforce of 134,682 employees.
The success of the BMW Group has always been based on long-term thinking and responsible action. The company has therefore established ecological and social sustainability throughout the value chain, comprehensive product responsibility and a clear commitment to conserving resources as an integral part of its strategy.

DEARBORN, Mich. – Ford Motor Company is issuing two safety recalls in North America. Details are as follows:

Safety recall for select 2019 Ranger trucks for transmission shift cable bracket fastener
Ford is issuing a safety recall for select 2019 Ranger vehicles. On some affected vehicles, the two fasteners that secure the transmission shift cable bracket to the transmission housing may not have been torqued to specification. Over time, an improperly torqued fastener could allow the transmission shift cable bracket to become loose and the transmission to be in a gear state different from the gearshift position selected by the driver.

This condition could allow the driver to remove the ignition key (if equipped) with no instrument panel warning message or chime indicating that the transmission is not in park. This could allow unintended vehicle movement or roll away if the parking brake is not applied, increasing the risk of a crash or injury.

Ford is not aware of any accidents or injuries related to this condition.

This action affects approximately 2,500 vehicles in the United States and federalized territories and approximately 260 in Canada. Affected vehicles include 2019 Ranger vehicles built at Michigan Assembly Plant, March 5-13, 2019.

Dealers will properly torque the two fasteners and verify the proper operation of the transmission selector assembly according to established workshop manual procedure. Prior to the recall repair, the parking brake should be applied whenever the vehicle is parked. The Ford reference number for this recall is 19S15.

Safety recall for select 2013-16 Fusion vehicles equipped with 2.5-liter engine for shifter cable bushing issue
Ford is issuing a safety recall for select 2013-16 Fusion vehicles with 2.5-liter engines for a shifter cable bushing issue. On affected vehicles, the bushing that attaches the shifter cable may degrade and detach from the transmission. A shifter cable that detaches from the transmission may allow the transmission to be in a gear state different from the gearshift position selected by the driver.

The condition could allow the driver to move the shift lever to park and remove the ignition key while the transmission may not be in park, with no warning message or audible chime. If the parking brake is not applied, a shifter cable that detaches from the transmission could result in unintended vehicle movement, increasing the risk of injury or crash.

Ford is aware of three reports alleging property damage and one report alleging an injury potentially related to this condition.

This action affects approximately 270,000 vehicles in North America, including 259,182 in the United States and federalized territories, 10,282 in Canada and 3,765 in Mexico.

Affected vehicles include 2013-16 Fusion 2.5-liter engine-equipped vehicles not in the original safety recall 18S20 built at Flat Rock Assembly Plant, April 12, 2013 to Feb. 29, 2016 and at Hermosillo Assembly Plant, Feb. 9, 2012 to April 4, 2016.

The root cause and final service repair are in the process of being confirmed. Dealers and vehicle owners will be instructed to always use the parking brake, and they will be notified when the final remedy is available. The Ford reference number for this recall is 19S16.

About Ford Motor Company
Ford Motor Company is a global company based in Dearborn, Michigan. The company designs, manufactures, markets and services a full line of Ford cars, trucks, SUVs, electrified vehicles and Lincoln luxury vehicles, provides financial services through Ford Motor Credit Company and is pursuing leadership positions in electrification, autonomous vehicles and mobility solutions. Ford employs approximately 196,000 people worldwide. For more information regarding Ford, its products and Ford Motor Credit Company, please visit www.corporate.ford.com.

DETROIT — General Motors Co. (NYSE: GM) today reported solid first-quarter earnings. The company’s full-size truck launch is ahead of plan and drove strong pricing for the quarter in North America. Average transaction prices for GM’s all-new full-size crew cab pickup trucks are up $5,800 over the outgoing models.

First-quarter 2019 results:

EPS-diluted of $1.48 and EPS-diluted-adjusted of $1.41.
Income of $2.1 billion, up 93.2% year over year.
Revenue of $34.9 billion.
GM North America EBIT-adjusted of $1.9 billion.
GM Financial EBT of $0.4 billion.
For complete details and to see reconciliations of non-GAAP measures to their most directly comparable GAAP measures, click here to download the full press release, or visit the GM Investor Relations website.

Investor analyst conference call

GM Chairman and CEO Mary Barra and Chief Financial Officer Dhivya Suryadevara will host a conference call for investor analysts at 10 a.m. EDT today to discuss first-quarter results. Introductory remarks will be followed by a question-and-answer session for analysts.

Journalists who wish to listen to the call may dial in using the following numbers:

United States: 1-888-808-8618
International: +1-949-484-0645
Name of Call: GM Earnings Call

General Motors (NYSE:GM) is committed to delivering safer, better and more sustainable ways for people to get around. General Motors, its subsidiaries and its joint venture entities sell vehicles under the Cadillac, Chevrolet, Baojun, Buick, GMC, Holden, Jiefang and Wuling brands. More information on the company and its subsidiaries, including OnStar, a global leader in vehicle safety and security services, Maven, its personal mobility brand, and Cruise, its autonomous vehicle company, can be found at http://www.gm.com.

NEW YORK — General Motors will auction the final production seventh generation Chevrolet Corvette this summer, with the proceeds benefiting the Stephen Siller Tunnel to Towers Foundation.

The announcement, along with confirmation of the Next Generation Corvette’s development, was made this evening by General Motors Chairman and CEO Mary Barra, who was honored at the foundation’s annual Footsteps to the Future Gala in New York.

“GM, GMC and Chevrolet support the Stephen Siller Tunnel to Towers Foundation and its commitment to injured and fallen military members, first responders and their families,” said Barra. “The sale of this iconic Corvette will help the foundation continue its good work, and pave the way for the Next Generation Corvette that we will introduce on July 18.”

The final seventh gen Corvette — a black 2019 Z06 model — will be auctioned at the Barrett-Jackson Northeast sale in Connecticut June 28. Registration information is available at www.barrett-jackson.com.

Every dollar of the winning bid will go to the Stephen Siller Tunnel to Towers Foundation, named for New York City firefighter Stephen Siller, who died during the Sept. 11 attacks.

The foundation builds mortgage-free, accessible smart homes for the most catastrophically injured service members and helps pay off the mortgages for families of first responders killed in the line of duty. More information is available at www.tunnel2towers.org.

“The Stephen Siller Tunnel to Towers Foundation thanks GM, GMC and Chevrolet for supporting the brave men and women of our armed forces and our first responders,” said Frank Siller, chairman and CEO. “This generous gift will help us provide more injured veterans with the independence they deserve.”

For the past five years, GMC has supported the Stephen Siller Tunnel to Towers Foundation as its national foundation of choice. In that time, it has helped the foundation raise more than $10 million. That includes $2.2 million raised last year, with $925,000 of it coming from the auction of the first production 2019 Corvette ZR1. It was purchased by Chevrolet dealer and NASCAR team owner Rick Hendrick at the 2018 Barrett-Jackson Scottsdale sale.

Other money has come from employee donations and events across the country such as 5K Tunnel to Towers races and other activities sponsored by GMC dealers.

GM is committed to helping those who have given so much for their country. GM’s current and retired workforce includes 60,000 veterans.

To obtain the latest information on the Next Generation Corvette, visit the official website linked here.

General Motors (NYSE:GM) is committed to delivering safer, better and more sustainable ways for people to get around. General Motors, its subsidiaries and its joint venture entities sell vehicles under the Cadillac, Chevrolet, Baojun, Buick, GMC, Holden, Jiefang and Wuling brands. More information on the company and its subsidiaries, including OnStar, a global leader in vehicle safety and security services, Maven, its personal mobility brand, and Cruise, its autonomous vehicle ride-sharing company, can be found at http://www.gm.com.

DEARBORN, Mich. – Ford today announced it is expanding its production capacity for the company’s next-generation battery electric vehicles at a second North
American plant.

Tied to the company’s $11.1 billion investment in global electric vehicles, Ford is expanding its BEV manufacturing footprint to its Flat Rock Assembly plant in southeast Michigan. The
plant will become the production home to vehicles from the company’s next-generation battery electric flexible architecture. These vehicles will follow the all-electric performance
SUV coming in 2020 from Ford’s Cuautitlan, Mexico, plant.

“We’ve taken a fresh look at the growth rates of electrified vehicles and know we need to protect additional production capacity given our accelerated plans for fully electric vehicles,”
said Joe Hinrichs, Ford’s president, Global Operations. “This is good news for the future of southeast Michigan, delivering more good-paying manufacturing jobs.”

Through this new plan, Ford is targeting to invest more than $850 million in the Flat Rock Assembly Plant through 2023, adding a second shift. The plant investment also includes
funding to build the next-generation Mustang and is part of a $900 million investment in Ford’s operations in southeastern Michigan.

The company also announced it will complete Ford’s first autonomous vehicles at a new AV manufacturing center in southeast Michigan, upfitting purpose-built, commercial-grade hybrid
vehicles with self-driving technology and unique interiors. Production of Ford’s first autonomous vehicles will begin in 2021 for deployment in commercial services to move
people and goods.

“As we ramp up AV production, this plan allows us to adjust our investment spending to accommodate the pace of growth of this exciting new technology,” Hinrichs said. “This new
plan combines our core strength in mass manufacturing with the agility and leanness we’ve shown with our modification centers for specialty manufacturing.”

Ford also announced today it is building its next-generation North American Transit Connect small commercial and passenger van in Mexico, starting in 2021.

Producing this small van in Ford’s Hermosillo, Mexico, assembly plant increases U.S. and Canadian vehicle content consistent with the proposed USMCA trade agreement, which
supports U.S. manufacturing jobs and boosts sourcing of components with North American suppliers. It also helps the company improve the profitability of its North American Transit
Connect lineup, which is part of Ford’s industry-leading lineup of commercial vehicles and vans.

All of the moves are part of the company’s commitment to continuously find ways to boost its global competitiveness. This builds on Ford’s recent announcements to exit the heavy truck
business in Brazil, restructure its operations in Europe and improve results in China.

“We continue driving to find new and better ways to boost our fitness as a company and one of the world’s leading manufacturers,” Hinrichs said. “Working together with our employees,
union partners and government officials around the world, we are continuing to unlock new solutions to deliver world-class vehicles people want and value even more efficiently.”

# # #

About Ford Motor Company
Ford Motor Company is a global company based in Dearborn, Michigan. The company designs, manufactures, markets and services a full line of Ford cars, trucks, SUVs, electrified vehicles and Lincoln luxury vehicles, provides financial services through Ford Motor Credit Company and is pursuing leadership positions in electrification, autonomous vehicles and mobility solutions. Ford employs approximately 199,000 people worldwide. For more information regarding Ford, its products and Ford Motor Credit Company, please visit www.corporate.ford.com.

Munich. In the course of a challenging financial year 2018, the BMW Group made important strategic decisions set to secure its long-term success. As part of the company’s Strategy NUMBER ONE > NEXT, the green light was given to launch a new product offensive in the upper luxury class and the cornerstone was laid for additional expansion of the company’s presence in China, the world’s largest automobile market. With the BMW Vision iNEXT, the Group also presented its new technology flagship, which integrates the key future-oriented topics of autonomous driving, connectivity, electrification and services (ACES). The BMW Group continues to systematically broaden its range of electrified models and is increasingly focusing on co-operations in the fields of mobility services and autonomous driving. At the same time, especially during the second half of the year, business performance was impacted by significant challenges relevant to the entire sector, and which are expected to accompany the BMW Group beyond 2018.

“2018 was a challenging year for the automotive sector as a whole. Nevertheless, we achieved the second-highest Group profit to date,” said Harald Krüger, Chairman of the Board of Management of BMW AG, in Munich on Friday. “The challenges facing the entire sector are unlikely to diminish in the coming months. Great efforts will therefore be needed across the entire Group to help shape the sector’s transformation under such conditions.”

Alongside the challenges facing the entire industry over the past year, from the BMW Group’s perspective, ongoing international trade conflicts also contributed to a tightening market situation and greater uncertainty. Moreover, the shift to the new WLTP test cycle caused significant supply distortions on several European markets, leading to unexpectedly intense competition. In the third quarter of the financial year 2018, increased statutory and non-statutory warranty measures resulted in significantly higher additions to provisions in the Automotive segment.

“We expect strong headwinds to continue to effect the entire sector in 2019. However, we are tackling these various challenges systematically, in order to emerge from them even stronger than before,” stated Nicolas Peter, Member of the Board of Management of BMW AG, Finance. “This is why we launched our Performance > NEXT programme back in 2017 with the aim of optimising performance, improving structural efficiency and reducing complexity wherever possible. In view of current developments, we intend to further broaden and significantly intensify these efforts.”

The BMW Group currently sees challenges in various areas, including political uncertainty, a cooling global economy (partly due to international trade conflicts), rising production costs to meet regulatory requirements, exchange rate effects and rising raw materials prices. To counteract these negative factors, measures already in place to reduce product portfolio complexity are being expanded and also applied to model derivatives. For example, despite a good level of demand, no successor model will be developed for the current generation of the BMW 3 Series Gran Turismo.

High upfront expenditures in a volatile environment
Despite the demanding conditions, the BMW Group continues to invest substantial amounts in the mobility of the future. At € 5,029 million, capital expenditure in 2018 was 7.3% above the previous year’s high level (€ 4,688 million). The Capex ratio rose to 5.2% (2017: 4.8%). Investments included work connected with the introduction of new models in the Spartanburg, Dingolfing and Munich plants and building of the Group’s plant in Mexico. As planned, research and development expenses in 2018 were significantly higher than in the previous year and totalled € 6,890 million (2017: € 6,108 million; +12.8%). R&D expenditure for the year was therefore equivalent to 7.1% of Group revenues (2017: 6.2%). In addition to ramping up the roll-out of new models, the focus is also on future-oriented topics such as autonomous driving and the systematic expansion of electric mobility.

Pioneer of electric mobility systematically expanding product range

With more than 350,000 units (over 130,000 fully electric vehicles and more than 220,000 plug-in hybrids) delivered to customers up to the end of 2018, the BMW Group is already a leading supplier of electrified vehicles. At the beginning of March, the new plug-in hybrid versions of the BMW 3 Series, BMW 7 Series, BMW X5 and BMW X3, which now come with extended electric range, were showcased at the Geneva Motor Show. By the end of next year, the BMW Group will have more than ten new or revised models equipped with fourth-generation electric drivetrain technology (“Gen 4”) on the roads.

By the end of 2019, these will include the all-electric MINI Electric manufactured at the Oxford plant and, from 2020, the BMW iX3, which will be produced for the world market in Shenyang, China. Together with the pioneering BMW i3, the BMW i4 and the BMW iNEXT, the Group will have five all-electric models on the market by 2021 and the number is scheduled to rise to at least twelve models by 2025. Including the rapidly growing range of plug-in hybrids, the BMW Group’s product portfolio will then comprise at least 25 electrified models.

This wide range of electrified models on offer will be made possible by highly flexible vehicle architectures and an equally agile global production system. Going forward, the BMW Group will be capable of manufacturing models with all-electric (BEV), hybrid-electric (PHEV) and conventional (ICE) drivetrains on one production line. The ability to integrate e-mobility in its production network will enable the BMW Group to respond even more flexibly as demand grows. In 2018, the BMW Group delivered more than 140,000 electrified vehicles to customers. By the end of this year, the company expects to have an overall total of more than half a million electrified vehicles on the roads.

The BMW Group is currently developing the fifth generation of its electric drivetrain, in which the interplay of electric motor, transmission, power electronics and battery will be further optimised. Integrating the electric motor, the transmission and power electronics also plays a role in cutting costs. Furthermore, the electric motor does not require rare earths, enabling the BMW Group to reduce its dependence on their availability. The fifth generation of the Group’s electric drivetrain technology will be installed for the first time in the BMW iX3 from 2020.

Cooperation for next generation of autonomous driving
The BMW Group believes long-term partnerships within a flexible, scalable, non-exclusive platform are key to advancing the industrialisation of autonomous driving. As early as 2016, the BMW Group established a non-exclusive platform with technology specialists, suppliers and OEMs to take the technology to series maturity and has now successfully consolidated work in this area at the Autonomous Driving Campus in Unterschleißheim, near Munich. The generation of technologies currently under development will go into series production as Level 3 automation in the BMW iNEXT in 2021, this vehicle will also be Level 4-enabled for pilot projects.

The BMW Group has joined forces with Daimler AG to advance the development of the next generation of technologies needed for autonomous driving. At the end of February, the two companies signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to jointly develop the technologies that are vital for future mobility. Initially, the focus will be on advancing the development of next-generation technologies for driver assistance systems, automated driving on highways and parking features (in each case up to SAE Level 4).

The BMW Group and Daimler AG view their partnership as a long-term, strategic cooperation and aim to make next-level technologies widely available by the middle of the coming decade. Combining the outstanding expertise of the two companies will boost their joint innovative strength. Moreover, it will both accelerate and streamline the development of future technology generations. The development of current-generation technologies and the ongoing collaborations both companies have in this field will remain unaffected and continue as planned. Both parties will also explore additional partnerships with other technology companies and automotive manufacturers that could contribute to the success of the platform.

Major investments in joint venture for mobility services
The BMW Group and Daimler AG are also working together in the field of mobility services, creating a new global player that provides sustainable urban mobility for its customers. The two companies are investing more than one billion euros to develop and more closely intermesh their offerings for car-sharing, ride-hailing, parking, charging and multimodal transport. The cooperation comprises five joint ventures: REACH NOW (multimodal), CHARGE NOW (charging), FREE NOW (ride-hailing), PARK NOW (parking) and SHARE NOW (car-sharing).

The common vision is clear: the five services will increasingly merge to form a single mobility service portfolio with an all-electric, self-driving fleet of vehicles that charge and park autonomously and also interconnect with other modes of transport. This service portfolio will be a key cornerstone in the BMW Group’s strategy as a mobility provider going forward. The cooperation represents the ideal approach for maximising opportunities in a growing market, while jointly shouldering the unavoidable cost of investment.

“With our Strategy NUMBER ONE > NEXT, we are making consistent advances in the various ACES fields and bringing the mobility of the future onto the roads. Our path is clear: in areas with a high degree of differentiation potential, such as electric drivetrains, we will rely entirely on our own excellent development expertise; where high scalability is more important than exclusivity, we will seek to cooperate with dependable partners,” said Krüger.

Challenging conditions in the financial year 2018
In terms of its core business, the BMW Group had always expected 2018 to be a challenging year. Compared with 2017, alongside additional upfront expenditure for the mobility of the future, a high three-digit million euro negative impact from exchange-rate and raw materials price developments had been factored into expected earnings for the year. As announced on 25 September 2018, several additional factors dampened business performance in the third quarter. Unlike many of our competitors, the BMW Group implemented the requirements of the WLTP regulations early. The industry-wide shift to the new WLTP test cycle resulted in considerable supply distortions in Europe and unexpectedly intense competition, given that numerous competitor models which had not yet gained WLTP certification were registered before the 1 September deadline. Within the framework of its flexible production and sales strategy, the BMW Group responded to the situation by reducing its volume planning to focus on earnings quality. At the same time, increased statutory and non-statutory warranty measures resulted in significantly higher additions to provisions in the Automotive segment. Ongoing international trade conflicts also served to exacerbate the market situation and feed uncertainty. These circumstances resulted in greater-than-expected distortions in demand and unexpected pressure on pricing in several markets.

Nevertheless, deliveries of the BMW Group’s three premium automotive brands (BMW, MINI and Rolls-Royce) grew by 1.1% to a new record figure of 2,490,664 units in 2018 (2017: 2,463,526 units). At € 97,480 million, Group revenues were at the previous year’s level (2017: € 98,282 million: -0.8%). Adjusted for currency factors, they increased by 1.2%. Due to the various adverse aspects arising in the third quarter, combined with high levels of upfront expenditure for research and development, profit before financial result fell to € 9,121 million (2017: € 9,899 million; -7.9%). At € 9,815 million, Group profit before tax in 2018 was moderately down on the previous year, but nevertheless the second-best figure ever recorded in the company’s history (2017: € 10,675 million; -8.1%). At 10.1% (2017: 10.9%), the return on sales before tax (EBT margin) exceeded the target value of ten percent.

Group net profit amounted to € 7,207 million (2017: € 8,675 million; -16.9%). In the previous year, net profit was exceptionally high due to valuation effects of around € 1 billion arising in connection with the US tax reform. Despite very challenging conditions, the Automotive segment generated free cash flow of € 2,713 million in 2018 (2017: € 4,459 million).

Based on the annual financial statement, the Board of Management and the Supervisory Board will propose payment of a dividend of € 3.50 per share of common stock and € 3.52 per share of preferred stock at the Annual General Meeting on 16 May 2019. This is the second highest payout in the company’s history. The total dividend payment will amount to € 2.3 billion, or 32.0% of net profit (previous year: 30.3%3). “The trust of our investors is very important to us,” said Nicolas Peter. “This is especially true in times when transformation and volatility are presenting the entire industry with challenges on a completely new scale.”

Automotive segment exposed to volatile business conditions
At € 85,846 million, Automotive segment revenues were at a similar level to the previous year (2017: € 85,742 million; +0.1%). Influenced by the factors referred to above and combined with high levels of upfront expenditure for research and development, EBIT was € 6,182 million (2017: € 7,888 million; ‑21.6%). Due to various adverse factors, the EBIT margin came in at 7.2% (2017: 9.2%). Profit before tax amounted to € 6,977 million (2017: € 8,717 million; ‑20.0%).

A total of 2,125,026 BMW brand vehicles were delivered to customers worldwide (2017: 2,088,283 units; +1.8%). As well as the BMW 5 Series (382,753 units; +10.2%), the BMW X family in particular benefited from strong demand during 2018, with worldwide deliveries up significantly on the previous year to 792,605 units (+12.1%). The BMW X3 made an important contribution to this performance, with deliveries up by more than one third to 201,637 units (+37.7%).

Worldwide deliveries of MINI brand vehicles during the twelve-month period totalled 361,531 units (2017: 371,388 units; -2.8%). The MINI Countryman recorded double-digit growth with 99,750 units (+17.5%). Almost every seventh MINI Countryman was a plug-in hybrid (13.3%).

In 2018, Rolls-Royce Motor Cars achieved its best sales result in over 100 years of corporate history with 4,107 deliveries worldwide (2017: 3,362 units; +22.2%). The Rolls-Royce Phantom and the new Rolls-Royce Cullinan, which has been available to customers since November 2018, contributed substantially to this performance.

While deliveries of the BMW Group’s three automotive brands in Europe remained at the previous year’s high level (1,098,523; -0.3%), the Americas (457,715 units; +1.5%) and Asia (876,614 units; +3.3%) regions recorded slight growth. In China, volumes grew significantly as local production of the new BMW X3 was ramped up in the second half of the year. A total of 640,803 BMW Group vehicles were delivered to customers in the course of 2018 (+7.7%).

Motorcycles segment revises model range
BMW Motorrad revised its 2018 product range on a massive scale, adding nine new models. Production adjustments necessary during the ramp-up phase had a negative impact on deliveries during the first half of the year. Over the full year, 165,566 BMW motorcycles and maxi-scooters were delivered to customers (2017: 164,153 units; +0.9%).

Revenues totalled € 2,173 million (2017: € 2,272 million; -4.4%). Profit before financial result came in at € 175 million (2017: € 207 million; -15.5%), corresponding to a segment EBIT margin of 8.1% (2017: 9.1%). Profit before tax amounted to € 169 million (2017: € 205 million; -17.6%).

Financial Services segment records contract portfolio growth

The Financial Services segment continued to perform well in 2018. In total, 1,908,640 new contracts were signed with retail customers in 2018 (2017: 1,828,604; +4.4%). The contract portfolio with retail customers comprised 5,708,032 contracts at 31 December 2018 (31 December 2017: 5,380,785 contracts; +6.1%). Segment revenues totalled € 28,165 million (2017: € 27,567 million; +2.2%). Profit before tax amounted to € 2,161 million (2017: € 2,207 million; -2.1%).

Slight increase in workforce
The BMW Group’s workforce comprised 134,682 employees at 31 December 2018, 3.7% more than at the end of 2017. The Group continues to recruit skilled staff and IT specialists in future-oriented areas such as digitalisation, autonomous driving and electric mobility.

BMW Group forecasts continued volume growth in 2019

In view of the ongoing model offensive, the BMW Group anticipates further volume growth in the current financial year 2019 and is targeting a slight increase in the number of deliveries to customers. New models such as the BMW X7 and the seventh generation of the BMW 3 Series are expected to provide fresh impetus. The BMW 3 Series model change is likely to dampen growth during the first half of the year.

Supervisory Board
At the Annual General Meeting to be held on 16 May 2019, the Supervisory Board will propose the re-election of Susanne Klatten, entrepreneur, and Stefan Quandt, entrepreneur, to the Supervisory Board.

Furthermore, the Supervisory Board will propose Dr. Vishal Sikka, founder and CEO of Vian Systems and former member of the Executive Board of SAP SE, for election to the Supervisory Board. After 15 years as a member of the Supervisory Board, the mandate of Franz Haniel, entrepreneur, expires at the end of the upcoming Annual General Meeting. The Supervisory Board wishes to thank Mr Haniel for his valuable and trusted cooperation during his mandate.

The Geneva International Motor Show (GIMS) and IFA Berlin, the world\’s leading trade fair for digital and networked solutions for IT, telecommunications, consumer electronics and home appliances, are jointly organising Shift AUTOMOTIVE, a series of events dedicated to the mobility of the future. This conference will address how new automotive technologies are changing the way we think, live and drive. The GIMS plans to continue this discussion with The Forum, a conference scheduled for 6 March 2019.rnrnThe Geneva edition of the biannual convention on the future of driving will take place in March 2019, following the first ever Shift AUTOMOTIVE held during IFA in Berlin in September 2018. New automotive technologies are rapidly and fundamentally changing our world. Such change is being spurred on by companies in the automotive, high-tech and consumer electronics industries.rnrnConference: Shift AUTOMOTIVE – The ForumrnIn a series of keynote speeches, introductory talks and panel debates, leaders from both industries will discuss the influence of new technologies on the automotive world at the GIMS on Wednesday 6 March 2019. The first confirmed speakers and panellists include:rnrn – Michael Halbherr, President of Trafi.comrnrn – Dimitri Konstantas, Director Information Science Institute, University of Genevarnrn – Vitaly Ponomarev, CEO of Wayrayrnrn – Sébastien Ruffino, Head of Business Development and Strategicrn Alliances BestmilernrnThe conference will be held in Showroom 6 on the second Press Day and will be geared towards both accredited journalists and a specialist B2B audience. The GIMS is organising the conference in partnership with IFA and Messe Berlin with the support of the International Telecommunication Union (ITU). Tickets for Shift AUTOMOTIVE – The Forum will be released in February. Visit www.gims.swiss for information about discussion topics, the speakers and themes.rnrnAt the forthcoming « Shift AUTOMOTIVE » forum, experts from the technology sector will discuss the influence of new technologies on the automobile world and examine the challenges for tomorrow. A series of opening speeches, presentations and panel discussions await visitors to the forum held on 6th March 2019 at the Geneva International Motor Show.rnrnThe programme, presenters and themes of the « Shift AUTOMOTIVE » forum indicate a promising event : The morning programme will examine how new technologies, such as cloud computing, cybersecurity, IT infrastructure, the internet of things (IoT), traffic control, artificial intelligence (AI) and augmented reality (AR) are the drivers of the automobile industry’s digital transformation. The first key speaker will be Microsoft’s Avijit Sinha, Director of IoT & Intelligent Edge.rnrnThe afternoon programme focuses on the challenges and trends of \’smart cars\’ and their interaction with their environment. “We are looking forward to many exciting insights into the topic and hope to address key issues facing trade visitors, press representatives and exhibitors alike. For this reason, the conference will also take place within the car show itself,\” explained Maurice Turrettini, President of the Geneva International Motor Show.rnrnThe following speakers have confirmed their participation at the Forum:rnrnBryn Balcombe – CSO, RoboracernMichael Halbherr – President, TrafirnDimitri Konstantas – Professor ISI, University of GenevarnOliver Ouboter – CMO, Micro MobilityrnMike Peters – President, Connected Car Division, HarmanrnVitaly Ponomarev – CEO, WayRayrnSébastien Ruffino – Responsible, BD & Strategic Alliances, BestmilernEnrico Salvatori – Executive Vice-President & President, EMEA, QualcommrnSarwant Singh – Principal Associate, Frost & SullivanrnAvijit Sinha – Director, IoT & Intelligent Edge, MicrosoftrnrnThe Forum will be inaugurated by Maurice Turrettini, President of the Geneva International Motor Show, Jens Heithecker, Executive Director of the IFA, and Chaesub Lee, Director of the Bureau of Telecommunication Normalisation at the ITU. Roger Lanctot, Strategic Analyst at Automotive Connected Mobility will present the day’s programme.rnrnThe media partner AutoFutures.tv reports on the Shift AUTOMOTVE conference with reports and TV contributions and makes the video material freely available as footage on its website. The Geneva International Motor Show is organising the conference in partnership with the IFA and the Berlin Messe, with the support of the International Telecommunications Union (ITU). The forum will take place in Hall 6 of the Motor Show. It will begin at 10:00 a.m. Those interested in taking part can buy their tickets directly on-line at www.gims.swiss/shift-automotive. The updated programme can also be consulted on the same website.rnrnAbout Shift AUTOMOTIVErnShift AUTOMOTIVE is a biannual convention organised by IFA, Messe Berlin, the GIMS and Palexpo. The first edition of Shift AUTOMOTIVE was held during IFA 2018 and encompassed talks and panel discussions with renowned speakers like Designworks of the BMW Group, Daimler, Porsche, Nokia, Mesosphere, Accelere and KPMG.rnrnIFA BerlinrnIFA is the world\’s leading trade fair for consumer electronics and home appliances. The 2019 event will run from 6 to 11 September at Messe Berlin (ExpoCenter City). www.ifa-berlin.com

Woodcliff Lake, NJ – March 4, 2019 – Despite claims of big car dominance, auto shoppers remain sharply divided on their preference of car size, but united on their hunt for more personalization when it comes to design and premium features. These findings come from a new survey MINI USA recently commissioned from market research and business intelligence firm Engine designed to identify car shopping trends among general consumers and millennials.

According to the survey, customization (59%) and design (76%) are both important to consumers when conisdering a new car purchase. This desire aligns with recent trends in product personalization across a wide range of consumer categories. Auto manufacturers have begun looking far beyond wheels and color choice to create ways for thier drivers to express themselves through their cars. Personalization and customization have been a cornerstone of MINI since the brand’s inception and an area where MINI continues to expand for consumers looking to individualize their car.

While the majority of consumers agreed on the importance of personalization, those surveyed were divided on size preference in a new car today with 47 percent opting for a smaller car that maximizes space, and 53 percent prefer a larger vehicle with ample cargo room.

“MINI has always offered a wide range of options for customization and personalization, an approach perfectly aligned to meet the needs of today’s consumers,” said Andrew Cutler, Head of Corporate Communications, MINI USA. “Those looking for premium features with a focus on design, style and maximized space can easily find a vehicle to fit their needs amongst our product line.”

In addition to customization and size, other key factors driving consumer car buying habits include:

Interior comfort and style are the most important aspect of vehicle design (53%), followed by technology and infotainment (20%).
Millennials more than other generations value technology and infotainment.
Men rank customization as 2X more important than their female counterparts.

Cutler added: “MINI has always been about listening to and understanding our consumer’s needs and future car preferences. Staying on top of this allows us to customize our offerings and remain relevant for our passionate consumer.”

Survey Methodology
The General Population survey was conducted by Engine’s CARAVAN® among a sample of 1,003 adults comprising 502 men and 501 women 18 years of age and older on behalf of MINI USA. The survey was live from November 5-7, 2018.

About MINI in the US
MINI is an independent brand of the BMW Group. In the United States, MINI USA operates as a business unit of BMW of North America, LLC, located in Woodcliff Lake, New Jersey and includes the marketing and sales organizations for the MINI brand. The MINI USA sales organization is represented in the U.S. through a network of 125 MINI passenger car dealers in 39 states. MINI USA began selling vehicles in the U.S. in 2002 with the introduction of the MINI Cooper and MINI Cooper S Hardtops. Since then, the MINI Brand in the U.S. has grown to encompass a model range of five unique vehicles.

We are incredibly excited to announce that the standard Model 3, with 220 miles of range, a top speed of 130 mph and 0-60 mph acceleration of 5.6 seconds is now available at $35,000! Although lower in cost, it is built to achieve the same perfect 5-star safety rating as the longer-ranged version, which has the lowest probability of injury of any car ever tested by the U.S. Government.

In addition, we are introducing the Model 3 Standard Range Plus, which offers 240 miles of range, a top speed of 140 mph, 0-60 mph acceleration of just 5.3 seconds and most premium interior features at $37,000 before incentives. For 6% more money, you get 9% more range, more power, and an upgraded interior.

To achieve these prices while remaining financially sustainable, Tesla is shifting sales worldwide to online only. You can now buy a Tesla in North America via your phone in about 1 minute, and that capability will soon be extended worldwide. We are also making it much easier to try out and return a Tesla, so that a test drive prior to purchase isn’t needed. You can now return a car within 7 days or 1,000 miles for a full refund. Quite literally, you could buy a Tesla, drive several hundred miles for a weekend road trip with friends and then return it for free. With the highest consumer satisfaction score of any car on the road, we are confident you will want to keep your Tesla.

Shifting all sales online, combined with other ongoing cost efficiencies, will enable us to lower all vehicle prices by about 6% on average, allowing us to achieve the $35,000 Model 3 price point earlier than we expected. Over the next few months, we will be winding down many of our stores, with a small number of stores in high-traffic locations remaining as galleries, showcases and Tesla information centers. The important thing for customers in the United States to understand is that, with online sales, anyone in any state can quickly and easily buy a Tesla.

At the same time, we will be increasing our investment in the Tesla service system, with the goal of same-day, if not same-hour service, and with most service done by us coming to you, rather than you coming to us. Moreover, we guarantee service availability anywhere in any country in which we operate.

DETROIT — As part of its commitment to increasing its renewable energy footprint globally and finding clean energy solutions near its operations, General Motors Co. (NYSE: GM) has partnered with DTE Energy for 300,000 megawatt hours (MWh) of wind energy in the state of Michigan. Once complete, the energy sourced will be enough to power 100 percent of the electricity needs of GM’s global technical center in Warren and its Detroit-based operations at the Renaissance Center. The 300,000 megawatt hours (MWh) are equivalent to the amount of power consumed by nearly 30,000 U.S. households per year. To date, GM has contracted or invested in a total of 1.71 terawatt hours of clean energy power in North America, equivalent to more than 145,000 households and more than any other automaker in the region.

GM will source the wind power through an agreement with DTE Energy’s MIGreenPower, a renewable energy program that enables DTE customers to attribute up to 100 percent of their energy use to DTE clean energy projects in Michigan. In January 2019, DTE received approval from the Michigan Public Service Commission to offer a MIGreenPower program designed for major Michigan corporations and industrial companies who want access to more renewable energy to meet corporate sustainability goals.

“Investing in renewable energy remains an important part of GM’s vision for a zero emissions future,” said Rob Threlkeld, global manager of Sustainable Energy and Supply Reliability for General Motors. “Our partnership with DTE Energy will help us get closer to achieving our goal of powering all our operations in Michigan with 100 percent clean energy. It helps demonstrate that local and regional industry partnerships are paramount to GM’s clean energy future, where renewable sources will account for 100 percent of our global energy footprint by 2050.”

DTE plans to build or acquire additional clean energy projects and expand MIGreenPower to meet increasing customer demand. It will begin sourcing to GM once the first new projects are on line. As the state’s largest producer of renewable energy, DTE will more than double its renewable energy generation capacity, investing an additional $2 billion in wind and solar by 2024. As part of its commitment to reduce carbon emissions by more than 80 percent by 2050, DTE is significantly increasing the amount of clean energy in its generation portfolio.

“Knowing that access to more renewable energy is important to our largest corporate and industrial customers, DTE will continue to expand MIGreenPower to help customers meet their sustainability targets,” said Trevor F. Lauer, president and COO, DTE Electric. “We appreciate GM’s environmental leadership and are excited that we can partner with them through MIGreenPower to deliver on their clean energy goals.”

The MIGreenPower agreement comes on the heels of GM reaching 20 percent of its global energy supply from renewables. GM is a member of the Renewable Energy Buyers Alliance (REBA) and an early signatory of RE100, a collaborative global initiative uniting influential businesses committed to 100 percent renewable electricity, working to increase demand for and delivery of renewable energy.

“Our 100 percent renewable energy commitment, along with our pursuit of electrified vehicles and responsible manufacturing, is part of GM’s approach to strengthening its business, improving communities and addressing climate change,” said Threlkeld.

DTE Energy (NYSE: DTE) is a Detroit-based diversified energy company involved in the development and management of energy-related businesses and services nationwide. Its operating units include an electric company serving 2.2 million customers in Southeastern Michigan and a natural gas company serving 1.3 million customers in Michigan. The DTE portfolio includes energy businesses focused on power and industrial projects, renewable natural gas, natural gas pipelines, gathering and storage, and energy marketing and trading. As an environmental leader, DTE will reduce carbon dioxide and methane emissions by more than 80 percent by 2050 to produce cleaner energy while keeping it safe, reliable and affordable. DTE is committed to being a force for good in the communities where it serves through volunteerism, education and employment initiatives, philanthropy and economic progress. Information about DTE is available at dteenergy.com, empoweringmichigan.com, twitter.com/dte_energy and facebook.com.

General Motors (NYSE:GM) is committed to delivering safer, better and more sustainable ways for people to get around. General Motors, its subsidiaries and its joint venture entities sell vehicles under the Cadillac, Chevrolet, Baojun, Buick, GMC, Holden, Jiefang and Wuling brands. More information on the company and its subsidiaries, including OnStar, a global leader in vehicle safety and security services, Maven, its personal mobility brand, and Cruise, its autonomous vehicle ride-sharing company, can be found at http://www.gm.com.

Berlin . The BMW Group and Daimler AG are pooling their mobility services to create a new global player providing sustainable urban mobility for customers. The two companies are investing more than €1 billion in total to develop and more closely intermesh their offerings for car-sharing, ride-hailing, parking, charging and multimodal transport. The cooperation comprises five joint ventures: REACH NOW for multimodal services, CHARGE NOW for charging, FREE NOW for taxi ride-hailing, PARK NOW for parking and SHARE NOW for car-sharing.

“Our mobility services have developed a strong customer base and we are now taking the next strategic step. We are pooling the strength and expertise of 14 successful brands and investing more than €1 billion to establish a new player in the fast-growing market for urban mobility,” said Dieter Zetsche, Chairman of the Board of Management of Daimler AG and Head of Mercedes-Benz Cars. “By creating an intelligent network of joint ventures, we will be able to shape current and future urban mobility and draw maximum benefit from the opportunities opened up by digitalization, shared services and the increasing mobility needs of our customers. Further cooperations with other providers, including stakes in startups and established players, are also a possible option.”

“We are creating a leading global game changer. The 60 million customers we already have today will benefit from a seamlessly integrated, sustainable ecosystem of car-sharing, ride-hailing, parking, charging and multimodal transport services. We have a clear vision: these five services will merge ever more closely to form a single mobility service portfolio with an all-electric, self-driving fleet of vehicles that charge and park autonomously and interconnect with the other modes of transport,” said Harald Krüger, Management Board Chairman of BMW AG. “This service portfolio will be a key cornerstone in our strategy as a mobility provider. The cooperation is the perfect way for us to maximize our chances in a growing market, while sharing the investments.”

The two companies’ mobility services have a wealth of experience and a strong customer base, with a combined total of over 60 million active customers to date. Building on their current, highly attractive product range and robust costumer base in the key regions of Europe and America, the companies will grow their global footprint as their existing mobility services combine to form five joint ventures:

· REACH NOW offers more than 6.7 million users simple, direct access to a range of mobility services through a single multimodal platform. The REACH NOW apps will offer a range of options for getting from A to B, allowing users to book and pay directly for public transport and various other mobility options, such as car-sharing, ride-hailing and bike rentals. REACH NOW will be managed by Daniela Gerd tom Markotten as Chief Executive Officer (CEO), with Johannes Prantl as Chief Financial Officer (CFO).

· CHARGE NOW is a service by Digital Charging Solutions GmbH (DCS), and its comprehensive charging network is a key contributor to zero-emissions driving. CHARGE NOW makes public charge points quick and easy to locate, use and pay for, both at home and abroad. Digital Charging Solutions GmbH develops simple, standardised access to public charge points for car manufacturers and fleet operators. With over 100,000 charge points across 25 countries, its white-label solutions are helping OEMs and fleet operators to realise their strategies for electric mobility. Customers benefit from cross-border access to one of the world’s largest and fastest-growing charging networks, with over 250 charge point operators (CPOs) to date.

· PARK NOW makes parking easier, on-street or off. The innovative digital parking service offers users the best possible parking solutions at a glance, allows them to reserve parking slots and manage their parking times, and enables ticketless entry and exit in public garages as well as cashless payment of parking fees. In addition, with the search for parking currently accounting for about 30 percent of the traffic on urban roads, PARK NOW is helping towns and cities to reduce traffic volumes, thereby helping to make city centres cleaner, healthier and more liveable. In Europe and North America over 30 million customers are already using the service in more than 1,100 cities. CHARGE NOW and PARK NOW are headed by Jörg Reimann as CEO, with Thomas Menzel as CFO.

· FREE NOW offers a variety of mobility services including taxis, private chauffeurs with rental vehicles, and state-of-the-art e-scooters, all at the tap of a finger. One of the largest ride-hailing services in Europe and Latin America, FREE NOW already serves more than 21 million customers and over 250,000 drivers, who make a valuable contribution to the reduction of traffic in city centres. FREE NOW is headed by Marc Berg as CEO, with Sebastian Hofelich as CFO.

· SHARE NOW is a free-floating car-sharing service that allows customers to rent and pay for vehicles by smartphone — anytime, anywhere. Its fleet will now be extended to incorporate a wider range of models and increase market coverage. More than 4 million customers in total currently use the fleet’s 20,000 vehicles in 31 cities around the world. Car-sharing increases vehicle utilization rates, helping to cut the overall number of cars on the roads in urban areas. Olivier Reppert has been appointed CEO of SHARE NOW, with Stefan Glebke as CFO.

REACH NOW, CHARGE NOW, FREE NOW, PARK NOW and SHARE NOW represent innovative solutions by the BMW Group and Daimler AG for cities and municipalities seeking to make their traffic more efficient and sustainable. Thanks to their established services, the joint venture group already commands significant resources to support and systematically enhance sustainable urban mobility.

“We are steering very clearly towards growth, and together we will continue to invest consistently in our joint mobility services. As well as linking in additional transport options, we want to reach out to even more people in towns and cities across the world, thereby improving the quality of urban life,” Krüger explained.

The new mobility portfolio will be easy to access, intuitive to use, and will cater to customers’ needs. Its seamlessly integrated, sustainable ecosystem will make mobility more convenient — because cities are where the future of mobility will be decided. This is confirmed by the choice of Berlin as the base for the organization’s headquarters. A hub of creativity and innovation, the German capital is an attractive location for employees and upcoming talents. The next few years will see up to 1,000 new jobs created worldwide – including in Berlin and Germany. After an initial phase of investment and growth, the new joint venture group will offer attractive profitability, which will be crucial to its success.

“As premium manufacturers, we have long been setting standards in the automotive industry and for our customers. In the premium vehicle business, we will continue to compete for customers. But our new portfolio for individual urban mobility on demand represents a logical extension to the value chain. Ultimately, we want to offer our customers as many options as possible for getting from A to B. In short, this is about driving, riding or being driven,” said Zetsche.

With their joint mobility services, the BMW Group and Daimler AG are responding to mobility needs of today and the future with a focus on cities. Digitalization is a key enabler as it creates new opportunities for individual mobility. Over time, customers will be able to use and experience additional mobility options from all-electric autonomous fleets that are available on demand, charge and park themselves, and connect with other modes of transport beyond road and rail. In the competition for the best urban mobility solution, the promise of safety and comfort by the two leading German premium OEMs provides the basis for this to happen.

Harald Krüger, Chairman of the Board of Management at BMW AG, outlines an exciting future for urban mobility:

Imagine you want to travel from Los Angeles to Berlin. In the morning, you drive your car to the airport. A parking space has already been reserved close to the gate so the vehicle can charge while you’re away. Your flight has already been booked and when you arrive in Berlin, a car-sharing vehicle awaits to take you to your hotel. Once you check in, you decide to explore the city. At your fingertips are the tools to organise a ticket for public transport and use ride-hailing or alternative concepts, such as a bike or electric scooter.

That is how we see urban mobility services of the future: as a seamless ecosystem that provides relevant options to choose from to get from A to B by linking various forms of mobility in a holistic approach. These days, we see a change in the needs and desires of our customers — especially in urban areas. But new challenges demand new ways of doing things and new alliances.

That is why the BMW Group and Daimler AG are combining their expertise and mobility services in a brand new joint venture that will revolutionise the future of urban mobility. Using digitalisation and its opportunities, together we are creating a strong new global player for customers. We want to be at home in every metropolis and create the ideal mobility offering in as many cities as possible. Our joint approach will create the perfect mobility portfolio and lay the basis for new solutions.

For you as a customer that simply means more choices. However you want to reach your destination, we offeryou a tailor-made proposal for your individual needs. In the beginning, you will have a total of 14 mobility services at your disposal — right there in your smartphone. They even complement each other very effectively and can be easily combined be it from ride-hailing and car-sharingto parking and charging solutions, or intermodal mobility and public transport.

We are starting with an existing customer base of 60 million active customers. They can look forward to a seamless mobility ecosystem, the expansion of electrical vehicles and last but not least, autonomous driving in the future. All of this will be instantly available and easily managed with a tap on your mobile device. The result: Mobility will be fully connected, seamlessly integrated into the digital world and perfectly aligned with our customers’ needs and wishes.

This approach makes the joint venture different from existing ride-hailing or carsharing providers. Our vision is to become one of the leading global providers of innovative mobility services — a true game changer for urban mobility.

Together, we’re dedicated to taking mobility for you, our customers and for cities all over the world to the next level.

Yours,

Harald Krüger

January 23, 2019 (Mountain View, CA) – BMW i Ventures announced today an investment in Urgent.ly, the leading global mobility and roadside assistance platform.

Urgent.ly provides the quickest, safest and most innovative roadside assistance service, products and technology by combining location-based services, real-time data, AI and machine-to-machine communication.

“The old model of roadside assistance must make way for a modern, more digital approach,” said Kasper Sage, Partner, BMW i Ventures. “Urgent.ly will allow OEMs around the world to provide their customers the kind of real-time and connected digital experience they now expect in everything from food delivery to ride-sharing. Urgent.ly enables unparalleled transparency connecting dealerships, OEMs, providers and customers in real time, with actionable data-driven insights to optimize the experience along every step of the way.”

Urgent.ly’s platform is connected to more than half of all U.S. roadside operators covering over 45,000 connected vehicles. Geo-location of customers and their vehicles means the best-rated and closest providers with the right equipment are algorithmically matched, assigned and dispatched to help the customer. All of these steps, including ETAs, provider tracking, communications and ratings are connected via Urgent.ly’s seamless, end-to-end platform.

About BMW i Ventures
BMW i Ventures, BMW’s EUR 500 Mio million venture capital fund, invests money and resources in startups in the fields of autonomous driving, digital car and automotive cloud, e-mobility, artificial Intelligence and data, industry 4.0, shared and on-demand mobility, customer digital life, and energy services. The firm has already partnered with innovative companies such as Carbon3D, Chargepoint, Claroty, DesktopMetal, Graphcore, JustPark, Life360, Moovit, Nauto, Scoop, Stratim, Tekion, Turo, Xometry and Zendrive. BMW i Ventures invests in all stages from seed and incubation to growth companies.

About Urgent.ly
Urgent.ly’s Global Mobility and Roadside Assistance Platform sits at the center of expanding transportation options for consumers, logistics and technology companies. Analysts are projecting travel miles to increase by one third globally by 2030, from new services, vehicles and uses. This means more things moving and more things breaking down. Urgently delivers help through a seamless, end-to-end digital platform, viewable by every stakeholder in real time. This is why Urgent.ly is the first choice of leading global brands trusted by millions of consumers across automotive, insurance, telematics and new technology transportation companies. For more information, visit http://www.geturgently.com or contact media @ Urgentl.ly.

Detroit — General Motors Co. (NYSE: GM) has earned the highest customer loyalty among all automakers selling in the United States for the fourth year in a row, IHS Markit confirmed at the Automotive News World Congress held in conjunction with the North American International Auto Show.

IHS Markit, which is a leading source of global automotive industry information, analysis and insight, recognized GM’s success in retaining owners over repeat buying cycles.

Steve Hill, GM’s U.S. vice president of Sales, Service and Marketing, accepted the award on behalf of the company and its dealers.

“Such strong loyalty only comes when everyone keeps the customer at the center of everything we do, whether they are making, marketing, selling or servicing our vehicles,” Hill said.

GM also announced that more than one million Chevrolet, GMC, Buick and Cadillac drivers have signed up for My GM Rewards1, the automotive industry’s first comprehensive loyalty rewards program.

The program, launched in April of last year, allows customers to earn and redeem points on eligible new purchases including new vehicles, dealer services, accessories, and OnStar and connected services2. It’s also open to non-GM drivers who want to have their vehicles serviced at GM dealerships and make other purchases.

“My GM Rewards is our way of thanking loyal customers and making sure they have a great ownership experience, so they come back to Chevrolet, GMC, Buick and Cadillac dealers again and again,” said Hill. “The program has been a big hit since it was launched, and its growth has exceeded our expectations because the rewards are easy to earn and redeem on things that people really want and need.”

The sales and service experience delivered by Chevrolet, Cadillac, Buick and GMC dealers is a major reason why GM’s loyalty scores are so consistently high, Hill says.

Buick ranked highest in satisfaction for dealer service among mass market brands for the second consecutive year in a row in the 2018 J.D. Power Customer Service Index (CSI) Study, which measures service satisfaction among owners and lessees of 1- to 3-year-old vehicles. Chevrolet tied for second place, followed by GMC. Cadillac was ranked third among luxury brands.
GMC is the second highest-ranked brand for sales satisfaction, according to the 2018 J.D. Power Sales and Satisfaction Index (SSI) study, which measures satisfaction with the sales experience. Chevrolet and Buick tied for third.
Buick was named the highest-ranked mass-market brand in the inaugural 2018 J.D. Power Total Ownership Experience Award, which is based on results from its five iconic automotive studies.
My GM Rewards, which includes My Chevrolet, GMC, Buick and Cadillac Rewards, can be redeemed at nearly 3,500 participating GM dealerships nationwide.

How it Works: Enroll, Earn and Enjoy

The program is free to join and simple to use with no annual fee. Those eligible can join online at myGMRewards.com whether they own a GM vehicle or not. Vehicle owners can also use the Chevrolet, GMC, Buick and Cadillac Owner Centers, brand mobile apps or text3 LOYALTY to 81500. Once enrolled, members accumulate points at participating dealerships for eligible vehicle purchases and paid services. From time to time, GM may also award bonus points for occasions such as birthdays, and access to special events.

For a new lease or vehicle purchase, customers receive 20,000 points that currently can be redeemed for a $100 allowance toward GM accessories, services or other eligible offers. Members earn six points per dollar on most other eligible purchases including eligible accessories, parts, dealer services, paid OnStar and Connected Services plans and more.

Points can then be redeemed for allowance vouchers through myGMRewards.com to use at participating dealerships. The full list of ways to redeem points and program details can be viewed at myGMRewards.com.

1Must be 18 years or older. Points may be earned and redeemed only at participating GM entities, dealers or third party retailers in the United States (excluding Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands or Guam). Points are not earned on taxes and certain fees and expire 5 years from when points are earned. Some restrictions apply. For more information, please view full program Terms & Conditions.
2Connected vehicle services vary by vehicle model and require working electrical system, cell reception and GPS signal. Requires active service plan. OnStar links to emergency services. See onstar.com for details and limitations.
3By texting LOYALTY TO 81500, you authorize GM to send you text messages using an automated telephone dialing system to the mobile phone number you have provided. You are not required to agree to this in order to buy products from GM. Message frequency varies. Message and data rates may apply. To stop text STOP to 81500. For help, reply HELP to 81500. To view the GM Privacy Statement go to www.gm.com/privacy.

General Motors Co. (NYSE: GM) is a global company committed to delivering safer, better and more sustainable ways for people to get around. General Motors, its subsidiaries and its joint venture entities sell vehicles under the Chevrolet, Buick, GMC, Cadillac, Holden, Baojun, Wuling and Jiefang brands. More information on the company and its subsidiaries, including OnStar, a global leader in vehicle safety and security services, and Maven, its personal mobility brand, can be found at http://www.gm.com.

Volkswagen AG and Ford Motor Company today announced the first formal agreements in a broad alliance that positions the companies to boost competitiveness and better serve customers in an era of rapid change in the industry.

Volkswagen CEO Dr. Herbert Diess and Ford CEO Jim Hackett confirmed that the companies intend to develop commercial vans and medium-sized pickups for global markets beginning as early as 2022. The alliance will drive significant scale and efficiencies and enable both companies to share investments in vehicle architectures that deliver distinct capabilities and technologies.

The companies estimate the commercial van and pickup cooperation will yield improved annual pre-tax operating results, starting in 2023.

In addition, Volkswagen and Ford have signed a memorandum of understanding to investigate collaboration on autonomous vehicles, mobility services and electric vehicles and have started to explore opportunities. Both companies also said they were open to considering additional vehicle programs in the future. The teams will continue working through details in the coming months.

“Over time, this alliance will help both companies create value and meet the needs of our customers and society,” Hackett said. “It will not only drive significant efficiencies and help both companies improve their fitness, but also gives us the opportunity to collaborate on shaping the next era of mobility.”

Diess added: “Volkswagen and Ford will harness our collective resources, innovation capabilities and complementary market positions to even better serve millions of customers around the world. At the same time, the alliance will be a cornerstone for our drive to improve competitiveness.”

The alliance, which does not entail cross-ownership between the two companies, will be governed by a joint committee. This committee will be led by Hackett and Diess and will include senior executives from both companies.

Commercial van and pickup collaboration
Ford and Volkswagen both have strong commercial van and pickup businesses around the globe, with popular nameplates such as the Ford Transit family and Ranger as well as the Volkswagen Transporter, Caddy and Amarok.

The companies’ collective light commercial vehicle volumes from 2018 totaled approximately 1.2 million units globally, which could represent the industry’s highest-volume collaboration as production scales.

Demand for both medium pickups and commercial vans is expected to grow globally in the next five years. The alliance will enable the companies to share development costs, leverage their respective manufacturing capacity, boost the capability and competitiveness of their vehicles and deliver cost efficiencies, while maintaining distinct brand characteristics.

Through the alliance, Ford will engineer and build medium-sized pickups for both companies which are expected to go to market as early as 2022. For both parties, Ford intends to engineer and build larger commercial vans for European customers, and Volkswagen intends to develop and build a city van.

January 10, 2019 (Mountain View, CA) – BMW i Ventures announced today an investment in Tekion, a technology provider that delivers the most modern cloud platform available for the automotive retail space.

Headquartered in San Ramon, CA, Tekion was founded in 2016 by a world-class team with a unique background combining deep enterprise cloud platform understanding with automotive retail operations. Tekion comes to market with their digital Service Experience (dSE) platform, the only end-to-end digital technology for both consumers and dealership personnel that connects the entire service experience from appointment scheduling to payment and everything in-between. Thanks to a cloud-built platform with advanced machine learning and AI capabilities, Tekion can help dealers offer a personalized and seamless consumer experience.

“Tekion team has built a cutting-edge solution from ground up that seamlessly connects dealers, consumers and OEMs” said Dr. Ulrich Quay, Managing Director at BMW i Ventures. “We are convinced that Tekion will play a big part in the evolution of the dealer software industry, and we are thrilled to join the journey.”

Tekion will use the investment to expand its sales and customer support, and continue its rapid pace of product innovation.

# # #

About BMW i Ventures
BMW i Ventures, BMW’s EUR 500 Mio million venture capital fund, invests money and resources in startups in the fields of autonomous driving, digital car and automotive cloud, e-mobility, artificial Intelligence and data, industry 4.0, shared and on-demand mobility, customer digital life, and energy services. The firm has already partnered with innovative companies such as Carbon3D, Chargepoint, Claroty, DesktopMetal, Graphcore, JustPark, Life360, Moovit, Nauto, Scoop, Stratim, Turo, Xometry and Zendrive. BMW i Ventures invests in all stages from seed and incubation to growth companies.

About Tekion
Tekion is a cloud-built platform delivering business applications that are simple, fun, cool and inherent with advanced machine learning/ AI, and Human Computer Interaction (voice, touch, vision, sensors and IoT) capabilities for a personalized and seamless consumer experience. Tekion is currently focused on delivering applications and solutions for automotive OEMs and dealers that believe in transforming the automotive retail experience. Born in California’s Silicon Valley, Tekion employs over 150 innovators globally. For more information, visit www.tekion.com

LAS VEGAS – January 8, 2019 – In Las Vegas today, BMW Group subsidiary Designworks unveiled a new camper concept and virtual reality experience, in partnership with The North Face, to imagine the future of protection from the elements.

The lightweight camper concept and virtual experience were designed by Designworks to showcase a new fabric innovation from The North Face called FUTURELIGHT™, which uses Nanospinning technology to create the world’s most advanced, breathable, waterproof material.

“We combined both physical and digital worlds to showcase this material, ensuring the holistic vision of the brand was clearly communicated, while giving people a real ‘hands-on’ experience,” said Laura Robin, Designworks LA Studio Director. “Thinking about extreme performance in new and unexpected ways from our experience of working across multiple industries, helped us to provide consumers with a unique and never before seen insight into the very heart of the material and its key attributes.”

The FUTURELIGHT camper was inspired by the 2008 BMW GINA Light Visionary Model concept car. Like the GINA Concept, the FUTURELIGHT™ Camper is made of a fabric outer shell, consisting of a flexible material stretched over an iconic geodesic dome to demonstrate the potential uses of FUTURELIGHT™ fabric beyond just apparel.

The revolutionary Nanospinning process used to create FUTURELIGHT™, has allowed the The North Face designers to add air permeability into the membrane of a fabric for the first time. The process creates nano-sized holes, allowing for incredible porosity while still maintaining total waterproofness, letting air move through the material and provide more venting than ever before.
The FUTURELIGHT™ Camper, is on display during the global consumer electronics tradeshow, by invite-only Jan. 7 – Jan. 11 in Las Vegas. FUTURELIGHT™ will first become available to consumers in The North Face Fall 2019 product line and will be featured across the brand’s pinnacle performance collections.

# # #

About Designworks, a BMW Group Company
Designworks, a BMW Group Company, is a global creative consultancy offering services which foster innovation and business growth for companies worldwide. Using cross-industry knowledge and experience, its culture of innovation and future-focused approach catalyzes its passion for visionary design.

Designworks leverages the power of BMW Group’s culture of innovation and cutting edge design to advance the goals of its external clients, including John Deere, Virgin Hyperloop One, Siemens, Corsair, HP, Microsoft, Embraer and Singapore Airlines, whilst bringing outside perspectives and impulses to the BMW Group through knowledge and experience gained with client engagements.

Daytona. The dress rehearsal is over; now it won’t be long before Alessandro Zanardi‘s (ITA) next big challenge gets underway: the 24-hour of Daytona (USA) race on 26th and 27th January. At the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship (IMSA series) season opener, Zanardi will share the cockpit of the BMW Team RLL #24 BMW M8 GTE with John Edwards (USA), Jesse Krohn (FIN) and Chaz Mostert (AUS). The car is equipped with a special brake lever that enables Zanardi to brake by hand.

This weekend, Zanardi, BMW M Motorsport and BMW Team RLL were involved in the final test before the race, the official pre-event test, the ‘Roar’. This gave Zanardi another opportunity to get to know the BMW M8 GTE, the team and his team-mates better. In an interview, the BMW works driver and BMW brand ambassador talks about the significance of the 24-hour race of Daytona, the reception of the American fans, his impressions in the crucial stage of preparations and the challenges in the actual race.

Alessandro, Daytona is not just a race, it is one of the most important 24-hour races in the world. What do you think about Daytona?

Alessandro Zanardi: “Daytona is a race that, when I was racing in the United States, many of my colleagues and rivals were engaged in as its dates never clashed with any of the Indycar championship races because it is very early in the season. I never had the opportunity for some reason to have a taste of it myself but hearing my colleagues talking about the event, how great it is, their excitement, what they had to say about it, got me very curious about it and it was a really long, long time ago when I said: down the road, sooner or later, I want to be at Daytona. So to finally have the opportunity to go there, not only just to be part of it but to go there with a very competitive machine, to represent BMW to the best of my ability as a driver and as a brand ambassador, it’s fantastic. Now I can’t wait to finally start the 24-hour race weekend.”

At the weekend, you and BMW Team RLL completed the dress rehearsal for the 24-hour race, the ‘Roar’. Are you well prepared?

Zanardi: “You’re never prepared enough. You never feel totally prepared, even when the race is about to start and you are starting from pole position. The ‘Roar’ was a very important test but you don’t know how people are going to come back for the race where they really show the full potential of their cars. But that is the name of the game. You just try to do the best you can, analyse all the information you have collected and we feel pretty confident that we have done a good job.”

You enjoyed an overwhelming welcome in the paddock and by the US fans. Does this make you look forward for the race weekend even more?

Zanardi: “Yes, to say the least. I of course knew that it was going to be special but frankly I was not expecting it to be this special. Wow! For the race it will be probably even more. The enthusiasm of the fans for the cars running is already sky high but whenever I was going by for some reason I could detect an even more explosive spark of enthusiasm. People were sincerely happy and joyful to see me going round. And all the ones who had the opportunity to come and say something to me did not hide that at all. They were very, very warm in their comments and encouraging at the same time and respectful. I am very, very touched by the support I have been receiving.”

At the ‘Roar’, the entire 24-hour team came together at the track. How do you get on with your team-mates?

Zanardi: “Great! These guys are terrific. Jesse, Chaz and John are very, very talented drivers, very professional and it’s fantastic and also very helpful to be in such a team, because to be in a team with those drivers is a huge plus. It is inevitable to feel pressure because I would really like to perform at their level and on top of my personal problems, my age and whatever, it’s a question of their talent knowing the car the way they do. I will try my best but so far so good. I’m not so far behind, actually.”

And how about working with BMW Team RLL?

Zanardi: “Every single member of the team, starting from the BMW M Motorsport guys who came from Munich to support and the guys who live here and are a full-time part of the BMW Team RLL organisation, is very professional but also excited. You can tell that they are all very, very happy to be here, they are totally dedicated and you can see the passion for what they do. They want to do everything they can to steer luck in our favour because at the end of the day it still is a race, and actually it’s a 24-hour race where there are a lot of things that could go wrong and you can only control it up to a certain point.”

Did your new braking system with the lever prove to be a physical benefit in the BMW M8 GTE?

Zanardi: “Physically speaking it’s incomparable. It’s like night and day compared to what I was doing before. So yes, it helps far more than we expected when we started to investigate solutions to follow that direction. So yes, from that point of view it’s 100 percent a success. Still I think for me to negotiate the things, some of the actions that I have to do, I am still a student. And I hope I can learn some more but I will have 24-hours of time to go through my mental data and to try to develop the right technique.”

What will be the biggest challenge during the 24-hour race?

Zanardi: “To stay out of trouble. Because I have already seen over the course of the ‘Roar’ that when you have a fast prototype coming up and a slow GT in front of you, you are like ham in a sandwich. And you don’t want to get bitten. So staying out of trouble is not so easy.”

When the chequered flag comes out on Sunday, 27th January – what would be the outcome for you to say that you are happy?

Zanardi: “Well, I won’t be totally happy because when it’s over, it’s over. Even if we end up winning the race, I am sure I will regret this special and great adventure being over. So don’t make me think about it – just let me enjoy it.”

DEARBORN, Mich., – Ford is issuing a recall for select 2015-19 F-150 and 2017-19 Super Duty vehicles equipped with engine block heaters. Water and contaminants can intrude into the block heater cable’s splice connector causing corrosion and damage to the cable over time. Prolonged corrosion in the cable splice connector can cause a short, make the engine block heater inoperable, and/or trip household breakers or GFCI-equipped outlets while the vehicle is parked and the block heater is plugged in.rnrnThe risk to safety only exists while the vehicle is parked and the block heater cable is plugged into an electrical outlet.rnrnFord is aware of three fires originating from the engine block heater cable splice connector, and minor property damage reported in one incident. Ford is not aware of any accidents or injuries tied to this.rnrnAffected vehicles include:rn2015-19 F-150 vehicles built at Dearborn Truck Plant between March 18, 2014 and Nov. 17, 2018 and at Kansas City Assembly Plant between Aug. 21, 2014 and Nov. 17, 2018rn2017-19 Super Duty vehicles built at Ohio Assembly Plant between Feb. 5, 2016 and Nov. 17, 2018 and at Kentucky Truck Plant between Oct. 8, 2015 and Nov. 17, 2018rnDealers will inspect the engine block heater cable and replace it if it is damaged or corroded. If there are no signs of damage or corrosion, dealers will apply dielectric grease to the splice connector and reconnect. If a replacement cable is required but unavailable, the customer will receive an information sheet and will be notified via mail for a follow-up appointment once parts become available.rnrnThere are approximately 874,000 vehicles that are affected in North America, with 410,289 in the United States and federal territories and 463,793 in Canada. The Ford reference number for this recall is 18S45.rnrnAbout Ford Motor CompanyrnFord Motor Company is a global company based in Dearborn, Michigan. The company designs, manufactures, markets and services a full line of Ford cars, trucks, SUVs, electrified vehicles and Lincoln luxury vehicles, provides financial services through Ford Motor Credit Company and is pursuing leadership positions in electrification, autonomous vehicles and mobility solutions. Ford employs approximately 200,000 people worldwide. For more information regarding Ford, its products and Ford Motor Credit Company, please visit www.corporate.ford.com.