BMW Group has completed 100 years of its establishment on March 7th, 2016 and the automotive giant is celebrating their centenary with the motto of ‘The Next 100 Years. At the celebration, the BMW Group officials emphasized on the commitment of their employees around the world. Taking the excitement to the next level, the automaker presented the BMW Vision Next 100 concept at the Centenary Event in the Munich Olympic Hall on 7th March – exactly one hundred years after the company that is now known as BMW AG was first entered into the commercial register on March 7, 1916.
The BMW Vision Next 100 Concept shows BMW Group’s vision of premium mobility that is claimed to be completely effortless, comprehensively available and tailored to every customer’s individual preferences. Currently the world is on the verge of realising automated driving; in near future the majority of cars will probably be autonomous and travel the streets of cities inhabited by far more people than today.
The BMW Vision Next 100 vehicle combines the features of a coupé with the demeanour of a sedan. The concept is not only an example of an anonymous transport machine but is a highly customisable vehicle that can be tailored to suit the driver’s changing needs. The driver-vehicle interactions are managed by a developed Alive Geometry technology. The vehicle is equipped with two driving modes namely – Boost and Ease mode. These modes offer a choice of driver-controlled or autonomous operations.
In Boost mode, the entire vehicle focuses on the driver, offering the support needed to maximise the driving experience – for instance by indicating the ideal driving line, steering point and speed. The Ease mode the interior transforms; the steering wheel and centre console retract, headrests turn to the side, the seats and door trim merge to form a single unit so that the driver and front-seat passenger can turn towards each other.
After its world debut in Munich, the BMW Vision Next 100 will go on a World Tour entitled as Iconic Impulses. The first stop of the tour will be in Beijing, China. After Asia the tour will head to the UK, where the Vision vehicles of the BMW Group’s British brands – MINI and Rolls-Royce – will be unveiled. Last port for the tour will be in Los Angeles, USA, where BMW Motorrad will add its Vision Vehicle to the collection to complete the quartet of brands. Key content from the Iconic Impulses tour will be on show in Munich as a permanent exhibition. The Future Exhibition in the ‘double cone’ structure of the BMW Welt will open to the public in spring.
A further exhibition will be mounted by the BMW Museum, where a temporary centenary display entitled ‘100 Masterpieces’ will present milestones in the history of the BMW Group. It will be open to the public from 10 March onwards. From 9-11 September 2016, BMW Festival – The Next 100 Years will see fans from all over the world and will take place in the Munich Olympic Park, including the Olympic Stadium and Hall.
The BMW Museum and BMW Welt (multi-functional customer experience and exhibition facility of BMW AG, located in Munich) will also be involved, as will the entire area around the iconic ‘four-cylinder’ headquarters building. To round off the centenary year, there will be a special publication consisting of 13 volumes outlining the history of the company and discuss key future topics.
Here is the video explaining BMW Vision Next 100 concept followed by a gallery!
