BMW xDrive Mountain Challenge : Kaymer versus Spengler. Ryder Cup winner and DTM champion put their skills to the test on unusual territory at over 2,000 metres above sea level

Kühtai/Austria. They both have career-defining moments behind them: Bruno Spengler won the driver, team and manufacturer titles in the DTM with BMW Motorsport, fighting back to overcome what was at one point a 40-point deficit to do so. Martin Kaymer was also one of the key figures in a mighty comeback: at this year’s Ryder Cup at the Medinah Country Club (USA), Team European recovered from four points down going into the singles to defeat the USA team and equal the biggest comeback of all time in the process. BMW Brand Ambassador Kaymer sank the putt that ensured the Ryder Cup would return to Europe – a putt he himself described as the most important shot of his life. Both Spengler and Kaymer showed they have the heart of a fight and that nothing knocks them out of their stride. They are true winners.
BMW works driver Spengler and Major-winner Kaymer provided emphatic proof of their character in Kühtai in the Austrian Tyrol at the end of December. The BMW xDrive Mountain Challenge saw the Canadian and the German go head to head on winding mountain roads and in a golf match on the 2,447-metre high Pirchkogel. It all came down to a somewhat alien discipline for both of them: sledging – and in extremely challenging winter conditions, with icy temperatures of minus 15 degrees Celsius.
In the driving duel on ice and snow-covered roads, the two protagonists could depend on the four-wheel drive expertise of their two vehicles: the BMW M550d xDrive and BMW 6 Series Coupé xDrive.
The two successful sportsmen were on their own when it came to the rather peculiar golf match, however. The first tee took them to new heights: Kaymer and Spengler teed up in a cable car and drove their opening shots through the open door into the snowy nothingness. Not a shot for those with weak nerves, but tailor-made for the two comeback champions.
The pair ended the challenge by hurtling back down into the valley on sledges. Having negotiated heavy snow drifts, they both crossed the finish line neck and neck, giving a spectacular day the thrilling finale it deserved.
“Martin was a tough opponent, but that much was already clear before we started I am an enthusiastic golfer myself, and obviously followed the action at the Ryder Cup closely as he sank that putt under such immense pressure,” said Spengler. “He showed nerves of steel again today. It was great to compete against Martin in the BMW xDrive Mountain Challenge and to overcome all these challenges.”
Kaymer said: “Today I learned exactly why Bruno Spengler won the DTM. He is simply impossible to shake off and fights right down to the last second. The duel with him was tougher than a lot of what I usually experience on the golf course. This kind of competition between sportsmen is great fun. It was a fantastic day.”

BMW Motorrad sends five riders on an exciting around-the-world tour

BMW Motorrad sends five riders on an exciting around-the-world tour. Adrien Brody, Rick Yune, Charley Boorman and Jutta Kleinschmidt present the winners for the “Ride of Your Life” tour.

Munich. The motorbike riders who will take part in the BMW Motorrad “Ride of Your Life” tour have now been confirmed. For five people, the dream of a lifetime is about to come true. The lucky winners were selected by our celebrity judging panel, made up of Adrien Brody, Rick Yune, Charley Boorman and Jutta Kleinschmidt, who evaluated entries from around 12,000 applicants worldwide. Petite and feminine, Stephanie Rowe is perhaps the biggest surprise in their chosen line-up. She’ll be the only woman to set off on the tour alongside four well-built men.
 
In addition to riding ability, the judging panel was particularly interested in the applicants’ sense of adventure, their ability to work as part of a team, and their physical fitness. “For me, it wasn’t just about having the right riding skills,” explains Oscar-winner Adrien Brody, “it was also about having the right spirit. After all, this is what drives each of us, and what creates the enthusiasm that is so important to all motorbike riders.”
 
The “Ride of Your Life” gives five winners the chance to set out on one very special tour: five motorcyclists who think they’ve got what it takes will go on the adventure of a lifetime – a road trip spanning five continents. The only female in the line-up is 25-year-old Stephanie Rowe from England. Stephanie is a motorbike professional through and through – she not only works in the motorbike accessories industry, but is also a highly successful enduro racer.
 
Herbert Unger comes from Germany and has been riding a motorbike since he was 18 years old – in 2013, he will both take part in the tour and celebrate his 50th birthday. Originally from Schrobenhausen in Bavaria, the metal worker cherishes his free time and loves to be on the move. Next up is Alessio Cigolini from Florence – the Italian works for one of the world’s largest conglomerates and in his spare time, he loves to spend days riding through Tuscany. The fourth rider is 41-year-old Salvador Echevarría from Barcelona – he is a business man who is always looking for a challenge – whether at work or on the road. And last but not least is Stephane Gautronneau from Paris – the 39-year-old Frenchman is a fashion photographer who feels at home anywhere in the world. Among other achievements, he has already covered the 16,000 kilometres from Paris to Goa on a motorbike in 46 days.
 
“The perfect candidate is able to find the right balance between courage and caution on the road,” says Hollywood action-film star, Rick Yune. “If they can do this, they will have time to appreciate the tour’s different destinations and find their inner strength.” Actor and adventurer Charley Boorman, and the successful rally rider, Jutta Kleinschmidt also think that having an open, friendly attitude is very important: “We’re looking for riders who also want to stop once in a while, and get to know the locals. Wherever you find yourself, there should always be time to talk to people and make new friends.”
 
While the winners all have different personalities and bring a range of motorcycling experience to the table, they all have the same expectations of the tour: they are all looking for one big adventure that combines incredible natural beauty with the opportunity to ride the new BMW R 1200 GS as part of an extraordinary world tour. And not only that – they will also be the very first to ride this bike, before it even becomes available on market!
 
The R 1200 GS will really be able to shine throughout the journey, as the “Ride of Your Life” tour passes through widely different climates and landscapes, from the misty jungle of Asia to Africa’s arid lands, New Zealand’s national parks, the endless prairies of North America and the steep mountain passes of the Pyrenees. The final destination will be BMW World in Munich, Germany.
 
 

 

BMW Brand Management under new leadership

BMW Brand Management under new leadership

Steven Althaus joins automobile manufacturer  
 
Munich. Steven F. Althaus will become the new Director Brand Management BMW and Marketing Services BMW Group. The 44-year-old will assume his new position in Munich in January 2013. Althaus holds a doctorate in business administration and was most recently Chairman and CEO of the communications agency Publicis Germany and Austria. His previous roles include Head of Global Brand Management and Strategic Partnerships at Allianz SE.
 
“We are delighted to gain an experienced manager like Steven Althaus, who is acknowledged as an expert in the communications sector”, commented Ian Robertson, member of the Board of Management of BMW AG, responsible for Sales and Marketing BMW.
 
In his new role, Althaus’s responsibilities will include brand management, strategy and global marketing communications for the BMW brand and for the BMW i sub-brand.
 

BMW Car Hotspot LTE(Long Term Evolution). BMW Group sets new standards in “auto”-mobile internet technology.

BMW Car Hotspot LTE. BMW Group sets new standards i “auto”-mobile internet technology.

Munich. The newly launched BMW Car Hotspot LTE is now bringing LTE high-speed mobile internet access to the road. Just like a router in the home, the BMW Car Hotspot LTE provides internet access for mobile client devices. Passengers can enjoy high-speed internet surfing on as many as eight different mobile devices simultaneously. Using the new LTE (Long Term Evolution) wireless technology, the BMW Car Hotspot LTE takes the mobile internet experience to a whole new level. “The very fast bit rates and extremely low latency mean that an internet connection supported by the BMW Car Hotspot LTE is often even faster than a PC connection in the home,” says Markus Dietz, Project Manager BMW Car Hotspot LTE Development.
All that is required apart from the BMW Car Hotspot LTE is an LTE-capable SIM card, which is simply inserted into the hotspot. The first time a mobile device is connected to the BMW Car Hotspot LTE using the mobile device’s WLAN interface, an eight-digit code must be entered. This is a one-off requirement. The procedure is even simpler if the mobile device is equipped with an NFC (Near Field Communication) interface. In this case, the WLAN connection is automatically established simply by briefly placing the NFC-capable device on top of the BMW Car Hotspot LTE. This is the first time NFC functionality has been offered in the car. “‘Plug and play’ is something of an overworked term, but this is the genuine article,” says Markus Dietz. And even if the customer’s device is not NFC-capable, the BMW Car Hotspot LTE also offers WPS (WiFi Protect Setup) as a further easy solution for establishing a WLAN connection. Using this method it is possible to establish a secure connection between the hotspot and a mobile device situated within a range of three metres simply by pressing the hotspot’s “connect” button once and without entering a PIN – an optimal in-car solution.
Suitable for use in – or outside – any vehicle. 
The BMW Car Hotspot LTE accessory is designed for optimal operation in any vehicle of the BMW Group equipped with a telephone docking station. The docking station provides the power supply and ensures optimal reception. When placed in the BMW docking station, the BMW Car Hotspot LTE connects to the internet using the vehicle aerial. This means that reception cannot be impaired for example by tinted windows, while also preventing radiation inside the vehicle. But it is also possible to use the BMW LTE Hotspot even without a docking station. In this case, using an optionally available adapter and mini-USB cable, the power is provided by plugging the BMW Car Hotspot LTE into the cigarette lighter. This means the hotspot can be used in any vehicle. 
A built-in battery pack means that the BMW Car Hotspot LTE can even be used outside the vehicle. Away from an external power supply – for example on a picnic or inside a holiday apartment – the hotspot can provide internet access for about an hour. The built-in battery can then be recharged in about 30 minutes, either at a power socket or at the docking station. Needless to say, the device can also be operated during charging.
In order to minimise radiation both in and outside the vehicle, the BMW Car Hotspot LTE offers a choice of reception range. The factory-preset range of about three metres is optimised for use inside a vehicle, but if necessary a ten-metre range can be selected, ensuring an optimal WLAN connection both inside and outside the vehicle.
LTE  already extensively available.
High-speed internet surfing with LTE requires access to an LTE-capable wireless network. Germany and Europe in general already offer extensive wireless LTE coverage. Particularly in rural areas of Germany, the Federal Network Agency has been doing much to speed the rollout of LTE networks. Germany is expected to offer full LTE network coverage by the end of 2014. If ever LTE is temporarily unavailable, however, the BMW Car Hotspot LTE automatically switches to lower-speed standards such as UMTS .

Maruti suzuki india gets 12.5% growth November 2012

Car market leader Maruti Suzuki India Limited sold a total of 1,03,200 units in November 2012, a growth of 12.5 per cent. This includes 12,318 units for export. The Company had sold a total of 91,772 units in November 2011.

 

Ssangyong Motor(mahindra group) unveils New Design Center at Pyeongtaek Plant

Ssangyong Motor unveils New Design Center at Pyeongtaek Plant
Ssangyong Motor

Ssangyong Motor (CEO Lee Yoo-il; www.smotor.com
), part of the USD 15.9 billion Mahindra Group, announced on Dec. 11, 2012 that the company recently unveiled its brand-new Design Center at the R&D campus of the Pyeongtaek Plant in Gyeonggi Province.

 
  * Ssangyong’s new Design Center will create synergies throughout the development process, enforcing the interaction between design and R&D.
  * Design Center expanded by 40% as compared to previous center and will help development of future models, including XIV series.
  * The center will take a lead role to reflect various customer needs and design trends in Ssangyong vehicles.
  

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
The Ssangyong Design Center was established along with the Central R&D Center in 1992, and then separated from the R&D Center by moving to Anseong, where its Logistics Center was located, in 2000.
 
 
The company commenced construction of the Design Center in October 2011 and it took 13 months to complete.
 
 
The company said its Design Center will enable greater interaction between the R&D team and the company, right from the new product planning stage, enabling synergies in diverse fields throughout the development process.
 
 
Spanning about 93,320 square feet and consisting of three floors above ground and one underground, the center will be home to Ssangyong’s skilled and creative designers. The center previously occupied about 65,470 square feet of land in Anseong.
 
 
The center includes highly advanced facilities such as a modeling room, design sample room, color lab, inside and outside presentation areas as a complex design studio. It will aid in the development of future models, including the XIV series which is the company’s growth driver.
 
The evaluation room, where the design of a new car is unveiled and evaluated, is equipped with a VR (Virtual Reality) system with the highest resolution. The company operates two separate evaluation areas - inside and outside - to ensure the highest quality when it comes to new vehicle design.
 
 
Ssangyong has adapted its unique design identity, evident in previous models including the Korando and Musso, for its next generation models. As a result of this effort, it was possible for the company to introduce the competitive SUVs in global markets such as the Korando C, Korando Sports and Rexton W based on Ssangyong’s unique product development philosophies, “Robust, Specialty, and Premium.’
 
 
Recently, the automaker has established its new design philosophy which revolves around the idea that “dynamic motion provides impression and pleasure to human being’s life in nature,” and is concentrating on the creation of Ssangyong’s own design, whose key components are ‘Nature, Human and Motion’ based on the intrinsic and strong design of SUVs.
 
 
Lee Yoo-il, CEO of Ssangyong Motor, commented, “The value of design is to deliver the company’s brand message to customers and create a distinct brand identity,” adding, “Ssangyong’s new Design Center will take a lead role in reflecting various customer needs and design trends in Ssangyong vehicles.”
 

Harley davidson "FAT BOY"is here!!!

Harley davidson Fat Boy is here!!! With its great look and power pack performance for indian market.  Fat boy series is here to hit indian market with its global iconic "Fat Boy"

Price (ex-showroom delhi): 12.8* lakhs