The Frankfurt International Auto Show, or IAA, is the home field for German car companies, so naturally, BMW goes all out in presenting its newest, coolest, and most awaited offerings—usually. The IAA is only held every other year, which is another reason German car-builders make a maximum effort for it. The 2015 event will take place next month, from September 15 to 27, and BMW will be there to amaze show-goers with a whole new level of experiential marketing.
BMW, Mini, and Rolls-Royce will all have their individual showcases under the BMW Group’s umbrella. In fact, BMW and Mini brand vehicles will be featured with active-driving demonstrations on a 400-meter circuit. That tells you how big the BMW Group stand will be at Frankfurt this year.
The BMW Group stand will consist of two levels and a total of 12,000 square meters of display space and driving track. It will be BMW’s biggest Frankfurt display ever and will encompass the company’s latest innovations, new models, and entire product portfolio.
Visitors will have 20 opportunities each day to view the BMW and Mini technology and product highlights, as that’s how many times the brief show will be presented on stage. The BMW stage, by the way, is 50 meters wide.
In addition to the displays and demonstrations, visitors will be able to see additional content and behind-the-scenes features using the BMW IAA App. The App will provide an audio guide to the displays, as well as augmented reality features that will “enable the new BMW 7 Series and other exhibits to be experienced in a new dimension.”
Steven Althaus, Head of Brand Management BMW and Marketing Services BMW Group explained, “Authentic, distinctive brands, outstanding new vehicles, and exciting innovations will be showcased in a ground-breaking new way to create a unique visitor experience at IAA 2015.”
BMW’s all-new luxury sedan flagship will be the highlight of the BMW stand. The stand itself will be designed to look like a BMW store. Three rooms will give visitors ample opportunity to explore the new BMW 7 Series in detail, and will present the BMW 7 Series with M Sports Package, a new BMW 7 Series with the Design Pure Excellence package, and the BMW eDrive variant—the BMW 740Le.
High-quality, intuitive exhibits will help visitors explore features of the cars in more depth. For example, the interactive multimedia wall lets attendees experience new gesture control technology.
Another area of the BMW stand will focus on its i brand, featuring the BMW i3 and BMW i8 as well as innovative charging concepts and services. BMW i will also present BMW Connected Living innovative applications that go “beyond pure mobility solutions and extend into other areas of the user’s life.” We’re not really sure what that means, exactly, but we’re fairly certain it will be interesting.
BMW i technology will be on display in a different way as well, as BMW premieres the eDrive versions of the BMW 2 Series, BMW 3 Series, BMW X5, and BMW 7 Series.
Another world premiere will be the first public showing of the new BMW X1. The littlest Sports Activity Vehicle will be presented under a 50 square meter rock structure towering over both levels of the stand.
BMW M will show five models, including the world premiere of the new BMW M3 Sedan. Atmosphere is everything in show business, and BMW M is creating the atmosphere for the show with red mirrored walls and pulsating light shows. We’re certain it will be very artistic.
A highly anticipated special version of one M car is scheduled to be revealed for the first time at Frankfurt. The M6 GT3 racecar is based on the M6 Coupe, but wears a new and different front bumper and splitter, wide body kit, rear bumper and diffuser, big rear wing, ventilated hood, and a roof escape hatch.
The M6 GT3’s 4.4-liter twin-turbo V8 is expected to produce up to 577 horsepower, depending on the race classification. Running costs are projected to be 30 percent lower compared to the Z4 GT3 it is replacing, making it BMW’s most economical GT racecar yet.
What is also considered big M news is what might not be at Frankfurt. We have heard that with the emphasis on the 7 Series and the X1, the expected premiere of the new BMW M2 will be pushed back to a later show, even though the M2 was projected to start production in November. We’ll keep you updated on the M2, since it is probably the BMW enthusiast community’s most anticipated M car in years.
BMW will celebrate the 40th anniversary of its best-selling car of all time—the 3 Series—at the Frankfurt Auto Show. The stand will use multimedia to present key scenes from the 3 Series’ development over 40 years.
BMW Motorrad will show off it’s own identity within the BMW Group, with four series models: the BMW F 800, the BMW S 1000 RR, the BMW S 1000 XR, and the BMW R nineT, as well as BMW’s initial idea for a scrambler: the BMW Concept Path 22.
The Mini Creative Hub will emphasize its new corporate design and tradition of constant reinvention. The new Mini Clubman will be the star of the Mini show.
With a new six-door version, Mini proves it is not afraid to venture into the next-highest vehicle class for the first time.
Mini John Cooper Works will feature two members of the John Cooper Works family against the backdrop of a large aircraft hangar, providing a walk-in experience of freedom, heritage, and exclusivity.
The Mini Connected Lounge offers an upper-level loft with a spectacular view of the stage and track.
For the Rolls-Royce stand, BMW Group has created a cool and contemporary modern villa: a perfect backdrop for the world premiere of the Rolls-Royce Dawn, a four-seat drophead unlike any Rolls offered before by the BMW Group.
BMW intends for visitors to be talking for weeks not only about the cars at Frankfurt, but about how they were presented to the public for the first time.—Scott Blazey
[Photo courtesy of BMW AG.]
