BMW Malaysia has introduced the BMW Product Genius Programme for the first time in the country, with seven BMW Product Geniuses having been trained and deployed successfully to three dealerships in Klang Valley.
Harald Hoelzl, Managing Director for BMW Group Malaysia said: “Conventionally, stepping into a car dealership can be an intimidating experience for customers, as they may feel pressured into making purchasing decisions before being allowed to familiarise themselves fully with the products. With this in mind, our BMW Product Geniuses are on hand to provide customers with a pressure-free experience. From these highly personalised interactions, we aim for customers to derive Sheer Driving Pleasure from the very beginning of their BMW Ownership Experience.”
BMW Product Geniuses are meticulously selected and trained within select dealerships under the close guidance of BMW Malaysia, before qualifying as BMW product and brand experts. Their role complements that of a Sales Advisor, as they are focused on acquainting customers with every aspect of the BMW vehicle portfolio, from conducting needs analyses, product presentations to facilitating test drives.
“In addition to being a friendly face, the Product Genius is equipped with the expertise to explain and demonstrate the use of each feature and function of a BMW vehicle, and offer insights on product benefits suited to a particular customer’s specific needs. Overall, BMW Product Geniuses occupy a key role as neutral customer consultants, ambassadors for the brand, and knowledge touchpoints within the dealership,” added Hoelzl.
In the pilot programme last year, the first batch of BMW Product Geniuses were successfully trained and deployed in early December to three dealerships in Klang Valley: Auto Bavaria Kuala Lumpur, Auto Bavaria Glenmarie, and Ingress Auto Damansara.
BMW Authorised Dealers are now offering BMW Engine Oil Service Packages on e-commerce platform Lazada, to provide customers with easier access to Original BMW Engine Oil and Service as part of the initiative to further enhance the BMW premium ownership experience.
Harald Hoelzl, Managing Director for BMW Group Malaysia (below) said, “In our pursuit to increase the sheer pleasure of a BMW ownership experience, we are excited to be partnering with the leading e-commerce platforms in the country, to make Original BMW Engine Oil and Service more readily available to BMW owners. This marks the first offering by BMW Authorised Dealers after-sales on an e-commerce platform, which enables BMW owners to enjoy peace of mind ownership experience from wherever they are, be it on their computer, laptop, or smartphones.”
Stefan Sloboda, Head of Aftersales, BMW Malaysia added that “With the participation of participating dealers, we are able to ensure continuous optimal performance, efficiency, and protection for our customers’ engines, while delivering Sheer Driving Pleasure through BMW’s top-quality maintenance.” The Engine Oil Service Packages are offered from RM450 onwards, for specific models of the BMW 3 Series (E46 and E90) and BMW 5 Series (E60). The packages include Original BMW Engine Oil, BMW Oil Filter and labour.
For a peace of mind ownership experience, owners can utilise their BMW Engine Oil Service Packages via three easy steps:
Purchase the BMW Oil Change Service via any of the participating dealers on Lazada.
The BMW authorised dealer will call owners within one business day to schedule an appointment.
Drive in on the day of appointment for the BMW Oil Change Service.
BMW Malaysia telah memperkenalkan Program Pakar Produk BMW (BMW Product Genius Programme) buat julung kalinya di Malaysia, dengan tujuh pakar terlatih dan ditempatkan di tiga premis pengedaran di sekitar kawasan Lembah Klang. (more…)
BMW Group Malaysia “charges” forward in the new year as the leading e-mobility provider in the country, unveiling six New BMW i Charging Facilities at Bangsar Shopping Centre.
Harald Hoelzl, Managing Director at BMW Group Malaysia (above) said, “2018 was a remarkable year for the BMW Group globally and we reflected this here with another year of record-breaking business performances for the eighth consecutive year with 14,338 vehicles delivered, a segment-leading growth of 13%. This reinforces Malaysia’s position as a key market in the region for the BMW Group and we are truly humbled with this achievement.”
Hoelzl added that BMW Malaysia’s portfolio of Visionary Mobility vehicles accounted for over 57% of deliveries last year with over 7,500 Plug-in Hybrid variants of BMW and MINI vehicles making their way to homes across Malaysia in 2018.
“As the country’s leading provider of premium electrified vehicles, we are constantly driving initiatives for innovation, local assembly capabilities, awareness on new and clean technology for the automotive industry as well as helping develop the infrastructure for electrified premium vehicles in the country. We began working on these initiatives with the Malaysian Green Technology Corporation (GreenTech Malaysia) as early as 2015 and we have also developed projects on our own with our network of dealerships across the country.” said Hoelzl.
BMW Malaysia unveiled six New BMW i Charging Facilities at Bangsar Shopping Centre (above), marking another important step in its industry-leading efforts in fostering the country’s shift to Electro-Mobility. This follows the introduction of new BMW i Charging Facilities at Ramada Plaza by Wyndham Melaka, The Banjaran Hotsprings Retreat in Ipoh, the Iconic Hotel in Penang as well as at WEIL Hotel in Ipoh last year.
BMW Group Malaysia’s portfolio of Visionary Mobility with the BMW iPerformance vehicles are also supported by the ChargEV platform through its partnership with GreenTech Malaysia. The BMW ChargeNow Service, which is offered as part of the BMW 360° ELECTRIC programme provides straightforward access to partner charging facilities like ChargEV, where customers can enjoy 24/7 support and access to all charging locations in ChargEV’s growing network nationwide.
BMW Group Malaysia telah mengorak langkah baru bagi permulaan tahun 2019 dengan melancarkan enam Fasiliti Pengecasan BMW i di Bangsar Shopping Centre. Sebagai salah satu peneraju di dalam arena e-mobiliti di Malaysia, ini merupakan satu langkah menarik dalam Visi Mobiliti BMW Group Malaysia di dalam negara. (more…)
BMW Malaysia recently introduced the BMW 330e M Performance Edition and BMW X5 xDrive40e M Performance Edition, each equipped with BMW M Performance Accessories to offer avid BMW motorsports enthusiasts the ultimate driving pleasure. Only 300 units are offered for each of these exclusive BMW M Performance Editions.
Harald Hoelzl, Managing Director of BMW Group Malaysia (below) said, “We are constantly looking for ways to add to the exclusivity of our premium vehicles while maintaining the unparalleled driving dynamics and performance of the BMW brand. By carefully selecting two highly collectible models and offering them with our motorsports-inspired BMW M Performance parts, we are proud to have crafted a unique on-road motorsports experience for our customers. Through perfect dynamics and captivating visual features, they can now enjoy the best of both worlds and experience BMW’s motorsports DNA come to live while on the road.”
Drawing from BMW’s extensive skills and experience in motorsports, the BMW M Performance Accessories are built with the same passion and craftsmanship as with the iconic BMW M models. With the M Performance aerodynamic kit seamlessly blended into the best-selling premium Plug-in Hybrid Electric models, the BMW M Performance Editions of the BMW 330e and BMW X5 xDrive40e have been transformed with an athletic edge, combining the best of BMW driving dynamics with benchmark performance and efficiency.
The BMW 330e M Performance Edition.
The now enhanced BMW 3 Series Hybrid with eDrive Technology comes with sportier aerodynamics and aesthetics, which include M Performance side skirts, side sill foils, and front grilles in high-gloss black, as well as the lightweight M Performance Carbon mirror caps for the side mirrors. The vehicle features a front attachment in Matt Black, a rear spoiler and a rear diffuser, in addition to the aggressive M Performance dark tail lights that round up the dynamic look. The interior meanwhile features M Performance stainless steel pedals and footrests. The exterior colour offerings for the BMW 330e M Performance Edition include Sunset Orange, Black Sapphire, Estoril Blue or Alpine White; while the interior is furnished with Black Dakota Leather.
The retail price (on the road, without insurance) for the BMW 330e M Performance Edition is RM 258,800.00. With the Easy Drive Programme from BMW Group Financial Services Malaysia, the BMW 330e M Performance Edition can also be owned with monthly instalment plans starting from RM 3,278.00 (based on estimates of an 80% loan on a four-year tenure, with a mileage capped at 20,000km per year).
The BMW X5 xDrive40e M Performance Edition.
The exclusive BMW X5 xDrive40e M Performance Edition is also equipped with M Performance side skirts, side sill foils, and front grilles in high-gloss black, along with M Performance Carbon mirror caps for the side mirrors. Both ends of the vehicle are framed with a Carbon front attachment and a rear spoiler in high-gloss black and Carbon rear diffuser. The stainless steel pedals add a striking motorsports feel to the interior. The BMW X5 xDrive40e M Performance Edition comes in Carbon Black, Mineral White or Space Grey. All exterior colour offerings are paired with Black Dakota Leather, whereas Carbon Black offers an additional option of Terra Dakota Leather.
The retail price (on the road, without insurance) for the BMW X5 xDrive40e M Performance Edition is RM 390,800.00. With the Easy Drive Programme from BMW Group Financial Services Malaysia, the BMW X5 xDrive40e M Performance Edition can also be owned with monthly instalment plans starting from RM 4,878.00 (based on estimates of an 80% loan on a four-year tenure, with a mileage capped at 20,000km per year).
Complete Premium Ownership Experience.
New owners of the BMW M Performance Editions can also experience the complete BMW Group Malaysia Premium Ownership experience which includes:
BMW 5-Year Unlimited Mileage Warranty with Free Scheduled Service Program
BMW 2-Year/ 24 Month Tyre Warranty Program for its Run Flat Tyre offering and services
BMW Roadside Assistance and Accident Hotline
The BMW Group Loyalty+ Mobile App – BMW White Card
BMW Service Online
Customers may view, enquire or place orders for the limited BMW M Performance Editions at any nearby BMW dealership.
CNY@BMW
Celebrate this Chinese New Year at BMW with attractive promotions, rebates and competitive financing solutions starting from 0.88% across a wide range of BMW models, at all authorised BMW dealerships. New owners of the BMW 530e, BMW 740Le and BMW X5 xDrive40e will receive a complimentary BMW i Wallbox Plus and BMW i AC Fast Charging Cable at no additional cost*, through the BMW i Wallbox Promotion.
With any purchase of BMW Plug-In Hybrid vehicles, new owners can also take advantage of the BMW ChargeNow Promotion which offers a complimentary BMW i AC Fast Charging Cable and BMW ChargeNow card. In collaboration with GreenTech Malaysia, the BMW ChargeNow card offers owners unlimited, complimentary access to the ChargeNow mobility services via the ChargEV platform for an entire year. The CNY@BMW campaign ends on 31st March 2019.
* The promotion excludes installation costs of the BMW i Wallbox.
BMW 318i Luxury, BMW 530i M Sport, BMW 630i GT and the BMW X1 sDrive 20i Sport
Just in time for the New Year of the Earth Boar, BMW Malaysia also took the opportunity to announce the new pricing of the BMW 318i Luxury, the BMW 530i M Sport, the BMW 630i GT and the BMW X1 sDrive 20i Sport. The BMW X1 sDrive 20i also receives new designed wheels in the form of 18” Y Spoke Style 566 Alloy Wheels as well as a new Exterior Trim and Roof Rails in Satinated Aluminum.
The new retail price (on the road, without insurance) for the BMW vehicles are as below.
BMW Motorrad Malaysia today introduced two new programs – The BMW Motorrad 3-Year Warranty and Roadside Assistance Programs – setting the benchmark for the premium motorcycle ownership in the country. Harald Hoelzl, Managing Director of BMW Group Malaysia (below) said, “A complete peace of mind ownership experience is the key to the premium expression of a vehicle from the BMW Group. It is also how we differentiate ourselves in the industry to Make Life A Ride for our customers.”
The All-New BMW Motorrad 3-Year Warranty Program which is backed by BMW Group AG covers free repairs and parts replacement for any manufacture or material defect with unlimited mileage. The Roadside Assistance Program, meanwhile, entitles customers to service by a team of specialists 24 hours a day, 365 days a year to provide professional and expert support for emergency situations, including towing services, in case of a break-down.
The new programs are applicable on all BMW motorcycles registered from 1 January 2019 onwards with the exception of the BMW HP4 RACE. BMW Motorrad Malaysia has also revised its pricing for all its models. The following is the new price list for BMW Motorrad models:
BMW AG has revealed a special one-off creation from their BMW Individual Division, the BMW 850i. And it uses pieces of an actual meteorite in its creation, yes, a friggin’ meteorite from space!
“BMW’s Individual Division has produced an exclusive one-off version of the 8-Series. The official reveal of the M850i xDrive Night Sky, BMW says, is set to coincide with an intense meteor shower due to take place on 3-4 January as Earth passes through the orbit of the asteroid 2003 EH…
… as a result, the Night Sky is filled with a range of details inspired by the extraterrestrial, many of which showcase some of the brand’s more exclusive manufacturing techniques. The most striking feature is the inclusion of real meteoritic rock: the material adorns the centre console trim plate, the start/stop button, the the gear selector (below), the top of the iDrive click wheel and the door sill inserts.” – Auto Express.
“The Night Sky is mechanically identical to the regular M850i. That means power comes from a twin-turbocharged 4.4-litre V8 with 523bhp and 750Nm of torque. The price is yet to be confirmed for the M850i xDrive Night Sky, but given the unique design, expect it to be astronomical”
For the FULL article from Auto Express, click here.
BMW M850i Night Sky Photo Gallery(All photos courtesy of Auto Express)
BMW Malaysia introduced two New BMW i Charging Facilities at Ramada Plaza by Wyndham Melaka. Mr. Klaus Sennik, General Manager of Ramada Plaza by Wyndham Melaka (above, 2nd from left) said, “The New BMW i Charging Facilities at our hotel marks a significant step forward in enriching our hospitality offerings to our guests while empowering their sustainable lifestyles. With this invaluable partnership with BMW Malaysia and Seong Hoe Premium Motors, we can now look after the e-mobility needs of our guests with cutting-edge facilities, offering them peace of mind as they explore the fascinating City of Melaka and its surrounding areas in their electric vehicles.” Chief Engineer for the hotel, Hj Abdul Rahman who spearheads the hotel’s green initiatives added, “this is also part of our hotel’s ‘green’ efforts to ensure greater environmental sustainability which is line with the Wyndham group of hotel’s green objectives.”
Sharing Sennik’s sentiments, Mr. Loy Suan Chiow, Dealer Principal of Seong Hoe Premium Motors, meanwhile, said, “We are seeing a rising adoption of BMW electrified vehicles in the state and an increasing demand for the best-in-class charging facilities to power this shift to Electro-Mobility. Following the BMW i Charging Facilities introduced at Holiday Inn Melaka and Hotel Equatorial Melaka last year, the New Facilities at Ramada Plaza by Wyndham Melaka once again attests to our fruitful partnership with BMW Malaysia in making Visionary Mobility more accessible in the state of Melaka.”
The New BMW i Charging Facilities at Ramada Plaza by Wyndham Melaka join BMW Malaysia’s growing network of charging infrastructure, the most recent being the BMW i Charging Facilities at the Banjaran Hotsprings Retreat, Ipoh, and Iconic Hotel, Penang, as well as the first BMW i Charging Facilities in Perak earlier this year at WEIL Hotel, Ipoh.
Sashi Ambi, Head of Corporate Communications, BMW Group Malaysia, (above, left) meanwhile, said, “As the leading provider of premium electro-mobility in the country, we are committed to elevating the Sheer Driving Pleasure of our customers by ensuring state-of-the-art facilities are accessible at key strategic locations. We are excited to see how much our network of charging facilities has expanded, as we continue to drive e-mobility forward through innovation, awareness on new and clean technology for the automotive industry, as well as changing the infrastructure for premium electric vehicles in the country.”
BMW Group Malaysia continues to solidify its position as the leading brand for electro-mobility, with electrified vehicles accounting for over 57% of the total BMW and MINI delivery from January to November this year, while the number of electrified vehicles delivered year-on-year has also increased to more than 34% from over 5,100 to over 6,900 units.
BMW Group Malaysia’s portfolio of Visionary Mobility with the BMW iPerformance vehicles are also supported by the ChargEV platform through its partnership with the Malaysian Green Technology Corporation. The BMW ChargeNow service, which is offered as part of the BMW 360° ELECTRIC programme, also grants straightforward access to partner charging facilities like ChargEV, where customers can enjoy 24/7 support and access to all charging locations in ChargEV’s growing network nationwide.
This is all someone else’s fault. Really. You see the problem with being the so-called resident old-skool classic car guy, is that friends (and the occasional total stranger) sometimes ask you to assist them in scoping out an old car that’s tickled their fancy. It happens to me a lot, and I’m actually considering starting a side-business on this…
Well, a good buddy of mine recently had his eye out for a 90’s BMW E30, a fine ‘drivers-car’ if there ever was one, born from the days when BMW were considered the “Ultimate Driving Machine”. As luck would have it, one came along through word-of-mouth (above) that had never been advertised. Having seen the photos and dutifully passing them on with what I’d learned about the car to the prospective buyer, there seemed to be interest, so the next logical step was to go see it in the metal. That photo above is how she looked the day I met her personally…
This is where things took a turn for the unexpected. Upon viewing the car up close, I further learned that not only was the car a ‘one-owner since new’ deal, it was also accident-free, and most importantly void of any after-market modifications to its powertrain, which was a modest 1.8-litre, 4-pot. Born in 1990, it was 28-years old, but only had 270,400kms on the odometer, which if my calculations were correct, amounted to less than 10,000km a year.
I further learned that the car was being used till earlier this year, when the owner decided that he needed an automatic. Yes, this E30 was an original MANUAL. 5-speed, 3 pedals. A drive around the block cemented my opinion that this was a gem. Its engine still purred, and apart from the usual signs of prolonged use on the outside, its interior was in remarkable condition for something almost three decades old.
It was at this point I was hoping that my friend would snap-up this car quickly, because I had a feeling I knew what was going to happen if he didn’t. As fate would have it, he ultimately declined, and I distinctly recall saying “Oh sh*t” out loud when he did. I couldn’t help but realise that this car ‘ticked’ all the right boxes for me; unmodified, original condition, accident-free, rust-free, well-maintained, papers all in order, driveable (not a tow-away). It didn’t take long before I was re-negotiating, but this time for myself instead. The deal was sealed in less than an hour.
Driving the car back (above), I remember having a weird grin on my face. This was the latest (and very likely last) in a long line of old-skool BMW ownership for me, which spanned the likes of the E21, E12, E23, E24 (2 of those) and E32. This was my first E30, despite having handled the sale of two units in the past. Well, actually one unit sold twice in 6 months…
One of the best things I’ve ever heard happened with this E30, when my mechanic friend remarked that whoever owned this car before me really took good care of it, “not much to do, all done before already” were his exact words I believe. I was stunned. Indeed, this was proving to be one of the best buys of my long and sordid affinity with old-skool cars.
With the mechanical and electrical bits all sorted, it was time for some much-needed cosmetic work. I learned that while the car had been parked under a porch most its life, its back end was usually stuck out in the open, and as such the rear bumper had degraded to a point where it was breaking off in pieces. The front bumper had fared no better, having been the subject of one too many minor bumps and ‘oops’ moments over the last 10,220 days since it rolled off the factory floor.
Opting for a set of M-Tech II front and rear bumpers instead of the original type, I realised a little too late (actually I realised this as they were being fitted) that the fitment of these new bumpers would lead me down a path to a few other things that would need to be done; in a nutshell, the (non-original) wheels looked horrendously out of place with the new bumpers, and the new bumpers required a set of side-skirts to match, and the car needed to be painted immediately because the new bumpers were WHITE. So much for doing things slowly…
Also, there was no way to revert back to the original 14-inch wheels (yes, fourteen inch wheels!) with the new bumpers and skirts, so I had to upgrade to 16’s. I already knew that if I was going to go with 16-inch wheels, I would need a set of BBS‘basket weave’ alloys (above). And I was amazed just how hard those were to find for this car. I finally sourced and procured a set in Sg.Dua, near Ulu Yam! But the hunt was worth it…
The new wheels came with tyres that were well past their prime, and as such a new set of 16-inch rubber in all four-corners was required too. So this is what I mean about one thing leading to another and there’s no turning back once you set down a particular path. Had I gone for the original ‘look’, I’d be a few grand richer today. But I’m not complaining, I love the way the car looks now. I had a vision in my mind (spiced by countless Google images of E30 across the globe) of how I wanted the car to eventually look, and I’d managed to achieve exactly that. In less than 2 months.
In terms of total expenditure, I did the math recently, and apart from the cost of buying the car, I was quite pleased to learn that I’ve still managed to spend less than RM5,000 (my usual expenditure cap) to bring the car up to this level, the level and look that I was targeting. Here’s the most recent video of how she looks now….
Now it’s time to enjoy the car, to drive it. There are no monthly instalments to worry about, the car is insured and road taxed, and everything I spend from today onward will only make the car better. It’s been a good run, but I think I’ll be stopping here in terms of my car buying habits. I’ve still got the old Mercedes-Benz W126 for long haul trips, and now I have this BMW E30 for daily-drives and Sunday drives with the boys. I reckon I’m done… for now. Really. – Chris Wee.
