The Next 100 Years

2016 sees the BMW Group celebrate its centenary under the motto THE NEXT 100 YEARS. Throughout its history, the company’s image has been defined by a future focus and pioneering action – all made possible by its extraordinary team of employees, who share a fascination for mobility which is integral to all our lives.

“At the BMW Group, we are always on a quest for the best solution. It’s part of our DNA,” said Harald Krüger, Chairman of the Board of Management of BMW AG, at the Centenary Event in Munich on Monday. “It’s also the spirit of our collaborations, a recurring theme that permeates our corporate and leadership culture.”

Three qualities in particular set the BMW Group apart: the capacity to learn and adapt, technological innovation, and a sense of responsibility toward society. “We have demonstrated on many occasions throughout our history that we are capable of learning fast and taking bold steps,” Krüger said.

Against this background, the BMW Group’s centenary celebrations are set to focus primarily on what lies ahead and explore how individual mobility might develop over the coming decades.

To answer this question, the BMW Group has generated a futuristic scenario with a clear vision: premium mobility by the BMW Group will be completely effortless, comprehensively available and tailored to every customer’s individual preferences. At the moment, the world is on the verge of realising automated driving; in the not-too-distant future the majority of cars will probably be completely self-driving and travel the streets of cities inhabited by far more people than today.

In the future, one thing will be in ever shorter supply: time. But connectivity will become increasingly commonplace, and technologies will learn to learn from people. “Future mobility will connect every area of people’s lives. And that’s where we see new opportunities for premium mobility,” Krüger added.

The BMW Group has now made its vision for the future a reality – with the BMW VISION NEXT 100. This vehicle combines coupé-type sportiness with the dynamic elegance of a sedan – but rather than being an anonymous transport machine, it is a highly customised vehicle that is perfectly tailored to suit the driver’s changing needs.