The full BMW model line was available to fleet professionals in Spartanburg, S.C. Photo courtesy of BMW.

The full BMW model line was available to fleet professionals in Spartanburg, S.C. Photo courtesy of BMW.

BMW North America held its 2014 model-year fleet preview Sept. 24-27, 2013, in Spartanburg, S.C., near the company's 4.73-million-square-foot assembly plant. Attendees included 45 fleet managers and representatives from 10 fleet management companies. The fleet preview included corporate presentations, a ride-and-drive, and a half-day driver training session at the BMW Performance Center.

BMW showcased its new 2014 X5, which will be solely assembled in Spartanburg for global distribution. The X5 features a 3.0L BMW TwinPower Turbo inline six-cylinder that can generate 300 hp. The X5 was designed with a number of fuel-saving technologies such as brake energy regeneration, auto start-stop, and an ECO Pro driving mode.

BMW also highlighted the 2014-MY 5 Series sedan, which features an updated V-8 with TwinPower Turbo technology and BMW's Valvetronic throttle-less intake technology that produces 445 hp and 480 lb.-ft. of torque. A new inline six-cylinder turbocharged diesel engine is available in the 535d sedan. Also part of the 5 Series 2014 lineup is the Active Hybrid model.

Separate fleet presentations were given on BMW's future products, such as the all-electric i3 and plug-in hybrid i8, an update on the automaker's sustainability initiatives, and residual value projections.

About the author
Mike Antich

Mike Antich

Former Editor and Associate Publisher

Mike Antich covered fleet management and remarketing for more than 20 years and was inducted into the Fleet Hall of Fame in 2010 and the Global Fleet of Hal in 2022. He also won the Industry Icon Award, presented jointly by the IARA and NAAA industry associations.

View Bio
0 Comments