BMW North America will renovate two structures for BMW and MINI of Manhattan dealerships; introduce the new BMW ActiveE full-electric vehicle; and welcome the return of efficient and clean 4-cylinder BMW engines to the U.S. after a 10 year absence. BMW of Manhattan will remain at 555 W. 57th St. and will continue to sell and service BMW autos and sport activity vehicles, BMW Motorcycles, and is intended to be a BMW i Center when the company begins to introduce the first two vehicles of this new brand in 2013, the i3 and i8. The creation of a standalone MINI of Manhattan dealership and a BMW Certified Pre-Owned sales center in the Chapman Building at 11th Ave. and 56th St. will begin at the same time. Construction of BMW of Manhattan is expected to be completed by the end of 2012 and MINI of Manhattan will be completed by the end of 2011. Upon completion, both facilities will be sustainable urban center dealerships. They will be LEED Certified in keeping with BMW's commitment to sustainability in all of its activities. Members of the $60 million project include: construction manager, Bovis Lend Lease LMB, Inc.; architect/engineer, HLW International, LLP; and contractor, Hunter Roberts Construction Group. Specific design elements will include: * Specially-designed louvers on the exterior of the building to reduce heat loads while maximizing daylight; * Installation of solar panels on the roof of the MINI building; * High efficiency fluorescent, metal halide and LED light fixtures; * New high-efficiency mechanical equipment including heat exchangers to capture heat from exhaust air; * Low-flow plumbing fixtures; * Regionally sourced materials that have a substantial recycled material content; * Implementation of waste recycling practices during and after construction. Both buildings will feature a full complement of electric vehicle charging stations and be capable of handling all customer and service needs of alternative powered vehicles, including hybrids and full-electric vehicles. All service reception and vehicle flow through the buildings will be optimized to minimize the number of times a car must be moved between arrival and delivery. With the consolidation of MINI sales and service under one roof, the brand will now have a very visible presence on 11th Ave. The exterior will feature MINI's recognizable rectangular grid architectural style and announce the brand's presence with the use of colorful frames and MINI logo on a black background. The BMW ActiveE, the first full-electric BMW available to customers, was unveiled today in advance of the New York International Auto Show, where it will make its North American debut. This is another significant step in the BMW Group's commitment to be a sustainable leader in automotive products and services. Based on the 1 Series Coupe, the BMW ActiveE will accelerate from 0-60 mph in under nine seconds, making it the first electric vehicle to combine the dynamic characteristics typical of a BMW with the zero-emissions benefits of driving an electric vehicle. It will incorporate specially-designed lithium ion batteries which are being used for the first time and that allow for a range of around 100 miles in everyday driving. The batteries will feature liquid heating and cooling while connected to the grid enabling maximum range capability regardless of ambient conditions. Seven hundred BMW ActiveE vehicles will be available for lease beginning this fall in metropolitan New York and other select U.S. metropolitan markets. A 24-month lease will be offered for $499 per month with a down payment of $2,250. The reservation process will begin in August 2011. "The BMW ActiveE is part of our ongoing strategy to develop environmentally friendly, yet high-performance vehicles," said Rich Steinberg, manager of Electric Vehicle Operations and Strategy, BMW NA. "It brings us another step closer to the realization of the BMW i3, which we will launch in 2013." In order to help consumers determine if an ActiveE is right for them, the new app, BMW Evolve is now available for download from both the Apple iTunes Store and the Android Marketplace. It will help drivers track their daily driving habits, regardless of their current car in order to determine if a full-electric vehicle like the BMW ActiveE will fit their lifestyle. More information is available at www.BMWActivatetheFuture.com. The new BMW Z4 sDrive28i Roadster will be the first model in the U.S. to feature the company's new powerful, efficient and clean TwinPower Turbo 4-cylinder engine. It also marks the return of BMW 4 cylinder power to the United States for the first time in over a decade. This newest engine, another part of the company's on-going development of BMW EfficientDynamics, is the latest to combine twin-scroll turbocharging technology with high-precision direct injection and BMW's Valvetronic throttle-less control system. Taken together, these technologies improve performance while at the same time reducing emissions and lowering consumption. With 240 horsepower and 260 lb-ft of torque, this new engine offers similar power to the normally aspirated 3.0-liter inline six currently offered in the Z4 Roadster and more torque.. Maximum output of 240 horsepower is achieved at 5,000 rpm, 1,500 rpm lower than in the normally-aspirated 3.0-liter inline six. The peak torque of 260 lb-ft comes on stream at just 1,250 rpm. Not only is that nearly 20 percent more torque than the aforementioned inline six, it also peaks 1,500 rpm earlier. The new BMW Z4 sDrive28i will arrive in US showrooms this fall. # # # BMW Group in America BMW of North America, LLC has been present in the United States since 1975. Rolls-Royce Motor Cars NA, LLC began distributing vehicles in 2003. The BMW Group in the United States has grown to include marketing, sales, and financial service organizations for the BMW brand of motor vehicles, including motorcycles, the MINI brand, and the Rolls-Royce brand of Motor Cars; DesignworksUSA, a strategic design consultancy in California; a technology office in Silicon Valley and various other operations throughout the country. BMW Manufacturing Co., LLC in South Carolina is part of BMW Group's global manufacturing network and is the exclusive manufacturing plant for all X5 and X3 Sports Activity Vehicles and X6 Sports Activity Coupes. The BMW Group sales organization is represented in the U.S. through networks of 338 BMW passenger car and BMW Sports Activity Vehicle centers, 138 BMW motorcycle retailers, 105 MINI passenger car dealers, and 30 Rolls-Royce Motor Car dealers. BMW (US) Holding Corp., the BMW Group's sales headquarters for North America, is located in Woodcliff Lake, New Jersey. Information about BMW Group products is available to consumers via the Internet at: www.bmwgroupna.com # # # Journalist note: Information about the BMW Group and its products is available to journalists on-line at the BMW Group PressClub at the following address: www.press.bmwna.com. Additional information, images and video may be found at www.bmwusanews.com. Broadcast quality video footage is available via The NewsMarket at www.thenewsmarket.com.