BMW - Presenting Sponsor of the 1999 World Alpine Ski Championships
1 February 1999
BMW Drives Into Vail As Presenting Sponsor of the 1999 World Alpine Ski Championships Featuring the Official Vehicle 'The X5 Sports Activity Vehicle'
WOODCLIFF LAKE, N.J., Feb. 1 -- BMW announced that it will be
the presenting sponsor and official car of the 1999 World Alpine Ski
Championships in Vail, Colorado. The highly anticipated international skiing
competition will run from January 30 through February 14.
The Championships, which consist of nine races at Vail and three at Beaver
Creek, provide BMW with an ideal opportunity to introduce more than 500
million viewers from across the globe to the new X5 Sports Activity Vehicle
which recently debuted during the North American International Auto Show in
Detroit. "BMW is thrilled to be the presenting sponsor of this exhilarating
competition, which shares many of BMW's core values -- including powerful
performance, brilliant handling and precise maneuverability," said Mr. Victor
Doolan, president of BMW of North America.
As the world watches its greatest skiers wind their way through the sharp
turns of the Giant Slalom and hurtle through Downhill races on the snow, BMW
will put its sure-footed sport wagon through a series of challenges on the icy
surface of Nottingham Lake in nearby Avon, Colorado. During the
Championships, BMW will stage the Winter Driving Experience, featuring the new
5 Series sport wagon. A specially designed autocross circuit will be created
to safely build participants' skills in slide control and the benefits of All
Season Traction and Dynamic Stability Control systems. The program features
professional hands-on driving instruction, as well as the chance to
participate in a team competition.
The Winter Driving Experience, which will run for the duration of the
championships, is open to the public. Licensed drivers over the age of 21 may
call 800-422-4345 to register. The 60-minute classes will be held from 8:30
a.m. to 4:00 p.m. everyday. Directions to the park are available at
888-862-6BMW.
For more information on the events, activities and schedules, interested
individuals can check out the World Alpine Ski Championships website at
http://www.vail99.com/venues.cfm or call the Vail Valley Foundation at 970-949-1999.
As the presenting sponsor of the Championships, BMW will provide a fleet
of vehicles to the Vail Valley Foundation for the event's courtesy car
program, display the X5 and other vehicles at key locations in and around the
competition, and be featured in a number of broadcast and print advertisements
surrounding the event.
X5 Creates A New Market Niche
The much anticipated X5 Sports Activity Vehicle, will make its second
public appearance during the competition. Like all BMWs, the X5 reflects the
company's dedication to superior aesthetic design, unparalleled performance
and industry-leading safety features. The X5 offers exceptional handling on
every kind of road.
With its unitized body and independent suspension, the X5 sets new
standards in driving dynamics -- performing brilliantly in both on and
off-road conditions.
BMW's Sports Activity Vehicle utilizes the latest standard in
four-wheel-drive technology to achieve the highest level of driving
performance and comfort.
The model year 2000 vehicle will be produced at BMW's North American
production facility in Spartanburg, S.C., and will be available at BMW centers
across the country beginning in fall 1999.
Sport Wagons Provide Ultimate in Performance and Utility
In the fall of 1998, BMW introduced the six-cylinder 528i and the V-8 540i
sport wagons. Both vehicles combine their award-winning sedan counterparts'
essence of sporty, driver-oriented performance and handling with a measure of
extra space. Participants in The BMW Winter Driving Experience will learn
first hand how the marque's All Season Traction and Dynamic Stability Control
modulate engine power and employ the brakes selectively to eliminate
wheelspin, maintaining grip on the most slick of surfaces at a variety of
speeds.
BMW Of North America
BMW entered the North American market in 1975. Since then, the company
has grown to include marketing, sales and financial service organizations in
the United States and Canada; a South Carolina manufacturing operation; a
design firm in California; a technology office in Silicon Valley; and various
other BMW operations throughout the U.S. and Canada. BMW is represented in
North America through a network of more than 375 automobile and 190 motorcycle
retailers in the United States and Canada. BMW (US) Holding Corp., the
brand's North American headquarters, is located in Woodcliff Lake, New Jersey.
