Story: COLIN DAWSON
BMW is expecting thousands of visitors to its Olympic Park Pavilion every day of the Games. The Pavilion will display a range of the latest BMW company cars.
The structure has been designed to underline BMW’s commitment to design and sustainability with an array of individual rooftop pavilions exhibiting current models as well as concept cars.
The lower floor exhibition area is dedicated to the London 2012 Games fleet and interactive displays for visitors to learn more about the BMW Group’s vision for the future of individual transport, its approach to sustainability and London 2012 partnership activities.
BMW is an Official Automotive Partner to the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games. BMW has provided 4,000 low-emission diesel, hybrid and electric cars as well as motorcycles and bicycles to the London Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games (LOCOG). The vehicles will be used to shuttle officials, media, representatives of the national Olympic committees, the international sporting bodies of the IOC, and sponsors.
The vehicles provided by BMW average less than the 120g CO2/Km required by LOCOG. Most of the fleet lines up with 115kg/km emissions or below. Cars with emissions up to 115kg/km benefit businesses with generally reduced running costs compared with higher-emission vehicles as well as company car drivers with company car tax at 14% for petrol and 17% for diesel models.
BMW’s corporate operations manager Steve Chater reckons the London 2012 BMW Group fleet is ahead of the game, as it comprises the greatest number of Euro VI emission standard vehicles in the country. Euro VI, which comes into force from 2014, is the next step for exhaust emissions. The standard demands a drastic reduction in the levels of nitrous oxides emitted by company cars and private cars, although it has no effect on company car tax.
The BMW pavilion is also displaying exciting prototype models including the E-Scooter and the i Pedelec – a recently announced concept electrically assisted bicycle, and a new-look MINI Rocketman concept, a revised version of the original Rocketman concept, first seen at the 2011 Geneva Motor Show. The top deck, comprising of nine individual rooftop pavilions, will show current and future BMW vehicles for your company car management, including the BMW i3 concept, the BMW i8 Concept and the new-generation BMW 3 Series Touring.
