Putin’s War Clouds BMW Group Media Day

Posted on 16 March 2022 by Ken Zino
Ken Zino of AutoInformed.com on Putin’s War Clouds BMW Group Media Day

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After a successful 2021, the BMW Group said today in Munich at its annual media conference that it is speeding up technological change and pushing forward with the transformation towards sustainable mobility. The company is preparing for new technology in its so-called Neue Klasse as it continues to expand e-mobility.

Unaddressed in formal statements were two key concerns for the German auto industry – Germany’s over-dependence on Russian natural gas, and it’s dealings with totalitarian communist states including China where BMW and other German makers, suppliers and brands have extensive holdings – Audi, Daimler, Mercedes-Benz, Porsche, among others. “We have laid the foundations to build on this success in the coming years: With the Neue Klasse, we are leading sustainable mobility into a new technological dimension. By extending the contract with our BBA joint venture until 2040 (this is in China), the BMW Group is also taking its growth to the next level,” said Oliver Zipse, Chairman of the Board of Management of BMW AG.

However, the Group is watching the current development of the war in eastern Europe with “great concern and dismay. As a global company, the BMW Group stands for the peaceful coexistence of different cultures all over the world – at all times and in all locations. The thoughts of our BMW Group employees are with all those who are experiencing suffering and loss in this war.”

“In the current situation, three things are paramount for the BMW Group: helping the victims and those affected wherever we can, securing our day-to-day operations worldwide and continuing to systematically implement our long-term strategy,” said Zipse. “The major challenges we are already facing, such as the fight against climate change and the transformation towards sustainable mobility, must still be confronted with the same intensity . It is especially important in times of crisis not to stop doing the right things.”

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About Ken Zino

Ken Zino, editor and publisher of AutoInformed, is a versatile auto industry participant with global experience spanning decades in print and broadcast journalism, as well as social media. He has automobile testing, marketing, public relations and communications experience. He is past president of The International Motor Press Assn, the Detroit Press Club, founding member and first President of the Automotive Press Assn. He is a member of APA, IMPA and the Midwest Automotive Press Assn. He also brings an historical perspective while citing their contemporary relevance of the work of legendary auto writers such as Ken Purdy, Jim Dunne or Jerry Flint, or writers such as Red Smith, Mark Twain, Thomas Jefferson – all to bring perspective to a chaotic automotive universe. Above all, decades after he first drove a car, Zino still revels in the sound of the exhaust as the throttle is blipped during a downshift and the driver’s rush that occurs when the entry, apex and exit points of a turn are smoothly and swiftly crossed. It’s the beginning of a perfect lap. AutoInformed has an editorial philosophy that loves transportation machines of all kinds while promoting critical thinking about the future use of cars and trucks. Zino builds AutoInformed from his background in automotive journalism starting at Hearst Publishing in New York City on Motor and MotorTech Magazines and car testing where he reviewed hundreds of vehicles in his decade-long stint as the Detroit Bureau Chief of Road & Track magazine. Zino has also worked in Europe, and Asia – now the largest automotive market in the world with China at its center.
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One Response to Putin’s War Clouds BMW Group Media Day

  1. Pingback: Porsche 2030 – More Than 80% All-Electric New Vehicles | AutoInformed

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