For more than 90 years, BMW Motorrad has created innovative products to provide novice and experienced riders with sheer riding pleasure. On 26 November 2014 BMW Motorrad, the motorcycle business of the BMW Group, opened a new BMW Motorrad concept store in Cape Town. The launch also kicked-off BMW Motorrad’s new brand positioning campaign, “MAKE LIFE A RIDE”.
As part of the BMW Group-wide Future Retail programme the new BMW Motorrad concept store offers a 360 degree premium lifestyle and retail experience for motorcycle customers and enthusiasts. The three million Euros investment at Donford Motorrad Cape Town includes a lifestyle centre with a coffee shop and clothing store, a Motorrad sales area and a workshop to service and customise motorbikes. The Cape Town store paves the way for future BMW Motorrad flagship stores around the world.
“With the launch of this new concept store, we are striving for a consistent premium retail experience across all our customer touch points. We are creating new and more inspiring opportunities for our customers to experience our products and our brand. Our aim is to set new standards for retail experience in the motorcycle industry,” said Stephan Schaller, Global President of BMW Motorrad, speaking at the opening.
“Customers are changing the way they inform themselves and communicate with us. These changes mean we also have to challenge ourselves always to think and uncompromisingly act from the customer’s perspective,” added Schaller.
The opening of the new concept store in Cape Town also marked the launch of BMW Motorrad’s new brand positioning campaign titled “MAKE LIFE A RIDE”. This new positioning represents all the values of the BMW Motorrad brand, striving to illustrate a more optimistic and active attitude towards life and riding. An attitude characterized by optimism, self-confidence and responsibility.
“We want to make the BMW Motorrad brand part of an aspirational lifestyle, because it is more than just a motorcycle brand. We want our existing and prospective customers to forge new paths and pursue personal happiness through riding,” said Heiner Faust, BMW Motorrad’s Global Head of Sales and Marketing.
Heiner Faust went on to explain that motorcycle enthusiasts can look forward to an enhanced riding experience with the new range of BMW motorcycles set to launch globally in 2015. “A few weeks ago BMW Motorrad presented three highly innovative products at the INTERMOT motorcycle show in Cologne with the R 1200 R, the R 1200 RS and the S 1000 RR. Shortly afterwards, two further new products were the centre of attention at the EICMA in Milan: the new S 1000 XR and F 800 R,” said Faust.
With the S 1000 XR, BMW Motorrad is expanding its product portfolio to include a genuine all-rounder in the Adventure Sport segment. The fourth member of the family of high-powered sporty BMW motorcycles with four-cylinder in-line engine unites dynamic touring qualities, sporting performance, great comfort and superior everyday performance.
The sporty new BMW F 800 R, meanwhile, has a liquid-cooled 2-cylinder engine and offers improved all-round qualities and a new design.
The launch of the flagship concept store underscores BMW Motorrad’s continued growth and increased market share. BMW Motorrad has retained its strong position in the premium segment worldwide, recording the best third-quarter and ten-month sales volume figures in its entire history. As of October this year, worldwide sales reached an all-time high of 109,052 units delivered to customers, up 7.4 % from the previous year’s 101,530 units delivered to customers.
