BMW Malaysia launches BMW Premium Selection
Kuala Lumpur, 04th December 2008 – BMW Malaysia Sdn Bhd today launched BMW Premium Selection, a used car programme that – for the first time in the premium segment – will offer features and benefits which are fully backed by a principal manufacturer.
The BMW Premium Selection programme was designed to provide peace-of-mind motoring, the reassurance of a manufacturer-backed warranty and the same confidence as purchasing an entirely new vehicle.
“With this in place, we strengthen the premium experience of our customers at the dealerships and extend our highest service and product standards to the pre-owned business,” said Geoffrey Briscoe, BMW Malaysia’s Managing Director.
“We have therefore developed an industry-first programme that offers our customers an excellent product based on uniform global premium standards coupled with a range of services fully backed by BMW,” added Briscoe.
BMW Malaysia dealerships that will offer the programme have to undergo specific training combined with frequent audits and match strict process standards in order to get the approval to offer BMW Premium Selection on their premises. “We want to ensure that each pre-owned vehicle sold under the BMW Premium Selection programme sticks to its promise – to be the best pick in terms of value, quality and service among the used car market,” said Briscoe.
The first dealership to offer BMW Premium Selection is Auto Bavaria (AB) in Glenmarie. The facility, which is next to AB’s existing BMW 4S Centre, is a two-floor, 28,000 square feet building which houses a café, touch-up centres and PDI bays.
Meanwhile, Briscoe said the BMW Premium Selection is part of BMW Malaysia’s strategy of facing the grey market head-on. The grey market trade under the premium vehicle segment has seen an average growth rate of 6.2 per cent for the past four years. In 2007 alone, 6,081 parallel imports were purchased out of the total 13,760 premium vehicles sold.
“A customer buying a car on the grey market puts himself at great risk because these cars may not have been designed for the Malaysian climate, have no service history and also can have dubious documentation. BMW Premium Selection is our answer to customers seeking a more accessible way to attain sheer driving pleasure but with the assurance of getting a legitimate product,” said Briscoe.
Vehicles sold under the Premium Selection program must have an approved and documented vehicle history as part of the criteria, pass a strict 72-point check by factory-trained BMW experts, are technically and visually refurbished, and have less than five years or less than 100,000km mileage. Further premium services such as a 12-month warranty, Roadside assistance and individual financing via BMW Credit are included in the programme.
A special portal has been created to provide customers with all relevant information on BMW Premium Selection, including a state-of-the-art Internet Stock Locator for vehicles offered under the programme. This portal can be accessed from the BMW Malaysia Website (www.bmw.com.my) and will go live from 05th December 2008. Customers can check current cars in stock at the selected dealerships, obtain all car information such as current mileage, retail price, car specifications and dealer contact data.
“There is massive potential in the premium pre-owned car market in Malaysia. With BMW Premium selection, we take the lead and set the benchmark for the premium segment. In the future, the significance of the pre-owned vehicle business for the BMW Group will increase even further,” said Briscoe.
