BMW Welt & European Deliveries: Spira’s blog (days 14-15)
BMW CCA NewsJonathan Spira, BMW CCA
Oct. 29, 2007
BRÜGGE, Belgium, 10/29/97 (Day 14) – The last days of the trip are busy ones. Today is the first day that the weather really started to interfere with my travels.
I was sorry to leave Brügge but my car didn’t want to allow me to leave. Somewhat reminiscent of the highly-publicized story of the Berlin couple in the late 1990s whose satnav system didn’t tell them to wait for the ferry, my car’s satellite navigation system wanted me to turn left into a canal as part of my drive out of Brügge.
Not knowing the one-way streets made what should have been a five-minute drive a 15-minute tour through some very beautiful (even in the rain) but very narrow streets.
But finally I was back on the E34 Autobahn heading towards Antwerp, then across the Netherlands, and finally back in Germany, where I turned south near Duisburg towards Düsseldorf.
The 290 km drive took much longer than planned thanks to weather-related traffic and one road closure due to construction. I had originally planned on a three-hour drive and it quickly (or perhaps not so quickly) became a four-and-one-half hour journey. Fortunately, the Comfort Seats in the 550i remained comfortable throughout.
In Düsseldorf, I visited the offices of the ATX Group, the world’s second largest telematics provider. You may know them better as the provider of the BMW Assist service. In 1996, ATX partnered with Ford to provide RESCU, the first in-vehicle telematics offering, available at the time in the Lincoln Continental. Today they provide BMW customers both in the U.S. and across Europe with a variety of services from Automatic Collision Notification (ACN) to more sophisticated information services such as in-car Google search.
One of the challenges they face is that they need to provide services in the customer’s native language regardless of where the call originates. An Austrian customer could be on holiday in Belgium but if he calls ATX he would be greeted in German and when accessing BMW Online, including yellow page searches, that information would be presented in German. A customer of BMW France visiting Germany would be greeted in French on the phone and receive BMW Online information in French.
The Düsseldorf call center, while vigilant for emergency calls, also provides a variety of information ranging from nearby restaurants to the closest filling station that is open.
My visit complete, I was ready for another “three-hour” drive to Bremen, where I would stay overnight at the Park Hotel Bremen im Bürgerpark. I left at 16.30 and, once again thanks to the rain and traffic, arrived four--and-one-half hours later in Bremen. Once again, the satnav system didn’t like the local streets and tried to route me through an area that was clearly marked for buses and street-cars only.
After 300 rainy kilometers, I was happy to finally find my way to the hotel and settle into my room, which had a beautiful view of the fountains of the Bürgerpark.
Day 15
Bremen, 10/30 – This was it: drop-off day, the final step in every European Delivery trip where you hand over your brand new BMW to E.H. Harms, the shipping company that will send it across the ocean.
I was sorry to leave the Park Hotel so quickly, less than 12 hours after arriving, as it had a lot to offer. I took breakfast in my room so I could pack and get ready to leave for the 65 km drive to Bremerhaven and the harbor.
With the sun popping out behind the clouds, this drive went more or less according to plan. I arrived at the offices of E.H. Harms, BMW’s shipping agent, at 10.00 with 2515 km on the 550i. That meant, including the 1250 km with the 535d my first week, I had covered more than 3,700 km in the past two weeks.
At Harms, we got down to business immediately, completing the necessary paperwork (multiple powers of attorney among other forms) and completing a condition report of the vehicle.
Once these formalities were complete, I was treated to a tour of the harbor, including an onboard visit of a vessel on which BMWs were being loaded.
My visit ended with lunch at the Treff Kaiserhafen, furnished with real ship parts and a tagline of “Die letzte Kneipe vor New York” or “The last pub before New York.” It was an appropriate conclusion to my visit as I went straight from lunch to Bremen’s airport for a 30-minute flight to Frankfurt where I would transfer to Lufthansa’s flight 404 to New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport.
The trip may be over but the redelivery waiting period has just begun. My car is to leave Bremerhaven on the Patriot on November 5, voyage EB745-PAT, scheduled to arrive in the Port of New York on November 19 after stopping to pick up more cars at Antwerp, Zeebrugge, and Southampton (England, not Long Island)).
Since I’ve been busy driving the 550i, I have a lot of catching up to do.
Day 8 continued
Munich, 10/23 – Although I had gone through the European Delivery process many times before, I always look forward to each delivery with great anticipation. This delivery was no exception and the experience at the BMW Welt was well beyond my expectations. BMW has without question raised the bar for the new car delivery experience once again (the last bar-raising came with the start of the Performance Center Delivery program in Spartanburg) and planners at Audi and Mercedes-Benz are most likely trying to figure out what they can do to even begin to catch up.
The car, a 550i in Carbonschwarz metallic (carbon black metallic), a color exclusive to the sport-package equipped 550i, looked absolutely striking as it rotated on the turntable in the Premiere area of the Welt.
I didn’t get to drive it right away, however. I wanted to enjoy the Welt experience a little more, talk to others picking up their cars that day, and get some BMW shopping done in the boutique.
BMW CCA member Bernard Wang, also taking delivery that morning, asked me to help him pair his Samsung mobile phone to his new Alpinweiß (alpine white) 335i Cabriolet. While pairing the phone, the iDrive crashed so we asked that someone take a look and see if any faults were stored. The Welt associate who assisted in this came back with the car and asked if perchance we were using a Samsung mobile phone, since these were known to be incompatible and cause such crashes. While I have seen many strange things with mobile phones, and Samsung phones have been amongst the least compatible that I have tested, I had never seen a phone as the root cause for an iDrive crash. Needless to say, Bernard did not attempt to use the phone in conjunction with the car during his trip.
Finally, around 2 p.m., I left the Welt, driving my car around the Premiere delivery area and down the ramp onto the street.
I didn’t go very far – I had to stop by the hotel just several kilometers away, check my e-mail, and continue to a business meeting in the city center. In the evening, BMW NA was hosting a dinner for customers collecting their cars on day 1 and day 2 at Bar München (see slide show). Real driving would have to wait until tomorrow.
Day 9
Hamburg, 10/24 – Time to leave Munich and continue northward, first to Hamburg, then to Brügge, and finally to Bremen and Bremerhaven. I chose my destinations carefully. For the new 550i, I chose places I had never visited before but wanted to see. I also chose cities defined by water, Hamburg and Bremen as major port cities and Brügge, a canal city known as the Venice of the north.
By 10.30 a.m., I was heading on the Autobahn A9, soon passing by Ingolstadt, then past X and completing the journey to Hamburg on the A7. After 750 km, I arrived at my destination: the Fairmont Vier Jahreszeiten on the Neuer Jungfernstieg.
It was an exhilarating yet slightly exhausting drive but I was very pleased with how the car handled and I was enjoying the Head-Up Display, the Logic7 stereo, the new, fully integrated iPod/USB interface, High-Beam Assistant, and Lane Departure Warning. The Traffic Information (TI) system didn’t provide any information while in Munich but once I got onto the Autobahn, I started to receive alerts. Fortunately, there weren’t any that would impact my drive.
I had to drive relatively slowly, varying the RPMs, as the car was well within the break-in period. But even at slower speeds of say 180 km/h or so, I was still passing 95% of the traffic.
Day 10
Hamburg, 10/25 – Today the 550i remained parked. I took a tour of the Alster river in the morning and the Hamburg harbor in the afternoon. See slideshows for details.
Hamburg, a city of merchants, is a bustling port on the edge of Scandinavia with never-ending river traffic along the Elbe. Rebuilt largely after the Second World War, much of Hamburg is picture-perfect, from pedestrian shopping zones to man-made lakes framed by walking paths and parkland. The harbor district is of course more industrial although the nearby Speicherstadt (warehouse city) is being converted into Hamburg’s version of Battery Park City, with apartments and offices being built on reclaimed waterfront land. The St. Pauli red light district, rather than being hidden from visitors, is heavily promoted by the city
Day 11
Hamburg, 10/25 – Today I wanted to see Flensburg and the Flensburger Förde, (Fjords). Although the weather was overcast, it was a spectacular drive. To get a good view of the Förde, I continued to Sonderborg, about 30 km or so into Denmark. Round-trip today: ca. 400 km.
Day 12
Hamburg, 10/26 -- The next destination was Brügge, which vies with Amsterdam for the “Venice of the north” title. I found myself on the A1 Autobahn by noon (I did some quick shopping at the Alsterhaus department store first) and the TI system alerted me to several severe traffic problems along my planned route, which would take me south towards Duisberg and then through the Netherlands into Belgium.
I allowed the system to reroute me and headed west towards Gröningen and then south towards Utrecht, Antwerp, and finally west towards Gent and Brügge. The detour extended my driving time by an hour (still better than sitting in traffic not moving) and had the added benefit of placing me on some beautiful secondary roads, letting me see parts of the Netherlands I wouldn’t see from the Autobahn.
At 8.30 p.m., I found myself entering Brügge. The first thing I noticed were the town’s narrow streets (which local residents drove very quickly on), centuries-old buildings which time had left untouched, and the city’s canal systems. The satnav led me directly to my hotel, De Swaene, and on checking in was invited to enjoy a Duvel Belgian beer (highly recommended) before proceeding to the hotel’s restaurant (across the street in a satellite building, where the parking was also located).
After the long drive, I wanted something simple and settled on the gebakken ganzenlever op een marmalade van rabarber, knolselder-ijs (sautéed goose-liver, rhubard marmalade, and celeriac ice cream). Admittedly, I have never had ice cream with goose liver (or with any main course for that matter) but it was an inspired combination.
In 2002 named that year’s European Capital of Culture, Brügge was, in the 14th and 15th centuries, a cultural bridge between northern and southern Europe. It was rediscovered by English tourists in the mid-1800s who had come to see the nearby battlefield of Waterloo.
At dusk, the details of the city’s medieval buildings glow in soft light. It is truly an enchanting place.
Day 13
Brügge, 10/28 – Clocks changed to winter time at 1.00 a.m. GMT throughout Europe. I was looking forward to an extra hour of sleep but the change apparently escaped the notice of a lot of people. Lars and David, two friends from Wetzlar who had also driven to Brügge the day before, showed up an hour early at my hotel for brunch.
Today, the 550i would remain parked near De Swaene’s restaurant while Lars, David, and I embarked on a walking tour of the city. After leaving them at their hotel, I accidentally extended the tour by about half an hour as I made a wrong turn (I was on foot, no satnav). With the weather looking slightly less grey and overcast, I took a canal tour. The city’s architecture is deeply influenced by the canal system and seeing its buildings from the water level lends new appreciation to their beauty. The city’s ancient canals wind their way through the old town, opening up unexpected vistas of (somewhat damp) canal-side houses, Gothic spires, and medieval stone bridges. (See slide show)
MUNICH, Wednesday, 10/23 (Day 8) – The Welt opened official last Wednesday and its primary function as an experience and delivery center started today. Once again, I found myself being driven up to the BMW Welt around 7 a.m. Even in the morning drizzle, the beauty of the Welt’s cloudscape-like appearance was captivating.
This time, only a handful of people were there, namely BMW Welt personnel. I was greeted warmly and welcomed to the Welt. When I told the woman behind the desk I was there to collect a new car, several Welt staffers commented that I was the first to arrive to take delivery.
A very nice young woman escorted me to the elevator that takes customers to the Premium Lounge. When I disembarked, the first employees were also first arriving.
Once again, I was welcomed and the receptionist introduced me to Thomas Huber, who would review the paperwork with me. I had done all this many times before, but doing it at the Welt gave me a tremendous sense of anticipation. I knew this delivery would be unlike any European Delivery I had done before. As we were reviewing the car’s papers, Michael Rosner, director of customer service and deliveries at the Welt, stopped by to welcome me and see how things were going. By that time, a few other customers, including BMW CCA member Bernard Wang, had arrived.
Once we finished these formalities, I was invited to sign the Welt’s rather large guestbook. But first I also had to sign the Bimmerfest European Delivery sign-in book, a tradition amongst members of the Bimmerfest European Delivery forum.
Waiters and waitresses were putting out croissant, Danishes, juices, pretzels in another part of the lounge (there’s also a small play area for children which looked quite inviting). I was immediately offered a Cappuccino and settled in. But not for long, as I was told I should be at station B1 (see illustration) at 8.10 to begin the delivery experience.
While waiting in the lounge, Rudolf Wiedermann, the Welt’s director, stopped by to greet me as did Keri-Lynne Shaw, Director of European Delivery at BMW of North America, Simone Zaccardi, European Delivery manager at BMW NA.
The multimedia experience
BMW has raised the bar in delivering new cars to its customers. I stood at the airport-like screen and Stephanie Duderstadt, my delivery specialist, came over and introduced herself. In a few moments, we were off to the multimedia station to learn about the car.
The multimedia program is actually divided into two parts. The first, which is both an introduction to the specific model car you are getting as well as a primer on how BMW designs its vehicles, is done at the multimedia station, where a table-sized touchscreen display allows for full interaction. We covered design, performance, security, service, and driving dynamics.
Then we walked over to the simulator cabin, outfitted with a steering wheel, brake and gas pedals (no clutch, sadly), and even a pop-out iDrive controller. Here I was asked to performance various accident maneuvers, such as braking with and without ABS (it felt realistic, by the way), and given further details about my car.
This space-age NASA-like component having been concluded, I was escorted by lift to the top floor so I could descend down the so-called “Hollywood” staircase to the Premiere delivery area. Mine was the only car there at that point, on its turntable. On secret command from Frau Duderstadt, the turntable started to revolve as we walked down the three flights of stairs, stopping to admire the view of the BMW Welt as well as the BMW Vierzylinder headquarters and the BMW Museum.
My car had just emerged from the high-tech, nitrogen-filled underground storage space moments before and before Frau Duderstadt could hand over the key, several BMW executives, including Herr Wiedermann and Herr Rosner, appeared with gifts and congratulations.
Next: the car and the party.
 Jonathan Spira’s 1982 320iS at the Studentenstadt (Student City) Freimann in Munich in May 1982.
Jonathan B. Spira, BMW CCA
Oct. 22, 2007
MUNICH, Monday, 10/22 (Day 7) -- BMW opens the BMW Welt for deliveries Tuesday. I thought a quick primer on the European delivery process might be helpful.
For many years, BMW has offered its customers the option of picking up their cars at the factory. After delivery, and being driven on the Autobahnen, Bundesstraßen, Landstraßen, and Autostrade of Europe, the car is shipped by the manufacturer back to the United States. The trip has almost become a ritual for some; indeed a third of BMW’s customers have picked up a car at the factory in previous years. I am a member of that group, having joined the club in January 1982.
250 European deliveries possible each day
According to BMW, 2,635 BMWs were sold through BMW’s European delivery program in 2006; BMW expects the number for 2007 to be more than 3,300. The Welt can handle up to 250 deliveries per day (theoretically, almost 100,000 a year) when it is fully up and running; most will go to German customers. European Delivery packages can include significant discounts (published discounts are seven percent on most models; individual dealers will frequently offer even better pricing), discounted airfare, meals, and now the unique opportunity to pick up your BMW at the BMW Welt and become immersed in the world of BMW for the day.
For many, the opportunity to drive a BMW in its native habitat, the German Autobahn, is a major draw.
Plan ahead, plan for paperwork, don’t be in a rush
BMW European Delivery sales are arranged through BMW NA dealers in the United States. Many dealerships have one salesperson as a designated specialist. Buyers should expect more paperwork (after all, buying a car usually doesn’t involve one’s passport) and need to be aware that the wait time for redelivery can be six to eight weeks.
Each BMW comes with premium auto insurance with no deductible for 14 days. It can be extended at extra cost. Each car is custom built; orders should be placed at least three months prior to the desired delivery date. Buyers need to be aware of German (and other national) holidays when making travel plans; the delivery center is closed on major German holidays and drop-off centers (over a dozen throughout Europe) are also likely to be closed on local holidays.
See below for European delivery buying advice and previous days’ blogs from the BMW Welt opening.
Jonathan Spira, BMW CCA
Oct. 22, 2007
1. Three to four months before the desired date, pick out the color and options, and negotiate the price.
2. Sign the purchase order, which your dealer then submits to the European Delivery department with your desired delivery date.
3. Your car is manufactured ca. 7 days prior to delivery.
4. You pay for the car, usually 7 days before scheduled pick-up day; if you are leasing, your lease starts on this day.
5. You pick up the car in Munich at the BMW Welt.
6. You drop the car off in Europe (within 30 days for BMWFS lease, 90 days for BMWFS finance, 6 months otherwise; insurance for 14 days is included.
7. Car is transported to port and then put on board a vessel.
8. Your car reaches USA (from drop-off, this takes up to 3-4 weeks for the East Coast, 5-6 weeks for the West Coast
9. Vehicle clears customs, is processed at the VDC (Vehicle Distribution Center and shipped to the dealer. (Depending on a variety of factors, including how backed up U.S. Customs is, this can take 1-2 weeks.
10. Redelivery.
Jonathan B. Spira, BMW CCA
Oct. 22, 2007
Some suggestions to make the European Delivery experience more fun and less stressful for American visitors.
- Order Satellite Navigation and get the DVD for Europe. Arriving hours late for a tour or visit can ruin a trip.
- Learn a few phrases in German and the language(s) of any countries you will be visiting. “Danke” (thank you), “bitte” (please and you’re welcome), and “Guten Morgen” (good morning) will go a long way.
- Plan for local weather. Don’t order a car with summer (performance) tires for a mid-December delivery. (It snowed lightly here in Germany twice this week and it’s only October now.)
- Don’t overplan. Many first-time visitors to Europe try to see everything. Pick a few destinations and get to know them well.
- Verify the location and hours for your intended drop-off location when you are at the BMW Welt picking up your car.
BMW NA Web Site
BMW presents an overview of European Delivery, including pricing, at http://www.bmwusa.com/bmwexperience/europeandelivery/
European Delivery forum at Bimmerfest.
Over 10% of BMW’s European Delivery customers utilize this online forum, asking questions and making travel plans, www.bimmerfest.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=25
Rolf Raffelsieper – BMW VIP Pick-up Service
Herr Raffelsieper started working at BMW in 1967. For a very reasonable fee, he will pick you up at Flughafen Munchen Franz Josef Strauß and take you directly to the BMW European Delivery Center or to your hotel. He can also arrange various tours, including visits to BMW facilities of interest. E-mail Rolf at rolf.raffelsieper@web.de
Ricki Shamen, DiFeo BMW
(Personal recommendation) I have worked with Ricki on multiple European deliveries (and several U.S. deliveries) over the past 16 years. E-mail rshamen@unitedauto.com
 Shortly after the doors opened at BMW Welt Saturday, people were everywhere. The turntables here to revolve. (Jonathan Spira photos) Jonathan B. Spira
Oct. 20, 2007
MUNCH, Saturday (10/20) – Despite the cold weather (temperatures were close to freezing), crowds were gathering at the north entrance to the BMW Welt in the early morning hours. Promptly at 10 a.m., BMW opened up the BMW Welt for two days of very public celebration. During the Publikumstage (Public Days) this weekend, more than 50,000 guests are expected to pass through the Welt.
To keep those waiting outside entertained, BMW set up an enormous stage with entertainment and presentations (as I walked by, a presenter was extolling the virtues of the Hydrogen 7er) outside the Northern Entrance. Balloons, your choice of blue or white or course, were being handed out everywhere one looked. BMW Welt paper lunchboxes were available from kiosks.
It wasn’t just the locals who came; BMW fans came from all parts of Germany as well as many other European nations. My informal sampling noted Austrians, Brits, Dutch, Italians, and a few Americans too – and I was only there for a few hours.
More areas of BMW Welt to see
Today, I was able to see a few areas of the Welt that I hadn’t yet seen on previous visits, including the elegant customer lounge where BMW owners go to attend to the necessary paperwork before a new car can be delivered. Indeed, a very long line formed in front of the lift leading to the lounge. Guests today were able to emulate part of the new car delivery experience; upon entering the lift, they were transported up to the lounge, which hangs above the Premiere delivery space, allowing views of the Welt and the Vierzylinder (four cylinder) headquarters building. Guests then walked down the so-called Hollywood stairs to the delivery area where 30 turntables were rotating with brand new BMWs. They were strongly encouraged, however, not to drive away with one of the cars.
Deep in the bowels of the Welt, the vehicle preparation area, where the Pre-Delivery Inspection (PDI) is performed on each vehicle, was also open to visitors.
Restaurants ranging from the International Restaurant (open daily from 11 a.m. to midnight, with 170 seats inside and 150 on the terrace), offering the best in international cuisine fused with Bavarian tradition, to the Coffeebar, also saw their first paying customers. The restaurants are all managed by Do&Co, a premium catering company based in Vienna known for fine cuisine.
Deliveries at the Welt start this Tuesday, the 23rd. We’ll continue our reportage from the Welt then.
(Author’s note: Why no blog for Days 4 and 5? They were occupied by business meetings and seeing how fast the Titansilber 535d can go. The answer, according to the speedometer, is 255 km/h and it gets there very quickly. Click here for a live report from the Autobahn.
Jonathan Spira, BMWCCA
Oct. 17, 2007
MUNICH, Wednesday (10/17) -- After four years of construction and €500 million (USD $709 million), including the expansion of the BMW Museum and enhancements to the Munich factory tour, the BMW Welt, BMW’s “experience and delivery center,” opened its doors today in a ceremony befitting its place as a cathedral of the automotive world. The site of the BMW Welt is at the Milbertshofen Oberwiesenfeld, where BMW was founded in 1916.
With its inspiring architecture and prominent location (its address is Olympiapark 1) next to BMW’s Vierzylinder (Four Cylinder) headquarters, the BMW Museum, and the Olympic Park, BMW Welt is finally ready to start delivering cars. This will happen Tuesday, Oct. 23.
BMW Welt may not be the first of this genre of automotive temples but it is in many respects, including architecture, the most prominent. Since 2000, VW has been seeing visitors flock to Wolfsburg (heretofore not the most popular of locations) since opening its Autostadt, a 62-acre complex next to the factory that is a cross between world’s fair and a theme park. Audi, in Ingolstadt, and Mercedes, in Stuttgart-Unterturkheim, have also built new temples to the automobile that are intended to solidify the relationship between customer and brand.
Good thing the opening, not project approval, was today
Ironically, as a BMW executive confided to me today (asking to remain anonymous), if the decision whether to build BMW Welt had to be made today, given the current cost-cutting climate, the decision would likely be “nein.” (The cost was roughly a fifth of BMW’s entire 2006 profits.)
(Another interesting tidbit from the press conference: Ernst Baumann, a member of BMW’s Vorstand (management board) told the assemblage that one idea that Prof. Wolf Prix, the Welt’s architect, had suggested was a Riesendrad, or giant Ferris wheel, where each customer would be in a private gondola with his car and a view of the Olympic Park and city.)
But today was no day for cost-cutting. In fact, BMW finally provided a more exact figure for BMW Welt’s actual cost. Stefan Krause, a member of BMW”s Vorstand, confirmed during the press conference that, between the design and construction of BMW Welt, the expansion and renovation of the museum, and the changes to the factory for the new tour, the total cost for projects that directly impact the customer experience in Munich was €500 million.
Upscale neighborhood for BMW’s “mental real estate”
“Brands are a piece of mental real estate” he aptly noted, quoting a professor of his. We present in the BMW Welt “everything that the brand has to offer,” citing a value of $25 billion for the BMW brand itself.
At 11 a.m. today, the Festakt (ceremony) opening BMW Welt began with soloists from the Opera Studio of the Bavarian State Opera.
Dr. Norbert Reithofer, Vorstandsvorsitzender (chairman of the board) of BMW AG, then greeted the 800 guests, which included the new Minister-President of Freistaat Bayern (the Free State of Bavaria) Gunther Beckstein, and Munich Oberbürgermeister (mayor) Christian Ude.
BMW Welt is the “home of the brand,” said Reithofer quite emphatically. BMW wants the Welt to show the world “what the BMW brand stands for, what’s behind the BMW brand” and perhaps most importantly, BMW wants the world to “experience” the BMW brand.
Speeches and music continued. Oberbürgermeister Ude seemed especially pleased to have a new icon for the city which did not cost him anything. Religious leaders from the Olympic Village drove onstage in a BMW motorcycle with sidecar to recite a benediction. A Cirque de Soleil-like performance, with two dancers descending from the roof of the Premiere, captivated the audience.
Freude am Fahren, the Joy of Driving, should begin in BMW Welt and from every indication, the Freude should start as one approaches the building.
 For early risers, an uncrowded walk into BMW Welt. Many of the 800 guests slept in after Tuesday’s big dinner. Not BMW CCA’s corresponding blogger. MUNICH, Wednesday, 10/17 - As part of opening day festivities, BMW invited guests attending the opening ceremonies to breakfast at the BMW Welt (BMW World). Arriving at 7:30 a.m. in a BMW 7er (BMW had a fleet of dozens of 7ers and 5er Tourings in place for their guests, drivers were an interesting mixture of university student interns and Munich policemen), the sun was not yet up but the BMW Welt was breathtaking. I saw what I thought were clouds just ahead.
(This was the first time I was seeing the Welt in a completed state, having visited the construction site several times over the past few years. My last visit required me to don a helmet, safety vest, and rubber boots. )
As we drove closer, it was clear that the cloudscape ahead was actually the Welt. Guests were welcomed in the BMW Vierzylinder (Four Cylinder) headquarters building, given a badge, and invited to walk across the bridge to the Welt.
As I got closer, and the sun began to rise, the glistening Doppelkegel (Double Cone) became part of the skyscape.
In a few short hours, the BMW Welt would open. But first, there was breakfast and time to explore the near empty Welt as most people opted to skip breakfast and come later – (their loss).
I wandered through the main gallery, with its Efficient Dynamics exhibit, the Premiere customer delivery area, Junior Campus (for children), taking it all in – my own private BMW Welt.
Waiters and waitresses offered Sekt (sparkling wine), smoothies (including a fresh mango smoothie), and I realized, given the schedule ahead, I didn’t want to skip breakfast. The breakfast buffet was not much different than what one might find in better German hotels, eggs to order, smoked salmon, cheese, cold cuts, fresh rolls, fruit. But this was a breakfast I would remember primarily for the surroundings.
 Double cone interior of BMW Welt: 10 times the size of the Acropolis with one-tenth as many roof supports. Jonathan Spira, BMWCCA
Oct. 16, 2007
MUNICH, Tuesday (10/16) -- To celebrate the opening of BMW Welt, BMW held a dinner this evening at the Hofbraukeller on the Wienerstraße. In attendance were most of the key players including Rudolf Wiedermann, a long time BMW executive who is the director of BMW Welt, Paul Kath, Himmelb(l)au’s project partner for BMW Welt, and of course Prof. Wolf Prix, co-founder of Coop Himmelb(l)au and the architect who designed BMW Welt.
Prof. Prix addressed the assemblage, starting with the story of how his professor, Karl Schwanzer, came to class one day many years ago and announced that he had just been awarded the job to design the BMW Vierzylinder (Four Cylinder) headquarters building. Prof. Prix commented that he never imagined he would one day have the opportunity to build something on the order of BMW Welt next to his professor’s building.
 Prof. Wolfgang Prix, architect of BMW Welt, at the July 2005 topping out ceremony. Prix compares the Welt to the Acropolis in Athens. The Acropolis was not only a temple but a marketplace and a place to exchange information. He sees BMW Welt, which is ten times its size, as having a similar mission. He also commented that the Acropolis required 40 columns to support its roof and the Welt’s roof only requires 10.
He sees the Doppelkegel (Double-Cone) of the building as a third design element along side the BMW Museum’s Schale (soup bowl) form and the tall Vierzylinder building, as well as the “third letter” of BMW.
When customers leave the Premiere delivery area, they drive along a spiral that takes them into the open air. The spiral is meant to show the dynamics of both the car and of BMW.
For the roof, an influence was Le Corbusier, who saw the roof as a landscape. The roof of the BMW Welt clearly fits that bill.
On a technical note, Prof. Prix pointed out the networked structure of the steel in the Doppelkegel. “Without computers,” he remarked, “this would be impossible to build.”
Perhaps the most important design aspect of the building, according to Prof. Prix, is while there are multiple sides to the BMW Welt it has no front or back. They are different sides.
Wednesday: the grand opening.
 BMW Welt opens this week. JFK Airport, Monday, 10/15 – In a little more than one day, the secrets within BMW Welt will be revealed to the public for the first time. BMW Welt, which BMW bills as an "experience and delivery center," will be a portal for the world of BMW. We've seen the outside for quite some time, as it developed from a frame to a finished architectural masterpiece that complements the nearby Olympic Stadium, with its tent-like roof, as well as the BMW Four Cylinder tower.
I've visited the building several times during construction, but it was far from finished the last time I was there in May 2006. In fact, I had to wear a hard hat, safety vest, and rubber boots.
I'm writing this from the Lufthansa terminal at JFK, where I'm leaving in a short while for Munich. On the 17th (Wednesday), I'll be at the opening ceremony of the Welt and will continue the blog with a report on the opening. They have a full day planned for us, with a tour in the early morning, the opening ceremonies at 11 a.m. (Munich time), and a special factory tour in the afternoon.
Then, on the 20th and 21st, the public will be invited in for the Publikumtage, or public days. Visitors from around the world will be able to experience all of the Welt, the dramatic Doppelkegel (Double Cone), the Technology and Design Studio, the restaurants and shops, as well as the Premiere new car delivery section, which thereafter will be reserved exclusively for those picking up their new BMWs at the Welt.
New car deliveries start on Tuesday, the 23rd. I'll be reporting from the Welt that day as well as I am slated to be the first customer to take delivery at BMW Welt.
BMW WELT TIMELINE
2001 Design awarded to Coop Himmelb(l)au
2001 Start of planning
2003 Design phase
2003 Start of demolition
2004 Cornerstone
2005 Start of excavation and structural work
2005 Steel construction, topping out ceremony
2006 Completion of construction, interior work begins
2007 Open for employees (June)
2007 Journalists descend on Munch Oct. 15
2007 Grand opening Oct. 17
2007 Public days Oct. 20/21
2007 Deliveries start Oct. 23
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BMW Welt: Delivery, party, on the road (Jonathan Spira's slideshow,
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