Behind the Scenes Customer Tour of BMW Welt

[///Matthew]

     Featured on BIMMERPOST.com

The day of my European Delivery I was offered a "Customer Tour" of BMW Welt in Munich, Germany. Having been to the Welt twice before, I wasn't expecting to see much. I was mistaken. I was taken through the ground floor level of the Welt where the building's design and purpose were thoroughly explained. We then ventured through a door, and behind the scenes of BMW Welt which gave me a whole new appreciation for what goes into the delivery process.

Our first stop was a small room to watch a short video detailing the processing of BMW Welt car deliveries from the drop off of cars from the plant, to their preparation and storage prior to their receipt by customers on the delivery floor. After being seriously impressed by the process, the projection screen retracted exposing a window with a view into the storage area as seen below.



Curtain up, hello BMWs!



This area is typically off limits to people, robotic machinery moves the cars into their storage bays until it is time for them to be moved again into the glass elevator up to the delivery floor. To reduce the fire hazard presented by the storage of over 200 fueled vehicles, BMW has lowered the oxygen content of the air to 13% in this area. At this lowered saturation, not even a lighter will ignite.






One of the robots used to transport cars in the storage area.


The cavernous unloading zone for cars from the factory.


BMW please bring these here!





No, seriously, bring them.








Alpine white just suits the X5 perfectly. I love how clean these look debadged.

I would rock an F31 335i Touring in a heartbeat and especially in Estoril Blue II.


...and back up to ground level to await delivery of my car.

[rac390]

Awesome pictures and story. Thanks for sharing it.

[Powerbeast]

Nice pics and cars

[Stainless 45]

I get the feeling profits are up........

[esquire]

those little hatchbacks are beautiful. bmw is making a mistake by not releasing those in the states. they would sell like crazy here.

great photos, OP. loved the behind the scenes look.

[Alen E90]

[W///]

That was so cool. Thanks for sharing!

[///Matthew]

Originally Posted by rac390

Awesome pictures and story. Thanks for sharing it.

Originally Posted by Powerbeast

Nice pics and cars

Originally Posted by Stainless 45

I get the feeling profits are up........

Originally Posted by esquire

those little hatchbacks are beautiful. bmw is making a mistake by not releasing those in the states. they would sell like crazy here.

great photos, OP. loved the behind the scenes look.

Originally Posted by Alen E90

Originally Posted by W///

That was so cool. Thanks for sharing!

Thank you everyone! Those 1-series hatches were all over the place in Munich. I especially like the 3-door variants, but the 5-door looks great too. Best part, they are available with diesel powerplants! I'd buy one in a heartbeat if they were brought to the states if I didn't have a company car to commute in.

[W///]

Originally Posted by ///Matthew

Thank you everyone! Those 1-series hatches were all over the place in Munich. I especially like the 3-door variants, but the 5-door looks great too. Best part, they are available with diesel powerplants! I'd buy one in a heartbeat if they were brought to the states if I didn't have a company car to commute in.

I had a chance to drive one when I was in Munich, it was 120d. Perfect car for the city. While I've warmed up to the way they look, I still wouldn't exactly call them pretty, even with M-sport. The 2er however, now that is looking VERY promising.

[Park2670]

I hope I get this opportunity when I take a Euro Delivery in a few years! BMW fans dream right there.

[///Matthew]

Originally Posted by W///

I had a chance to drive one when I was in Munich, it was 120d. Perfect car for the city. While I've warmed up to the way they look, I still wouldn't exactly call them pretty, even with M-sport. The 2er however, now that is looking VERY promising.

I'm jealous! I went from not being interested in them to all, to wanting one in my garage. They definitely grew on me. I'm also very interested in the upcoming 2 series, M2 especially of course.

Originally Posted by Park2670

I hope I get this opportunity when I take a Euro Delivery in a few years! BMW fans dream right there.

I cannot recommend Euro Delivery enough. Such an amazing experience, and if you do the tours, you get such a new appreciation for the work/design/engineering that goes into these cars and every aspect of their delivery to the customer.

[Palle]

thank you very much for those great pictures .... happy easter

[US///M3]

Originally Posted by esquire

those little hatchbacks are beautiful. bmw is making a mistake by not releasing those in the states. they would sell like crazy here.

great photos, OP. loved the behind the scenes look.

Sure, like the 318ti.

[kdbryce]

pretty cool

[Frosty]

Interesting! Thanks for posting

[tightie]

that is awesome

[M5007]

Thanks for the sharing.

[cncmastr]

cool story bro

[twerle]

Originally Posted by esquire

those little hatchbacks are beautiful. bmw is making a mistake by not releasing those in the states. they would sell like crazy here.

great photos, OP. loved the behind the scenes look.

BMW is also making a mistake of releasing 3 series GT here
That 4 door 1 series does look great

[Taipei-TT]

As much as I personally love the size and footprint of the 1er hatch, it would not sell in America.
Honestly, it can be mistaken the new vw polo. Practical, efficient, and cheap. But in the US market, prices are so cheap the difference would be negligible. Here in Taiwan, a 1er 120d sells for about $20000USD less than a f31 320d. In the states, the price difference would be so small, few would take the 1er.

Cool post on ED.

[Dackelone]

Awesome pics. I have been wanting to tour the Welt's prep center for a long time now. So jealous!!

[///Matthew]

Originally Posted by Palle

thank you very much for those great pictures .... happy easter

Originally Posted by kbryce

pretty cool

Originally Posted by Frosty

Interesting! Thanks for posting

Originally Posted by tightie

that is awesome

Originally Posted by silentassasin

Thanks for the sharing.

Originally Posted by cncmastr

cool story bro

Originally Posted by twerle

BMW is also making a mistake of releasing 3 series GT here
That 4 door 1 series does look great

I saw the 3 series GT at the NYIAS on Saturday... Looked like an Accord Crosstour, and I think we all know how desirable those things are.

Originally Posted by Taipei-TT

As much as I personally love the size and footprint of the 1er hatch, it would not sell in America.
Honestly, it can be mistaken the new vw polo. Practical, efficient, and cheap. But in the US market, prices are so cheap the difference would be negligible. Here in Taiwan, a 1er 120d sells for about $20000USD less than a f31 320d. In the states, the price difference would be so small, few would take the 1er.

Cool post on ED.

I really wish the US market was ready for smaller BMWs. It's a different mentality completely elsewhere. Personally, I'd love to have one.

Originally Posted by Dackelone

Awesome pics. I have been wanting to tour the Welt's prep center for a long time now. So jealous!!

Thank you! I wish I could have gone further in, but there was literally a line we couldn't cross and I only had my wide angle lens with me. I wish I had the 70-200mm so I could "cheat" a little.