BMW PRE-OWNED MODELS RECOGNIZED FOR BEST OVERALL VALUE BY INTELLICHOICE
1997-1998 5 Series Models Top Luxury Car Category

WOODCLIFF LAKE, NJ, ... IntelliChoice's announcement of the 1996-1998 Pre-Owned Best Overall Value of the Year (BOVY) award recognized the BMW 5 Series as the luxury class winner.

Acknowledged for offering the best relationship between total ownership costs and pre-owned purchase price, BMW's current 5 Series models have received numerous awards since their introduction in 1996, including Car and Driver's 1997 and 1998 Ten Best, Motor Trend's 1997 Import Car of The Year and Robb Report's 1997 Car of the Year.

"We take great pride in ensuring that our vehicles not only reflect the fun and responsiveness that is the essence of BMW, but also that they hold their value long after leaving the showroom," said BMW of North America president Victor Doolan.

To determine BOVY winners, IntelliChoice analysts evaluated more than 2,400 pre-owned vehicles from 1996 to 1998, measuring variables such as reliability, safety, price and cost through a detailed economic analysis of depreciation, insurance, maintenance, repairs, fuel and financing. (BMW did not produce 1996 model 5 Series automobiles.) The 1999 winners are considered the best overall values for consumers based on the total cost of ownership.

A wide selection of pre-owned BMWs - including the 1997 and 1998 5 Series models - are available as part of the company's Certified Pre-Owned Vehicle Program.

Each pre-owned car selected for certification - late models with less than 60,000 miles - must pass a thorough inspection by BMW factory-trained technicians. Vehicles are inspected for safety, performance and wear, and are backed by BMW of North America, Inc. and the network of nationwide BMW retailers.

In addition, each Certified Pre-Owned BMW features:

· Special lease- and retail finance options for select Certified PreOwned BMWs through BMW Financial Services.

BMW is making it easier for consumers to shop for a Certified Pre-Owned automobile with its recently enhanced "Virtual Center" website at www.bmwusa.com. The Certified Pre-Owned BMW section helps consumers find the most accurate information about pre-owned BMWs as well as the capability to search for a Certified Pre-Owned BMW simply by entering their zip code and some basic information about the car they want (e.g., Series, body style, price range, transmission type).  A search mechanism can match the Customer's request with automobiles in a database of all Certified Pre-Owned BMWs.

If the car they want is not available nearby (within 10 miles of their zip code), customers can chose to expand their search up to a 500-mile radius. If the car they want still isn't available, they can ask to be placed on a wait list and they will be notified by e-mail as soon as the car of their choice becomes available.