This Week:

• Supervisory Board Approves New Management For Chrysler Group
  .
• Senior Management Changes Announced at Chrysler Group 

• Massive increase in Porsche profits

• BMW X5 Achieves Best Performance Of Any SUV In Insurance Institute For Highway Safety Offset Crash Test
  .

• "Audi Forum Ingolstadt" almost completed / Official inauguration of the complete area in December / "museum mobile" as the focal point

• DaimlerChrysler, Ford And General Motors Partner To Develop Dealer Infrastructure Guidelines
  .

• GM Argentina Celebrates Production Of 100, 000th Vehicle

• Renault returns to Australia with strong Nissan support
  .

• Hayes Lemmerz International to Supply Crossmembers To Mitsubishi Motor Manufacturing 
  .
• Volkswagen of America, Inc. to Break Ground on New Multi-Million Dollar Parts Distribution Facility in Hazlett, Texas

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News of  November 21, 2000

BMW X5 Achieves Best Performance Of Any SUV In Insurance Institute For Highway Safety Offset Crash Test

Photo: BMW

Woodcliff Lake, New Jersey - The BMW X5 performed better than any SUV ever tested by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety in its 40 mph offset crash test. Based on the results, the X5 has been rated a "Best Pick" by the Institute - the third BMW to receive this distinction. Not only is the X5 the best SUV ever tested it is, in fact, the best vehicle yet tested.

In the test, the X5 was crashed into a deformable barrier with only the left side of the vehicle striking the barrier. This type of crash introduces significant twisting forces to the already severe impact. "The performance of the BMW X5 in our high-speed offset test was outstanding," noted Brian O'Neill, president of the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, "the occupant compartment, or safety cage, sustained very little damage. Measured intrusion into the compartment was less than in any other vehicle the Institute has tested. With exemplary performance in earlier tests of the 5 and 3 Series, and now the X5, BMW has set the standard for all other manufacturers to aspire to."

"As the first manufacturer to offer a head protection system in a light- truck, as we were with passenger cars, we're very pleased by the performance of the X5 in the IIHS test," said Tom Purves, Chairman of BMW (US) Holding Corp., "HPS is, however, just one element of BMW's Fully Integrated Road Safety Technology philosophy."

Putting safety 'F.I.R.S.T.', the X5 Sports Activity Vehicle is designed to the same high standard of crashworthiness as BMW passenger cars. In addition to HPS, all X5s benefit from two-stage, differentiated deployment SMART front airbags and front side-impact airbags. These are all made more effective by the extraordinarily rigid unitized chassis of the X5, backed up by carefully designed deformation zones which absorb and deflect impact energy.

Equally important is the ability to avoid an impact altogether. Its combination of responsiveness and agility, coupled with state-of-the-art electronic safeguards such as Hill Descent Control and Dynamic Stability Control (BMW's electronic stability enhancement system), make the X5 a very stable and predictable vehicle.

BMW is widely recognized as a safety leader. As the first manufacturer to offer a head protection system, BMW was given the "Safe Car of the Millennium" award by the International Brain Injury Association.

(Nov.14, 2000)

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