BMW reveals Olympic fleet 02 | 05 | 2012
IT MAY HAVE SLIPPED your notice, but there's a small sporting event taking place in London later this year: the Olympics. And BMW has released details of the massive fleet of cars it will supply for both the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games.
Included in the fleet are 1550 BMW 3-series Efficient Dynamics models, 40 fully electric Minis and 20 BMW 5-series Hybrids.
In its role as the official automotive partner to the Games — which run from July 27 to August 12 — the German manufacturer has revealed vehicles that will be used during even.
Most vehicles will be given a variety of tasks but certain models have specific roles. For example, the 17 BMW X3s are towing boats at sailing and rowing events, as well as acting as support cars for the Olympic Torch Relay.
BMW reveals limited edition M3
And athletes can expect to be ferried around in one of 160 zero-emission 1-Series Active-E vehicles. Other shuttling duties fall on the 720 5-Series models, 20 of which are hybrids. 10 BMW X5s are towing Horse Ambulances at equine events.
BMW has also revealed one of the 1550 320d Efficient Dynamics will be the official command car for the Torch Relay. And 40 electric Minis will offer transportation between venues, plus 200 Mini Countrymans will offer pre-booked client transport services.
And in addition to the cars, BMW is supplying 25 motorcycles to support for the road-based Olympic events, such as cycling: 400 bicycles are also being supplied for coaches to use at water-based events.
LOCOG, which is organising the London games, set a target of an average of 120 g/km of CO2 emissions for the Olympic fleet. BMW has achieved 116g/km.
BMW’s Olympic fleet in numbers
BMW 1 Series ActiveE – 160
Mini E – 40
MINI Countryman Cooper D – 200
BMW 320d Efficient Dynamics – 1550
BMW 520d Efficient Dynamics – 700
BMW 5 Series Active Hybrid – 20
BMW X3 xDrive 20d – 17
BMW X5 xDrive 30d – 10
BMW R1200 RT motorbikes – 25
BMW Streetcruiser Bicycles – 400
Read our roadtest of BMW 320d, and watch it being driven in Scotland
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Jim McGill