BMW shows new 1000 supersport BMW S1000RR

On 8 March the new BMW F 800 GS and BMW F 650 GS two-cylinders celebrated the start of sales.

Initial response from the markets makes us very optimistic. In fact, global demand even exceeds our production capacities, with demand particularly from the Southern European markets in Spain, Italy and Greece exceeding our greatest hopes. Particularly the F 800 GS is the choice of many customers who have so far ridden another make.

So much on the new models in 2008 you already know. But let me add that we will be presenting further surprises at the major motorcycle shows in Cologne and Milan, the Intermot and EICMA, which we cannot talk about yet today.

So you see that we are well-prepared for the future.

Despite all this good news, the fact remains that BMW Motorrad – like all European motorcycle manufacturers – currently faces special challenges. We see almost daily how conditions are becoming tougher, with the prices of raw materials and energy going up all the time and currency risks becoming greater.

Let me explain briefly just how much the currency issue affects our competitive situation: In the last seven years alone, the dollar and the Japanese yen have lost about 80 per cent of their value versus the euro.

That means that our main competitors are benefiting from even the slightest weakness of the dollar and the yen, from every drop in value even behind the decimal point. They are able to offer their products at lower prices in the world market and make significant profits all the same.

Obviously, we must find answers to these challenges, since we cannot pass on these cost disadvantages directly to our customers in a one-to-one process.

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