As one of the second group, it was joy indeed to see that BMW is investing in nurturing serious music talent as part of their marketing strategy.
Music lovers all enjoy the sound of the ivories being tinkled and well-known Steinway owners include Billy Joel who wrote a special song for his ‘baby grand’.
Then there are the concert pianists like the glamorous and capable Olga Kern who is visiting Cape Town next month and plays exclusively on Steinway pianos as part of her lucrative contract.
As part of an exclusive partnership beginning in 2011, the Munich-based premium carmaker will be supporting the international talent programmes of Steinway & Sons.
The aim of the joint initiative between BMW and Steinway & Sons is to promote and nurture young musicians internationally.
BMW presented a special li-mited-edition BMW Individual 7 Series Composition inspired by Steinway & Sons at the Steinway factory in Hamburg, Germany at the end of 2010.
Stunning examples of this special limited-edition cars were unveiled, illustrating the syner-gy between the two luxury brands.
The luxury BMW 7 Series sedans have the beauty, quality and exclusivity which pianos from Steinway also express.
BME describes it as "a design style with a commitment to perfection" in terms of vehicle production and piano manufacturing at Steinway & Sons. The BMW Individual 7 Series Composition inspired by Steinway & Sons is available in black or white.
BLACK AND WHITE
The exterior and the interior designs are modelled on the colours of the piano keyboard and its contrast between black and white.
The paint finish comes in a choice of black or white, with upholstery and surface materials to match in an unimatched build quality.
An even more exclusive touch is the precise highlight details completing a sophisticated appearance.
The luxury sedans undergo a highly complex multi-stage process to ensure a sparkling finish. Once the basic black or white paint has been applied, the body receives three protective clear coats. Each individual layer is smoothed and polished by hand, resulting in a surface quality comparable to that of a concert grand piano’s lacquer and producing a similar sheen. Along with BMW Individual High-Gloss Shadow Line and 20-inch BMW Individual light alloy wheels, the car is visually enhanced by a gold-coloured coachline running the full length of the vehicle.
Similarly, the interior features two different colour concepts. In combination with the Piano Finish Black exterior, the upholstery, door trim, centre console, headliner and lower section of the instrument panel come in the colour variant Platinum.
For vehicles in Piano Finish White, the interior components are available in black.
The stylish environment is rounded off with leather seats, a headliner in Alcantara, black lambswool floormats and interior piping in Piano Finish Black from the BMW Individual range.
Exclusive details documenting the Steinway & Sons partnership are visible in the piano manufacturer’s gold lettering on the chrome strip at the rear of the vehicle.
There are further references to Steinway & Sons on the headrests, two cushions for rear passengers and a cashmere blanket which are embroidered with the golden lyre as well as the exclusively designed BMW audio system.
Most of concert halls and concert artists worldwide choose the instruments of Steinway & Sons. The BMW audio system is specifically adapted to the interior of the luxury sedan.
It comprises 16 high-performance speakers and a digital 9-channel amplifier to allow passengers to enjoy outstandingly realistic sound quality wherever they are seated.
Included is a collection of special piano recordings from Steinway & Sons, featuring renowned Steinway artists such as Vladimir Horowitz, Martha Argerich and Maurizio Pollini.
In a statement, Steinway & Sons and BMW said they look forward to the evolution of a partnership as both are on a quest for perfection and a positive impact on the world.
The exclusive look of the luxury sedans in the special edition BMW Individual 7 Series Composition.
ARTICLE: ANICA KRÜGER
