BMW to shift driving center into top gear with renovation on 10th anniversary

BMW will upgrade its driving center in Incheon as it observes its 10th anniversary, introducing new EV-dedicated driving courses and programs for children.

BMW and MINI cars run on a track at the automaker's driving center in Incheon on Thursday. [BMW KOREA]

INCHEON — From EV-dedicated driving courses to educational programs for children, BMW is elevating its driving center in Incheon to new heights to maximize Korean drivers’ satisfaction.

Under the “Joy Next" project marking the 10th anniversary of the center, the German automaker will renovate the interior to add a more luxurious ambiance and develop new programs for performance EVs including its flagship i-series.

A sales lounge will also be opened, where customers are assigned a personal salesperson to discuss and test drive cars upon purchase.

Joo Yang-ye, head of marketing at BMW Korea, talks about the company's plan to renovate its driving center on Thursday in Incheon. [BMW KOREA]

The renovation, which will take three months from August, is the third upgrade since BMW first opened the center in July 2014 with an investment of 77 billion won ($55.5 million). Another 13 billion won was expended in 2019 to set up another driving track.

Korea was the third country in the world — and the first in Asia — where BMW has opened a driving center after the United States and Germany.

A Junior Campus will be upgraded, which provides children who are interested in cars with opportunities to learn about the ecosystem of vehicles, car parts and experience various related programs.

BMW's driving center in Incheon [BMW KOREA]

The 7,140-square-meter (77,000-square-foot) driving center has been visited by some 1.5 million people so far, with 240,000 participating in the driving programs. A total of 1,343 BMW and MINI cars have been driven on the track, covering over 7.4 million kilometers (4.6 million miles).

“The BMW driving center has put in all its effort to offer various types of joy to all visitors, regardless of their sex or age,” said Joo Yang-ye, head of marketing at BMW Korea, during a press event held Thursday.

“The center will return with a new look and will once again lead Korea’s car culture by delivering the BMW brand and value based on various customers’ lifestyles.”

BMW's driving center in Incheon marks its 10th anniversary this year. [BMW KOREA]

BMW also has an EV charging station at the center, the largest of its kind in the country, where 80 EVs can be charged simultaneously. It is open to the public, regardless of the make of the car.

The latest upgrade comes as part of BMW’s efforts to compensate Korea for making it the No. 1 imported brand in terms of sales last year, beating Mercedes for the first time in eight years. BMW sold 77,395 vehicles in Korea last year, followed by Mercedes with 76,697, according to data from the Korea Automobile Importers & Distributors Association.

It is the only imported car brand to participate in the Busan International Mobility Show 2024, which kicks off on June 28, with many popular brands like Mercedes, Tesla and Volvo absent.

BMW cars run on a track at the company's driving center in Incheon on Thursday. [BMW KOREA]

BMW is also planning to install 1,100 EV chargers across the country this year, which will bring the total to 2,100 to become the most prolific installer of EV chargers out of all auto brands.

“What BMW Korea values most is understanding the Korean market, satisfying Korean customers and contributing to Korean society,” said BMW Korea CEO Han Sang-yun. “The driving center, which plays a key role in achieving those values, will try its best to lead the new auto culture.”

BY SARAH CHEA [chea.sarah@joongang.co.kr]