BMW Group joins hands with Damas to introduce gold and diamond component to its BMW 7-series

With the launch of the "Jawhara" Collection of i-Drive controllers for the BMW 7-series, the German premium car manufacturer has become the first car company in the world to use these two precious materials in a vehicle.

"We are proud to introduce another marketing innovation which highlights our market leadership and understanding of the region's requirements," said Robert Bailey-McEwan, Managing Director of BMW Group Middle East.

Speaking at a press conference, held at the Ritz-Carlton, Dubai, to announce the launch of the collection, he said that the Jawhara Collection will add to the already wide appeal of the BMW 7-series, and take its unmatched luxury to new heights.

The collection includes 12 different designs, all available in white or yellow 18-carat gold, of the mouse-like i-Drive controller, which is a round-shaped knob that controls all the non-driving functions in the BMW 7-series.

The controller is part of the innovative i-Drive concept which was pioneered by BMW and introduced on the 7-series, followed by other models like the 5-series and 6-series. It controls 700 functions which appear on the i-Drive screen.

The launch of the Jawhara Collection caps six months of joint cooperation and hard work on the project from both sides since the idea was conceived by Ehab S. Shouly, BMW Group Middle East's Regional Marketing Manager.

Any current owner of a BMW 7-series, or a new buyer of any of its different model variants, can purchase a gold and diamond studded i-Drive controller from any BMW dealer in the Middle East region, and have it installed by the BMW workshop.

Customers can opt for the controller either in white gold or the traditional gold, and then choose from 12 different available designs of diamond formations, six of which add up to 1 carat of diamonds, and the other six add up to 2 carats.

The collection which carries the name of the Arabic word which means 'gem', will be unveiled at the Middle East International Motor Show, which opens in Dubai on Thursday and will run until December 15th.

Two BMW 7-series fitted with the gold and diamond i-Drive controllers will be available on the BMW stand, which will also boast a showcase containing the various different designs of the controllers, which are studded with De Beers diamonds.

While the collection will be displayed at the motor show, it will not be available to order through the BMW dealers network in the region until the beginning of January 2003, while the first deliveries will be made at the beginning of February.

Ehab S. Shouly, Regional Marketing Manager of BMW Group Middle East, said the Jawhara Collection will be produced in limited numbers for BMW Group by Damas in Italy at the hands of the best Italian jewellers. "We are proud of the project as it shows our pioneering marketing initiatives. We strongly believe that there will be a big market for the gold and diamond i-Drive, not just in the Middle East but also throughout the world," Shouly added.

"Every single controller", he noted, "will have a serial number clearly marked on the black velvet box in which it is delivered. It will also come with a one-year insurance policy against theft in the event of the car's glass being broken and the controller stolen."

"We have done some research and found that such a concept would work very well, especially in countries like the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and the Arab Gulf in general, where status is very important for our customers," Shouly said.

And for those customers who really want to make an impression, BMW Group and Damas are offering them the opportunity to "personalise" their golden controller by having their names or initials spelt out in diamonds in the gold.

"A controller with somebody's name on it, or a short message like 'I love you', would be perfect for someone who has got it all. And such a person will most probably own a BMW 7-series," Shouly joked.

He stressed that the diamonds used in the Jawhara Collection are the best quality De Beers diamonds, and each controller comes with an international certificate of authenticity mentioning the weight, clarity and quality of diamonds.

Also speaking at the press conference, Tawheed Abdullah, Managing Director of Damas said: "Both BMW and Damas are synonymous with excellence and innovation, and we are proud to be working with them on this project."

He said that while BMW and especially its 7-series, was the market leader in the luxury premium car segment, Damas aims to be a leading multi-national in the jewellery and fashion industry and a house to international brands.

"With BMW we share a common mission, which is to delight customers by offering luxury wrapped in trust with the help of a team of dedicated professionals. The Jawhara Collection is the epitome of such luxury," Abdullah added.