BMW

LEIPZIG, GERMANY - NOVEMBER 05: Christine Gregoire, Governor of the U.S. state of Washington, speaks at the BMW auto assembly plant next to a BMW low-emissions car on November 5, 2010 in Leipzig, Germany. Later BMW Chairman Norbert Reithofer and German Chancellor Angela Merkel officially inaugurated BMW's committment to invest EUR 400 million to expand production at Leipzig in order to mass produce a BMW electric car. BMW is partnering with SGL Carbon to produce carbon fiber for BMW automobile bodies at a new plant in Moses Lake, Washington.

LEIPZIG, GERMANY - NOVEMBER 05: Christine Gregoire, Governor of the U.S. state of Washington, speaks at the BMW auto assembly plant next to a BMW low-emissions car on November 5, 2010 in Leipzig, Germany. Later BMW Chairman Norbert Reithofer and German Chancellor Angela Merkel officially inaugurated BMW's committment to invest EUR 400 million to expand production at Leipzig in order to mass produce a BMW electric car. BMW is partnering with SGL Carbon to produce carbon fiber for BMW automobile bodies at a new plant in Moses Lake, Washington.

LEIPZIG, GERMANY - NOVEMBER 05: A worker attaches a BMW hood ornament onto a completed BMW car at the BMW auto assembly plant on November 5, 2010 in Leipzig, Germany. Earlier in the day German Chancellor Angela Merkel and BMW Chairman Norbert Reithofer officially inaugurated BMW's committment to invest EUR 400 million to expand production at Leipzig in order to mass produce a BMW electric car. BMW has made a strong recovery since the financial crisis of 2009 that temporarily crippled demand for cars worldwide. Germany's export-driven economy is back on track and unemployment has fallen drastically.

LEIPZIG, GERMANY - NOVEMBER 05: Workers assemble BMW cars at the BMW auto assembly plant on November 5, 2010 in Leipzig, Germany. Earlier in the day German Chancellor Angela Merkel and BMW Chairman Norbert Reithofer officially inaugurated BMW's committment to invest EUR 400 million to expand production at Leipzig in order to mass produce a BMW electric car. BMW has made a strong recovery since the financial crisis of 2009 that temporarily crippled demand for cars worldwide. Germany's export-driven economy is back on track and unemployment has fallen drastically.

LEIPZIG, GERMANY - NOVEMBER 05: Workers assemble BMW cars at the BMW auto assembly plant on November 5, 2010 in Leipzig, Germany. Earlier in the day German Chancellor Angela Merkel and BMW Chairman Norbert Reithofer officially inaugurated BMW's committment to invest EUR 400 million to expand production at Leipzig in order to mass produce a BMW electric car. BMW has made a strong recovery since the financial crisis of 2009 that temporarily crippled demand for cars worldwide. Germany's export-driven economy is back on track and unemployment has fallen drastically.

LEIPZIG, GERMANY - NOVEMBER 05: Workers assemble BMW cars at the BMW auto assembly plant on November 5, 2010 in Leipzig, Germany. Earlier in the day German Chancellor Angela Merkel and BMW Chairman Norbert Reithofer officially inaugurated BMW's committment to invest EUR 400 million to expand production at Leipzig in order to mass produce a BMW electric car. BMW has made a strong recovery since the financial crisis of 2009 that temporarily crippled demand for cars worldwide. Germany's export-driven economy is back on track and unemployment has fallen drastically.

LEIPZIG, GERMANY - NOVEMBER 05: Workers assemble BMW cars at the BMW auto assembly plant on November 5, 2010 in Leipzig, Germany. Earlier in the day German Chancellor Angela Merkel and BMW Chairman Norbert Reithofer officially inaugurated BMW's committment to invest EUR 400 million to expand production at Leipzig in order to mass produce a BMW electric car. BMW has made a strong recovery since the financial crisis of 2009 that temporarily crippled demand for cars worldwide. Germany's export-driven economy is back on track and unemployment has fallen drastically.

LEIPZIG, GERMANY - NOVEMBER 05: Workers assemble BMW cars at the BMW auto assembly plant on November 5, 2010 in Leipzig, Germany. Earlier in the day German Chancellor Angela Merkel and BMW Chairman Norbert Reithofer officially inaugurated BMW's committment to invest EUR 400 million to expand production at Leipzig in order to mass produce a BMW electric car. BMW has made a strong recovery since the financial crisis of 2009 that temporarily crippled demand for cars worldwide. Germany's export-driven economy is back on track and unemployment has fallen drastically.

LEIPZIG, GERMANY - NOVEMBER 05: Workers assemble BMW cars at the BMW auto assembly plant on November 5, 2010 in Leipzig, Germany. Earlier in the day German Chancellor Angela Merkel and BMW Chairman Norbert Reithofer officially inaugurated BMW's committment to invest EUR 400 million to expand production at Leipzig in order to mass produce a BMW electric car. BMW has made a strong recovery since the financial crisis of 2009 that temporarily crippled demand for cars worldwide. Germany's export-driven economy is back on track and unemployment has fallen drastically.

LEIPZIG, GERMANY - NOVEMBER 05: Workers assemble BMW cars at the BMW auto assembly plant on November 5, 2010 in Leipzig, Germany. Earlier in the day German Chancellor Angela Merkel and BMW Chairman Norbert Reithofer officially inaugurated BMW's committment to invest EUR 400 million to expand production at Leipzig in order to mass produce a BMW electric car. BMW has made a strong recovery since the financial crisis of 2009 that temporarily crippled demand for cars worldwide. Germany's export-driven economy is back on track and unemployment has fallen drastically.

LEIPZIG, GERMANY - NOVEMBER 05: Workers assemble BMW cars at the BMW auto assembly plant on November 5, 2010 in Leipzig, Germany. Earlier in the day German Chancellor Angela Merkel and BMW Chairman Norbert Reithofer officially inaugurated BMW's committment to invest EUR 400 million to expand production at Leipzig in order to mass produce a BMW electric car. BMW has made a strong recovery since the financial crisis of 2009 that temporarily crippled demand for cars worldwide. Germany's export-driven economy is back on track and unemployment has fallen drastically.

LEIPZIG, GERMANY - NOVEMBER 05: A worker makes a final visual inspection of a completed BMW car at the BMW auto assembly plant on November 5, 2010 in Leipzig, Germany. Earlier in the day German Chancellor Angela Merkel and BMW Chairman Norbert Reithofer officially inaugurated BMW's committment to invest EUR 400 million to expand production at Leipzig in order to mass produce a BMW electric car. BMW has made a strong recovery since the financial crisis of 2009 that temporarily crippled demand for cars worldwide. Germany's export-driven economy is back on track and unemployment has fallen drastically.

LEIPZIG, GERMANY - NOVEMBER 05: Workers assemble BMW cars at the BMW auto assembly plant on November 5, 2010 in Leipzig, Germany. Earlier in the day German Chancellor Angela Merkel and BMW Chairman Norbert Reithofer officially inaugurated BMW's committment to invest EUR 400 million to expand production at Leipzig in order to mass produce a BMW electric car. BMW has made a strong recovery since the financial crisis of 2009 that temporarily crippled demand for cars worldwide. Germany's export-driven economy is back on track and unemployment has fallen drastically.

LEIPZIG, GERMANY - NOVEMBER 05: A worker makes a final visual inspection of a completed BMW car at the BMW auto assembly plant on November 5, 2010 in Leipzig, Germany. Earlier in the day German Chancellor Angela Merkel and BMW Chairman Norbert Reithofer officially inaugurated BMW's committment to invest EUR 400 million to expand production at Leipzig in order to mass produce a BMW electric car. BMW has made a strong recovery since the financial crisis of 2009 that temporarily crippled demand for cars worldwide. Germany's export-driven economy is back on track and unemployment has fallen drastically.

LEIPZIG, GERMANY - NOVEMBER 05: Workers assemble BMW cars at the BMW auto assembly plant on November 5, 2010 in Leipzig, Germany. Earlier in the day German Chancellor Angela Merkel and BMW Chairman Norbert Reithofer officially inaugurated BMW's committment to invest EUR 400 million to expand production at Leipzig in order to mass produce a BMW electric car. BMW has made a strong recovery since the financial crisis of 2009 that temporarily crippled demand for cars worldwide. Germany's export-driven economy is back on track and unemployment has fallen drastically.

LEIPZIG, GERMANY - NOVEMBER 05: Workers assemble BMW cars at the BMW auto assembly plant on November 5, 2010 in Leipzig, Germany. Earlier in the day German Chancellor Angela Merkel and BMW Chairman Norbert Reithofer officially inaugurated BMW's committment to invest EUR 400 million to expand production at Leipzig in order to mass produce a BMW electric car. BMW has made a strong recovery since the financial crisis of 2009 that temporarily crippled demand for cars worldwide. Germany's export-driven economy is back on track and unemployment has fallen drastically.

LEIPZIG, GERMANY - NOVEMBER 05: Workers assemble BMW cars at the BMW auto assembly plant on November 5, 2010 in Leipzig, Germany. Earlier in the day German Chancellor Angela Merkel and BMW Chairman Norbert Reithofer officially inaugurated BMW's committment to invest EUR 400 million to expand production at Leipzig in order to mass produce a BMW electric car. BMW has made a strong recovery since the financial crisis of 2009 that temporarily crippled demand for cars worldwide. Germany's export-driven economy is back on track and unemployment has fallen drastically.

LEIPZIG, GERMANY - NOVEMBER 05: Workers assemble BMW cars at the BMW auto assembly plant on November 5, 2010 in Leipzig, Germany. Earlier in the day German Chancellor Angela Merkel and BMW Chairman Norbert Reithofer officially inaugurated BMW's committment to invest EUR 400 million to expand production at Leipzig in order to mass produce a BMW electric car. BMW has made a strong recovery since the financial crisis of 2009 that temporarily crippled demand for cars worldwide. Germany's export-driven economy is back on track and unemployment has fallen drastically.

LEIPZIG, GERMANY - NOVEMBER 05: Workers assemble BMW cars at the BMW auto assembly plant on November 5, 2010 in Leipzig, Germany. Earlier in the day German Chancellor Angela Merkel and BMW Chairman Norbert Reithofer officially inaugurated BMW's committment to invest EUR 400 million to expand production at Leipzig in order to mass produce a BMW electric car. BMW has made a strong recovery since the financial crisis of 2009 that temporarily crippled demand for cars worldwide. Germany's export-driven economy is back on track and unemployment has fallen drastically.

LEIPZIG, GERMANY - NOVEMBER 05: BMW Chairman Norbert Reithofer speaks at the BMW auto assembly plant next to a BMW electric car on November 5, 2010 in Leipzig, Germany. Later Reithofer and German Chancellor Angela Merkel officially inaugurated BMW's committment to invest EUR 400 million to expand production at Leipzig in order to mass produce a BMW electric car.

LEIPZIG, GERMANY - NOVEMBER 05: German Chancellor Angela Merkel, accompanied by BMW Chairman Norbert Reithofer (R) and BMW head of development Klaus Draeger, examines a carbon-fiber car body while touring the BMW auto assembly plant on November 5, 2010 in Leipzig, Germany. Later Merkel and Reithofer officially inaugurated BMW's committment to invest EUR 400 million to expand production at Leipzig and to mass produce a BMW electric car.

LEIPZIG, GERMANY - NOVEMBER 05: Car bosies on a conveyor belt pass over office workers at the BMW auto assembly plant on November 5, 2010 in Leipzig, Germany. Earlier in the day German Chancellor Angela Merkel and BMW Chairman Norbert Reithofer officially inaugurated BMW's committment to invest EUR 400 million to expand production at Leipzig in order to mass produce a BMW electric car. BMW has made a strong recovery since the financial crisis of 2009 that temporarily crippled demand for cars worldwide. Germany's export-driven economy is back on track and unemployment has fallen drastically.

LEIPZIG, GERMANY - NOVEMBER 05: German Chancellor Angela Merkel, accompanied by BMW Chairman Norbert Reithofer (R) and BMW head of development Klaus Draeger, examines a carbon-fiber car body while touring the BMW auto assembly plant on November 5, 2010 in Leipzig, Germany. Later Merkel and Reithofer officially inaugurated BMW's committment to invest EUR 400 million to expand production at Leipzig and to mass produce a BMW electric car.

LEIPZIG, GERMANY - NOVEMBER 05: German Chancellor Angela Merkel, Manfred Erlacher (L), head of the BMW car plant Leipzig and BMW Chairman Norbert Reithofer tour the BMW auto assembly plant on November 5, 2010 in Leipzig, Germany. Later Merkel and Reithofer officially inaugurated BMW's committment to invest EUR 400 million to expand production at Leipzig and to mass produce a BMW electric car.

LEIPZIG, GERMANY - NOVEMBER 05: German Chancellor Angela Merkel, Manfred Erlacher (L), head of the BMW car plant Leipzig and BMW Chairman Norbert Reithofer tour the BMW auto assembly plant on November 5, 2010 in Leipzig, Germany. Later Merkel and Reithofer officially inaugurated BMW's committment to invest EUR 400 million to expand production at Leipzig and to mass produce a BMW electric car.

LEIPZIG, GERMANY - NOVEMBER 05: German Chancellor Angela Merkel, accompanied by BMW Chairman Norbert Reithofer (R) and BMW head of development Klaus Draeger, examines a carbon-fiber car body while touring the BMW auto assembly plant on November 5, 2010 in Leipzig, Germany. Later Merkel and Reithofer officially inaugurated BMW's committment to invest EUR 400 million to expand production at Leipzig and to mass produce a BMW electric car.

LEIPZIG, GERMANY - NOVEMBER 05: Car bosies on a conveyor belt pass over office workers at the BMW auto assembly plant on November 5, 2010 in Leipzig, Germany. Earlier in the day German Chancellor Angela Merkel and BMW Chairman Norbert Reithofer officially inaugurated BMW's committment to invest EUR 400 million to expand production at Leipzig in order to mass produce a BMW electric car. BMW has made a strong recovery since the financial crisis of 2009 that temporarily crippled demand for cars worldwide. Germany's export-driven economy is back on track and unemployment has fallen drastically.

LEIPZIG, GERMANY - NOVEMBER 05: German Chancellor Angela Merkel speaks at the BMW auto assembly plant next to a BMW high performance prototype on November 5, 2010 in Leipzig, Germany. Merkel and BMW Chairman Norbert Reithofer officially inaugurated BMW's committment to invest EUR 400 million to expand production at Leipzig in order to mass produce a BMW electric car.

LEIPZIG, GERMANY - NOVEMBER 05: Car bosies on a conveyor belt pass over office workers at the BMW auto assembly plant on November 5, 2010 in Leipzig, Germany. Earlier in the day German Chancellor Angela Merkel and BMW Chairman Norbert Reithofer officially inaugurated BMW's committment to invest EUR 400 million to expand production at Leipzig in order to mass produce a BMW electric car. BMW has made a strong recovery since the financial crisis of 2009 that temporarily crippled demand for cars worldwide. Germany's export-driven economy is back on track and unemployment has fallen drastically.

LEIPZIG, GERMANY - NOVEMBER 05: German Chancellor Angela Merkel speaks at the BMW auto assembly plant next to a BMW high performance prototype on November 5, 2010 in Leipzig, Germany. Merkel and BMW Chairman Norbert Reithofer officially inaugurated BMW's committment to invest EUR 400 million to expand production at Leipzig in order to mass produce a BMW electric car.

LEIPZIG, GERMANY - NOVEMBER 05: German Chancellor Angela Merkel, accompanied by BMW Chairman Norbert Reithofer (R) and BMW head of development Klaus Draeger, examines a carbon-fiber car body while touring the BMW auto assembly plant on November 5, 2010 in Leipzig, Germany. Later Merkel and Reithofer officially inaugurated BMW's committment to invest EUR 400 million to expand production at Leipzig and to mass produce a BMW electric car.

LEIPZIG, GERMANY - NOVEMBER 05: German Chancellor Angela Merkel inspects the passenger cabin of a Megacity Vehicle (MCV), that is entirely made of carbon accompanied by BMW Chairman Norbert Reithofer, during a visit of the BMW auto assembly plant on November 5, 2010 in Leipzig, Germany. Later Merkel and Reithofer officially inaugurated BMW's committment to invest EUR 400 million to expand production at Leipzig and to mass produce a BMW electric car.

LEIPZIG, GERMANY - NOVEMBER 05: German Chancellor Angela Merkel (C), accompanied by Saxony Governor Stanislaw Tillich (R), tours the BMW auto assembly plant on November 5, 2010 in Leipzig, Germany. Later Merkel and BMW Chairman Norbert Reithofer officially inaugurated BMW's committment to invest EUR 400 million to expand production at Leipzig and to mass produce a BMW electric car.

LEIPZIG, GERMANY - NOVEMBER 05: German Chancellor Angela Merkel, accompanied by BMW Chairman Norbert Reithofer (R), tours the BMW auto assembly plant on November 5, 2010 in Leipzig, Germany. Later Merkel and Reithofer officially inaugurated BMW's committment to invest EUR 400 million to expand production at Leipzig and to mass produce a BMW electric car.

LEIPZIG, GERMANY - NOVEMBER 05: BMW Chairman Norbert Reithofer speaks at the BMW auto assembly plant next to children who had walked onto the stage carrying a car door made of ultra light-weight carbon fibre on November 5, 2010 in Leipzig, Germany. Later Reithofer and German Chancellor Angela Merkel officially inaugurated BMW's committment to invest EUR 400 million to expand production at Leipzig in order to mass produce a BMW electric car.

LEIPZIG, GERMANY - NOVEMBER 05: German Chancellor Angela Merkel and BMW Chairman Norbert Reithofer depart after speaking at the BMW auto assembly plant on November 5, 2010 in Leipzig, Germany. Merkel and Reithofer officially inaugurated BMW's committment to invest EUR 400 million to expand production at Leipzig in order to mass produce a BMW electric car.

LEIPZIG, GERMANY - NOVEMBER 05: Children carrying a car door made of ultra light-weight carbon fibre walk off a presentation stage at the BMW auto assembly plant on November 5, 2010 in Leipzig, Germany. Later BMW Chairman Norbert Reithofer and German Chancellor Angela Merkel officially inaugurated BMW's committment to invest EUR 400 million to expand production at Leipzig in order to mass produce a BMW electric car.

LEIPZIG, GERMANY - NOVEMBER 05: German Chancellor Angela Merkel and BMW Chairman Norbert Reithofer lower a container with messages into a capsule while speaking at the BMW auto assembly plant on November 5, 2010 in Leipzig, Germany. Merkel and Reithofer officially inaugurated BMW's committment to invest EUR 400 million to expand production at Leipzig in order to mass produce a BMW electric car. The capsule will be buried under the foundation of the new produciton plant.

LEIPZIG, GERMANY - NOVEMBER 05: German Chancellor Angela Merkel and BMW Chairman Norbert Reithofer lower a container with messages into a capsule while speaking at the BMW auto assembly plant on November 5, 2010 in Leipzig, Germany. Merkel and Reithofer officially inaugurated BMW's committment to invest EUR 400 million to expand production at Leipzig in order to mass produce a BMW electric car. The capsule will be buried under the foundation of the new produciton plant.

LEIPZIG, GERMANY - NOVEMBER 05: German Chancellor Angela Merkel (R) inspects the car production section accompanied by Stanislaw Tillich, Governor of the State of Saxony, during a visit of the BMW auto assembly plant on November 5, 2010 in Leipzig, Germany. Later Merkel and BMW Chairman Norbert Reithofer officially inaugurated BMW's committment to invest EUR 400 million to expand production at Leipzig and to mass produce a BMW electric car.

LEIPZIG, GERMANY - NOVEMBER 05: German Chancellor Angela Merkel speaks at the BMW auto assembly plant on November 5, 2010 in Leipzig, Germany. Merkel and BMW Chairman Norbert Reithofer officially inaugurated BMW's committment to invest EUR 400 million to expand production at Leipzig in order to mass produce a BMW electric car.

BMW CEA Norbert Reithofer presents the hybrid car 'BMW ActiveE' at a plant of German carmaker BMW in Leipzig, eastern Germany, 05 November 2010. BMW are expanding its Leipzig plant for the production of the newly-developed Megacity Vehicle, a zero-emission car featuring an extremly light plastic bod, and is to be produced in Leipzig from 2013.

LEIPZIG, GERMANY - NOVEMBER 05: German Chancellor Angela Merkel (C) tours the BMW auto assembly plant on November 5, 2010 in Leipzig, Germany. Later Merkel and BMW Chairman Norbert Reithofer officially inaugurated BMW's committment to invest EUR 400 million to expand production at Leipzig and to mass produce a BMW electric car.

LEIPZIG, GERMANY - NOVEMBER 05: German Chancellor Angela Merkel (C) tours the BMW auto assembly plant on November 5, 2010 in Leipzig, Germany. Later Merkel and BMW Chairman Norbert Reithofer officially inaugurated BMW's committment to invest EUR 400 million to expand production at Leipzig and to mass produce a BMW electric car.

LEIPZIG, GERMANY - NOVEMBER 05: German Chancellor Angela Merkel, accompanied by BMW Chairman Norbert Reithofer (R), tours the BMW auto assembly plant on November 5, 2010 in Leipzig, Germany. Later Merkel and Reithofer officially inaugurated BMW's committment to invest EUR 400 million to expand production at Leipzig and to mass produce a BMW electric car.

LEIPZIG, GERMANY - NOVEMBER 05: German Chancellor Angela Merkel inspect the drive train of a Megacity Vehicle accompanied by BMW Chairman Norbert Reithofer, during a visit of the BMW auto assembly plant on November 5, 2010 in Leipzig, Germany. Later Merkel and Reithofer officially inaugurated BMW's committment to invest EUR 400 million to expand production at Leipzig and to mass produce a BMW electric car.

The hybrid car 'BMW Vision EfficientDynamics' is presented a plant of German carmaker BMW in Leipzig, eastern Germany, 05 November 2010. BMW are expanding its Leipzig plant for the production of the newly-developed Megacity Vehicle, a zero-emission car featuring an extremly light plastic bod, and is to be produced in Leipzig from 2013.

The hybrid car 'BMW ActiveE' is presented at a plant of German carmaker BMW in Leipzig, eastern Germany, 05 November 2010. BMW are expanding its Leipzig plant for the production of the newly-developed Megacity Vehicle, a zero-emission car featuring an extremly light plastic bod, and is to be produced in Leipzig from 2013.

The new Lotus Elise is presented at the Paris Auto Show during the press day on October 1st, 2010. The show will open to the public on October 2nd. More than 300 brands of 20 countries attend this event. German luxury automaker BMW said today it was recalling 198,000 of its BMW and Rolls-Royce brand cars in the United States owing to problems with their brake systems. A BMW spokesman told AFP the problem was 'without danger' for occupants of the vehicles and was part of an operation being carried out worldwide.

Detail of a Ferrari wheel presented at the Paris Auto Show during the press day on October 1st, 2010. The show will open to the public on October 2nd. More than 300 brands of 20 countries attend this event. German luxury automaker BMW said today it was recalling 198,000 of its BMW and Rolls-Royce brand cars in the United States owing to problems with their brake systems. A BMW spokesman told AFP the problem was 'without danger' for occupants of the vehicles and was part of an operation being carried out worldwide.