Olaf Kastner, president and CEO of BMW Brilliance Automotive Ltd. [Provided to China Daily]

BMW Mission 3, a yearly nationwide driving competition for fans of the brand, is now under way in many Chinese cities.

Now in its sixth year, BMW Mission 3, BMW Brilliance's iconic event, has become one of the most influential customer experience events in the country.

"In the past five years, more than 230,000 BMW owners and fans registered for the mission," said Olaf Kastner, president and CEO of BMW Brilliance Automotive Ltd.

Mission 3 reached a peak in 2012, when 80,000 people registered for the activity, an increase of more than 50 percent compared to the previous year.

This year, contestants have to go through a few rounds of competition to test their driving skills and teamwork ability until only 10 finalists remain.

The winners will be invited on a trip to Europe, where they will visit BMW's headquarters in Munich and then head north to savor the beauty of Norway, Sweden and Denmark.

Kastner said that Mission 3 provides customers and fans of the BMW 3 Series with a perfect opportunity to experience the driving dynamics, luxury, comfort and lifestyle the product represents.

"The joy of sharing" will be the new slogan in this year's Mission 3.

In the past, the event was a solo competition, but this year, each contestant is allowed to invite two family members or friends. And winners are also encouraged to bring their families and friends on the trip to Northern Europe.

Kastner said that bringing people together is the fundamental purpose of the event. "Let them experience not only the product itself, but the emotion of being with families and friends," he said.

This year, the new BMW 3 Series Li will be a focal point for the mission. Since it was launched last July, the new model has won many prizes in China and abroad.

At the event, 200 limited-edition models of the new 328i Sport Line and 328 Li Luxury Line had its premiere and be available for purchase.

Also, contestants can experience BMW's latest "Connective Drive" functions, which provide intelligent services, including real-time traffic information, weather forecasting and news updates during driving.

According to BMW's market survey, the scope of the target demographic of the new BMW 3 Series has been further broadened. In addition to enthusiasts who enjoy driving dynamics, it now also attracts a class of emerging urban elites with families. This group is characterized by being passionate and optimistic. The company also found that many self-made wealthy individuals prefer to own a BMW 3 Series or have owned one at some time.

A customer once wrote in his biography of the cars he used to buy, "I made my fortune from nothing, and I found something in common between me and the BMW 3 series car. Facing an open market, we are active and ambitious. We both hope to control our own life. BMW 3 Series provides an excellent driving experience. It just feels like making business - to grasp your own destiny. "

Kastner told reporters that they are looking forward to introducing market-entry products to enrich the 3 Series portfolio.

BMW will premier new products at the Shanghai auto show this April, he added, but he declined to give more details.

Currently, both the new 3 Series standard wheelbase and the long-wheelbase versions have been put into production at BMW Brilliance Tiexi plant, which became operational in northeast China's Shenyang city last May.

In 2012, BMW Brilliance achieved record high sales of over 144,000 units, despite a slowdown in China's luxury auto segment.

xuxiao@chinadaily.com.cn