With the FIZ Projekthaus Nord, which went into operation today, the BMW Group is opening the new heart of its global research and development network. The architecturally impressive building complex makes the successively expanded Munich Research and Innovation Centre (FIZ) one of the largest R&D locations in Europe and manifests the clear commitment to Germany as a location for research and development. The FIZ Projekthaus Nord is a milestone of the long-term "FIZ Future" program, in which the company has already invested about 1 billion euros.

Professor Reimund Neugebauer, President of the Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft, Munich's Lord Mayor Dieter Reiter, Oliver Zipse, Chairman of the Board of Management of BMW AG, Frank Weber, Member of the Board of Management for Development, Ilka Horstmeier, Member of the Board of Management for Human Resources, and Manfred Schoch, Chairman of the General Works Council of BMW AG, jointly ramped up the first of a total of 100 ultra-modern test benches on Friday, thus officially opening the progressive building.