Usually, new cars are revealed in a showroom with the removal of a silk cover. But for a vehicle like the new BMW M240i, something special was required for its unveiling.
The athletic and compact car, which arrives in the Middle East early next year, makes its debut digitally as part of one of the most exciting and popular Esports games. The BMW M240i is available for gamers to buy and play in Rocket League, the Esports phenomenon that sees players from around the world battle it out in a hybrid, arcade-style game of driving and soccer.
Equipped with a 3-litre TwinPower Turbo in-line 6-cylinder engine and 364bhp, the BMW M240i is ideal for the thrills and spills of Rocket League. In the exciting game, the agile, powerful and extroverted two-door car is able to go airborne and comes with a rocket boost feature, customised decals and a Bavarian hat topper on the roof.
The car will make its first Esports outing in the BMW Freestyle Tournament that carries a prize pool of $25,000 and then later in the BMW Rocket League Open where top European pro gamers compete for a $100,000 pot.
“The virtual Rocket League arenas are the perfect playground for a young target audience enthusiastic about the digital world, and therefore for BMW Esports as well,” explains Dr. Hamid Haqparwar, Managing Director of BMW Group Middle East, adding that this is one of many ways BMW Group will aim to interact with the region’s flourishing gaming community.
“For the first time, we are bringing our own car to the pitch. The driving characteristics of the new BMW M240i make it a brilliant fit for Rocket League and Esports as a whole. We’re also supplying cool designs and additional in-game items in collaboration with Psyonix. I’m confident that Rocket League gamers – both amateurs and pros – will have a great deal of fun with the car.”
The BMW Group:
With its four brands BMW, MINI, Rolls-Royce and BMW Motorrad, the BMW Group is the world’s leading premium manufacturer of automobiles and motorcycles and also provides premium financial and mobility services. The BMW Group production network comprises 31 production and assembly facilities in 15 countries; the company has a global sales network in more than 140 countries.
In 2020, the BMW Group sold over 2.3 million passenger vehicles and more than 169,000 motorcycles worldwide. The profit before tax in the financial year 2020 was € 5.222 billion on revenues amounting to € 98.990 billion. As of 31 December 2020, the BMW Group had a workforce of 120,726 employees.
The success of the BMW Group has always been based on long-term thinking and responsible action. The company set the course for the future at an early stage and consistently makes sustainability and efficient resource management central to its strategic direction, from the supply chain through production to the end of the use phase of all products.
About BMW Esports:
BMW has been collaborating with five of the world’s best teams as a partner in the classic League of Legends game since 2020. Cloud 9, FNATIC, FunPlus Phoenix, G2 Esports and T1 fly the BMW colours in the biggest events in the industry. The highlight of the first collaborative season in 2020 was the Worlds, in which G2 esports and FNATIC made it to the knock-out stage of the finals in the battle of the world’s best teams. G2 Esports even made it to the semi-final. The Dota 2 specialists OG Esports are a new addition to the ‘United in Rivalry’ squad as of 2021. The involvement in Esports gives BMW completely new touch points with a dynamic, rapidly growing community; making Esports an important future field for BMW marketing activities. BMW has prominent representatives in sim racing as well, and has integrated BMW SIM Racing into its racing programme as a standalone pillar. The BMW SIM Cups attract the world’s best sim racers, who do battle for wins, titles and attractive cash prizes in virtual BMW racing cars. BMW SIM Racing teams are taking part for the first time in 2021. BS+COMPETITION, G2 Esports, Team GB and Team Redline represent BMW on various simulation platforms.
