BMW Taiwan yesterday became the latest sponsor of the Taipei Summer Universiade, with the company pledging to provide the Taipei Universiade Organizing Committee with 200 vehicles in its 7 Series line.
The fleet of BMWs will be tasked with transporting international sports delegation leaders and International University Sports Federation officials to and from sports venues, Taipei Mayor Ko Wen-je (柯文哲) told a news conference.
BMW Taiwan has not only offered to loan the vehicles, but it will also pay for the license fees, fuel taxes, compulsory liability insurance and highway tolls, bringing the total amount of sponsorship to NT$170 million (US$5.6 million), Ko said.
Photo provided by the Taipei City Government
The mayor arrived at the news conference in one of the German maker’s vehicles.
Asked about his impressions of the car, Ko said: “I felt an electro-static shock when closing the car door, which probably means I am not meant to ride in such a car.”
He added that he could not afford a car of such quality.
The committee had planned to recruit volunteer drivers, but considering the price of the cars, it decided to contract the job out to professional chauffeurs, Ko said.
BMW Taiwan vice president Wu Han-ming (吳漢明) said counterterrorism is a widely discussed issue worldwide and BMW’s 7-series are well fitted for the purpose.
The vehicles can continue driving for 150km even if their tires were ruptured by sharp objects, and their built-in GPS systems allow them to be quickly located in the event of a hijack, Wu added.
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