Access by BMW : A subscription service for BMWs is launched in Singapore

By davidkhoo, 16 July 2019

AccessbyBMW

Singapore – Imagine being able to try a car before you buy it, and we don't mean the token around-the-block that is intended to impress you enough to drop a quarter-million or more on a car.

Of course, this is to ease older folk like me into the new programme, because some already consider this an outmoded view of car ownership as the car world looks towards comprehensive mobility solutions.

BMW shifts gears and accelerates into the realm of mobility service provider, as opposed to merely straightforward car retail.

With the 'Access by BMW' subscription car-use service by BMW Financial Services Singapore and Sime Darby Services - part of Sime Darby Motors - you'll be able to sample a vehicle from Sime Darby's fleet of about 40-50 current BMW models in one-month blocks so you can decide what it's like to live with 24/7.

It's pretty revolutionary to offer a needs-based, on-demand subscription-based service in Singapore, but fortune favours the bold and it certainly panders to the right-here-right-now zeitgeist among the young, who prefer to be unfettered by the commitments of big cash downpayments and long loan tenures.

(Click HERE to find out more about 'Access by BMW')

At present, none of the M models are represented, but there's otherwise a good cross-section of BMWs to choose from that spans 1 Series to X4, and the car will be delivered to your doorstep.

The best part? Sign-up takes just a few clicks and a valid credit card, and you can swop to another vehicle after the one month is up if you decide it's a better fit.

Ritu Chandy Regional CEO for BMW Financial Services

'As personal mobility needs change, the demand for service-related offerings is increasing.

Access by BMW is more than a subscription service, it’s the new definition of flexibility,' said Ms. Ritu Chandy, Regional CEO, BMW Financial Services Asia Pacific (pictured above at the launch of the new 7 Series).

"Singapore is the perfect market to introduce Access by BMW given its reputation as an innovation hub with tech-savvy consumers who will embrace a mobility service to fit their lifestyle needs. In a few easy steps, members can enjoy access to a wide selection of models with the car of their choice conveniently delivered right to their doorstep," says Ms. Chandy.

"Whether they want a BMW 1 Series, a BMW 3 Series, or a BMW X model, members will also have the flexibility to switch their vehicles on a monthly basis. This allows them to have the right BMW for the right moment so they can focus on what matters most, while we take care of the rest."

(Click HERE to find out more about 'Access by BMW')

Another important group BMW is hoping to target with the 'Access' subscription service are the folks who live in Singapore, but spend more time in the work week around the region.

Compared to a traditional lease programme where you're locked in for up to (or more than) a year at a time, Access lets you pay-as-you-use (in blocks of one month or three months), which gives one better flexibility with regards to schedule and budget changes.

The last group to benefit from 'Access by BMW' is the young and dynamic buyer, who may not want to drop a large downpayment and be locked into marriage to a single car for three to five years, or even the 18 months of the average lease tenure.

Not only does 'Access by BMW' afford them a variety of new BMWs to pick, it also lets them select a vehicle as befits their needs at any given point in their lives.

At present, there are no affiliate arrangements between Singapore and the USA, the other country to have introduced Access by BMW, or even the 'DriveNow' car-sharing service, but Ms. Chandy tells us that could be a future value-add tothe master plan.

PHOTO Jon Lim

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