Woodcliff Lake, NJ - July 20th, 2010 …The BMW 3 Series and 5 Series Sedans were ranked highest by J.D. Power & Associates in their respective categories in the 2010 Automotive Performance, Execution and Layout (APEAL) study.

This prestigious award is given to models with high sales, high customer satisfaction rates, and little or no need for cash incentives. The BMW 3 Series was ranked highest in the Entry Premium Car segment, and the BMW 5 Series was ranked highest in the Midsize Premium Car segment. The BMW 1 Series was first runner-up in the Entry Premium Car segment behind the 3 Series Sedan.

*European model shown.  Additionally, the BMW nameplate was ranked very high among automakers. The stated industry average nameplate ranking by J.D. Power & Associates was 778 out of 1000 points, while BMW came in at 846 points, a score which places BMW above its primary competitors and third among all automakers in the study.

The APEAL Study examines how gratifying a new vehicle is to own and drive, based on owner evaluations of more than 80 vehicle attributes. The 2010 APEAL Study is based on responses gathered between February and May 2010 from more than 76,000 purchasers and lessees of new 2010 model-year cars and trucks who were surveyed after the first 90 days of ownership.