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Back in 1976, ABBA famously sang “Money, money, money/Must be funny/In the rich man's world” and although the song is already 46 years old, the lyrics are as fresh today as in the '70s. With American households crumbling under inflation, many of us are thinking about how easy life must be "in the rich man’s world." Imagine having access to everything you desire, from luxurious cars and large-scale yachts to the fastest and most luxurious vehicles in the world. In this reality, brands gift you all their products because let’s face it, celebrities and the upper class rarely pay for their own luxury goods and most of the products featured on their social media platforms are free giveaways.
Growing up in the social media age, we’ve grown accustomed to seeing influencers get free beauty products, but lately the celebrity gifts are bigger and more expensive. For instance, BMW has gifted Real Madrid soccer players with brand new fully electric vehicles. “Now the players, including Karim Benzema, Toni Kroos, and Thibaut Courtois, received brand-new, fully electric BMWs,” says Autoevolution. Until this year, the stellar team had a brand partnership with Audi, but now Real Madrid have turned to BMW. Without a doubt, getting a free BMW or Audi sounds pretty amazing to us, so read on to find out more about the new electrified cars BMW has given the Real Madrid players.
These Are The New Electrified Cars BMW Has Given The Real Madrid Players
Belgian goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois has selected the BMW i4 M50, which reaches a maximum power of 536 horsepower and maximum torque of 586 lb-ft. The 2023 BMW i4 M50 can speed up from 0 to 60 miles per hour in 3.7 seconds and reach the top speed of 130 miles per hour (limited electronically). It also has a total driving range of up to 270 miles.
“It's really cool, I think this car drives really well, and since I live a little bit further away, it's comfortable to drive every day,” said Thibaut Courtois. Thereafter, he added that “you have to get used to the fact that it doesn't make any noise, it's a little different to drive, but it's a really good experience, so I'm enjoying it.”
According to Autoevolution, Real Madrid soccer players Vini Jr., Dani Ceballos, David Alaba, and Karim Benzema along with coach, Carlo Ancelotti, also selected the BMW i4. Meanwhile, other players like Antonio Rüdiger, Nacho, Eduardo Camavinga, Federico Valverde, Toni Kroos, Luka Modric, and Lucas Vázquez have selected the BMW iX xDrive50.
Eduardo Camavinga seemed excited about the prospect of driving the sport utility vehicle, since he said that it is “a great car for a great person.” For those interested in owning the same SUV as the Real Madrid soccer players, they should know that this vehicle has excellent consumer reviews. Car and Driver gives the 2023 model year, a 9 out of 10 rating, while Kelley Blue Book comes up with a staggering 5 out of 5 consumer score. Consumers on the KBB website gave the car 5 points for reliability, quality and comfort, although the SUV gets a score of 4 for styling, value and performance. Currently, the MSRP for the 2023 BMW iX xDrive50 is $84,100.
This Is Why Car Manufacturers Want To Sponsor Soccer Teams
As mentioned earlier, BMW isn’t the only automaker that pursued an alliance with Major League Soccer teams. Audi is another German luxury automaker that has sponsored soccer teams and partnered with professional players in the past.
“Here at Audi we have been a close partner and sponsor of regional, national, and international sport for decades, whether in the area of developing talent or in cooperation with established sportsmen and women or clubs,” says Audi. “As a partner of successful international football clubs such as FC Bayern Munich, we don’t just want to create electrifying moments on the road, but in the stadiums of Europe’s top clubs too.”
Apart from BMW and Audi, other automakers that sponsored teams include Citroën, Mercedes-Benz, Hyundai, Jeep Volkswagen Nissan, and even Dacia, who is in partnership with Udinese since 2009. Evidently, automakers understand that the association with soccer teams boosts their market value and brand awareness. Soccer, the most beloved sport in the world with 265 million fans globally, has the ability to make or break a brand. Not only does it spread awareness of the brand to the furthest reaches of the globe, but it also suggests that the company upholds the same ideals and values as soccer, namely the lowering of racial and cultural barriers and the unification of humanity.
Sources: BMW USA, National Geographic, Audi, Kelley Blue Book, Car and Driver, and Autoevolution.