Brian Bonitto, Editor - Overseas Publications

They may not be the first choice when seeking to purchase luxury vehicles, but they get you to your destination.

Just put your foot to the pedal and go!

German automobile manufacturer, BMW - known for its luxury vehicles - has been offering two-, three-, and four-wheel pedal-pushing rides to its high-end customers, some of whom are seeking to balance a healthy lifestyle with concerns for cleaner fuel emissions.

However, Stewart Motors, local distributors of BMW, said that while they have not sold any of the bicycles, the other pedal-pushers were gaining some traction.

"We have sold the BMW tricycles and the BMW four-wheel Baby Racers," Kim Bernard, sales and marketing executive at Stewart Motors told Automotives in an interview. She, however, said the price of the BMW bicycles was above average.

"They're not cheap," she said.

The prices for these 'fuel-free' two to four-wheelers range from $46,250 to just over $500,000. For instance, the four-wheel Kids' Bike sells for €370 ($46,250), while the two-wheel Cruise Bike has a tag of €1,400 ($175,000). For the two-wheel Mountain Bike Enduro, a customer would have to pay €4,500 ($562,500).

Premium components

The Cross Country bicycle weighs 11.6 kilogrammes and comes with full suspension and a four-bar rear end. It is also equipped with high-quality premium components such as fully hydraulic disc brakes and a hydroformed aluminium frame.

The bicycle had its genesis in 1817 in Germany when Baron Karl von Drais invented the Laufmaschine (German for running machine). The English later renamed the machine draisine, but it was the French which coined the name bicycle in the 1860s.

In 1992, BMW produced its first bicycle - the Active and Dynamic Bike. And today, it manufactures a range of high-end bicycles.

Bernard said that since her company was appointed the authorised local BMW distributor in 2006, her company had recieved several enquiries about the bicycles, although these have not translated into sales. She said she was, however, optimistic that this situation would improve, especially as consumers seek value for money in these economically challenging times.

She noted that these luxury rides made good gifts for special occasions, because they do not require any special maintenance.

"They feature the BMW expertise in design and manufacture and the owner rides in style," she said.