The uber-modern world of 'BMW Welt' (photos)

MUNICH--It's hallowed ground for fans of the BMW brand. Located across the street from BMW's headquarters here, the company has built BMW Welt--or "BMW World" in English--a giant, super-modern homage to its cars, motorcycles, and lifestyle.

With its signature "double cone" of glass, the building is a place for customers to take delivery of cars they have purchased, for fans to check out many of BMW's current car models or to see how they could customize their car, and in general just to soak up the brand.

BMW Welt is a huge building, located just across from BMW headquarters and the BMW Museum. This is a view of the building, looking right of the double cone.

There is a bridge that spans the large boulevard between BMW's headquarters, its museum, and BMW Welt. This is a view from the bridge of BMW Welt.

One of the most important elements of BMW Welt is its customer delivery section. This is an area where those who have purchased a car can come to take delivery of the vehicle. But first, they can sit, learn all about it, and even drive it around on this interior ramp.

This is a view of BMW Welt from just inside the door at the end of the bridge to the headquarters and museum.

This is a view of the interior of the building from the floor of BMW Welt.

A young visitor to BMW Welt hops out of one of the company's classic cars, an Insetta. An employee gives rides inside the tiny car on the floor of the massive building.

Throughout the building, BMW displays some of its classic vehicles. Here, we see a BMW R 42, from 1926. Built with a 500cc side-valve, flat-twin engine, it offered 12 horsepower. It also had a rear brake mounted on the drive shaft, according to BMW.

This is a BMW 326 Sport-Kabriolett Glaser, which is placed on the floor of BMW Welt in order to attract visitors to the BMW Museum across the street.

A view up at the double cone from the end of the bridge.

One of the features of BMW Welt is the Exclusive department, where customers can see how they can customize their cars. Here, we see some of the different colors of leather they can have installed in their car.

This is a display that shows the different colors that customers could order for an X6.

On Road Trip 2011, CNET reporter Daniel Terdiman has been driving an Audi A6 3.0 TFSI. Though it may seem out of place, here it is, parked in front of BMW Welt.