Exhibit 5.1


                                October 30, 2000

                         BMW Vehicle Lease Trust 2000-A
                              BMW Auto Leasing LLC
                        Financial Services Vehicle Trust
                              BMW Manufacturing LP
                       Registration Statement on Form S-1


BMW Vehicle Lease Trust 2000-A
300 Chestnut Ridge Road
Woodcliff Lake, NJ 07675

BMW Auto Leasing LLC
300 Chestnut Ridge Road
Woodcliff Lake, NJ 07675

Financial Services Vehicle Trust
300 Chestnut Ridge Road
Woodcliff Lake, NJ 07675

BMW Manufacturing LP
300 Chestnut Ridge Road
Woodcliff Lake, NJ 07675

Re:  Amendment No. 1 to Registration Statement (Nos. 333-43128 and 333-43128-01)
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         We have acted as counsel to BMW Vehicle Lease Trust 2000-A, a Delaware
business trust (the "Trust"), BMW Auto Leasing LLC, a Delaware limited liability
company, Financial Services Vehicle Trust, a trust formed under the laws of the
State of Delaware and BMW Manufacturing LP, an Indiana limited partnership
("Financial Services Vehicle Trust", together with the Trust, BMW Auto Leasing
LLC and BMW Vehicle Lease Trust 2000-A, the "Companies") in connection with the
preparation and filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission of the
Companies' Amendment No. 1 to Registration Statement on Form S-1 (Nos. 333-43128
and 333-43128-01), (together with the exhibits and any and all amendments
thereto, the "Registration Statement"), under the Securities Act of 1933, as
amended (the "Securities Act"), relating to the registration by the Companies of
asset-backed notes (the "Senior Notes"). As described in the Registration
Statement, the Senior Notes will be issued in four classes with each class being
issued by the Trust pursuant to an indenture between the Trust, as issuer, and
the Chase Manhattan Bank, as indenture trustee (the "Trustee"), dated as of
November 1, 2000 (the "Indenture").




         In so acting, we have examined originals or copies, certified or
otherwise identified to our satisfaction, of the Registration Statement, the
Indenture, and such partnership, trust and limited liability company records,
agreements, documents and other instruments, and such certificates or comparable
documents of public officials and of officers and representatives of the
Companies, and have made such inquiries of such officers and representatives, as
we have deemed relevant and necessary as a basis for the opinion hereinafter set
forth.

         In such examination, we have assumed the genuineness of all signatures,
the authenticity of all documents submitted to us as originals, the conformity
to original documents of documents submitted to us as certified or photostatic
copies and the authenticity or the originals of such latter documents. As to all
questions of fact material to this opinion that have not been independently
established, we have relied upon certificates or comparable documents of
officers and representatives of the Companies. We have also assumed that the
Companies are duly organized and validly existing and have the requisite,
corporate, partnership, trust and limited liability company power and authority
to execute, deliver and perform their obligations under the Indenture. The
opinion set forth below is also based on the assumptions that (i) the
Registration Statement, as finally amended (including any necessary
post-effective amendments), has become effective under the Securities Act, (ii)
the amount, price, interest rate and other principal terms of the Senior Notes
have been or will be duly approved by the Board of Directors (or the authorized
designees) of the Companies, (iii) the related Indenture has been duly
authorized, executed and delivered by the parties thereto substantially in the
form filed as an exhibit to the Registration Statement, and (iv) the Senior
Notes have been duly executed by the Trustee and authenticated by the Trustee in
accordance with the Indenture and sold and delivered by the Companies against
payment therefor.

         Based on the foregoing, and subject to the qualifications stated
herein, we are of the opinion that the Senior Notes will be legally issued,
fully paid and nonassessable and the Senior Notes will be the binding obligation
of the Trust subject to applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, fraudulent
conveyance, reorganization, moratorium and similar laws affecting creditors
rights and remedies generally, the subject to general principles of equity,
including principles of commercial reasonableness, good faith and fair dealing
(regardless of whether enforcement is sought in a proceeding at law or in
equity).

         The opinions herein are limited to the laws of the State of New York,
the corporate laws of the State of Delaware and the federal laws of the United
States, and we express no opinion as to the effect on the matters covered by
this opinion of the laws of any other jurisdiction.

         We hereby consent to the use of this opinion as an exhibit to the
Registration Statement. We further consent to the reference to our firm's name
under the caption "Legal Matters" in the prospectus and the forms of prospectus
supplements which are a part of the Registration Statement.

                                                              Very truly yours,



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[On File Copy only:]


Prepared by:               Bret E. Leas (#2934)


Signed by:                 Daniel Mette (# 225)


Reviewed by:               Warren T. Buhle







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