Event date: Sunday, 15 January 2023
After joining the BMW Melbourne Drivers club it was pleasing to see how active the club is and the range of meetings, events and goings on that the club schedule. Jo and Graeme are the most wonderful folks and were so welcoming to a newcomer and novice as myself.
Living on Phillip Island for many years the opportunity presented itself to become involved in sprint events. I was invited in December to come out to the track and meet everyone and see how a day goes. The day was really fun and I was able to get my first ever run around the track all be it a parade lap with some other fine vehicles. The range of motor vehicles was stunning and the process to get involved was easy to follow. After the parade lap the opportunity to go to the next level were presented, this excited me. Registering with Motorsport Australia for a basic licence in relation to my category was easy.
The vehicle I have is one of two E39's, a 5 series 1997 BMW 540i which although is great comfortable car and a renowned model for BMW in the 5 series, a luxury cruiser, the bug had bitten and I was keen to participate in sprint events. The ability to drive the vehicle in a legal and safe environment away from public roads was so appropriate.
The next event was the first round for 2023 at Phillip Island, a well known and much loved track by so many enthusiasts and professionals. 15 January 2023 the date was set. Entry was straightforward and the costs were not prohibitive. A hobby well worth the time and the small costs to accommodate.
The day came and I could hardly sleep the night before, I had done all my due diligence over and over and the car and myself were appropriately ready for the day. From 'Revolution Racegear' in Mitcham providing friendly assistance for items like a Helmut, shoes and correct attire, On the day it was a great straightforward process to meet all the requirements with officials and scrutineering. Decals and numbers were on and we were all set. Although one small item was missed, Graeme in a jiffy was able to assist in meeting the requirement for a fire extinguisher to be fitted in the vehicle, I had this basically in the car but not secured to Motorsport standards. Once this was done we were away!
I have never felt the exlihiaration of entering the circuit for the first time, my first ever time driving on a race track. Time was gratefully taken to provide a trained professional to guide me on an initial lap and explain every facet and tip for this circuit. Experience could only help develop what learnings I found. The vehicle performed well and within its specifications, I was pumping with adrenalin and almost shaking with excitement after the very first sprint. Times weren't that great but that wasn't overly important, it wasn't a race but an opportunity to exercise the vehicle unlike any public road could legally offer. Speeds up to 180klms an hour were just fine.
Chuffed to be amongst some seasoned vets and amazing vehicles, it was good to be treated so well and learn to observe etiquette and best possible practices among traffic on the circuit, this intrigued me and was no problem. Everyone had a great time. As the day went on I progressed in going out to every call, times slightly improved and the roar of the 540i was sheer pleasure and a rush to experience. Phillip Island racetrack is a quality surface and practice does make perfect, although far from 'Peter perfect' lap after lap, my confidence and ability improved. I had been a good driver for many a year and enjoyed focusing on what I had been guided on.
One brief incident where I had the back end of the car jump out on Miller corner was well handled and caused no incident to other drivers or cars, it was that moment that I felt I may just well be able to handle myself and decided this is the pastime for me.
The day progressed and I met many great people and chatted, lunch was a good meal at the trackside café and the afternoon progressed. Some went home and slowly the group calls became more frequent and eventually all groups right up to the last sprint all went out together. Some 25+ laps that day, it was such an incredible thrilling experience!
The car has done well and I look forward to making some slight improvements to the vehicle as Graeme is a seasoned pro and also has his own workshop. A well versed individual in everything BMW and motorsport. Only recently Sandown Round 2 was just another level, my second outing. Thats another story and a totally amazing experience at such an iconic part of Motorsport history. There we had all 4 seasons of weather in one day! Again everything went well and the journey continues. Great to get the car home again in one piece and no serious issues.
Completely stoked, I so look forward to continuing to participate in events and outings and meet more of the clubs amazing members and their vehicles.
Mike Skomina | Member #958 BMW Drivers Club Melbourne
Event date: Thursday, 26 January 2023
Wendy and I joined the club late last year with the Christmas picnic show 'n shine being our first event where we met a lot of friendly people all passionate about cars, especially BMWs. The Australia Day drive presented the opportunity to participate in the driving activities, after all it is a "Driving" club . As with every aspect of the club the drive was impeccably organised with email reminders and detailed turn by turn driving instructions issued before the day.
We were second to arrive at Hogans Hotel in Wallan and met Paul and his silver M3 with red trim waiting for the others to arrive, very nice car and owner.
Soon the rest of the gang arrived a total of 18 cars, all well presented. We enjoyed a tasty lunch and good chat at the hotel before the briefing by Jo.
We set off in two groups, the front group following Peter in the lead for spirited driving, Jo and Graeme coordinating from the centre and Lawrence and Sharon bringing up the tail end of the second group to ensure none were lost along the way.
We joined the front group and headed roughly west through Woodend to Spring Hill before turning north through Kyneton to Malmsbury for a coffee and a chance to admire the other members' cars and some more conversation with the club members. After a coffee and snack from the Bakery we headed north and then east through Glenhope, Pyalong and Tullarook. Again, we joined the front group contrary to Wendy's preference, but a great driving experience . Lots of windy roads, great corners and beautiful scenery. The banter on the two-way radio was amusing but also informative with early warnings of oncoming traffic, cyclists and the many potholes and road hazards. The weather was perfect and we did one leg with the roof down but the wind noise it did make hearing the radio difficult and I was beginning to get sunburnt. The dappled light through the overhanging trees was quite picturesque though it added to the challenge of spotting the potholes in time. The winter rains have not been kind to our roads and I did hit a couple of holes harder than I would have liked.
Jo was like a professional sheep dog allowing the mob to spread and stray within the bounds of reasonableness and then calling for re-grouping and rounding us up as necessary. She also saved me much embarrassment by calling me off when I was about to take the wrong exit off the freeway. I was just eager to get back on the windy roads .... well that's my excuse anyway.
From Kerrisdale we headed south through more beautiful scenery to our final desination the Panton Hills hotel. Most of the group where staying on for dinner. Wendy and I couldn't stay for dinner however we had a chat to other members before heading home. We have eaten at the pub before so I am sure there was plenty of good food, company and conversation. Upon leaving we found Paul contemplating a faulty tire valve. In these days of no spare tyres it was a matter of calling the RACV for a tow. At least not too complex or costly to repair and plently of good company while waiting for the RACV. I hope his car is healthy and back on the road again.
It was a great day and we have already registered for another drive and another show and shine.
Thanks to the Committee and all involved for organizing a great day out!
Kent Perdrisat | Member #951 BMW Drivers Club Melbourne
Event date: Thursday-Monday, 2-6 February 2023
Road trip to Bathurst 12 hour started with a car full of flags we are ready, got our BMW coffee mugs and water bottles.
Who said Motorsport can't be glamorous, thank you #sirenepearls for Jo’s amazing black pearls which she will be wearing all weekend.
So, we’ve had a very leisurely drive up to Bathurst this time.
After picking up our rear seat passenger in Melbourne we stopped for a visit and lunch at a lovely venue we wanted to scope out for a future event then drove on up to Junee for the night.
This morning the plan was to start the day with a nice breakfast at the chocolate factory, load up with licorice then head on to Bathurst, but the restaurant is under renovation, so we just filled up with goodies and had breakfast in town at the railway restaurant. So glad we did. What a lovely building and delicious breaky it was.
It’s great to take time and do a little exploring when you travel, you find some real gems of places.
Good to see the roads are slowly getting back to normal and the potholes are slowly getting repaired. The roads were shocking after all the rain through NSW but finally it is getting much better to drive up.
Upon arrival at Bathurst, we checked into the lovely Motel and once settled we went off for dinner and meet up with our friends from Melbourne and Gold Coast BMW Clubs that are joining us this year in the 12 Hour Club.
Looking forward to the next three days relaxing and enjoying the event, it will be great.
Where else would you want to be on a beautiful sunny summer’s morning?
The action is underway at ’The Mountain.’
Fantastic first day of on track activities at the 12 Hour for 2023.
Great bunch of BMW Club members from three states here joining us in the 12Hour Club on top of the pit building. Really is a great way to do this event.
Had a visit and chat with Craig Lowndes, who invited us down to his garage for an up close with their car, even let us sign the rear bumper for a charity donation to prostate cancer.
Also had a tour today of the Supercheap Auto garage with triple8.
A couple of drivers came up to show us how to do the mountain on the sims in the 12Hour Club too which was actually funny to watch, as they were complaining about not getting any feedback.
Lots of noise and fun had, lots of chats and catch-ups with people we see at tracks all the time and quite a few new friendships made.
If you love GT cars, this is the place to be.
Looking forward to seeing the Red Bull F1 car tomorrow and out tour of the BMW Garages and more.
Absolutely awesome day up at Mt Panorama today. No other way to describe it.
Perfect weather, great company, fantastic being in the 12 Hour Club and being able to come and go, eat as much delicious food and drink what we like. Having visits from drivers and teams.
To see and hear the RB7 F1 car and the Camaro playing together was just amazing!
Great having BMW members from clubs up and down the coast coming together and joining us as well.
Then after the days fun we go back to our motel for a rest we get together for another lovely dinner.
We are so lucky to have Jo to work her magic and get us all the extra things too.
Today we had an hour-long private tour of the BMW Garages and compound behind the pits, where we even had a brief encounter with the mythical Valentino Rossi. Roy from BMW Motorsport chatted and answered all our questions and couldn’t be more accommodating to our group again this year.
In the morning we have grid walk passes too. Means a very early start tomorrow but again it will be worth it.
This is such a great event, one you should all think about coming to in the future. It is so worth it.
Early morning start but it is always worth it to get this close to the action.
Long day ahead but we are hoping BMW has a great run.
Great to spend this weekend WITH our friends from BMWCGC, BMWDCNSW and BMWCCC.
Very early start this morning to be on the grid for the walk through and then the predawn start.
Great start and going good so far. First hour nearly done and both BMWs running 5th and 6th.
End of an awesome weekend of amazing cars, great racing, great people, delicious food and drinks and too much of it.
Long day today, at the track at 4.45 so we could be in place for our grid walk at 5 before the start of the race. Jo managed to arrange a bunch of tickets for our group, thank you Jo.
Was great to go out and wish the teams luck for the race ahead.
Perfect weather all day and minimal safety cars meant the race broke 2000km in the 12 hours. Amazing.
Both WRT BMWs ran strong all day finishing in 4th and 6th. Sadly, just off the podium, but pretty good for a new car with a new Team.
Already looking forward to next year!
Keep an eye on your club emails, as we are thinking about doing a BMW Club Corporate Box next year, with all the trimmings instead of the 12 Hour Club. If we do there may be options like 1, 2 or all 3 days. We had a meeting with the organisers and will work on prices and see what interest there is.
If you have thought of doing this event, it is well worth it, so watch this space.
After a fantastic weekend with friends and family, sadly we have to head home.
We did the drive straight through this time but stopped for a leisurely lunch in Old Gundagai and then again in Yea.
Till next year, where we hope to be bigger and better.
Graeme Bell | Member #1 BMW Drivers Club Melbourne
Event date: Tuesday, 7 February 2023
Whilst electric cars are taking all the hype, convincing many that the time to jump off hydrocarbons is here, one company is taking on one of the most visible trucking tasks - urban deliveries/collections.
SEA electric began life back in the early 00s. In a growing facility in Dandenong they now build a range of medium and small fully-electric trucks that service our cities and suburbs.
20-ish DCM members heard from Glen & Warren about how they’re servicing the both ends of human consumption, from the welcoming Woolies truck delivering our groceries, to the smellier end of dustbin (refuse) collection.
We were welcomed on site with nibbles and drinks in the boardroom where we heard about Jo & Graeme’s awesome Bathurst experience.
Glen then gave us the tech insights into the truck fleet, their tech & awesome stats on “energy economy” . I loved personal car history (dreams of his E30 M3, did I spot a tear?) including Fords, Audi, Holden & even a Fiat or 2.
Hearing the passion for the business & tech from Warren, Glen & Margaret was inspiring and lead to 1/2hr of QnA even before the workshop tour.
The tour had us hearing of their super efficient assembly stations, where they piece together the Hino “Airfix” parts, using the right bolts to the right torque from the pre-packed VIN-dedicated parts karts.
I loved their attention to detail of the 400+v wiring and how the elec motor replaces the diesel.
Good luck to SEA electric, an Aussie business taking in the world of trucking.
Thanks for another well considered and organised DCM event to keep us hungry for more.
Martin Taylor | Member #598 BMW Drivers Club Melbourne
BMW Group Polska has been working with the Polish police for many years. Besides BMW cars already in use, Polish authorities will also rely on BMW motorcycles in the future. To this end, BMW Group Polska achieved its greatest success in the local government business.
As part of the “Safer on the Roads” program, the Polish police purchased 503 BMW R 1250 RT-P motorcycles in a special configuration with police equipment and motorcycle suits. 25 of them were sent to the police training center in Legionowo near Warsaw, where new officers are trained on them. The other vehicles are put into active service on Polish roads. The last shipment was officially handed over in Warsaw on November 24 in the presence of Christian Haririan, Managing Director of BMW Group Polska, Karol Kostrzewa, Director of BMW Motorrad Polska, and representatives from the police headquarters. BMW Motorrad Polska and BMW Motorrad dealer Zdunek were responsible for implementing the order.
“We are proud of the trust placed in us by the Polish police. We are delighted to be working with such an important institution” Karol Kostrzewa, Director of BMW Motorrad Polska.
Dynamic, agile, ergonomic: The BMW R 1250 RT-P is an all-rounder that stands out for every task. Whether for police operations on the motorway or for escort services in the city: The R 1250 RT-P is not only characterized by its superior ergonomic over long distances, but also its agility. Powered by a BMW ShiftCam boxer engine, it is powerful yet efficient. The R 1250 RT-P is an emergency vehicle that has stood for comfort and a high level of safety for over three decades: This is ensured by the wide range of equipment options for comfort, functionality and safety, which have been developed specifically for their applications. This machine is well prepared for all contingencies — authority at first glance.
BMW PRESS
BMW M Team WRT competed its first race in the 2023 Intercontinental GT Challenge, the Bathurst 12 Hour (AUS). The endurance classic also marked the first official outing of the team together with BMW M Motorsport. After twelve hours of racing, held in sunny summer weather, the #32 Shell BMW M4 GT3 took the chequered flag in fourth position. Sheldon van der Linde (RSA), Dries Vanthoor (BEL) and Charles Weerts (BEL) shared duties in the car. The #46 BMW M4 GT3, driven by Augusto Farfus (BRA), Maxime Martin (BEL) and Valentino Rossi (ITA), crossed the line in sixth place.
While Farfus, Martin and Vanthoor knew Mount Panorama Circuit already, Bathurst rookies Rossi, van der Linde and Weerts first had to get acquainted with the extremely tricky and partly very tight rollercoaster circuit. They mastered the challenge brilliantly and all three quickly found their rhythm.
Sunday morning at 5:45 local time, the #46 BMW M4 GT3 started the race from sixth position; the #32 was ninth on the grid. After eventful first hours of racing in which accidents caused several safety car periods, BMW M Team WRT was temporarily running within the top three but both cars lost positions again as the race went on. With two and a half hours to go, the #46 car needed to head to the garage for a quick repair due to a small issue with the brake light.
Round two of the 2023 Intercontinental GT Challenge will be held in three weeks’ time, the Kyalami 9 Hour in South Africa from 23rd to 25th February. There, Valentino Rossi will be replaced by BMW M works driver Philipp Eng (AUT).
The BMW M Motorsport IGTC project is supported by strong partners. Oils produced by Shell, Premium Technology Partner of BMW M Motorsport, are used for the complete powertrain in both BMW M4 GT3s. Part of the project are also Endless as Official Partner of BMW M Motorsport and the KW suspension experts as Official Supplier of BMW M Motorsport.
Andreas Roos, Head of BMW M Motorsport: “The Bathurst 12 Hour is always a fantastic event, and that was the case this year when we returned to Mount Panorama. A unique circuit and many passionate fans – that has been great. From a sporting point of view, the result has been disappointing in the end after all drivers and the entire team did a faultless job. Unfortunately we have not been competitive enough to fight for the podium and so the great effort has not been rewarded with the corresponding results. We take the positives: we brought both cars to the finish and we gelled well with BMW M Team WRT in our first official race together. The BMW M4 GT3 once more proved to be very reliable; we just had one minor technical issue with the #46 car. A big thank you to the drivers, to BMW M Team WRT and everybody involved at BMW M Motorsport for the superb job. Now we continue to work and prepare for the next race at Kyalami.”
Vincent Vosse, Team Principal BMW M Team WRT: “We had a disappointing result. Obviously we did not have the tools to fight for anything better. This is an incredible event, an incredible track and it’s a pleasure to be here, but in these circumstances it is a bit difficult. There is a very positive point and that’s the line-ups. All six drivers have done an outstanding job. They made no mistakes at all, they all had a similar speed. We also need to mention what Vale did; that was on a very high level for his first attempt at Bathurst. It was also really a pleasure to have Augusto in the team for the first time, and great to have Sheldon back with us after a few years. Now we are looking forward to Kyalami.”
Sheldon van der Linde (#32 Shell BMW M4 GT3, 4th place): “It’s honestly my favourite track on the calendar now, that’s for sure. I really had high hopes coming here and my expectations raised even higher when I drove the track for the first time so I am really thankful to BMW M Team WRT and BMW M Motorsport for giving me this chance to finally come to Bathurst. I already want to come back next year because I feel we have unfinished business. Unfortunately the race did not go as we kind of planned but we will have another chance in the future.”
Dries Vanthoor (#32 Shell BMW M4 GT3, 4th place): “It’s not the result we would have hoped for and we came for but everybody did a great job. Team, BMW M Motorsport, car, drivers – nobody made any mistakes. It was just the maximum we could do this time. I think you can say that we are the best of the rest. I hope that at the next rounds we will be capable of fighting with the other cars because at the moment we can’t. What we can do is to continue to work on the car and on ourselves but everybody did a great job.”
Charles Weerts (#32 Shell BMW M4 GT3, 4th place): “It has been my firsttime at Bathurst and my first race with BMW M Motorsport, so I am happy that the car is still in one piece. That was obviously the first goal. Fourth place is nothing dramatic but obviously we came here to Australia aiming a bit higher but the Mercedes have been way too fast for us and we could not do anything more. The strategy was good, the start was good, the car was good and we executed the job like we had to do it. We can be happy about our job and now we move on to the next one.”
Valentino Rossi (#46 BMW M4 GT3, 6th place): “My first Bathurst experience has been very good because it’s a great place. For us Europeans, it is a legendary place because we always play it on the simulator. To have the chance to race here and experience the real track is great. It is a fantastic circuit. You have to maintain attention but it is very enjoyable when you drive. I think that also my speed and performance were good. I feel good in the car; it is very good to drive, but during the race, especially in the hot conditions, we need a bit more pace. We could have been in the top five but overall it was a good race, and being the first experience, it was very positive.”
Augusto Farfus (#46 BMW M4 GT3, 6th place): “I am very happy. It was the first experience with BMW M Team WRT and it was great. Unfortunately we have not been rewarded with a better result. Vale did an incredible job as the whole team did. I think we have a great base to build on so I can’t wait to go to Kyalami soon. Thanks to BMW M Motorsport, to the team and my team-mates – everyone has done an incredible job.”
Maxime Martin (#46 BMW M4 GT3, 6th place): “We had a good start to the race. We have always been in a good pack and with the safety cars and so on we were running quite okay in the morning, but then we definitely lacked a lot of pace and we could not fight anyone. We also had a small issue. We were hoping for more than P6 but I think we can improve and am looking forward to the next one.”
Month in review.
Dear members,
After a well deserved break, we are straight back into plenty of events, making the most of the summer sunshine.
We started January with our first round of the Traction Tyres/Yokohama Drivers Championship at Phillip Island. It was great to see so many members at our first event of the year, and many PBs (personal bests) being achieved.
____________________
26 January was our annual Australia Day drive. Once again, Peter Williams excelled himself with a drive full of brilliant sweeping roads from Wallan to Malmsbury to Panton Hill Hotel.
27 January was our first monthly live hook up with BCCM, where we were treated to a presentation celebrating 100 years of BMW Motorrad.
On 29 January we attended Cruden farm for the AOMC Festival of Motoring. We had prime positioning and a perfect display of BMWs ranging through the years - even an Isetta.
On 31 January we held our first round of the Shannons Insurance Simulator Challenge and our January members meeting. It was great to see so many members join us to support those competing. A very big congratulations to Killian Treacy for taking out the win over Alex Jory and Royce Lyne.
Multi-Club Trip to Europe in 2024
Our friends at the Mercedes Benz Club are organising a trip to Europe in 2024 and are seeking an expressions of interest from members. If you would like to learn more about the trip, please click here.
2023 CLUBS AUSTRALIA NATIONALS
What is ‘The Nationals’ and why should you be a part of it.
BMW Drivers Club Melbourne is an Official BMW Club. We are one of over 800 BMW Clubs in the world, which is divided up into regions. Our region is overseen by BMW Clubs Australia.
Every 2 years BMW Clubs Australia runs the BMW Club Nationals, which is hosted in a different state in Australia each time it is held and each time a local Club hosts the event.
In March 2023 the Nationals will be held on the Gold Coast, hosted by BMW Club Gold Coast. The Nationals will consist of fun-filled events over 3 days for everyone coming to enjoy and experience the host location. It is a perfect way to meet other Club Members from across Australia who share your passion for the cars and the Marque, make new friends and catch up with old ones.
It is also a great way to see that we are a part of a larger group of enthusiasts, that extends across the globe and make associations with other like-minded people that share your passion. Lifetime friendships have been made at these events and families are encouraged to come along too.
If you are driving up, please let us know so we could arrange for you to join to drive group up, or if you choose to fly like a few of us are, then we will join you all at the welcome event on Friday night.
Registration closes for the March 2023 Nationals at the end of February, so if you are thinking of attending, please ensure you register as soon as possible so that you don't miss out. If you have any questions, talk to any of the committee members, we have been to lots of Nationals and can answer any of the questions you might have.
MEMBERSHIP UPDATE
Welcome to our new members Deborah Maxwell-Wright, Chas Christodoulides, Tibi Varga, David Beal and Terry House. We look forward to seeing you at an event soon!
Don't forget to catch up with this month's update from our President, Graeme Bell here.
The month ahead.
Here's what we've got planned for February:
Thursday - Monday, 2 - 6 February Bathurst 12 Hour Registrations are now closed. We hope those who are attending have a fantastic time! Tuesday, 7 February February Members Meeting - SEA Electric Unfortunately this event is now sold out. Sunday, 12 February Torquay Motor Show Located only metres from the beach in one direction and the cafe strip and bustling retail hub in the other, the Torquay Motor Show hosts a wide range of vehicles in a scenic and enjoyable location with plenty to see and do. Sunday, 12 February Round 2 of the 2023 Traction Tyres/Yokohama Drivers Championship at Sandown Entries must be submitted via the Motorsport Australia events portal and are filling fast! Sunday, 19 February Enchanted Adventure Family Day Out Enchanted Adventure is an award-winning natural attraction nestled in the beautiful hinterland of Arthurs Seat on the Mornington Peninsula. Join us for a fun adventure and picnic lunch (BYO or purchase at cafe). Wednesday, 22 February Geelong Area Mid-Week Twilight Drive Join us for a short but interesting drive and dinner at the Royal Hotel Meredith. Friday, 24 February BMW Club Community Management Team live from Munich Featuring BMW Group Classic updates and a 2023 season overview. Sunday, 26 February British and European Motoring Show Celebrate all British and European motoring at a Caribbean Park, Scoresby. There will be food and children's entertainment as well as trade stalls and cars!
Be sure to keep an eye on our calendar to stay up to date with our events. If you're attending a social drive or weekend away, we recommend checking out our event tips to help you get the best out of the event.
EVENT PHOTOS
If you attend any of our events and take high resolution photos that you would like to share with other members and for use on our website and in our newsletter and magazine, please send a link to your photos to photos@bmwdcm.com.au so we can add them to our photo gallery.
Alex Baxter Driver Training Memorial.
As many of you know, in late 2022 we lost a great friend of the Club, Alex Baxter. After purchasing his M140i and making several modifications throughout Covid, Alex found himself attending his first track day. From that moment and until he passed, he was hooked.
In loving memory of Alex, his wife Lucy would like to support one deserving member and offer them the opportunity to get out on the track and have fun like Alex did.
If you would like the opportunity to have your registration paid for the next come and try day at Broadford, please email us at motorsport@bmwdcm.com.au and tell us why you believe you should have your entry paid for. We'll then select one lucky member to have their entry paid for the next come at try day at Broadford.
Please note you must be over the age of 18 or have your parent/guardian's permission to enter. You must also have your own vehicle and the required equipment for the day (as stated in the Supplementary Regulations for the event).
News & Blog.
Our blog page on the website is constantly being updated with not just club news, but everything BMW from all around the world! We welcome you to submit any articles of your own.
BMW around the globe.
Ultimate companion – through real and virtual worlds: BMW presents BMW i Vision Dee in Las Vegas
Roar before the 24 Hours of Daytona: BMW M Hybrid V8 prototypes start from the fourth row of the grid
Wine Fundraiser.
Last year BMWDCM set up a fundraising project with "Personalize Your Wine" to be able to offer our members a keepsake for winning 2021 International Club of the Year.
All funds raised through purchase of the bottles will be donated to the Royal Children's Hospital Good Friday Appeal.
If you haven't already placed an order but would like to, you can do so here.
Get behind your club and a great charity.
From the Welfare Team.
"Be a hand that reaches out. Be a smile for those who have no reason to smile. Be a light for those who live in darkness."
Click here for more Welfare Team updates and their contact details.
Classifieds.
Have you seen our classifieds page?
Want to sell something? Looking for a specific item? Email us today to list your car/parts/anything BMW related!
idrive magazine.
Everyone has their own BMW story - we'd love to share yours.
Email us to feature in our very own idrive magazine.
Club partners.
Members are welcome to submit their business to be shared on the Club Partners page on our website and idrive magazine. We believe in supporting those who support us. If you would like your business listed email us with your details.
As always - thanks for reading, we look forward to seeing you at an event soon!
President | Graeme Bell 0407 186 296 Vice President | Jo Mawson 0412 661 900 Secretary | Lawrence Glynn 0414 563 290 Treasurer | Shaaron Glynn
Cover photo: Graeme Bell
Proudly supported by:
All Commercial / All Residential Real Estate Berwick BMW BM Tech German Auto Haus Kalus Kenny Intelex Melbourne BMW Mornington BMW Shannons Insurance Shepparton BMW South Yarra BMW
Southern BM Traction Tyres Waverley BMW
I hope you all had a great Christmas and a Happy New Year! After our much-needed break, we are back to full swing with lots of events happening in January already.
15 January was the first round of our Traction Tyres/Yokohama Drivers Championship, and it was wonderful to see all our friends and members out on such a beautiful day. PBs (personal bests) were made and there were a lot of smiling faces on the day.
26 January was our annual Australia Day drive, which I must say was one of the best drives we have done for a long time. Peter Williams excelled himself with brilliant sweeping roads, and Jo Mawson had us fed and watered at two venues. It was also great to be joined by families attend and see so many out in their Australiana gear.
On 29 January a small number of members attended Cruden farm for the AOMC Festival of Motoring. Our club had a prime position and a lovely display of BMWs ranging through the years. It was nice to see the little Isetta make an appearance again along with all the member cars.
This evening is our first round of the Shannons Insurance Simulator challenge and our January members meeting. If you missed out on a place in the challenge, don’t forget you are more than welcome to come along to watch! We welcome and encourage members who aren’t competing to come along and cheer on those who are. It’s also a perfect opportunity to catch up with your fellow club members. These events will be help bi-monthly and will always include a member meeting as well. Remember the simulators are static and not the full motion machines which are prone to making competitors travel sick. The winner of tonight’s event will have their entry fees for next round paid!
Looking ahead to February - we start the month with our annual road trip up to Bathurst for the 12 Hour. It is wonderful that we have members from Gold Coast and NSW joining us too. We have some members attending the 12 Hour Club and a large group camping at the top of the mountain.
7 February will be our February members meeting at SEA Electric Trucks. This event has sold out, but we are taking names for the waitlist and we are hoping to be able to get a few more in on the night.
12 February is Torquay Motor Show which is always a fantastic day out with so many different car clubs attending.
We also have the second round of the Traction Tyres/Yokohama Drivers Championship on 12 February at Sandown. Entries are out and filling fast. If you are wanting a pit garage, call Brendan at Sandown and let him know you’re with BMWDCM and to be given a garage with all the other BMWDCM members.
19 February is our family fun day at Enchanted Adventure Maze where we will have a private area for you to leave your picnic stuff while you enjoy the park.
On 22 February there will be a midweek twilight drive leaving from Geelong for all of our members over that side of the bay.
24 February is our February hook up with BMW Munich, featuring BMW Group Classic updates and a 2023 season overview.
26 February will be our last event for the month - the British and European Motoring Show at Caribbean Gardens in Scoresby.
Looking further ahead, make sure you register for and put the following events in your calendar:
7 April | Royal Children’s Hospital Good Friday Appeal
Our Motorsport and Come and Try dates are out. There may be a slight change in venue for the October come and try but this will be confirmed soon, so keep an eye on your emails and calendar.
Our presentation dinner this year will be our fifth birthday and we will be doing a black-tie event to mark this very special occasion. There will be entertainment on the night, and some great giveaways, but most of all you will be supporting those who have won awards for 2022. Come along join in the fun and have a great night.
Our June SA tour will be also encompassing a visit to Tailem Bend where some of our members will be racing with the E30 Racing club. This should be a great event to come along and watch some of your friends race (and possibly even your club President).
Jess is putting together the next edition of idrive so if you have something interesting for our members to read, please forward to editor@bmwdcm.com.au with some high resolution photos.
Jo is heading back into hospital early march for a new shoulder and will be out of action for at least two months. She had been flat out setting up events for the year. Please make sure you visit our calendar and check out what has been released so far. There are plenty more to come!
A reminder to have a look at the AOMC Carbon Offset Program that we helped set up. It is a great way to offset the emissions from out older cars and help the environment at the same time.
Lastly, it’s great to see that our membership base is steadily growing. To any new members, welcome - we hope you love what we do as much as we love doing it for you.
It’s great to be back out doing events in the lovely Melbourne summer weather. I look forward to seeing you at an event somewhere soon.
Graeme Bell | President BMW Drivers Club Melbourne Inc.
PO Box 81, Tyabb VIC 3913 Incorporated in Victoria #A0102695G BMW Drivers Club Melbourne Inc is a member of: BMW Clubs Australia and the BMW Clubs International Council Motorsport Australia Affiliated Motorsport Club
The ‘Roar before the 24’, the traditional three-day test event one week before the Rolex 24 at Daytona (USA) ended on Sunday with the qualifying sessions determining the starting grid for the 24-hour race. The two BMW M Hybrid V8 prototypes finished the GTP class session in seventh and eighth places and will start the season-opener of the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship from the fourth row of the grid next Saturday. BMW M works drivers Philipp Eng (AUT) and Nick Yelloly (GBR) were at the wheels of the #24 and #25 cars. BMW M Team RLL used the test sessions to get mileage on the newly developed cars and gain valuable experience with regards to the big challenge ahead.
Throughout the three test days the BMW M Hybrid V8 ran without any major issues and preparation proceeded as planned. Next week, five more test sessions offer the opportunity to further improve performance, driveability and reliability of the cars.
In GTD class qualifying, Turner Motorsport finished seventh in GTD PRO with the #95 BMW M4 GT3 driven by Bill Auberlen (USA). The #96 sister car driven by Robby Foley (USA) will start the race from P12 in GTD class. Right ahead of him, Madison Snow (USA) finished the GTD session in eleventh place with the #1 Paul Miller Racing BMW M4 GT3.
Brandon Fry (Technical Director BMW M Team RLL): “There has been a lot of work going on with the two cars during all sessions here at the Roar. The focus always was on race performance. We’ve had a lot of good running and collected a lot of data. We are improving step by step on our way to prepare for the race. In qualifying today things looked pretty good until the red flag came out. After that, others improved their lap times while we stayed where we were, but for this race there is a lot more to focus on than just outright performance. We are very confident that there is a lot more in our cars going into the race.”
Philipp Eng (#24 BMW M Hybrid V8, 7th place): “Of course it would have been nice to start from the very front, but in a 24-hour race starting positions don’t really matter too much. We didn’t focus on outright pace in all practice sessions we had. It was much more about making the car behave predictably and be driveable for us. That’s key in an endurance race like this – especially with a new car. It’s most important that reliability and operations are good. If you tick these two boxes, then you’ve already made it quite far.”
Nick Yelloly (#25 BMW M Hybrid V8, 8th place): “Since I wasn’t able to go out on track during warm-up, I didn’t get a read of the strong wind that changed significantly from yesterday where we had a decent balance in the car. Even if qualifying wasn’t the ideal session for us, we still learned something – like we did in every session here at the Roar. Now we have a couple of more practice sessions next week before the race starts. We have to make sure that we set up a car that is comfortable and good to drive over 24 hours.”
The BMW Group is sharing its vision of the future digital experience, both inside and outside the vehicle, at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) 2023 in Las Vegas. BMW i Vision Dee is the futuristic mid-size sedan with a new and pared-down design language. The name “Dee” stands for Digital Emotional Experience – and that is precisely its aim: to create an even stronger bond between people and their cars going forward. Future digital functions will go far beyond the level of voice control and driver assistance systems we are familiar with today. The BMW Head-Up-Display extends across the full width of the windscreen, providing a glimpse of the next vehicle generation. From 2025 onwards, this innovation will be available in the models of the NEUE KLASSE. The BMW Group has also refined its use of colour-change technology. Having unveiled the BMW iX Flow Featuring E Ink, with the ability to change from black to white, at the last CES, BMW i Vision Dee can now curate its exterior in up to 32 colours.
“With the BMW i Vision Dee, we are showcasing what is possible when hardware and software merge. In this way, we are able to exploit the full potential of digitalisation to transform the car into an intelligent companion. That is the future for automotive manufacturers – and, also, for BMW: the fusion of the virtual experience with genuine driving pleasure,” said Oliver Zipse, Chairman of the Board of Management of BMW AG. “At the same time, BMW i Vision Dee is another step on the road to the NEUE KLASSE. With this vision, we are looking far into the future and underlining the tremendous importance of digitalisation for our upcoming product generations.”
With its intelligent, almost human capabilities, BMW i Vision Dee accompanies drivers not only through real-life situations on the roads, but also in their digital environment.
“A BMW lives by its unparalleled digital performance. BMW i Vision Dee is about perfect integration of virtual and physical experiences,” said Frank Weber, member of the Board of Management of BMW AG responsible for Development. “Whoever excels at integrating the customer’s everyday digital worlds into the vehicle at all levels will succeed in mastering the future of car-building.”
The BMW Mixed Reality Slider, in combination with the advanced Head-up Display, is the digital highlight and central operating control of BMW i Vision Dee. Using shy-tech sensors on the instrument panel, drivers can decide for themselves how much digital content they want to see on the advanced Head-Up Display. The five-step selection ranges from analogue, to driving-related information, to the contents of the communications system, to augmented-reality projection, right up to entry into virtual worlds. In parallel, dimmable windows can also be used to gradually fade out reality. Mixed reality can be experienced in BMW i Vision Dee in an immersive way that engages different senses without requiring any additional tools, creating a new dimension of driving pleasure for the user.
The BMW Group is known in the automotive sector as a trailblazer for the Head-Up-Display and has systematically refined this technology over the past two decades. In BMW i Vision Dee, projection across the entire width of the windscreen allows information to be displayed on the largest possible surface – which only becomes recognisable as a display once it is activated. In this way, the BMW Group demonstrates the huge potential of projection technology and BMW i Vision Dee visualises how a advanced Head-Up-Display could also be utilised in the future for the display and operating concept. The standard-production version of the BMW Head-up-Display extending across the full width of the windscreen will be used in the models of the NEUE KLASSE from 2025 onwards.
The digital experience already begins outside the vehicle, with a personalised welcome scenario that combines graphical elements, light and sound effects. Natural language serves as the simplest, most intuitive form of interaction, enabling perfect understanding between humans and their vehicles. The headlights and the closed BMW kidney grille also form a common phygital (fusion of physical and digital) icon on a uniform surface, allowing the vehicle to produce different facial expressions. This means BMW i Vision Dee can talk to people and, at the same time, express moods such as joy, astonishment or approval visually. BMW i Vision Dee can also project an image of the driver’s avatar onto the side window to further personalise the welcome scenario.
Following the spectacular debut of the BMW iX Flow Featuring E Ink at CES 2022, the BMW Group is now unveiling a full-colour version of the E Ink technology in BMW i Vision Dee that will be used as the outer skin of the vehicle for the first time worldwide.
BMW i Vision Dee, rather than simply alternating between black and white, now showcases a multi-coloured, fully variable and individually configurable exterior. An ePaper film from the BMW Group’s cooperation partner, E Ink, is applied to the body to create this magical display of colour. Up to 32 colours can be displayed.
The body surface of the BMW i Vision Dee is divided into 240 E Ink segments, each of which is controlled individually. This allows an almost infinite variety of patterns to be generated and varied within seconds. The laser cutting process used to trim the films and the electronic control design were developed in partnership with E Ink. The adaptation of this technology for curved surfaces and the programming of the animations, were developed by BMW Group’s in-house engineers – enabling a form enabling a form of customisation that is unique throughout the automotive sector worldwide.
The design of BMW i Vision Dee has been deliberately pared down to focus attention on the digital experience and the DNA of the BMW brand. The exterior is defined by the classic three-box sedan design that forms the core of the BMW brand. Traditional design elements, like the BMW kidney grille, twin circular headlights and the Hofmeister kink, are reimagined, with phygital icons replacing analogue elements. This gives BMW i Vision Dee its own digital, but human, character.
Inside, digitalisation goes hand in hand with reductive use of materials, operating controls and displays to ensure nothing distracts from the digital experience and the new feeling of enhanced driving pleasure. The unconventional design of the steering wheel, with its central vertical spoke, creates touchpoints that come to life when approached or touched and can be operated by moving the thumb. These phygital touchpoints control selection of the content projected onto the windscreen and, together with the Head-Up Display, thus support the principle of “hands on the wheel, eyes on the road”.
“With BMW i Vision Dee, we are showing how the car can be seamlessly integrated into your digital life and become a trusty companion. The vehicle itself becomes your portal to the digital world – with the driver always in control,” said Adrian van Hooydonk, head of BMW Group Design. “Implemented the right way, technology will create worthwhile experiences, make you a better driver and simply bring humans and machines closer together.”
The future of the BMW Group is electric, circular and digital. BMW i Vision Dee represents the digital aspect of this trio and will be another milestone on the road to the next vehicle generation, the NEUE KLASSE. The BMW Group will provide further insights and glimpses of the revolutionary vehicle concept of the NEUE KLASSE over the course of 2023.
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