Dear members,
August was a slower month but still lots of great events happening along the way.
9 August we started with our members meeting track Information night at Shannons Insurance. It was great to be back in the club rooms and equally nice to have such a huge attendance from club members. Jo put on a great powerpoint presentation and each member went home with an information booklet which I am sure will be very helpful for future track events. Lots of questions were asked on the night and this will definitely be a bi-yearly event for new and existing members to learn more about driving and officiating.
12-14 August quite a few of our club members competed in the VSCRC E30 Racing Round 4 at Sandown and it was great to see so many E30s out there. We had a field of 17, two members out on flags on Saturday, several members joining the Bell Motorsport camp to help prepare the cars ready for the races. Thank you to all who came along, having so many helpers enabled me to get out and race after one of our members woke up sick on Sunday and offered his car to me, to join in the fun. Going from 17th to 3rd in the first race on Sunday and then 3rd to 1st for a few laps to finally concede the lead to the current champion and also one of my customers Alex Jory. Great racing by all who attended a massive thank you to everyone who came along and supported this event. Great to see I can still do it.
18-21 August was the Penrite Oil Sandown Supercars Super Sprints, which had quite a few of our club members attending as officials. Jo and I were there as well, and we had a few newbies in pit lane loving getting up close and personal to the cars and the drivers. Another great event and this is why Jo pushes so hard about becoming an official, you get to do cool stuff like this and attend for free and get lots of special goodies given to you as a thank you. We picked up a few new members at this event, welcome Emma and Brock who were part of Jo’s team and just loved the whole experience. Great to see these two have already registered for the Bathurst 1000 as officials too. We look forward to seeing you both track side at more events. With each official who attends these events you get a guest pass, which enabled at least 10 of our members free entry over the weekend which is also brilliant.
23 August was our drop in donuts night, this is always a great relaxed night with members dropping in and out to enjoy each other’s cars, chat about life and just catch up. Thank you to Lawrence who runs these nights and always enjoys a chat, coffee and a donut or two.
Sunday, 28 August saw over 50 cars and bikes turn up at our “what else is in our garage coffee and cars” event. While Jo, Jess and I headed up to Armidale for Jess’s graduation ceremony, I’d like to thank Mark McDermott for organising and supervising this event. Great to have new blood helping out our very busy event organising team. The photos looked amazing and great having so many cars come out of the shed for everyone to see. Of course, we are very passionate BMW lovers, but we are also car lovers, and it is great to see there are lots of members with the same passion for other cars as well.
Mark did a fantastic job co-ordinating all the cars and what a great turn out of exotic and rare vehicles. We even had bikes along which was terrific, thank you again Mark for volunteering to run this event, it allowed us time to get away but still offer the members something great to attend.
September will hopefully bring us some warmer weather, as Spring arrives and we have some great events lined up for you to enjoy.
3 September is round 6 of our Traction Tyres/Yokohama Drivers Championship at Sandown. If you have entered, Jo has reserved 10 garages under BMWDCM so we can all be parked together, so if you are booking a garage, ask Brendan to use one of those reserved, if there are any left. These days are not racing, it is sprints which is a timed event which you need to just try to better your own time each session. If you have done the come and try days, these are very similar, but with a timing device in your car. It is the next step up for those that want a little friendly competition mixed with their track days. Talk to Jo or I if you want to know more or aren’t sure what to do. Spectators are welcome to join us and watch from pit lane and have a chat with all those driving.
6 September is our club’s AGM. We encourage as many members to attend on this night please, as we will need a quorum for any new items to be voted on and passed. It will be held at the German Tivoli Club again this year and if you want to join in the fun, come dressed in your Dirndl or Lederhosen and have some fun on the night with a German theme. Your committee will be dressed up, so why not come and join us. Come early and enjoy the great food and drinks (at members own cost). After the formalities we will be going through a few positions which we are wanting help with. These are not full-time roles and not roles which need to be voted on, just roles which we need a hand with to make our lives easier moving forward. If you are interested in helping our club grow and become even better than it already is, then please come along and enjoy the evening.
17 September is the next event, we are touring up to Shepparton to our new sponsors Shepparton BMW for a private tour and lunch at their new dealership, which is the first in the country to be built to the new BMW Corporate model and only the third in the world. It's a fantastic dealership and we look forward to holding more events with them in 2023. After lunch we all head off to MOVE (Museum of Vehicle Evolution) which I have been told is just amazing. There will be a couple of special surprises there too, so you’ll have to come along and see what they are.
23-25 September has a large group of us again racing down at Phillip Island for round 5 of the E30 Racing Championship. Come down and help out the crew or just join in the fun on the day. This is a State Championship race meeting, so always lots of different categories to see, as well as the E30s. Jo will be Assistant Secretary at this event, so will be at the base of the tower if you need any help with anything or just want to pop in and say hi.
Events to put in your diaries are:
Our new merchandise is flying off the shelves, so put in your orders now, so as to not miss out on your sizing. We now have editions 1, 2 and 3 of idrive for sale if you are wanting to collect them and have every edition in your collection. There is limited stock of these so order now to not miss out.
For all those attending Challenge Bathurst, we have a team shirt which does need to be pre ordered. Orders need to be in and fully paid before the end of September.
Membership is still growing strong, and we are very proud of how many new members that join up each month. Welcome to all those new members, I look forward to meeting you at an event somewhere, if we haven’t already met.
As a reward for existing members, we are starting a new initiative. All renewals and new memberships for each quarter will go into the draw for a prize. This will be done each quarter and drawn at the end. We are also encouraging all our members to refer a friend family member or work colleague to join, just remember when your friend sings up, ask them to put your name down as a referral and your name will also go in the draw for the quarterly draw. Your name can go in multiple times, if you refer 10 friends in a quarter you get 10 entries. This will start at the first of October.
I am very proud of how our little club has grown into one of the best clubs in the world, put mainly I am proud of our members who make this club as good as it is. When we attend events as see families with little ones joining in on the fun and parents bringing their learner drivers out on our drive days, this shows me that we are doing it right.
Please remember without you, we are only four people and we need your help, so join us at events, put your hand up to help, even if it is just taking photos or helping pack up at the end of the day. Every little bit makes it easter for us all.
Take care out there and I look forward to seeing you at an event 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
Event date: 28 August 2022
The “cars and coffee” meet that Mark McDermott organised at Murrumbeena Station could have been called “What haven’t you got in your garage”!
The array of different vehicles – not all were cars – was fantastic and made for a very interesting morning.
The turn out was larger than expected (which is good) and the adjoining parking area was also utilised.
With some foot traffic or just curious passers-by pulling in for a look the event proved very popular.
Being a casual event everyone just walked around and looked and chatted, learning about vehicles we have not really seem before. There was a lot of laughter and some downright amazement – you get 20 hp from that 190cc scooter engine?
Altogether a brilliant day – more than a morning as plenty were still there well past the 11:30 end time.
Big thank you to Mark for having the idea, finding a location and organising a discount on coffee from Daniel Son and setting up in the morning.
Lawrence Glynn | Member #3 BMW Drivers Club Melbourne
As a part of my journey into motorsport with my E30 over the last 18 months, I have enjoyed racing at all sorts of tracks, in all sorts of conditions. Blisteringly hot and windy days at Sandown, through to blizzard like conditions at Phillip Island.
And whilst the conditions at each track often vary, one thing is of course constant- the volunteers that make the day happen. These people get out there in all kinds of conditions to allow people like me (and maybe you) to enjoy my day out on the track safely.
Sure, I showed my appreciation to these people wherever I could- a wave to the flaggies at the end of the day, shaking hands with the pit officials, and expressing my thanks to people in admin. But the reality was that until a few weeks ago, I didn’t realise the amazing joy that volunteering at a motorsport event actually brings.
Like just about everyone in BMWDCM, my passion is cars. If you give me anything to do with cars or racing, be it a magazine, a television show, televised races, or anything in the driver’s seat or passenger’s seat, I’ll be happier than a pig in… well you know what…
Jo and Graeme had been suggesting for a while that I should consider doing some event officiating as a part of my development as a competitor. So when the opportunity came to learn the art of Flag Marshalling at Sandown for Round 4 of the Victorian State Racing Series (along with fellow BMWDCM member Jessie Keogh) and as a Pit and Grid Official for the Penrite Supersprint V8 event - I jumped at both of them.
And now that both events are finished- I can tell you something you all should know- it’s the big secret truth about volunteering that you won’t know unless you have done it.
Are you ready for it?
OK…
So the one, big, secret truth about volunteering at motorsports events is this: it gets you closer.
It gets you closer to the action.
It gets you closer to the drivers and teams.
It gets you closer to the cars.
It gets you special access and special permissions. You’re an official. You’re there to do a job, so you do it. If that job happens to be marshalling cars in pitlane - as mine was for Supercars- you can get closer the frenetic pit action. If your job is flag marshalling at Turn 6 (like Jessie and I did for the VSRC), the only people closer to the track than you are the drivers. If you are a grid marshal- something else I did for the supercars, it’s only you and the drivers on the starting grid with two minutes to green. You are so close that the V8 rumble vibrates through you like some sort of six-pointer on the Richter scale. Or, maybe you can get the opportunity to chat with your favourite driver or TV personality- cause you are close to them too.
It get’s you closer. That’s the thing about being a volunteer official.
And standing at Turn 6 at Sandown as a Flag Marshals, Jessie and I were close enough to the cars as the passed the fastest point on that track that we could see the whites of the drivers eyes as they tried to sum up the tricky conditions down into Dandenong Rd.
Jessie and I were schooled in all things Flag Marshalling by Vic Flags Senior Official Simon and Sector Marshall Graeme Darcy. Although, Simon first instruction to us was that if he pull’s us towards him and away from the wall, we need to go with him cause it probably means a car is heading straight for us, was probably not as reassuring as he had hoped. Nor was his “If I yell “get down”, please dot straight away” instruction. Of course, it’s all in the name of safety- but geez, Simon, you need to find a better way to welcome people!
Standing at the peak of Turn 6 at Sandown, really made me appreciate the work that a Flag Marshall does. It requires lots of focussed concentration and decisiveness. And some of those decisions are split second- especially in high-speed sections.
Being privy to all the track communication throughout the day was fascinating too. There are lots of moving parts to an event, and the work done by all involved to make sure that the day runs smoothly, safely and on-time is as challenging as predicting Melbourne’s weather. Especially with the number of accidents and incidents that occurred. I have even more respect for those making decisions about how to best keep the day moving forward and allowing the competition to be run fairly and safely.
Being as close to the action as we were, it was also great to watch how other drivers and cars approach the track with lines and braking points. So it will help my driving too (I hope!).
A week later, I rose early again to head back to Sandown for the Penrite Supersprint Supercars event. Here I was a Pit and Grid Marshal. My Chief Official for the day was Rhys, and the generosity he showed me was second to none. He made sure I got to do everything possible throughout the day- or maybe it was less about generosity and just a ploy to get me back! Either way, Rhys let me roam around the pits ensuring safe and fair competition, marshal the grid into place for the Supercars- where I was able to have a chat with Chaz Mostert and his engineer Adrian deBorre (it was just the three of us in his starting box), and wave the starting grid flags for each competing class. My feet were damn sore after all the walking. Worth it though.
Everywhere I went across both days at each event, I met more and more amazing petrol heads, all because I took this leap of faith in deciding to be a volunteer. I was given lunch, provided with snacks throughout the day, plenty of water, and given a full uniform to keep for the Supercars event.
It was also a great social activity: I felt welcomed into the volunteering family- and also part of something bigger.
Everyone also really appreciated that a competitor was volunteering- it seemed like a really big deal. Of course, for me it wasn’t- but it showed that as competitors we value what they do as officials, and want to learn from them.
So, I am looking forward to my next event, and my next opportunity to learn and grow as a competitor and official within motorsport with the possibility of going interstate or even overseas to participate in other exciting events as an official.
Seriously, volunteering is awesome. So if you haven’t yet done so- hit Meg, GB, Jo (or even me) up and get out there! It will get you closer to motorsport than you can possibly imagine.
Shannon Cooper | Member #599 BMW Drivers Club Melbourne
Event date: 21 August 2022
What a great day with Jo, Graeme, Tim O & John S. I started out pretty chilly, then sun baked us for a few hours, then it was jackets on to beat the cool breeze.
We got General Admission tickets with paddock passes (I was just there for the Sunday). I didn’t stray from the grandstand/western areas. Mixing it up between watching some great on-track action, checking out the show n shine display (by the Cruiser group), perusing the merch (how well would a BMWDCM stall go? Amongst all that GM & blue oval gear? [Tim’s idea!]), feeding my face. Getting access to the car prep areas was really interesting (Paddock pass), I’ll opt for that again.
Graeme was madly rushing around on scrutineering duties and Jo was keeping us safe from race cars as they returned to the paddock (lots of whistle blowing).
Lots of great conversations, sharing stories, meeting new members and enjoying our club-stuff.
Martin Taylor | Member #598 BMW Drivers Club Melbourne
When my husband said we were offered tickets to the supercar event at Sandown my first thought was…. Oh how boring! But I went along and wow what a great day we had.
I was blown away by the production of it all. The set up of each different race category was huge and the technology and equipment to support each car was unbelievable. I even asked questions!
60 cars in one group and they had 14 sets of tyres for each car!!!
They also mentioned they had changed 1160 tires on Friday WOW
The crowd was buzzing which created an awesome atmosphere.
I couldn’t get close enough to watch the start of the supercars. The sound was deafening but exhilarating.
Slightly different to our club track days but an event I’d be more than happy to attend again.
Lucy Walsh | Member #834 BMW Drivers Club Melbourne
I recently had the opportunity of a couple of hours with a G42 220i loan car. Of course, I tried it out on some favourite rural roads as well as around town.
For those unfamiliar, the G42 is based on BMW’s CLAR platform shared by the 3er to 7er cars. It is unrelated to the 2er Gran Coupe which shares the front drive/AWD FAAR platform with the 1er, MINIs, X1 and X2. The G42 is offered here in 220i, 230i and M240i versions. The 220i and 230i use the B48 4-cylinder in 135KW and 190KW versions respectively – basically the same as in the 3er – and are rear-drive only with Msport passive suspension as standard. The M240i uses the B58 6-cylinder (285KW) and has rear-biased AWD, with adaptive suspension. Overseas, a rear-drive M240i is available and may come to Australia.
The G42’s dimensions are surprising. Its overall dimensions match the E90 3er. It’s actually wider than a current G20 3er – because of the bulged wheel arches, I suspect. It’s shorter than the G20 by only 17cm with a wheelbase just 11cm shorter. The difference comes not so much in size, but in being set up more for the enthusiast.
BMW has got the passive Msport suspension right with the G42. It’s firm but not harsh, as was reportedly the case with previous models. It’s adequately comfortable around the suburbs, but stays controlled and composed even on lumpy, winding rural roads. It’s a big step forward from the F22 2er – my former 220i was floaty on lumpy roads even with its adaptive suspension in sports mode.
Handling of the G42 is wonderful. The car is agile, adjustable and playful. Weight distribution is 51/49 on the 4-cylinder models, and cornering is generally neutral, with mild understeer exiting some corners. It’s a car you can balance on the throttle quite delightfully, and trail braking works a treat. It’s much more enthusiast-oriented than the G20 3ers I’ve had as loan cars recently, good though they were. And all this with the 220i having tyres that were good but definitely not performance tyres.
Brakes were fine even on the 220i. The 230i and 240i get Msport Brembo 4-pot brakes as standard, which should be excellent. (I think those are the Brembos on my Clubman JCW, which is heavier than the 230i, and they work very well on that).
Performance was surprisingly good from 135KW, thanks I guess to its broad, flat torque curve. The 230i should be properly fast and I continue to think it’s the sweet-spot of the range, as it was for the F22.
The ZF 8-speed gearbox is magnificent, as always. No manual is available on the G42 (the new M2 will offer a manual) but the ZF is super-fast and smooth when driven as a paddle-shift manual.
On the debit side, the steering is almost completely devoid of feel. Sports mode adds just a little weight but no extra communication. Nevertheless, steering is precise and doesn’t interfere with enthusiastic driving. The light weight does make the car very easy to handle around town. BMW knows how to make feelsome steering (eg my Clubman, M cars) so the lack of feel must be a conscious decision, unfortunately.
Inside, the car is strictly a 2+2, despite its exterior size. The bonnet is unnecessarily and almost comically long, and the space is removed from the back seat. I could sit behind my seating position, but it was very snug – really only useful for older children, young teens or short trips for adults. Up front, though, the car is spacious and it appears identical in every way to a G20 3er. Very good sports seats are standard and, thankfully, are in Alcantara rather than leather as standard (much better suited to Australia in my opinion) but with leather options of course. As in the 3er, a few touch points feel a bit cheap, but mostly the interior is up to BMW’s high standards of quality. Incidentally, the 2er is built in Mexico, doubtless to help a niche model be profitable, but BMW has proven it maintains its standards wherever its cars are built. The G42 boot is large, but sadly any type of spare wheel is notable by its absence.
I should note that the optional sunroof is remarkably quiet even when open at 100km/h. It does impinge on headroom of course, although there is a short raised area behind it over the rear seats.
The G42 has a full suite of up-to-date safety features, although it still only manages 4 stars on the increasingly stringent Euro NCAP ratings, mainly due to a low score in cyclist detection (pedestrians are detected OK) and lack of a central airbag between occupants.
In summary, the G42 seems to be an excellent enthusiast’s 2+2 if you don’t want to (or can’t afford to) step up to an M car. As noted above, I think the 230i is the range’s sweet spot – rear drive, quick and reasonably priced by today’s expensive standards. The 240i would be faster and more capable, but its high price puts it in reach of some stiff competition.
Many thanks to Andrew Niemann at Waverley BMW for arranging the loan car.
Peter Williams | Member #36 BMW Drivers Club Melbourne
Since 2003, the BMW M Award has been an integral component of the close partnership between BMW M GmbH and MotoGP™ rights owner Dorna Sports. There is a double anniversary to celebrate this year: BMW M GmbH is celebrating its 50th birthday and the coveted prize for the fastest MotoGP™ qualifier is being awarded for the 20th time. To mark the occasion, BMW M is providing an exclusive highlight as the Winner’s Car: the first BMW M3 Competition Touring with xDrive (fuel consumption, combined: 10.4 – 10.1 l/100km correspond to WLTP, CO2 emissions, combined: 235 – 229 g/km correspond to WLTP, NEDC figures: –)*, which celebrated its world premiere just a few weeks ago. The market launch is scheduled for November. The Winner’s Car for the BMW M Awards 2022 will be officially introduced this weekend at the British Grand Prix in Silverstone. The first BMW M3 Touring MotoGP™ Safety Car will also make its race debut there.
“2022 is a very special year for us at BMW M, with a host of highlights related to our 50th birthday,” says Franciscus van Meel, CEO of BMW M GmbH. “One of these is the first BMW M3 as Touring model, which generated quite a buzz at its world premiere at the Goodwood Festival of Speed in late June. It is the flagship of our BMW M model range this year, which is why it makes sense to offer the BMW M3 Competition Touring as the prize for the winner of the 20th BMW M Award. We are delighted to be able to mark this year’s special anniversary with our prize for the fastest qualifier in MotoGP this season. This shows the high esteem in which this competition is held in the paddock. We wish the riders all the best and are excited to see who will prevail in the thrilling races to claim the BMW M3 Competition Touring at the end of the season.”
“The 20th BMW M Award in the MotoGP – this sees us reach another milestone in our partnership with BMW M this season,” explains Marc Saurina, Senior Director Global Commercial Partnerships for MotoGP™ rights owner Dorna Sports. “It is brilliant that BMW M GmbH is celebrating its 50th birthday with a range of highlights in the MotoGP. That underlines how important this partnership is. These highlights include the new BMW M3 Touring MotoGP Safety Car, which will appear for the first time in Silverstone, and the BMW M3 Competition Touring as Winner's Car for the BMW M Award. This sees BWM M continue the annual tradition of handing over the newest and most exclusive BMW M automobile to the fastest qualifier. The standings for this year’s BMW M Award are hotly contested and we are looking forward to plenty more exciting qualifying sessions.”
The first-ever BMW M3 Touring combines authentic motorsport feeling with a very distinct character and a broader spread of practical qualities. Its powertrain technology is focused wholly on delivering beguiling performance and brings together the 375 kW/510 hp version of the six-cylinder in-line engine with M TwinPower Turbo technology, the eight-speed M Steptronic transmission with Drivelogic and the M xDrive all-wheel-drive system. The latest addition to the range is therefore available exclusively in BMW M3 Competition Touring with M xDrive form. The variable-use interior of the first BMW M3 Touring provides fresh scope for experiencing M-typical performance in everyday use. In a unique manner, the BMW M3 Touring links the characteristic M combination of dynamism, agility and precision with unrestricted suitability for everyday driving and long-distance capability.
The Frozen Black paint scheme provides the BMW M3 Competition Touring for the winner of the BMW M Award 2022 with a more than impressive appearance. In the interior, the electrically adjustable M sports seats with Merino/Black leather upholstery generate true racing feeling without sacrificing comfort. The M Competition brake system guarantees superior handling on the limit.
The BMW M3 Competition Touring with xDrive also provided the foundation for the first BMW M3 Touring MotoGP™ Safety Car, which was also presented to the public at the Goodwood Festival of Speed and will now be appearing on track in Silverstone as the lead car for the first time. It sports a special 50 Years of BMW M livery and all MotoGP™ Safety Cars from 1999 to the present day will be featured on the car, paying tribute to the long partnership with Dorna Sports.
Since 2003, the BMW M Award has been presented to the MotoGP™ rider with the best qualifying results. At each Grand Prix weekend, riders receive points for their qualifying positions, in the same way as points are awarded in the races. The rider who scores the most points by the end of the season will win the coveted BMW M Award. The record winner in the BMW M Award is Marc Márquez, who claimed the prize on seven consecutive occasions between 2013 and 2019. Valentino Rossi and Casey Stoner have each won three times. Fabio Quartararo has won the BMW M Award twice, in 2020 and 2021. Jorge Lorenzo also recorded two wins during his career. Sete Gibernau and Nicky Hayden have each been best qualifier once.
BMW PRESS
Month in review.
Did you know Christmas is now less than 5 months away? Not that this editor is counting..
Looking back at the month that was July, we had an event for everyone - from motorsport to drive days, to cars and coffee days and dinners. We were certainly very busy.
We started our month at Winton for our annual Cross Border Challenge with NSW and round 4 of the Traction Tyres/Yokohama Drivers Championship. While we didn't manage to bring home the Cup, it was great to catch up with our NSW family.
____________________
We then had our monthly members meeting at Waverley BMW on 5 July. We were treated to plenty of snacks and drinks, followed by a tour through the service department. A quick thank you to the Waverley BMW staff for staying back after hours for us to visit, and also congratulations again for winning the award for best BMW Dealer in Australia.
On 9 July we were off to Sovereign Hill for our Christmas in July celebration. We visited the Winter Wonderlights festival which was lots of fun. It was great to see so many in their Christmas jumpers for our annual ugly Christmas jumper competition.
For those who stayed until Sunday, we spent the day exploring Ballarat. There really is so much to see in Ballarat, it's well worth the visit if you're in the area with some time to explore.
On 16 July we had our Driver Training and Come & Try day with E30 Racing at Broadford. We were also joined by Eugene Arocca and Chantel Collins from Motorsport Australia who attend as trainee flag marshals.
We must extend our thanks to all of our officials and volunteers to help with these days, without you, they just don't happen.
Some members decided to stay at Broadford after the Driver Training and Come & Try day for round 5 of our Traction Tyres/Yokohama Drivers Championship. While the weather was quite miserable in comparison, many of our members were able to put the skills they had learnt on Saturday to use in the wet.
We finished our month on 30 July with Shannons Insurance for their Caffeine and Cars morning. It was amazing to see so many cars lined up in Corporate Drive and in every available car park at Shannons. Thanks very much to Shannons for having us, we had a great morning.
2022 BMWDCM Annual General Meeting
The Club will hold its Annual General Meeting on 6 September 2022. Nominations are open for election to the BMWDCM committee and will close on 16 August 2022.
All members would have received a Call for nominations for committee positions yesterday via email, please refer to that email for further AGM information, and if you would like to nominate for a position, please consider doing so!
2023 BMW Clubs Australia Nationals
Expressions of interest to attend the 2023 BMW Clubs Australia Nationals are now available, here.
MEMBERSHIP UPDATE
Welcome to our new members Eddie Li, William Drummond, Aaron Brain, Eugene Arocca, Ross Garner, Paul Minchin, Samuel Fonhof, Christophorus Raymond, Eva Chow, Charles Santoso and Matt Thewlis. 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 in August:
Tuesday, 9 August August Members Meeting | Track information night Join us at Shannons, Heatherton for a fun information night with some of your motorsport instructors and officials. Sunday, 28 August First annual "what else is in your garage" cars, bikes and coffeeOwn a magnificent Mercedes? Amazing Aston Martin? Perhaps a superb Supra or even a terrific Triumph or historic Harley-Davidson? Come and share your other hidden pride & joy!
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.
We want you!
We are now one of the largest Official BMW Car Clubs in Australia and we need your help.
Have you ever attended one of our events and thought “wow this event was well run” or purchased some of our merchandise and thought “I really like that”? Well, all these things and more happen because your volunteer committee who all work tirelessly behind the scenes to make your day/weekend/event run smoothly and be as fantastic as it is.
Do you have skills we can tap into? Do you have a business we can engage or use the services of? Do you have some spare time you’d like to fill with an interest that gives a lot of people joy, including yourself?
We are putting out an early call to all our members to think if you would like to help our team with any of the day to day running of our wonderful club.
Click here to find out more information.
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.
Club blog.
Christmas in July in Sovereign Hill
Broadford Come & Try Day with E30 Racing
Thank you from Beyond Blue
2022 ANZAC Weekend in Lakes Entrance
BMW around the globe.
The heart of the BMW M Hybrid V8: P66/3 eight-cylinder hybrid turbo engine drives the LMDh prototype
New European Head of the MINI Brand
From the Welfare Team.
"One day, you are going to hug your last hug, kiss your last kiss and hear someone’s voice for the last time, but you never know when the last time will be, so live every day as if it were the last time you will be with the people you love."
Click here for 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.
BCCM updates
Drivers Guide App
BCCM is pleased to offer, in the BCCM Live-Session Vol. 8, the Drivers Guide App (the digital way to explore your car) including its functions and contents.
This app describes the custom features and the operation of your vehicle. Available in over 30 languages. For BMW and BMW M models from 1997 onwards. For BMW i models from 2013 onwards.
You can download the app from the App Store or Google Play.
BCCM: Classic Heart Podcast
At last, the moment has arrived: 'Classic Heart' podcast by BMW GRoup Classic is going on air!
Every fortnight, this BMW Group Classic podcast hosted by JP Rathgen will invite you to tune in for some casual motoring talk.
Topics will include favourite vehicles and collections, the background stories behind the most exciting classic events, insights into dream jobs in this coveted sector, amazing stories, true legends and the passion that unites everyone. It is sure to provide inspiring, informative and non-stop entertainment.
You can listen on Spotify, Google Podcasts, Apple Podcasts or Amazon Music.
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
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Just like that, July has come and gone in a flash, and we are now well into the second half of the year. This month we had lots of different events for everyone to enjoy. No matter what your passion is, whether driving on a track, touring our country roads, showing off your pride and joy, standing out on a flag point in icy central Victoria, or just joining a bunch of like-minded friends around a dinner table or two. July had something for everyone.
You should all now have Edition 4 of our wonderful idrive annual magazine. Thank you to all who contributed to the 2022 edition to help make it the world class publication that it is. Jess, our editor, does an amazing job editing and putting it all together, as does Jo, chasing everyone for stories, but it is your stories that make it as special as it is. If you haven’t received your copy yet send us an email and we’ll follow up where your copy is.
2 July saw us at Winton Motor Raceway for our yearly Cross Border Challenge with the BMW Club NSW, and Round 4 of our Traction Tyres/Yokohama Drivers Championship. We had perfect Victorian weather welcoming those from across the border where it hadn’t stopped raining for weeks! The day started out very crisp and cold but sunny, giving us perfect track conditions. The NSW Club again narrowly beat us on points to take the trophy back home again. Next year we need more of our Victorian friends to help us win it back!
5 July was our members meeting at Waverley BMW. After some snacks and drinks and a bit of a chat, we went on a tour through the service department. It was very interesting to see under one of the new hybrid cars and compare it to a normal version of the same car on the hoist next to it. Thank you to all the staff at Waverley BMW for staying behind and the very generous 30% discount off all parts and lifestyle products, which kept the staff very busy all night. There were quite a few happy members walking out with some very nice goodies, including myself and Jo. It was a great way to celebrate Waverley BMW being awarded the Best BMW Dealer in Australia, having the best BMW Club in the World visit.
9 July was our Christmas in July at Sovereign Hill with the Winter Wonder Lights festival. The weather was cold but sunny again and so many families attended to join in the fun. This was a weekend event and on the Saturday night after the amazing light show we all had dinner and it was great to see most of our members and guests wore some amazing Christmas jumpers for our annual ugly Christmas Jumper competition. One of my favourite things about these events is having families along with the kids in tow and enjoying the varied social aspects of the club.
For those who stayed on for Sunday we had time to explore Ballarat, some of us braving the cold in the very early morning to see the sky whales (balloons) being launched. Well, they tried, but the wind was a little strong and one of them popped a seam, so they gave us a show on the ground anyway. After our early morning explorations, we all met for lunch and then some stayed on longer to explore further. With the Victory Arch Memorial, the Prisoners of War Memorial, Botanical Gardens, Historical Ballarat, Lake Wendouree, Wildlife Park, Eureka Centre and so much more. Ballarat is an amazing city with so much history and as much to see. Well worth the visit if you are in the area with a few days to explore.
16 July was a great turnout for our Come and Try/Driver Training Day with E30 Racing. Another amazing winters day, with slight drizzle in the morning but after the sun came out for a fun day. We were lucky to have Eugene Arocca and Chantel Collins from Motorsport Australia attend with VFT and help as trainee flag marshals for the day. A huge thank you to you both. These events are designed to give new Motorsport enthusiast the opportunity to either go on track or officiate in a more relaxed and safer atmosphere. Thank you again for all who attended, we are so blessed to have so many officials who come along to make these days so special. Just a few I would like to thank, Angelo Carideo, who stood out at pit exit all day on his birthday, Matt Thewlis, Andy Oosterweghel, Alex Jory, who literally were in an out of cars all day. Without members like you guys we would not have such fantastic events. Jesse Bryan who gave up his day to offer hot laps to members and officials, I THANK YOU. Of course, all our officials who attended on the day, I THANK YOU. From the guys and girls in pit lane to race control, I THANK YOU. To all the members of VFT, I THANK YOU. To our administration team, I THANK YOU. And lastly to all our members who attended as entrants I THANK YOU. To the E30 committee and members who came along and volunteered, took people for rides, or hopped in cars with them, I THANK YOU. These days would be nothing if you did not attend. This day show cased grass roots motorsport at its best with E30 Racing and VFT. Was fantastic to see so many new drivers as well as new officials, all getting a taste of what we love.
On 17 July some of us stayed at Broadford for Round 5 of our Traction Tyres/Yokohama Drivers Championship on the Sunday. The weather was not as nice as on Saturday, but it gave our members a perfect opportunity to put everything they learnt the day before into action. It was great to actually get out and have a drive myself, such a great little track for practicing your car control skills in the damp conditions without the worry of concrete or armco to worry about.
On 30 July we finished the month off with Shannons Insurance and their Caffeine and Cars morning. What a fantastic turn out this was with cars lined all up corporate drive and in every available car park. Again, another amazing winters day with the sun out. So many of our members there and thank you again to Shannons for putting on free coffee and drinks. What a fantastic way to spend a Saturday morning. There were so many amazing cars out on display, not just in the showroom, but out in the carparks and street too.
Looking ahead, 9 August is our members meeting at Shannons Insurance. We’re calling it ‘Learn the Track’. This night will be for all members from beginners to more experienced. We will have officials from VFT to explain what the flags are and the importance of knowing your flags. Staff from Motorsport Australia who will explain the benefits of being part of this great association and what it means to be a Motorsport Australia licensed official or driver. We will have a presentation on everything you want to know about driving, from cornering to heal and toe, and plenty of time for questions. So, bring along your notebooks and don’t be afraid to speak up. This will be the perfect opportunity to learn more and work out what you are doing wrong on the track. Perfect for all those members who are just starting out in E30 Racing too to fine tune their skills and maybe learn a little from some of our more experienced drivers. If you have some in car video you want us the give you some tips on, by all means, bring it along too.
12-14 August is E30 Racing round 4 at Sandown. I know we have some of our members volunteering on flags for this event too, which is great. No better way to learn what the flags are for than to be out trackside.
On 18-20 August Supercars are back at Sandown and Jo and I, and a few other members, will be officiating at this one. Always a great event to go to and no better way to get up close to the action than be an official! Let’s hope the weather is kind to us both. Come by and say hi if you are there.
28 August is our “What Else is in your Garage” Coffee and Cars morning in Murrumbeena. This event is to encourage our members who not only have BMWs to bring out their other beautiful cars and bikes and show us what they have. Of course, you can bring your BMW too. All vehicles are welcome. Make sure you bring your membership card to gain a discount at the coffee shop nearby.
Jo and I won’t be at this event, we are lucky to have Mark McDermott running this event for us, so a huge thank you to Mark for stepping in and organising this event. We will be off to Armidale in NSW for my daughter’s graduation ceremony. As most of you would have read, Jess is now a fully qualified and practising lawyer and due to covid and storms her graduation was put off last year, so we will be heading up to watch her graduate. Very, very proud of you Jess. So is the club.
We have introduced a Club Permit renewal system, where you don’t need to attend to get someone to sign your renewal. This is going very well, and I encourage you to look into this and start using this new system. For all renewals follow this link and email the renewal forms to cpsrenewals@bmwdcm.com.au.
Our new merchandise range has been doing really well, we sold out of the smaller sizing within weeks, so a new shipment is arriving this week. Please place your orders as these will not last. They are a larger fit than our other ranges, so take note when ordering. The long sleeve tops and hoodies are so warm it is incredible, just the thing for a Melbourne Winter and they look so good, as you will see in event photos. Great job again Jo, another fantastic design you’ve come up with.
For those who want the full set of our idrive magazine, we have done a limited re-run of edition 1 and orders can be placed here. We also have stock of 2 and 3 for those who do not have the full set.
Some dates to put in your diaries:
Jo has been busy booking things right into 2023 already too, so keep an eye on the event notices coming through. She has some great events planned for us, both in the coming months, as well as into 2023. Always keep an eye on your emails, events often pop up that might interest you and sometimes they can be short notice, so always check the event notices we send out.
Remember we cannot run this great club of ours without volunteers. So please attend the AGM and see what you might be able to help us with to lighten the load on our very hard-working committee. It is a huge job to run a club like this and we welcome any help or input you might like to give us. You don’t need to commit to one of the four main executive committee positions, there are ways you can help us run the club, or events, with as little as a couple of hours here and there. Volunteers are the life blood of any club, so come and join us at the AGM and see what you can do to help keep DCM one of the best car clubs around.
As always, thank you for reading and thank you being a part of our journey.
Take care and I look forward to seeing you at an event soon.
P.O. 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
Event date: 23-25 April 2022
BP Roadhouse, Officer. Early birds, latecomers, and latecomers with traffic excuses merge on M1 heading East towards Gippsland. A cheerful morning, a few rolling convoy poses for Graeme’s video cam, and a gentle start amongst a plethora of Saturday morning traffic. The excitement was tepid, but not for long.
We rolled off the M1 and onto the old Sale Rd (C426). Old houses, peaceful paddocks, and small town-centres with little more than a general store made for a relaxing run along ancient roads. Go right, go left, but go straight ahead? Despite the initial confusion, we discover a dogleg crossing over a main road. 5 kms along this was repeated. There would be more to come in this strange region of ‘Doglegsia’ with its bitumen oddities. Amongst the farmland where patches of dark dense forest craning over the road, and it was lights on in the middle of the day. Safety first.
Early bathroom and coffee stop at Traralgon. Jo confirmed our lunch booking for Paynesville, and we drove around Sale heading for Paynesville with a growing hunger on a warming sunny day.
“Hi.” “Hi.” “We’re here from the BMWDCM club.” “Welcome.” “Hello, can we get some meals?” “Oh nah, the chef doesn’t do lunches.”
Okay, the chef is not here but they still confirmed our lunch booking. “You can get fish & chips next door and eat them in here if you like. We’ve got beer.” Strange.
Not what we expected, but we got a beer, had a feed, and accelerated onwards.
Settling into Lakes Entrance, we looked forward to dinner at the Red Bluff Brewers. A convoy formed, everyone following the lead car. Unfamiliar roads, look, well unfamiliar.
After three laps of Lakes Entrance, Jo – our Queen fish – realised the team was stuck in a fishbowl vortex. “Oh, another roundabout, oh, another roundabout, oh, another roundabout”. Jo woke the BMW Goldfish club with a loud “Does anybody have a clue where we are going? That’s the third time I’ve seen that same roundabout.” The Clownfish was replaced with a navigation system, and off we went to the small brewery for a relaxing evening.
Day 2: Buchan Caves, Orbost and Marlo, here we come. After a cruisy drive, we assembled at the caves. Martin was sporting his tough-as Merrill hiking boots, looking like he had just flown in from Mt Everest. Sally was also proud of her special hiking boots. Leather with 3-inch heels looking she had just walked off a catwalk. Clearly the technology has advanced somewhat when it comes to sexy hiking boots.
Down, down, down, we stepped, learning to duck and squat as we squirmed through the height-challenged cave. And then emerged, into a huge open cavern. High, large, and open, the cavern came with large pool, stalactites (the ones that hang from the roof) and stalagmites. Our brains trust, Tilley, asked some great questions, resulting in more detailed engagement with the tour guide. FYI: So long as water and lime are seeping into the cave network, the stalactites grow at a rate of approximately 1cm every 100 years.
Many formations, from icy/snowy looking bright white flows at edge of pool, and lots of green and rust mineral colouring contrasting the whiter stalactites. Chandeliers, the mystery of the ancient kangaroo bones (even though no visible way in or out at that stage). We left the amazing underground wonderland and noticed a lazy kangaroo lying close to the track. Clearly time for lunch and a bit of sunshine.
We left and returned on an extremely indirect road, finding more bends than a bowl of spaghetti. Legendary Pete leads the way. Martin’s petrol heart was on fire, and he outpaced us in his M3 coupe. The roads got tighter, and Pete’s mini got meaner, with modified brake-lines and tough as ironman fluid preventing break fade. He braked late, and would exit the corner early, relying on front wheel bias to drag the mini out early. We caught Martin, who appeared to have crossed that time of day when an Englishman must pull over for tea and scones. We waved to him on the side of the road, and he re-joined the front pack.
Mello Yellow, that is Angelo’s distinctly yellow SS V8 Commodore valiantly battled on. Later Angelo would explain how his suspension was shot. That is certainly not the first or last time you will hear an excuse as to why it can be difficult to keep up with a BMW. (haha)
After this invigorating drive, thanks Peter, we were off to Marlo Hotel, for a ‘Splendour on the Grass’-like arrangement with live music and good food on the grassy valley, overlooking the Snowy River.
Day 3: Sunday morning. Many got up early for the Anzac dawn memorial in Lakes Entrance and appeared to be quite moved by the occasion.
Next adventure, a large boat to Metung for lunch. We only traversed a small percentage of the Lakes, realising how awesomely large the Lakes inlets are. We saw seals, dolphins, an eagle, and ate chocolate. The young adults, Tilley, Harper and Alice, brought out the youth in us, making it a great family weekend.
Thanks to Jo and Graeme, who ran a tab for some Junior Anzacs at Metung Hotel. It feels good to acknowledge the digger past and present, and they certainly enjoyed the beers.
John Shreeve | Member #579 BMW Drivers Club Melbourne
Ulrike von Mirbach has taken over as Head of the MINI brand for Europe on 1 July 2022. Previously, Ulrike von Mirbach was responsible for the BMW & MINI retail business as part of the "new sales model Europe" project as well as for the overall development of the new sales structures for MINI. In addition to her new role as Head of Brand MINI for Europe, she will also continue working in this role.
Her predecessor Pierre Jalady has taken over the responsibility for the MINI brand in the Asia-Pacific, Eastern Europe, Middle East, Africa region.
Ulrike von Mirbach has been working for the BMW Group for around 17 years. At the beginning of her career, she was responsible, among other things, for the marketing strategy of the BMW brand in the German market. From October 2015 until the end of 2020, she headed the marketing division of the MINI brand in Germany. On 1 January 2021, she took over the management of the MINI brand in Germany and moved to the European level just one year later.
Ulrike von Mirbach has played a key role in developing the MINI brand in Germany and has successfully driven forward the electrification of the brand. For Ulrike von Mirbach the concerns of the dealer network are of central importance. The good level of cooperation between dealerships and manufacturer as well as strategic brand management and digitalising the brand were decisive success factors advancing the brand on the German market.
Stefanie Wurst, Head of the MINI brand: "I am convinced that Ulrike von Mirbach will successfully lead the MINI brand into the electric future on a European level thanks to her high level of brand and sales expertise. She will set the right strategic framework to ensure successful sales for the brand within the new sales model."
The strategic focus of the MINI brand is on expanding electric mobility and increasing the commitment to the crossover and premium compact segments. Tapping into new target groups and sales markets will be crucial for the future of MINI. The great success of the all-electric MINI Cooper SE* in Germany confirms the brand's strategy. MINI will make the transition to a fully electrified brand as early as the beginning of the 2030s.
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