idrive magazine.

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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 by Paul Holliday.

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*BMWDCM's Quarterly Membership Promotion terms and conditions:

VIC residents 18+ only, who are/become a member of BMWDCM. Between 12.01am (AEST) 1/10/22 & 11.59pm (AEDT) 31/12/22, if not already a BMWDCM member, sign up by visiting bmwdcm.com.au & fill out join form, incl. providing the name of the person that referred you (if applicable) to get auto entry; or if you are already a BMWDCM member, after you have received an invitation to renew your membership, follow the instructions in the invitation email to do so to get auto entry; or if you are already a member of BMWDCM & a new member signs up to BMWDCM & nominates you as their referrer, you will get auto entry. Draw: 7.35pm (AEDT) 9/1/22, 27 Georgia Way, Hastings VIC 3915. Watch the draw live on Zoom by clicking here. Max 1 prize per person. See BMWDCM newsletter following draw winners. Entrants will get future marketing from BMWDCM. See bmwdcm.com.au/terms for full Ts&Cs incl. privacy statement. Promoter: BMW Drivers Club Melbourne Inc (BMWDCM) (Inc no. A0102695G).

Event date: 22 October 2022

'Glad it’s not my car’ I thought to myself as I was pinballing off the walls down the Esses at Bathurst. Thankfully I had no financial responsibility for the e30 m3 that would otherwise have been written off; main reason being that we experienced the Mountain in one of Motum’s Virtual Reality state of the art driving simulators.

Showing just how far technology and accessibility to it has come, BMWDCM members were punting around high end machinery around Bathurst, the ‘Ring, and Watkins Glen, trying to beat the score leaderboard or at least the person in the seat opposite them.

Towards the end of the night, a handful of somewhat competitive punters were determined to make it onto the leaderboard, track limits and obstacles be damned.

In all, was a very enjoyable experience and a less physically and financially risky proposition for those wanting to smash pb’s or sample other cars around the best tracks the world has to offer.

Just remember that stepping back into your car that the speeds are real, the obstacles are very real, and there’s no ‘reset’ button.

Igor Kay | Member #151
BMW Drivers Club Melbourne

BMWDCM in Full Motion Virtual Reality

We’re the Drivers Club, we love driving and we love racing even more. But sadly, not all of us are fortunate enough to own a race car, let alone be brave enough to get out onto race track in one. So when I saw Motum Simulators, I thought, this is perfect for our Members who either don’t have a race car or want to experience the next closest thing.

The Motum Simulators are a 6-axis full motion simulator with 360° virtual reality headsets and with endless cars and circuits to race on, they are truly the closest thing to the real McCoy. I approached Motum Simulators to arrange an event evening and they were completely on-board with it. They were aware of our Club and knew we had many racer members. 

10 BMWDCM Members quickly jumped on-board with this exciting new event, which booked out in 48 hours, and clearly the enthusiasm maintained right through the evening with some ultra-competitive head-to-head racing. 

After we all “qualified”, using the Formula Renault 3.5 at the Watkins Glen International Short Circuit, it was Killian Treacy and Royce Lyne who came out on top. With sub-1 minute times, they were very close to hitting the alltime Motum Leaderboard, missing out by just over 1 second. Regardless of this, their times were incredible - well done to those two guys. For those interested, the current leader is “Colin”, a very smiley Australia race car driver who loves papaya orange and shoey’s. 

Thanks for all the Members who supported this unique event and please stay tuned for the 2023 BMWDCM Simulator Driver Challenge.

Mark McDermott | Member #50
BMW Drivers Club Melbourne

Dear members,  

This report is coming to you from across Bass Straight, as a group of us are currently touring Tasmania on our first ‘overseas’ club trip.  Join our facebook group for daily reports and pictures of the trip. We are having a ball and enjoying lots of Tasmania’s awesome roads as well as everything else our Southernmost State has hidden away.

October was another busy month which was jam packed with events.

On 2 October we had the Euroa Car Show with a great display of cars and many of them enjoying the drive up to the event as well.

On 4 – 10 October, Jo and I headed up to officiate at the Bathurst 1000 with some of our club members, which was just an amazing event.  Jo was back in the events office with the Supercars team, and I was working in Scrutineering.  The conditions were not as bad as we had been expecting so most of us managed to stay warm and dry.  Read about how some of our officials enjoyed the event here and here.

7-9 October our club was invited to display with BMW Group Australia to celebrate 50 years of ///M at Motorclassica.  We had a fantastic display of M cars ranging from early to current and there were a few variations through the weekend with some cars coming in and out through the three days. The display attracted great interest from the general public.

11 October was our first swap meet at All Marque Storage where members joined us to sell some of their bits and this went off really well.  I would like to thank Matt and his staff for opening for us and holding this event and supplying and cooking up a ton of sausages.  We are hoping to hold another event like this in the new year, so if you have some bits and pieces to sell, come along to our next swap meet, set yourself up a stall and empty out your shed of some of those parts you will never need again.

18 October was our monthly drop in donuts coffee night which again was great with some usuals and some new members popping in to say hi and enjoy the cars, coffee and, of course, donuts.

19 October we held our first twilight drive for the summer season, out of our new offices in Hastings. We had a fabulous turn out and the night was just magical.   The sunset at the top of Arthurs Seat was one I have not experienced for many years.  It was such a clear night you could see for miles. We couldn’t have asked for a better evening, and everyone enjoyed the catch up and drive, and then the views of the sunset were just amazing.

On 22 October we held our first Motum Simulator Challenge, which was heaps of fun.  A few of our members got some great results and there was some great competitive racing on the Sims. Next year we will be running a Sim Racing Championship, for those that want to race in the virtual world instead of, or as well as the real world.

On 23 October we were invited to Melbourne BMW for their coffee morning celebrating 50 years of M.  What a fantastic turn out of our members and congratulations to the dealership for putting on such a great event. Was great to be able to tour the newly rebuild dealership with the Dealer Principal, Daniel and see the four new M cars on display. 

On 23 October we also held a display at the Future Vehicles Expo which again had a great turn out and again, lots of interest for our club members.

Finally, on 23 October, 30 of our members boarded the Spirit of Tasmania to start a weeks’ driving tour of the Apple Isle.  We left from Geelong which was a new experienced and boarding was very smooth.  So was the crossing it was flat as a mill pond. I have never experienced a Tasmanian crossing like this, and I have done a few.

Watch our FB pages for daily updates of this trip and in the November report there will be some great articles from members who are with us on this trip.

Some events to watch out for in November:

• 6 November we will be holding a display at Sandown Historics, this is always a great event and we welcome you all to register to display and gain discounted entry.
• 11 November is our All-German Fest at the German Tivoli Club, please make a table booking if you are wanting to join in the Oktoberfest fun and go in the running to win some prizes.  Cars will be on display in the car park.  Gold Coin donation for our charity. Space is limited in the carpark, so register your interest on the event page and be there on time so you don’t miss out.
• 25 November there is a large group of us traveling up to Bathurst for our first DCM Challenge Bathurst. Keep an eye on Facebook for some fun photos from the team up there!

• 11 December - Christmas Show and Shine at Cruden Farm
• 2 February Bathurst 12 hour (still rooms available), watch the event in the comfort and luxury of the Bathurst Club, on top of the pits.
• 17 March BMW Clubs Australia Nationals hosted by BMW Gold Coast at South Port

We have some great weekends planned with some of Peter Williams fantastic driving roads coming up so keep an eye on the events notices too.

If you are wanting to help at events, please contact Jo on 0412 661 900.

Lastly, please remember the Club is now running out of 213 Marine Pde Hastings and any club related enquiry which would normally go to Bell Motorsport, please direct to this new address unless Jo happens to be out and about.  Please call Jo on 0412661900 to let her know you are coming.

Thank you and again stay safe and dry.         

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: 6-9 October 2022

On 5 October we arrived at Mount Panorama ready for a long and very exciting four days of early morning wake ups and the constant roar of the engines. We decided to stay at a caravan park near the track which had loads of activities for my younger brother and sister. On our first day helping (Thursday) we arrived at the track at 5 in the morning ready for all the action. We found it easy to find a park, however mum was a bit worried due to the mud we had to park in. But it was right at the front gate, so I was pretty excited as less walking for me!! We said hi to many other volunteers that had already started, then climbed a few flights of stairs to be greeted by view of the beautiful mountain, camp grounds and the track. OMG the feeling was amazing, it was quiet still, the sun was trying to come up, street lights were still on but so many volunteers walking around saying hi and very happy.

Once we found our way to the volunteer shed after walking through the paddock with all the team trucks and supercars garages, we signed on grabbed out food for the day and headed to meet the paddock team. We were introduced and briefed on the day ahead of us, before we knew it the heritage revival cars were making there way to the dummy grid once we had lined them all up we had the chance to look at all cars, there was our very own BMW 635 and a bunch of other very nice looking cars. Now my excitement was building as you could hear all the other engines starting up in other garages and it honestly was a sound I could get use to every day. 

Our next lot of cars to come out were the v8 Super utes, these Utes weren’t your average farm Ute these were upgraded to the max, nothing stock on them in fact stock isn’t even a word in their vocabulary. After the Utes it was the Toyota 86s turn these guys may have been in a tiny car but they are fast and fun to watch next was the porches these guys are awesome to watch as they fly down mountain and onto the chase. Our last lot of cars was the super2s then it was time for the supercars to have a go at the mountain.

The crowd grew as the day went on but the excitement was on another level.  So many people which just wanted to chat like I had met them before, it was such a friendly atmosphere.  The rain didn’t deter anyone, people put on gumboots, rain ponchos and umbrellas came out, and still you heard laughter amongst the sounds of engines.

The team I was put in became a second family to me, they made sure I was comfy and happy and helped me when I didn’t know what to do.  I loved been in pre-grid as I had best view of the straight, a massive big screen plus was up close with all the cars except supercars.

As the day progressed and jokes kept happening amongst my fellow team, the excitement still kept building.  Seeing Jo in the Brock memorabilia tent was definitely a picture moment.  Graham was so busy but he always took time to check on me to see if I having fun. It honestly was amazing.

As day 1 came to a close and after seeing loads of races, drivers and eating so much. I actually was pretty excited to bring on day 2.

Day 2 the races ran in the same order, however the lunch pack was even yummier.  The rain came and it made everything more muddier, today mum parked ages away…. I had to walk…..  The accidents were pretty constant which had some excitement about it.  All the smashed cars would come into the paddock I was in. It was pretty cool to see what scrutineers do to review the smashed cars.

On the Saturday we arrived at the same time we had been the past few days ready for another day in the wet. All the categories where going out like normal until around 3 when we got hit by the massive storm, but we were all still so happy. Normally people get sad with storms but the buzz was still around the track.  Unfortunately shoot out was cancelled so the day was called to a close.

Sunday was a day like no other, with the crowds, the excitement and the noise.  It is definitely something you need to be there to understand.  I loved seeing the excitement of everyone even if most people were still wet from the Saturday.  The planes came out, and they were LOUD LOUD and LOUD, the entertainment was going off.  The cars came out, and one big accident came into my area.  I loved the rest of the day hanging out with my other volunteer family members watching the race.  Once race finished the next excitement was all the supercars were parked in pre-grid, I wanted to go high-five Broc Feeney, however your not allowed to go near them in pre-grid.

To finish off our weekend, my mum got to drive her car down grid lane….. not sure who was more excited, me or her…. Of course we filmed every minute.

Bring on Bathurst 2023 as its definitely the best experience and a must to do!!!

Emma & Brock Migues | Member #932
BMW Drivers Club Melbourne

Event date: 7-9 October 2022

Motorclassica is the most prestigious car show event on our calendar with the gloriously atmospheric wooden floored Royal Exhibition Building housing up to 200 of the finest cars from yesteryear in Australia.  Augmenting this extravagant array of finery, car clubs, such as ours, are invited to display member’s cars for one day each in the outdoor area between the Exhibition Building and the adjoining Museum.

Since our inception DCM has been one of those invited clubs and this year we were elevated to 3 day status to put on a display in conjunction with BMW Australia celebrating 50 Years of M – which has been our display theme all year.

BMW Australia had put together a bold and exciting display stand to showcase M cars new and old and a top secret “significant product reveal” with our member’s cars alongside.  Initially intended to be housed in the same space as the club display the location had to be changed at the last moment when the multiple parties involved (I counted at least 8) realised that erecting the stand required a mobile crane and the outdoor display space is actually the roof of the underground car park, which is not strong enough for such a crane.

In the end the result was good for all. BMW Australia’s stand was now in front of the main entrance and our display area was enlarged and right outside the door from the main hall to the outdoor area with seating for the food vendors’ area at our perimeter.

Our member’s provided an excellent selection of M-cars allowing us to tell the story of M from its inception in 1972 (with an E9 3.0 CSL road car) the iconic E30 M3, the start of the “non-homologation” M-cars with one of the early 5 series M models which preceded the M5, the remainder of the M3/4s generations plus most of theM5 family.  To add to the narrative we had an E46 M3 CSL back to back with the E9 CSL and a 1M alongside it next to its spiritual successor the M2. Completing the line up we had two XxM models, showing that M is not just 2 door coupes and an M6 to complete the spectrum of M’s modern reach.

To say that our display was popular would be an understatement and I was very glad to have assistance from several members, Steve Garth, Adrian White and Tim Oh in particular.

BMW Australia’s stand featured club member Keith Olsen’s E9 Group 4 3.0 CSL “batmobile” in Motorsport racing colours, the new XM, BMW Australia’s E46 M3 CSL, an F82 M4 GTS, the Jeff Koons M8 art car and the new G81 M3 Touring.

And the secret reveal? The new M2 in a special room with no mobile phones or cameras allowed.

The display of cars inside was markedly different from previous years with a new curator team at work.  There were less of the pre WW2 cars and more of the contemporary models – not to everyone’s satisfaction but you can’t please everyone. Whilst I felt this was a change for the better, my own view, if one must find fault, is that too many cars were there because they are special in terms of being expensive or in exceptional condition rather then being special because they are different or historically significant.

Overall, a brilliant weekend.  A big thank you to all our members who surrendered their cars to the vagaries of the weather (which included torrential rain on Friday) to make our display so magnificent.

Lawrence Glynn | Member #3
BMW Drivers Club Melbourne

Event date: 23 October 2022

Sunday 23 October's event was at Melbourne BMW, where we were invited to join the lovely staff for a M Cars and Coffee morning to celebrate 50 years of M and the launch of the newly rebuilt and extended Dealership in Kings Way.

It was great catching up with lots of our members and talking to new people about the benefits of being in a fantastic BMW Club, whilst checking out the new cars and of course the very impressive Melbourne BMW site.

There was lots to see, endless coffee and amazing donuts and snacks, even some simulators to play with and gifts of hats and stickers to take away.

The new building is much larger and built to the new Corporate Identity for BMW Dealerships, along the same design as Shepparton BMW, who we visited last month.

The newly released M Cars were on display, the new M4 Convertible, M2 Coupe, M3 Touring and the XM. Something to suit almost any taste.

The dealership also houses BMW Motorrad and MINI sales areas, the motor bikes on the South end of the ground floor and MINI upstairs with the pre-owned cars. There is also a large spare parts department, fronting on to the next street.

Of course, there is a huge subterranean service department, with lots of service bays, motorcycle hoists, alignment bays, tyre fitting, everything you could ever need in one place.

A very impressive dealership indeed and great having a personal tour with the DP, Daniel.

If you are in town or passing by, drop in and check it out. Lots to see and lots of cars and lifestyle products as well.

Jo Mawson | Member #2
BMW Drivers Club Melbourne

Event date: 23 October 2022

The weather held off for us today and Steve, Stephen, Marcus and myself had a good day talking about cars, answering questions from the public, looking at other exhibitors,  and having a feed.

The seminars attracted over 600 people,  all the major car brands were represented with their respective EV, as well as an all Australian electric bike, DeLorean, solar car,  1918 Ford, Sonax and live FM radio broadcast. 

All in all a very good day thanks to Steve and Stephen!

Michael Mimmo | Member #515
BMW Drivers Club Melbourne

After reading Jo‘s article in the club magazine about being an official at the great race, I thought I would give it ago myself as I had been promising to go again.

I haven’t been to Bathurst for over 20 years so I was looking forward to seeing what changes have been made.

The first step was to get my officials licence through Motorsport Australia. This was a simple online training course that took about 20 minutes to complete.

The next step was to volunteer as an official. This was completed on the Supercars website where I was also able to select my preferences for the type of work I wanted to do. Given I haven’t done this before I opted to be a general runner which meant I would be doing all sorts of odd jobs across different areas.

To my surprise the very next day I got excepted.

The next challenge was securing a camping spot!

Unfortunately, all of the officials campsites were booked out so I was on a waiting list. I took the initiative to see if I could get accommodation somewhere around Bathurst even if it was a nearby town. I had a caravan so was pretty self-sufficient.

No surprise, everything was fully booked. After a bit more searching I did manage to find a farm that had unpowered sites available. The property was about 20 minutes from Bathurst so I thought it was better than nothing.

In the meantime, I was getting regular updates about my progress on the waiting list but wasn’t feeling too hopeful.

I had my caravan in getting a few repairs and originally told the mechanic to take his time as I wouldn’t need it until November. Thankfully he was able to finish it early for me so another box ticked in my preparation.

Supercars were pretty good with all of their communication so I was getting regular emails with more information about the event.

To my surprise, about a week out from the event I got confirmation that a campsite had become available in the officials campground. My checklist was quickly becoming complete!

A few days out from the event I completed all the food shopping, had a good list of all the clothes I thought I would need and completely ignored their suggestion that I bring gumboots due to the wet weather, soon to be regretted!

I kept an eye on the weather forecast for Western New South Wales and started to panic a little bit with all the rain they were having and how soggy the ground was. I really wasn’t sure what to expect for arriving on site, getting my van in an all set up so decided to leave a day early expecting that I would be around the middle of the pack arriving on a Wednesday before the great race.

I headed off Tuesday afternoon from Melbourne to make it to Gundagai for an overnight stay. So far uneventful and all the repairs on the caravan were holding up.

The next day I had only around 3.5 hours to get to Bathurst but it rained pretty much the whole trip. With all of the rain they have been having the roads were in bad shape with lots of potholes and roadworks being done.

Thankfully I made it into Bathurst early afternoon, signed in at the accreditation centre and collected my uniform, lanyard and respective passes.

Once I arrived at the track, to my delight the access to the officials campground was straight up the main straight, what an entrance!

I couldn’t believe how many people were already there and the number of grandstands/corporate tents that are now in place compared to my last time at the Mountain.

I was one of the last campsites to be filled in my lane, I later found out that most people had arrived on the Monday.

An uneventful set up leaving me time to have a wander around to start taking the whole experience in.

On the Wednesday night Supercars hosted drinks to welcome the volunteers and it was great to see so many drivers mingling with the crowd getting photographs and signing shirts, flags, anything the volunteers wanted. It was clear they appreciated the help the volunteers do and you that the event couldn’t possibly go ahead without them.

I had to work from the Caravan on Thursday.  It made it difficult to explain to my staff and customers that I really was working even though all they could hear was race cars in the background.

I received the great news that I wasn’t to start at 6:30am but 5:30am the next morning….. brilliant!

I was working in the support shed which was where all the other volunteers came to pick up their food packs for the day. We also ensured they had plenty of water and kept their radios fully charged. Basically anything that they needed to do their jobs. It also meant that we looked after the media centre and the race secretary with refreshments and other errands.

It was clear that many of my colleagues had done this many times before as they all had a system for meeting up with their friends, collecting their food packs and anything else they needed for the day. It was amazing how much food everybody got, they certainly weren’t going to go hungry during the day.

After about an hour and serving hundreds of volunteers, the shed emptied out and it was time to do a clean up.

Later that morning we had deliveries of food for dinner and the next day that all had to be put into container fridges etc just to keep fresh. I also got the chance to go around to some of the other stations delivering water and batteries etc which was a great opportunity to meet other volunteers and see what jobs they had to do.

A highlight for me was constantly being able to walk past the pits and all the VIP areas passing many of the drivers. My biggest regret was walking past Zach Brown (CEO of McLaren) and part owner of the Andretti Walkinshaw United racing team. I wasn’t quick enough to get my phone out to get a photo.

Several times I went to the media Centre and was amazed at the hundreds of reporters there for the event. I was told the biggest number they’ve ever had! (Just so you know, reporters love junk food, we regularly had to top up their food boxes!).

I was fortunate to have a few gaps in the day where I could watch some of the action in the pits, around the track and also on the big screen TVs.

With four or five support categories also racing over the weekend it made for a very full pit area with all the race trucks, caravans and motorhomes and other sponsors vehicles. It seemed every meter was being utilised.

Some of the setup‘s were incredible and obviously lots of money invested in equipment and staff.

The weather was horrible. It rained constantly through Friday and Saturday making the racing fun to watch but also kept the pace car and recovery vehicles flat out. Anywhere off the track it was mud.

I was fortunate to be sleeping in a caravan where I could stay warm and dry, I felt sorry for some of the campers and people in swags that couldn’t get off the wet ground.

Nonetheless, with all of the rain it didn’t seem to dampen the spirits too much, everyone just got on with it and dressed appropriately. I think by the second day most people didn’t care any more about their shoes knowing that they were going to have to bin them after the weekend. If only I had packed gum boots!

After heavy rain Saturday night, it was encouraging to hear that the weather forecast was for a mainly dry day on race day but as many of you would’ve seen from the footage it was still a challenge for the drivers to stay on the limit without crossing the line. Soon as they came off the track they had no grip and you would’ve seen many accidents as a result.

I had to get back to Melbourne for work so left shortly after the race ended, to my surprise I got out of the campground pretty easily and the police were well organised directing traffic through town. Within 40 minutes of the race ending I was on the highway heading South.

The traffic was constant but moving along at a good pace. I pulled up in Young for the night before continuing to Melbourne on the Monday with beautiful clear skies and sunshine all the way.

I thoroughly enjoyed my few days in Bathurst, the event has changed in many ways over the last 20 years but in other ways it hasn’t.

It’s still an iconic track and is a great challenge for the drivers. The fans are there in bigger than ever numbers but pleasing to see a much more family orientated event.

I enjoyed seeing the behind-the-scenes of running a big event like this and the almost unlimited access I got to all parts of the track, pits etc.

For me, I think I picked the right area to be working as I enjoyed the variety of jobs. They are extremely long days, I was starting at 4:30am on the Friday, Saturday and Sunday and not getting back to the van until around 6:30pm.

I will most likely be back again next year and would encourage anyone to get involved.

Tim Trainor | Member #745
BMW Drivers Club Melbourne

The new BMW M2 delivers signature M performance in a highly concentrated form. With its 338 kW/460 hp six-cylinder in-line engine, an optionally available six-speed manual gearbox and rear-wheel drive, the second generation of the compact high-performance sports car promises unadulterated driving pleasure. The debut of the new BMW M2 marks another highlight event in the model offensive celebrating the 50-year anniversary of BMW M GmbH, while making the first step into the world of its high-performance cars an even more enticing one.

Compact dimensions together with powertrain and chassis technology adapted from the BMW M3/BMW M4 are at the heart of a vehicle concept that endows the new edition of the two-door model with beguiling agility and handling that remain easily controllable even as the driver explores the car’s limits. This distinct character profile also manifests itself in the expressive exterior design with its athletic coupé proportions. The sophisticated control/operating concept for customising the vehicle setup also helps to produce a performance experience of remarkable intensity. Thanks to these many attributes, the new BMW M2 continues the brand’s tradition of ultra-sporty models with compact dimensions that began in 1973 with the arrival of the BMW 2002 turbo. It is also building on the success of its predecessor, which notched up nearly 60,000 sales worldwide.

The global launch of the new BMW M2 will get underway in April 2023. It will be built alongside the new BMW 2 Series Coupé at the BMW Group’s San Luis Potosí plant in Mexico.

Compact dimensions, extremely powerful proportions.

The athletic appearance of the new BMW M2 stems from its compact dimensions, extremely powerful proportions and hallmark M design features. It measures 214 millimetres less in exterior length than the BMW M4 Coupé models and has a 110-millimetre shorter wheelbase. At the same time, the vehicle and track widths exceed the figures for the new BMW 2 Series Coupé by a considerable margin.

The large, frameless BMW kidney grille with its horizontal bars combines with a three-section lower air intake with almost rectangular contours to give the front end of the car a familiar M look. The design has been crafted around technical requirements in terms of cooling air supply and aerodynamic balance. Clearly designed surfaces, prominently flared side skirts and muscular wheel arches set the tone for the side view. The rear end of the new BMW M2 also has a compact, powerful feel and adds a number of individual touches in the form of the eye-catching spoiler lip on the boot lid, the vertically arranged reflectors, the rear apron’s diffuser insert – with its puristic design – and the two pairs of exhaust tailpipes positioned a long way in from the outer edges.

The choice of five exterior paint finishes available for the new BMW M2 includes the Zandvoort Blue solid and Toronto Red metallic shades exclusive to this model. An M Carbon roof that reduces vehicle weight by around six kilograms is offered as an option.

Six-cylinder in-line engine with instantaneous power delivery and a thrilling appetite for revs.

The version of the straight-six engine developed for the compact high-performance model with M TwinPower Turbo technology and high-revving design stands out with its M-typical performance characteristics. Differing only in a small number of details from the engine employed in the BMW M3 and BMW M4 models, the 3.0-litre unit thrills with its urgent response, healthy appetite for revs and linear power delivery into the highest reaches of the engine speed range.

Developing a maximum output of 338 kW/460 hp, the engine under the bonnet of the new BMW M2 outguns the base unit used by its predecessor by 66 kW/90 hp. Peak torque of 550 Nm (405 lb-ft) is produced between 2,650 and 5,870 rpm with maximum output arriving at 6,250 rpm. The new engine revs to a maximum 7,200 rpm. The pulsating build-up of power is accompanied by an emotionally rich soundtrack generated by the M-specific exhaust system with electrically controlled flaps. The system of oil supply is designed to handle extremely dynamic driving situations when out on the track, as is the cooling system.

A choice of performance experience: eight-speed M Steptronic transmission with Drivelogic as standard, six-speed manual gearbox as an option.

The engine’s power is relayed to the rear wheels via an eight-speed M Steptronic transmission with Drivelogic as standard. Its extremely sporty gear shifts, direct connection to the engine and ability to execute multiple downshifts to the lowest available gear form the ideal basis for beguiling, instantaneous acceleration. It is operated by means of a selector lever sporting the latest M design as well as shift paddles on the steering wheel. The Drivelogic function offers a choice of three shift settings.

A six-speed manual gearbox is available as an option for anyone seeking a performance experience in the classical mould, rooted in the intense interaction between driver and car. It lends itself to a sporty style of driving thanks not only to its precisely defined shift action, but also the Gear Shift Assistant, which uses engagement speed control to ensure slip-free operation when downshifting under braking into corners. If required, the Gear Shift Assistant can be deactivated in the M Setup menu.

The new BMW M2 completes the sprint to 100 km/h (62 mph) from rest in 4.1 seconds with the eight-speed M Steptronic transmission and in 4.3 seconds when fitted with the six-speed manual gearbox. It is capable of powering from 0 to 200 km/h (124 mph) in 13.5 seconds (automatic) or 14.3 seconds (manual). The limited top speed of the new BMW M2 can be raised from 250 km/h (155 mph) to 285 km/h (177 mph) by specifying the optional M Driver’s Package.

Rear-wheel drive, M Traction Control and Active M Differential provide agility, precision and driving pleasure as the occasion demands.

Regardless of the choice of transmission, the new BMW M2’s traditional form of dynamic performance is also embodied by its rear-wheel drive. The linear build-up of lateral acceleration forces characteristic of M models helps the driver to guide the car through corners with controlled drifts, for example. The standard M Traction Control function is also designed to allow the driver to carefully probe the vehicle’s performance limits by setting individual intervention thresholds for wheel slip limitation, with a choice of ten stages.

Another contributor to the sublime dynamics of the BMW M2 is the Active M Differential at the rear axle. Also included as standard, it is able to seamlessly generate a locking effect of up to 100 per cent whenever required. This optimises traction on road surfaces offering different levels of adhesion for the left- and right-hand rear wheel, for example, as well as improving power transfer when accelerating hard out of corners.

Sophisticated chassis technology, precisely controllable handling.

The new BMW M2’s compact dimensions, short wheelbase, almost perfectly balanced 50:50 weight distribution and sophisticated chassis technology combine to deliver precisely controllable, fingertip handling. The car’s agility, dynamism and precision also gain from the excellent torsional stiffness of the body structure and chassis mountings helped by bespoke bracing.

Both the double-joint spring strut front axle and the five-link rear axle come with M-specific kinematics. The standard equipment roster for the new BMW M2 includes adaptive M suspension with electronically controlled dampers, M Servotronic steering with variable ratio, DSC (Dynamic Stability Control) including M Dynamic Mode, and powerful M Compound brakes with six-piston, fixed-calliper brakes at the front and single-piston, floating-calliper brakes at the rear. The integrated braking system presents the driver with two pedal feel settings. The new BMW M2 comes with 19-inch light-alloy wheels at the front and 20-inch items at the rear, each representing an increase of one inch on the diameter of the wheels fitted as standard on the BMW M3 and BMW M4 models. There is also the option of fitting them with track tyres.

Advanced sports car cockpit with BMW Curved Display as standard and the option of M Carbon bucket seats.

The new BMW M2 boasts a cockpit with a driver-centric design featuring M-specific readouts, controls and setup options, as well as the advanced BMW Curved Display. Driving-related information including Shift Lights appears in a new graphical layout on the 12.3-inch information display. M-specific widgets for vehicle setup and tyre condition are just two of the items that can be called up in the 14.9-inch control display. The optional BMW Head-Up Display also features M-specific readouts.

Both the BMW Curved Display and the BMW Intelligent Personal Assistant form part of the latest-generation BMW iDrive. Based on BMW Operating System 8, it has been purpose designed for intuitive interaction between driver and vehicle using touch control and natural language. The new BMW iDrive system enables personalisation with the BMW ID and My BMW App as well as allowing a Personal eSIM to be used in the vehicle. Smartphone integration for Apple CarPlay® and Android Auto™ is likewise included as standard on the new BMW M2, and there is also a 5G antenna system for optimised connectivity.

The driver and front passenger are welcomed as standard by sport seats in a model-specific design with Sensatec/Alcantara surfaces. M Sport seats with integral head restraints and perforated surfaces in Vernasca leather/Sensatec are available as an alternative. The M Carbon bucket seats that can also be found on the options list use carbon fibre-reinforced plastic (CFRP) in the structural elements of the seat cushion and backrest and also feature cut-outs in the side bolsters and below the head restraints, thereby shaving around 10.8 kilograms off the vehicle’s weight.

Three-zone automatic climate control, BMW Maps navigation system, Setup button and M Drive Professional as standard.

The comfort features fitted as standard in the new BMW M2 include three-zone automatic climate control, BMW Live Cockpit Plus complete with BMW Maps navigation system, ambient lighting and the Hi-Fi speaker system. When it comes to automated driving and parking systems, the Front Collision Warning, Speed Limit Display with no-overtaking indicator, Lane Departure Warning and Park Distance Control functions all come as standard. The Driving Assistant, Active Cruise Control with Stop & Go function and the Parking Assistant including Reversing Assistant are just some of the options available.

The Setup button on the centre console provides direct access to the settings options for the engine, chassis, steering, braking system and M Traction Control, as well as the Gear Shift Assistant if fitted. Two overall vehicle setups can be stored and then retrieved using the M buttons on the steering wheel.

Besides M Traction Control, the standard-fit M Drive Professional also includes the M Drift Analyser and M Laptimer. Plus, the M Mode button on the centre console can be used to adjust both the level of driver assistance system activity and the content shown in the information display and Head-Up Display, with a choice of ROAD, SPORT and TRACK settings.

Also on the options list is the M Race Track Package, comprising the M Driver’s Package together with the M Carbon roof, M Carbon bucket seats, interior trim strips in Carbon Fibre finish and track tyres.

BMW PRESS

Event date: 6 October 2022

The show and shine was held in the streets of Euroa this year as the park was too wet. The streets were full with cars parked at an angle at the gutters and cars parked down the middle of the streets.  The BMW Drivers Club Melbourne was represented by 3 BMWs (700, M6 & 535is), a Trans Am (Knightrider style) and a Mercedes C320.  We also had a BMW motorcycle parked amongst the motor bike display.

Lawrence’s BMW 700 created a lot of interest especially with the engine in the rear and its window banner proclaimimg “The car that saved BMW”. Many stopped and looked and read the interesting sheet in the front windscreen about the car followed by reading the information about its role in saving BMW.

The BMW 700 is a small rear-engined car which was produced by BMW in sedan and coupe form from August 1959 to November 1965. It was the first BMW automobile with a monocoque structure. The 700 was a sales success at a time when BMW was close to financial ruin. The 700 was also successful in its class in motorsport, both in its stock form and as the basis of a racing special called the 700RS.

More than 188,000 were sold before production ended in November 1965. Upon discontinuing the 700, BMW left the economy car market.

My Mercedes C320 was parked behind Lawrence’s 700 and many peered into the two engine bays and remarking on the very obvious visual differences! I think they expected a bigger engine in each case.

There was a lot of interest in Adrian’s M6 and Danny’s 535is as well.

It took around 2 hours to walk around the show of cars looking at the many different makes and models. Holdens and Falcons came out of the barns for display along with Jaguars, Rileys, Austins, Chryslers, Customlines, and the list goes on. A very interesting display of vintage cars was also evident.

Stalls included food, car signs, flags and models, Police (including a BMW X5 Highway Patrol), SES, Ambulance to name just a few.

Overall, a lovely sunny day with gentle Zephyr (a breeze as well as the Ford) with a large crowd wandering through.

I would definitely go again.

Thanks Lawrence and Shaaron for organising the display.

Chris Allen | Member #770
BMW Drivers Club Melbourne