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BMW Drivers Club Melbourne

  • 2 Nov 2021 8:00 AM | Anonymous


    MONTH IN REVIEW 

    Dear members

    October brought us some good news in that we were finally able to get out and about and see you all again.

    Our month started with a "drop in at Daniel’s Donuts" night for some of our regional members in Geelong which was well attended.  

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    We had our October members meeting via Zoom where we were given the opportunity to hear from a number of different people who volunteer in different disciplines of motorsport. 

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    Once we finally got the green light to socialise in Metro Melbourne, we arranged a metro drive on the Mornington Peninsula which was really well received.  We had over 30 cars leave Hastings to then finish a beautiful sunny day with a picnic at Arthurs Seat.


    At the same time, we also had a regional drive along the Great Ocean Road where our regional members got together for lunch.  It was great to have a prospective member attend and then decide to join us.  We do always love having new and prospective members join us at our events.

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    On 26 October we then held a members only virtual event with Steve and Clay Richards to talk all things racing and the future plans for the Richards' with Steve joining Clay on the Toyota 86 grid at Bathurst later this year.

    Darryl O'Neill was also lucky enough to walk away with a model M6 GT3! 

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    MEMBERSHIP UPDATE: 630 MEMBERS

    Welcome to our new memberWill Davidson, Mark Perini, Rikki Lynch, Ellen Richards, Alisa Tevossian, Paul Campbell, Ahad Najeeb and Paul Horvath. We look forward to seeing you at an event soon!

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    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 November:

    Tuesday, 9 November
    November Members Meeting at Naked Racer Cafe
    This will be an informal meeting were we can all catch up after such a dreadful year of lockdowns and share what we have all been doing and also what is coming up for the next few months. 

    Sunday, 21 November
    2021 Traction Tyres/Yokohama Drivers Championship
    Entries are open - get in quick to make sure you get on track for our last round of our drivers championship at Phillip Island.

    Sunday, 21 November
    Scenic Drive and Karting at Stony Creek
    For all those who love a little bit of adrenaline, this is the event for you - a scenic drive followed by some lunch and some on track action.

    Sunday, 28 November
    Christmas Show and Shine and Family Picnic
    Celebrate Christmas with us at Cruden Farm for our annual show and shine and family picnic.  

    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.


    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. 


    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!

    FROM THE WELFARE TEAM

    "... whether you’re at a club event and feel you need a hand or sitting at home and feel you need some support, reach out." -  Nella Santisi.

    Read more from Nella here.

    idrive magazine

    Everyone has their own BMW story - we'd love to share yours.

    Email us to feature in our very own idrive magazine.

    CLUB PARTNERS

    Members are welcome to submit their business to be shared on the Club Partners page on our website and idrive magazine. 

    We believe in supporting those who support us.  If you would like your business listed email us with your details.

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    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

    Proudly supported by:

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  • 31 Oct 2021 5:44 PM | Anonymous


     


    Dear members,

    Hopefully this was our last month in lockdown and I for one, have been going a little stir-crazy waiting to get out and socialise again.

    We started the month, for our regional members at least, with a “Drop in at Daniels Donuts” night, in Geelong, which was well received and all who attended had a nice catch up and some nice Donuts too, by all accounts.

    We did try to re-visit our Warrnambool getaway in October but unfortunately that had to be cancelled for the third time.  Don’t worry, we will get there next year in whale season and hopefully we can finally get out to see those whales.

    Our October members meeting was via Zoom and was very interesting learning about how to become an official and further your training.  We were very lucky to have several representatives from different disciplines of motorsport officiating, which was very informative. Thank you to all who logged on, it was a great night. 

    We finally got the green light to be able to socialise within our metro or country areas with some restrictions, so we arranged to have a metro drive down to the Mornington Peninsula and a regional drive down the Great Ocean Road.  Both drives were brilliant and it was fantastic to see so many attending and having so many new members there too.  Welcome to you all and thank you for coming along. We really enjoyed the Peninsula drive, it started out a little wet, but soon cleared up to a beautiful sunny day for a picnic. We had two groups leave Hastings with over 30 cars - it was a sight to see, so many were eager to get their beautiful cars out for a run.

    We then held a members only virtual event with Steve and Clay Richards.  It was great to chat with both Steve and Clay.  Darryl O’Neill also won the model M6 GT3.  It is always a pleasure to be in the company of the Richards family and this night was no exception.  Steve will be racing at Bathurst this year in the Toyota 86 Gazoo Series against Clay, so be sure to watch and cheer for both Steve and Clay, who will be hoping to beat his dad.

    Our last event for October was session 3 of the BCCM live from Munich nights, or should I say early morning at 3am our time.  It was great to see so many of our members getting up in the middle of the night and attending.

    Looking ahead, November is a jam-packed month starting with our members meeting at the Naked Racer in Cheltenham, on 9 November.  This is where we had our launch night, it's such a great venue to check out all the memorabilia, have a chat and something to eat and drink.  Now that restrictions have ended and we are reunited with our country friends and family, we can start doing some more normal events again.

    On 21 November, we have 2 events. Unfortunately,with the length of lockdown some events were cancelled and others postponed or shuffled around.  Getting a track booking was hard so we have the final round of our Traction Tyres/Yokohama Drivers Championship at Phillip Island and a social drive and karting event at Stony Creek both on the same day.

    28 November will be our Annual Show and Shine - Christmas Picnic at Cruden Farm.  We have the venue booked exclusively for us so this is going to be a great event. The gardens are amazing, so come along and have a picnic or pre-order your lunch. There is a rumour Santa may even pop in for a quick check on all the little and big kids to make sure they are all behaving, so if you have your Christmas list be sure to bring it on the day.  There will be open class judging again for the show and shine so we encourage all member BMW and non-BMW owners to bring your cars out for what looks to be a great day.  Bring the family for a fun picnic and let make this a huge day. If you don’t want to bring your own picnic lunch, we have arranged for grazing boxes to be pre-ordered and delivered on the day to make life easier for all.   We will have photos with Santa, gold coin donation going to the Royal Children’s Hospital Appeal. 

    Looking further ahead, German Auto Show, which was supposed to be held in August has be re-booked for 30 January.  Be sure to register, we are hoping this is going to be one to remember. 

    11-14 March is the Clubs Australia Nationals hosted by BMW Car Club Canberra and this is really shaping up to be a great event.  We always enjoy getting together with the other clubs around Australia.  If you haven't ever attended a Nationals event, we highly recommend you do.

    Jo and I have spent several hours planning for 2022.  It is really shaping up to be a huge year with so much to see and do.  Make sure you watch out for event notices coming your way real soon.  The year’s events will start early to take advantage of all the good weather, with some weekends away, social drives, car displays, sprint days and lots more.

    We had a great response to pre-ordering UHF radios, mics and antennas at our first drive out of lockdown.  If you want to be ready for the next drive, go on the online store and pre-order your radios, mics and antennas. It makes it so much easier on a drive if we can communicate with you and you can hear where we are going, as well as interesting information as we are driving along too.

    I must say thank you to all the members that responded favourably to my last email about events and vaccinations.  There are some that don’t want to get vaccinated and that is their choice, but as event organisers we have to run events under the conditions imposed on us.  Whether that be by the venues we attend or by the laws in place from the Government.  This is something we have no control of and we hope you all understand that we are governed by the rules of the venues we attend. I do not want to hear or see anyone abusing our committee members, venue staff, or anyone for that matter. It is the world we now live in and we are doing the best we can to run events for everyone. If you choose to come to an event and cannot get in because you are unvaccinated, we will take a no tolerance approach to any violence or aggression towards any other members or volunteers.  With the ever-changing road map, please ensure you read the event notices to the bottom, to make sure you receive all the necessary information.  Also, our final reminders quite often have important information regarding the event, such as your drive instructions, so don’t just file it away, read it please.

    Our membership is still growing, we are very proud of the way our club is developing into a very friendly, welcoming place for all who come along. Again, welcome to all the new members who have joined us over the last few months, and I very much look forward to meeting you at an event soon.

    Finally, I would like to say a huge congratulations to my daughter (and our Editor) Jess, who has just finished her final exams and is now a Law Graduate.  We are all so very proud of you Jess and know how hard you have worked to achieve this.  Thank you again for all the behind-the-scenes stuff you do to make our club look so good.

    Take care everyone, enjoy getting out and about again and seeing your friends and family and I look forward to seeing you soon.

    Graeme Bell | President
    BMW Drivers Club Melbourne Inc.

    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

  • 29 Oct 2021 6:14 PM | Anonymous


    We now have 26 members in “Geelong and District”, basically west of the M80 ring road, and have run a few events over “this side of town” which are starting to gather momentum.

    Given the fairly small numbers I wanted to find somewhere for an informal get together, somewhere where we could see our cars, and somewhere which had some sort of purpose for being there – such as the ubiquitous coffee.  And I found such a spot at Daniel’s Donuts on Belmont High Street. The outside seating alongside the car parking area has cover and there is inside if needs be.

    Once the COVID numbers in cafes, etc in Regional Victoria eased (yes, I know, sorry Metro Melbourne members) I picked an evening in early October where it looked like there may not be rain – an uncertain business around here! We had a very pleasant evening nattering about this and that and agreed to do it again.

    Once the Metro Melbourne travel limit was lifted and the Mornington drive date set I organised a parallel drive ending up at the ever popular Anglesea Chocolate factory – as Regional were unable to drive into Metro Melbourne. A select group had a very enjoyable drive for about one hour and then settled in for lunch.  With two children in our group (by age, somewhat more by disposition!) both the café menu and the vast array of chocolate items were well received. Oh, and they do ice cream too. It was a great opportunity to get to know some of our members and their family a bit better including a prospective new member (who has since joined).


    Reprising the Donut drop-in produced a larger crowd, seven in all, despite the arrival of vey heavy rain at about 5:30pm in contradiction of the longer range forecast – without which we would have been 13. Whilst the rain eased off for a while it returned in earnest at about 8:30pm and we headed inside for the final half hour.

    I will try and make this a regular fixture and have plans for some weekend informal meets and drives which I will fit in around the other (and now many!) club events. In future these will be open to all members who want to attend as long as the Metro/Regional border remains open. Its part of the club growing and catering to all of our members – it’s quite a drive from Geelong to the usual meeting venues!

    Lawrence Glynn | Member #3
    BMW Drivers Club Melbourne 

  • 29 Oct 2021 6:05 PM | Anonymous


    Event date: 26 October 2021

    We had a fantastic evening with Steve and Clay Richards on Tuesday night for our monthly meeting. It was a great chance to catch up with the Richards boys before they head off to Sydney for the next round of the Toyota 86 Series, supporting the Supercars round at Eastern Creek this weekend.

    All that joined our Zoom meeting got to chat and ask questions of the Richards boys and hear about the past and future aspirations of Clay as he continues on his motorsport career.  It was great to see the excitement of both Steve and Clay with the announcement they will both be driving in the Toyota 86 Series at Bathurst in December too.

    This was a member only meeting and just another reason to join as and enjoy the benefits of membership.  Our famous wheel of prizes was also in action and Darryl O'Neill was the lucky winner of a signed model of Steve's M6 GT3 - thanks to Tim Oh letting it be redrawn, as he already has one of Steve's models. Very kind of you Tim. 

    Thanks for logging in everyone and good luck to Clay at Sydney this weekend.

    Graeme Bell | Member #1
    BMW Drivers Club Melbourne 


    This would be one of the zoom meetings in my day I actually look forward to. Always great to catch up with the best club in the world and hear what our members are up to. This meeting was very special as we got to spend a virtual night with my hero Steve Richards and his son Clay. Steve’s dad Jim, yes THE Jim Richards knew my uncle so I’ve always had a soft spot for them. Given Steve’s success at Bathurst, it’s just a pinch yourself moment being in their company – even on the screen.

    They shared about Clays time in motorsport so far with his Toyota 86 campaign and Formula Ford racing - when they could race. Being fellow Victorians they have been locked in too but for them they were able to work on their cars and have them ready for the season ahead. Probably like we all have been. A great feature of the meeting was we got to ask them questions towards the end. That was amazing. They are both so approachable and love motorsport fans. My interest the in the 86 racing at Sydney on the weekend was higher due to Clay’s involvement now. Spoiler alert, he had a bit of a shunt so his car needs repairing. Dad will be busy.

    Then we got to what I think is the most important part of our meetings – the lucky “door” prize. I’ve watched a few great prizes go to other members along the way (Msport luggage, brollies, clothes, hats and drive days), so it was an absolute perfect finish to a perfect night for me – I won a car! It’s 1:18 scale but I still won an M6! Thanks must got to the Richards’ for donating it but also a massive thanks to my buddy Tim Oh who won it first but as he already has one, said to redraw the prize, and my name came up. Thanks Tim – coffee on me next time we meet.

    Darryl O'Neill | Member #52
    BMW Drivers Club Melbourne 

  • 26 Oct 2021 12:14 PM | Anonymous


    I thought it was a bit funny that someone would put a painting on a car.  I thought I would put a dotty pattern on a car and I also like rainbows. I couldn’t choose so I made a dotty car with rainbow coloured dots.

    I enjoyed colouring it in. I put a lot of hard work into the car and triple crossed my fingers that I would win.  When I was in the middle of my art car I saw how much effort I had put into it. I had spent my entire visit to my Nanna and Granddad’s house doing the art car. I realised that if I put so much hard work into it I might just win.  It would be fun to paint a real art car but it would take me more than 20 visits to finish it.

    When the results came out I looked and I realised that my car was one of the winners. It made me feel very proud and I also thought that if I got that $20 voucher I could go to Smiggles and buy a calculator with a sharpener and a pencil case attached. But the voucher was not enough so I got a slap band and a Plushie instead. Maybe Granddad will take me to buy the calculator!

    Eliza Piera | Member #564 (age 6)
    BMW Drivers Club Melbourne 

  • 24 Oct 2021 9:42 PM | Anonymous


    Event date: 24 October 2021

    My partner Lucy and I have just experienced our first day out with the BMWDCM. Having only joined the club some months ago and looking forward to some involvement, of the already planned adventures.

    It was disappointing to see the lockdown imposed and take away the Christmas in July, the whale watching weekend as well as other planned future drive days and track events. However, that being in the past it was nice to leave the house this morning with a new-found sense of freedom.

    It was quite wet when we left home but as we travelled down along Eastlink the weather soon cleared and we enjoyed the sunshine. Arriving at the Hastings Marina carpark shortly before 9am we met Graeme and Jo, after checking in with the club QR code, Graeme assisted me with the setup of my newly purchased CB radio. Once the radio was up and running I quickly gave the handset to the conversationalist of the duo, Lucy.

    The rest of the attendees arrived gradually over the next hour in a wide variety of BMW models and not forgetting the Monaro and Porsche drivers (apologies if I missed any other participating types).  Soon, we all convened for the drivers briefing under Jo’s megaphone guidance, which concluded conveniently as the rain began to fall.

    Leaving the carpark just after 10am in two groups of each around fifteen cars we soon were threading our way around the interesting mix of roads that traverse the Mornington Peninsula. The scenery was as usual for the area quite spectacular, a mix of flat runs, twisting tree lined hills and valleys not that you can spend too much time gazing at the distant ocean between the trees or you’ll end up wrapped around one.  Lucy and I have travelled some of these roads in the past but it was a real pleasure to play follow the leader and not worry about where we were going and which way to turn (thanks to Lead Navigator Jo).

    Lucy at one stage was worried that Jo had been so quiet on the communication of instructions until she realised that she had turned the volume down on our hand set. Soon enough we were up and running, and world order had returned.

    When we stopped at Flinders to have a toilet and coffee break Lucy commented that this is not a long drive, when I told her that we had been moving for about for an hour and twenty minutes she was surprised that the time has passed so quickly.

    The driving groups were at times split up due to stop, give way signs and roundabouts and other intruding vehicles but with a bit of manoeuvring Jo managed to keep nearly all of us together except a few lost souls who eventually found their way to the Seawinds picnic and playground park on their own. We had not been to this park before but it will be on our list to bring the grandkids to when the weather is a little warmer. Lots of seats and picnic fold out tables appeared as we set up out lunches.

    I think from what I could see amongst all the other picnic tables Michael and Ushi probably set the bench mark, with fresh fruit and Moet Shandon. Quite a step up from my sourdough roll and warm tea, because, as it turned out our thermos was not really a thermos LOL.

    An enjoyable return to our normal life, lovely to meet new people and Lucy and I are looking forward to more of the same. Lucy has expressed interest in doing a track day. It would be great to see her on the track and see the inner hoon appear.

    A satisfying day all round and thank you to all the organisers and participants that we met and didn’t get a chance to meet this time round.

    Alex Baxter | Member #740
    BMW Drivers Club Melbourne 

  • 23 Oct 2021 9:33 PM | Anonymous

    Retuned springs and dampers, precise tweaks to the chassis and an optimised soundtrack turn the BMW M premium compact model’s performance up another notch.+++ Plant Munich launches production of the fully electric BMW i4 +++ At least half of all cars from Munich plant will be electrified by 2023 +++ Project for emission-free transport logistics in home plant gets under way +++ Nedeljković: “BMW i4 is a milestone on the road to electric mobility.”

    The first series-produced BMW i4 has today rolled off the production lines at BMW Group Plant Munich. The company’s home plant now manufactures all drive variants on a single assembly line. “For the plant and team, the launch of the BMW i4 is a milestone on the road to electric mobility,” said Milan Nedeljković, BMW AG Board Member for Production. “By 2023 more than half of all vehicles from our Munich facility will have an electrified drive. The majority will be fully electric. So Munich goes fully electric.”

    Setting up production of the fully electric BMW i4 in the confines of the almost 100-year-old plant, the conversion and installation of systems proved particularly challenging. “We succeeded in integrating the new vehicle into our existing systems without halting production. The team and our partners did an amazing job,” added Peter Weber, Director of BMW Group Plant Munich. Space constraints notwithstanding, existing systems were removed, and new ones installed and ramped up. “Our bodyshop is a shining example of intelligent, efficient integration. Most of the new production processes for the BMW i4 can be carried out on the existing bodyshop systems,” Weber explained.

    Integrating electromobility into series production

    The main difference between the BMW i4 and conventional architectures is the electric drive and high-voltage battery. About 90 percent of the existing systems in the Munich bodyshop can still be used for the new model. Additional ones were required only for the floor assembly and rear end.

    Another highly complex topic was the integration into assembly of the high-voltage battery. The battery pack is now bolted onto the body by a new, fully automated battery assembly system that works from below. Fully automated, high-resolution camera systems scan it thoroughly beforehand to ensure the surface is absolutely clean and there are no impurities that could cause damage.

    The BMW Group’s home plant now manufactures an extensive portfolio of products, comprising not only the BMW i4 but also the combustion-powered and hybrid BMW 3 Series Sedan and Touring, the BMW M3 and the BMW 4 Series Gran Coupe. The scope of production is a testament not only to the plant’s flexibility but also to the outstanding skills of its associates.

    Digitalisation is progressing

    Increasing digitalisation plays an important part in BMW Group production. The whole of Plant Munich is currently being 3D-scanned in minute detail to obtain a full set of basic digital data of both the building and its systems. The scans are then processed and saved on the cloud so the data can be accessed from anywhere using an intuitive, browser-based tool. Several plants have already been fully 3D-scanned – Spartanburg and Regensburg among them – and Plant Dingolfing is undergoing the process at the moment. By the end of 2022, the structure of all the major car plants in the BMW Group production network will have been scanned, and digital data will be available for everyone.

    The BMW Group already utilises virtual planning tools to plan buildings and systems today. Axle pre-assembly for the BMW i4, for example, was planned with the Omniverse Nucleus platform, by NVIDIA. This converges data from the design and planning tools of various producers to create photorealistic real-time simulations in a single collaborative environment. The data from the 3D scans is also fed into the Omniverse platform.

    Other digital applications are used directly in production. Radio frequency identification (RFID), for example, allows parts to be identified and assigned contactlessly and automatically along the value chain, eliminating the need for manual scanning and ensuring the right one is fitted to the right car. RFID technology is already in use in seat production but has also made its way into various areas of vehicle assembly at Plant Munich. The smart labels required for it are attached to parts while they are still with suppliers or in BMW Group component production, ready for use in assembly. They are then picked up by line-side antennae that track every labelled component in every car. Digitalisation of this kind makes processes faster and more secure, and enhances efficiency and quality as a result.

    Reverse osmosis system cuts water consumption by six million litres

    Within the production system, the issue of sustainability is of fundamental importance, and the BMW Group has adopted a holistic approach to reducing CO2 emissions and minimising the use of resources. Between 2006 and 2020, resource consumption per car produced fell more than half, and CO2 emissions have dropped even further, by 78 percent. The aim is to reduce CO2 emissions per vehicle produced by another 80 percent by 2030. At Plant Munich some changes have been made and a series of new measures implemented. That’s why the plant now uses reverse osmosis to cut freshwater consumption. The system was integrated into production in the spring of this year and now treats water from the cathodic dip – where the base coat is applied to vehicles – so it can be re-used for the same stage of the process. The new system is expected to reduce total annual freshwater consumption by more than six million litres. Since 1997, BMW Group Plant Munich has been using groundwater from its own source on the plant campus. This provides enough to cover about half of the plant’s annual needs and makes a significant contribution towards saving valuable drinking water.

    New sustainability target: zero local emissions from transport logistics

    With a particular focus on reducing CO2 emissions, the BMW Group has also announced another goal to coincide with the production launch of the BMW i4: over the next few years, local emissions from transport logistics at Plant Munich will gradually fall to zero. This will be achieved mainly by making greater use of rail transport and battery-electric trucks. At the moment more than 750 truck deliveries are required daily for the delivery of parts. In the future the inner-city stretches of these journeys will be made by electric trucks. In addition, the share of vehicles leaving plant Munich by train will gradually increase from the current 50 percent. The ultimate aim is to eliminate emissions completely from transport logistics in the Munich area, but also to bring about significant cuts within a broader radius and from intercontinental transportation.

    Peter Weber, Director of BMW Group Plant Munich: “We are well aware that, owing to the city location of our production facility, we have a special responsibility. Our project to reduce COemissions at our home plant will have a major impact that’s positive both for the environment and for our immediate neighbourhood.”

    Since last year, all the energy sourced worldwide by the BMW Group has been green. For production of the BMW i4, for example, the environmental credentials of green energy were further enhanced by sourcing it directly from regional hydro-electric power stations. Furthermore, starting this year, the BMW Group is offsetting its remaining (Scope 1 + 2) COemissions from production. These are caused by combined heat and power generation and are fully offset worldwide with relevant carbon credits.

    The transformation and future focus of the home plant continue

    The integration of the BMW i4 into existing production structures came at an investment of €200 million. The i4 is an important trailblazer for the Neue Klasse, due for rollout in Munich and other plants around the middle of this decade, and designed purely for electric powertrains.

    The BMW Group first announced its plans to upgrade Plant Munich for electromobility less than a year ago: new vehicle assembly and bodyshop facilities were to be constructed, and engine production was to relocate to other parts of the production network. Since then, hundreds of associates have started working at other technologies or other facilities. By the end of this year, four-cylinder engine production will have relocated to Hams Hall, UK, and Steyr, Austria. The relocation of engine production as a whole from Munich will reach completion by 2024 at the latest.


    BMW PRESS

  • 20 Oct 2021 11:07 PM | Anonymous

    Retuned springs and dampers, precise tweaks to the chassis and an optimised soundtrack turn the BMW M premium compact model’s performance up another notch.

    BMW has honed the track-inspired characteristics of its four-cylinder high-performance model for the premium compact segment. Detail upgrades to its chassis components endow the BMW M135i xDrive (fuel consumption combined: 7.8 – 7.3 l/100 km [36.2 – 38.7 mpg imp] as per WLTP; CO2 emissions combined: 177 – 167 g/km as per WLTP) with noticeably enhanced performance qualities. And the retuned drive soundtrack in the cabin makes the driving experience even more emotionally engaging.

    The standout power of the 225 kW/306 hp four-cylinder unit with BMW TwinPower Turbo technology under the bonnet of the BMW M135i xDrive is harnessed more effectively than ever to produce the captivating dynamics and driving experience for which BMW is renowned. Detailed set-up modifications for the bespoke chassis technology result in even better mounting, ensuring precisely controllable driving characteristics even when pushing hard on the track. The optimised traction enables drivers to explore the car’s performance limits with confidence, especially when cornering at extremely high speeds.

    Sharper cornering dynamics thanks to optimised camber values, new mounts, and precision tuning of spring and damping systems.

    The camber values for the front wheels of the BMW M135i xDrive have been increased to optimise absorption of lateral forces when powering through corners. A new hydromount has additionally been used to attach the front suspension wishbones, while the mounts for the trailing and control arms at the rear axle have also been redesigned. At the same time, the spring and damping systems have undergone recalibration. The result is a significant improvement in roll behaviour in corners, which has a further beneficial effect on steering feel when the car’s sporting abilities are put to the test.

    This latest raft of modifications reinforces the commitment of the BMW M135i xDrive to delivering BMW’s hallmark driving pleasure. Its chassis technology combines with the engine’s extremely sporty performance characteristics and BMW xDrive intelligent all-wheel drive to create a flawlessly composed overall package for a richly engaging drive. The compact BMW M model comes as standard with near-actuator wheel slip limitation integrated into the engine control unit. The resultant shortening of the signal paths allows traction to be controlled up to ten times faster than with conventional systems when pulling away, on slippery surfaces and during dynamic cornering. The BMW M135i xDrive additionally benefits from a mechanical limited-slip differential at the front axle. Built into the car’s standard eight-speed Steptronic Sport transmission, it enhances traction and directional stability along with agility and cornering dynamics. With locking factors of 36 per cent when accelerating and 26 per cent on the overrun, the differential is capable of transferring extra torque to the front wheel with better grip as and when required. The customary Dynamic Stability Control (DSC) functions are complemented in the BMW M135i xDrive by Performance Control, which optimises the car’s steering behaviour with judicious applications of the brakes.

    Specially tuned M Sport steering and exceptionally powerful M Sport brakes can also be found on the standard equipment list for the BMW M135i xDrive. The compact sports car leaves the factory on 18-inch M light-alloy wheels as standard, with the option of 19-inch light-alloy items available in a variety of designs.

    Dramatic acoustic experience in the cabin.

    The twin-tailpipe exhaust system facilitates power delivery from the engine with its reduced backpressure, while also producing a characterful acoustic accompaniment. The distinctive, emotion-stirring sound is also transmitted into the interior, where it is carefully amplified through the audio system’s speakers.

    The revised soundtrack conveys the signature four-cylinder engine note of a BMW M model to those on board more authentically than ever. The instant response to every movement of the accelerator is translated into corresponding acoustic signals. From the powerful building of torque under acceleration through to the drop-off in load on the overrun, the power unit’s operating state is clearly discernible at all times. Starting the engine prompts a sound composition specially created for this model, adding another facet to the rich acoustic experience inside the car.

    New paint finishes for a high-impact look.

    A new selection of particularly striking paint finishes has been introduced to accompany the performance enhancements and underscore the individual character of the BMW M135i xDrive. BMW Individual paint finishes and special customer requests can also now be incorporated into the manufacturing process at BMW Group Plant Leipzig, where the compact model is built. The special colours require additional servicing and technical support work, with an increased number of manual processes. To cater for this, an existing paint shop was modified and the number of employees working there increased by ten.

    The BMW Individual paint finishes bring even greater visual impact to the high-performance model’s modern design language and bespoke styling features. New additions to the range of exterior colours for the BMW M135i xDrive include the M paint shade Sao Paulo Yellow non-metallic, as well as the Frozen Orange metallic and Frozen Pure Grey finishes.

    BMW PRESS

  • 20 Oct 2021 4:20 PM | Anonymous

    +++ Agreement with Swedish startup H2 Green Steel: first deliveries for Neue Klasse from 2025 +++ Up to 95% reduction in CO2 emissions compared to conventional methods +++ Delivery to BMW Group plants in Europe +++ Circular economy: Sheet metal remnants from BMW Group plants will be recycled and reused +++ Wendt: “Vital contribution to our goal of reducing CO2 emissions in our steel supply chain by about two million tonnes by 2030” +++

    The BMW Group continues to push forward with climate protection and is systematically pursuing its goal of significantly reducing CO2 emissions at their source in the supply chain. From 2025 on, the company plans to source steel produced with up to 95% less CO2 emissions and without requiring fossil resources such as coal. The BMW Group has now reached an agreement to this effect with the Swedish startup H2 Green Steel, which uses hydrogen and only green power from renewable energies for steel production. Owing to its particularly energy-intensive manufacturing process, steel production is considered one of the main sources of global CO2 emissions.

    “Our goal is to reduce CO2 emissions in our steel supply chain by about two million tonnes by 2030. Sourcing steel produced using hydrogen and green power can make a vital contribution to this,” says Dr Andreas Wendt, member of the Board of Management of BMW AG responsible for Purchasing and Supplier Network. “Steel is essential for producing cars and will be no less important for future vehicle generations. Innovative technologies that enable virtually carbon-free production of steel have a significant impact on our ability to reduce CO2 emissions in our steel supply chain.”

    Closed-loop material cycle

    In addition to the delivery of steel produced using green power, the BMW Group and H2 Green Steel have also agreed to create a closed-loop material cycle. H2 Green Steel will take back sheet metal remnants, such as those produced at press plants when doors are punched out, and will process them in such a way that they can be shipped back to the plants as new steel rolls, also known as steel coils. In this way, raw materials can be used multiple times in a circular economy and natural resources protected. Since it requires less energy to produce, secondary steel lowers CO2 emissions by an average of 50-80%, compared to primary material.

    The BMW Group is already using between 20% and 100% secondary steel in its vehicles and will continue to increase this percentage in the future. BMW Group press plants in Europe process more than half a million tonnes of steel per year.

    Ideal location in northern Sweden

    H2 Green Steel is building its steel production site in the province of Norrbotten in northern Sweden, close to the Arctic Circle. The region is best known for its reindeer and spectacular northern lights, but also provides access to high-quality iron ore, plentiful energy from renewable sources such as hydroelectric and wind power, a major seaport and generations of steel production know-how.

    Unlike conventional processes that rely on coke for making steel, the company employs hydrogen produced using green power to remove the oxygen from the iron oxide. This so-called direct reduction of iron ore produces almost no CO2 at all, only water – thereby avoiding 95% of the CO2 emissions normally produced. The specially built hydrogen power plant, which uses water and green power from across the region, will be directly integrated into the steel production plant. The company also uses local green power for the remainder of the manufacturing process.

    BMW Group to source Northvolt battery cells from the same region from 2024 on

    Swedish company Northvolt, which develops and produces battery cells for electric cars, is also exploiting the potential for green power in the north of Sweden.

    Last year, the BMW Group signed a long-term battery-cell supply contract with Northvolt. The battery cells will be produced in Europe at the Northvolt gigafactory currently under construction in Skellefteå in northern Sweden from 2024. The company will use only green electricity from local wind and hydroelectric power to produce the battery cells.

    Neue Klasse poised to set new standards

    From 2025 onwards, the BMW Group will be realigning its product range – which has grown successfully over decades –on the basis of the Neue Klasse. The Neue Klasse will be characterised by three key aspects: a completely redefined IT and software architecture, a new generation of high-performance electric drive trains and batteries and a radically new level of sustainability across the entire vehicle lifecycle. These strands are interwoven within an overall vehicle architecture that has been uncompromisingly optimised for electric drive trains, setting a new benchmark in terms of digitisation and electrification, while at the same time ensuring that the characteristic flair of a typical BMW is transferred to future vehicle generations. 

    Active commitment to environmental and social standards in the steel supply chain

    As part of its involvement with the not-for-profit organisation ResponsibleSteel, the BMW Group actively participated in establishing environmental and social standards throughout the entire steel value chain, starting at the mine. This sustainability standard for production sites in the steel industry was published in 2019 as part of a multi-stakeholder process and now forms the basis for certification. ResponsibleSteel is the steel industry’s first global multi-stakeholder standard and certification initiative.

    BMW PRESS

  • 14 Oct 2021 7:57 PM | Anonymous

    Event date: 12 October 2021

    The evening was held by Zoom. Jo had a fantastic power point presentation giving an outline of what was to be discussed. Presenters spoke about different aspects of motor sport officials.

    Mark Thompson from the Victorian Flagmarshalling Team (VFT), gave a comprehensive talk about all the aspects of flag marshalling including details of what each flag represented. This part of the presentation should be compulsory for all competitors as the comprehensive information would assist all racing on the tracks to understand what is seen by officials close to the track. The information would help all drivers understand how they fit onto the track.

    Scrutineering was discussed by both Geoff Riddle and Graeme Bell and the talk was specific in that you did not have to be a mechanic to be able to be part of this team. An eye for detail is needed with expert help always by your side. Specialists can check the special requirements for each individual class.

    Rescue and medical are the areas that require prior knowledge in their field such as medical training for medical.

    There are levels of officials culminating in bronze, silver and gold. The training is recognised Internationally, and all are insured while on the job. FIA registration as an official means you can work worldwide.

    The main aspect was the importance of officials and the need for new blood.  It is an area where you meet fantastic and dedicated people.

    A special thanks to the organisers of the evening – their commitment and excitement at being an official stood out.

    Chris Allen | Member #770
    BMW Drivers Club Melbourne 



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