On the first weekend in June there is another highlight in store for the BMW Motorrad World Endurance Team in the FIM Endurance World Championship (FIM EWC): the return of motorcycle endurance racing to Spa-Francorchamps (BEL). The 24H SPA EWC Motos from 2nd to 5th June marks the second event of the season in the FIM EWC 2022 and are also the home race for the team headed by Team Manager Werner Daemen.
In preparation for the 24-hour race, the BMW Motorrad World Endurance Team took part in two days of testing at the Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps on Tuesday and Wednesday. The team, with riders Markus Reiterberger (GER), Ilya Mikhalchik (UKR), Jérémy Guarnoni and Kenny Foray (both FRA), worked on various electronics and chassis solutions for the #37 BMW M 1000 RR and completed some comprehensive tyre tests. The riders also had the opportunity to familiarise themselves with the circuit.
Overall, the testing was successful - and the riders were able to prove just how fast the #37 BMW M 1000 RR can go. On both days, the BMW Motorrad World Endurance Team not only set the fastest times but also new lap records; on Tuesday with a time of 2:20.887 minutes and on Wednesday with 2:20.344 minutes. Both times were set by Reiterberger.
Werner Daemen, Team Manager BMW Motorrad World Endurance Team: “The test went really well. We set the overall fastest lap time and also the average speed was really good. We tested a lot with tyres, brakes and everything and to be honest, it looks good. But now we have to make the same in the race. The race pace was good. We had very hot weather, it even was a bit too hot for our bike, but that’s okay. It was a good preparation for the race.”
Markus Reiterberger: “That was some excellent testing, with fastest times and new lap records. I felt really good from the very first lap. We completed a comprehensive testing schedule. However, the circuit is challenging and provides so many variants and lines that we riders had to get used to it all first. We improved lap by lap, and at the end of day one I was able to post a new lap record with 2:20.887 minutes. We then did even better than that on the second day. I am very happy, particularly because my pace on used race tyres was very good. The team did a fantastic job. I am certainly feeling very confident. The circuit is superb, our motivation knows no limits and we are all set for the race.”
Ilya Mikhalchik: “The test was quite okay. Actually, I did not have my best feeling on the bike because I still don’t know the track 100 per cent and need a few more laps and more time on this track, but we will have the time for that during free practice in the race week. Overall, the team did a good job. The bike is really good and now I am looking forward to the race. Let’s fight for a top result and enjoy this beautiful circuit!”
Jérémy Guarnoni: “For me, it was the first time riding at the Spa circuit and it was a great experience. The track is really nice, completely amazing, but it is not easy to get fast. I am quite happy with the lap time I did and of course I still can improve a lot. The bike was really good, especially for a stint and also the tyres worked really well. So we will try to further improve in the race and give our best.”
Kenny Foray: “For me, it was a short test but I was happy to ride here because it is always great to ride at Spa. The bike is ready, everything is ready, so now I hope that the team can get a good result in the race.”
BMW PRESS
Month in review.
Dear members,
What a busy month April was! To go with it, we had some beautiful autumn weather before the cold really started to arrive.
On 2 April we kicked off the month with our International Women’s Day at Broadford, supported by Makulu Vehicle Storage who donated an encouragement award, which went to Stephen Wesson for most improved on the day. We had quite a few new drivers attend, who were all supported by many officials from the VFT and BMWDCM teams. Thank you to the volunteers and instructors who attended! Thanks to you many members had a fantastic day.
____________________
On 6 April we had 20 BMWs bump into the Australian Grand Prix for our annual display. It was so great to be able to do this after two years of no Formula 1 in Melbourne. We had a fantastic cross section of age and class of cars, giving the public a really great display to admire. We were placed next to E30 Racing so with 10 E30 race cars, we put on a great show.
On 12 April we held our April members meeting at one of our members private collections. It was a real honour to be able to share Malcolm's eclectic collection with our members. Thanks very much to Malcolm for having us!
Over Easter, we held our annual Good Friday display in support of the Royal Children's Hospital Appeal. Thanks very much to Christopher George from Flavours Patisserie who opened up for us to enjoy your coffee and treats.
We then had a great selection of cars attend the Flinders Motoring Heritage Display. Despite the very windy conditions, we had a great day in support of the Flinders Lyons Club who raised over $40,000.
Over ANZAC weekend, a group of members went away for a trip to Lakes Entrance. Jo had planned so many fun activities for us, including a trip to the Buchan Caves, a private boat cruise for lunch, dolphin watching and a dawn service on ANZAC morning.
We finished our month with our birthday and annual presentation dinner at the Park Royal, Monash. Our theme was famous people from the past or the silver screen. It was so much fun and great to see so many people dress up on the night! We also raised $640 for The Smith Family through the sale of raffle tickets, with many people walking away with prizes on the night.
MEMBERSHIP UPDATE: 737 MEMBERS
Welcome to our new members Brian Randall, Mert Tetik, Clive Meaby, Will Hughes, Mark Walsh, Rex Xu, Aaron Schramm, Simon Withington, Nilojan Tharmarajah, Georgia Suttie, Brent Young, Chris Liu, Jennifer Rose, Robert Wilson, Neil Searle, Mitchell Bergman, Anthony Corsetti, Jenny Guice, Graham Annells and Jessie Keogh. 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 May:
Tuesday, 10 May May Members Meeting - Adex Detailing Join us this evening for a fun and informative night with club sponsor, Adex Detailing. Thursday, 12 May - Monday, 16 May Bathurst 12 Hour Finally, our annual trip to the Bathurst 12 Hour returns! We hope those who are attending have a fantastic time. Sunday, 15 May National Motoring Heritage Day Drive to Phillip Island Join us for a drive in a progressive convoy to Phillip Island Grand Prix Circuit, put our cars on display and watch some racing. Many of our members will be competing in the E30 Racing Championship. Sunday, 15 May Mailing Road, Autoclassico This event will focuses on displaying classic, historic, and modern exotics consistent with the unique characteristics of the event. Sunday, 22 May Otway Fly DriveWe're going to drive to the top of the trees! A day out, for all the family. Starting from the services on the Geelong Ring Road we'll drive for approximately 1.5 hours through part of the splendour which is the Otway Forest to the Otway Fly arriving at about 11:45am.
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.
Club Permits.
We are finding an increasing number of members leave renewing their Club Permit registrations until the last minute, which sometimes results in members having to get a new roadworthy certificate.
The best option is for you to use the online system through a MyVicRoads account (see option 1 under Renewals on our Club Permits page).
Taking this option means you are not required to get a physical signature and is quicker for you and easier for us. Instead of us signing the renewal form, we sign a Club Endorsement Form, which you send to us by email. This can be done any time after you receive the renewal reminder.
In fact, no matter which option you choose, the paperwork can be completed any time after the renewal is received. There is no need to wait. Once the paperwork is completed, you can then pay for the permit at your leisure (within the expiry period).
Please remember that all club officials are acting in a volunteer capacity, even if conducted during business hours at a business premises - club work is not paid work and may be preventing paid work from being done.
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.
International Women's Day Come and Try Day | Broadford
Surest way to put a smile on your dial!
April Members Meeting | Big Mal's Car Collection
Australian Grand Prix
BMWDCM Fourth Birthday & Presentation Dinner
BMW around the globe.
Motorsport Australia.
From the Welfare Team.
Being humble means recognizing that we are not on earth to see how important we can become, but to see how much difference we can make in the lives of others.
Click here for more Welfare Team updates and their contact details.
Classifieds.
Have you seen our classifieds page?
Want to sell something? Looking for a specific item? Email us today to list your car/parts/anything BMW related!
idrive magazine.
Everyone has their own BMW story - we'd love to share yours.
Email us to feature in our very own idrive magazine.
Club partners.
Members are welcome to submit their business to be shared on the Club Partners page on our website and idrive magazine. We believe in supporting those who support us. If you would like your business listed email us with your details.
As always - thanks for reading, we look forward to seeing you at an event soon!
President | Graeme Bell 0407 186 296 Vice President | Jo Mawson 0412 661 900 Secretary | Lawrence Glynn 0414 563 290 Treasurer | Shaaron Glynn
Proudly supported by: All Commercial/All Residential Real Estate Adex Detailing
Bell Motorsport
Berwick BMW
BM Tech
Creative Custom Cars German Auto Haus
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Waverley BMW
Apologies for this report being so late but April and May are so jammed packed and I have just been so busy with work, club stuff and life in general.
What a beautiful month we have just had though, with amazing Autumn weather throughout April, you just wouldn’t want to be anywhere else, would you? And with so many events to choose from there is something for everyone.
2 April, was our International Women’s Day at Broadford, supported by Makulu Vehicle Storage who donated an encouragement award, which went to Stephen Wesson for Most Improved on the day. This event, like all our come and try days, was well supported with officials from VFT and BMWDCM and we had a fabulous turn out of new and more experience drivers. Thank you to all the volunteers who make these days work so well and also to all the instructors who spent the day helping our new inexperienced drivers get so much out of their day.
On 6 April we had 20 BMWs bump into the Australian Grand Prix Display, which was so great to be able to do this after 2 years of lockdown. We had a fantastic cross section of age and class of cars, giving the public a really great display to admire. We were placed next to E30 Racing, so with 10 of their cars, this really did make a great exhibit. We had so many people come and talk to us about both clubs and had a few new members join from seeing us there, so welcome to those new members.
Jo and I also attended the BMW Clubs Australia AGM in Melbourne so we were busy trying to be present at both events. Unfortunately Sunday’s meeting ran late so we were unable to get to the track to watch the race but we did have a large TV screen available to watch it on.
Being an Official BMW Club means we are a part of the largest manufacturer supported club network in the world. This means that you are all members of not just our club, but you are a member of the world-wide BMW Club network. One of the benefits of this is that you have reciprocal membership with every Official BMW Club in the world too and this can mean lots of benefits if you like traveling and going to events or meeting people from other clubs and countries. Because it is all supported and run by BMW in Munich you also have access to special things from BMW if you are ever in Munich. So if you are planning on going to Munich or anywhere else for that matter, let us know and we can put you in touch with BMW Classic for a tour or even a loan car, if available, or hook you up with a club where ever you are heading to. We have already had a member drop in to BMW Classic in Munich and meet Eva and see our name up on the Honour Wall for being awarded the Best BMW Club in 2021.
If you have any questions about what it means to be an Official BMW Club, or the International BMW Club network, just drop me a line and I can answer all your questions.
On 12 April was our April members meeting, which we held at one of our members private collections. This was a real honour to be able to share Malcolm's eclectic collection with our members - thank you Malcolm, all who attended really enjoyed the night.
On 15 April, Good Friday, we had our Royal children’s Hospital Coffee & Cars meet in Beaumaris where we supported Christopher George, the owner of Flavours Patisserie who opened for us to enjoy his wonderful treats on the day. We had over 70 cars turn up and some of the locals even went home and washed their BMW’s and brought them along, what a fun morning with families bringing their children along to support what has become an annual event for us and one we are very passionate about. We raised over $1600 which is brilliant for a coffee and cars morning. Thank you to all who gave so generously, with all proceeds going to the Royal Children’s Hospital Appeal.
On 17 April, Easter Sunday, was another annual event we all love to support. That is Flinders Motoring Heritage Display and again we were not disappointed with our display with a great selection of cars showing of the years. This event is run by the Flinders Lyons Club in support of Peninsula Health and other local charities. This year we helped them raise in excess of $40,000. Another very proud moment and thank you again to all who attended and gave so generously.
23-25 April was our Anzac weekend away in Lakes Entrance. The weather was just amazing and what a brilliant weekend was had by all who attended. As we drove past the Sale Airforce Base, our Jo had arranged for a fly over from the roulettes, which was just stunning. Even if it’s a bit hard to drive the back roads and watch them do aerobatics… They followed us for about 30 minutes darting from side to side and at one stage heading straight for us. Just amazing.
Jo also arranged some brilliant activities for us all to do, Sunday we all explored the Buchan Caves and there were some furry friends in the picnic ground, to the delight of all young and older members.
On Anzac morning, most of our members attended the dawn service which was very moving. Then at 10.30am we all boarded a private boat cruise which took us through the lakes to Metung for lunch. Again we were treated to a spot of dolphin watching, with approximately 12 dolphins just frolicking Infront of our boat. There was an amazing display of bird life too and after our wonderful lunch at Metung we also got to see a Crested Eagle and a few seals sunning themselves on the rocks. These events are so good for new and older members to get to know other members and it was so lovely to have lots of children attending and enjoying this weekend away.
We feel so honoured that families bring their children on our trips away, we also had a learner driver who did a brilliant job of keeping up with the convoys through the countryside. As always, a huge thank you to Peter Williams, our Drive Co-ordinator that finds these amazing roads for us to explore and enjoy.
On 27 April I had an extremely proud dad moment, with my daughter Jess, our Editor and webmaster being admitted to the Supreme Court. This has been a long hard 8 years for Jess but still she has helped us with producing our wonderful magazine each year, as well as looking after the website and all the back end that makes us look so good. There are not enough words for me to express how proud I am of you, Jess, you are just amazing.
29 April was our monthly catch up with BMW Munich, but unfortunately last month there was a miscommunication with the timing of the event with clocks being changed both here and in Munich, most of us all logged in too late. We will make sure we have the time correct for the May catch up.
30 April our last event for the month was our Presentation Dinner. This was held at the Park Royal in Monash, which is only a few years old and a brilliant venue for events like this. Our theme for the night was famous people from the past or the silver screen and we had some absolutely amazing costumes on the night. We held a raffle with some brilliant prizes, generously donated from Sonax, Sirene Sea Pearls, German Auto Haus, Celebration Cellars, Waverley BMW, Revolution Racegear and Bell Motorsport. We also raised $640 for The Smith family on raffle ticket sales. Well done everyone who gave so generously and also well done to all the award winners on the night. We had some very worthy winners.
May is another jammed packed month, check out our calendar here for more details:
Other events to put in your calendar so as not miss out on are:
As with all our events, unless specified, all are welcome, members and non-members and we even allow non-BMWs to attend most of our events. There are only a few selected events through the year that we ask for either members only or BMW’s only, but these are spelt out in the event notice. Otherwise, we are a very inclusive club, we love you coming along, no matter what you drive or who you bring, and this is one of the things that makes this club so successful.
Above, you would have seen our Driver Training Day at Sandown. We will need volunteers for this to make the day successful, if you are interested in helping out in any form, please email Meg at officials@bmwdcm.com.au and let her know what area you will be happy to help out in. We encourage all our volunteers to go to the Motorsport Australia website and complete and general officials course and obtain a Working With Children’s Check too.
Jo and I will be taking a well-earned break for the last week of May. From the 20 May until 1 June. We will be out of the country, soaking up some South Pacific Sunshine and recharging our batteries. So any Club Plate renewals will need to be sent to Lawrence via our new renewals email address: cpsrenewals@bmwdcm.com.au and any other club related questions will also need to be answered by Lawrence while we are away either by email to secretary@bmwdcm.com.au or phone on 0414 563 290.
We will have our phones with us and our computers, but they will be off most of the day and we will only turn them on if we are feeling like doing some work in the evenings. Please make sure all your club stuff is done before the 19 May if you want to see either Jo or I.
Remember your committee are just volunteers and we can only do so much, so please be patient with email and phone calls, as we all have lives too, well some of us do. LOL. Also, if you are wanting to help out in any way, we would love to hear from you and remember that at our next AGM you have the opportunity to come on board and make this club even better than it is by joining the Committee.
As always, drive safe and I look forward to seeing you at an event somewhere 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
Event date: 30 April 2022
Time has flown by and it's now that time of year, the 2022 4th Birthday Celebration and Awards Presentation Dinner for BMW Drivers Club Melbourne!!
This years awards night was a themed silver screen dress code for a bit of fun, which I'll admit, I'm not a fan of themed things, but our darling Vice President Jo mentioned "Tim, you can go as Odd Job from James Bond". My first thought was, oh boy what idea Jo giving me, but once I googled Odd Job, I thought that looks simple enough, I run with that. And I thought unlike my pityful attempt at dressing up as the alien creature from Men In Black during my time in Shanghai for a school performance, I wanted to make more of an effort as dressing up this time!
The location was perfect for me too; at the ParkRoyal Monash 15 minutes from home, so I was only too happy to attend (not like I ever wasn't going to be honest, regardless of the location).
Festivities kicked off with pre drinks in the hotel foyer before we all got seated, with about five to six people at each table. Our President Graeme Bell made a fantastic introduction followed by something different, a trivia. There were 3 rounds consisting of questions about movies, movies with a BMW element and lastly questions about members in the club. Our table scored 20/40, not bad considering some of the questions weren't easy!
We had a delicious 2 course meal alternating between Roasted chicken breast with baked potatoes or grass fed eye fillet steak and mash pototo. Dessert was either chocolate cake or lemon meringue tart. All very yummy.
A big part of the night is the awards and I was surprised to be awarded the 2022 Member of the Year award. What a pleasant surprise, as I wasn't expecting that at all!
Congratulations to Shannon Cooper, Shane McKenzie, Jess Bell and all the other award recipients as well!
Most importantly, Thank You to Graeme, Jo, Lawrence and Shaaron for organising and putting on another fantastic presentation night, it was a great evening. And also Thank You to all the sponsors of club for your generous donations for the raffle.
Tim Oh | Member #538 BMW Drivers Club Melbourne
It’s the master plan for the automotive production of tomorrow: The BMW iFACTORY production strategy defines the future orientation of plants and production technologies at the BMW Group and meets the challenges of the transformation to e-mobility. “Automotive manufacturing of the future requires a new, holistic way of thinking. With our BMW iFACTORY, we are leading the way and setting new standards in flexibility, efficiency, sustainability and digitalisation,” said Milan Nedeljković, Member of the Board of Management of BMW AG, responsible for Production.
Over the last few decades, the BMW Group has considered itself the benchmark for innovative, flexible and efficient production technologies in vehicle manufacturing. And it is from this level that the company is now redefining operational excellence. The strategic vision of the global production network is the BMW iFACTORY. LEAN. GREEN. DIGITAL., with its integrative, global approach. “The BMW iFACTORY is not a one-off showpiece but an approach we will implement at all our plants in the future – from our 100-year-old home plant in Munich to our forthcoming plant in Debrecen, Hungary,” said Milan Nedeljković.
The BMW iFACTORY focuses the BMW Group’s production expertise on three key topic areas: LEAN, which stands for efficiency, precision and extreme flexibility, GREEN, for sustainability, resource-efficiency and circularity, and DIGITAL, for the active use of digitalisation in data science, artificial intelligence (AI) and virtualisation. As always at the BMW Group, the holistic approach of the BMW iFACTORY is underpinned by the consistently high standard of flexibility, launch expertise and integration capability in the company’s production system.
The BMW Group’s production network is on the cusp of a fundamental transformation: the Neue Klasse, due for production launch in 2025, is based on a completely new vehicle architecture. With its clear focus on the all-electric drive, it sets the conditions for future vehicle generations to be manufactured efficiently and in line with the company’s profitability and quality goals. The BMW iFACTORY is now set to strengthen the proven success factors of the global production network. Board Member for Production Milan Nedeljković: “Our production network has three key strengths: maximum flexibility, excellent processes and outstanding integration capabilities. We are the absolute benchmark in all three. And they are the focal points of our BMW iFACTORY.” The key topic of LEAN is about highly flexible, efficient production through streamlined processes in competitive structures.
Flexibility remains the key competitive advantage of BMW Group production, now and in the future – and in several respects: The company’s production structures are so flexible that a single production line can produce different drive types and vehicle models. They also set the standard in terms of rapid responsiveness and adaptability, absorbing supply bottlenecks and shortages comparatively spontaneously and reacting quickly to fluctuations in demand. And for customers, this flexibility means they can change certain elements of their vehicle configuration up to six days before the production date.
The aim of the BMW iFACTORY is to use even more meaningful real-time data from throughout the production process to control global manufacturing more closely and transparently achieve the fastest possible response times. This will enhance not only volume and market planning but also supply chain and inventory management and support targeted work on quality as well.
Avoiding consumption, saving resources and using state-of-the-art technologies: With the BMW iFACTORY, the focus on sustainable production is stronger than ever, reaffirming the BMW Group’s position as the most sustainable manufacturer of premium automobiles. “Environmental, economic and social responsibility are inseparable, and we strive to achieve all three not only in the product itself but along the entire value chain. By 2030 we aim to reduce CO2 emissions from production by 80 percent compared to 2019,” explained Board Member for Production Milan Nedeljković.
With its new plant in Debrecen, Hungary – where production of the all-electric Neue Klasse will launch in 2025 – the BMW Group is entering a new era in sustainable automotive production. “Our plans are for Plant Debrecen to be the first automotive plant in the world to dispense completely with fossil energy sources in its production processes,” said Nedeljković. “Debrecen will be our first CO2-free vehicle plant and puts us clearly at the vanguard of developments in this regard.”
A significant share of the plant’s electricity will be generated directly on site. The remainder will be covered by 100 percent renewables, the vast majority of which will come from regional sources. Nedeljković: “Our contribution to the energy transition makes not only environmental but also business sense because our approach ensures stable prices and secure supplies.”
Another element of sustainable production is consistent circularity. Wherever possible, production materials and resources will be reused. Metal offcuts and filings from milling, for example, will be recycled and reused, while waste heat from cooling will be fed into a circuit to heat indoor spaces and water.
Saving resources significantly benefits the company economically – but smart, effective solutions also make production at the BMW Group unique in terms of environmental credentials. Examples of the technologies realising our commitment include the resource-saving wet-in-wet painting process (IPP) and the use of direct current in car body construction for the very first time.
The energy that powers the BMW Group’s plants around the world is sourced purely from renewables. As Plant Leipzig develops into a centre of excellence for hydrogen, the company’s facilities worldwide are becoming increasingly independent of third-party energy suppliers or other external influences. This is enabled by a combination of self-generated and stored energy with flexible load profiles throughout production. Here, the latest digital methods and comprehensive systems ensure maximum transparency and support the consistent reduction of energy consumption as well as the needs-based use of renewables on the basis of accurate forecasts.
A further key issue in the field of climate protection is biodiversity. The variety of flora and fauna at BMW Group sites worldwide is being promoted through targeted, region-specific measures, from beehives and falcons to meadow orchards.
Meanwhile, to support GREEN logistics both within and outside the plants, the BMW iFACTORY adopts an open-minded approach to technologies, focusing on environmentally sustainable concepts. Within the next few years, for example, increased use of rail transport and electric trucks will mean zero local emissions from transport logistics at Plant Munich.
Customised premium vehicles, delighted customers, excellent quality and on-time delivery have always been the goal of digitalisation at the BMW Group. “The BMW iFACTORY is advancing digitalisation by taking data consistency to a completely new level along the entire value chain and across every one of our process chains. We use digital innovations to create effective use cases in production – because for us, innovation and efficiency go hand in hand,” emphasised Milan Nedeljković.
Production at the BMW Group uses the latest technologies to link all the relevant product, process, quality and cost data between development, planning and production processes. The main focus here is on applications from the fields of virtualisation, data science and artificial intelligence.
Virtualisation plays an important role within the BMW iFACTORY strategy model. In a first step, every detail of all the BMW Group’s production sites is being recorded in a 3D scan. In this way, planning work can be carried out virtually at any time and from anywhere. In the next logical step, a virtual representation – or digital twin – is created of each factory in its entirety. This can then be used by planning specialists in real-time collaborations across different locations and time zones. This approach takes the planning of all structures, production plants and even individual processes to a completely new level. It allows virtual products to be integrated into the factory early on, for example, and significantly reduces planning work further down the line. It also allows investments to be otimised and enhances process efficiency and the stability of product launches.
In partnerships like the one with NVIDIA, the BMW Group combines its pioneering spirit and process expertise with cutting-edge technologies. Applications and augmented and virtual reality support employee training for future processes and technologies, and digital production system planning allows global partners to be integrated into the value chain early on.
Meanwhile, data science provides the foundations for fact-, figure- and (real-time) data-based decision-making. Consistent, transparent data allows the root causes to be identified quickly and proactively so that processes can be optimised. BMW Group production is already an industry pioneer in the effective use of AI and currently uses more than 200 AI-based applications. The technology allows various logistics and production processes to be automated for better quality assurance. In addition, standardised platforms and self-services mean solutions can be scaled rapidly for application across all technologies and locations.
At the heart of the BMW iFACTORY are the people who create it. Future-focused and highly qualified, the BMW Group’s workforce is ensuring a competitive and successful transformation. The Production division is investing heavily and with foresight in upskilling staff for quality, logistics, maintenance, e/e, e-mobility and digital planning. Thanks to state-of-the-art instruction methods, employees benefit from electronic training programmes that leave them free to train independently and on their own initiative. Extensive additional development options are also available to help them maintain and enhance their skills. More than 50,000 BMW Group employees have already undergone the training they need to work in electromobility.
The key factors behind the transformation of BMW Group production are the developments in the automotive market and specifications around climate change. The BMW Group is already doubling its production of electric vehicles in 2022, having delivered more than 35,000 fully electric cars to customers in the first quarter alone. At the same time, the latest technical innovations are supporting the company as it contributes significantly to climate protection and sustainability. Milan Nedeljkovic: “The BMW iFACTORY delivers not only on the increasing customer demand for electric vehicles but also on our desire, as a member of society, to support climate protection and sustainability. We are using digitalisation to make this happen – while remaining absolutely competitive.”
The BMW Group has acquired a stake in its partner Kinexon. The two companies have been working together for several years in order to advance the comprehensive digitalisation of the BMW Group production network. The premium carmaker announced on Tuesday that it has now acquired a minority stake in the innovative, Munich-based software company through its own venture capital company, BMW i Ventures.
In order to improve steering of highly complex processes in automotive manufacturing, the integrated IPS-i software platform was developed in collaboration with Kinexon. This platform can record a wide variety of position data (RFID, UWB, RTLS, GPS) and transfer it into its digital twin. On this virtual basis, the software recognizes, observes and automates a broad variety of manufacturing and logistics processes with utmost precision.
Thus, the innovative platform makes light work of keeping a digital overview of highly complex processes. In car manufacturing, some ten thousands of components have to be available at exactly the right place on the production line, right beside the tools that will be used – and all of them just in time. The new, state-of-the-art operating system orchestrates the second-by-second application accordingly.
Kinexon’s high-precision real-time locating systems are also designed for use in competitive sports and applied by numerous sport clubs of FiFA and NBA which record the movement data of athletes and their equipment through wearables. This allows the position data, tactics, movement patterns and performance of top sportspeople and entire teams to be analysed and targeted measures introduced to improve them.
“Automotive production at the BMW Group is a lot like top-flight sport in that it’s about high-performance processes. The real-time locating platform IPS-i forms the backbone for fully digitalising our production. It’s an innovative operating system that makes our highly complex manufacturing processes transparent and raises efficiency in production even further. We are now intensifying our well-established, long-standing partnership with Kinexon by acquiring a stake in them,” said Milan Nedeljković, Board Member for Production at BMW AG. “Together, we want to set new standards in digital production steering.”
The IPS-i platform has been in use at the BMW Group since 2017 and operates in ten plants around the world. It forms the basis of numerous digitalisation projects, allowing the BMW Group – a pioneer in digital process optimisation and automation – to develop innovative production where efficiency and quality come first.
The IPS-i platform also allows logistics processes to be controlled and will be rolled out in further plants in the future. In 2021 its holistic location-based service architecture was nominated for the German Innovation Award.
The BMW Group and Kinexon GmbH have agreed not to disclose any acquisition details.
KINEXON is a global technology leader that develops groundbreaking software and connected devices for the Internet of Things (IoT). KINEXON Industries implements specialized real-time IoT solutions for Industry 4.0, in order to capture, analyze and automate manufacturing and logistics processes for industry leaders such as BMW and Continental. More than 400 teams and leagues worldwide rely on KINEXON Sports & Media in the areas of performance tracking, analytics, and fan engagement. Headquartered in Munich, Germany, KINEXON has grown to more than 300 employees across offices in Munich and Chicago. For more information, visit www.kinexon.com.
With its four brands BMW, MINI, Rolls-Royce and BMW Motorrad, the BMW Group is the world’s leading premium manufacturer of automobiles and motorcycles and also provides premium financial and mobility services. The BMW Group production network comprises 31 production and assembly facilities in 15 countries; the company has a global sales network in more than 140 countries.
In 2021, the BMW Group sold over 2.5 million passenger vehicles and more than 194,000 motorcycles worldwide. The profit before tax in the financial year 2021 was € 16.1 billion on revenues amounting to € 111.2 billion. As of 31 December 2021, the BMW Group had a workforce of 118,909 employees.
The success of the BMW Group has always been based on long-term thinking and responsible action. The company set the course for the future at an early stage and consistently makes sustainability and efficient resource management central to its strategic direction, from the supply chain through production to the end of the use phase of all products.
BMW i Ventures is the BMW Group’s venture capital firm, investing money and resources in startups in the fields of transportation, manufacturing, supply chain and sustainability. The firm has made many successful investments over the years in companies such as Chargepoint, Graphcore, Proterra, Solid Power, Tekion, Turntide, Xometry and many more. BMW i Ventures invests in all stages from seed to growth with a focus on Series A/B.
BMW is leading the luxury segment into a new era that will be shaped by innovations in the fields of sustainability and digitalisation. With the new BMW 7 Series, the world’s most successful manufacturer of premium vehicles is creating forward-looking ways to enjoy driving pleasure, unsurpassed long-distance comfort and a top-end digital experience. Central to this reinterpretation is the BMW i7. The all-electric luxury sedan is a fully integrated member of the model family and clearly demonstrates how an exclusive driving experience and the ultimate feeling of on-board wellbeing can be combined with an unwavering commitment to sustainability.
The generation change at the pinnacle of BMW’s model range is wrapped up in a new definition of luxury that focuses on the individual and their personal attitudes, needs and emotions. In addition to presence, elegance and exclusive premium quality, there is a progressive approach characterised by innovations that directly enhance the user experience, wide-ranging connectivity and standard-setting sustainability of the car. In this way, the new BMW 7 Series has been designed to meet the needs of a modern target group that sees itself as committed to meeting challenges in a responsible manner – and one that views personal mobility as a way to experience unique moments in everyday life and on trips away.
The new BMW 7 Series incorporates a modern style that focuses on the essentials in its exterior and interior design. The front-end design for BMW vehicles in the luxury segment is dominated by features that are typical of the brand, but a clear distinction is maintained between these models and the others in the BMW range. Innovative features such as the BMW Theatre Screen, the multi-sensory vehicle experience BMW iDrive with the latest generation of BMW Operating System 8, plus the BMW Curved Display and the Manoeuvre Assistant for automated parking and manoeuvring, highlight the progressive character of the luxury sedan. In addition to the enhanced level of comfort and the unique in-car entertainment system, the Executive Lounge option for the rear with optimised reclining seat position and new BMW Individual Merino leather/cashmere wool interior trim takes a pioneering route to maximising wellbeing inside the car.
45 years on from the debut of the BMW 7 Series, the seventh model generation takes to the stage as the most advanced and innovative vehicle in the luxury segment. At the same time, the new edition captures the imagination with an overall design coherence unmatched by any rival. The BMW 7 Series is therefore once again a symbol of the BMW Group’s innovative strength.
The world premiere of the new BMW 7 Series in April 2022 and its global market launch starting in November 2022 are the key milestones in the brand’s current model offensive in the luxury segment.
The new BMW 7 Series was designed from the ground up for particularly demanding target groups in a globalised marketplace. This is also reflected in a market-specific drive system portfolio that includes exclusive offerings for China – as the company’s most important sales region – and a diesel model for Europe.
The new generation of luxury sedans from BMW opens up a whole new dimension in spaciousness. Unlike its predecessors, the new BMW 7 Series will be available worldwide exclusively as a long-wheelbase model that maximises space in the rear. Different facets of its character are defined by the use of specific design features and drive system variants. The new BMW 7 Series range also includes models from the BMW i and BMW M brands, which allow its myriad characteristics – from elegant, modern and sustainable to expressive, sporty and dynamic – to be brought prominently to the fore.
The new BMW 7 Series now offers a choice of combustion engines, plug-in hybrid systems and all-electric drive for the first time ever. The degree of diversity in the drive system portfolio is based on a newly developed flexible vehicle architecture and is an expression of a global model strategy for the new edition of the BMW 7 Series. This enables the BMW Group to take into consideration a customer’s individual needs, infrastructure factors and legal regulations in all relevant automotive markets around the world. The market launch in Europe will initially feature only the BMW i7. In the USA, China and other selected sales regions, two models will be offered at market launch in addition to the all-electric variant, each equipped with a petrol engine and 48V mild hybrid technology.
Plug-in hybrid variants of the new BMW 7 Series are expected to follow in numerous markets from the beginning of 2023. These will include the first BMW M model with a six-cylinder in-line petrol engine and plug-in hybrid drive system. A model variant with a diesel engine and 48V mild hybrid technology will be added to the range in Europe just after the market launch. Further variants of the all-electric BMW i7, including the future top-of-the-line BMW i7 M70 xDrive, will be made available at a later stage.
As was the case with all its predecessors, the new BMW 7 Series will be built at BMW Group Plant Dingolfing. The company’s largest production facility in Europe will be fusing tradition with the future and is also the BMW Group’s centre of excellence for the production of e-drive components. The highly integrated electric drive system and the high-voltage battery of the BMW i7 will also be manufactured there. Vehicles with combustion engines, plug-in hybrid systems and all-electric drive systems will come off the same production line in Dingolfing. In addition to the all-electric BMW iX and the new BMW 7 Series, the BMW 8 Series luxury sports car and BMW 5 Series models, among others, are also produced here.
The new BMW 7 Series model range worldwide will expand to include two BMW M models equipped with electrified drive systems. The new BMW M760e xDrive (fuel consumption combined: 1.2 – 1.1 l/100 km [235.4 – 256.8 mpg imp]; electric power consumption combined: 26.9 – 25.8 kWh/100 km; CO2 emissions: 28 – 25 g/km in the WLTP cycle; figures in NEDC cycle: –) has output of 420 kW/571 hp and torque of 800 Nm (590 lb-ft) and will debut as early as spring 2023. Its electric motor generates a temporary boost worth an extra 30 kW/40 hp when particularly invigorating acceleration is the order of the day. An M-specific design for the exterior and interior, including an exhaust system featuring the distinctive twin tailpipes with unique geometry, underscores the performance characteristics of the BMW M model with plug-in hybrid technology.
The future flagship model, the new BMW i7 M70 xDrive (power consumption combined in the WLTP cycle: 26.4 – 21.2 kWh/100 km; CO2 emissions: 0 g/km; figures in NEDC cycle: – ), will have an all-electric drive system with two motors – on the front and rear axle – and will be available later in 2023. Its drive system generates maximum output of well over 600 hp and maximum torque of more than 1,000 Nm (737 lb-ft). The most powerful BMW model ever registered for road use accelerates from 0 to 100 km/h (62 mph) in under 4.0 seconds. (All output, performance and energy consumption figures for the BMW i7 M70 xDrive are estimates based on the car’s current development stage incl. temporary boost.)
Driving pleasure, long-distance comfort and the user experience in the new BMW 7 Series are shaped largely by the latest innovations in the field of digitalisation. The new BMW 7 Series offers customers the new multi-sensory vehicle experience BMW iDrive with the latest generation of BMW Operating System 8. With the fully digital BMW Curved Display, the innovative BMW Interaction Bar, the enhanced capabilities of the BMW Intelligent Personal Assistant – plus additional My Modes, the latest version of the BMW Head-Up Display, and the Augmented View function available for the first time on the information display behind the steering wheel – intuitive dialogue between the driver and vehicle has reached a new level.
Passengers in the rear are greeted by a unique entertainment offering in the form of the new BMW Theatre Screen – a 31.3-inch panoramic display in 32:9 format with 8K resolution which extends downwards from the roof and transforms the second row of seats into an exclusive private cinema on wheels. The driver and front passenger can also use YouTube video-on-demand streaming on the control display for the first time. A 5G-compatible aerial system takes care of high-speed connectivity in the new BMW 7 Series.
A high-security vehicle based on the new BMW 7 Series is now being developed and will be added to the range in the course of 2023. With its integrated protection concept, which is unique in the segment and has been developed entirely from scratch, the armoured model variant meets the special requirements of authorities, state representatives and high-profile individuals in need of special protection.
The development of the new high-security BMW 7 Series centres on an innovative protection concept developed by the BMW Group. This provides extremely high standards of security combined with the levels of interior comfort, driving dynamics and ride comfort applied across the new BMW 7 Series range. Integrated development and production in a special manufacturing process at BMW Group Plant Dingolfing will ensure the high-security vehicle based on the new BMW 7 Series sets new standards.
The 24-hour race at the Nürburgring is considered to be the ultimate endurance test for man and machine. The 50th edition of the high-speed showdown will take place this year from 26 to 29 May on the 25.378 kilometre circuit consisting of the Grand Prix circuit and the legendary Nordschleife of the Nürburgring with a MINI John Cooper Works competing.
In September last year, the project was launched at Bulldog Racing in the Eifel region, just a few metres away from the Nordschleife. The base vehicle is a MINI John Cooper Works with the 4-cylinder turbo engine known from the MINI John Cooper Works Clubman and MINI John Cooper Works Countryman with 225 kW/306 hp and a maximum torque of 450 Nm. The 8-speed Steptronic gearbox taken from large-series-production featuring an integrated, mechanical differential lock with a locking effect of up to 70% ensures that the drive torque is converted into thrilling performance without any losses.
For racing purposes, the following modifications were made to the standard MINI John Cooper Works which go beyond SP3T class regulations:
Pat Moss made motorsport history in 1962, scoring the first international rally victory for MINI at the Tulip Rally. Her victory marked the beginning of the Classic Mini's unique success story in rally sport, with 3 overall Monte Carlo Rally wins in 1964 (Paddy Hopkirk), 1965 (Timo Mäkinen) and 1967 (Rauno Aaltonen).
This string of successes included six overall Dakar Rally victories in 2012 (Leonid Novitskiy), 2013 (Stéphane Peterhansel), 2014 (Nani Roma), 2015 (Nasser Al-Attiyah), 2020 (Carlos Sainz Sr.) and 2021 (Stéphane Peterhansel).
The MINI John Cooper Works racing car "Made in Nürburg" pays homage to the racing tradition of the MINI brand in the classic colour scheme of the 1960s racing cars in red / white.
Only seven months passed between the start of the project and the roll-out at the end of March 2022. In the coming weeks and until the start of the 24h race, further tests are scheduled on the Nordschleife of the Nürburgring and at the BMW Group testing centre in Miramas in southern France. Located between Marseille and Avignon, the former race track offers the best conditions for extensive testing and optimisation under a wide range of conditions. The chassis of the MINI John Cooper Works racing car is subjected to an extensive and varied test programme there. Friedhelm Thelen, Nürburgring expert and team boss of Bulldog Racing, knows how important comprehensive testing is before a race: "The 24-hour race at the Nürburgring puts all components of the vehicle under extreme stress. That's why we're delighted to be able to use the BMW Group Test Centre to put the John Cooper Works through its paces there."
The BMW Group has been testing new models and innovative chassis technology at the Miramas test grounds since 1986.
The driver line-up and the further race programme for 2022 will be announced at a later date.
Event date: 7 - 10 April 2022
If you have never been to the Australian Grand Prix you have missed out on a wonderful 4 day event – and you don’t even have to watch the racing!
In return for having a car on display throughout the entire event 20 of our members get 2 General Admission tickets each which were much sought after this year – Saturday and Sunday were both sold out.
Despite being moved back a little in the calendar this year’s event had perfect weather and a great atmosphere with the added thrill of some unintended nearly-night-time racing as delays pushed the schedule into fading light.
Our display this year had a perfect balance starting with 4 cars proudly telling BMW’s post 1959 technical bankruptcy recovery at one end, and 8 M-Cars celebrating 50 years of M at the other bookending a lovely selection of E30s, including 2 gorgeous JPS Editions and 2 Baurs, a 535i, a 840i and everyone’s favourite fun roadster the Z3.
It was very pleasing to see so many people taking a proper look at our cars and showing a genuine interest in the display. I was also proud on behalf of our members to receive a number of compliments about individual cars and the line up in general, which is a great credit to our members.
It is a big sacrifice to bump one’s car in on Weds morning and not get it back until late Sun evening and we are very grateful to our members who did so. This made for a magic 4 days. And the racing was good too!
Lawrence Glynn | Member #3 BMW Drivers Club Melbourne
Event date: 12 April 2022
This outing was my first participation in a BMWDCM event having only joined a few weeks earlier. I have had a very keen interest in motor cars almost all of my life and have been a member of one particular car club for 40 years and three others for 25 years. While new to BMW, having purchased a 2020 M340i a year ago, I became aware of BMWDCM and had a look at the activities available and liked what I saw, so I joined.
Any motor car enthusiast would be keen to receive an invitation to view a private collection. For obvious security reasons, these invitations are not common place. I was free that night and it wasn't far away, so I thought what the heck, the fact that I would be the newbie in this new club and didn't know a soul, paled in to insignificance given what was on offer.
And Malcolm did not disappoint!
It was a very diverse and eclectic collection of some 35 motor cars from the post war to relatively modern – and it would seem that what we saw was only half the collection! Malcolm gave us a brief outline of most of the cars and why they were special to him.
For me it was a bit of a trip down memory lane with cars so diverse as the 2016 Ford Mustang 5.0 Ltr V8 and the early 1960's Ford Anglia 105E (Harry Potter car), both of which I have also owned and driven. The Anglia 105E was in fact my first car. Other cars of note were Malcolm's father's MG Magnette, a very nice MGA (also had one of these as well and wish I still did!), a DeLorean – which Malcolm admits is great to look at but you wouldn't want to drive one any distance. There was an interesting Toyota Sera with butterfly doors, a bit similar to the DeLorean. The Sera was never sold in Australia.
Malcolm also has a standard Ford XD Falcon V8 that is about to undergo a restoration/transformation in Dick and Steve Johnson's workshop in Queensland to produce a Tru-Blu replica. Other vehicles included several Mercedes models spanning 4 decades, a Borgward, a couple of Porsches, a Rolls Royce and a couple of Hillmans just to name a few more.
While any one of the cars had its own particular appeal, the car that caught my eye the most was the BMW 328i convertible, and I am not just saying that as a newbie. The green paint and cream interior with a splash of woodgrain looked really great!
Thankyou Malcolm for inviting BMWDCM to view your collection and thankyou BMWDCM for welcoming me to your club.
Terry White | Member #850 BMW Drivers Club Melbourne
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