Dear Members,

Welcome to Autumn in Melbourne!

Summer may be over, but the beautiful Autumn weather is here, and we have been making the most of it and getting out and about as much as we can.

March started off with our members meeting at Berwick BMW with nearly 100 members and guests attending the night.  It was great to be able to get up close and personal to the new M3 and M4 and also mingle with some of Berwick BMWs customers. It was a fantastic evening and we thank Berwick BMW for inviting us along to help launch Melbourne’s newest dealership.

7 March was Round 2 of the Traction Tyres/Yokohama Drivers Championship, Round 1 of the Motorsport Australia Interclub Championship and our first Hill Climb at Rob Roy. It was a beautiful day it was with the sun shining and lots of fun was had by all who attended, with everyone improving their times with each run. This was the aim of the day and we all went home very happy.

In late February we were contacted by Race Chix Motorsport to run a womens come and try day as a part of the Shannons International Women’s Day Festival event at Broadford on 8 March.  As you can imagine with only two weeks’ notice, there was a lot of work to be done, but we pulled it off.  With 27 entrants (25 of which were women) and over 50% female officials on the day, it was a brilliant turnout and a fantastic effort from all of our members that gave of their time to help run the day.  

We were lucky to be at Broadford on the Sunday night and were invited to the event dinner to listen to Inspirational speaker Jacqui Cooper, 5-time Olympic Freestyle skier, give a truly inspiring talk about her life and just why not to ever give up on your dreams.  If she was selling ice, I think both Jo and I would have bought it on the night.  We are lucky to have Jacqui coming to our presentation dinner on 1 May, so don’t miss out on the chance to be inspired by this amazing woman. 

14 March was our family day out at Werribee Zoo. We were very lucky to have a brilliant sunny day as the day before was very wet.   Lots of families attended and we had the Chongola privately booked for us so our members could just leave their belongings behind and explore at their leisure and then come back to either cook a BBQ or enjoy a picnic lunch.  We also booked a carriage on the Safari bus for all our members to be together and this did not disappoint, with some very close encounters with a very large Rhino and some very beautiful African animals. 

16 March was our last mid-week sunset drive for this summer.  This time we departed from Waverley BMW and as usual, Waverly put on a great spread for us before we headed of on a fantastic drive up to the scenic lookout at the top of Mt Dandenong with over 30 cars in procession, in 2 groups of 16.  The drive was amazing even though we did get a bit confused at one point, but we all made it up to the look out to see the spectacular Melbourne city lights.  It was so good to have learner drivers come out again, this makes me so proud that parents feel safe to bring their children on our drives with us. 

On 26-28 March quite a few of our club members attended E30 Racing Round 2 at Winton, either as drivers, crew or officials.  It was great to see my son Chris return to racing for the first time since he won the E30 Racing Championship in 2018 and fantastic to see Jess out racing again after rolling her car at Sandown in Round 1. I'm very proud of both of them, they both drove very well - Chris finishing second for the weekend and Jess in 8th. BMW Drivers Club Melbourne proudly sponsored the Blend Line live stream coverage of this event and it is not too late to still watch all the action on Blend Line. The E30 Racing Championship is a great next step into motorsport for those that want to go beyond Club track days and step into real racing. It is a great bunch of people to be involved with and we always enjoy the weekends away racing with them. For more information on Club Motorsport or E30 Racing give me a call or send me an email.

Also, on 28 March we had what would possibly be our last twilight drive for this part of the year, as we are running out of day light, which left from Ceres and ended at Grill’d in Geelong, were most attended the evening meal.  Another great drive was had by all and also another great charity was supported with tokens being given to The Smiths Family from the dinner funds.

April is going to be a jammed packed month with lots to do and see.

Easter starts on 2 April and we are holding our annual Good Friday Royal Children’s Hospital Coffee & Cars day.  We are hoping to raise some much-needed funds for this worthy charity.  If you cannot attend on the day, you will find the bank details for any donations you may which to give here, be sure to quote the reference number so it will go to our tally.   All cars and bikes are welcome, BMW and non-BMW, members and non-members, this is our big chance to give so they may live. This year we are holding it on the grass area of Sandown Raceway, known as Red Hill. I’d like to thank Melbourne Racing Club and Sandown for allowing us to have our event there at no cost, so the funds we raise can all go to the Royal Children’s Hospital.

On 4 April is the Flinders Heritage Car Display, and this event is now full but if you want to come down as a spectator you can still do this, and we would love to see you.  All funds raised by this event goes to local charities and the Lions Club do a brilliant job each year running this fantastic event. We will have a great display again this year and looking forward to seeing all the amazing cars that come out for this event.

10 April will be our drive day from Berwick BMW heading out to Mirboo North and lunch will be at the Grand Ridge Brewery after some very exciting driving roads, by our drive master Peter Williams.  

13 April will be our members meeting at Eastern Tyre Centre, with some fantastic raffle prizes and also a guest speaker on the night.  This event is nearly at capacity so don’t miss out.

17 April was on our calendar as a Winton Driver Training day but unfortunately due to circumstance beyond our control this day has now been cancelled.  We will be having Round 3 of our Traction Tyres/Yokohama Drivers Championship at Winton on April 18, so entries are out don’t miss out as this day books up quickly.

24/25 April is the Anzac weekend. We are doing a short weekend trip away to Mansfield and we will be attending the dawn service in Mansfield or one of the surrounding towns. We're looking forward to another weekend away with our club family, these are so much fun and to go to a dawn service somewhere different is always worth the effort, to remember those that gave so much so that we can enjoy the life we now lead.

1 May is our third birthday and presentation dinner which is going to be a great night and would love to see as many of you attending this great night to support all your fellow members who will be presented awards on the night.  This event is being held at the Park Hyatt and if you want to make it a weekend stay, be sure to quote the special discount code when booking your room at the Park Hyatt.

As you can see, we have a very busy calendar coming for you to enjoy, but if you have anything you’d think we would like to do or see or have a favourite drive you’d like to share, get in touch and let us know. We are always looking for ideas and even people to run events if you like to. Happy to help you get more involved in your club. Keep an eye on the emails and website for all the upcoming events.

As always, I am very proud to say our membership is still growing, and we are now at 567 and still growing daily.  Let’s see if we can get the club over 600 by our birthday! It truly amazes me that so many have come on board with us and share the passion for what we all do, enjoying our cars and our driving with an awesome bunch of friends. Thank you and welcome to you all.

 I look forward to seeing you somewhere at an event or on the road, until then take care and safe driving.

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

My Friday started off normal, working away with the goal of finishing early, having a pub lunch and a POETS day. I got a call from a friend who was doing Friday practice at Winton, Alex Jory, he asked me if I was free on the weekend to race in the E30s as another friend, Rod Martin, had to work and had pulled out of the weekends racing. 

Rod was happy for me to race his car if I was free, but I turned the offer down as it was my son's birthday party on Saturday morning.  The thought of racing grew more and more on me so I rang back and said I’d have to get permission from my son to get the all clear to go racing and miss his party. He said he knows I love racing and that will all of his friends around he wouldn’t notice I wasn’t there, so late Friday night I loaded up Rod's car and headed up to the house where team Bell Motorsport were staying.

I woke Saturday to the sound of drizzle, thinking it will make qualifying interesting and it did. It was the first time I’d driven Rod's car and it wasn’t handling as well as some of the E30 race cars that I’ve been lucky enough to drive but I'm always up for a challenge. I managed to qualify fifth and was within six tenths of second (Chris Bell smashed the field by 1.1 seconds!).

It rained just before race 1 which made things tricky for the field but the track was drying each lap and was almost completely dry by the end, I finished where I started.

Race 2 was early Sunday morning, I got a great start and made a couple of positions on the opening lap and got to third, which I held on to for the rest of the race.

Race 3 I lost a couple of spots on the opening lap and then had a epic battle with Brian Bourke for the whole race with him passing me just before the last lap.

I had a great weekend racing with a great bunch of guys and girls, I hope they do the two driver enduro races again later in the year so I can get another steer.

A huge thanks to Rod Martin for the car and Bell Motorsport for helping to get me strapped  in for each race.

Thank you also the BMW Drivers Club Melbourne for sponsoring the Blend Line coverage for the weekend.

Anton Bergman | Member #66
BMW Drivers Club Melbourne

Name: Mark Topliss
What make is your vehicle? BMW
What model is your vehicle? Z4
What year is it? 2005
Does it have a nickname? Not sure, when I drive the car, Jenni always calls it 'slow down'!
What engine does it have? 3.0
What colour is it? Sapphire Black
When did you purchase it? 02/2020
Where did you buy it? Private sale
What attracted you to this particular vehicle? Spec and price
How have you modified it since purchasing it? Changed the wheels
Do you work on the car yourself?  If not, where do you get your work done?  Local independents.
Generally, what do you love about it? Compared to my Z3 it's a better all round package
If you had to pick one piece of the car that you just love to look at, hear or touch, what would it be and why? An all round nice looking Z4
Tell us about the best drive you've had in it. When I lived in Regional Victoria, the quiet side roads were a 'blast' and I possibly had the car at the legal max speed limit / limiter perhaps!
What about the worst drive? Why? Round the city, no tickets for 37 years, then caught doing 65 in a 60!
Any improvements/modifications/restorations planned? Re-upholster the seats
In two words, how would you describe it? A blast.
Is there anything else about your car that is of interest (i.e previous celebrity owner, raced, a show winner, limited number in Australia)? No

Thanks for sharing with us Mark!  If you'd like to share your car (or motorbike!) with us, click here to submit your car or bike for next month!

Event date: 28 March 2021

Many of us do not need much of an excuse to take our cars out for a drive but sometimes a little encouragement is required. Taking the long way to have something to eat and meet up with fellow members is reason a plenty.

So that’s what we did on Sunday evening, making a 10 minute drive from Ceres to Grill’d take about 1 hour.

Finding twisty roads around Geelong is something of a challenge as the terrain is largely flat and the road engineers have taken a leaf from the Roman’s civil engineering book and made the roads as straight and flat as they can. Fortunately there are rivers which roads cross and they throw up a few bends and elevation changes to make things a bit more interesting. The route had some of these elements but the views made up for the lack of g-force excitement.

What was interesting was the nice mix of cars and the great company. So we all had a good time and enjoyed the evening. As an added bonus we helped to try and boost the fund raising for The Smith Family via Geelong Evening View Club (whose secretary is my wife Shaaron!). Two birds and all that.

Lawrence Glynn | Member #3
BMW Drivers Club Melbourne

It was a lovely evening for a drive around the country back roads of Geelong and a fantastic opportunity to raise money for such a worthwhile organisation Smith Family via Geelong Evening View Club.

We met at Ceres and set off together, Jenny and Mark nominated to be our “tail end Charlie” for the evening, well done top job guys.

Weather was perfect and the roads had some curve and there is just about no greater feeling behind the wheel of our beautiful BMWs of such vast array.

Company was also lovely back at Grill’d with Burgers, chit chat and laughs had by all, especially with Peter’s witty commentary.

Cate Unsworth | Member #490
BMW Drivers Club Melbourne

The MINI Electric Pacesetter inspired by JCW is the new Safety Car for the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship race series. As such, it connects the brand’s electrified future with the rich racing history of John Cooper Works. The car was created out of the new MINI Cooper SE as part of an unprecedented collaboration between MINI Design, BMW Motorsport, the FIA and the Formula E.

Electric drive meets John Cooper Works.
“We have already shown how well driving fun and electric mobility go together with the MINI Electric,” says Bernd Körber, Head of MINI. “However, the MINI Electric Pacesetter inspired by JCW goes at least a step further and blends the performance character of the John Cooper Works brand with electric mobility. This extreme version of the MINI Electric has been developed as the Safety Car for Formula E, so is clearly not intended for use on public roads. But it does reveal one of the directions we could take with the electrification of the JCW brand. For me, the message is clear: electrification and John Cooper Works are a good fit.”

Dynamism maximised  – the exterior design. 
The exterior of the MINI Electric Pacesetter inspired by JCW has been purpose-built for life on the track and represents the most dynamic interpretation yet of a MINI with all-electric power. “The design is an exciting symbiosis of technical precision and emotion,” explains Oliver Heilmer, Head of MINI Design. “Here, function dictates form, and many design elements have been shaped by technical considerations. For example, we worked closely with our colleagues at BMW Motorsport to develop the form of the wheel arches and front and rear aprons, and the optimisation programme for them included weight-saving measures. This visually striking, technically precise design language gives the car its pervasive sense of emotional engagement and excitement.”

At the front of the car, classical MINI icons such as the circular headlights and hexagonal radiator grille create the familiar, easily recognisable MINI face. At the same time, signature John Cooper Works elements, such as wheel arches adapted to the car’s track width and the deep front apron with additional front splitters to the left and right, enhance the sporting visuals of the front end. The blanked off “radiator grille” and MINI Electric logo point to the electric “heart” of the Safety Car. As virtually no drive system cooling is required through the upper area of the grille, the front end is largely enclosed to aid aerodynamics. The only exceptions are the area below the grille and the eye-catching, almost squared-off apertures for brake cooling. The Safety Car’s white flashing lights are integrated harmoniously into the bonnet. Characteristic MINI bonnet stripes extend over the roof to the rear end.

Showcasing MINI’s racing genes – the flanks.
The MINI Electric Pacesetter inspired by JCW also cuts an extremely dynamic figure from the side. The interplay of geometrically accentuated spats (with carefully placed aero edges) and sporty side skirts gives the car the appearance of powering forward even before it turns a wheel. Together with the increased-diameter wheels, which almost fill the wheel arches, these elements strengthen the time-honoured MINI “stance on the wheels”. The spats and spoilers are made – or more precisely 3D printed from recycled carbon fibre – in Oxford. Yellow accent lines and surfaces on the aero elements (e.g. the spats, skirts and rear wing) provide a nod to the airflow optimisation taking place in these areas and add a visual flourish to the air deflectors and aero edges. The lightweight 18-inch forged wheels in bi-colour black-neon/orange design bring significant visual depth and added intricacy to the four-spoke items from the MINI John Cooper Works GP.

The respective colour worlds of the MINI Electric and John Cooper Works brand merge into a single statement here. The main body colour is a matt silver which extends back beyond the centre-point of the car. A high-gloss wrap with a two-stage colour gradient – from Highspeed Orange to Curbside Red met. – then covers the rest of the body to the rear. The contrast between matt and gloss surfaces brings extra smoothness to the silhouette, while the clear, diagonal separation lines between the different colours injects further dynamism. On the flanks, a chequered flag-inspired pattern shares the stage with a large MINI Electric logo, which can also be found in the radiator grille, on the roof and at the rear end. The Safety Car brief also brings regulations-specific and sponsor-related graphics, which add further visual intensity to the car’s racing character.

Broad and eye-catching – the rear.
The rear end in black and Curbside Red met. uses yellow accent surfaces to extend the eye-catching design language from the front end and flanks, and makes an extremely modern and dynamic statement. The prominent roof-mounted rear wing with air through-flow and yellow accent lines also integrates the signal light unit and was 3D printed at Plant Oxford. The flared wheel arches accentuate the car’s wide track and transition seamlessly into the pronounced rear apron. The rear apron has cut-outs around the wheels, clearing the view to the higher-grip racing tyres. Between the wheels sits an unadorned diffuser. When the car is viewed from this angle, the accents in Energetic Yellow and lack of exhaust tailpipes identify this as a car powered by an electric drive system.

Maximum reduction – the interior.
The interior is stripped back to the absolute essentials; only the front seats remain. The driver’s area consists of a certified seat with six-point belt approved for both racing and road use, a steering wheel with minimalist-design carbon fibre impact absorber and a digital instrument cluster. The central information display makes way for a carbon fibre cover here to further reduce weight. The centre console houses the gearshift lever, handbrake and controls for the necessary signal lights – all in exposed carbon fibre. The likewise pared-back carbon-fibre door panels with window and door openers contain cloth straps to make closing the doors easier. Another central feature of the interior is the welded-in roll cage, which maximises safety. And the remainder of the stripped-out interior structure is also painted in typical racing white (for functional reasons).

Bespoke 3D-printed parts for the interior.
The steering wheel’s minimalist impact absorber and the boost panel on the right-hand side of the wheel are high-quality, custom-made components, likewise the centre console cowling and door panelling on the driver’s side. Another highlight are the removable pads on the sport seat, which are likewise 3D-printed and whose innovative structure combines comfort, robustness and modularity. The thickness, hardness and colour of the pads can be adapted as required according to the physiognomy, weight and personal taste of the driver at hand.

Ready for the racetrack, helped by knowhow from BMW Motorsport.
Behind the visually powerful design of the MINI Electric Pacesetter inspired by JCW lies the expertise of BMW Motorsport. Rigorous adherence to lightweight design principles gives the Safety Car a kerb weight of approx. 1,230 kg – which makes it approx. 130 kg lighter than the standard MINI Cooper SE. The drive system – also based on that found in the MINI Cooper SE – produces 135 kW and 280 Nm (206 lb-ft), which enables the MINI Electric Pacesetter inspired by JCW to sprint from 0-100 km/h (62 mph) in 6.7 seconds (standard model: 7.3 s) and from 0-60 km/h (37 mph) in 3.6 seconds (standard model: 3.9 s). Even more important for a Safety Car, though, are the mid-range figures. Here, the MINI Electric Pacesetter inspired by JCW showcases all the talents of its torque-rich electric drive system with single-speed transmission, enabling a 80-120 km/h (75 mph) time of 4.3 seconds (standard model: 4.6 s).

The drive system teams up with racing coilover suspension (three-way adjustable for rebound, compression, height and camber) to deliver maximum go-kart feeling. Race-spec suspension control arm mountings, a 10 mm increase in track width, plus the four-piston brakes and wheels from the MINI John Cooper Works GP with Michelin Pilot Sport tyres (size 245/40 R18) round off the overall package. These are the same tyres fitted to the front wheels of Formula E racing cars.

Premiere at the Rome E-Prix on 10.04.2021
The MINI Electric Pacesetter inspired by JCW will see action for the first time in Rome on 10 April 2021 at the second event (Race 3) of Formula E’s 2021 season. At the wheel will be official FIA Formula E Safety Car driver Bruno Correia, as BMW i Andretti Motorsport drivers Maximilian Guenther (GER) and Jake Dennis (GBR) battle it out for victory in their BMW iFE.21 racers.

“Agility, performance, a cool looking car: the MINI Electric Pacesetter Safety Car for the FIA Formula E World Championship has got it all,” said Correia. “It’s very fun to drive, it feels like karting.”

BMW PRESS

E30 Racing Inc.
Photographs by Ribbit Photography

Thanks to everyone who attended Round 2 at Winton, we had a great grid of cars, so thanks to everyone who signed up - and special thanks to all who chipped in to keep the numbers up:

• Jeremy Payne had a mechanical issue after practice - thanks to all who helped out with parts and labour to undertake substantial repairs to get him on the grid for Race 1. A brilliant team effort.
• Rod Martin sadly wasn't able to make it up for the event - thanks to everyone who made the arrangements for Anton Bergman to step in and steer the car beautifully, enjoying some great battles throughout the weekend.
• An unfortunate spin for Paul Shiff left the #54 Red Rocket with substantial front right damage - after a late night of driving and labour, the car was on the grid again for Race 2 the following morning.

This team spirit and camaraderie in the paddock is what grass roots motorsport, and E30 Racing in particular, is all about.

In addition to the great racing and cooperation in the paddock, we also enjoyed a great team BBQ on Saturday night; thanks to the Bell Motorsport team for hosting, and new member Dean Coutts for your contribution.

Many thanks to our Round Sponsor, BMW Drivers Club Melbourne, whose contribution ensured we could stream our events live on Blend Line TV - visit their website to catch the action if you missed it!

It was great to welcome Coutts to the grid in the red #11, as well as welcoming back Payne, Chris Bell, Simon Shiff, and especially Jess Bell following her accident at Sandown - thanks to Sean Bell for the use of the 2014-16 championship-winning car.

Qualifying

With the returning 2019 champ Payne stuck in the pits with the #43 Avis car undergoing repairs, it was the 2018 BMW Driver's Cup champion Chris Bell in the #29 Bell Motorsport / BMWDCM machine who took pole, on his first E30 Racing event since sealing that crown.

The orange #22 of Jory was speedy from day one, and joined Chris Bell on the front row, with Simon Shiff, in the stunning #55 Red Rocket Racing car, starting the weekend brilliantly with a scorching lap for P3, making up for missing Round 1 at Sandown.

Race 1

After a brief downpour that had everyone scrambling to check tyre pressures, we got underway on wet but drying track, with a dry racing line developing throughout the race, making overtaking difficult... but not for Jeremy Payne, starting from the rear after being unable to qualify.

Alex Jory set the pace, and Brian Bourke got past Chris Bell into P2. While Payne made his way through the field, Bourke began closing the gap on Jory. Meanwhile, Bergman got to grips beautifully with Rod Martin's #40 car as well as the changing conditions.

Bourke caught up with Jory, but an unfortunate tangle left the door open for Chris Bell to sweep through to take the win, with Payne coming home in P2 - a great effort - while Bourke recovered to take P3.

While hassling the debutant Coutts, a spin and collision for Paul Shiff at turn 12 left him stranded in the infield, while the #7 of Plant limped away to DNF after making contact with the spinning Shiff.

Race 2

Having carved through the field in Race 1, Payne was on a roll, and took a commanding win, his first of the season. Chris Bell had another strong finish, coming home P2, ahead of Bergman, who battled brilliantly with veterans Bourke and Bowles, who finished in that order. Jory lost positions at the start (future note to self - you can't start a race in third gear), and battled through the midfield to take P6.

Mike Bailey had an engine issue just before the race, so couldn't make the start, and thus missed out on some great dicing further down the order. Simon Leach finished P7, ahead of Harry Walker, Simon Shiff, Jess Bell, Plant, Paul Shiff, Coutts, and Darryl O'Neill.

Race 3

Payne led from the front ahead of Chris Bell, but Jory was on a mission to recover some round points, so Chris Bell relinquished P2 so the orange #22 could give chase.

Outside the podium places, Bowles stayed ahead of a brilliant exchange between Bourke and Bergman, with the #27 Transrock car of Bourke finishing on top after several laps of entertaining racing.

Further back, the Simons found themselves battling for position, and got too close at turn 12, with light contact spinning Leach in front of the chasing pack. Thankfully, no major damage resulted, and the cars of Plant, Walker, Jess Bell and Bailey safely made their way past to record solid midfield finishes.

A great end to the weekend, with all cars finishing Race 3, lots of smiles in the garage, and everyone keen to hit the track again at Phillip Island in May.

Full Results and Championship Standings are now published on our website.

Stay tuned for entry details for Round 3 of the 2021 Garagistic BMW Driver's Cup, let's get another solid grid together!

E30 Racing Inc.

Technology upgrade for the midsize scooters.

With the C 400 X in 2017 and the C 400 GT in 2018, BMW Motorrad presented two premium vehicles for the midsize scooter segment for the first time. Since then, the C 400 X has been impressing Urban Mobility segment customers with its dynamic ride characteristics, while the C 400 GT, as a Gran Turismo variant suitable for touring, stands out thanks to its enhanced range of comfort features. To make sure that this remains the case in the future too, BMW Motorrad has now upgraded the two midsize scooters and, in addition to some significant technical optimisations, has also given them new colours and styles.

Powerful single-cylinder engine according to EU-5 homologation with E-gas, new engine management and optimised centrifugal clutch.

As before, the proven efficiency-optimised single-cylinder engine with an output of 25 kW (34 hp) at 7 500 rpm and a torque of 35 Nm at 5 750 rpm serves as the drive unit. Power transmission is via a CVT (Continuously Variable Transmission) gearbox and a torsionally stiff drivetrain swing arm with innovative swing arm bearing for minimum vibration and therefore maximum comfort. Thanks to current EU 5 homologation, the new C 400 X and C 400 GT remain the ideal partners for dynamic, carefree scooter fun.

For this reason the engine has been equipped with a so-called "electronic throttle grip" (E-gas) and an electrically operated throttle valve as well as a new engine management system. Further optimisations are a modified matrix and coating of the catalytic converter, a wideband oxygen sensor, modifications to the cylinder head, a new sensor on the generator cover, an adapted wiring harness and modified idle speed control. The idle speed regulator in the airbox has been omitted and the idle speed control is now carried out via a throttle valve bypass and a turbulence system.

In addition to complying with EU-5 homologation, the revised drive impresses riders above all with an even smoother and more sensitive throttle response as well as increased idling stability. In addition to E-gas and new engine management, the optimised springs for the centrifugal clutch also contribute to increasing engine running stability. The tolerance of the spring force was limited, the spring force was slightly increased and the engine speed was slightly raised as the clutch re-engages. Due to the reduced tolerances, the spread of the speed when disengaging the clutch is smaller and belated opening of the clutch - as occasionally known from the predecessor - no longer occurs.

Automatic Stability Control (ASC) with automatic radius calibration and increased regulation quality. Homologation of the full top speed now also for China.

In the course of the technical revision, the new C 400 X and C 400 GT also received an optimised ASC. Instead of the previous manual recalibration - for example when changing tyres - the new system now has an automatic radius calibration. In addition, the new ASC is designed for significantly lower friction values than before. When riding, this is noticeable in a more sensitive response and significantly increased regulation comfort - especially on wet and slippery surfaces. Deactivating ASC is now no longer necessary.

Until now, the two vehicles were homologated for the Chinese market for a speed of 129 km/h. The legal requirements in China have changed and so it has now become possible to homologate the full top speed of 139 km/h there as in the other markets.

Brake system with new front brake calipers and adjusted lever travel of front and rear brakes. Storage compartment with optimised lighting and USB charging socket.

The brake system of the new C 400 X and C 400 GT has also been revised. Thanks to new brake calipers, the double-disc brake system at the front now offers a more stable and clearly defined pressure point as well as improved roll-back behaviour of the brake pistons. This is accompanied by aligned lever travels for the rear brake on the left and the front brake on the right for a symmetrical braking feel.

The optimised lighting of the storage compartment (volume 31 l, 45 l with Flexcase) under the seat bench improves comfort significantly. The lighting now no longer comes from the side, but from above for even better illumination. In addition to the 12-volt onboard socket, the front right storage compartment is now equipped with a USB charging socket.

Two new attractive colours each as well as the style variants "Sport" (C 400 X) and "Triple Black" (C 400 GT).

As before the new BMW C 400 X and C 400 GT also feature the unmistakable design language of BMW Motorrad. Modern and future-oriented looks reflect the BMW Motorrad design philosophy perfectly. The new midsize scooters from BMW Motorrad are each offered in three different colour variants.

C 400 X.

• Base paint finish Blackstorm metallic.
• Optional Granite Grey metallic paint finish (+ 50.00 €).
• Style Sport (Blackstorm metallic/Racingblue metallic matt, + € 200.00).

• Base paint finish Alpine White.
• Optional Kallisto Grey metallic paint finish (+ 50.00 €).
• Style Triple Black (Blackstorm metallic with matt tapes, + 200.00 €).

• Powerful single-cylinder drive according to EU-5 homologation with E-gas, new engine management and optimised centrifugal clutch.
• Optimised idling behaviour.
• Automatic Stability Control (ASC) with automatic radius calibration and increased regulation quality.
• Brake system with new front brake calipers, clearly defined pressure point and adjusted lever travel of front and rear brakes.
• Seat storage compartment with optimised lighting and USB charging socket in the front right storage compartment.
• Two new attractive colours each as well as the style variants "Sport" (C 400 X) and "Triple Black" (C 400 GT).

BMW PRESS

2021 is the final year in the development phase of the BMW M4 GT3, due to do battle for wins and titles in GT races around the world for BMW M Motorsport teams as of 2022. The new flagship in the BMW M Motorsport portfolio of cars has been taking part in testing weeks at the Spanish racetracks of Monteblanco and Almeria since the start of the year and in doing so has rung in the crucial stage ahead of the initial race appearances.

2021 is the final year in the development phase of the BMW M4 GT3, due to do battle for wins and titles in GT races around the world for BMW M Motorsport teams as of 2022. The new flagship in the BMW M Motorsport portfolio of cars has been taking part in testing weeks at the Spanish racetracks of Monteblanco and Almeria since the start of the year and in doing so has rung in the crucial stage ahead of the initial race appearances. Covering more than 12,000 kilometres already – which equates to more than 60 hours on the track – numerous BMW drivers have worked extremely hard on drivability and reliability, the objective being to significantly reduce the lifecycle costs and maintenance effort compared with the predecessor model. The close collaboration between BMW M Motorsport and the series developers at BMW M GmbH, as well as making use of the BMW Group’s testing facilities, both make an important contribution to the progress of the BMW M4 GT3.

The test drives at Almeria (ESP) last week represented another milestone in the development of the BMW M4 GT3, with successful endurance runs and race simulations. Martin Tomczyk, Jens Klingmann (both GER) and Nick Yelloly (GBR) took turns at the wheel, and these are just three of the many experienced BMW drivers who have already contributed to the optimisation of the car. Others include Augusto Farfus (BRA), Marco Wittmann (GER), Bruno Spengler (CAN), Sheldon van der Linde (RSA) and Jesse Krohn (FIN). In addition to endurance runs, the focus at Almeria was mainly on testing tyres of various brands.

In a direct comparison with its predecessor, the BMW M6 GT3, the BMW M4 GT3 is already showing considerable improvements in crucial areas at this stage of development, namely the reduction of lifecycle costs and maintenance effort, as well as drivability for professional and amateur racing drivers, both in dry conditions and in the rain. Easy handling of the BMW M4 GT3 is the top priority – for both drivers and the team at the track. The BMW M Motorsport engineers have made a breakthrough. For the first time, it is possible to change most electronic settings in the car, without having to connect it to a laptop. Last-minute changes to control systems or sensors can be made via the multifunction steering wheel, making it much quicker and easier to make changes.

“There was a really good atmosphere among us drivers during the last test drives because we were able to complete a lot of laps and we all agree that the BMW M4 GT3 is a lot of fun,” said Klingmann at the end of the week of testing at Almeria. “It is very easy and consistent to drive, which has a positive effect on tyre wear and we made progress with the development of lots of systems. Naturally, there are still lots of things to sort out, but the question marks are consistently being replaced with exclamation marks.”

“Since I had only driven the car in the wet once before, the Almeria test was like a first for me,” said Tomczyk. “We were really well prepared, and everything went fantastically with very few exceptions. I also really enjoy driving the car. I’m feeling very positive.”

Yelloly said: “As someone who has competed in a lot of races in the BMW M6 GT3 in recent years, I noticed right away just how big a leap forward the BMW M4 GT3 will be. We tested both performance and consistency, and practiced pit stops and performed system checks. The BMW M4 GT3 drove well on all tyre brands that we tried out so I’m very confident looking ahead to future race appearances. I can’t wait to get started.”

In addition to the testing at the racetrack, which BMW Team RMG will continue intensively during the course of the year and will supplement with initial test races, the close collaboration between BMW M Motorsport and colleagues in series development in Munich (GER) plays a crucial role. BMW Group uses various test benches for the whole car as well as components, for example, to measure performance, vibrations, efficiency and roll resistance. The BMW M4 GT3 has undergone tests on the engine test bench and the roller test bench and intensive work has been done in the wind tunnel and climate tunnel.

Testing also took place in the BMW Group’s acoustics tunnel this week, to advance the noise measuring tuning and silencer development with noise emissions for the BMW M4 GT3. This cutting-edge tunnel can do much more. In series operation, some of its other uses include sound development and tuning driving noises and interior noises.

Testing of the BMW M4 GT3 is set to continue with further sessions in April and May.

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The two brothers Elias and Johannes Hountondji will take two new BMW M4 Competition models to the starting line at this year’s Drift Masters European Championship.

The BMW M GmbH is extending its support of the Motorsport team to include the spectacular sport of drifting and will be sponsoring the Red Bull Driftbrothers. This year, the two brothers Elias and Johannes Hountondji will enter the Drift Masters European Championship driving two new BMW M4 Competition models (combined fuel consumption: 10.2 – 9.9 l/100 km according to WLTP, 10.2 l/100 km according to NEDC; combined CO2 emissions: 233 – 227 g/km according to WLTP, 234 g/km according to NEDC), which they themselves, along with their team, will optimise for the special demands of drift sports. In addition to the five racing weekends during the world’s leading drift series, show appearances are also scheduled for 2021 at the MotoGP races at the Sachsenring and the Red Bull Ring, the Austrian Formula 1 Grand Prix, likewise at the Red Bull Ring, as well as the 24-hour race at the Nürburgring. 

“BMW M has always stood for motorsports at the highest level and in all of its diversity, whereby we are also open to disciplines such as drift sports. The Red Bull Driftbrothers belong to the absolute top group of the scene in terms of driving skills and technology. The BMW M4 Competition is an ideal new competition vehicle for both of them to achieve success during the 2021 season,” says Markus Flasch, CEO of the BMW M GmbH.

The Red Bull Driftbrothers, Elias Hountondji (35) and Johannes Hountondji (40), are not just drivers. They also prepare their vehicles themselves and optimise them for the special demands of drift sports, the BMW M4 Competition providing them with a perfect basis. “We were very positively surprised just how much effort BMW M has put into optimising the vehicle’s stiffness. Therefore, we were able, for example, to use most of the front end without modifications,” says Elias Hountondji. Apart from the installation of a safety cage and the adaptation of aerodynamics to the special conditions of drifting, the Red Bull Driftbrothers also optimise the engine. “I have never seen an engine like the one in the BMW M4 Competition, a more or less thoroughbred racing engine in a road legal vehicle. The oil supply even functions at centrifugal forces of 1.5g and more. We consider this very important,” Johannes Hountondji explains.

From the outset, the BMW M4 Competition’s straight six-cylinder engine with M TwinPower Turbo Technology was designed by the BMW M GmbH for use in motor sports and will also be featured in the BMW M4 GT3. The Red Bull Driftbrothers adapt the 375 kW (510 hp) high-revving power plant used in the production vehicle to the demands of drift sports, whereby a high degree of torque is particularly crucial.  In order to access power during longer transversal movements, the brothers also optimise the engine, providing it, among other things, with an additional second cooler at the rear.

For many years now, Elias and Johannes Hountondji have been up there with the top drift sport drivers, their successes including 2017 King of Europe Champion and Vice Champion. In 2016 and 2017, they also seized the team title there and have been active in the Drift Masters European Championship since 2018. The best 45 drivers from Europe, the USA and the Middle East participate in this invitational series, 2021 in Austria, Norway, Poland, Latvia and Georgia. At drift sport events, on road sections of just a few kilometres, the driver with the best handling skills, the most intelligent strategy and the best equipment setup is chosen as the winner. Driving time is not the decisive factor, but four criteria assessed by a jury: Speed and drift angle, the more the better in each case, the chosen line and driving style. The decisions are made at the end of the battle according to a knock-out system.

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BMW Team RLL has claimed a double podium at the Twelve Hours of Sebring (USA). After 333 eventful laps of racing, the #25 MOTUL BMW M8 GTE, driven by Connor De Phillippi (USA), Bruno Spengler (CAN) and Philipp Eng (AUT), crossed the line second in the GTLM class. John Edwards (USA), Jesse Krohn (FIN) and Augusto Farfus (BRA) completed the podium with third place in the #24 MOTUL BMW M8 GTE.

BMW Team RLL has claimed a double podium at the Twelve Hours of Sebring (USA). After 333 eventful laps of racing, the #25 MOTUL BMW M8 GTE, driven by Connor De Phillippi (USA), Bruno Spengler (CAN) and Philipp Eng (AUT), crossed the line second in the GTLM class. John Edwards (USA), Jesse Krohn (FIN) and Augusto Farfus (BRA) completed the podium with third place in the #24 MOTUL BMW M8 GTE. The classic race in the US state of Florida was the second major endurance event of the season in North America.

Starting drivers De Phillippi and Krohn each moved up one place after beginning the race from third and fourth positions. That was followed by twelve eventful hours of racing on the Sebring International Raceway, with numerous full course yellows. The #25 MOTUL BMW M8 GTE led the GTLM class for a time before falling back a little to second place in the final stages. The #24 car was also in a promising position before slipping down a lap due to a minor pit stop fire around two hours before the finish and then returning to the track in fourth place.

The closing stage proved to be full of drama. During the battle for the lead, De Phillippi made contact with the leading GTLM car eight minutes before the end and received a drive-through penalty. Despite that he was able to hold on to second place in the class with the #25 car. Krohn moved up from fourth to third place on the final lap in the #24 car.

In the GTD class, the Turner Motorsport #96 BMW M6 GT3 secured eighth place. Bill Auberlen, Robby Foley (both USA) and Aidan Read (AUS) shared driving duties. The trio had lost a substantial amount of time during repairs in the early stage of the race and worked their way back up as the race progressed.

The IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge race took place on Friday. After two hours of racing, Auberlen and Dillon Machavern (USA) finished third in the Turner Motorsport #95 BMW M4 GT4 to secure a spot on the podium. The duo of Greg Liefooghe and Sean Quinlan (both USA) finished fifth in the #43 BMW M4 GT4 of Stephen Cameron Racing. Robby Foley and Vincent Barletta (both USA) secured seventh place in the #96 BMW M4 GT4 from Turner Motorsport.

The third endurance race of the season for BMW Team RLL, the 6-hour race at Watkins Glen (USA), is scheduled for 27^th June.

Quotes after the Twelve Hours of Sebring:

Bobby Rahal (Team Principal BMW Team RLL): “The guys did a great job. It was unfortunate for the #24 and we still don’t know what exactly happened at the pit stop with the fire but thankfully nobody got hurt and we were able to get going again. The final minutes were unlucky. When you have the chance to win the Twelve Hours of Sebring you’ve got to go for it. It didn’t quite work out but you can’t blame anybody; everybody was aggressive at the end. It was a shame but we gave our best shot and today it looked pretty good for a while. We got a good gap to the Corvette and the Porsche but then the yellows came out and that made it a whole new race again towards the end. We would have liked to win this race, especially this race, but with P2 and P3 we are now looking forward to the next one at Watkins Glen.”  

Connor De Phillippi (BMW Team RLL, #25 MOTUL BMW M8 GTE, 2nd place GTLM class): “I think we can be really proud of our performance today. We knew we had to maximise literally everything into this car and this is exactly what we did. We put ourselves in the position to fight at the end. I could taste the win, tried to battle with the leader. I saw an opportunity and went for it but it didn’t work. We still came home second and third for BMW. It’s great to be on the podium. It was nice to come back here and show that we have the speed. It’s a good result and good points for BMW and now we will try to get the win at the six-hour race.”

Bruno Spengler (BMW Team RLL, #25 MOTUL BMW M8 GTE, 2nd place GTLM class): “What a race. We were competing for the lead pretty much the whole race. At times, it was really intense and felt like a sprint race. After the restarts, behind each other and chasing each other, it was a lot of fun. We fought until the end and Connor saw a gap and went for it. Unfortunately there was a contact and for sure it was not intentional from his side, he just tried to go for the win but we still finished in P2. It’s a great result for us, for the whole team. The team has been working awesomely hard to give us such a good car here at Sebring so we can be happy about this great result.”

Philipp Eng (BMW Team RLL, #25 MOTUL BMW M8 GTE, 2nd place GTLM class): “I am obviously very happy about the podium. It is such a fantastic race and such a fantastic racetrack. In the end I think Connor just relied on his instinct. The outcome is what it is but I would not have done it any differently. Unfortunately we missed out on the win but it is still a double podium for BMW.”

Jesse Krohn (BMW Team RLL, #24 MOTUL BMW M8 GTE, 3rd place GTLM class): “It was really bad luck. Two years in a row, we fell out of the battle at the end. Unfortunately, the yellow came too late so we were stuck driving one lap behind the other guys. There is not much you can do. Unfortunately some things then happened at the front and we came out with P3 but it wasn’t really what we were looking for and what we could have done.”

John Edwards (BMW Team RLL, #24 MOTUL BMW M8 GTE, 3rd place GTLM class): “My sister sent me a text and it said ‘you really rose from the ashes’ and I think that is really true tonight. A surprising podium on the last lap as the Corvette was having problems. So we take it and take the points. But overall it was a disappointing day as we were very competitive. Together with the other car, we were running in P1 and P2 with a couple of hours to go and it looked like we could have a shot for both cars to stay there. We then had the fire but most importantly everyone is okay.”

Augusto Farfus (BMW Team RLL, #24 MOTUL BMW M8 GTE, 3rd place GTLM class): “It’s a shame that we had the fire. Looking at how the race ended I think we would have been right there and we would have been able to go for the victory, but besides that I think it’s a shame what happened to Connor. We all had a very good race, trouble free apart from the incident in the pit lane in which luckily no one got hurt. Another podium, so I think there is a reason to celebrate.”

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