Event date: 14 March 2021
My favourite part of Werribee Zoo was the safari tour. We had our own carriage. My favourite thing I saw on the safari tour was the big lumps of Rhino poo. We also saw the male onyx who had 26 girlfriends.
Before that I went to the Australian Trail and walked through all the dinosaurs. I loved them because they could move. My favourite dinosaur was one meat eating dinosaur because they have sharp and shiny teeth.
I also liked seeing Olivia and the other children and I got a unicorn Beanie Boo in the shop. Thank you Jo for organising this day out.
Eliza Piera (6 years) | Member #564, granddaugter of Shaaron and Lawrence Glynn BMW Drivers Club Melbourne
Event date: 16 March 2021
We are always amazed at the BMW dealerships' level of hospitality toward the car club members, thank you Waverley BMW for giving us such a wonderful start to our event.
Once the formalities were over the drivers all prepared to depart from the courtyard. Jamie is a 17yo Learner driver and having been a passenger on a drive night previously he was excited to be behind the wheel this time in our 1988 E34 525i sedan. We tried to stay near the tail end so we wouldn't be slowing anyone down. The roads were not too busy so as we wound our way through the back streets the group consisting of such a variety of cars was able to stay close together.
As we approached the Dandenongs and started to climb the sun was setting on our right giving a spectacular glimpse of the skyline, we didn't see too much more of that as the roads became windy and forest denser. It was useful having a CB radio to stay informed of the procession of cars movements as we negotiated the ever darkening surroundings. This was a valuable experience for Jamie. He really enjoyed the challenge of night driving on unfamiliar roads and this experience will assist in him becoming a safer and confident driver as he picked up several useful skills during the event.
Many thanks to all the BMW Drivers Club commitee for your tireless efforts putting so many exciting events catering for varied members needs, on and off the track. You have helped so many of us through a difficult year with your positive outlook, perhaps more than you will ever realise. It is wonderful being out again and able to continue making new friends in the best car club.
Tim & Jamie Wise | Member #416 BMW Drivers Club Melbourne
“With its sporty looks, best in class driving dynamics and zero local emissions, the BMW i4 is a true BMW. It makes the heart of the BMW brand now beat fully electric,” said Pieter Nota, member of the Board of Management of BMW AG responsible for Customer, Brands, Sales.
The BMW i4 is a fully electric 4 door Gran Coupé and will enter the market during the course of 2021, including a BMW M Performance model. Its refined balance of BMW typical sportiness, comfort and sustainable performance are unique in its segment.
The BMW i4 model line will be available in different versions covering ranges of up to 590km (WLTP) and up to 300 miles* (EPA). With a power output of up to 390kW / 530HP the BMW i4 can accelerate from zero to 100km/h in around 4 seconds.
First pictures, sketches, footage and video can be found attached to this media information.
Full details on the BMW i4 will be released over the next weeks.
BMW PRESS
The most exacting environmental compatibility requirements have been put in place throughout the value chain and for the full life cycle of the BMW iX. The car is currently in the final phase of its series development. At market launch – which will get underway at the end of 2021 – customers will be able to choose from two model variants: the BMW iX xDrive50 and BMW iX xDrive40.
The BMW iX redefines the successful Sports Activity Vehicle (SAV) concept. It is the first model based on a new, modular, scalable toolkit on which the future of the BMW Group will be built. The development and production of the BMW iX follow an all-encompassing approach to sustainability involving compliance with strict environmental and social standards in the extraction of raw materials, plus the use of electricity from renewable sources and a high proportion of recycled materials in the mix.
“Technology is driving the advances we need to tackle even the greatest challenges. This applies in particular to climate protection,” says Oliver Zipse, Chairman of the Board of Management of BMW AG. “We are in no doubt: mobility has to be sustainable if it is to represent a truly outstanding solution. For the BMW Group, premium mobility is not possible without responsibility.”
“We made a promise and we will deliver on that promise: the market launch of the BMW iX will get underway at the end of this year with a two-pronged approach – in the form of the BMW iX xDrive40 and BMW iX xDrive50,” says Pieter Nota, Member of the Board of Management of BMW AG, responsible for Customer, Brands and Sales. “We have already set out the pricing for Germany. For example, the BMW iX xDrive40 will start at 77,300 EUR, which puts it at the level of a comparable BMW X5 with conventional combustion engine. Plus, our customers will now benefit from new additions to the range of vehicle functions that can be uploaded to their cars during ownership, and enjoy a seamless and extremely customer-oriented configuration process with personalised products and services.”
The BMW Group procures the cobalt and lithium required for the high-voltage batteries from controlled sources in Australia and Morocco, before supplying them to the battery cell manufacturers. As in the production of the overall vehicle at BMW Group Plant Dingolfing, the battery cells are manufactured using exclusively green power from certified sources. And since February 2021 the company has bought in aluminium manufactured using electricity from solar energy plants. The importance placed on conserving resources in the production of the BMW iX is highlighted by the high proportion of secondary aluminium and recycled plastic used. The car’s interior features FSC-certified wood, leather tanned with olive leaf extracts and other natural materials. Among the raw materials used for the floor coverings and mats are recovered fishing nets.
“Rather than simply passing responsibility on to the supplier network, we take responsibility together with our direct suppliers,” explains Dr Andreas Wendt, Member of the Board of Management of BMW AG, responsible for Purchasing and Supplier Network. “In so doing, we tap into our many years of experience and create processes for attaining greater transparency and traceability.”
Added to which, the electric motors for the BMW iX are marked out by a design which enables the use of rare earths to be avoided. They work according to the principle of a current-excited synchronous motor. The excitation of the rotor in the BMW iX motors is not induced by fixed permanent magnets, but the feed-in of electric energy. This removes the need for the critical materials used to manufacture magnets, and the BMW Group is therefore not reliant on their availability.
This special design also has a positive effect on the motors’ performance characteristics. The precisely controlled excitation of the rotor using electric power enables peak torque to be on tap in full immediately on pulling away. And – unlike with electric motors of conventional design – that torque is maintained over an extremely broad rev band. The defining trait of the driving experience on board the BMW iX is, then, power development that is not only lightning fast but also unusually consistent, underscoring the car’s brand-typical sporting excellence.
In the BMW iX xDrive50, the drive system – which features one electric motor on the front axle and another at the rear axle – produces total output of over 370 kW/500 hp and enables acceleration of 0 to 100 km/h (62 mph) in under 5.0 seconds. The BMW iX xDrive40 has an output of more than 240 kW/300 hp, allowing it to sprint from 0 to 100 km/h (62 mph) in a shade over 6.0 seconds.
The electric motor, transmission and power electronics of the BMW iX come together as a highly integrated package within a single housing. This compact construction also benefits the drive system’s efficiency. Indeed, further boosted by optimised aerodynamics and intelligent lightweight design, the BMW iX posts standout efficiency for its segment. The result is average electric power consumption in the WLTP cycle of less than 21 kWh per 100 kilometres (62 miles) for the BMW iX xDrive50 and under 20 kWh per 100 kilometres (62 miles) in the case of the BMW iX xDrive40.
Like the electric motors, power electronics and charging technology for the BMW iX, its high-voltage batteries are also the product of fifth-generation BMW eDrive technology. They are positioned low down in the vehicle floor as an integral component of the body. The gravimetric energy density of the lithium-ion batteries has been increased by around 20 per cent again over the previous-generation battery.
The battery cells are manufactured according to precise specifications from the BMW Group and integrated into model-specific high-voltage batteries. The BMW iX xDrive50 is therefore fitted with a battery with a gross energy content of over 100 kWh at BMW Group Plant Dingolfing, while the battery unit for the BMW iX xDrive40 has a gross energy content of more than 70 kWh. This gives the BMW iX xDrive50 a range in excess of 600 kilometres (373 miles) in the WLTP test cycle. And the WLTP-calculated range of the BMW iX xDrive40 is more than 400 kilometres (249 miles). (All figures relating to performance, energy consumption and range are predicted values based on the car’s current stage of development.)
The new charging technology of the BMW iX enables DC (direct current) fast charging with extremely high charging power. The BMW iX xDrive50 can replenish its high-voltage battery at up to 200 kW, while the maximum charging capacity of the BMW iX xDrive40 is 150 kW. All of which means that a ten-minute plug-in time provides sufficient energy to add more than 120 kilometres (75 miles) / 90 kilometres (56 miles) of range. In both model variants, the high-voltage battery’s charge can be increased from 10 to 80 per cent of its full capacity in under 40 minutes.
The new technology toolkit making its debut in the BMW iX also provides the platform for significant progress in the areas of automated driving and digital services. For example, the level of computing power has been developed to process 20 times the data volume of previous models. As a result, around double the amount of data from vehicle sensors can be processed than was previously possible.
“We are setting new industry standards with the technology in the BMW iX. The iX has more computing power for data processing and more powerful sensor technology than the newest vehicles in our current line-up, is 5G-capable, will be given new and improved automated driving and parking functions and uses the high-performing fifth generation of our electric drive system,” says Frank Weber, Member of the Board of Management of BMW AG, Development.
The BMW iX is leading the way for a future generation of cars with which the company is redefining sustainability, driving pleasure and what it means to be premium. This trailblazing character is clearly expressed in the car’s design, which has been developed from the inside out. The BMW iX has therefore been created to provide quality of life and wellbeing for drivers and passengers.
The clear and minimalist design of its exterior showcases a new form of mobility geared squarely to the needs of the vehicle’s occupants. Its interior offers those on board innovative options for using the time during a journey – and enjoying relaxation, safety, security, and a new form of luxury in the process.
“The BMW iX shows how we can give new technologies a very modern and emotional design. The car is technologically complex, but it feels very clear and uncomplicated,” says Adrian van Hooydonk, Senior Vice President BMW Group Design. “The BMW iX offers a mobile living space in which people will feel at ease, where the car’s intelligence is only there when you need it.”
Event date: 8 March 2021
Thank you, BMW Drivers Club Melbourne, and Shannon’s Insurance for a very well organised and amazing day, I have never driven around a race track before, and I had the opportunity to have professional drivers with me out on track, what a buzz, sorry Topo.
I think I am hooked, and big thank you to everyone who put an amazing event together. The icing on the cake was to go out with a professional, to show me how it’s done properly. Once more thank you all, we are looking forward to the next one. Thank you, Tim, for your support on the build up to today, after Mark putting my time down for 5 mins per lap and Serena was a big help too, so now I am going to go and get all my kit, and I will be track ready.
Jennifer Lenard | Partner of Mark Topliss, member #539 BMW Drivers Club Melbourne
I just wanted to thank you again so much for organising such a great day yesterday. I know a lot of work and organisation goes into events like this and I had the BEST time! I can’t bet how much I loved.
Thank you again to all the volunteers for all the work you did to put on such a great day. I am particularly thankful that Andrew was such a patient and expert instructor. I know I wouldn’t have gotten as much enjoyment out of the day without his guidance.
Elise Marrgatt clubMINI
It’s official. I’m a bona fide racing car driver.
Well, ok …. maybe not officially …. and maybe not legitimately. But I certainly felt like one on the day I attended the BMW Drivers Club Melbourne ‘Come and Try Day’ at the Broadford State Motorcycle complex as a part of the Shannon’s International Women’s Day Festival, and what a feeling it was.
What a fantastic event! I’m so glad I attended. My time on the track that day is definitely one of the most exhilarating experiences of my life, and one that I am most proud of. The fact that there was a team of other women just like me out on the track giving it a try made it all the more wonderful.
I’m so grateful for having the experience and look back now with sadness to think that I almost missed it.
The event was held on Monday 8 March. Prior to this I had read about the event via the BMWDCM website and Facebook page and had received the member email notifications inviting to join. I had even discussed the event with my partner Andreas and other members of the BMWDCM club.
But I had ABSOLUTELY NO INTENTION of going. God no. How terrifying.
Then on Saturday 6 March Andreas and I visited Jo as she was recovering from her recent surgery. During this visit Jo chatted to me about the possibility of my joining the event but I was absolutely steadfast in my resolution that no one was getting me behind the wheel of a car on a race track!!
But the more we chatted, and the more Jo explained it to me, the more interested I became. Jo explained how everything would proceed on the day. From what to do on arrival, to the briefing sessions and the orientation laps. She explained how many sessions we would have on the tack and how the participants, mainly women, would be split into groups according to capability and experience which meant that I would be in a group with other brave women just like me. Jo explained everything from how to wear a helmet to what the flag Marshalls would be doing and how the sessions would be run. Finally, she explained that Andreas could be my instructor, and that Andreas would take me out for my first session out on the track to help me orient me and to give me tips and instructions on how to approach the track and how to handle the car. And finally, Jo explained that I could stop at any time that I felt uncomfortable.
It also helped that Graeme and Andreas, two very capable and competent drivers with significant track experience, were present during this conversation and supported Jo in everything she said. Graeme and Andreas positive and supportive input really helped to make me feel comfortable and safe with my decision to join in on the day. Not once did they make me feel embarrassed or self-conscious by my lack of experience or the fact that I was a woman trying to give it a go.
Being a conservative, careful and cautious driver at the best of times, I have never felt confident in my driving capability and would never have normally put myself in a position where I felt outside my comfort zone behind the wheel of a car. The complete sum of my motorsport experience prior to this day had been as a spectator supporting Andreas on track days.
Thank God Jo, Graeme and Andreas worked with me to help me step outside my comfort zone. I could see that I was joining a well-planned and well-regulated event being run by a team of experienced professionals. I felt safe taking a risk.
And I’m so glad I did. What an amazing experience!
Thank you to Jo Mawson and Graeme Bell for putting on such a well organised and well executed event. At no stage during the day did I feel intimidated by being in what is usually such a male dominated environment. Nor did I feel embarrassed or self-conscious by my lack of automotive skills and experience. I had an absolute ball and thoroughly enjoyed the day. Being out on the track was a little bit scary, but it was ‘good’ scary. Whilst the conservative in me struggled to get the car past 140kms per hour, it ‘felt’ fast enough for me to feel like I really was giving it a go and that I might even try it again.
In fact, I think I may have been ‘bitten by the bug’ as I plan to get back out on the race track again soon. BMW DCM is hosting a Driver Training Day at Sandown on 19 June and at Broadford on 17 July which I’m super excited to be attending and can’t wait till registrations open. Head to the BMWDCM website events page for more information. Hopefully I might see you there!
Thanks again BMWDCM. Thanks also to the VFT Flaggies, Shannon’s, Motorcycle Victoria and Motorsport Australia for their support of the event and their help in running such an awesome day.
Nella Santisi | Member #141 BMW Drivers Club Melbourne
MONTH IN REVIEW
Dear members
And so we farewell summer, if that's what you'd even call it. But autumn is here and we love the autumn weather.
February started with our monthly meeting with our new sponsor, Revolution Racegear. Our members were given a presentation on how to prepare themselves and their car for a motorsport event and there were also some great discounts on products in store. Any members who weren't able to attend can show their BMWDCM membership card any time they visit Revolution Racegear to receive a discount.
Unfortunately due to our snap five day lockdown, the Torquay Great Ocean Road drive on 13 February was cancelled which was a big shame!
____________________
On 19-21 February some of our members attended Sandown for the first round of the Garagistic E30 Racing championship. Founding member Alex Jory made a great start to his championship, winning all races across the weekend and fellow member Simon Leach following him in second in each race. Congratulations to you both and also to our other members who competed over the weekend.
On 23 February we then had what has become a monthly mid-week drive. This time we began our night being hosted at Zagame Autobody with a tour of the facilities, followed by a drive up to Mount Macedon for the sunset. Thanks to Zagame for hosting us and also to Essendon BMW for providing some beautiful M cars for the evening.
We then finished our month with the first round of our 2021 Traction Tyres/Yokohama Drivers Championship, hosted by AROCA at Sandown. It was great to see so many BMWs out on track and so many club members attending to support other members as pit crew, instructors or officials.
In other news, we've also updated some of our merchandise. If you're looking to upgrade your wardrobe do head on over to our online store to check out our new items!
MEMBERSHIP UPDATE: 549 MEMBERS
Welcome to our new members, Jordi Ceglar, Sam Nolte, Laurence Dell, Liam Magowan, Rohan Mayer, Alexander Wilson, Grady Patching, Barnabas Dean, Alby Sommer, Marcus Penev, Kevin Tran, Matthew Paterson, Ralph Guice, Alexander LoMoro, Elisa Hill, Olivia Mayworm, Marcus Colella, Abdel Farah and Lachlan Moore. 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 March:
Tuesday, 2 March March Members Meeting at Berwick BMWBerwick BMW Join us at the very new Berwick BMW dealership for a relaxed event with a chance to look around the new showroom and meet all the staff. You will also get a close look of the new M3 and M4. Sunday, 7 March 2021 Traction Tyres/Yokohama Drivers Championship | Round 2 Rob Roy Hill Climb Be sure to enter as soon as you can to avoid disappointment! Monday, 8 March Shannons International Womens Day Driver Training and Come & Try Day Broadford We are hosting the Race Chix Motorsport Come and Try Day as a part of the Shannons International Women's Day Festival. Want to know what motorsport is all about? This is your chance to find out! Sunday, 14 March Werribee Zoo Family Day Out Bring the whole family to a day out at the Werribee Zoo! There's nos et agenda for the day but we will be reserving busses for 1.30pm for our group to go on a safari tour. Register now to make sure you don't miss out. Tuesday, 16 March Mt Dandenong Mid-week Drive We'll start our evening at Waverley BMW and then head on up to Mt Dandenong while we make the most of daylight savings and late sunsets.
Tuesday, 2 March March Members Meeting at Berwick BMWBerwick BMW Join us at the very new Berwick BMW dealership for a relaxed event with a chance to look around the new showroom and meet all the staff. You will also get a close look of the new M3 and M4.
Sunday, 7 March 2021 Traction Tyres/Yokohama Drivers Championship | Round 2 Rob Roy Hill Climb Be sure to enter as soon as you can to avoid disappointment!
Monday, 8 March Shannons International Womens Day Driver Training and Come & Try Day
Broadford We are hosting the Race Chix Motorsport Come and Try Day as a part of the Shannons International Women's Day Festival. Want to know what motorsport is all about? This is your chance to find out!
Sunday, 14 March Werribee Zoo Family Day Out Bring the whole family to a day out at the Werribee Zoo! There's nos et agenda for the day but we will be reserving busses for 1.30pm for our group to go on a safari tour. Register now to make sure you don't miss out.
Tuesday, 16 March Mt Dandenong Mid-week Drive We'll start our evening at Waverley BMW and then head on up to Mt Dandenong while we make the most of daylight savings and late sunsets.
Club members have also been invited to BMW Car Club Canberra's Merimbula Getaway and whale watching on 9-10 October, if anyone is interested in joining.
Be sure to keep an eye on our calendar for more events.
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.
CLASSIFIEDS
Did you know we have a classifieds page?
Want to sell something? 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 Berwick BMW
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Zagame Autobody
Dear Members,
And Just like that, summer is over and we are into the lovely autumn weather we so love in Melbourne, perfect for getting out and enjoying our cars and the company of our BMW family and friends. We have so many events upcoming, there is something for everyone, but first a recap of a very busy February, that even included a snap 5 day lockdown!
February started with strong membership numbers. It was fantastic to see lots of new members coming on board over summer and we are now sitting on 547 members, thank you all for joining us and a very warm welcome from us all.
We started off with an event at Revolution Racegear on 3 February, who have come on board for 2021 as club sponsors. This was a very informative night on preparing yourself and your car for motorsport, and it was also well attended. Thank you Aaron and Mark for staying back on your own time and thanks again for the great discounts on the night given to our members. Going forward, Revolution will give you special prices on anything you buy in store, on production of your membership card. Another benefit of your Club Membership and another reason to always carry your membership card with you.
The Torquay Great Ocean Road Drive on 13 February, which was to be an observation run to replace the Torquay Motor Show, had to be cancelled due to the 5-day lockdown in Victoria, which was a shame as this was looking like a really fun drive event, with great numbers booked in to go.
19-21 February saw quite a few Members at Sandown for the first E30 Racing round for 2021. The racing was close across the field and saw one of our founding members, Alex Jory, make a great start to the 2021 Championship, winning all the races across the weekend with fellow DCM member Simon Leach coming home second in each race as well.
A lot of you would have heard our wonderful editor, Jess Bell, rolled her car in third race of the weekend and we are very happy to report she is ok and is very appreciative of the messages of support she received from so many of you as word spread. Poor Gonzales (who we affectionately call Kermit), her bright green E30 Racecar is a bit second hand looking, as you would be after a double somersault in turn 1 at Sandown, but the word from the panel beater is that he reckons he may be able to fix it. For the time being Jess will continue her E30 Racing campaign using her older brother, Sean’s, car until we either repair Gonzales or build Gonzales 2.0.
On 23 February we had a tour of Zagame Autobody, followed by another sunset drive, this time up to Mt Macedon. It was so good to see new members join us at this event and also a few families with their children. The drive was brilliant, thanks again to Peter, who never ceases to amaze us with his drive routes. Thank you also to Essendon BMW for bringing out some beautiful M cars for our members to have a look over whilst devouring the amazing dinner platter laid out for us.
We have also received our new merchandise in the middle of the month and sales have really gone well, you will see some of our members wearing the new style summer shirt at events and in photos. You can also click here to view the online store to check them out yourself.
Our final event for February was Round 1 of our Traction Tyres/Yokohama Drivers Championship with AROCA at Sandown and it was amazing to see so many BMWs out on the track and also so many club members supporting our competitors, either helping out as pit crew or officials or as instructors. It is a great atmosphere at our track days, with a fantastic bunch of people always coming along, and it was made even better with spectators being able to come and join us, for the first time in nearly a year. With the Covid situation finally starting to abate and vaccines rolling out, we are hoping that the worst of the Pandemic is now behind us and we can now get back to a more normal life that we have all missed.
All in all, a pretty busy Month, considering it was interrupted for a week. The other thing that happened was that our amazing powerhouse, Jo, went under the knife and has had one of her hips replaced and is now well on the road to recovery. I am totally in awe of what doctors can do to the human body and the difference in Jo is amazing already. Being able to get up and walk better than she has been able to for years is very heart-warming to see and only a couple of weeks in and she is back to attending selected events with us again.
Moving straight into March, our Members Meeting on 2 March will be the launch night for Berwick BMW and if you missed the new M3 and M4 launch in December, this is your last chance to get out and see them, whilst they are still here, as I am pretty sure, after this event, they will be boarding a ship to return to Germany. To see the new dealership is worth the visit, but to see these two amazing cars makes it a must do.
Unfortunately, this year there is no Club Display at the Phillip Is Historics, due to COVID. There are very limited entry tickets for spectators and you are restricted on where you can go, so this year we won’t be doing a Club event to the Historics, sadly. We would also normally be going to the Australian Grand Prix in March, but it too has been postponed and we look forward to hearing what will happen regarding a display or any club involvement later inn the year. We will keep you informed, as soon as we know anything.
7 March is Round 2 of our Traction Tyres/Yokohama Drivers Championship and also Round 1 of the Motorsport Australia Interclub Hillclimb Challenge at Rob Roy Hillclimb track. If you fancy a lovely day out with a picnic atmosphere, come along and support our members or even enter and have a run on the oldest Hillclimb Track in Australia. It will be a fun day and I look forward to seeing a few of you out there. Enter via the Motorsport Australia Event Entry portal at the link in the event.
On 8 March, we have been asked by Race Chix Motorsport to run a Come and Try/Driver Training Day as a part of the Shannons International Women’s Festival at Broadford. This is now open to men and women, so if you haven’t registered please make sure you do soon before the event closes. This is manly aimed at women drivers who have never been on a track before and what to learn more about what is needed and what to do. Sorry about the late notice, but we have been working feverishly to get this event up and happening, after only coming on board a week ago. This will be the perfect opportunity for women to come and have a taste of what it’s like on track and with some classroom sessions as well as instruction, we hope you will gain some skills and have a try on a track without any pressure of competition.
On 14 March we will be doing a family day out and visiting the Werribee Zoo, where we have a reserved undercover area, so we can relax and enjoy the day. We have also reserved a bus spot for the Safari tour. Make sure you register your interest as soon as possible if you do want to attend.
On 16 March, our now monthly mid-week drive will be leaving from Waverly BMW, but not before we have time to have a quick look through their show room and have a quick bite to eat and something soft to drink. The drive is taking us to the summit of Mt Dandenong this time, where we should be able to see some amazing views of Melbourne in the twilight. As the days grow shorter and colder, we may not continue our sunset cruise events to the top of a nearby Mountain through Winter, but we will see if we can replace them with a visit somewhere interesting and warm… until Summer returns.
The month will end up at Winton with Round 2 of the E30 Racing Championship, on 26-28 March again with lots of our members competing as well as helping out. We are hoping to have spectators at this event too, so come for a drive and watch some great racing and join in the fun that is real motorsport!
We had a thought earlier this year, that we have a few families now with younger members who have joined as junior members, so why not have a club polo for them. This should be on the club’s merchandise store very shortly so watch out as they are very cute and only $10. Also, we have now dropped the joining fee for additional members joining an existing or new membership at the same address, making it cheaper for families or couples to join us and experience the benefits of being in the Ultimate Driving Club.
As always, watch the calendar for more events and also look out on our Club Partners page to see all of our sponsors and what great offers they have for you all as loyal members.
One final note, it is not long now before we have our annual presentation dinner, at another one of our new Sponsors, Park Hyatt Melbourne. This is going to be a fabulous event and we would love to see you all dressed up and supporting all those who won awards in 2020. So, get your tickets and come and join us for a lovely evening to celebrate the Club’s third birthday.
Thank you for joining us this month and I look forward to seeing you at an event somewhere soon.
Drive safe and take care.
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: 27 February 2021
Saturday, February 27 saw the inaugural round of the 2021 Traction Tyres/Yokohama Drivers Championship at Sandown Raceway. 14 members took to the track with near perfect weather conditions for 6 great sessions of action. Lap times and banter in pit lane heated up throughout the day as new members were welcomed and veterans passed on valuable tips.
A big thank you to the Alfa Club for hosting a very well run day and we look forward to sharing more rounds of the 2021 Traction Tyres/Yokohama Drivers Championship with you.
Be sure to dust off the helmet and get the car prepped to join the fun for the next round at Rob Roy on March 7.
Jon Chadwick | Member #593 BMW Drivers Club Melbourne
Saturday was an exciting day for me, as I have become a part of the pit crew at Bell Motorsport. It was the first round of the Traction Tyres/Yokohama driver's championship at Sandown. It was a cold start to the morning considering we're still in summer, as drivers begun arriving and unloading. For those that had booked a garage in pitlane, they slowly unloaded their cars and drove their immaculate looking vehicles around and down pitlane to their designated garage in a slow manner, so not to make too much noise and get pinged for exceeding the noise limit before 9am.
Representing Bell Motorsport were two drivers, Rod Martin in his black E30, who races in the Garagistic E30 Racing series and Adam Sleep in his blue E30. There were also a few other E30's like Jim Tucker is his red car, as well as a few other variants of the M3 and a few 1 series too from BMWDCM. The rest of the cars there were made up of Mazda's, Alfa Romeo, Maserati and Porsche.
My day was pretty easy, guiding the two Bell Motorsport cars to line up before each of their sessions in pitlane and then checking tyre pressures on their return to the garage after each session. As well as the occasional mop of the windscreen if it got dirty and most importantly keeping the drivers and Graeme hydrated with water, making sure they drank plenty during the day.
Each session ran for 15mins with five groups. So I think the Bell Motorsport drivers had 5 runs over the day, getting in some good laps. It was a good learning for Adam, following Rod around, finding the right lines and improving his race craft. On their return back to the garage both drivers compared feedback and got ready for their next session.
Thanks to Bell Motorsport for allowing me to come down and help out. I look forward to helping out at the next round or perhaps joining the pit crew for the E30 Racing series at some point!
Tim Oh | Member #538 BMW Drivers Club Melbourne
Saturdays event at Sandown’s Traction Tyres/Yokohama Driver Championship was an absolute blast. Going into the event, I was fairly nervous as I haven’t done many track days before. However, by the end of the day I became more and more confident in my driving ability.
As soon as I arrived, people were very friendly and eager to provide pointers and advice to help me improve my driving skills. This included helping me choose specific driving lines and breaking points. Listening and putting to use the advice from experienced drivers that were very familiar with the track itself, enabled me to improve my driving times drastically throughout the day.
There was an awesome turn out in the range of cars that came to participate in the event. Having an E30 myself, it was great to speak to many likeminded e30 owners and the way they had all differently set up their cars. The days activities brought people coming from all around Melbourne to perform their personal best and nothing less.
It gave me a bit of pride being apart of such a passionate, friendly and inclusive community with BMW Drivers Club Melbourne. There is no doubt that you will see me there next time.
Justin Penev | Member #543 BMW Drivers Club Melbourne
Event date: 23 February 2021
Walking into our first event with BMW Drivers Club Melbourne we were not sure what to expect. We were sure it would be really fun; however, our expectations were exceeded when we were greeted with friendly Zagame and BMW staff that made us feel extremely welcome. The great night began at Zagame Autobody in Tullamarine. Awaiting everyone’s arrival, a very generous charcuterie board and refreshments were provided by the Zagame team.
Once everyone had arrived, Zagame team member, Andre took us on a tour of the building. As many may already know, Zagame Autobody is located on the site of what once was The Age printing press. Andre was part of the Zagame project from day one to ensure the grounds were created into a place that would allow their team to repair cars to factory specifications. The first stop along the tour was a zone where the team apply film and wraps to cars. Andre pointed out that the Zagame Autobody team use a template to cut film rather than cutting film on the car which often damages the paint. Zagame guarantee that the film will protect your car for up to 10 years.
Moving along down the building there were some awesome historic Ferrari’s which were being restored back to their original glory along with other cars that were involved in collisions. Andre stressed the importance the team put on ensuring that the cars must be restored in such a way that they replicate exactly how the factory built the car in the first place. This is so that, firstly, it looks just as good as the day it came off the line at the factory, and secondly, so it can be ready to protect the driver just as well as it did the first time if there were to be another collision.
Moving down the building to the final part of the floor is the painting booths which again, employ the same techniques as the ones used at a factory to ensure that the finish on the car is nothing short of perfect. Andre noted the importance to have the ability to elect a repairer so that when things may go wrong, you know exactly who to take the car to.
The services offered by Zagame are not going to cost you more than any other repairer and you know you are going to get the best result when taking your car to Andre and his team. After all the information we were provided with on the tour, it is safe to say that Zagame Autobody will be at the top of our list if something does go wrong in the future.
We want to give a big thanks to Zagame for hosting the BMW Drivers Club Melbourne and their support of the club as a sponsor again in 2021!
We would also like to mention that the drive up to Mt Macedon was fantastic and was very well organised. All smiles from ear to ear from us, we are definitely looking forward to future events!
Alex LoMoro and Emily Hand | Member #651 BMW Drivers Club Melbourne
At about 7.20pm after our magnificent show and tell session from the wonderful people at Zagame, we walked down to our cars ready for the drive.
Peter was leading us in his Blue MINI Clubman, of course he had to park next to my Clubman as per the MINI rules (Rule no.1). There were about 12 cars in the drive and we settled into our line and headed out.
We were all loving the pops and crackles emitting from the M4 in our group and it immediately got plenty of comments, much to the owners exclamations and joy that it was completely stock.
Soon we settled into a pack and some asked Jo if we would get to see the sunset on top of Mt Macedon. Jo replied that we would get one, just not sure where. The clouds were dappled with the afternoon setting sun and the temperature was dropping. Much to the commentary about the temperature was for the benefit of our convertible BWM friends who some of us thought were silly for keeping the top down is such conditions. It was about 13.5deg crisp and clear but that Celsius was dropping fast.
Soon we were traveling through Wallan and heading towards derit gum, I mean derriweeeet gummy, oh who can really pronounce Darraweit Guim.
We encountered some beautiful curves and lovely rolling green hills for Jo to exclaim that she liked the look of our bums, or rather taillights, but we all know what she meant.
We were guided by Peter through yet more curvy roads much to the delight of the drivers and vehicles who took the turns in the appropriate manner with machines that were just made to enjoy said curves.
Chatter on the two-way radios was full of appreciation of the curves and constant updates to the lowering temperature and how our convertible friends were fairing. I had my windows down to hear the pops and crackles better but I had to wind them up when it got down to single digits.
We approached the base of Mt Macedon as it started to get properly dark and convoy of excitement was lighting up the road ahead. We had to do a dog leg left turn to start the climb up the mountain and I came in a bit hard but "Chubby" the clubby took the corner with ease and said "please sir may I have another?".
A slow and low gear wind up the hill in the dark was exhilarating with the temperature now hitting 8.5deg, I sure hope that people brough their jackets.
Then it seemed just as soon as the fun had started we had arrived at Mt Macedon. We parked in a line and a few photos in the dark were taken and we all walked up to the cross. We had a little chat about the great drive and the road and then after about 15 mins (mainly due to the cold) went back to our cars to start the journey home.
I can certainly say for my first club drive with BWM it was an absolute blast. Thanks to Jo, Graeme, Lawrence, Shaaron and Peter for including me from ClubMini and for the amazing hospitality and warm welcome from the team at Zagame.
I hope to join you for another exciting drive soon.
Luke Devlin clubMINI
This story has been published with permission and the member mentioned de-identified.
2020 started off looking like it was going to be a great year for most of us and especially the club, with some fantastic events in February, March rolled around and the Australian Grand Prix was coming to Melbourne and BMWDCM again had a great display area linked with E30 racing.
We had all heard about COVID in other countries and we had all be taking precautions, but I don’t think any of us really thought that we would be hit so hard by this pandemic.
On the Wednesday before the Grand Prix all of our members and sponsors took their cars to Albert Park to be placed on display and I can honestly say it was one of the best displays we have had there, with a wide range of BMWs on display. With the E30 Racing group next to us, it was a wonderful display of old and new BMWs.
We managed to get a day of Grand Prix on the Thursday with members and general public coming past and enjoying our display but then everything went pear shaped and it was feeling like the world was coming to and end. Friday morning, we got notification from the organisers to get our cars out as soon as possible and we had the task of contacting everyone and arranging for our members and sponsors to get their cars removed straight away. We were incredibly lucky as Lawrence was at the track with some of our members and managed to get in whilst the public were kept waiting for a decision on what was happening, so we could coordinate from Albert Park and from home as well.
Still even with the cancellation of the Grand Prix we did not think that we would be as bad as some of the other states in Australia, especially NSW as they were experiencing some bad clusters.
Once we (the club) were notified that we could no longer gather in groups or hold events, I contacted the other members of the executive and said we need to keep our members involved and engaged and we need to make sure everyone’s mental health is ok. I know we couldn’t contact everyone, but what we decided to do was go virtual with all our meetings and events and hold them via Zoom and continue on as best we could.
Our first Zoom meeting was really just a test to see what our members thought and how well it was going to work. The first meeting was mainly about what we would be doing through COVID and to get feedback from our members on what they wanted. We were overwhelmed by the success of the first Zoom meeting, so then we just kept adding more meetings and events week after week.
Our sponsors and advertisers were on board and we held some amazing events, even a private tour of BMW Classic in Munich, which gathered close to 100 members on the night.
For me, organising these events gave me a purpose and kept me engaged with our friends and members and I know for our sponsors and members it was something to look forward to. It was good for the club too as our membership continued to grow over the year. Even with the lack of in person events, people kept saying to us 'this is fantastic', as a lot of other clubs and groups just shut up shop and went silent.
What prompted me to pen this is that just recently, is that I had been contacted by a member who found the start of COVID ok, like most of us, but then when we went into stage 4 lockdown, they really struggled and went into a very dark place, as I know a few of us did, myself included. What helped me through this was my family and my video calls from our granddaughter and my connection with club members who just wanted to chat. Arranging these online events gave me something to do and I was determined to make the events I put on, both fun but also interesting and informative, so members could gain something from them all too. This member told me recently that having the constant COVID updates from Graeme and the articles from other members, along with all the brilliant events gave them a reason to get through each day and look forward to the events that were coming up. It gave them a purpose to go on and not take the road to nowhere.
I spoke to this member for several hours, not only about this but other things we share a common interest in, and I know it made both of us feel so much better.
It's not over yet and people are still struggling, so please reach out to your family, friends and loved ones, also your fellow club members and just talk. It doesn’t have to be a deep conversation about the meaning of life, just sharing a conversation with someone can make a huge change in their lives and we don’t all wear our hearts on our sleeves and sometimes people who look like they are coping are actually crying out for help.
Speaking to this member about their dark times really made me proud of how our club kept everything together and kept our members involved and to know we helped them, may mean we helped others as well. I am very thankful this person is still with us, and hate to think of those that had nothing to hang on to, or to look forward to, and I am very thankful we managed to help at least one of you, as well as ourselves, to get through what turned out to be a terrible year.
Jo Mawson | Member #2 BMW Drivers Club Melbourne
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