The regular League of Legends (LoL) summer season was over, but BMW has another special highlight in store for fans of the Esports classic to round things off. At the BMW Berlin Brawl, the stars of the LoL top teams G2 Esports and Fnatic will go head to head in direct contact with their community – and alongside some of their fans in virtual matches. The LVL World of Gaming in Berlin, possibly the most spectacular Esports and gaming location in the world, will host the first running of this special “United in Rivalry” event on 14 August.
Five of the hottest, most successful Esports teams go head to head in competitions regularly as partners of BMW. The two European teams, G2 Esports and Fnatic, will now join forces with some of their fans in the BMW Berlin Brawl and take part in LoL duels, where the main focus is on having fun. In two matches, a “MIXED 5vs5” and an “ARAM 2vs2”, selected members of the LoL community will be given the opportunity to play in a team with their heroes. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the three fans from each team will sit in front of their computers in separate rooms at LVL. Unfortunately, spectators won’t be able to be on site this time, but the countless fans around the world can follow the matches on the live stream and talk to their heroes directly via chat.
Jens Thiemer, Senior Vice President Customer & Brand BMW: “With our international Esports commitment, we want to bring the BMW brand to life in the Esports community authentically and using new formats. The Berlin Brawl is our first event in which teams and fans come together to celebrate the love of competition, true to the motto ‘United in Rivalry’, whereby our newly founded BMW Esports Twitter channel will serve as a live broadcasting platform for the first time.”
Carlos “ocelote” Rodriguez (CEO G2 Esports): “When BMW contacted us with an opportunity to take Fnatic down for a third time this split, we simply couldn’t turn the chance down. It’s a great opportunity for both teams to give back to the fans and celebrate the #UnitedInRivalry campaign and we’re proud to do so at our home at LVL World of Gaming. Of course, the #G2ARMY is going to show why we are the best. Let’s go!”
Sam Mathews (CEO Fnatic): “The Berlin Brawl is a brilliant concept for us and the fans. Our fans thrive on the rivalry and the opportunity for some of them to play alongside their favourite players as well as having tangible involvements in the pick/bans, etc brings it to life in a totally new way and we are very excited BMW has brought us together for this. It is just unfortunate the fans can’t be in the arena with us, but we look forward to having them there for the next one. Fnatic vs G2 means so much. It is the two most storied teams in the LEC battling it out. G2 may have had the better of us recently, but I have no doubt we’re building something truly great. Our rivalry makes both teams strive to do better and be better, and without it the LEC would not be the same. Fnatic have the best fans in the world, so putting them alongside our players and head trainer Mithy – I know exactly who is going to be walking away with the trophy on the night.”
New presence for the BMW Esports commitment on social media. Just in time for the BMW Berlin Brawl, the expanded BMW Esports commitment also has its own home on social media. On Twitter, the handle @BMWEsports will bundle all the information on the LoL teams as part of “United in Rivalry”, all other BMW Esports commitments and the extensive BMW Motorsport SIM Racing programme. @BMWEsports is the new port of call for Esports fans on Instagram.
Follow the “Berlin Brawl 20” live on Friday 14 August, from 19:00 CEST on the BMW Motorsport Twitch Channel. In the #berlinELECTRIFIED campaign, which saw two BMW i convoys in action over several days in Berlin, #BMWiConvoyEsports won the sim racing challenge. G2 Esports Sim Racing driver Nils Naujoks beat BMW i Andretti Motorsport driver Alexander Sims’ time. So, the “Berlin Brawl 20” will now be shown live on www.twitch.tv/bmwmotorsport. There will also be a live stream on the new BMW Esports Twitter channel.
BMW PRESS
Event date: 3 August 2020
The first of our two August meetings took place in the now-normal Zoom format on Monday, August 3. We were joined by Ryan and Lisa from club sponsor Shannons, who gave us a sneak peak at some of the very collectible cars to be offered for sale in their forthcoming auction. Of particular interest to members was a group of 1980s 3 and 5 Series machines. While most were in good condition for immediate use as club day runners one was described as “runs ok when warm”. Shannons have a reputation as being notably honest and transparent in describing their offerings!
Also shown was a 1985 M635 CSi (M6). Ryan sought the expertise of the remotely-assembled group to help locate the VIN and Lawrence was able to identify its likely hiding place. Other rarities included a Honda NSX (the “Japanese Ferrari”) and a very tasty 1972 Porsche 911E. Jo was most interested in a beautiful 1961 Karmann Ghia, although she was disappointed to learn that her MGB would not provide sufficient trade-in value to enable her to make a swap.
For the writer, the star car was a 1965 Ford Cortina. This model would not normally qualify for such lead billing but in this case it was a GT500 2dr, with the original engine included for possible reinstallation. 1965 was the year the GT500 took the top two places outright at Bathurst. In fact three of the four (price-based) class winners that year were Cortinas - not bad for mass market suburban shopping trolleys!
Thanks to the committee for another great opportunity to catch up.
David Francis | Member #243 BMW Drivers Club Melbourne
MONTH IN REVIEW
Hi members
July started out with us feeling pretty positive about the month ahead and the events we had planned. Our first event of the month was Round 5 of our Yokohama/Traction Tyres Drivers Championship and our Cross Border Challenge on 4 July with our friends and fellow BMW club members from NSW at Winton. The day started very cold but the sun came out and we all had a great day. It was so good to see our NSW friends and many of our Victorian members after so long.
Our July members meeting was held (virtually) at Traction Tyres in Rowville. Thank you to Andrew for an amazing presentation, I think we all learnt a lot more about tyres and the new Yokohama AO52 high performance tyre in particular.
Remember if you are after anything tyre or wheel related, mention you are a BMWDCM member and they will look after you.
It was just a couple of days later that Metropolitan Melbourne and Mitchell Shire went back into stage 3 restrictions. This meant we had to cancel or postpone all of our future in person events.
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Club Permit SchemeVery soon you will be able to pay your club permit renewal online instead of going in to a VicRoads office or posting your renewal to them. If you have a MyVicRoads account, you should login to see if your club plates have been linked. We know that some people have had their plates linked already, but not everyone has.
It is important to remember that you will still need to get our signature prior to renewing your permit, but it will certainly make it easier to pay for your renewal.
There are also some changes to the way Club Permits will be issued coming in October, we'll be in touch with those changes a little closer to the time.
If you require assistance from Jo Mawson or Graeme Bell during this time, please do not phone the Bell Motorsport phone number (03 5979 1599). Please instead phone Jo on 0412 661 900.
MEMBERSHIP UPDATE: 490 MEMBERS
Welcome to our new members, 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
Our August Members Meeting will be held virtually on Monday, 3 August at 7.30pm, with a virtual tour of the auction rooms at Shannons.
We've also got a virtual event with Jay Leno's Garage on Tuesday, 18 August at 7.30pm
Unfortunately we can't give too many details on other upcoming events right now. Be sure to keep an eye on our calendar for when we can resume 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.
BMW around the globe.
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
Urban Armour Australian made hand sanitiser Urban Armour are offering members a great deal ona range of hand sanitisers and hand sanitiser stations, you can see what they have on offer here. Don't forget to mention you're a member of BMWDCM to see what they can do for you!
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 Residential/All Commercial Creative Custom Cars Melbourne BMW Mornington BMW Shannons Insurance Southern BM Traction Tyres Waverley BMW Zagame Autobody
Dear Members,
Welcome all to another month in lockdown, well, for most of us, unfortunately. I hope you are all fairing well, both physically and mentally. It is not easy for any of us to not socialise, be with friends and family and be able to get out and enjoy this beautiful country. I hope you are all weathering the second lockdown and doing the right thing to try and suppress the virus to get the numbers back in control. Hopefully sooner rather than later we can get back to doing what we love.
July started off with a great event at Winton with Round 5 of our Yokohama/Traction Tyres Drivers Championship and our Cross Border Challenge on 4 July with our friends and fellow BMW club members from NSW. This is one of our annual events which we have grown to love and it has now turned into a light-hearted competition between the NSW and Victorian clubs. Unfortunately, Victoria is yet to win the challenge, hopefully we have better luck next year! It was very close though with NSW only beating us by a fraction of a point.
We must say a huge THANK YOU to all our officials that come along to these days and help out so that everyone can get out on track and enjoy themselves. Running track days is made so much easier when we have a pool of amazing people to call on to come and assist us, so, thank you all. It is sometimes a thankless job, being a track side official, but we really appreciate your help and efforts and it is great to see so many of you coming back time and time again. Of course, if you’d like to find out more about becoming a Motorsport Australia Accredited Official and helping us run track events, don’t hesitate to contact Jo or myself.
With all the Covid restrictions still in place we had a lot of hard work before the event, which then made the running of the day much smoother, with check-in being completed in only 20 minutes. Some good things have come from the virus, that will carry forward to future events.
Our July members meeting was held (virtually) at Traction Tyres in Rowville. We would like to thank Andrew for an amazing presentation, I think we all learnt a lot more about tyres and the new Yokohama AO52 high performance tyre in particular. Remember if you are after anything tyre/wheel related, mention you are a BMWDCM member and they will look after you.
Shortly after this meeting, Melbourne and Mitchell Shire found themselves back in Stage 3 lockdown, which meant we had to cancel some of our July events. Christmas in July, Broadford Come and Try Day and Round 6 of our Traction Tyres/Yokohama Drivers Championship all had to be cancelled. We will have to wait and see what happens now and how long it takes to get it back in control again and allow us to get back into running events. We will keep you in the loop with what we are planning and as soon as we know anything, we will pass it on to you. Thank you all for understanding, but the way it is heading, it may be a while before we can get out and about again, sadly.
Our August members meeting will be on 3 August, which is a Monday for a change due to conflicting Zoom meetings. This will be a guided tour around the auction rooms at Shannons. If you're interested in attending, please ensure you register to receive the meeting link.
We also have virtual event with with Jay Leno's Garage in August, where we can get some great offers on their products, learn how to use them and what products we should be using, so don’t miss out on that one.
Our Stony Creek drive and Karting event has been postponed for the moment. Once we're allowed to go out and drive our cars again, we'll re-organise it.
We do have an extremely exciting virtual event coming up on 15 September. So keep the evening free and watch this space and be sure not to miss out! You will not be disappointed. It will be something incredibly special indeed! When it is a little closer, we will let you know all about it.
We have purchased some BMWDCM branded reusable face masks, which will be arriving this week. Keep checking the online store for updates on new stock. The masks will sell for $12 with free postage, no matter how many you order. Pick up will not be available.
We have some news on changes to the Club Plate Scheme coming up. Very soon you will be able to pay your renewal online instead of going in to a VicRoads office or posting your renewal to them. If you have a My VicRoads Account, you should login to see if your club plates have been linked. I can tell you that my permits have been linked to my account, but others aren't seeing theirs yet. You will still need to get our signature prior to renewing your permit, but it will certainly make it easier to pay for your renewal. There are also some changes to the way Club Permits will be issued coming in October, we'll be in touch with those changes a little closer to the time.
I would just like to extend all our best wishes to you all and encourage you to be patient, wear your masks, sanitise, wash your hands and most of all stay safe and stay home if you can. If you need to talk to anyone or know someone that is suffering in isolation, pick up the phone and give us or them a call. Sometimes a phone call can brighten someone’s day immensely and help alleviate some of the stress we all feel with what is in the news every day. We are here anytime you want to chat, and anyone that knows me, knows I love to chat about cars or anything related really.
Take care, see you somewhere soon.
Graeme Bell | President BMW Drivers Club Melbourne Inc.
P.O. Box 81, TYABB, VICTORIA. 3913Incorporated 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
The experience of luxurious driving pleasure has reached a whole new dimension in the BMW X7. The first Sports Activity Vehicle (SAV) in the luxury segment combines a striking appearance with generous interior comfort combined with the brand’s hallmark sporty flair. An edition model now brings out the imposing presence and exclusive charisma of the BMW X7 in a particularly concentrated form. With its unique BMW Individual design and equipment features, the BMW X7 Edition Dark Shadow underlines both the sporty appearance and the luxury ambience of the largest SAV. The most striking feature of the edition model is the BMW Individual special paint finish in Frozen Arctic Grey metallic. This particularly high-quality and elaborate variant of the body finish is now used for the first time in a BMW X model. Additional selected variants of the special BMW Individual paint finish will be added to the range of optional equipment items for the BMW X7, BMW X6 and BMW X5 to coincide with the start of production of the edition model.
The precisely coordinated details of the design and features for both exterior and interior give the BMW X7 edition model the status of a collector's item. The BMW X7 Edition Dark Shadow will be produced at the BMW plant in Spartanburg/USA from August 2020 onwards in a limited edition of about 500 units. The edition model is available worldwide and can be combined with all engines offered for the BMW X7.
The expressive paint finish of the BMW X7 Edition Dark Shadow is supplemented with the BMW Individual High Gloss Shadow Line including extended features. This means that in addition to the side window surrounds, the covers of the B and C columns and the exterior mirror bases, a black chrome finish is also featured on the frame and the bars of the BMW kidney grille, the Air Breathers and the tailpipe covers of the exhaust system. This creates a subtle contrast to the matt shimmering body surfaces, also emphasised by the BMW Individual Roof Rail High Gloss Shadow Line and the sun protection glazing. The dynamic character of the SAV is emphasised by the aerodynamically optimised bodywork elements of the M sports package, which also forms part of the equipment package for the edition model. Another exclusive feature of the BMW X7 Edition Dark Shadow is the 22-inch M light-alloy wheels in V-spoke design with a Jet Black matt finish and fitted with mixed tyres. The superior performance of the engine is accompanied by the emotionally powerful sound of the M sports exhaust system.
An impressive combination of sporty flair and luxurious ambience also characterises the interior of the edition model, which is available with either six or seven seats. The driver and front passenger enjoy the superior sporty flair of the luxurious SAV on electrically adjustable comfort seats with memory function. An M leather steering wheel and BMW Individual equipment details specially developed for the BMW X7 Edition Dark Shadow bear witness to the very highest level of exclusivity. A contributing factor here is the BMW Individual Merino full leather upholstery in the specific two-tone variant Night Blue/Black with contrasting seams, as is the BMW Individual roof liner in Night Blue with Alcantara finish. The upper part of the instrument panel and the armrests of the doors are covered with nappa leather in Night Blue. Black merino leather is used in the lower section of the instrument panel and on the front backrests. In addition, BMW Individual interior trim finishers in Fineline Black with aluminium inlays contribute to the fascinating aura of the edition model’s interior. In the centre console area, the unique design is underscored by means of BMW Individual interior trim finishers in Piano Black finish bearing an edition logo.
In addition to the Frozen Arctic Grey metallic version available exclusively for the BMW X7 Edition Dark Shadow, additional special BMW Individual finishes will be integrated into the production process at the BMW plant in Spartanburg from August 2020. This means that the BMW X7, BMW X6 and BMW X5 models can now also be given a particularly high-quality finish in Urban Green and Grigio Telesto metallic.
Aerodynamics play a key role in determining the top speed of a World Superbike. Even the smallest of details can make a big difference here. The goal is to keep the aerodynamic drag as low as possible. The BMW Group Acustic Wind Tunnel in Munich (GER) has everything the BMW Motorrad Motorsport engineers need to test and develop aerodynamic updates for the RR used in WorldSBK.
However, to simulate the flow conditions as realistically as possible, it is not enough to simply position the bike in the wind tunnel by itself. Out on the racetrack, there is also a rider on the bike, creating his own air resistance, even if his riding position has also been optimised aerodynamically. For that reason, the whole package of motorcycle and rider is used in the airflow, which is generated by the wind tunnel’s 2,600-hp electric motor and can reach speeds of up to 255 km/h. To make this possible, BMW Motorrad Motorsport has turned to an innovative method: 3D scanning.
“Eugene was here in Munich with us before the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic. He was trying to find the ideal sitting position on the RR and, while he was in that position, we took detailed measurements with a 3D scanner,” said BMW Motorrad Motorsport Director Marc Bongers. Detailed measurements means every individual glove finger, every contour of the helmet, every seam in the leather overalls, every crease that affects the aerodynamic drag and with it the airflow. “Based on the data from the 3D scan, we created a plastic model made of two halves. It took about a week to get all the details right, however our 3D Eugene was then ready for action,” Bongers added.
Since then, the plastic Laverty has been providing a very important service. He has racked up over 50 test runs in the wind tunnel. “Using a 3D model like this allows us to work more efficiently on development of our RR,” explains Bongers. “While a real rider must travel to get here, the plastic version is available at any time for testing in the wind tunnel. This means that we can evaluate and implement updates even faster.” Another major advantage of the 3D model became particularly apparent during the coronavirus-enforced break. While WorldSBK riders Laverty and Tom Sykes (GBR) were unable to travel to Munich due to travel restrictions, plastic Laverty was waiting in Munich, ready to get back on the RR in the wind tunnel.
So, what does the real Laverty make of his double? “He’s just a few shades paler than my Irish complexion,” said a chuckling Laverty, referring to the light plastic used to make the model. “All joking aside, it was a little unusual to sit on the bike for so long and to be measured from every angle with a 3D scanner. However, the result is awesome. I can do my bit to make our RR faster without having to be in Munich in person. It’s not every day you get to see yourself as such a detailed model. It is fascinating what is possible with modern technology, and the BMW Group is leading the way in many areas in this regard.”
Following the break for the coronavirus, it has now also been possible to measure team-mate Sykes in Munich. His 3D model will soon also see action in the wind tunnel. The next races for the optimised RR, the BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team and the real drivers will take place on the first weekend in August. The 2020 WorldSBK season, which was suspended after the opening round in Australia, will resume at Jerez de la Frontera, Spain.
In preparation for production of the fully-electric BMW i4, BMW Group Plant Munich will pause vehicle production for six weeks this summer. No cars will be produced between the end of the late shift on 23 July and the start of the early shift on 7 September. Plant Munich will take advantage of this break in production to implement numerous structural and remodelling measures before the fully-electric BMW i4 goes into standard production next year. “We are gearing up our Munich plant for the future. Once remodelling is finished, we will be able to produce vehicles with diesel, petrol and hybrid drive trains, as well as the fully-electric BMW i4, all on the same line. This will allow us to respond flexibly to customer demand,” said plant director Robert Engelhorn. Integrating the BMW i4 into the existing production system will be a major challenge for Plant Munich. The high-voltage battery makes the BMW i4 body concept different to that of the vehicle models previously built at the plant. Nevertheless, about 90 percent of the existing production systems used in the body shop can be integrated and enabled for future BMW i4 production. Only 10 percent – specifically, equipment used in production of the rear end – cannot be integrated, because of the high-voltage battery, and require new systems to be set up. The high-voltage battery in the BMW i4 is installed from below. A new and separate battery assembly will be set up for this within vehicle assembly. “Confined structures make any remodelling and installation measures at Plant Munich particularly challenging. Old systems have to be removed, and new ones installed and put into service, in very tight spaces within six weeks. This takes meticulous planning and a lot of creativity,” underlined Engelhorn. As well as installing new systems, existing production equipment will also have to be converted so the BMW 3 Series Sedan and BMW 3 Series Touring – both with combustion engines and hybrid drive train, the new BMW M3 and the fully-electric BMW i4 can all be produced on the same line. This production interruption has been planned and prepared for since early 2019. Virtual reality (VR) is also being used across the board in transmission and final assembly to optimise future processes. The VR pilot project provides a sneak preview of planned structures and processes, increases planning accuracy in the early phases of a project and reduces planning time. Employees are able to get a feel for their new workplace in a VR training space. VR goggles provide them with a glimpse of their new working environment and planned work processes. As a result, employees often come up with ideas for improvement that enable new operations to be optimised in advance and adapted for rollout. From 28 August, systems will be refilled so production can resume after the break and, starting with the early shift on 7 September, vehicles can once again roll off the production lines at the main plant in Munich. Certain areas of the Munich plant, such as engine production, will continue to operate at full scale to secure supplies for the global production network.
Farfus rolled out of the garage at the wheel of the BMW M4 GT3 for the first time at 9:40hrs last Saturday and set about completing the first important function tests. The BMW Motorsport engineers spent the whole day putting the new GT car, which will replace the BMW M6 GT3 from the 2022 season, through its paces. The first tests are scheduled to take place on the track at the BMW Group’s test centre in the southern French commune of Miramas next week.
“It is always an emotional moment when a newly-developed BMW race car takes to the track for the first time,” said Marquardt. “This time, however, I am particularly proud. Given the difficult conditions of the past few months, it is quite remarkable that we have managed to implement our development programme as planned, and whilst complying with the BMW Group’s strict safety and hygiene regulations throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, have managed to stick to the date originally envisaged for the rollout of the BMW M4 GT3. I’d like to say a big thank you to everyone who has shown such commitment and the passion we have become accustomed to in the face of the extraordinary challenges faced in recent months, and who have overcome these challenges imperiously. Thanks to the very close and intensive collaboration with our colleagues at BMW M GmbH, we have been able to use the basis provided by the new BMW M4 production model to develop a race car that has everything it needs to continue the successful history of BMW Motorsport as a new GT icon.”
Markus Flasch, CEO of BMW M GmbH: “With every BMW M4, we are taking motor racing technology to the streets. That is particularly true of the new BMW M4 Coupé, which forms the perfect basis for the race car. The straight six-cylinder engine with M TwinPower turbo technology and high-rev concept is used in both the production car and the race car. Our engineers designed the power unit from the outset with performance characteristics derived straight from the world of motor racing. We are confident that this approach will pay dividends in terms of performance and driving pleasure for both our GT3 customer teams at the racetrack and for our customers who purchase a new BMW M4 or BMW M3.”
The race car and production car were developed in parallel, and both are now in the midst of an intensive period of testing out on the track. The production versions of the new BMW M4 Coupé and the BMW M3 Limousine (combined fuel consumption: 10.9 – 10.5 l/100 km; combined CO2 emissions: 249 – 239 g/km, provisional figures) will be launched in September. The BMW M4 GT3 will contest its first races, for the purpose of testing under competitive conditions, in 2021 and will do battle for victory as the new BMW icon on the GT racing scene from the 2022 season. Between now and then, the BMW Motorsport engineers and BMW works drivers still have a lot of development and testing to do.
"It was fantastic and a great honour for me to be able to drive the first few metres in the new BMW M4 GT3,” said Farfus after the rollout. “I have been involved in the development of several BMW race cars and am always particularly pleased to be a part of such an important project. Although our main job during the rollout is to perform functional tests, I had a good feeling in the car from the outset and am already looking forward to the tests scheduled for the coming months.”
The rollout in Dingolfing was a milestone and a highlight of the development process, which began back at the start of 2019 with CFD computer simulations. The engine, generating more than 500 hp, took to the test stand in Munich in February, while initial tests were performed in the BMW Group wind tunnel from the middle of the year, using a 60-percent scale model of the car. The first test chassis of the BMW M4 GT3 was produced at the BMW Group plant in Regensburg (GER) in early 2020. After that, the test car used for the rollout was assembled within roughly six weeks in the BMW Motorsport workshop.
Interested parties can contact BMW Motorsport about the BMW M4 GT3 by E-mail: M4GT3@BMW-Motorsport.com.
Welcome to another lockdown newsletter.
Like many of you, we are genuinely concerned about the current situation in and around Melbourne and what it means for our current stage 3 restrictions. Will we go to stage 4, we just don't know what will that look like and how long for. There are lots of questions and not many answers right now, which is probably the most concerning thing each day as we look at the news to see how many more are added to the infected tally.
It is hard to plan external events and anything going forward until we see a decline in numbers, a fall in new cases and then some certainty in what the coming weeks will hold. However, we do have lots of ideas for virtual meetings and other ways to keep everyone engaged whilst we wait out the restrictions and then start back down the road to recovery. Once we are able we will have so many events ready to go, you won’t have a weekend to spare!
In the meantime, we will continue with our Zoom virtual meetings. Our next monthly meeting is a virtual meeting at Shannons Showroom with a tour of the cars getting ready for the next classic vehicle auction. This will be on Monday, 3 August instead of our normal first Tuesday of the month.
Following the Shannons meeting we will have a virtual event with Jay Leno’s Garage on Tuesday, 18 August to keep us up to date with the range of products and show us again how good they are.
We are planning some other virtual events and we welcome your suggestions on anything that you might like to see us do, whether it be a virtual cars and coffee meeting from your own driveway or something else.
Whilst we are in lockdown go onto our fresh new website and check out our merchandise range. We have recently received some new merchandise and with the new regulations regarding face coverings coming in this week for those in Metropolitan Melbourne and Mitchell Shire, we will very soon have our own three layer re-usable DCM facemasks in stock for you to use when out and about. As soon as they are in we will get them up and let everyone know.
Club permit renewals We again ask that for the forseeable future to post your club permit renewal to us with a stamped, self-addressed envelope so we can sign it and send it back the same day we get it. This is the best, safest option for all of us.
We want to do our part in limiting the number of people out and about and the number of people we are coming into contact with. We are available for new registration inspections by appointment only. For more information on club permit renewals, please visit our club permit page.
Memberships There are some interesting facts come out of the current situation - in the beginning we were worried that retaining memberships would be difficult and certainly, finding new members would be even harder. However the exact opposite has happened for us. Since the start of our first lockdown our membership has increased by 75 new members. Our member attendance at our four virtual meetings and the four in-persion events between the first and second lockdown was 260. It's quite amazing really. To those who have joined during lockdown, we can't wait to meet you in person once we're all able!
I, for one, am utterly amazed at how well our little club has grown right from the start, but to continue to grow and prosper through all we are going through is truly amazing. I am immensely proud to say, that very soon we will be hitting the magic 500 (active) members number! Just wow! I think what we have all built together is a credit to each and every one of you, and I thank you all for joining us and continuing to support our club.
From all of us on the DCM committee to all of our members, whether you are in lockdown or not, we are here to support you and will do everything we can to keep the club active as we all work through the restrictions currently in place. Of course, if you have any ideas for virtual events or have anything interesting to share, projects you might be working on, or anything at all, please contact Jo or myself and let us know your ideas. We're more than happy to take ideas on or help you to do something.
Keep safe, look after yourself and your family, social distance, do the right thing and stay home if you can. Together we will get through this.
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: 7 July 2020
Tyres. They’re the black bits which stop the wheels clattering on the road right? Well, Yes, but they do a lot more than that!
Tyres are the last and possibly most important link between you, the driver, and the road. Ultimately the tyres determine how well the car rides, how noisy it is, how well it brakes and turns, how much fuel the car uses and how safe you, your passengers and other road users around you are.
So, they are worth a bit of attention and understanding.
And who better to de-mystify some aspects of the art of tyres than Andrew McCathie from Traction Tyres who kindly hosted our virtual members meeting on Tuesday, July 7.
As a quick aside, whilst virtual meetings are not as friendly as physical ones, everyone gets a ringside seat, which is great.
Andrew explained that there are 3 critical parts of a tyre: tread compound (the mix of rubbers, carbon and other secret ingredients but no herbs or spices), the tyre carcass or structure (what the casing of the tyre is made of and its construction), and tread pattern (which is the bit most people look at and choose more on its artistic merit than function).
It was fascinating to hear that tread design, the most easily observed part of all this, has pretty well gone full circle (no pun intended) from the 1960’s and 70’s when little slits running out to the side of the tyre were all the go. These “sipes” are designed to carry water away from under the tyre.
I fondly remember the adverts for Dunlop’s 1968 AquaJets which claimed to use the squish of the tyre as it meet the road to actually pump water out of the side. Up to 30 litres per second.
But Andrew pointed out that these slits separate the tread blocks from each other and allow them to move about, creating noise and wear and reducing performance.
We have probably all seen the slick, treadless tyres used on race cars such as F1. These are great for grip but no good in even mildly wet conditions.
And herein lies the eternal quest for the perfect compromise between performance and practicality.
So the slits went out of fashion to a degree but have returned, with the subtle twist of not actually joining up to the main grooves and thus helping to stabilise the tread and reducing wear.
Only he made it sound more interesting.
The other critical thing I picked up on was he mentioned a tyre’s “flex point”, the sort of hinge between the sidewall (the vertical bit) and the tread (the horizontal bit), which profoundly influences how a tyre reacts to grooves and ridges along the road, such as the tendency to follow tram lines, hence the term “tram lining”.
Whilst excessive tram lining can be due to a steering alignment issue (which Traction Tyres can also help you with) it is often due to the wrong tyre for the car’s design.
If I learnt nothing else form Andrew’s expert explanations, I learnt that it takes an expert to guide you through the process of choosing the right tyre for your car and needs and that is all the more critical when selecting tyres for track use, or even deciding whether to go for a tyre which will do road and track if that is your intent.
On the track having the wrong tyre may cost you several seconds per lap. On the road it may cost you extra metres in stopping distance even with ABS and the difference between hitting something hard, or not.
Lawrence Glynn | Member #3 BMW Drivers Club Melbourne
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