BMW Motorsport has once again made DTM history. Marco Wittmann (GER) of BMW Team RMG took victory in the opening race of the 2019 season at the Hockenheimring (GER) on Saturday, and with it the first race of the new turbo era in the DTM. The two-time champion, at the wheel of the Schaeffler BMW M4 DTM, produced a flawless display in wet conditions, converting pole position into a prestigious race win. This was the 12th victory of Wittmann’s career and also marked the 82nd time that a BMW has been first across the DTM finish line. It also represented the perfect start to the 50th anniversary of BMW Turbo Power in motorsport. Timo Glock (GER) finished fourth in the JiVS BMW M4 DTM, narrowly missing out on another podium for BMW. He was spun by another car on the opening lap, but fought back strongly to climb through the field one place at a time. BMW newcomer Sheldon van der Linde (RSA) came home sixth in the Shell BMW M4 DTM to score points on his debut. He was followed over the line in seventh place by the BMW Bank M4 DTM of Bruno Spengler (CAN). Joel Eriksson (SWE) was 13th in the CATL BMW M4 DTM. A sensor issue in the engine periphery prevented Philipp Eng (AUT) from setting a lap time in qualifying, meaning he had to start the race from 17th. The Austrian eventually came home 14th.
Reactions to the first DTM race of the 2019 season at Hockenheim. Jens Marquardt (BMW Motorsport Director): “That is absolutely awesome. Today we have made DTM history again with BMW Motorsport, taking the first win of the new turbo era. First the pole position, then victory in the opening race for Marco Wittmann – that reminds me a little of the Formula E season opener last year, when we also started with a win. I am so proud of the whole team in Munich – of the teams and the drivers. A huge compliment goes to Marco, who did a magnificent job today at the front of the field. We have a tough winter and a tough period of testing behind us. To perform as we have done here at Hockenheim, and to win the first race, is fantastic. The experience gained during 50 years of turbo in motorsport at BMW definitely paid dividends. We have built a very good engine and put together a strong package, with which we have won at the first attempt. There is still a long way to go in the 2019 season, but today we have every reason to celebrate.” Stefan Reinhold (BMW Team RMG Team Principal): “Our team did an incredible job today. Particularly Marco Wittmann, who was in perfect control of the car in qualifying and in the race. The guys on the pit wall, the other drivers, who made up positions, and the team that prepared the cars also did a superb job. Everyone gave it 110 percent. You have to take your hat off to them. Congratulations to BMW Motorsport, who have developed a powerful engine and a great overall package. That was a superb start to the new turbo era.” Marco Wittmann (#11 Schaeffler BMW M4 DTM, BMW Team RMG, Grid: 1st, Race: 1st, Drivers’ standings: 1st 28 points): “This win feels great. First the pole position, then the first victory of the new turbo era: what an awesome start to the season. The Schaeffler BMW M4 DTM was phenomenal in the wet. My mechanics and engineers have done a sensational job – as have BMW Motorsport, who have given me a car that was competitive from the first lap. It was an unbelievable start to the DTM year.” Timo Glock (#16 BMW M4 DTM, BMW Team RMR, Grid: 8th, Race: 4th, Drivers’ standings: 4th, 12 points): “I think we can be happy with the outcome of the result. It is a bit disappointing when you look at the pace we had yesterday and today. We were quick in the rain yesterday, and in today’s race. The only reason we weren’t as fast in qualifying was because we went out on the wrong set of tyres once. I had a very good start and was up there with the top five, but was then hit from behind. That dropped me well back down the field. We had good pace at the end, which allowed us to fight our way back into the top five. It showed what could have been. Congratulations to Marco and the whole team on the win.” Bruno Spengler (#7 BMW Bank M4 DTM, BMW Team RMG, Grid: 14th, Race: 7th, Drivers’ standings: 7th, 6 points): “The race was okay. I had a super start. Unfortunately, Timo was spun in front of me, which caused me to lose some time on the way out of turn two. Despite that, climbing from 14th to seventh is a good result and we scored some good points. Congratulations to Marco on his win. After all the hard work over the winter, the team more than deserves that. Seventh place is okay for me. If I had stopped a little later, I might have been able to do even better but that is alright. We are now turning our attention to tomorrow.” Bart Mampaey (BMW Team RBM Team Principal): “Firstly, congratulations to BMW. It is obviously fantastic to win the first race with the new turbo engine. Our rookie, Sheldon van der Linde, had a great debut, finishing sixth and scoring his first points. In the case of Philipp Eng, we were able, after a long time looking, to find the reason for our technical issues. That meant he was at least able to start the race. However, our strategy did not ultimately pay off for him or Joel Eriksson.” Sheldon van der Linde (#31 Shell BMW M4 DTM, BMW Team RBM, Grid: 7th, Race: 6th, Drivers’ standings: 6th, 8 points): “The day could hardly have gone better for me. I could never have dreamed of scoring points as a rookie in my first DTM race. I have a fantastic team behind me. Everyone has been very helpful. The car was very good in the race. Congratulations to Marco and BMW on the win.” Philipp Eng (#25 ZF BMW M4 DTM, BMW Team RMR, Grid: no time, Race: 14th, Drivers’ standings: 15th, 0 points): “That was a tough day. I can only thank my guys, who were meticulous in their search for the issue on my car – and found it. I hope things run more smoothly tomorrow.” Joel Eriksson (#47 CATL BMW M4 DTM, BMW Team RBM, Grid: 9th, Race: 13th, Drivers’ standings: 14th, 0 points): “That was not a good race for me. The start was good, but after that we struggled with the car. I could not really push. We have a bit of work ahead of us now to come back stronger tomorrow. Congratulations to Marco on his win.”
BMW PRESS
MONTH IN REVIEW
A quieter month for BMWDCM in April with the school holidays and the Easter/ANZAC break.
Our month started with our April Members Meeting at Traction Tyres where over 40 members learned all things tyres. Thank you Andrew for showing us around and for the informative tyre lesson! Read about Jim Tucker's night here.
We then held our first birthday and presentation dinner at the Vincent, Albert Park. We had a wonderful night with many raffle prizes, show & shine awards, motorsport awards and the launch of our new annual magazine - idrive. All members should have begun to receive their copies now, we hope you enjoy the read! In the meantime, read more about our night here.
Over Easter was the BMW Clubs Australia Nationals event, held by BMWCCV. We were graced with beautiful weather for the weekend and it was fantastic to catch up with so many interstate BMW Club members. MEMBERSHIP UPDATE: 384 MEMBERS
Welcome to all our new members, we look forward to seeing you at an upcoming event!
Don't forget to catch up with this month's update from our President, Graeme Bell here.
THE MONTH AHEAD
We've got some great events planned for May:
EVENTS AHEAD
Keep an eye on our calendar for events coming up, we’re always adding something new.
Click on any of the following events for more information.
idrive magazine
With the first edition of idrive now arriving to all of our members, we are already thinking about the next one. We'd love you to send us your stories to help put the next one together!
Have an interesting story about you or how you came to own your BMW? How about a story about a restoration or a build of your car? It could be anything! Email us now because we'd love to read it and share it with our members.
Edition 1 correction: We incorrectly printed Essendon BMW’s phone number on the inside back page. Essendon BMW can be contacted on (03) 9086 7200.
NEWS | BLOG
The turbo pioneers return to their roots: The new BMW DTM engine, as compared to its 1969 forefather
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BMW CLASSIC NEWSLETTER
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President | Graeme Bell 0407 186 296 Vice President | Jo Mawson 0412 661 900 Secretary | Lawrence Glynn 0414 563 290 Treasurer | Shaaron Glynn
BMW Drivers Club Melbourne Inc.
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Dear Members,
What a month we have just had, with some great events, starting with our April Members meeting at Traction Tyres. This was a brilliant night and was very informative. Great to see new members attending and selling out of some of our merchandise on the night. Thank you, Andrew, we have had some fantastic feedback from this night and we will love to come back again.
I attended the Clubs Australia AGM on April 7th and 8th on behalf of the Club, presented our Club report for the last year and heard what other clubs are up to around the country. We also spent a day at BMW Australia to talk to BMW about what we can do for them and they for us. I am very happy to report that BMW Australia are very happy with our Club and the way we have taken off this past year. Very proud to get an official pat on the back for all of us and the Club we have built!
The AGM was followed by our Presentation Night/First Birthday Celebration. What a fabulous night, with the event being sold out and having so many representatives from dealerships and many of the Club’s sponsors. The night went off with a bang, with awards being presented to some very deserving members. We will look for a bigger venue next year, I think. I would like to especially thank Jess Bell for all her amazing and tireless work throughout the year, with setting up our web page and maintaining it constantly and also her strong attention to detail with everything she presents.
We also had our new annual magazine launch on the night, idrive. Again, WOW! This was a major success and everyone who has received it so far has been blown away by its quality and content. Thank you to all the members who have contributed to this magazine with wonderful articles, thank you to our sponsors and advertisers and finally a massive thank you to Jess Bell and Leigh Kelly for producing this very professional magazine. All our members should receive theirs shortly, if they already haven't.
The winner of the competition for naming the magazine is David Francis and unfortunately, he could not make it on the night to be the first to know! Congratulations David, we appreciate your input and can't wait to see the feature on your car in the next magazine.
I would like to thank all the committee, who worked hard to make this an enjoyable evening and I am sure by all the chatting and laughter, that everyone had a great night.
The BMW Clubs Australia Nationals followed over Easter and this was also a great success with the weather being very kind and the sun shinning all weekend.
It was great to see so many BMWDCM members at the Sandown sprints and Show N Shine, some of our members coming away with trophies! Well done!
Some of us also attended the Flinders Historic Motoring Festival on Easter Sunday, and I am very proud to say we won Best Club Display. Not bad, considering it wasn’t really an official club event, as we didn’t want to clash with or distract from members going to the Nationals, still, great effort and we will do a bigger event next year for sure.
If you're signed up for automatic renewals with us, you would have received an email from Lawrence Glynn explaining that we are having a few issues with PayPal at the moment with accepting automatic renewal payments. We are working through this to try to fix it and we thank you for your patience.
If you are having any issues renewing, please give Jo Mawson a call on 0412 661 900 and she will be happy to assist with processing your renewal.
Membership is increasing daily, which is overwhelming and very humbling, currently at 384 and this again is thanks to our fantastic events, our web presence and social media updates. Thank you all involved with the running of the club and thank you to the members, as without you all, there would be no club.
Looking forward to seeing you at an event soon.
Graeme Bell | President BMW Drivers Club Melbourne Inc.
P.O. Box 81, TYABB, VICTORIA. 3913 Incorporated in Victoria #A0102695GBMW Drivers Club Melbourne Inc is a member of:BMW Clubs Australia and the BMW Clubs International CouncilCAMS Affiliated Motorsport Club
BMWDCM's first anniversary event was held at The Vincent restaurant & bar in Albert Park. The evening included the presentation of trophies and awards for the first year of operation and events as a new club.
The venue was excellent for our function. This building has quite a history of its own, starting life as the Windsor Hotel in 1889, then being re-named the Red Eagle Hotel soon afterwards. The current owners re-furbished the building in recent times and re-named it The Vincent. The building retains many of its historical elements but is now very much modernised internally and caters to a wide variety of clientele. The meals and table service were excellent, and the bar offered a great choice for those enjoying a responsible drink or two.
With allocated seating, the evening allowed us all to get to know more of our club members than just those who we meet up with at other club events we regularly attend. Having large tables of 10 guests encouraged lots of interesting conversational topics and interaction between diners – including plenty of non-BMW conversation as well.
The presentation of awards was a real highlight. All awards were to the ‘inaugural’ winners – which is a significant achievement in each winner’s club life. The atmosphere in the room reflected this and each winner was warmly congratulated by us all. A raffle on the night was also drawn with some very nice prizes collected by lucky ticket holders. Many of the awards and raffle prizes were donated by club sponsors, some of whom had representatives attending on the night. It was great to see this level of support for our club by businesses who see value in being associated with our new, but rapidly growing club.
The individual awards, their sponsors and the recipients are listed below. Hearty congratulations to each winner.
The evening also gave us an opportunity to recognise the enormous effort and work rate of our club committee. Although only small in number, our founding committee and helpers have done themselves, and us, proud by getting the club up and going and then organising a huge number of events throughout our first year. On top of this is the time and work involved in the legal and legislative aspects required of registered clubs, the merchandising, club plate management and club publications that all form part of our club network. So, a huge ‘thank you’ was extended to our committee and their helpers.
On the subject of publications, the evening also provided an opportunity to launch the new club magazine – ‘idrive’. This is a first-class piece of work. The magazine is a high quality, beautifully presented item and its content is excellent. Many of the articles are written and submitted by club members and record our activities. The ‘idrive’ magazine was designed and published by Jess Bell and Leigh Kelly – clearly very talented young people who have put a huge amount of their time and effort into this enterprise. The magazine was really well received by those present.
A great night, a great facility and great people. I think our first Presentation Dinner and Birthday celebration was a real success and promises even better events to come.
Jim Tucker | Member #26BMW Drivers Club Melbourne
Member of the Year
Theo Hoffs
President's Award
Phil Kolar
Special Recognition Award
Jessica Bell
People's Choice Award
David O'Dwyer
8 Class
Early Class
Paul Caruso
Recent Class
Lawrence Glynn
Non-BMW Class
Outright
Rod Martin
Racing 2 - 3 Litre
Paul Kertes
M Class
Igor Kay
Over 2 Litre Modified
Racing Under 2 Litre
Rachael Kertes
The first BMW Turbo in motor racing – the M121 – provided the necessary drive. After many more BMW Turbo engines in the 50 years since then, the newly-developed Class 1 regulation-compliant BMW P48 engine will make its debut in the BMW M4 DTM when this season’s DTM kicks off at Hockenheim (GER) at the start of May. Times may have changed, but the outstanding properties of the engine have remained the same. Despite the 50 years that lie between them, the two high-performance engines have a number of similarities: both are straight, four-cylinder engines with a two-litre capacity and a turbo charger. In both the BMW M121 and the P48, the sensitive engine components must be protected by a heat shield from the heat emitted by the turbo charger. A mechanical injection pump supplies the engine with fuel in both cases. More than twice as much power with far less consumption and a much longer service life. The pressure with which the combustion air is supplied to the engine, can hardly be compared any more. With 0.98 bar of pressure, the first generation of turbo race engine achieved approx. 280 hp at 6,500 rpm. The exhaust fan was theoretically capable of developing a boost pressure of 1.76 bar. However, the pressure in the cylinder would have been so great, that the cylinder head would have lifted off. Nowadays, boost pressures of up to 2.5 bar are possible with more than 600 hp. The crankcase and cylinder head were manufactured in a special sand-casting procedure in the BMW Landshut foundry. In the meantime, components like the ignition distributor, fan, wet sump and boost valve have since disappeared from the engine. There is no longer a direct charge air pipe, which supplies the engine with compressed air without any cooling. Instead, the P48 has a sophisticated dry sump system. The oil required for lubrication purposes within the engine is extracted immediately without any oil being lost through splashes. Another part of this system is the oil tank, which is directly attached to the engine. Efficient charge air cooling also allows for increased performance and efficiency. Auxiliary units, like the starter and generator, are no longer on the engine, but are mounted on the transaxle gearbox behind the engine. Carbon-fibre-reinforced plastic has replaced the old aluminium weld-and-cast construction on the plenum chamber. Furthermore, the butterfly is now moved electrically and no longer by a mechanical throttle rod. Instead of an open ignition harness, the electrical wires in the P48 are housed in a protective, carbon cable tray. One of the most efficient BMW race engines of all time. One of the key aspects of the P48 is its exceptionally good consumption. As the regulations limit the permitted fuel flow, every fuel saving means better performance and was followed in detail. Compared to its predecessor, which itself was very efficient, the current engine has been made almost 10 percent more efficient. It is actually more than 50 percent more efficient than the M121 from 1969. This was achieved with the help of the high-pressure direct fuel injection, as found in BMW production engines, as well as a mixture preparation and combustion – tried and tested in many simulations and tests – which allows the engine to operate in so-called ‘lean burn mode’. A consistent minimisation of friction losses, such as through the aforementioned oil system and the use of high temperature-resistant components that do not require cooling by the fuel, make the P48 one of the most efficient BMW race engines of this day and age.
BMW Turbo engines guarantee maximum sportiness. Despite all this, the original 1969 turbo need by no means hide when it comes to performance. As the developers of the BMW 2002 TI were not permitted to increase the displacement, the performance had to be increased elsewhere. The engine no longer aspirated its mixture itself. Instead, it was blown into the engine via the turbo charger. This transformed the BMW 2002 TI into a real sports car, with a top speed of 240 km/h. This was followed in 1973 by the first German car manufactured in production with a turbo charger: the BMW 2002 turbo. The next chapter in the story of BMW Turbo in motorsport is now set to be written in the DTM. Above all, the Class 1 regulations herald a new technical era. The previous V8 engines have been replaced by more powerful, four-cylinder turbo engines. The sound of the new turbos is awesome, the performance nothing short of impressive. However, their most brilliant property is their efficiency. At 85 kilograms, the short engine in the new turbo power unit weighs little more than half of its predecessor. The lightweight model boasts impressive figures compared to the DTM engines used up to this point: half the displacement, more power, less consumption.
Type: P48, R4 turbo engine with direct fuel injection Capacity: 1,999 cc Weight: 85 kg (basic weight, according to regulations) Bore: between 86 and 90 mm Engine speed: max. 9,500 rpm Power output: over 600 hp Service life: over 6,000 km (per season) Fuel mass flow restrictor: mandatory 95 kg/h, 100 kg/h with push-to-pass activated - Cylinder block and cylinder head made from cast aluminium in the BMW foundry in Landshut - Steel crankshaft - Four valves per cylinder, operated via rocker arm - Steel camshafts, operated via gears - High-pressure, direct injection, as with BMW production engines with 350 bar - Dry sump Despite the significant increase in power of about 100 hp, the unit is designed for reliability and durability, and lasts roughly 6,000 kilometres. 1.5 engines may be used per car over the course of the season. The Push-to-Pass system, new in 2019, provides an extra 5 kg/h of fuel for a duration of five seconds, resulting in an increase in power of roughly 30 hp. The turbo charger in the P48 supplies the engine with 400 litres of air per second – 3,500 times as much as a human breathes. The pistons accelerate from zero to 100 km/h in less than a thousandth of a second – 1,200 times faster than a lunar rocket. The water pump shifts roughly 18,000 litres per hour. This is fast enough to fill a bath tub in roughly 20 seconds. 1,005 drawings were made for the final assembly of the engine, which consists of roughly 2,000 individual parts. Laid next to each other, they would cover the floor of a 250 sqm apartment. A new era in touring car racing is dawning with the BMW P48 and the Class 1 regulations – just as it did with the engine’s forefather from 1969. The turbo is ready for ignition – today, as it was 50 years ago.
On Easter Sunday each year Flinders Lions Club run a Charity Day to support Peninsula Hospitals.
The day is called the Flinders Motoring Heritage Day and has grown each year to now take over three separate areas in the Flinders township, where lots of people and clubs bring out their older cars to show the public and enjoy the picnic atmosphere in the beautiful township. The cars range from very early 1900’s up to current models and there was an amazing range of very interesting cars for all to see, most of them coming from the local areas. Quite incredible to see what people have tucked away and even better to see them all come out for such a great cause. The weather was perfect for a display day too, so this helped get so many cars and people out in the sunshine. It was a very successful day, the Lions Club presented a cheque for $34,000 to Peninsula Health from entry fees and donations before the day, so including the gate takings, etc I expect there was quite a bit to add to that total by the end of the day.
This year, with the BMW Club Nationals being held in Melbourne, we didn’t advertise this event as an official Club event, so that it didn’t distract people from the Nationals. However, a few DCM Members that weren’t going to be at Nationals events on Easter Sunday did go down to Flinders and it was great to see quite a few members drop in for a chat too.
We set ourselves up in two different areas in the township, some cars were in the ‘to be judged, A’ area and the rest in the ‘B’ area in a great location right next to the entry to the display area.
Not sure if our location had a bearing, or if it was our usual flags and banners and ever presence to talk to people that wandered by, or just our beautiful cars on display, but we managed to win Best Club Display.
I think that is the third display this year we have won a prize for our display! Next year we will make it an official Club event, so if you aren’t going away at Easter next year, come on down to the beautiful Mornington Peninsula and enjoy a day out for a great cause in a wonderful location.
Graeme Bell | Member #1BMW Drivers Club Melbourne
This week, it was all about the DTM again at the Lausitzring (GER). From Monday to Thursday, the six BMW drivers and their rivals were underway on the 4.570-kilometre track. In total, the BMW squads completed over 1,250 laps and 5,500 kilometres. BMW Team RBM, BMW Team RMG and the drivers used the test to prepare themselves and the 2019 BMW M4 DTM for the start of the season. At the heart of the race car is the new BMW P48 turbo engine, which was developed from scratch in accordance with Class 1 regulations. The BMW M4 DTM has also been modified extensively in many other areas. The annual DTM ‘Media Day’ also took place at the Lausitzring on the Tuesday of the test. The opening round of the 2019 DTM season takes place from 3rd to 5th May at the Hockenheimring (GER).
Quotes from the DTM test at the Lausitzring:
Jens Marquardt (BMW Motorsport Director): “That was a very intense final test for our teams and drivers before the DTM season-opener. A big thank you goes to the mechanics and engineers, who have worked hard and shown great commitment during these long days of testing. The whole system of the 2019 cars is completely new. As such, it is obvious that you are going to learn and gain experience with every single lap. The first two days did not exactly go as we had imagined. However, the whole team – including the drivers – showed how flexible they can be during this phase, and did not let it unsettle them. We were then able to complete a lot of laps on Wednesday and Thursday. On the whole, our focus was on confirming the new components in the system and on better understanding the car as a whole. We have made big progress in that regard. In terms of performance, we completed all our planned preparations, in order to arrive in Hockenheim in good form. As always, only the first qualifying sessions and races will give a true indication of where we are. We are really looking forward to the start of the season.”
Bruno Spengler (#7 BMW Bank M4 DTM, BMW Team RMG): “Before the start of the season, it was very important to do more testing, get behind the wheel of the car again, make any final adjustments to the set-up, and prepare for the first races. It was also important for me and my new race engineer to forge a relationship and find a rhythm together. We worked our way through a good programme. That was important. Now we move on to the opening round. I am already looking forward to us all meeting up again at Hockenheim in a fortnight. We will then have more of an idea of where we all stand.”
Marco Wittmann (#11 Schaeffler BMW M4 DTM, BMW Team RMG): “A test like this is always important – particularly this season, with the new regulations and new engine. After all the work we put into development during the winter, it was good to add the finishing touches here. There was the odd problem here and there, but that is the same with every manufacturer at the moment. We now have to iron them out until the start of the season. As such, it was very good to go driving again at the Lausitzring. We are all naturally intrigued to see how the season-opener pans out, and how good we actually are.”
Timo Glock (#16 BMW M4 DTM, BMW Team RMR): “I would obviously have liked to have a few more laps in the car, but the fact that I drove in the winter tests meant my time here was a little limited. We made the most of the time, to be well prepared for Hockenheim. We will take the positives out of the test and now start our final preparations for the first races.”
Philipp Eng (#25 ZF BMW M4 DTM, BMW Team RMR): “It was cool to be back in a DTM car after a long break. The BMW M4 DTM is an incredible racing car, particularly with the new engine. It was great fun finding my rhythm again and sorting a few things out. We still have some work ahead of us before the first race at Hockenheim, but everyone is doing their utmost to ensure we are up there at the front of the field there again.”
Sheldon van der Linde (#31 BMW M4 DTM, BMW Team RBM): “It’s really been an enjoyable test. I’ve got a lot of laps in the car which is very nice. It was also an important test for me because it was good to just get used to the car. The new turbo engine is really powerful, it’s a lot of fun to drive it and it should make things interesting this year.”
Joel Eriksson (#47 CATL BMW M4 DTM, BMW Team RBM): “On the first two days, we had slight issues, but that was solved and everything is looking good and promising. I am actually feeling very comfortable with the car. Everything is quite new for everyone but its working fine for me. There are still a few things to improve but that’s the same for everyone. I am feeling positive.”
Premium German carmaker BMW is presenting the second generation of a variant of its globally successful sports sedan developed exclusively for the Chinese market. The long-wheelbase version of the new BMW 3 Series Sedan will celebrate its world premiere at the Auto Shanghai 2019 show. Tailored specifically to the requirements of Chinese customers, it combines the new, elegantly sporty and emotionally rich design of the latest-generation BMW 3 Series Sedan with the most spacious and comfortable interior of any premium mid-size car, plus ground-breaking innovations in intelligent connectivity.
The long-wheelbase version of the new BMW 3 Series Sedan meets the needs of young, progressive customers in the Chinese market. It was developed alongside the new BMW 3 Series Sedan with standard wheelbase at the BMW Group’s Munich home in cooperation with Chinese engineers. With a wheelbase extended by 11 centimetres and exclusive equipment features, the long-wheelbase version of the new BMW 3 Series Sedan offers exceptional driving pleasure and outstanding comfort for rear passengers. It is also the first model available in China to feature the innovative BMW Intelligent Personal Assistant, which elevates intuitive operation and driver/vehicle interaction to a new level.
The long-wheelbase version of the new BMW 3 Series Sedan will be produced by BMW Brilliance Automotive (BBA) at its Tiexi plant in Shenyang, Liaoning Province (north-eastern China). The facility began operations in 2012 as the second production plant in the BMW Group / Brilliance China Automotive Holdings Ltd. joint venture. Among the models built here is the China-only variant of the new BMW 3 Series Sedan with standard wheelbase, which will likewise be unveiled for the first time at Auto Shanghai 2019.
The two body variants of the new sports sedan allow customers in China to plump for either extra dynamism or even greater comfort. Both model variants have all the ingredients to build on the successful history of the BMW 3 Series Sedan, which in China is headlined by an incredibly rapid growth in demand. Much of the credit here goes to the long-wheelbase version, which accounts for almost 80 per cent of 3 Series Sedan sales in China. All in all, around one in three new BMW 3 Series cars will be delivered to customers in China.
With this prognosis in mind and in keeping with the “production follows the market” principle, capacity at BMW Brilliance Automotive’s Tiexi plant has been ramped up once again. This demand-oriented production strategy is also contributing significantly to the burgeoning success of BMW models in other segments of the Chinese car market. Like the BMW 3 Series Sedan, the BMW 5 Series Sedan and BMW X1 are also offered in long-wheelbase versions developed specially for Chinese customers – and produced in Shenyang exclusively for the Chinese market.
New design language and distinctive proportions.
The distinct character of the new BMW 3 Series Sedan in long-wheelbase guise stems from its extra 11 centimetres of wheelbase and the associated increase in seating comfort and legroom in the rear compartment. Its body design blends the new, extremely precise design language and sporting aura of the new BMW 3 Series Sedan with distinctive proportions. The new car improves significantly on its predecessor’s aerodynamics by virtue of finely judged optimisations. Encompassing an exterior length of 4,829 millimetres and a 2,961-millimetre wheelbase, the exterior dimensions of the new long-wheelbase BMW 3 Series Sedan outstrip those of any other car in its class. BMW’s hallmark sporting prowess is embodied here by short overhangs, a long bonnet and a set-back passenger compartment. The four-door model’s stretched silhouette underscores its inherent elegance and hints at the enviable spaciousness of the interior.
The powerful stature and sporty looks of the new long-wheelbase BMW 3 Series Sedan are accentuated by the 18-inch light-alloy wheels fitted as standard. The long-wheelbase version of the new BMW 3 Series Sedan features LED headlights with extended features. The trapezoidal tailpipe embellishers of the twin-pipe exhaust system add an eye-catching design flourish to the rear of the car.
Interior: extra space and exclusive appointments.
The extended wheelbase and stretched flank lines of the new long-wheelbase BMW 3 Series Sedan are all about increasing spaciousness for rear-seat passengers. The rear doors are also 11 centimetres longer than those of the new BMW 3 Series Sedan with standard wheelbase, allowing particularly easy access to the rear seats. Add the special shaping and pampering upholstery of the rear seats to the mix and you have an outstanding level of rear-seat comfort over long journeys. The new long-wheelbase BMW 3 Series Sedan also offers an extra 43 millimetres of legroom in the rear compartment over the new BMW 3 Series Sedan with standard wheelbase, which sets a new benchmark in the class. The newly designed headrest, with their super-comfortable cushions, and the central armrest between the rear seats are likewise designed to provide a cosseting driving experience, while roomy map pockets are integrated into the front seat backrests. The design of the speaker covers has been developed specially for the Chinese market. In another model-specific feature, the ambient lighting also includes an illuminated contour strip on the back of the front seats. The luggage compartment of the new long-wheelbase BMW 3 Series Sedan can swallow 480 litres of gear, including as many as three golfbags.
The comfort-oriented character of the new long-wheelbase BMW 3 Series Sedan is also highlighted by a host of other model-specific equipment features. The panoramic glass roof, for example, ensures an effective supply of fresh air and a light, airy ambience for the interior. The attractive specification also includes a sports leather steering wheel with multifunction buttons and electroplated applications, and three-zone automatic climate control (with separate controls in the rear compartment and active carbon filters to optimise interior air quality). Like the rear-seat passengers, the driver and front passenger settle into comfort seats with Sensatec trim. Pronounced contouring, exclusive stitching and comfort headrest also help to make both the front and rear seats exceptionally pleasant places to be. Defining features of the driver-focused cockpit include instrument cluster/Control Display grouping and the modern design of the centre console, which houses the gearshift selector lever, Driving Experience Control switch, Controller for the iDrive control/operating system and button for the electromechanical parking brake. Two USB ports in the rear compartment and another under the centre console armrest between the front seats allow those on board to plug in digital devices.
The acoustic glass of the windscreen and optimisations to other body details ensure an extremely effective level of soundproofing for the interior. The ambient lighting includes the Welcome Light Carpet, which generates a striking light graphic where the driver and passengers get into and out of the car. Added to which, the new long-wheelbase BMW 3 Series Sedan comes with illuminated door sill plates for both the front and rear.
A four-cylinder engine from the latest generation of power units developed by the BMW Group in Munich brings sports performance to the BMW 325Li launch model. The new petrol unit generates maximum output of 135 kW/184 hp from its 2.0-litre displacement and peak torque of 300 Nm (221 lb-ft). It is produced at the BMW Brilliance Automotive engine plant in Shenyang and features advanced BMW TwinPower Turbo technology. A twin-scroll turbocharger, High Precision Injection, VALVETRONIC fully variable valve timing and Double-VANOS variable camshaft control deliver instantaneous response, the appetite for revs drivers expect from a BMW, exceptional efficiency and minimised emissions.
The engine teams up with an eight-speed Steptronic transmission to send its power to the road through the rear wheels.
Advanced driver assistance systems pave the way for automated driving.
The selection of driver assistance systems on board is significantly more extensive than on the predecessor model, and their innovative functionality helps pave the way for automated driving in the new long-wheelbase BMW 3 Series Sedan. Collision and Pedestrian Warning with City Braking function, Lane Departure Warning and Lane Change Warning, Rear Collision Prevention and Cross Traffic Alert are joined by Active Cruise Control with Stop & Go function. Driving Assistant Professional also contains other features – including the Steering and lane control assistant, which takes its lead from road markings and vehicles travelling ahead and keeps the new long-wheelbase BMW 3 Series Sedan safely on track in traffic jams and bottlenecks. At speeds of up to 60 km/h (37 mph) and under certain road conditions, the automated driving mode can be used for an unlimited time as long as the driver maintains concentration on the road. To this end, their line of vision is monitored permanently by a camera integrated into the cockpit. Another element of Driving Assistant Professional is the Emergency Stop Assistant.
The Parking Assistant, which gives the driver a helping hand with manoeuvring and parking, is included in the new long-wheelbase BMW 3 Series Sedan. It takes over steering, braking and acceleration duties when parking in spaces parallel with and perpendicular to the road and when manoeuvring out of parallel spaces. The system also features Active Park Distance Control, the Reversing Assist camera, the Lateral parking aid and the reversing assistant.
Control/operation and connectivity: China premiere for the BMW Intelligent Personal Assistant.
The modern, digital functions of the new BMW Operating System 7.0 – geared precisely to the needs of the driver – optimise intuitive operation in the new long-wheelbase BMW 3 Series Sedan. The system comes with BMW Live Cockpit Professional, which encompasses consistently designed, situation-linked and customisable screens for the fully-digital 12.3-inch instrument cluster and 10.25-inch Control Display. Touchscreen functionality for the Control Display, the iDrive Controller, steering wheel buttons, voice control and gesture control (optional) give the driver various operating methods from which to choose.
Another new arrival in the field of control/operation and intelligent connectivity is the BMW Intelligent Personal Assistant, an intelligent, digital character that responds to the prompt “Hey BMW” and is making its debut in a model offered for the Chinese market. One unique feature over other digital assistants is that drivers can give him a name. The arrival of the BMW Intelligent Personal Assistant ensures there is always a genuine BMW professional on board. He is able to explain all sorts of different functions (“How does the High Beam Assistant work?”), provide current status information (“Is the oil level okay?”) and help answer questions (“What warning messages do I have?”). The Intelligent Personal Assistant is, in short, the ideal co-driver and comes in particularly useful during everyday driving by responding to natural voice commands to help the driver with numerous tasks, such as enhancing productivity and on-board entertainment. The range of functions and skills available will be constantly expanded as part of regular updates, which can be carried out seamlessly on a smartphone and in-car by Remote Software Upgrade.
The long-wheelbase version of the new BMW 3 Series Sedan will only be available in China.
The US American Revival Cycles motorcycle customizers presented their latest creation on Thursday evening, 11 April 2019. The unique bike named “The Revival Birdcage” was based on the prototype of a completely new type of BMW boxer engine. The bike was unveiled at the exclusive Revival Party on eve of the annually held Handbuilt Show in Austin/Texas.
“The “Revival Birdcage” turned out great and really showcases our Big Boxer perfectly”, says Timo Resch, Vice President Sales and Marketing BMW Motorrad. “Following the “Departed” from CUSTOM WORKS ZON, this is the second fascinating custom bike built around the prototype of the BMW Motorrad Big Boxer. We will also be showing a BMW Motorrad developed concept bike featuring this engine in the first half-year of 2019. BMW Motorrad will present a series production motorcycle with the Big Boxer for the Cruiser segment in the course of 2020.”
“We admire the work done by Revival, who have developed into one the most noteworthy US customizers in the custom scene over the last years”, says Timo Resch at the Handbuilt Show. Naturally we want to keep growing. One step we will take to do so, certainly in the US market, is to enter the Cruiser segment. BMW Motorrad is consistently pursuing its growth strategy with the clear aim of becoming the number one in the Premium Big Bike Segment.”
The frame of the “Revival Birdcage” is made of titanium and was developed by Revival Cycles itself. “This was our first time to build a frame with titanium, that alone was already a significant challenge”, says Alan Stulberg, head of Revival Cycles. “Regardless, the frame came together very well in the end and we are very pleased with the result as it accomplished the goal of being nearly transparent. We wanted to focus attention on the engine and that is precisely what we achieved with this completely unique frame we designed. You can easily view the engine and the drivetrain from all angles.” In addition, almost every single other part on the bike such as handlebars, footrests, shift lever, seat and unique carbon suspension components were all individually crafted.
Alan Stulberg’s team was inspired by Ernst Hennes’ record-setting machines from the late 1920s and early 1930s. It took around six months to develop the motorcycle. “We had already dreamed about this bike for years and in December 2018 we received the engine and could finally get to work”, says Alan Stulberg. “I have always been a fan of the boxer engine, but the pure physical size and aesthetic appeal of this prototype really inspired us.” The bike was completed in time for the Handbuilt Show in a period of nearly five months.
There had already been a lot of speculation about the large-capacity prototype engine on location. Both the exterior geometry as well as the visible elements such as the push rods running in chrome-plated protection ducts are reminiscent of the BMW Motorrad boxer engines that were built in the 1960s. Just that the cubic capacity is now much larger now and modern air-oil cooling is used.
In December 2018 already the Japanese motorcycle customizer CUSTOM WORKS ZON presented the “Departed” at the Hot Rod Custom Show in Yokohama, Japan. This fascinating custom bike was the first motorcycle built around the prototype of the new BMW big boxer. The spectacular design met with great approval in the custom scene and even won the “Best of Show Motorcycle” award, the highest decoration in the Hot Rod Custom Show in 2018. The “Mooneyes Show”, as it is also referred to in the custom scene, attracts around 15,000 visitors every year and counts among the most important shows on customizers’ calendars.
Our April Members Meeting was held at Traction Tyres in Rowville. A good turn out of members assembled for the evening and after sharing news and upcoming event information, Jo Mawson introduced more new members who were attending their first meeting. It was great to able to welcome these people into the Club and share stories about our common interest in the BMW Marque.
Pizza and soft drinks set us up for the main event of the evening. The owner and manager of Traction Tyres is Andrew McCathie, who has enjoyed a long and distinguished career in business, but also in motorsport. Andrew has competed in various levels of tarmac rallying and other motorsport disciplines. He has a wealth of knowledge gained over many years of involvement with pit crews and with people at the cutting edge of tyre design and management in his role of tyre supplier.
Andrew explained the history and development of cross ply then radial road and competition tyres, and how the currently available tyre types are so very complex, yet so suited for their various purposes (including club level competition). Andrew de-mystified the tyre nomenclature markings that have confused most of us until tonight. His insight and readiness to share his extensive knowledge was greatly appreciated by all. Tyre temperature, pressures and wall flex data were discussed in detail – subjects that have baffled and perplexed most of us in the past.
Of interest me was Andrew’s discussion around the newly released Yokahama ‘hybrid’ road/competition tyre. These tyres offer a compromise for normal road use and occasional tarmac competition use. These are the Yokahama Advan Neova AD08 tyre. When I first became aware of these tyres during a discussion with Graeme Bell, I thought they could be a good option for me. I wasn’t keen to buy and maintain full track tyres for club sprint days, but at the same time I didn’t want to continue using road tyres on the track following a bit of an ‘off’ at Philip Island T12 last year. Graeme informed me of Traction Tyres Rowville involvement with our club as a sprint sponsor, so I contacted them to discuss the Yokahama hybrids.
Andrew and his staff really looked after me in every respect – explaining the product, arranging a fitting/balancing time to suit me (I drove up from the Mornington Peninsula and was on a tight schedule) and making sure I was happy following my purchase. I was very pleased with the price – much less than I initially expected. I had 205/50R 15s fitted to my 1984 E30 323i. I bought five tyres.
I have used the AD08s only once on track, and that was on a very wet day at Haunted Hills. I did notice a huge improvement in grip from my previous tyres. I drove my car to this event early in the morning on a dry freeway and I can say the handling of my E30 was much better than before I changed to the AD08s. We had only two dry runs on the track, and both showed how much better my car handles now. I am looking forward to seeing how we go at Sandown next month.
A great night of new and valuable knowledge for us all. I can say from first hand experience that Andrew and his staff stand by their product and offer excellent advice on any tyre questions you may still have.
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