MONTH IN REVIEW
It's that time of month again - January is already over, the Christmas holidays are a distant memory and the kids are all heading off to school!
January was a quiet month, allowing us all to get back into our routines for the year ahead. We hope you're all making the most of this warm weather. Summer will be over before we know it and we'll all be dreaming of the long, warm (but not too warm) days.
As you read this, some of us will be sitting Mountain side, preparing for a weekend of racing at the Bathurst 12 Hour. If you've ever thought about attending, we highly recommend doing so whether you're camping on the mountain or attend as part of a corporate package!
Our solo event for January was the Eastlink Great Australian Rally, culminating in a car show at Cruden Farm in Langwarrin. Perfect weather, beautiful location and well over 800 cars on show. Amazing! We had a fantastic day out and it was great to have so many of our members bring their cars along to show off. Read more about the day here.
CLUB SPONSOR NEWS!
We are thrilled to announce two new official sponsors of the club - Traction Tyres/Yokohama and Shannons Insurance!
We'd like to welcome Shannons Insurance and Traction Tyres/Yokohama. Traction Tyres/Yokohama are the naming rights sponsor of our 2019 Drivers' Championship. We thank you for your support and look forward to a long relationship with you both, in 2019 and in years to come.
Read more about our partnership with Traction Tyres/Yokohama here.
Read more about our partnership with Shannons Insurance here.
MEMBERSHIP UPDATE: 307 MEMBERS
Welcome to all our new members, we look forward to seeing you at an upcoming event!
Don't forget to catch up with our January update from our President, Graeme Bell here.
THE MONTH AHEAD
We eased into 2019 with a quiet month, but February is set to be busy with the following events:
EVENTS AHEAD
BMW CLUBS AUSTRALIA NATIONALS
Every 2 years the BMW Clubs from all over Australia come together at the BMW Clubs Australia Nationals. It is a chance for Club Members from all the clubs to meet and share their love of their BMW’s with other people from all over the country. The BMWCA Nationals is held in a different location each time, with the last one in 2017 held in Brisbane.
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The official BMW Clubs around the world are supported by BMW through its BMW Clubs and Community Management section of BMW Classic. Click here to subscribe to their newsletter.
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:
BMW Drivers Club Melbourne is very proud to announce our new partnership with Shannons insurance as one of our 2019 club sponsors. Many of our members have already visited the incredible auction rooms at Heatherton over the past 12 months and we are excited that in 2019 Shannons have agreed to come on board as an official sponsor of our great club.
As most of you know, Shannons is one of Australia's leading insurance providers and supports thousands of enthusiast events throughout Australia every year. In addition, Shannons offers free membership to the Shannons Club - Australia's largest online motoring enthusiast community. As many members would attest to, Shannons Insurance products are especially tailored to the needs of any motoring enthusiast - with features like limited use and club plate cover, laid up cover for restorations, insurance for daily drives, as well as home and contents cover.
If you haven’t already, we encourage you jump online and have a look at all that Shannons Club has to offer.
We look forward to extending the great association we already have with Shannons, who provide us use of their facility for our meetings and events. We welcome them on board for 2019 and beyond.
Graeme Bell | President BMW Drivers Club Melbourne Inc.
P.O. Box 81, TYABB, VICTORIA. 3913 Incorporated in Victoria #A0102695G BMW Drivers Club Melbourne Inc is a member of: BMW Clubs Australia and the BMW Clubs International Council CAMS Affiliated Motorsport Club
BMW Drivers Club Melbourne is very proud to announce our new partnership with Traction Tyres / Yokohama as the Naming Rights Sponsor of the 2019 Drivers’ Championship. To be called the 2019 Traction Tyres/Yokohama Drivers' Championship. This partnership with Andrew and the Team at Traction Tyres / Yokohama is another step in the development of our growing club and enables the 2019 Drivers' Championship to take on another level of professionalism that we have aspired to achieve since the inception of the club last year.
Traction Tyres has been trading for over 3 decades and is still under the reigns of Andrew McCathie who opened the business in Noble Park back in 1981. Andrew has extensive experience in the motorsport arena, specifically in the area of forest rallying, both as a successful competitor and organiser. In 1987 the company expanded from its tyre and wheel sales and service to include steering and suspension sales, repairs and enhancements. In 1992 the company became the exclusive dealer for Victoria and Tasmania for Yokohama's motorsport product range and were also appointed Victorian agents for Avon race tyres in 1997. Andrew and all the Team at Traction Tyres have extensive knowledge and experience in not only the best tyres for your track car but also for your road car. They aren’t just confined to their premises in Kelletts Rd, Rowville either, they are often seen at track days and race meetings supporting their customers with tyre sales, fitting and balancing services as well as lots of tips on how to get the best out of your tyres right at the event.
With this partnership, members will also have access to exclusive pricing and offers both for on and off the track. So be sure to give them a call if you have any questions regarding tyres or suspension set up for your car. On behalf of the committee and all members, welcome on board. We look forward to a very successful relationship in 2019 and beyond.
Dear Members,
Welcome to 2019! It's a new year and we have been busy organising a fantastic year ahead with lots of things coming up to suit everyone’s taste.
We ended 2018 just shy of 300 members but even over the holiday break we welcomed some new members, which pushed us over 300 and on toward our next goal. Personally, I am very humbled that so many have joined us and continually tell us we are doing a great job - exactly what we aim to do, to build the best club for you, our friends and members.
January kicked off with our first event for the year, the Eastlink Great Australia Rally, culminating in a car show at Cruden Farm in Langwarrin. You can read the story about it elsewhere on the blog, but I would like to say, what an event! Perfect weather, beautiful location and well over 800 cars on show. Amazing! Make sure you come along to that one next year, so many cars of all kinds to see and so many people looking and chatting. It was a fantastic day out and great to have so many of our members bring their cars along to show off. This was one where we invited members to bring what ever car they wanted, so we had members with not only BMW’s but some other very interesting cars as well. Just shows the diversity of our club and how inclusive we are no matter what car you own. We are of course passionate about our BMW’s, but sometimes even the most ardent fan has some very interesting other makes hidden away in our collections. Like us, we have a number of old British classics that we love too.
We have a few big announcements to make too! I’d like to welcome two official sponsors of our club and hope to announce another one or two very soon! We'd like to welcome Shannons Insurance and Traction Tyres/Yokohama. Traction Tyres/Yokohama are the naming rights sponsor of our 2019 Drivers' Championship. We thank you for your support and look forward to a long relationship with you both, in 2019 and in the years to come.
Please, if you have any questions or interest in either insurance, call Shannons, or tyres and suspension for road or track, call Traction Tyres. Both are here to support your club, so please give them a call and support them back with your custom.
We have a very busy and exciting year coming up this year, starting straight away! Quite a few of us are off to Bathurst to support the BMWs running in the 12 Hour this weekend. Sadly, our friend and fellow member, Steve Richards, isn’t running this year.
We then have lots of other events coming in quick succession - I think the next weekend we have off is months away. Make sure you keep an eye on your emails and the events page on the website.
We have drives and displays coming up at some iconic locations like the Torquay Car Show, RACV Rally at Yarra Valley, Phillip Island Historics and the big one, the Australian Formula 1 Grand Prix.
We are also organising a long weekend away with the MINI Club on Queens Birthday weekend, make sure you save that date. We will be heading off to tour the iconic Silo Art Trail, as well as some other very interesting sights and detours through Western Victoria.
The 2019 Traction Tyres/Yokohama Drivers' Championship will kick off at Sandown on 15 February. Get your entries in with the Alfa Club if you haven’t entered yet, as they are hosting us for Round 1. Round 2 will be a Hillclimb at Bryant Park in Moe. This will be the first motorsport event we've run on our own. We need you to support us at track days, so come and have some fun, even if you have never been to a track event before, I promise you will have fun!
We will also be running driver training groups at most of our events as well, so you can have an experienced instructor in your car with you. You only have to go as fast as you are comfortable at any of our track events. It is not racing and is the perfect way to let your car stretch it’s legs with out the fear of speeding tickets and at way less cost! Also, if you’d like to help us run these events, we would love you to join us and become CAMS Licenced Official. Another way to be involved and help your club as well as get up close to the action!
I hope you all had a fantastic Christmas and a Happy New Year and now 2019 is here we are off and running and I looking forward to seeing you at an event or somewhere soon.
Take care and drive safe.
This latest success was the third GTLM victory in the IMSA series for the BMW M8 GTE. BMW celebrated its first win at Daytona back in 1976 with the BMW 3.0 CSL. This was followed in 1997 and 1998 by two class victories with the BMW M3 GTR. Overall victory went to Daytona prototypes with BMW Power in 2011 and 2013. BMW Team RLL finished on the top step of the podium at Daytona for the first time.
De Phillippi, Farfus, Eng and IMSA debutant Herta enjoyed a largely trouble-free race. Herta set the fastest GTLM lap time of 1:42.908 minutes on lap 64. Heavy rain started to fall during the night, causing the track conditions to deteriorate from lap to lap. With seven hours remaining, race control decided to suspend the 24 Hours of Daytona for safety reasons for the first time. The race resumed under yellow flags roughly two hours later. In total, the 24 Hours was interrupted by yellow flags 17 times. When the cars were free to race again, the BMW drivers held their nerve, avoided making any mistakes and established themselves in the leading group. One lap before the race was suspended for the second time, Farfus, at the wheel of the #25 car, took the lead in the GTLM class. This ultimately proved to be the decisive moment in the race, as the race never resumed and the BMW drivers were left to celebrate a momentous victory.
By the first race-suspension, Zanardi and his team-mates were already several laps behind the GTLM leaders, following a number of stops for repairs on the #24 car. At the end of a pit-stop in the early stages of the race, the car was dropped off the air jacks at the very moment that Alex Zanardi, who lost both his legs in a crash in 2001, was pushing his specially adapted steering wheel into place on the column. As a result of the jolt, the column was damaged and Zanardi couldn't engage the steering wheel correctly. This coinciding of the two actions had never occurred in testing. The necessary repair work cost the #25 crew a lot of time. As the race continued, the BMW M8 GTE dropped further back, as a result of several smaller incidents. However, quitting was no option for Zanardi and his fellow drivers. Despite having little luck in the race, the appearance of the former ChampCar champion proved very popular at Daytona – with drivers, teams and fans alike.
Turner Motorsport raced with the #96 BMW M6 GT3 in the GTD class. After 560 laps, the team and drivers Jens Klingmann (GER), Bill Auberlen (USA), Dillon Machavern (USA) and Robby Foley (USA) finished tenth.
The race weekend was overshadowed by the news of the sudden death of long-term Schnitzer team principal Charly Lamm. In memory of Charly, BMW Team RLL competed with the words “Godspeed, Charly” on the rear of both BMW M8 GTEs at Daytona.
Jens Marquardt (BMW Motorsport Director): “What a race, and what an emotional win – and during such difficult days for the entire BMW Motorsport family. To stand on the top step of the podium here at Daytona after such an eventful and unpredictable 24 Hours is absolutely fantastic. Congratulations to Connor De Phillippi, Augusto Farfus, Philipp Eng, Colton Herta and everyone at BMW Team RLL. Congratulations also to our team in Munich, who have moulded the BMW M8 GTE into a real winner. We can be very proud of this success. Although the drivers of the #24 car had to settle for ninth place, after enduring a lot of misfortune during the race, they made BMW Motorsport history together. Alessandro Zanardi’s appearance sent a buzz through the racing community at Daytona and beyond. Together with Jesse Krohn, John Edwards and Chaz Mostert, Alex battled like a lion and refused to be disheartened by the set-backs in the race. That is precisely what makes him so special, and why the fans love him. Alex and his fellow drivers can also feel like winners after this race. We would like to dedicate this success to Charly Lamm. His loss is just as painful today as it was on Thursday, when we received news of his death. He would have wanted us to fight to the final lap here. We did that – and won it for him.”
Bobby Rahal (Team Principal BMW Team RLL): “What a great fight! Winning at Daytona is very special. When you consider where we finished here last year, then you cannot rate the effort of the entire team highly enough. Congratulations to the complete crew of the #25 car. But compliments also go to the #24 team, which unfortunately had a few issues in the race.”
Connor De Phillippi (#25 BMW M8 GTE, winner): “That was a really crazy race, with dry conditions, rain and cold. My team-mates did a fantastic job. The car still looks new, even after 24 hours. Augusto, in particular, did an incredible job in the rain. We were able to show that our BMW M8 GTE is very reliable and competitive in all conditions. The whole team did a perfect job. We are Daytona winners. Incredible!”
Augusto Farfus (#25 BMW M8 GTE, winner): “This win is magical and of special significance to me. A few days ago, I lost a very important person in my life. I am sure that Charly was with me on the way to this success, so the win is for him. Now it is time to celebrate!”
Philipp Eng (#25 BMW M8 GTE, winner): “The tension in the final few hours was almost unbearable. We did not make any mistakes for 24 hours – and this is the result. We were able to match the pace of the others in the dry. But it is impossible to describe what Augusto then did in the rain. It was a joy to watch him and I am proud to have a team-mate like that. This victory is for Charly.”
Colton Herta (#25 BMW M8 GTE, winner): “That was spectacular! Strictly speaking, it was my first GT race ever – and with such a fantastic outcome. The best thing about it was my stint in the night, when the top five of the GTLM class were bunched closely together and we were battling for position. Then Augusto was simply incredible in the rain. He led us to the head of the field. I just cannot believe it all.”
Alessandro Zanardi (#24 BMW M8 GTE, 9th place): “We have an incredibly intense race behind us – won by BMW. I am delighted. After all, I am part of the team, so I also feel a bit like a winner. Congratulations to the guys. Augusto, in particular, did an incredible job. From a sporting point of view, we did not achieve our goals with the #24 car. I feel incredibly sorry for everyone who worked so hard on this project, both in Munich and here in the USA. We really tested countless possible scenarios in the run-up to the race, and then something happens in the first pit-stop which has never happened before. But that is motorsport for you. We just have to accept it. That aside, my appearance here at Daytona, with all the fantastic reactions from the fans, colleagues and opponents has been like a fairy tale. I would like to say a big thank you to BMW Motorsport and BMW Team RLL for one of the best experiences of my life.”
John Edwards (#24 BMW M8 GTE, 9th place): “The past few months, with all the testing I did with Alex Zanardi and the other guys, were a very special experience. It was an honour to work with such a fantastic character as Alex, both on and off the track. Unfortunately, the race was disappointing for us, as we had a few incidents too many in order to achieve a positive result. However, as a team we are obviously very pleased with the victory for the #25.”
Jesse Krohn (#24 BMW M8 GTE, 9th place): “That was a tough race, in which we simply did not have any luck. The heavy rain did not make it any easier. It was impressive to see how Alex was able to keep the car on the track at all in those conditions, with the extreme aquaplaning. I am delighted that it worked out so well for the #25 car. The team really deserved it after all the hard work they did preparing for the race.”
Chaz Mostert (#24 BMW M8 GTE, 9th place): “A number of factors were behind us not achieving the result we had hoped for in this race. However, all in all, competing in this race and working with a special person like Alex Zanardi, not forgetting John Edwards and Jesse Krohn, has been fantastic for me. I will never forget this amazing experience.”
BMW PRESS CLUB
BMW Motorsport Director Jens Marquardt:
“Totally unexpectedly we received the news from the Lamm family that Charly Lamm died on Thursday. Our sincere condolences go to the Lamm family and the Schnitzer family. It is incredibly difficult to accept that Charly is no longer with us. He had a significant impact on racing at BMW for decades, celebrated major successes with his team, and wowed fans around the world with his unique passion for racing. Losing him so suddenly is a shock and a tragedy – particularly because Charly was just about to start a brand new chapter of his life. We mourn the loss of a character who was both valued and loved internationally, who will always be closely linked with BMW Motorsport. Thank you for everything Charly. We will miss you forever.”
At both the 24 Hours of Daytona (USA) and the ABB FIA Formula E Championship race in Santiago (CHL), the BMW teams will compete in memory of Charly Lamm.
With the new BMW 7 Series, driving pleasure and ride experience reach an unprecedented new level in the luxury segment. After the world premiere of the luxury sedan in Shanghai, now the market launch campaign for the new BMW 7 Series follows with a powerfully emotional film at its centre. The campaign film, designed for use on different communication channels, presents the new BMW 7 Series using atmospheric imagery as the perfect choice for individualists who are not deterred by any obstacles in their way, but who follow their own path with self-assured confidence.
The short film titled “Above the Clouds”, directed by the American Dan DiFelice, shows the pilot of a private plane who is prevented from taking off in his plane by bad weather and who then makes a spontaneous decision. He swaps his “cockpit” for that of his new BMW 7 Series and accelerates down the dark and rainy runway unhindered. His journey takes him into majestic mountain scenery and he travels higher and higher. Finally we see how he breaks through the cloud cover on a mountain pass road in his car, heads towards the sunlight and leaves the black storm behind him. The key scene of the film describes a luxurious experience at the highest level creating a sublime moment, which is generally reserved for the pilot of a plane, but in this scenario can literally only be experienced in the new BMW 7 Series.
The new luxury sedan becomes the symbol of how limits can be overcome through your own initiative and self-confidence, how the freedom of individual mobility can be expanded and how new horizons then open up. “With its self-assured character, the new BMW 7 Series embodies the way of life of a target group who follows its aims and ideas in a self-determined and independent manner regardless of any external obstacles”, says Uwe Dreher, Director Brand Communication BMW, BMW i and BMW M.
After the new BMW 8 Series Coupé, the new BMW 8 Series Convertible and the new BMW X7, the new BMW 7 Series is the fourth model to be presented and launched against the background of a new brand presence in the luxury segment. The launch is characterised by a newly designed signet and the company name Bayerische Motoren Werke, which is fully written out. For the BMW Group, the brand’s current initiative in the luxury segment is one of the objectives set out in the NUMBER ONE > NEXT company strategy to ensure sustainable growth on the worldwide automobile markets. In addition the new BMW 7 Series features a unique variety on innovations in the four future-oriented ACES fields (Autonomous, Connected, Electrified, Services/Shared).
The entire BMW 7 Series launch campaign has been designed in line with the new aesthetic appearance of the brand in the luxury segment. Just like the campaign film, all other communication materials including the sales literature and the online channels of the new BMW 7 Series are harmoniously coordinated with each other in order to provide the target groups in this vehicle class with an integrated and holistic world of experience. “The launch campaign for the new BMW 7 Series highlights the luxury sedan’s unique combination of presence, exclusivity and innovation using powerful imagery and emotional staging”, says Kirsty Skinner-Gerth, Head of International Campaigns, Artwork, Film, Entertainment Marketing. The campaign was devised by the BMW Group in conjunction with Serviceplan Campaign International. In addition to the campaign film, a product highlight film as well as several cutdowns for different social media channels have been produced. In this way the cinematic atmosphere, which symbolises the character of the new BMW 7 Series, is authentically transferred to all communication channels.
Sunday, 20 January started off with some low clouds which looked like they would clear quickly.
We had 3 cars to prepare for this event, our E3, E21 and Lawrence Glynn’s new pride and joy his BMW 700. All looking sparking clean (the cars I mean), we all headed off to the Hastings meeting point to be greeted by an absolute wonder of historic cars of all ages and marques.
The organisers had a marque set up with breakfast and coffee for all entrants which was lovely.
Each club were to supply a marshal to be at Cruden Farm to help marshal the entrants into the correct spot, so I headed off a little earlier than the others, who were doing the drive there, which went down to Mount Martha, Mornington, Somerville and finishing at Cruden Farm.
I arrived at 8.45am and there was already a huge number of cars arriving, all looking amazing. Some of the owners had gone to the trouble of dressing up in period costume which really did look great.
We had a great turnout of not only BMW’s, but some amazing other cars from our club were on display.
What an amazing venue for this event, if you have never visited Cruden farm, I recommend you look out for an open day and make a day of it, as it's truly is a treasure.
I would like to thank all our members for attending and presenting their cars so beautifully and look out for this one next year as it really is not an event to miss, it will be one we will be proud to start the year with again.
With over 800 cars and many more attendees, all funds raised on the day went to Peter Mac Cancer Centre.
Jo Mawson | Member #2BMW Drivers Club Melbourne
The EastLink rally is organised by the All British Classics Cub Vic is sponsored by toll company EastLink and raising money for cancer charity Peter Mac. So, a way to get some of our tolls back and give to charity. Two very good reasons to take part.
The rally is a combination cavalcade and car show, with 4 starting points, ending up this year at Cruden Farm. Even more good reason to take part.
This was my first outing with the BMW 700, so I was keen to see how we went on the drive and at the show. The 700 is presently in the tender care of Graeme Bell at Bell Motorsport having a few issues attended to, none of which prevent it running. When I arrived to collect the 700 it was proudly parked at the front of the drive flanked by their E3 2800 sedan and E21 318i. All lovely and clean and ready to go.
Jo drove directly to Cruden Farm in the E21 to be our club’s designated marshal, so she missed out on the scenic drive. Thanks Jo.
Graeme and I drove the short distance from there to our chosen start point at Westernport Marina in Hastings to join about 80 - 100 others of various vintages and makes. We had plenty of time for a coffee, a sausage sizzle and several chats before heading off.
The drive, in a sort of convoy, took a non-direct route, turning a 15 minute drive into about 1 hour, but passing through several cafe strips etc so the general public got to see the cars. There were not very many people at the side of the road, which was disappointing, but good fun anyway.
I was very pleased to keep up, and in fact to be held up! Getting the 700 off the line is a bit of an acquired art I’m still working on. Narrow shoes is the first requirement as the clutch pedal has to be pressed almost all the way to the stop, squeezing in between the floor hump (for heating ducts not transmission) and the steering column. The synchromesh takes a second or two to do its work, but holding the clutch down is awkward. The clutch action is described as “short and sharp” and first gear is only good for 19 km/h flat out. So it can be pretty busy. But once on the move it is fine.
Although I know there are leaks around the drive shaft seals (one of things on Graeme’s list), it was all pretty clean underneath when we arrived. The mess that greeted me after its first drive has not been repeated as the seals etc swell back up. This goes to show the value in actually using a car regularly to keep it in shape.
The car show was excellent. Live music, food vans and other vendors all added to the occasion. Plus plenty of time to enjoy the many delights of Cruden Farm, former home of Dame Elisabeth Murdoch. So you don’t even have to like cars!
One of those who came to chat with me turned out to be a fellow 700 owner, he has a 1962 coupe sport, which is not currently a runner. After seeing mine he left with renewed enthusiasm to get his on the road. This was nice, but annoying, as by all reports prior to that mine was the only 700 in Australia. I'll have to change that to the only 700 sedan in Australia. But then someone else told me there may be a third car, details unknown, partially dismantled for parts. So make that the only sedan on the road in Australia!
Anyway, it was special enough to get an interview for the on site radio channel!
Lawrence Glynn | Member #3BMW Drivers Club Melbourne
At the All British Classics Car Club Vic Inc. Annual General Meeting held last Sunday 10th February, our President, Tony Pettigrew announced that the EastLink Great Australian Rally had raised $58,000 for Peter MacCallum Cancer Foundation for Cancer Research.
A fantastic result!
Thank you again for your club’s support and contribution in participating in the EastLink Great Australian Rally conducted for the first time at the Historic Cruden Farm, Langwarrin with a new naming rights sponsor, EastLink.
Rex HallOn behalf of the EastLink Great Australian Rally Committee
Paris will become the city of love for classic cars for five days. At the Rétromobile 2019 exhibition, fans and potential purchasers of classic cars and motorcycles will find everything their hearts desire from 6 to 10 February 2019. BMW Group Classic has joined forces with BMW France and French BMW Clubs to feature a number of exciting chapters in the brand history at Rétromobile 2019. The recent history of BMW roadsters, the long tradition of the brand in the luxury segment, and the history of motor sport over the past four decades is presented through the prism of the fascinating exhibition vehicles. Classics on two wheels are also being presented, alongside services in the areas of parts sales, vehicle dealership and archives. The exhibition in Paris also offers a window onto the Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este 2019.
Rétromobile is one of the biggest and most diverse exhibitions of classic vehicles in Europe. Around 650 exhibitors from all over the world will be represented in the 44th edition of the event at the Porte de Versailles exhibition complex in Paris. More than 600 historic vehicles will be shown on an area of some 6 700 square metres in exhibition halls 1, 2 and 3. Many of them will be for sale, along with replacement parts, workshop equipment and lots of other products to excite fans of classic vehicles. The rare treasures presented by BMW will be shown in Hall 1 at an exhibition stand divided into several sections each with a dedicated theme. Passepartout frames mounted in the partition walls provide visitors with a view of other sections of the exhibition stand from a variety of different perspectives.
BMW Group Classic celebrated its presentation at Rétromobile 2019 by announcing that owners of classic vehicles in France would have access to enhanced service packages in future. This is being achieved by extending the international network of BMW Classic Partner to French locations. The certified BMW Classic Partner will be offering fans and owners of historic automobiles comprehensive and professional service packages in the areas of repair, restoration and parts supply, as well as specialist advice about the purchase and sale of vehicles. The network of BMW Classic Partners currently covers sites in Germany, Austria, Italy, Poland, Portugal, Belgium and the USA.
Once pioneering, today a classic car: the BMW Z1.
The roadsters of the BMW brand have always epitomised open-top driving pleasure for two people. Some 30 years ago, the first examples of the BMW Z1 were delivered to expectant customers. Originally, the two-seater was a development project run by BMW Technik GmbH, designed to enrich knowledge about innovative vehicle structures and materials in the course of the project. The plastic body mounted on a self-supporting steel chassis, the retractable doors and the agile driving performance generated enthusiasm right from the start. Today, this passion is shared by fans of youngtimers and classic cars alike. One of the 8 000 BMW Z1 automobiles delivered up until 1991 will be presented at the Rétromobile 2019 and offered for sale. The vehicle has been restored to its original condition and although it is only on the threshold of classic-car status, it is nevertheless already one of the coveted collectibles from the model history of the brand. A comparison between the BMW Z1 and the new BMW Z4 – set to make waves from March 2019 – shows that the universal attraction of an open-top sports car retains its lustre to this day.
BMW 507: sportiness and luxury in the open air – and on the water.
Almost three and a half decades before sales of the BMW Z1 were launched, another roadster that has meanwhile become a legend was creating a sensation for the first time. The BMW 507 was presented at the International Motor Show in Frankfurt in 1955. It embodies dynamic performance, elegance and a generous portion of luxury. In 1957, BMW commissioned Starnberg-based boatbuilder Werft A. Rambeck to construct a speedboat on the basis of the numerous design attributes in the styling of the road-going vehicle. The speedboat was powered by the BMW 401 marine engine derived from the automobile powerplant, and at 150 hp it precisely matched the power of the eight-cylinder unit mounted in the BMW 507. The unique special was long believed to have been lost, but the boat was discovered a few years ago and restored by Werft Rambeck. At Rétromobile 2019, BMW Group Classic is presenting the roadster and the boat together with the new BMW 8 Series convertible, which transfers the combination of sportiness, luxury and open-top joy to the present day.
Racing car for the BMW Junior Team and the Procar Series.
Two outstanding competition vehicles recall the glory days of the 1970s in motor sport with two outstanding competition vehicles. A BMW 320 built in accordance with Group 5 regulations is presented in homage to a successful era of the brand in touring-car sport. Front spoilers, rear wings and flared wheel arches with flamboyant styling characterise the competition vehicle developed on the basis of the first generation of the BMW 3 Series. Under the bonnet, the car is powered by a Formula 2 racing engine, which generates an output of 300 hp from a displacement of 2.0 litres. In 1977, BMW competed with the new touring car in the German Racing Championship (DRM). At the same time, this formed the launchpad for a new form of promotion for junior drivers. Eddie Cheever, Marc Surer and Manfred Winkelhock competed in the BMW Junior Team against established, world-class drivers. They became the darlings of the public and collected a bumper harvest of points.
Two years later, drivers lined up at the start of the first races in the Procar Series initiated by BMW. This was an ideal stage to put the racing version of the BMW M1 through its paces. In the Procar Series, Formula 1 pilots and touring-car drivers competed against each other in identically engineered vehicles powered by 470 hp engines. The races were held in 1979 and 1980 as part of the warm-up for the Formula 1 World Championship races in Europe and they developed into a massive success with a big public following. A Procar racer from the collection of BMW Group Classic is being presented at Rétromobile 2019.
Pioneering collectibles with Boxer engines.
Connoisseurs and collectors of historic two-wheelers will be delighted with the exhibits shown in the section of the exhibition stand dedicated to classic two-wheelers from BMW Motorrad. The vehicles offered for sale there include a BMW R51/3 from the 1950s and a BMW R 60/5 from the touring motorcycle series presented in 1969. The BMW R 51/3 was launched in the marketplace in 1951. Its completely redesigned two-cylinder Boxer engine with a capacity of 500 cubic centimetres was also a new development and impressed aficionados right from the start with its smooth-running performance and high level of reliability. BMW also explored new avenues with the /5 Series. The models BMW R 50/5, BMW R 60/5 and BMW R 75/5 were designed as sporty tourers styled in a modern design and they were fitted with a completely new chassis incorporating a telescopic fork for the front wheel and an adjustable rear-wheel suspension. Other innovations included the electric starter and the fact that customers had a choice of different colours for the first time. The launch of the /5 Series also heralded the completion of relocating motorcycle production from Munich to Berlin.
Snapshot of the Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este 2019.
Visitors to Rétromobile 2019 also have an opportunity to get in the mood for an absolute highlight in the calendar of the worldwide fan community for classic cars. BMW Group Classic is presenting the programme for the Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este 2019. The beauty contest for historic automobiles and motorcycles is being held from 24th to 26th May 2019 in Cernobbio, Northern Italy. It is being presented under the motto “The Symphony of Engines – 90 Years of the Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este & BMW Automobiles”. This recalls the early beginnings of the vehicle show on the shores of Lake Como and the origins of automobile production at BMW.
The MINI presentation at the Brussels Motor Show 2019 is dedicated entirely to a round anniversary. The motor show in the Belgian capital is the scene of the world premiere of the MINI 60 Years Edition. With this exclusive design model, the British premium automobile manufacturer recalls the debut of the classic Mini in the year 1959. At that time, this economical and agile small car laid the foundations for a worldwide brand success story that continues to this day. 60 years on, MINI presents a model program to the Brussels Motor Show visitors from 19 to 27 January that offers a modern interpretation of the brand’s core properties. It ranges from the first MINI to feature an electric motor through to the extremely sporty John Cooper Works models.
The founding father and bestseller among the top athletes of the model program is the MINI John Cooper Works (combined fuel consumption: 6.9 – 6.9 l/100 km with 6-speed manual transmission, 6.2 – 6.1 l/ 100 km with 8-speed Steptronic gearbox; combined CO2 emissions: 158 – 157 g/km with 6-speed manual transmission, 142 – 140 g/km with 8-speed Steptronic transmission). At the Brussels Motor Show 2019 MINI presents the new version of the 3 door, whose emissions output is now optimised by means of a standard particulate filter.
Anniversary design model: the MINI 60 Years Edition.
With its exclusive design and equipment features, the MINI 60 Years Edition – to be shown in public for the first time in Brussels – authentically expresses the traditional sporting spirit and British origins of the brand. A distinctive appearance is ensured by the body colour British Racing Green, a contrasting finish on the roof and exterior mirror caps, bonnet stripes in a specific anniversary design and 17-inch light alloy wheels in the version 60 Years Spoke 2-tone. The anniversary logo also appears on the side scuttles, door sill finishers, front headrests as well as in the LED logo projection on the driver’s side. In addition the exclusive design model has model-specific interior trim finishers.
The standard equipment of the edition vehicles also features a sports leather steering wheel as well as sports seats in the leather trim MINI Yours Leather Lounge 60 Years and the exclusive colour Dark Maroon. The MINI 60 Years Edition will be available from March 2019 onwards as a MINI 3 door and MINI 5 door, each with four engine variants.
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