Christmas in July
1 July 2018

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   MONTH IN REVIEW                    

Graeme and Jo are now back from their 6 week stint in Europe and are busy planning the rest of the year out in motorsport and events.  

"We are now a couple of months old and WOW, what a couple of months it has been!

When we first started down the road of building a new club and all the work it took to get it off the ground, we thought it would be great if in six months or a year we had 100 members, maybe a couple of years we might even make 200.  I can’t tell you how proud and grateful I am, that it only took few short weeks to welcome our 100th member and now we are well on our way to 200.  I am amazed.  Thank you for joining and we hope we can give you what you want from a club.  If there is anything you want to do, or think might be fun for us to organise, please drop us a line and you never know, we might just run with the idea.  Our door is always open, and we are always looking for ideas.  It is your club after all." - Graeme Bell.  Read the full President's Report here.

Over the last month we have been doing a lot of work on our website.  Our motorsport pages are now up and running and we have dates set for our "mini" Drivers' Championship for 2018!  Special thanks to AROCA, who have allowed us to run our championship at their rounds this year.  

There is also now a 'members only' area, where our members can find committee meeting minutes, our Drivers' Championship rules, information on BMW Clubs Australia and member services.  We are keen to support those who support us, so if you would like to feature your business on our member services page we'd love to hear from you!

We had a number of events in June - we had our first members meeting at Shannons Insurance with our "Have you ever wondered why?" themed night.  It was a great success and created some great discussion!  Read more on the night here.

We then enjoyed a fantastic day at SkyHigh, Mount Dandenong on Queens Birthday!  The weather certainly put on a show and our members had a fantastic day!  You can read more about our trip to SkyHigh here.

We also had a number of members attend the AROCA sprint day at Phillip Island on 30 June to compete and also do the pace laps!  The weather wasn't the best but that didn't deter anyone.  Keep an eye on our website to read more about this.

  THE MONTH AHEAD                    

  EVENTS NOT TO MISS!                   

  NEWS | BLOG                    

• A Visit to BMW Munich
  
• Strong pace but no reward: BMW M8 GTE finishes 12th in its Le Mans debut 
  
• The all-new BMW X5: The Prestige SAV with the most innovative technologies

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.

A visit to BMW Munich

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As many of our members know, Graeme and I took a few weeks off and went to Europe.  Prior to leaving Graeme had met with Eva Priller from BMW Classic at the recent BMW Clubs Australia AGM and she had mentioned that if we had the time it would be nice for us to visit BMW whilst we were in Europe.  This was an invitation we did not want to turn down so after a little tweaking of the itinerary and Graeme forgoing driving Nürburgring (again), we managed to squeeze four days in Munich.

We were lucky to be invited to join a “Wheels & Weisswursht” morning, which is just like our “Coffee and Cars” mornings, except they have beer and sausage instead of coffee and cakes!

They are very fortunate to have such an amazing venue to hold such events, with BMW Classic opening their doors on a Saturday to invite the clubs to join them to enjoy everything BMW and other brands as well.  All classic cars are invited to these mornings and there were some exceptional examples on display.

It was so refreshing to see so many cars in all different conditions and just see like minded members who love their cars, standing around chatting and enjoying the day.   Cars rolled in and out all morning and it was amazing what turned up.

If you are ever thinking of visiting Munich, make sure you let us know and we will be able to assist you with gaining access to some of the amazing facilities that are available for members to visit whilst in Munich.

We also visited BMW Welt, had a private ‘white glove tour’ at the BMW Museum and were lucky enough to also have a private tour of BMW Classic.

If you love the brand, I really encourage you to try to make the pilgrimage to Munich and visit their amazing facilities and take a tour or two with their dedicated staff and learn more about everything BMW - from their history to their plans for the future.  Don’t be afraid to ask questions, they are so helpful and full of knowledge.  Also, if you have been before, its worth going back again as every time we have been the museum has different cars on display and we learn more interesting things each time we go there.

Our visit was over before we knew it and we sadly had to leave, but we will be back and there might even be a BMWDCM trip in the planning for the future..

Jo Mawson |  Vice President
BMW Drivers Club Melbourne 
The Ultimate Driving Club

Dear Members,

We are now a couple of months old and WOW, what a couple of months it has been!

When we first started down the road of building a new club and all the work it took to get it off the ground, we thought it would be great if in six months or a year we had 100 members, maybe a couple of years we might even make 200.  I can’t tell you how proud and grateful I am, that it only took few short weeks to welcome our 100^th member and now we are well on our way to 200.  I am amazed.  Thank you for joining and we hope we can give you what you want from a club.  If there is anything you want to do, or think might be fun for us to organise, please drop us a line and you never know, we might just run with the idea.  Our door is always open, and we are always looking for ideas.  It is your club after all.

I apologise if Jo and I have been a bit hard to get in touch with through most of May and into June, we were off on holiday road tripping around Europe.  We covered 9,980km in 6 weeks touring around France, Spain, Portugal, Monaco (for a little race they have there), into Italy briefly (where I almost died, literally, but that’s another story), Switzerland, Germany (where we spent 4 days in Munich), Belgium and back into France.  There were a few other countries we popped into as well, but the bit most here would be interested in, was our visit to Munich.

When I went to the Clubs Australia AGM, just before our launch night, I met Eva from BMW Classic in Munich.  Eva works for BMW and was not only the person that was responsible for approving our new club logo, but is pretty much in charge of all the BMW Clubs in our region.  When Eva heard Jo and I were going to Europe she asked if we were coming to Munich and if we were, she would be very happy to look after us and organise some special things to do whilst we were there.  So, I quickly got on to Jo and said we had better change our itinerary to include Munich, because at that stage we weren’t planning on going there this time, and well, when BMW wants you to visit, you visit.  After a little juggling, which meant I gave up spending another day at the Nurburgring, we were able to fit in 4 days there.  I'm very glad we did!  Thank you so much Eva, for your hospitality and all your help.

We just happened to be in Munich over the weekend of the Wheels and Weisswurscht meeting at BMW Group Classic, so Eva invited us to come along too.  This is a little like our Cars and Coffee days, just a casual event where people turn up and chat and check out each other’s cars.  Except it is at the home of BMW Classic, where they have brought out a few of their cars as well and as well as coffee, there is German sausage for everyone to enjoy.  This was a great event, with a group driving up from Italy and club people from Munich and all over Germany just coming down for the drive.  Lots of nice cars and plenty you will never see on the road in Australia.  It was fantastic to be invited to the day and see some beautiful cars and meet some more people with the same passion as we have.

Eva also organised a couple of very special tours for us.  We had our very own ‘white glove’ guided tour of the BMW museum, where our guide opened bonnets and boots, unlocked doors and showed us lots of things up close that you don’t normally get too close to.

We felt like celebrities being allowed to get very close to some of BMW’s prized collection and it is always great to hear the stories about each exhibit from someone that knows all about them, instead of just wandering around and seeing things on our own.  If you are going to the museum, let us know and we can help organise a tour for you too.  So much better than just wandering around.

Our second ‘special tour’ was at BMW Classic.  We were very lucky to have Eva personally show us through the archives and then the collection itself.  The archives are amazing, all the original drawings and designs going back to the earliest models, even the original patent application document for the first roundel!  All sorts of original items and photos, we could have spent all day in there alone.  Best thing was we were allowed to open every drawer and look at everything up close and even touch some.  Just amazing.  Thank you, Eva!

After spending time in there we were taken into the original workshop building where BMW began making cars.  Here they house about a third of the BMW collection.  So many amazing vehicles, right back to the very first road going vehicle to have a BMW engine in it, a horse drawn fire brigade pump that was powered by a BMW aircraft engine.  Elvis’ freshly restored 507 is there, along with a BMW Mclaren, a couple of F1 cars, lots of different race cars and loads of classic BMWs of every type imaginable.  Must say, I was in heaven, only thing better would have been if I could have driven a few of them.  Eva mentioned that if she had more notice, she might have been able to arrange a drive as quite a few of the cars in the collection actually do get driven quite often - either loaned to special guests or driven in special events all over Europe.  It is great that they actually do get used and not just sit there gathering dust, as Eva said, they were built to be driven, so they still are!  Fantastic!

I plan to put together a slide show of our visit to Munich and all the things we saw there, as me being me, I took hundreds of photos at each of the places we visited.  Might even put one together of our whole trip, as some that followed us on facebook would know, we don’t just tour around and see a few sights.  We saw and experienced a whole lot in our 6 weeks, in 13 countries and almost 10,000km of driving.  Jo and I are a bit crazy sometimes, we jumped off a mountain in Switzerland, hiked out on a glacier at 12,000 feet altitude at -9 deg, rode the longest rodelbahn in the world, in Andorra, and the steepest as well, in Italy.  We also went to some amazing places and took in some incredibly moving moments, that will stay with me forever.  Like the last post ceremony at the Menin Gate and the Australian War Memorial at Villers Bretonneux.

Anyway, that is a bit off track, so back to the club and Melbourne now and full steam ahead.

We have a busy week ahead. We will be at Phillip Is tomorrow for the Alfa Club Sprint and some pace-car laps for our members, thanks to Neil and the Alfa Club for inviting us along. Then Sunday is our first Christmas in July event. Looking forward to that with lots of you coming along. Tuesday will also be our next monthly meeting and I, for one, am looking forward to hearing from the VFT about the benefits and opportunities available in becoming a CAMS official.  I have been a CAMS Official for nearly 20 years now and have enjoyed lots of events from the other side, so come along and see what you can get involved in too.

Look forward to catching up with you all one way or another over the coming months.

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

The all-new BMW 8 Series Coupe. 

The presentation of the all-new BMW 8 Series Coupe adds a brand new chapter to the Bavarian premium carmaker’s long history of sensational sports cars – and gets its current model offensive in the luxury segment off to a particularly dynamic start. 

See slideshow below for highlights: 

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  Features

• BMW presents the redefinition of the sports car. The new BMW 8 Series Coupe combines imposing lateral and longitudinal dynamic performance with poise, assurance and luxury over long distances. The new BMW 8 Series Coupe opens a further chapter in the brand’s successful sports car history and kicks off the premium manufacturer’s model initiative in the luxury segment. 
• An unrivalled combination of inspiring sportiness and contemporary luxury, assured long-distance comfort and innovative user-operation, driver assistance and connectivity technology. 
• Market launch in November 2018 with two model variants: The BMW M850i xDrive Coupe M Performance model with new, 390 kW/530 hp V8 engine (fuel consumption combined: 10.5 – 10.0 l/100 km [26.9 – 28.3 mpg imp]; CO₂ emissions combined: 240 – 228 g/km)* and BMW 840d xDrive Coupe with six-cylinder in-line diesel unit developing 235 kW/320 hp (fuel consumption combined: 6.2 – 5.9 l/100 km [45.6 – 47.9 mpg imp]; CO₂ emissions combined: 164 – 154 g/km)*. Power transfer in both cases is via a further developed eight-speed Steptronic transmission. Both engines comply with exhaust emission standard EU6d-TEMP.
• Body structure, drive technology and suspension focus squarely on achieving the elite dynamic performance expected of a top-class sports car. Development parallel to the BMW M8 and the BMW M8 GTE endurance racer. Low centre of gravity, well-balanced weight distribution, lightweight construction using aluminium, magnesium and carbon-fibre-reinforced plastic (CFRP), aerodynamically optimised and virtually lift-free body, powerful engines, sports exhaust system, rear axle differential lock, extremely stiff body and suspension structure. Adaptive M suspension, Integral Active Steering and mixed-size tyres come as standard. Active roll stabilisation optionally available for the BMW M850i xDrive Coupe.
• Emotionally powerful styling with new, pared-back design language, elegantly flowing lines, low-slung body, long bonnet, heavily tapered glasshouse, powerful shoulderline, distinctive “double-bubble” roof contouring, long rear window widening towards its lower edge, typical sports car proportions with an exterior length of 4,843 mm, a width of 1,902 mm, a height of 1,341 mm and a 2,822 mm wheelbase. Options include M carbon roof and M Carbon exterior package with air intake slats, exterior mirror covers, rear spoiler and rear diffuser in CFRP.
• Slimmest headlights of any BMW model to date. LED headlights as standard, Adaptive LED Headlights and BMW Laserlight with Selective Beam and extended high beam range of up to 600 metres available as options.
• Relaxed and luxurious interior ambience, longitudinally oriented lines and surfaces direct the eye forward onto the road. Clearly structured arrangement of controls underscores the focus on the driver and the importance attached to delivering a sporty and dynamic driving experience. High-grade materials, sophisticated interior lighting, trim surfaces rising from the centre console to the instrument panel. Fulled leather trim as standard for the instrument panel and door shoulders. 
• High-quality options for contemporary luxury: telephony with wireless charging, BMW Display Key, Bowers & Wilkins Diamond Surround Sound System and glass applications for specific control elements.
• Low seating position on redesigned sports seats, Vernasca leather trim as standard. Two rear seats also have a low seating position, rendering headrests unnecessary. Automatic boot lid operation also standard; luggage capacity: 420 litres. 50 : 50 spilt/folding rear seat backrest for increased stowage space.
• M Sport package with specific design and equipment features that additionally emphasise the car’s dynamic character: generously dimensioned air intakes, 19-inch M light-alloy wheels, M Sport braking system, multifunction seats, M leather steering wheel, illuminated door sills with M logo. The BMW M Performance model comes with features including 20-inch M light-alloy wheels and high-performance tyres, specific M Sport braking system, exclusive exterior elements in Cerium Grey, stainless steel mesh interior trim strips and illuminated door sills boasting the model designation. Also available at market launch are the M Technic Sport Package and model-specific BMW Individual features.
• New generation of the M Performance TwinPower Turbo V8 engine combines addictively dynamic power delivery with a characteristic eight-cylinder engine sound. 4.4-litre displacement, newly developed twin-scroll turbochargers located within the V-shaped space between the cylinder banks, optimised petrol direct injection, VALVETRONIC and Double-VANOS, maximum output up by 50 kW/68 hp without weight increase, maximum torque of 750 Nm (553 lb-ft) available between 1,800 und 4,600 rpm. Sports exhaust system with flap control. Exhaust gas treatment includes gasoline particulate filter.
• Six-cylinder in-line diesel engine with the latest BMW TwinPower Turbo technology including multi-stage turbocharging and common-rail direct injection with piezo injectors and maximum pressure of 2,500 bar. Optimised emissions thanks to exhaust gas recirculation; Diesel particulate filter, NOx adsorption catalyst and SCR catalyst.
• Driving Experience Control switch including ADAPTIVE mode. Clearly perceptible set-up differentiation between COMFORT and ECO Pro modes at one end of the spectrum and SPORT and SPORT+ modes at the other. Neatly judged management of powertrain and suspension systems enables clear focus on dynamic performance, as well as effortless handling in urban traffic and a high level of long-distance comfort.
• Standard equipment includes new BMW Operating System 7.0 display and control concept. BMW Live Cockpit Professional including fully digital instrument cluster and 10.25-inch Control Display with consistent, modern graphics. Flat, touch-oriented menu structure for fast access to settings and functions. Customisable display adapts to the situation at hand and provides the driver with the right information at the right time. Enhancement of driving experience through display of lateral acceleration data during dynamic cornering. Intuitive operation thanks to multimodal use of touchscreen display, Controller, steering wheel buttons, voice control and BMW gesture control.
• Latest version of the BMW Head-Up Display has a 16 per cent larger projection surface, optimised 3D graphics and additional display content.  
• Innovative driver assistance systems enhance safety and comfort. Further progress towards automated driving, with Driving Assistant Professional including Active Cruise Control and Stop & Go function, Steering and lane control assistant, Lane Change Warning and Lane Departure Warning, side collision protection, evasion aid, distance information, Crossing traffic warning, Priority warning and Wrong-way warning.
• Parking Assistant – automated guidance for parallel and perpendicular parking. Reversing Assistant steers the vehicle when reversing over a distance of up to 80 metres on the same course as the last completed forward parking manoeuvre. Parking Assistant Plus additionally with Surround View, Top View, Panorama View and Remote 3D View.
• Complete range of services from BMW ConnectedDrive. Full connectivity between customer’s vehicle and digital devices via BMW Connected personal mobility assistant. BMW Digital Key permits access to the vehicle and engine start by smartphone. Hazard warning via link-up with other BMW vehicles. Software updates “over the air”. Integration of Microsoft Office 365 and Skype for Business.

BMW PRESS CLUB

Mixed emotions for BMW M Motorsport after its return to the 24 Hours of Le Mans (FRA). The pair of BMW M8 GTEs were able to match the pace of the GTE Pro front-runners over the course of the 86th edition of the endurance classic, with both running in the top-three for long stretches of the race. 

Le Mans. Mixed emotions for BMW M Motorsport after its return to the 24 Hours of Le Mans (FRA). The pair of BMW M8 GTEs were able to match the pace of the GTE Pro front-runners over the course of the 86th edition of the endurance classic, with both running in the top-three for long stretches of the race. While car #82 – driven by Augusto Farfus (BRA), Alexander Sims (GBR) and António Félix da Costa (POR) – had to retire from ninth following an accident in the early hours on Sunday, the #81 BMW M8 GTE made it to the finish after 332 laps. Martin Tomczyk (GER), Nick Catsburg (NED) and Philipp Eng (AUT) finished 12th.

Following strong race starts, both driver-trios lost ground on the 13.626-kilometre track due to damper failures, which caused additional pit stops for repairs. The race was then ended for car #82 after an accident on Sunday at about 6:30 hrs. Shortly after that, the radiator of the sister car had to be changed after being hit by debris on the track. 12^th place was the highest possible position after the extended stops. The #92 Porsche secured victory at the “Circuit de la Sarthe”.

The Le Mans 24 Hours was the second round of the 2018/2019 FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC). The season will resume on 19^th August with the 6 Hours of Silverstone (GBR). 

“Our return to the 24 Hours of Le Mans turned out to be an emotional rollercoaster. First, it was great to see that were able to battle it out at the very front of the fiercely-fought GTE Pro class in terms of pace. Our drivers were involved in plenty of gripping duels with the competition and were even running in second place for some of the race. The BMW M8 GTE left a really strong impression. A podium seemed to be in reach but, unfortunately, technical issues and an accident cost us the chance to be rewarded for all the hard work in the build-up to this event. However, the positives outweigh the negatives: The fans were treated with action galore in the GTE Pro class. We were able to prove the full potential of our new car. In addition, we experienced the world premiere of the all-new BMW 8 Series Coupe on this unique stage. That’s another reason why this event will remain a good memory and give extra motivation to come back here even stronger for the Super Season finale in 2019. A big thank you and a lot of respect to everyone involved in this exciting BMW project with a lot of passion.”  - Jens Marquardt | BMW Motorsport Director

BMW Press CLub

Gallery: 

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The all-new BMW X5: The Prestige SAV with the most innovative technologies. 

The fourth generation of the BMW X5 (fuel consumption combined: 11.6 – 6.0 l/100 km [24.4 – 47.1 mpg imp]; CO2 emissions combined: 264 – 158 g/km; provisional values*) impresses with its wealth of innovations and represents the most compelling embodiment yet of the familiar Sports Activity Vehicle (SAV) blueprint: the ability to venture off road combined with a talent for dynamic driving pleasure on it.

See slideshow below for highlights: 

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  Features

• Fourth generation of the BMW X family patriarch. New BMW X5 opens the next chapter in the success story of the Sports Activity Vehicle (SAV) segment’s founder, of which more than 2.2 million units have been sold so far. New edition of the BMW X5 captures the imagination with clarity of design, comfortable, sporty and authoritative driving attributes and innovative equipment features. Production at BMW Plant Spartanburg (USA). Market launch in November 2018.

• Significantly larger than its predecessor: Length increased by 36 millimetres to 4,922 mm, width by 66 mm to 2,004 mm and height by 19 mm to 1,745 mm. Wheelbase extended by 42 mm to 2,975 millimetres.
• Exterior employs a robust and clear design language that is new to BMW X models. Powerfully sculpted surfaces, precise lines. Large BMW kidney grille with a one-piece surround, eye-catching character line and dynamic roofline, rear lights have a three-dimensional form.
• Interior exudes a classy and modern aura thanks to sophisticated materials, harmonious design and an innovative control concept.
• Neatly judged individualisation with BMW xLine and M Sport lines, plus model-specific features from BMW Individual.
• BMW Laserlight with Adaptive LED Headlights available as an option. Light sources have a striking design; lenses spread in a distinctive X shape; signature blue colour of BMW Laserlight.
• First BMW model to be available with 22-inch light-alloy wheels (optional). M light-alloy wheels in twin-spoke design and BMW Individual light-alloy wheels available from launch in this size.
• Market launch of the new BMW X5 with four engine variants: Newly developed V8 petrol engine with 340 kW/462 hp in the BMW X5 xDrive50i (not available in Europe), six-cylinder in-line petrol engine with 250 kW/340 hp in the BMW X5 xDrive40i (fuel consumption combined: 8.8 – 8.5 l/100 km [32.1 – 33.2 mpg imp]; CO ₂ emissions combined: 200 – 193 g/km)* and two six-cylinder in-line diesel engines with 294 kW/400 hp in the BMW X5 M50d (fuel consumption combined: 7.2 – 6.8 l/100 km [39.2 – 41.5 mpg imp]; CO ₂ emissions combined: 190 – 179 g/km)* and 195 kW/265 hp in the BMW X5 xDrive30d (fuel consumption combined: 6.8 – 6.0 l/100 km [41.5 – 47.1 mpg imp]; CO ₂ emissions combined: 179 – 158 g/km)*. All power units feature cutting-edge exhaust gas treatment technology, including a gasoline particulate filter or SCR catalyst, and meet the EU6d-TEMP standard. Eight-speed Steptronic transmission fitted as standard.
• BMW xDrive intelligent all-wheel drive with new, more efficient control system and rear-wheel bias as standard. Differential lock at rear axle provides noticeably enhanced agility, traction and directional stability when accelerating out of corners and in other dynamic driving situations.
• First BMW X model with optional Off-Road package. Two-axle air suspension, underguard at the front and rear, plus specific displays in the instrument cluster and Control Display. Choice of four driving modes available at the touch of a button. Ride height and the responses of BMW xDrive, DSC, the transmission and the accelerator are adjusted to give an optimum set-up for driving on sand, rock, gravel or snow.
• Dynamic Damper Control with electronically controlled dampers as standard. New chassis systems available for the first time in a BMW X model: two-axle air suspension offering ride height adjustment of up to 80 millimetres. Integral Active Steering, Adaptive M suspension Professional with active roll stabilisation.
• Debut appearance of the BMW Live Cockpit Professional display and control concept (fitted as standard). Further development of the iDrive operating system to include a fully digital instrument cluster and 12.3-inch Control Display. Clear graphics and flat menu structure designed for touch control ensure quick access to settings and functions. Situation-linked and customisable displays supply the driver with the right information at the right time.
• Increased ease of use through multimodal use of the touchscreen display, Controller, voice control and BMW gesture control.
• New generation of the BMW Head-Up Display with a larger projection surface (now 7 × 3.5 inch), optimised 3D graphics and additional display content.
• Optional third row of seats (expected to be available from 12/2018) offers two additional seats; comfortable entry and exit thanks to electrically forward-tilting second-row seats.
• Two-piece split tailgate, hands-free opening and closing of both sections with optional Comfort Access. Automatic boot cover can be lowered electrically into load compartment floor (expected to be available from 12/2018). Boot capacity can be increased from 645 litres to a maximum 1,860 litres.
• Standard leather trim in new variant Vernasca and optional BMW Individual Merino leather trim both available in a choice of four colours.
• New options provide the interior with exceptional creature comforts: Multifunction seats with massage function, four-zone automatic climate control, heated armrests, cooled/heated cupholders in the centre console, Panorama glass roof Sky Lounge with a 23 per cent larger glass surface, Ambient Air package for interior fragrancing, Bowers & Wilkins Diamond Surround Sound System (expected to be available from 12/2018), Rear-seat entertainment Professional system with 10.2-inch touchscreen display (expected to be available from 12/2018).
• First appearance of new glass applications (optional) for the newly designed transmission selector lever, the Controller, the start/stop button in the centre console and the audio system control knob.
• Telephony with wireless charging for compatible mobile phones. BMW Display Key shows vehicle status information and allows user to control vehicle functions.
• Updated ambient lighting (optional) with Welcome Light Carpet for the entry area to the car and Dynamic Interior Light with pulsating illumination in the instrument panel (when receiving incoming phone calls) and in the door panel and opener (when the door is opened with the engine running).
• Innovative suite of driver assistance systems takes another step towards automated driving: Driving Assistant Professional includes further developed Active Cruise Control with Stop & Go function, Steering and lane control assistant, Lane Change Warning and Lane Departure Warning, side collision protection, evasion aid, Crossing traffic warning, Priority warning and Wrong-way warning.
• Emergency Stop Assistant available for the first time; brakes the vehicle automatically if required, and steers it to the side of the road.
• Parking Assistant with automated longitudinal and lateral guidance. New Reversing Assistant takes over steering to manoeuvre the vehicle along a path recently negotiated forward – over a distance of up to 50 metres. Parking Assistant Plus also includes Surround View, Top View, Panorama View and Remote 3D View.
• Complete range of services from BMW ConnectedDrive. Full connectivity between the vehicle and the customer’s digital devices via the BMW Connected personal mobility assistant. BMW Digital Key allows users to access the vehicle and start the engine using their smartphone. Hazard warning provided by connectivity with other BMW vehicles. Software upgrades “over the air”. Integration of Microsoft Office 365 and Skype for Business.

BMW PRESS CLUB

Queens Birthday drive to Skyhigh, Mount Dandenong

When planning an event there are a lot of things to think about and to try and control..  The weather can be one of those but I haven’t found a way of controlling it yet (the Chinese Government famously controlled the raid for the Beijing Olympics but only in a very limited way in a very limited area).

So, it was more by luck than good judgement that we enjoyed glorious views from SkyHigh at Mount Dandenong at the end of our short cruise on the Queen’s birthday.

The photos I took with my phone do not do justice to the view.  I should, it turns out, have taken my better camera, but who carries one of those anymore?

The service road outside Waverly BMW proved to be an ideal starting point, with the minor exception that there was no coffee on sale (surely a mandatory item in Melbourne but we seemed to survive) and no toilets (which became more of an issue for me once we actually reached SkyHigh – the transition from seated to standing seems to release something!).

Not only were we blessed with good weather but we had a good turnout too.  It was great to see some families attend with younger children who seemed to be having a good time.

This event was the first time we’d used the new sign in process – designed to meet all the requirements for public liability insurance from CAMS – including approved non-members as day members on the spot.  It worked well, just a signature against your name.

There was also time to showcase some of the merchandise we now have and have a chat.

Thanks to the numerous traffic lights our convoy got a little broken up and the climb up to Mount Dandenong was disrupted by other slower moving traffic.  Nonetheless, the views on the way up and the little villages we passed through made a very scenic and enjoyable drive. The road was twisty and very much like being well out in the countryside in the foothills of the Victorian Alps, yet so close to Melbourne.  A few brief bursts of spirited driving where the visibility and traffic permitted made it interesting and fun.

SkyHigh is clearly very popular but we managed to find enough parking spaces close together and then set off to explore the many features.

The view is obviously the main draw, and it was very pleasant to sit outside and admire the vista stretching across Port Phillip Bay to Geelong, the You Yangs, the Brisbane Ranges and beyond.  Some made it into, and thankfully out of, the Maze and others just strolled around the grounds.

A coffee and a prolonged chat lead onto lunch and then people drifted off home.

A fun way to spend some of a public holiday!

Lawrence Glynn |  Secretary
BMW Drivers Club Melbourne 
The Ultimate Driving Club

Have you ever wondered why?

For our June members meeting I put together a few fun facts from BMW’s history.  I’m glad to say that those who attended found it interesting and entertaining!

I will not try and write out the entire presentation, mainly because I type too slowly!

For those who could not make it I’ll briefly cover the first of the questions - Have you ever wondered why some think the BMW logo is a spinning propeller?

From this very question you can deduce that the “roundel” is not based on a spinning propeller, but BMW used a picture indicating that it was in some of their advertising in the 1920’s.  To make the advertising seem credible they even invented a back story to go with it.

The story goes that a BMW engineer was watching a plane landing after a test flight (of the engine – BMW originally made aero engines) and saw the pattern made by the propeller and thought what a great logo that would make.  Just add the letters BMW in the area around the edge of the propeller and its done.

Sadly, there are two major issues with that story.

The first, and most obvious, is that a spinning propeller is nigh on invisible to the naked eye.  The “four quadrant” effect is a device used by artists to convey motion, you can not actually see it.  Spinning propellers on film sometimes give this effect due to the synchronisation of the camera shutter and the propeller rotation.

The band around the end of the propeller, onto which the BMW letters are imposed, is actually there because the end of the blades are painted white to help you see the prop spin!

So, the engineer would not have seen the 4 quadrants at all.

The second issue is that by the time any plane took off equipped with a BMW engine, the engine would already have the roundel logo cast into the side of the block.  All BMW engines did (and do).

The roundel logo for BMW was adapted from the roundel logo used by Rapp Motor Works, a company which was renamed by Austrian military supervisor, Franz Joseph Popp, who was sent to Rapp to supervise the manufacture of 224 Type IIIa engines to the Daimler design.

German military engines were built to an interchangeable design, so any Type IIIa engine could be used in a Type IIIa plane.  The actual design of the engine was determined by the manufacturer.

Rapp’s engines were of variable quality and performance, varying from bad to dreadful.  So much so that they were not even trusted to make engines to a proven good design without outside supervision.

Ex Daimler engineer Max Friz, now at Rapp, had developed a carburettor and engine design which would fly higher (a key military advantage to this day) and use less fuel.  Tests proved this to be so, and, ignoring orders from High Command, Popp had engines to the Friz design built instead of the Daimler design.

Popp recognised the need to distance the company from the reputation of the Rapp era so he took on the imprimatur of the regional government calling the new company Bavarian Motor Works and adopting the white and blue state colours.  It was illegal to use a national or state logo as a company logo, so the quartered white and blue fields were reversed.  This idea was applied to the existing Rapp Motor Works roundel logo to make the BMW roundel we know today.

The name BMW and the roundel design were registered in March 1917 (not 1916 as you may have thought – have you ever wondered why that is?)

The BMW engine went on to be the aero engine of choice for German WW1 pilots and Opel were commissioned to build engines of the BMW design.

Popp realised that pilots not only liked the performance of this engine but the way it delivered that performance, the feeling of pleasure and confidence it gave.

This became the company mandate, known today by the tag line from an American advertising agency as “sheer driving pleasure”.

Lawrence Glynn |  Secretary
BMW Drivers Club Melbourne 
The Ultimate Driving Club