The purist design and the all-electric drivetrain of the new MINI Cooper are consistently geared towards urban driving fun, highlighting the exceptional status of the MINI within its vehicle segment. There is virtually no other vehicle model in the world that has succeeded in accentuating its own history and tradition based on evolutionary advancements while at the same time repeatedly setting new technical standards over a period of more than 60 years of construction. What has remained is the underlying notion of a vehicle that offers the greatest possible space utilisation for passengers despite compact external dimensions. New features include the world of digital experiences, modern assistance systems and a purely electric powertrain that guarantees locally emission-free mobility. As such, the fifth generation is a typical MINI while at the same time symbolising the brand’s all-electric future.
“With its electric drive and purist design, the new MINI Cooper is a perfect fit for an urban lifestyle. In the fifth generation of the MINI Cooper, we combine the traditional MINI DNA with innovative, future-oriented technology while enabling locally emission-free driving fun that is typical of MINI,” says Stefanie Wurst, Head of MINI.
The design of the new MINI model generation is modern, digital and unmistakable. With the new MINI family, the brand takes driving fun, the user experience and a responsible attitude forward into a new era. This comprehensive transformation on the way to becoming an all-electric brand by 2030 is reflected in the authentic design of the new models, combining forward-looking technology with the elementary principles of body design and the brand’s origins. In doing so, it emphasises the urban character of the MINI along with the sheer joy of innovation.
“Inspired by our history, we have developed our own new design language, defining our DNA. We call it ‘Charismatic Simplicity’. The idea behind it is a design that gives each new MINI model a strong, individual character and is characterized by a clear, reduced design language intuitively focused on the essentials of the brand.” says Oliver Heilmer, Head of MINI Design.
In the new model generation once again, the MINI 3-door embodies the core of the brand. With its fully electric drivetrain, the new MINI Cooper is consistently geared towards urban driving fun, transporting the character of the iconic model into the brand’s purely electric future.
The agile and compact silhouette features hallmark MINI proportions: short overhangs, a short bonnet and the contrasting long wheelbase with large wheels give the fifth model generation of the MINI Cooper a fascinating charisma with classic design features. At the same time, this emphasises the athletic impression and underlines the model’s contemporary urban orientation.
Details such as the flush door handles and the absence of fender flares and classic side scuttles support the modern design of the exterior by giving the surfaces a striking clarity. This reduction to the essentials places even more emphasis on the body paint finish on the larger body surface. In this way, typical MINI design features such as the visual three-part division of the vehicle body, the all-round window area and the contrasting roof have a greater impact, helping the new design style to take effect.
In the new model generation, the front end of the all-electric MINI Cooper is once again characterised by the iconic MINI circular headlights and the striking grille. These go together to create the hallmark MINI appearance.
The new octagonal front grille with its filigree contour defines the front section even more powerfully than its hexagonal predecessor. Instead of chrome, the new accent colour Vibrant Silver adds highlights to the exterior, giving the new MINI Cooper an even more expressive appearance.
The daytime running light elements of theLED-lights support this striking look with fresh radiance due to unique light signatures. Horizontal light graphics are part of the Essential Trim. Optionally, the daytime running light elements can be switched to create three adjustable light signatures, thereby emphasising the distinctive character of each vehicle. In addition, all light modes start and end with a specially orchestrated welcome and goodbye animation. This interaction with the MINI Cooper heightens the sense of anticipation for the MINI even before you set off.
As with the body design as a whole, the front headlights are not framed with chrome elements anymore. This results in the front section having a focused expression. Together with the fascinating curves of the bonnet and the clear-cut design of the front apron, the new MINI 3-door has a distinct and sporty look. This impression is supported by the vehicle’s track width and the dynamic indentation at the wheel arches.
The side view of the new MINI Cooper also conveys greater reduction and clarity. For the first time, the model appears without a circumferential Black Band. Reducing the number of components places the body colour more at the centre of interest, thereby ensuring a powerful presence. Black sills visually move the MINI Cooper closer to the road. The vehicle combines a modern take on the hallmark MINI design with outstanding aerodynamic properties. The cd figure of 0.28 is outstanding for the small car segment and makes the
The new MINI aesthetic also gives the rear section a new, contemporary feel, featuring clear surfaces and flush rear lights. The vertical light clusters quote the classic MINI lights and can be switched to different modes in the same way as the front headlights. The third brake light and rear fog light are integrated flush into the rear design, emphasising the high quality of the sculptured modern rear section. A defined shoulder section gives the MINI Cooper a particularly powerful look. A striking black handle strip divides the rear section, its horizontal orientation highlighting the vehicle’s broad stance and the sporty flair that this conveys.
The all-electric MINI Cooper is available in four different trims. The Essential Trim presents maximum clarity and a reduced overall appearance, highlighting certain functional parts such as the logo in the new colour Vibrant Silver. The new range of external paint finishes underlines the modernity of the new MINI icon and sets positive accentuations with bright tones such as Sunny Side Yellow.
While the Classic Trim primarily applies to the interior, the Favoured Trim features particularly expressive details on the exterior. This trim variant offers the new, optional Spray-Tech design of the characteristic Multitone Roof with a combination of three different colours as well as a front grille in Vibrant Silver.
The John Cooper Works Trim lends maximum emphasis to the sporty flair of the all-electric MINI Cooper with a distinctive front and rear design. The frame of the front grille and the logo in high-gloss black underline the powerful overall look, while a contrasting roof in Chili Red – inspired by motor sport – and JCW-specific bonnet stripes in red or black optionally lend visual emphasis to the driving dynamics typical of MINI.
On the inside, the design of the front area echoes the famous minimalist design of the classic Mini. For the first model in 1959, Mini inventor Alec Issigonis designed an interior with a round instrument cluster in the centre and the characteristic toggle bar below. In the new MINI Cooper, it is precisely these two elements, in combination with the steering wheel, that structure the interior with its maximum purist design. Reducing everything to the essentials, the new interior makes do with a smaller number of components that are cleverly designed and implemented to a high standard. Behind the steering wheel, the optional head-up display ensures that all the relevant content appears in the driver’s field of vision. As a result, the dashboard on the driver’s side does not require an additional display, so it opens up the view to the front.
The amply sized, curved dashboard features textile surfaces for the first time. Warm, pleasant materials characterise the new, homely feel-good atmosphere in the interior of the MINI Cooper. A specially developed knitting process is used to create the versatile, easy-care structure of the textile in two-colour design made of recycled polyester. There is a choice of different colours for the textile surfaces and seats depending on the trim design. To make the dashboard as slim and spacious as possible, the air vents are very flat.
The clear lines and generous space in the front seats give the interior a modern, airy feel, while the optional panoramic glass roof makes the interior particularly bright and friendly. In the dark, the side lighting is based on the ambient light, thereby contributing to a distinctive interior atmosphere. The seats are available in a basic version and in a JCW version, with side panels that are laminated with high-quality textile covering the adjustment buttons. The armrest, mounted on the driver’s seat, provides even more space in the centre console. The rear of the vehicle offers maximum reduction and comfort, while the loading accessories can be conveniently stowed in an additional underfloor storage facility in the luggage compartment. By folding down the rear seat in a 60:40 ratio, the luggage compartment can be flexibly expanded from 200 litres to provide a volume of up to 800 litres.
The central OLED display sets a new benchmark with its high resolution. Like the round instrument in the predecessor model, the new centre icon is the defining feature of the interior with its versatile functions. As an instrument cluster, the MINI Interaction Unit is a centre of both experience and comfort. Thanks to MINI Operating System 9, all vehicle functions can be operated intuitively with touch or voice control. The display in the redesigned cockpit has been moved closer to the driver so it is particularly convenient to reach. The diameter of the thin touch display with a high-quality glass edge has grown to 240 mm. Its operating logic is reminiscent of the standards familiar from smartphones.
The graphic presentation of the content is modern and focuses on the essentials. The upper area contains relevant vehicle-related information such as speed and battery status. When the speed indicator is pressed, a large, striking display with full-screen speedometer appears that puts a clear focus on driving. In the Home menu, the other widgets are displayed in thumbnail view to the left and right of the current menu function. They can be brought up and selected by swiping horizontally to the centre. In the lower area of the OLED display, the menu items Navigation, Media, Phone and Climate can be selected directly at any time. All other functions can be accessed via the menu in the same way as on a smartphone. The display returns to the default setting via the home button.
The MINI Experience Modes, Core, Green and Go-Kart, each with their specific user interface design, are available as standard, with up to four additional modes available with the MINI Experience Modes optional equipment. The optional MINI projector on the back of the OLED display immerses the dashboard in matching colour schemes and patterns. The interplay of projection, ambient lighting and the MINI Interaction Unit results in a unique, immersive experience that extends into the door panels.
This immersive user experience makes the interior even more expressive based on new solutions, thereby giving rise to entirely new individualisation options in the new MINI Cooper. In Personal Mode, for example, an individually selected image can be set as the display background via the MINI App. The dominant colours of the image then extend across the textile dashboard surfaces by means of a digital colour picker. The ambient lighting under the dashboard and in the door mirror is also colour-coded to match these projections.
Each mode has specially designed backgrounds that convey a vibrant and high-quality effect by means of subtle movements while remaining as distraction-free as possible. When one of the seven modes is selected, the display focuses on a relevant “Mode App”. In Go-Kart Mode there is a highly dynamic focus on MINI’s racing DNA, for example. The display and the interior as a whole feature the colours anthracite and red, while specific analogue displays for driving dynamics complement this MINI Experience Mode inspired by John Cooper Works. Vivid Mode draws on the colours of the album cover for the ambient lighting. Core Mode, Green Mode, Timeless Mode, Balance Mode and Personal Mode are also available for selection according to mood and personal needs.
Underneath the dashboard, the design of the new MINI Cooper is particularly clean in appearance. One of the key factors here is the newly designed toggle bar. Here, the most important driving functions (parking brake, gear selector, start/stop key, experience mode toggle, volume control) are directly accessible. Its design is individua in accordance with its function.
The direct selection options on the toggle bar eliminate the need for a gearshift, so the new MINI Cooper offers more storage space in the centre console. In addition to the enlarged cup holders, there is also a large open storage compartment. The storage box with a knitted surface and a textile strap comes as standard with the Favoured Trim. Smartphones can be charged in the wireless charging area at the front of the console and are easier to find thanks to the central storage area.
In line with the consistent reduction in the interior, the new contemporary colour and material concept is deliberately minimalist, too. Only newly developed, high-quality and environment-friendly materials are used. The dashboard and door panels with knitted surfaces made of recycled polyester create a pleasant atmosphere while at the same time setting specific accentuations with their two-tone design. Four newly designed trims convey differing versions of the modern feel-good concept in the interior. From Classic Trim onwards, the two-spoke basic steering wheel is replaced as a three-spoke version with a new textile strap in the six o'clock spoke.
The Essential Trim features an interior of maximum clarity and reduction. Black sports seats with distinctly patterned multitone textile harmonise with a coloured textile band on the dashboard. Certain functional parts on the inside and outside are highlighted with the new accent colour Vibrant Silver. On the exterior, for example, the logo appears in the new colour, contrasting sharply with the black, octagonal front grille.
In the Classic Trim, MINI uses a modern 2D knitted textile in the interior of a production vehicle for the first time. On the dashboard and door handles, two-tone black knitted textile provides a fascinating contrast to the high-quality synthetic leather seat. It is available in grey and black featuring a perforated houndstooth pattern, while the side contrasts in blue textile.
The modern, high-quality Favoured Trim is the most expressive option, featuring a two-tone houndstooth pattern on the knitted-textile instrument panel. Available in two colours and with traditional accent stitching, the perforated Vescin sports seats complement this extravagant interior in dark and light. The exterior with the front grille in Vibrant Silver can be combined in a particularly apt way with the all-new Spray-Tech roof which features a blending of three different colours.
The JCW Trim offers the sportiest interpretation of the new material concept. Combined with multi-coloured knitted textile and black synthetic leather with red stitching, the JCW seat with sports seat geometry echoes the colour concept of the dashboard and door trim. A distinct front and rear design likewise highlights the racing DNA of the trim in the exterior, with the vehicle grille and logo in high-gloss black underlining the powerful overall impression. Optional features include a contrasting Chili Red roof and JCW-specific red or black bonnet stripes.
In the new MINI Cooper, numerous functions can be controlled using the brand’s first ever fully-fledged voice assistant. The MINI Intelligent Personal Assistant can be activated with the greeting “Hey MINI” or by using the push-to-talk steering wheel button. Voice-controlled interaction takes place on the round OLED display in the form of an animation of graphic elements, typography and an avatar. For the visualisation, users have the option to choose between “MINI” – a stylised representation of a MINI – or optionally "Spike" already familiar to many MINI fans. Communication with this virtual travel companion is particularly true-to-life thanks to improved voice recognition. In order to ensure smoother communication, oral utterances are transmitted instantly and visualised on the display. In this way, the driver can control navigation, telephony, entertainment and numerous other vehicle functions by acclamation.
During the dialogue between customer and vehicle, the MINI Intelligent Personal Assistant continuously learns on repetitive routes. Drawing on geo-based data, for example, the vehicle can learn to automatically open the window when entering a car park. This makes day-to-day routines more convenient and personal.
The new “Charismatic Simplicity” design language is also reflected in the aesthetic of the user interface, which brings together functional and emotional elements. The reduced design uses all-new graphics to create an extremely modern look. Static and dynamic elements blend naturally into the circular form of the OLED display, following a clear structure. Micro-animations enhance the already extremely intuitive interaction between the driver and central instrument and underscore the digital character of the new MINI family.
MINI Operating System 9 is an in-house development by the BMW Group and is based on an Android Open Source Project (AOSP) software stack. Operation is intuitive and follows the standards familiar from consumer electronics.
At the centre of the screen is the start menu, where personalised content can be selected and launched by swiping to the side. In the lower section of the screen is the fixed status bar containing the menu items “Navigation”, “Media”, “Telephony”, “All Apps” and, depending on the situation, “Home”, which can be selected directly. Swiping up from the lower edge of the screen reveals a tool belt, a process customers will be familiar with from many consumer electronics devices. Favourite functions can be stored here and called up again rapidly, i. e. navigation destinations and radio stations. The tool belt can also be activated via the star button on the multifunction steering wheel. The upper screen area is reserved for driving-relevant content such as the vehicle speed and important information on the vehicle status. The optional Head-up display shows the most important information for the driver in their field of view.
The temperature for the driver and front passenger is permanently displayed on the left- and right-hand edge of the screen. The climate control settings are integrated into the MINI Interaction Unit and can always be adjusted on the top layer by touch or voice command.
Depending on the Experience Mode selected, a single tap on the speed display transforms the entire MINI Interaction Unit into a MINI-typical speedometer.
“The new MINI Operating System 9 is characterised by simple, emotional touch operation that is specific to MINI. Together with the new cloud-based MINI Navigation for particularly precise and fast route calculation, high-speed connectivity and optional 5G capability, the new MINI Cooper takes a giant leap into the digital world, thereby underlining the brand’s charismatic heritage,” says Stefanie Wurst, Head of MINI.
When driving, the complete MINI Navigation Package in conjunction with the optional MINI Connected Package provides support in the form of realistic 3D visualisations in complicated turning situations, display of the current traffic situation even without activated route guidance, information on parking options including digital payment options and much more. In addition, an optional augmented reality function is available for the visualisation of turn-by-turn directions. A charge-optimised route can be calculated for the all-electric MINI Cooper immediately after entering the destination.
In addition, MINI Connected Upgrades allow flexible bookings of additional vehicle functions – simply digital. In conjunction with the optionally available MINI Connected Package, the MINI Connected Store provides access to a constantly evolving variety of practical and entertaining apps, including gaming, music and video streaming. The new AirConsole app provides a unique form of in-car gaming for all passengers, making the smartphone the controller of the game on the OLED display.
In addition to the automatic parking functions offered by the Parking Assistant, the new optional Parking Assistant Plus makes the parking process even easier. Thanks to 12 ultrasonic sensors and four surround-view cameras, the vehicle can identify possible parking spaces more clearly and can even independently initiate space-restricted parking manoeuvres. In addition, a manual parking process can be transferred to Parking Assistant Plus at any time. Explore Mode offers a uniquely convenient solution for this vehicle segment, enabling the new MINI Cooper to be parked simply using a smartphone if the space at the side is too limited for entry.
The innovative MINI Digital Key Plus option also uses the smartphone to ensure a convenient and personalised vehicle experience. Here the smartphone turns into a key, enabling automatic opening of the vehicle. The welcome projection of the front and rear lights begins as soon as the driver is within three metres of the car; the doors are unlocked when the driver is less than one and a half metres. The digital key can be transferred to different users and replaces the handover of the classic vehicle key for easier car sharing.
The MINI App also offers other functions that increase user safety. With the Remote 360 option, for example, the surroundings of the parked vehicle can be viewed in the MINI App. A camera in the inside provides a view of the interior. Furthermore, the Snapshot function offers the opportunity to capture shared moments in a photograph and to upload them via WiFi-Direct to the smartphone.
The new MINI Cooper combines locally emission-free mobility and all-electric driving fun. With a completely new powertrain, the vehicle is available in the Cooper E variant, and with a higher output and range also as the Cooper SE.
The 135 kW/184 hp electric motor of the MINI Cooper E generates a torque of 290 Nm, accelerating the vehicle from standstill to 100 km/h in 7.3 seconds. With an output of 160 kW/218 hp, the MINI Cooper SE sprints from 0 to 100 km/h in 6.7 seconds with a maximum torque of 330 Nm. The range determined according to the WLTP test cycle is up to 305 kilometres for the MINI Cooper E based on the high-voltage battery with 40.7 kWh of capacity. In the MINI Cooper SE, the calculated range increases to a maximum of 402 kilometres due to a battery capacity of 54.2 kWh. *
A slightly increased track width and wheelbase provide the basis for excellent driving dynamics. The vehicle is fitted with a suspension and damping system that is tuned for spirited handling. Combined with the precise steering feel typical of MINI, powerful brakes and a low centre of gravity thanks to the high-voltage battery installed in the floor, the new MINI Cooper enhances day-to-day convenience.
With highly preloaded stabiliser mounts on the axles, the driver experiences a significantly improved body response during dynamic cornering as well as a valuable gain in steering precision and accuracy. The result is excellent body support combined with smooth rolling comfort. The MINI Cooper is also equipped with a strut brace for an even sportier driving experience.
With its tyre diameter increased to 635 mm, the MINI Cooper has a more powerful visual presence, while at the same time offering improved driving dynamic performance and comfort. In addition, the tyre width of the optionally available 17-inch and 18-inch rims is increased by 10/20 mm to 205/225 mm to emphasise the typical MINI go-kart feeling. Available rim sizes range from 16- to 18-inch.
The precise set-up of steering and all driving stability control systems, to ensure both comfortable and sporty driving, guarantees an exceptional experience in all driving situations.
The various MINI Experience Modes can be activated with a flick of the toggle switch “Experiences”. GO-KART mode emphasises the racing DNA of the MINI Cooper in a particularly emotional way by adjusting the agility and stability of the chassis set-up, for example. In this mode, the projector behind the central OLED display also bathes the cockpit in the John Cooper Works-inspired shades of anthracite and red. Meanwhile, further individual setting options enable configuration of the steering response and the intervention limits of the traction control to ensure even more intense driving fun.
By contrast, Green Mode optimises the efficiency of the drivetrain, orienting the electric motor towards maximum range based on various parameters. Improved recuperation management in the new MINI Cooper is one of the contributing factors here: this feeds excess energy to the battery when braking or coasting, thereby increasing the vehicle’s range. Visualisations enable the driving conditions and their influence on the vehicle’s range to be more readily understood. The driving conditions and their influence on the range can be more easily understood through visualizations. Tips for efficient driving and a power meter increase the motivation for economical driving in a fun way. For example, the driver can specifically understand the effect of their behaviour through gaining “bonus range”.
These immersive driving experiences are enhanced by completely new acoustic worlds created by the digital MINI Sounds. The repertoire includes entirely new driving sounds in the interior, an unmistakable MINI brand sound as a mark of identification, jingles for the new MINI Experience Modes, and 30 new sound signals for information and warning functions. This creates a distinctive recognition feature that is typical of MINI on the acoustic level, too.
The battery of the MINI Cooper can be charged via alternating current with 11 kW. Fast charging with direct current is possible in the MINI Cooper E with 75 kW and in the Cooper SE with up to 95 kW. At a fast charging station, this allows the battery to be charged from 10 per cent to 80 per cent in just under 30 minutes. Depending on the weather conditions, active navigation via MINI Navigation ensures the high-voltage battery reaches the ideal temperature for efficient charging in advance. This can significantly reduce charging time, especially in cold outdoor temperatures.
For a transparent and simple charging process, the customer can optimize the charging of the vehicle battery through easy-to-understand settings. The start time for charging can be selected or a specific time window for charging can be set, for example. A certain target level for battery capacity can be determined in advance, too. For a particularly pleasant start, charging can be set to be completed by a selected departure time, and the vehicle interior can be air-conditioned to the desired temperature by this time.
The MINI App provides a convenient overview of the charging process, even if the customer is not near the vehicle. This provides details of the current battery status, a charging-optimised route plan, and charging history – including all costs and savings.
*The specified technical data are preliminary.
BMW PRESS
Dear members,
August has been and gone and what a great month it was.
We were due to have our August Driver training day on 5 August but sadly due to low numbers we had to cancel this.
6 August was Round 6 of our Traction Tyres/Yokohama Drivers Championship, and we had a great turn out, as per normal, and also had a lot of our members help out the Alfa club who were desperately short of officials on the day. So proud of our members and how they step up and just help whenever needed.
8 August was the soft launch night at Ringwood BMW, and it was great to share this night with our friends from BMW Motorcycle Club Victoria. We also had some raffle prizes donated by Ringwood BMW Cars and Motorrad, which were fantastic. If you are in the Ringwood area, drop in and say hi to the guys and girls and mention you are a club member if you are purchasing a new vehicle or have your car serviced, they will definitely look after you.
On 12-13 August, our E30 Racing members were racing at Sandown with the Vic State Race Series. We had some members out there racing for the first time. Its so great to see our club members joining in the fun of E30 Racing. Young Royce Lyne stole the show and is looking like winning the championship this year. Be sure to follow his progress.
On 18 August Peter Williams took a group of weekday drivers on a historic tour of some of our beautiful small towns. These mid-week drive days are becoming increasingly popular so watch out for more to come up in the next few months.
23 August Lawrence and a group of movie buffs enjoyed the latest film – Gran Tourismo. It is great to do a few different things and all who attend enjoyed the film.
2 7 August was German Auto Show.
Wow! What do I say about this one? Months and months of planning saw us all very early at Calder on Sunday morning for a huge car display. So many donations made prior to the event meant we were on track for a fantastic figure to go to Beyond Blue. They had volunteers there which was great too, so good to have their support for this event, ultimately achieving an incredible $25,000. I personally would like to thank everyone who helped, be it selling raffle tickets or being in the car park helping people park - everyone who turned up to volunteer made a huge difference. All the clubs who turned up with their amazing cars, wow what a spectacular day. Calder Park Thunderdome is an amazing space and so iconic it was like stepping back in time and so many people have sent message of thanks to us on how wonderful they thought the event went.
Anyone who attended and took photos, please send through to photos@bmwdcm.com.au and they will be shared in our gallery.
Spring is now here and we are hopefully going to get some nicer weather for us to get back to drives and days out enjoying it..
5 September is round 5 of our Shannons Insurance Simulator Challenge. Please try to get a small group of friends to come along to the last two rounds to enjoy the comradery on the night. The championship is very close at the moment, anyone could win. Remember you don’t have to play the sims to attend these nights, you are all welcome to join us for a catch up.
On 9 September we are doing a Saturday drive to Healesville. This is already becoming very popular so get your registrations in quickly.
15-17 September quite a few members will be officiating at the Sandown 500 Super Car event. It is a great way to get up close to the action, being and official, so if you want to get involved talk to us about how to become a Motorsport Australia official.
20 September will be our midweek drive leaving from Berwick BMW. Be sure to arrive early and say hi to our sponsors and check out this great dealership. This is a must to register for this event as we will be stopping for lunch and we need to know numbers.
22-24 September is the next round of E30 Racing at Phillip Island. So many of our members are joining in the fun of racing now, if you want to come and watch or even get involved as pit crew let me know, I’m sure I can find you a job!
There will be a need for officials all over the track as well so for any of our amazing officials who want to be part of this weekend, please register using this link here. All officials will be fed and watered all weekend.
Our Jo will be the Secretary of the event so you will be helping her out too.
1 October will be our next Driver Training event at Broadford. You need to register for this to allow us to be able to hold this event, no good saying later, Oh I was going to come. We need entries and numbers to make these days pay for themselves.
Our 2024 Bathurst 12 hour Private Pit Suite is also nearly full so get in quickly if this is an event you want to attend.
Now that we have finished the biggest event of the year, Jo will be busy planning for the BMW Clubs Australia Nationals. If you are interested in helping with the running of this event, email Jo on events@bmwdcm.com.au.
If you have a business and think you might want to sponsor the Nationals also contact Jo on events@bmwdcm.com.au she would be only too happy to chat with you. Jo has been working hard on this event already and has some major sponsors locked in already.
Our welfare team are helping our members all the time and I thank them for the support they are giving those who need it. We received a donation to the club this month from one of our members which will go towards supporting those who need it. We have been lucky over the years to have many members donate to our Welfare team to help others.
We still have some sale items left of our summer stock. Check out our store here.
As always, drive safe out there and I look forward to seeing you at an event soon.
Graeme Bell | President
BMW Drivers Club Melbourne Inc.
PO Box 81, Tyabb VIC 3913 Incorporated in Victoria #A0102695G BMW Drivers Club Melbourne Inc is a member of: BMW Clubs Australia and the BMW Clubs International Council Motorsport Australia Affiliated Motorsport Club
Event date: 18 August 2023
We began the day meeting at the Wellington Square Shopping Centre at Wallan. Ten cars joined us as we headed out to Romsey, enroute to Woodend and included cars from the E series up to the latest M2 (only 2 weeks old, believe it or not).
Right from the start, we were treated to some very interesting driving. We navigated a long uphill section called Pretty Sally Hill (which is a dormant volcano) and then proceeded to Romsey along picturesque roads so often experienced in the Macedon Ranges.
After Romsey, we proceeded to Woodend where we stopped to take a quick look around this very old town where the first settlement was established in the early 1840’s. This is where we first began to notice how very cold this part of the country can get and were pleased to have brought along some all-weather jackets.
From Romsey, we continued on some very interesting roads to Kyneton. Being an old gold-rush town, Kyneton has many interesting buildings dating back to the 1850’s which we explored, while trying to dodge showers of rain and freezing winds. We all parked where we could, in the main street (Piper Street), because of the abundance of boutique shops, museums, art galleries, cafes and restaurants which minimised walking and helped us all stay together where possible.
After our coffee break and exploration of Kyneton, we attempted to re-group on the outskirts of the town where we seemed to be missing a car. Unfortunately, a couple of members did not have UHF radios and therefore could not be contacted. We found them eventually and proceeded along the Bouke and Wills track towards Lancefield.
Lancefield dates back to the early 1830’s and has many buildings from that period such as the Lancefield Courthouse (1859), Coach and Horses Inn (1845), Commercial bank of Australia (1859), the Mechanics Institute (1867) and Anglican Church (1845). We all gathered in the Lancefield Hotel (1853) for a very enjoyable lunch (the size of one member’s lunch had to be seen to be believed!) and conversation catch-up with old and new friends. We were delighted to welcome back Graham Thomas after his brush with some very serious health issues. So good to see him again, looking well.
After being promised much rain by the Bureau of Meteorology, we were very relieved to only encounter a few showers during our day out, however the promised Arctic conditions were certainly delivered, not breaching 8.6 degrees the whole day. We thanked our very talented convoy leader Peter for the amazing job he did (and always does) in preparing our driving notes and for seeking out the very interesting and picturesque route for the day.
After lunch we proceeded to Kilmore for a brief look and a few photographs, then farewelled the members traveling home in all directions.
Ann Lane | Member #965BMW Drivers Club Melbourne
Now, unbelievably, we are into the second half of the year and July started off with a Bang.
1 July was round 4 of our Traction Tyres/Yokohama Drivers Championship and as always, a great day out by all. Great weather considering we are in the middle of winter and at Phillip Island and all attendees had a ball.
4 July was round 4 of our Shannons Insurance Simulator challenge and again these nights are a lot of fun and some very close racing. The championship is only a few points from first to third so it is anyone’s game at the moment.
On 9 July we held our Christmas in July annual event. We started the day meeting at Caldermeade then took one of Peter Williams’ amazing drives through Gippsland, with a stop for morning tea at the New Haven Chocolate Factory, where some of our members took a tour of the chocolate making facility and others were served their drinks by a robot. A bit cute. A bit of necessary chocolate shopping done and then off to lunch at the beautiful Rhyll Foreshore Restaurant were we nearly booked out the whole place, which was brilliant. Thank you to all who dressed up this year. Each year gets better and better, it was great fun with amazing food and great company.
On 12 July we held our Geelong area Drop in Donuts night. Lots of cars, and lots coffee and donuts eaten, again, aways a great night.
On 23 July we held our first Motorkhana at Calder Park. What a brilliant day this was. Fabulous turn out of officials and attendees with a variety of cars. Weather started off sunny and dry, if a little cool, but it didn’t take long before the rain to set in and myself and many other officials spent several hours in the rain while our members had fun around the track. This is something we will do again; it was a bit of a tester to see what we can do there and how many layouts we can run at once, but very successful.
August is on us already and looking forward to the days getting longer and warmer.
Sadly, due to low numbers we had to cancel our August Come and Try day at Broadford. Thank you to all those who did register, your registration will be moved to the next one in October.
6 August is still happening with Round 6 of our Traction Tyres/Yokohama Drivers Championship. It will be great to see all our members out at this event. Broadford is a great track and always fun.
On 8 August we will be holding our members meeting at Ringwood BMW which is the newest BMW Dealership to open in Melbourne. Come and join us and check out the new dealership. We have invited the BMW Motorcycle Club of Victoria to join us at this event too, as Ringwood is also a Motorrad Dealer. this will be a great event and a great chance to catch up with our Motorcycle club friends again. Registration is here and is a must for catering.
On 11-13 August lots of our members will be at Sandown for the E30 Racing Round 4, come along and watch some grass roots racing at it’s best at the Vic State Circuit Racing Championships. Great news out today, Calder Park is back on the racing calendar, with the E30 Racing Round 7 there in October. Can’t wait to go racing at Calder again, might even get my E30 out again for that one!
18 August we will be doing a Friday lunch drive to some of Victoria’s Historic towns. This looks like a great day to have a day off, register here and join us for a weekday drive for a change.
27 August is German Auto Show. This is going to be a huge event. We need your help. We need officials, we need cars to display. This event is for our chosen charity Beyond Blue and we want to raise more that we did last year. If you own a German vehicle please come along and display it, if you don’t, then come along and check out this fantastic day with some amazing cars and bikes on display on the day. We will have great raffle prizes, silent auction prizes thanks to Kaos Custom bikes, German Auto Haus, Sirene Sea Pearls and many more. Check out the website: germanautoshow.com.au
Can’t make it on the day? You can still donate to the charity using this link. fundraise.beyondblue.org.au/german-auto-show-2023.
All donations are welcome, and all money raised will go to Beyond Blue.
Challenge Bathurst registrations have now closed, Jo has been busy collating all the entries and it looks like we are going to have a great group of BMWs at Challenge Bathurst this year from all over the country. We have members from DCM of course plus, South Australia, Canberra, NSW, Queensland and the other Victorian clubs. What a great event this will be and what a great job Jo has done to bring members from all the clubs together for this great event. We are still taking registrations for officials, so if you are wanting to help out and watch the fun of this event. Contact Jo on v.president@bmwdcm.com.au and she will get the information to you. All officials get free camping and meals for the whole weekend. Great treatment for all helping out and a great way to be involved.
Our AGM is booked for Thursday, 12 September at the German Tivoli Club, 6.30pm for those wanting dinner, be sure to book a table, and 7.30 sharp the AGM will start. We invite you all to join us for this event, without your votes we cannot form a committee.
Dates to remember:
We are looking at having a corporate suite at the Bathurst 12 Hour in 2024. Dates are 15-19 February 2024. Event details will open soon so watch this space as this will sell out quickly. Make sure you book your own accommodation this year. Contact Jo to get a code for the Mantra Hotel in Bathurst, we have secured a limited number of rooms at the Mantra.
Our welfare team have, as always, been working in the background to assist some of our members who are needing some emotional help. Thank you guys you do a great job and remember, if you need help in any way your club is here to assist. Whether it be an ear to listen or a shoulder to lean on, get in touch.
Merchandise is selling well, and we still have a few of the summer stock which is heavily discounted. Check out our store here.
Membership remains over 750, welcome to all the new members joining our wonderful club. Like all clubs, people come and go for different reasons, but it is great to see we are still healthy and growing. The club is what you make it, so if you have any suggestions, drop us an email or give us a call, we are always open to new ideas and suggestions for events or things you’d like the club to be involved in. We try and do different things to suit everyone, but always open to something new, or indeed, if we have done something in the past you’d like to do again, let us know.
As always, take care out there, wet roads and bad drivers are everywhere, so take extra care and I look forward to seeing you out at an event somewhere soon.
Graeme Bell | President BMW Drivers Club Melbourne Inc.
Event date: 23 July 2023
What is motorkhana?? That’s where my mind went when I saw the invite.
Well, here’s my tale of BMWDCM’s motorkhana from July 2023.
Spoiler alert, it was fun, fun fun!
Now for the deets: Essentially, drivers are faced with short and tight obstacle courses, where time & cones are your enemy.
There are a few schools of thought about how to tackle tight courses. Some drivers take it calmly, focussing on accuracy and grip, others focus on flare, oversteer and risk (of getting it wrong). but since I’m yet to got to motorkhana track school I just flogged it & certainly dreamed of landing in the latter category.
Fun waa upsized with the day-long drizzle, making the tarmac super slippery. I doubled down on slippery by digging out my 22yo stock tyres, where the rubber is hard like plastic. My clutch control failed me frequently and my right foot targeted the tacho’s redline.
We were split into groups of between 4-7 through the day. I loved the support, laughs , claps and horn beeps between drivers. Some for major stuff-ups, needing to use reverse, wiping-out cones or nailing turns or whole circuit. The variety of experience made for plenty of mistakes as well as plenty of admiration.
We were so honoured to have so many people willing to official, in all the capacities needed. Standing in the drizzle, sorting out back-office entry forms, getting us lunch or creating courses - you ROCK!
So, keep an eye out for the next motorkhana and smile from ear to ear.
Martin Taylor | Member #598BMW Drivers Club Melbourne
Motorkhana - Camaraderie
I would like to take a moment to share what was happening on the other side of the track for those who didn't experience it.
To set the scene we were running 2 courses top hat and pentagon with the same witches hats with one practice run and 2 timed runs and with such short courses if you got out of sequence there was no recovery and it was pouring rain and the bottom part of the track resembled a skid pan.
A competitor on their first timed run went around the first cone came back to the centre and got the starting cone dead centre and parked on it. I signaled to stop, went over and as I couldn't reach the cone asked the driver to back back so I could remove the cone, but it was stuck so grabbed it and they backed off. They were about 5 seconds into the run, so I asked them to go back to the start. They went back to the group and came back.
The second try went well with the course successfully completed and as the driver finished the other drivers honked as if there was a goal at the local footy. It was beautiful to see.
One of the other groups actually lined up across the track back from the start and tooted any good runs they had.
Adrian White | Member #606BMW Drivers Club Melbourne
Third triumph for ROWE Racing at the 24 Hours of Spa-Francorchamps (BEL)! In a thrilling race that remained close until the final hour, Philipp Eng (AUT), Marco Wittmann (GER), and Nick Yelloly (GBR) drove the #98 BMW M4 GT3 to victory after completing 537 laps, securing the 25th overall win for BMW, the most successful manufacturer in the event's history. Eng claimed his third Spa triumph for BMW M Motorsport, following his victories in 2016 and 2018. Wittmann celebrated his first win in a 24-hour race ever, while Yelloly crowned a perfect week by adding his second endurance victory after the 24 Hours of Nürburgring (GER) in 2020, which started with his first win in the BMW M Hybrid V8 at Watkins Glen (USA).
During the early stages of the 24-hour race, the BMW M4 GT3 teams had to work their way through the field after missing out on Super Pole due to heavy rain during qualifying. Initially, the BMW M Team WRT #32 BMW M4 GT3 and the #998 BMW M4 GT3 of ROWE Racing made the best progress, quickly battling for the top positions. Meanwhile, the eventual winning car suffered setbacks due to an unfortunate timed pit stop and a problem with the fuel system, causing it to fall far behind. It was only in the evening that car #98 launched an impressive comeback, taking the lead for the first time during the night. That position was briefly threatened by a 30-second time penalty for exceeding track limits, but in the end, Eng, Wittmann, and Yelloly reclaimed the top spot.
In sixth place, the #46 BMW M4 GT3 from BMW M Team WRT, driven by Augusto Farfus (BRA), Maxime Martin (BEL), and Valentino Rossi (ITA), completed the race. They also showed strong speed but were repeatedly set back by time penalties. The #30 BMW M4 GT3 from the WRT team, with Niklas Krütten (GER), Jean-Baptiste Simmenauer (FRA), and Calan Williams (AUS) at the wheel, secured second place in the Gold Cup category, making it onto the podium. The #31 BMW M4 GT3, piloted by Adam Carroll and Lewis Proctor (both GBR) finished 25th overall.
In the twelfth hour of the race, an unfortunate accident occurred between Neil Verhagen (USA) in the #998 BMW M4 GT3 from ROWE Racing and Charles Weerts (BEL) in the #32 BMW M4 GT3 from BMW M Team WRT. One car was directly behind the other, battling for the top positions when race control initiated an unclear Full Course Yellow procedure. That led to a chain of unfortunate circumstances, with both drivers receiving different information about the exact timing of the yellow period. Weerts reduced his speed, catching Verhagen off guard, and preventing him from avoiding a collision with the rear of the WRT car. Both vehicles suffered heavy damage, but fortunately, the drivers remained unharmed. The accident was followed by a roughly two-hour yellow period due to repairs to the barriers. The #35 BMW M4 GT3 from Walkenhorst Motorsport also retired early.
Andreas Roos (Head of BMW M Motorsport): “An incredible weekend with the first victory for our BMW M4 GT3 in one of the major 24-hour classics and the 25th overall win for BMW in the Ardennes! Many thanks to the drivers and the ROWE Racing team for their fantastic performance and to every employee of BMW M Motorsport who contributed to developing such a great GT3 car. The race started off challenging for us after missing out on Super Pole and having to start from the midfield. However, all our crews fought their way up the field during the first few hours of the race. It's a pity that the accident occurred during the night, resulting in the loss of two cars. It was a chain of unfortunate circumstances that we need to examine closely. Unfortunately, the home race for the BMW M Team WRT was disappointing, mainly due to this incident, although the #46 crew achieved a respectable sixth-place finish. I also congratulate the #30 BMW M4 GT3 team on their podium finish in the Gold Cup category! Additionally, there were reasons to celebrate in the GT4 European Series here at Spa-Francorchamps. Congratulations to the teams and drivers on their victory and podium finishes with the BMW M4 GT4.”
Hans-Peter Naundorf (Team Principal, ROWE Racing): “This was our toughest victory here at Spa so far. We know how challenging it is to triumph in this race, which makes it even more special. Our competition was incredibly strong, and the final result was incredibly close. I can't remember a more intense GT race. What impresses me the most is the consistency of our team. We have been on the podium in almost every race we've entered this year. Here at Spa, we have secured three victories and two second places since 2016. This can only be achieved with an incredibly motivated and ambitious team, and that's what we have. I am also pleased to see how valuable this victory is for everyone involved in this project. It was time for the BMW M4 GT3 to win such a significant race in its second year.”
Philipp Eng (#98 BMW M4 GT3, ROWE Racing, 1st place): “Winning a 24-hour race is every racing driver's dream, and this is the most difficult GT race to win. Therefore, it means a lot to me to experience this for the third time in my career. It's a great honour for me. The race was anything but easy for us. At one point, we were one lap behind, and there was no indication that we could still win, but the team did a fantastic job to bring us back into the race. The last two hours felt like an eternity.”
Marco Wittmann (#98 BMW M4 GT3, ROWE Racing, 1st place): “I've been trying to win a 24-hour race for about ten years now. Finally, it worked out! It's an incredible feeling. A big compliment to the team and my fellow drivers. We had an extremely good package of driver, team, and car that gave me my long-awaited first 24-hour victory.”
Nick Yelloly (#98 BMW M4 GT3, ROWE Racing, 1st place): “A fantastic performance from the entire team. To win a race like this, so many things need to come together, and today, they did. Many thanks to everyone who made this success possible! Personally, this is the culmination of an outstanding week that started with the first GTP victory for the BMW M Hybrid V8 at Watkins Glen.”
Valentino Rossi (#46 BMW M4 GT3, BMW M Team WRT, 6th place): “I'm happy. It was a positive race for me. It was my second time taking part in the 24 Hours of Spa-Francorchamps. After finishing 17th last year, sixth place was a big step forward this time, but of course we want more and will make another attempt next year. Many thanks to the team and my fellow drivers for their great effort!”
Charles Weerts (#32 BMW M4 GT3, BMW M Team WRT, DNF): “The most important thing is that Neil and I are unharmed after that severe accident. The situation was very confusing, and I can't exactly say what happened. I received the information in the car that a Full Course Yellow was imminent. As a result, I reduced my speed. Neil was right behind me, and he obviously didn't have that information. It was very strange and needs to be investigated thoroughly because something like this is very dangerous and should not happen. I'm extremely disappointed because this is my home race, and I have been hoping to win here for several years. This time, we would have had a good chance.”
Neil Verhagen (#998 BMW M4 GT3, ROWE Racing, DNF): “Something went wrong in the communication of the Full Course Yellow before the accident. I didn't have any information that I had to slow down, obviously in contrast to Charles, but I can't say why that was. Everything happened incredibly quickly, and I'm just glad that we drivers are okay. It's extremely unfortunate for BMW M Motorsport to have lost two cars with a chance of winning due to this incident.”
Month in review.
The cold and rain has well and truly set in, but the good news is there's only two months left of winter..
We started June with our first 10 day trip to South Australia, where we spent time with our fellow BMWDCSA and BMWDCNSW members. We also watched many of our E30 Racing members compete at The Bend where young Royce Lyne made a clean sweep of the weekend.
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On 6 June some of our members enjoyed our regular catch up at Daniels Donuts. We really do enjoy these informal catch-ups, even when the weather isn't so kind.
On 20 June we were invited to visit Sonax Australia, who shared their extensive knowledge on how best to use their products to keep our vehicles in the best shape possible. Don't forget that Sonax are one of our club partners, offering members 10% off online with code BMWDC10.
We wrapped up our events for the month at Broadford for our first come and try day for 2023. This even was extra special, being our first Alex Baxter Memorial event.
We had over 60 entrants in the day, which was brilliant to see. Richard Van Essen was the lucky, but well deserving, recipient of our first Alex Baxter Memorial award.
CHALLENGE BATHURST UPDATE
If you are intending to register and attend Bathurst Challenge, please ensure you register and complete all documents as soon as possible. All documents need to be finalised by mid-July.
If you are not able to drive but would like to officiate, please complete this application form, and return to events@bmwdcm.com.au as soon as possible. All officials will receive free campgrounds and all meals while at the track.
MEMBERSHIP UPDATE
Welcome to our new members Phil Gleadhill, Jason Langton, Angus Dunn, Harry Vontelas, Nicholas Stillwell, Sidney Stillwell, Rob Marks, Stuart Gamble, Peter Mornement and Anthony Branchflower. We look forward to seeing you at an event soon!
Don't forget to catch up with this month's update from our President, Graeme Bell here.
The month ahead.
Here's what we've got planned for July:
Tuesday, 4 July Simulator Challenge Round 4 - Sponsored by Shannons Spots are limited each round, so it is important to get your entries in early. There will be several simulators and we will be using the same track for the competition points, changing each round. Members who do not wish to compete are also welcome to come along and join in on the fun. Sunday, 9 July Christmas in July at Phillip Island We will meet at Caldermeade BP McDonalds, then travel along some beautiful scenic roads before arriving in Newhaven, Phillip Island, to explore the wonders of the Phillip Island Chocolate Factory before coming together for a festive lunch. Wednesday, 12 July July Drop in Donuts - Geelong Join us for our regular casual evening at Daniels Donuts, Belmont. Sunday, 23 July Driver Training/Motorkhana & 2023 Traction Tyres/Yokohama Drivers Championship at Calder Round 5 of the 2023 Traction Tyres/Yokohama Drivers Championship is at Calder Park and will be a Motorkhana / Driver Training day on the Thunderdome. Refreshments and lunch will be provided for all entrants.
An event for later in the year to put in your calendar now is German Auto Show. Those that attended last year will remember the huge success of the event, which we aim to repeat again in 2023. The 2023 German Auto Show will be held on 27 August at Calder Park. Click here for full details and registration.
Be sure to keep an eye on our calendar to stay up to date with more of our events. If you're attending a social drive or weekend away, we recommend checking out our event tips to help you get the best out of the event.
EVENT PHOTOS
If you attend any of our events and take high resolution photos that you would like to share with other members and for use on our website and in our newsletter and magazine, please send a link to your photos to photos@bmwdcm.com.au so we can add them to our photo gallery.
2025 BMW Clubs Australia Nationals.
BMW Drivers Club Melbourne is proud to be hosting the 2025 BMW Clubs Australia Nationals over Anzac weekend. Events will include a welcome meet and greet event, super sprints at Calder Park, a show and shine, a presentation dinner and scenic drives.
If you are interested in attending or getting involved as a helper, click here for more details.
News & Blog.
Our blog page on the website is constantly being updated with not just club news, but everything BMW from all around the world! We welcome you to submit any articles of your own.
Club blog.
Alex Baxter Memorial Come and Try Day
Our South Australian adventure
BMW around the globe.
More room for high performance: BMW M GmbH confirms development of a new BMW M5 Touring
Wine Fundraiser.
Last year BMWDCM set up a fundraising project with "Personalise Your Wine" to be able to offer our members a keepsake for winning 2021 International Club of the Year.
All funds raised through purchase of the bottles will be donated to the Royal Children's Hospital Good Friday Appeal.
If you haven't already placed an order but would like to, you can do so here.
Get behind your club and a great charity.
Classifieds.
Have you seen our classifieds page?
Want to sell something? Looking for a specific item? Email us today to list your car/parts/anything BMW related!
idrive magazine.
Everyone has their own BMW story - we'd love to share yours.
Email us to feature in our very own idrive magazine.
Club partners.
Members are welcome to submit their business to be shared on the Club Partners page on our website and idrive magazine. We believe in supporting those who support us. If you would like your business listed email us with your details.
As always - thanks for reading, we look forward to seeing you at an event soon!
President | Graeme Bell 0407 186 296 Vice President | Jo Mawson 0412 661 900 Secretary | Lawrence Glynn 0414 563 290 Treasurer | Shaaron Glynn
Cover photo: Jess Bell
Proudly supported by:
All Commercial / All Residential Real Estate Berwick BMW Bill Lowe Events BM Tech German Auto Haus Kalus Kenny Intelex Melbourne BMW Mornington BMW Shannons Insurance Shepparton BMW South Yarra BMW
Southern BM Traction Tyres Waverley BMW
Welcome to the latest edition of my summation of the Club’s activities over the last month. As you can see we have been very busy again this month and not much sign of that slowing down anytime soon.
From 2- 11 June we started June with our big 10 day South Australian Adventure for some, with others joining us at the end of the week for 5 days.
This is the first time BMWDCM have travelled west to South Australia, and we will definitely do it again. With a small but friendly group, including a couple from the BMWDCNSW, we travelled through some amazing countryside and caught up with members from BMWDCSA. It was so nice for both clubs o come together. We joined 30 odd members of BMWDCSA for dinner on our first night in Adelaide and then a few of their members joined our adventures over the week that followed. At the end of the week some of us met up with the E30 Racing club to race at The Bend. Jo and I decided we will be doing some club sprint events here and we will definitely be doing another trip to SA in the near future. Lots to see, such a beautiful state.
6 June saw some of our members catch up at the Daniels Donut night which has turned out to be a great night and the numbers are growing each time we do this. Thank you to Lawrence for putting this on over the other side of the bay for our west-side members. Its great to do something on both sides to accommodate members from all parts of Melbourne and beyond.
On 20 June we had our members meeting at Sonax Australia. Although it was a freezing night, we had a great turn out and everyone walked away with great knowledge of how to use their products and also arms full of products to use on their vehicles. Thank you to Stephan and Peta for putting on a great night. Remember if you are wanting to order stock on-line use our clubs discount code. BMWDC10.
24 June was our first Come and Try day at Broadford for 2023, which well exceeded our expectation of entrants - we have over 60 registrants. Broadford is a great track to teach new and inexperienced drivers (and also new officials) some new skills. This was also the Alex Baxter memorial round and with Alex’s partner and family in attendance, it was a very emotional day. Richard Van Essen was the lucky recipient of the Alex Baxter Memorial Award.
July is going to be another busy month. Jo has been keeping very busy arranging events!
1 July is Round 4 of our Traction Tyres/Yokohama Drivers Championship at Phillip Island. There will be a lot of BMWs out on the track, and we are hoping the weather stays nice for the day.
4 July is Round 4 of the Shannons Simulator Challenge. We have a very close first, second and third in the championship at the moment, it could be anyone’s championship! Be sure to come along and watch if you don’t want to ‘drive”, join us for pizza and a warm drink and catch up with the others that just come to socialise. There are still spots left for this round, so get your name down and come have some fun.
9 July is Christmas in July at Phillip Island, with a great drive planned by Peter Williams, a stop off at the chocolate factory and then lunch at the Foreshore in Ryhll. Registration closes on 4 July, so make sure you don’t miss out on this fun event. Christmas novelty clothing competitions will be held, and all small children will go away with a Christmas something. This event is strictly by bookings only, so if you have not registered by 4 July you can join us for the drive but unfortunately not for lunch. GET YOUR REGISTRATIONS IN NOW! We want to see your ugly Christmas jumpers!
12 July will be another drop in donuts night in Geelong, so watch out for that in your emails. These meet ups are becoming popular. We may have to start something over this side of the Bay, so we can all enjoy some donuts and casual meet ups of an evening.
23 July we will be doing our first Driver Training/Motorkhana at Calder Park. Entries are open now for our first visit to Calder Park. This is going to be a lot of fun and we look forward to seeing you all there. It will be a bit of a test run to see what we can do at Calder, so come along and join us for some fun. Get your entries in quick as there are limited numbers for this one. There will be tea/coffee/cold drinks available, and we will also be doing a sausage sizzle type lunch which is included in your registration fee.
Other dates to remember:
We are after officials to help with Challenge Bathurst. If you think this is something you might link to help with, please contact Jo via events@bmwdcm.com.au and she will send you the registration forms.
We have a new winter windcheater which we are trailing to see how members like it. It will be pre orders only so have a look on our online store to see the new garments and specials. We also have in our store, for a limited time only, a book called ‘Telling my Story’, which is very inspirational. Get your copy now.
We have had an update from BMW Clubs Australia and have been advised that the recently elected Chair has decided to stand down with immediate effect after only three months in the role. So, Craig Florence (BMW Drivers Club South Australia Delegate), who was elected to vice-chair cars at the last Clubs Australia AGM, will take over as Chair until the next Clubs Australia AGM in 2024. At this stage we are unsure what will happen regarding the vacant position on the Clubs Australia Executive. Congratulations and thank you for stepping into the role Craig, we look forward to working with you going forward.
For those that don’t know, as an Official BMW Club, we are a part of a world-wide network of some 800+ car and bike clubs that is overseen by BMW in Munich through BMW Clubs International. Our regional Umbrella organisation is BMW Clubs Australia, which is made up of delegates from each on the car and bike clubs in Australia. Being a member of an Official BMW Club has its benefits, like personal tours of BMW Classic in Munch. For more on BMW Clubs Australia see here.
Our welfare team have been working away in the background, helping where they can and being an ear or a shoulder when needed. Remember, if you need anything at all, there is always someone to listen or call on if you need anything. We are one big family and are there for any of our members that need assistance. Check our website for contact numbers or email welfare@bmwdcm.com.au.
With winter now a month down and the winter solstice just past, we can start looking forward to longer days and dreaming of warmer weather, but whilst we are in the grip of winter, remember to drive to the conditions wherever you are and take care out there.
I look forward to seeing you at an event somewhere soon.
Event date: 2-12 June 2023
Packed the day before to prepare for an early start to Mt Gambier. Collected Adrian. Whoa!
Adrian had knee replacement surgery 3 and a half weeks ago and is meant to be on sticks for six weeks. "Don't worry", he says, tossing the sticks into the boot (where they would remain). Okee-dokee, off we headed at the respectable time of 10.30am. "The doctor says he can go, but has to stop every hours for exercises".
"Hmmm". The rest of the BMWDCM crew had left hours ago, and we were on a mission to catch them. With the assistance of some motivational music (eg. Bat out of Hell) and one only coffee break, we got to Mt Gambier 5 minutes behind the main crew. Need i say, "Don't mention this to Adrian's surgeon".
At Mt Gambier we checked out some seriously large sinkholes, like i mean huge. Jo found the possums particularly friendly, if you have pieces of apple in your hand.
Off we scooted, on the magnificent South Australian (SA) roads, more on this later, with a pleasant 110km speed limit even on two-way carriage ways with only a painted line to seperate them. (Hear that Mr Vic Premier).
Approx an hour into SA, the roads became decideadly rippled and bouncy, with occassional 100km/hr sections, for no other reason than they perhaps had run out of 110km/h signs. Just as abruptly they would return to 110km/h signs.
We noticed that BP themed service stations were branded OTR. Apparently this acronym stood for On The Run, so we still supported them.
Arriving in Glenelg (that's SA, about 20 minute south of Adelaide, along the Anzac Highway, and adjacent to beaches in the St Vincent Gulf). Pretty posh. We would eat dinner in fine style at fresh Seafood restaurants, Italian, Thai, and the less convincing Ottoman Grill, who slighty torched our food as though we were Greek spartans. More on spartans later.
Our first dinner in Glenelg was with the amazing, entertaining, and welcoming group of BMW enthusiasts from SA. BMWDCSA (i suspect you can work that one out). Several members joined us on a midweek drive. Michael (Mike) and Susan also joined us on a trip to Victor Harbor (no British nonsense about the 'our' in harbor, this is how the SAians spell it). Mike also lead our group to Murray River where it meets the ocean. We then returned to the other Michael's house in Woolwa, and were entertained by Michael and partner Jillian, with an elaborate bbq and great conversation, overlooking Snake River and Murray River, with Pelicans and a myriad of other birds trilling and crooning by the moonlit evening. The serenity and tranquillity, making it ‘The Castle’ of our destinations.
Over quintuples of dinners we discussed many topics, though i was particularly impressed with John C's description of Spartans. Greek warriors trained to protect their King and peoples at all costs, including their own death. These warriors were tough. More on this later. ps. John and Allison had travelled all the way from Sydney to join us. This was a National link up, and we were all enriched from the interstate linkups.
After a few early starts (9.30 am), Jo bought me a sympathetic insulated coffee mug, filled it with fresh coffee from the breakfast which i always slept through, and which Adrian delivered to my room, 10 minutes prior to my expected 'be in the drivers seat' time. Bliss.
This was amazing team work, and got me to the meeting site (had to walk to lift, press button from level 1 to ground level, and walk 15m to carpark), to get there just on time.
As usual, Peter had mapped out great destinations, and indirect routes along twisty back roads. Cruise control on Anzac Highway, and then we came alive. Briskly diving into corners, swiftly changing direction, and inadvertantly banging Adrian's knee against the passenger door. I didn't notice, so i kept doing it. At the end or the day, Adrian had a distinct limp. "Oh", i would say, "still recovering from surgery?"
Same thing next day. The day after that he travelled with Jo and Graeme. "Hmmm", i summised. Maybe he had been in pain, but did not want to complain, as a happy companion on the trip. That's when it occured to me. Spartans don't simply belong to the pre-Roman era, they still exist now. Adrian considered my enjoyment of the trip to be just as important as his. He toughened up, and to my embarassment, i have to thank him. Anyhow, back to me.
We, actually Adrian and me, used our free day to visit Mt Barker, and planned to head to Port Adelaide, and maybe Adelaide itself. We got as far as Mt Stirling Hotel (like 20 minutes away), and never got any further. Adelaide Hills can be like that. Pretty one minute, absorbing the next, and then you simply want to stay and relax. We had a great meal in front of a fire, enjoyed some live music (Nic Hutton), and i began an affair with Hahndorf Hill - Gru Gruner Veltliner (vibrant layers of citrus/ ruby grapefruit, spice, crushed thyme, juicy acidity and a delicious core of yellow stone fruit, with a hint of black pepper).
After a few days of pretty countryside and spectacular views, Peter replicated this experience further south, where we got to cross the Murray River a few times, without crossing a border (as most Victorians do when entering NSW). We even did one crossing with our hands off the steering wheel. Don't worry, it was on a ferry.
Ahhh. Tailem Bend for a bit of racing. Royce (16yo on E30 pole) slipped on take off, chasing the lead for several laps, prodding, dancing, until the lead made the tiniest of errors, and Royce sprinted away. He got to within 0.3 seconds of lap record in an exciting race.
Next day, we returned. Royce had already whittled his lap time down by another tenth of a second. He trailed to the first corner, and then sprang into the lead. Faster, faster, slight slide on the corner opposite the main viewing tower. Perfect turn into the straight. Another tenth of a second faster. He gapped the following cars, getting further ahead, stopped apexing the tightest corner, and knocked more time off his laps, and broke the E30 lap record. Slowing down for a couple of laps with over-heated tyres, Royce blitzed the final lap, taking an amazing 0.5 seconds of the lap record. Watch this guy, big things ahead.
Proud as punch, a few of us headed off to the Kelleske winery (Barossa) to celebrate.
Funfilled journey, with lots of different experiences. Big thankyou to BMWDCM for organising such an amazing trip, thanks Jo, Graeme, Peter, and of course the behind the scenes endeavours of Lawrence and Shaaron. A big thankyou to BMWDCSA who also hosted and shared our SA experience with us. Hope to return your generosity soon.
John Shreeve | Member #579 BMW Drivers Club Melbourne
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