Event date: 2-12 June 2023
Day one
This is a trip we have been planning for quite a few months and the lead up to this trip was a little rocky for me as I have my 84 years mum in hospital unwell.
A quick drive up to Ringwood to make sure all the trip booklets (70 pages thank you Peter Williams) would get to the travellers on time if we were running a few days late.
Lucky mum was released from hospital on Thursday evening and after a late-night pack of the race car and our own personal items we managed to set off at 9.40am which was a nice change for us.
The rest of the convoy were meeting at Caroline Springs, and another two from Cranbourne, so we thought we would try to catch them up at lunch along the way.
A quick call to the boys from Cranbourne and realising they were still about 30 minutes away we kept going and knew we would catch them up somewhere along the road.
Surprisingly, the roads were great, no major hold ups, a nice run through the city to get on the main highway heading to Ballarat then West towards Mt Gambia.
Its amazing the difference in the landscape as you travel along our roads throughout Australia, it is quite diverse but very beautiful.
With several phone calls and WhatsApp messages we worked out the main group were having lunch in Dunkeld and were 1.15 hours in front of us and this was very possibly for us to catch up with them.
We couldn’t have asked for better travelling weather the sun was out and it was a nice cool 16c perfect driving weather.
As we approached Dunkeld my phone rang, and it was Peter asking where we were and lucky, we were just approaching the group.
We still didn’t have the boys behind but knew they were not that far behind (but using a different drive route) so we pushed on.
Quick toilets stop and then we were soon crossing the border not SA and that’s when we hit a little drizzle but not too bad.
Continuing as a group minus 2 we arrived at our motel at 3.15 SA time, did a quick unload and the others were with us within 15 minutes which was great driving by them.
Off to the Umpherston sink hole which was incredible. The Floral and Fauna in these gardens was just amazing and as we left the bottom, we were greeted by some local brush tail possums which were very friendly and even eat out of our hands. Very special indeed.
After a quick stop at Repco for a car cover for the race car, we headed up to the blue lake which as a very dark inky blue at this time of year. Apparently, the lighter blue is from November to March, which makes perfect sense. We had a bit of a drive around the lake but the light was fading so we had to head back to the motel.
Back to the motel for a quick freshen up, some quick emails, life still goes on even though we are away, and then off to the Barn for dinner recommended by one of our members who didn’t make this trip.
The Barn was 10 klm out of town but worth the drive. The interior was amazing with a wall of fame, plates signed by celebrities and dignitaries who had passed through an dine here.
Beautiful chandeliers greeted us as we walked in, and we noted that there is accommodation here too so worth a stay next time we come past.
The food was amazing and so accommodating seeing I have so many allergies.
It had been many years since visiting Mt Gambia and I really enjoyed our quick tour but would definitely stay longer next time.
Fun night catching up with old and new friends and hearing some hilarious stories.
This is going to be a fun week and I cant wait for day 2.
Jo Mawson | Member #2 BMW Drivers Club Melbourne
Day two
On a cool and sunny morning our excited band of nine travellers departed Mt Gambier at 9.00am sharp for a 484km drive to Adelaide via the coast rather than the inland route.
The limestone coast of south- east South Australia treated us to extensive stretches of pine forests, happy grazing sheep and cattle, black cockatoos and soaring pelicans along the 200km stretch of the Coorong and beautiful examples of South Australian architecture in Robe.
At Kingston S.E. Jo and Graeme left the group to deliver the E30 to The Bend and then met us at Tailem Bend for a peak hour run down the motorway to our motel in Glenelg. The Adelaide International Motel was our “home” for the next nine nights.
Later that evening the BMW Drivers Club of SA arranged a welcome dinner at the Holdfast Hotel (aka The Holdy) in Glenelg. A very convivial evening was had by all.
Allison Cotter BMW Drivers Club of NSW
Day three
Day 3 was planned to be an easier day with a sleep in and heading our own different ways after a late start. John and I thought we would test the mountain roads and head to mount Lofty to take in the view offed over Adelaide arriving there at midday.
The trick then was what to do next so I asked the attendant in the souvenir shop what could offered in say a 30-minute range of where we were and all the ideas that immediately came to mind like Hahndorf were to be done later in trip so the more experienced attendant came over and recommended Port Adelaide and the museums there. While we pondered this, we thought we would have lunch so asked the attendant for a recommendation and she recommended the pub at Stirling as the food is good and has a good vibe.
John S found a couple of mountain roads to stretch his legs on and Margarette took us in the wrong direction and this gave John S a few more klms to play with but the drive was also scenic.
We stopped, engaged google and headed for Stirling. We found the pub and fortunately there is quite a bit of parking under the supermarket opposite and went in for lunch. The place was packed so we ended in some low springy chairs near the fire place and ordered lunch. As we were eating a guy stopped and dropped off a backpack and then came with a trolley and he was setting up to play music right in front of our table. Name was Nic Hutton if interested and he played several sets across the course of the afternoon as a guitar soloist. We enjoyed the music and the banter with him including how his foot pedals worked and only returned to Glenelg after his sets had finished.
It was a very pleasant afternoon but we did not make it to Port Adelaide today.
Dinner was at the Watermark which is a former Woolworths business now under ALH. The surroundings were airy and there was adequate supplies of whatever you wanted including seafoods. We had a good meal and good company and left as the venue was closing for the night.
Adrian White | Member #606 BMW Drivers Club Melbourne
Day four
It was an atmospheric day for a scenic cruise, drizzly , grey and softly misty. The convoy made its way through the CBD peak time commuting traffic at a very leisurely pace, the locals did not abide by the speed limit it seemed, they tended to go lower. Rolling greens hills loomed invitingly in the distance and trim streets were peppered with churches and almost as many of gas stations. OTR BP is huge in Adelaide apparently.
Driving through the twisty back roads of Adelaide Hills was spirited and much fun when you are in a front-wheel drive like a MINI. It’s even more fun tailing a professional driver like JC in a M2 Competition while admiring its shapely and illuminated behind. There is something infinitely pleasant about the watching the cars expertly gliding through corners in a veil of mist, surrounded by feathery greenery on either side.
For motor enthusiasts the Birdwood Mill Motor Museum is a must see. The museum wasn’t crowded on a Monday and was featuring a special exhibit featuring a collection of rare Holdens 1948-2017. My favorite? The “Marilyn”, a non-production cabriolet version of the Monaro. Marilyn is in a sophisticate shade of indigo blue, maybe with a hint of subtle metallic glitter. Understated elegance embodied, if ever a Holden can be called elegant?
You know there are destinations where you haven’t been for a while and the second time you see it, it has much improved and bloomed? Sadly Hahndorf isn’t one of those places, at least in my book. my previous trip to Hanhdorf was in the height of summer, and the tree-lined historic town felt a few degree cooler than the CBD, refreshing and hospital, quirky but substantial. That was my memory five years ago. This time around though it seemed the town has leaned heavily towards catering for the tourist flavor of the month, which is east and south Asian at the moment. The Germanic essence seemed to have been diluted somewhat. Still, if you are looking for a haircut and a quick blow dry, there are many options available. As are scented candles and opals of dubious origin.
The German Bakery where we had a quick bite to eat I cannot recommend again, the ownership has changed hand and perhaps the recipes too. What I can recommend though, at the time of writing is a little hidden gem in the form of Gallery & Wine Museum displaying Wolf Blass’ personal achievements and records of 60 years of wine making – Adelaide Hills Wine Bar, 62 Main Street, 62 Mount Barker Rd. It was bright, warm and a considered space with several plush seating areas and an open fire. The bar was well stocked and the menu carefully curated.
Do not dismiss the Visitor Information Centre and the Hahndorf Academy, where a zebra (again with a shapely behind also a back story) greets the visitors, and where one can really delve into the local history and channel the pioneering spirit. It is hard to imagine how physically tough and different life was barely 200 years ago. There is also a gallery upstairs but it was closed for change over when I visited.
Day four’s driving concluded with a straight zoom zoom to the homebase, taking nowhere near as long and admittedly nowhere near as fun. We sampled the local seafood restaurant ‘SheShell’, which proved to be interesting enough for us to return to Wednesday with a much larger appetite.
It was a full moon.
Sally Lu ClubMINI
Day five
We headed to the Clare Valley wine district on the Tuesday, after swapping our itinerary around to take advantage of a warm, sunny day. We had already planned a later start, so the Clare Valley trip meant we would return after dark (with sunset just 5pm), but it was worth it. The newish northern expressway got us out of Adelaide efficiently, and our trip took us through countryside of increasingly rolling hills until we reached the Clare Valley.
I had searched out 4 or 5 of the best rated wineries in the district, but the first two we tried to visit, in Auburn, were closed for the winter in one case and on weekdays in the other case. We continued north to a long-time favourite of mine, Crabtree in the village of Watervale. Robert Crabtree sold the winery a few years back, a syndicate had it for a while and now a young couple owns it. The wife hosted us to a tasting of their full range of wines, all produced from their own small vineyard. The muscat was very popular and their unusual fortified shiraz was very good too. I liked a Shiraz-Cabernet dating from Robert Crabtree’s time, but their other reds, whites and a rose dated from the syndicate era and weren’t so great. I’ll be interested to see what the new couple, with their new wine maker, achieve from here on. It was a pleasant visit with an outdoor tasting overlooking part of the valley – the sort of interaction you don’t get with the larger wineries. The Clare Valley is a shallow, broad valley surrounded by low hills, but it was explained to us that that’s enough for it to have a significantly cooler climate during the critical growing season than the other South Australia wine districts, leading to it having cool climate wines even though the valley gets hot in summer.
Our next stop was Sevenhill, which produces communion wines for the Roman Catholic Church throughout Australia, along with a range of other wines. While some tasted the wines, others of us explored the underground cellars, the imposing and rather beautiful church, and the crypt underneath the church. First time I’ve been in a crypt – not something that happens very often (while alive, anyway).
Sevenhill was a very leisurely visit, meaning we had quite a late lunch in a café in Clare. Clare itself surprised us with its size – clearly a busy regional centre. While it had a few old buildings, it was mainly the little villages in the valley which had buildings dating from the mid 1800s. All in all, the valley is a scenic and historical delight, as well as having so many small and medium-sized wineries which are more enjoyable and informative to visit than the large wineries in places like the Barossa Valley.
From Clare, we headed East, with a short stop at Farrell Flat to observe its excellent silo art. About 30 minutes from Clare is the historic mining town of Burra, also known for its historic stone buildings. In fact, many of the houses are of stone, as well as the shops and official buildings. We only had a brief visit due to the time; it would be easy to stay a couple of nights and fill in a complete day exploring the history of the place. Leaving town, we detoured briefly to see the open cut copper mine that was the reason for the town’s existence – an impressively deep mine for its time, now with a lake in the bottom.
Our journey South from Burra took us along the scarily-named Worlds End Highway in a slow twilight, with a long line of low, rounded hills to our right and vast flat plains stretching to the horizon on our left. It was dark by the time we reached Eudunda so we couldn’t see its silo art; we simply kept heading back towards Adelaide, with just one enforced detour due to a road closure for roadworks.
Driving-wise, this was a cruising day on good quality roads (mostly), appreciating South Australia’s 110km/h limit on most of the rural roads. Cruising meant we had plenty of time to appreciate the scenery, especially in the Clare Valley. Definitely a recommended place to visit for anyone finding themselves with some time in Adelaide.
Peter Williams | Member #36 BMW Drivers Club Melbourne
Day eight
Those of us not at the track took a long day-trip to Victor Harbor (spelt without a “u”), which is a family weekend/holiday town on the coast south from Adelaide – think Rye if it was a town on its own. Mick and Sue from the SA club joined us on the drive – and took note of how we use the radio on our drives so they can do likewise on theirs.
We started off along the coastline in Glenelg and points south – the first time some of our group had seen the ocean here (although technically it’s Spencers Gulf) on this trip. Adelaide has a long line of beaches for most of its coastal length; they are sheltered from the open ocean much like the Port Phillip beaches, but open to the cold westerly winds today. We continued south on the enjoyable Myponga Reservoir road, which includes driving across the reservoir’s dam wall. Next was the Inman Valley, with a great if lumpy road winding and sweeping through a green, scenic valley. That brought us to Victor Harbor.
Several of the crew jumped on the horse-drawn tram to ride along the new jetty to Granite Island, a little offshore from the mainland. The island Is a safe habitat for various types of wildlife. We had lunch at various places in the town, and some shopping took place too. We headed a short distance to Encounter Bay and The Bluff, for pleasant scenery to Victor Harbor and wild scenery on the shore of the Southern Ocean. Next was a run to Goolwa and onto Hindmarsh Island, to view where the Murray River empties into the ocean. The veracity of this was debated – the river empties into Lake Alexandrina, which connects (again via the river) to the top end of the Coorong which opens to the ocean. A series of barrages and locks controls the flow, to keep adequate water in the lake systems and to prevent the ingress of too much salty water into the freshwater lakes.
A short drive took us to SA club members Mike and Jill Keene’s home on the banks of the lakes and waterways. Mike kindly hosted us to a barbecue dinner, but first we admired the scenic location of their home and the views to be taken in. It was a convivial late afternoon and evening that was greatly enjoyed by all, and the hospitality was very much appreciated. We finished the day with a night-time run back to Adelaide, on which BMW’s adaptive headlights showed their worth. We enlivened the trip with a short but careful fang down the Old Willunga Road hill, and entered Adelaide on the relatively new M2 expressway.
Day nine
Day 9 was our second last day and considering that we would need to be on the road very early to make Tailem Bend for the first E30 race so the reduced group decided that we would go to Tailem Bend for the second and last race and looking at the track schedule this meant that we needed to leave Glenelg at 11.00am which was to the delight of the Shreeve.
We had breakfast and the five of us lined up at 11.00 to head off with John S happy and smiling departure. The three cars then loaded and headed for the Bend and as we had gone the day before took a direct route in time for the race. We were already aware of this mornings first race and Royce Lyne had improved but had been delayed by a competitor in another category so his time had improved but not as much as hoped.
We got to the track and met up with E30 group as they were starting to prepare for their last race then went and watched the Hyundai Excel race which was red flagged due to a car rolling over a number of times which needed to be recovered on a flat bed truck and this delayed the E30 race a little.
Then the E30s took to the track and the grid up was different with the E30s first and the other category further down the grid to start later giving the E30s a chance to race in clear air at least initially so it was hoped that there would be some good results and hopefully some better times. Jo & Graeme were watching the times and we were receiving updates on how they were doing standing on the Skydeck on the 4th floor with a view of the entire track. The biggest news initially was that Royce had just scrapped into the 14s and was leading the race. Royce then slowed a little to recover the tyres before trying again on the last lap and this allowed Royce to post his fastest time which was a record for this category.
We were talking to Royce afterwards when a young fellow stopped by and asked Royce for his autograph which was a bit of a shock for Royce.
After the race, the touring group split with Peter travelling back on the old Princes Highway and the other 2 cars deciding to head back to the Barossa Valley in a more direct way to visit the Kalleske Wines Cellar Door in Greenock. It was good to do the second trip as the different route gave a different view of the valley although we got to the cellar door later than optimal although we were still able to try their more than ample array of wines before purchasing with 2 boxes of wines to be transported back to the eastern states.
The cellar door closed at 5 so we headed back to Glenelg for our last dinner which was Phuket Thai which the members enjoyed before retiring.
Month in review.
Dear members,
We started May with our fifth birthday and annual presentation dinner sponsored by Kalus Kenny Intelex, held at the Park Royal. We were joined by over 80 members for a night of celebration.
It was a great night of entertainment, raffle prizes and auction items from some of our sponsors in support of The Smith Family, who we raised $5,500 for. Thank you to all who donated and purchased tickets to help us raise such an incredible amount.
____________________
9 May was our Shannons Insurance Simulator Challenge. Killian won by the narrowest of margins but it is anyone’s championship at the moment! The next round is on 4 July, be sure to head to the website to register and become the next Simulator Challenge winner.
10 May was our first midweek drive day, which turned out to be a day of sunshine and great company. If you have time during the week, be sure to keep an eye out on the calendar for the next one, there's just something about a mid-week adventure that we really love!
13 May was Round 3 of our Traction Tyres/Yokohama Drivers Championship at Sandown. Our start was delayed due to fog, but once it cleared the weather was beautiful and our members enjoyed another day on track.
12 May was National Motoring Heritage Day. The day started in Brighton, driving through to the National Steam Centre in Scoresby where there was lots of eclectic vehicles on display.
26-28 May was Round 3 of the E30 Racing Championship. Young Royce Lyne (hard to believe he is only 15!) showed some brilliant driving skills in the rather damp conditions to take out another round win.
26-28 May also saw some of our members attend the VIP display at the Winton Historics, joined by the BMW Motorcycle Club of Victoria. As always, the racing was great but unfortunately we can't say the same for the weather.
MEMBERSHIP UPDATE
Welcome to our new members Zavier Robin, Jack Wynack, Sydney Teeuwsen, Sidney Costello, Ed Wittich, Shane McInnes, Val Perkins, Alexander Lee, Paul Lee, Andrew Pan, Regina Simon, Bronwen Colman, Claire Trainor, Tijana Kay, Simon Wilkins, Wendy Alexander, Justin Shardey, Jonathan Lim, Graeme Ny, David Crook, William Harding, Thomas Watson, Sue Abrehart, Gavin Low and Georgia Alexis. 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 June:
Friday-Monday, 2-12 June Adelaide & Tailem Bend - 10 day tour leading into Kings Birthday weekend Starting from Melbourne we will enjoy a leisurely drive through Ballarat to then spend our first night in Mt Gambia. Heading west to Glenelg we will stay there for nine nights and spend the week exploring the wonders of Adelaide and beyond, or you can just relax and do your own thing. Tuesday, 6 June Welcome to Winter Drop in Donuts, Geelong A casual evening get-together. Saturday, 24 June Alex Baxter Memorial Driver Training and Come & Try Day Ever wanted to find out what it's like to get on track in a relaxed atmosphere without being surrounded by the seriousness of competition? Want to better your driving skills?Our Driver Training events are the perfect place for you to experience your vehicle's limits in a safe environment. We welcome all vehicles – new, old, high or low powered, you also don't need to own a BMW to attend.
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.
BMWDCM's Firth Birthday & Presentation Dinner
Thank you from The Smith Family
May Mid-Week Drive
The benefits of joining a car club
Cape Hauy Adventure
A thank you from the Royal Children's Hospital
BMW around the globe.
MINI John Cooper Works with 6-speed manual transmission from Bulldog Racing will compete in the 51st edition of the 24-hour race at the Nürburgring, driven by Charlie Cooper (GBR)
BMW Motorrad presents the new R 12 nineT
The new BMW R 18 Roctane
Process heat – powered by electricity: CO2 reduction through power-to-heat technology
The BMW Concept Touring Coupé: A timeless symbol of freedom on four wheels
Second place for ROWE Racing and the BMW M4 GT3 at the Nürburgring 24 Hours
BMW will unveil "The Electric AI Canvas" at Art Basel in Basel 2023, an installation inspired by the new BMW i5. A unique combination of art and technology that uses AI in a responsible manner to create an immersive on-site art experience
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
May started off with a bang with our Fifth Birthday and Annual Presentation Dinner sponsored by Kalus Kenny Intelex, held at the Park Royal. It was great to have such a huge attendance with over 80 members attending, all looking amazing in their formal wear. We had great entertainment, raffle prizes and auction items from some of our sponsors. Our Charity for the night was The Smith Family and I am proud to say that we raised $5,500 on the night from our raffle and auction items. Thank you to all who donated and purchased tickets to help with this fundraiser. It was great to have our 2022 winners there on the night as well receiving their trophies, it's always great to support our champions. It was nice to see a 15-year-old motorsport recipient and four ladies receiving awards on the night as well.
At our presentation dinner we had the honour of hearing from one of members who was involved in the publication of a great small book called Tell My Story, which is a fantastic group of stories by 4 brave men. BMWDCM will have this book in our online store for a few months for members to be able to purchase from. Limited copies available so please do not miss out.
9 May was our Shannons Insurance Simulator Challenge which again turned out to be a bundle of laughs with Killian winning by the narrowest of margins. It is anyone’s championship at the moment, you have to be in it to win it. Make sure you register for the next one on 4 July, we will be doing an American theme for Independence Day.
10 May was the first of our midweek drive days. It turned out to be a fantastic day with sunshine coming through the clouds and a great turnout of cars. Look out for the next mid-week drive event coming soon.
13 May was Round 3 of our Traction Tyres/Yokohama Drivers Championship at Sandown. The event was a late starter due to thick fog but once it cleared, we had a fantastic day.
12 May was National Motoring Heritage Day. The day started in Brighton, driving through to the National Steam Centre in Scoresby. We really enjoyed seeing all of the eclectic vehicles on display.
26-28 May was Round 3 of the E30 Racing Championship. Young Royce Lyne (hard to believe he is only 15!) showed some brilliant driving skills in the rather damp conditions to take out the round. Keep an eye on Royce, a DCM member, he will go a long way in motorsport.
26-28 May also saw some of our members attend the VIP display at the Winton Historics, joined by the BMW Motorcycle Club of Victoria. As always, the racing was great, unlike the weather. I'm told those who attended still really enjoyed the weekend.
June is now upon us, as is the start of winter. I think it may have come a month earlier than it should as we had some very cold, wet days in May.
Our annual tour this year is heading west to South Australia. We have a group of BMW enthusiasts from Melbourne and two from NSW heading across to Mount Gambia then on to Adelaide, where we will stay for nine days, with some great day trips planned for each day. It will be great to meet up with some of the members from BMW Drivers Club SA and then on the Kings Birthday weekend we will head to Tailem Bend to watch round 4 of the E30 Racing championship which should be a lot of fun. Might even have a race in that event myself, so come and watch!
Our June members meeting has not been set yet, as Jo is waiting for a confirmation on the venue so watch this space. It will be a good one!
24 June is our Alex Baxter Memorial Come and Try Day, where one lucky member will have their entry paid for them by the Alex Baxter memorial trust. There are still spots available for this event and this one is subsidised by the Club to allow new and inexperience people the opportunity to get out on track.
We are also still needing volunteers for Broadford. Please email Meg at officials@bmwdcm.com.au and let her know if you are available to attend and which position you would like to fill or if you are happy to be an instructor. It is a very cheap track day for anyone that wants to come to practice or receive instruction, as the whole day is passenger allowed.
As you can see June is a little quieter as we are away for nearly two weeks of this month so look out for events coming up in July.
Other events to remember are:
9 July - Christmas in July
Jo and her band of helpers are busy organising German Auto Show and she will need more troops than we had last year. We are looking for volunteers at the gate, throughout the paddock, at the main stand and general helpers. This event is going to be HUGE. If you have not registered your car yet, please do so here if you are wanting to help on the day, please email Meg at offiicals@bmwdcm.com.au and offer your services. All proceeds from this event will also go to Beyond Blue.
We have already had some very generous donations from Kaos Custom Bikes who are donating a $1,500 mountain bike as one of the main raffle prizes and some AMG lifestyle products from German Auto Haus. Shannons Insurance are on board again this year with a very generous sponsorship of this event. Check out our website for the event germanautoshow.com.au for more information.
If you have a business and want to have a trade stand at this event or donate to the charity, please contact info@germanautoshow.com.au and Jo will be only too happy to chat with you.
This year we will be celebrating with our friends from BMW Motorcycle Club Victoria as it is the celebration of 100 years of the R32 motorbike. Come along and check out all the great vehicles on display.
Want to stay closer to the venue? Then check out our special deals with WestWaters Caroline Springs and be fresh in the morning of the event.
Another event we need to start thinking about and start organising is the BMW Clubs Australia Nationals in 2025 that we are hosting. Sounds a long way off, but such a huge event needs an awful lot of planning and organising, and it will need a lot of people to make it all happen. So, we are forming an organising committee to get things underway. Yes, the plan is in place, but we have lots of jobs we need help with over the next few months. If you want to be involved in organising and then running the Nationals in 2025 send an email to nationals@bmwdcm.com.au and we’ll get you on board.
A note from our Welfare team is that one of our members who has been struggling with very ill health is now on the mend and looking like we might see him out at some events in the warmer months. We really look forward to welcoming back our member at some events soon. Remember, if you know anyone who is struggling give them a call as a kind word can go a long way.
Don’t forget, we still have access to our fundraising wines, so if you need to restock your wine cupboard check out these wines and help the club raise funds for our charities.
We still have some of the summer merchandise on sale, so go to our store and snap up some bargains whilst they are still available.
Welcome to our new members. We have had a huge number of new members join this month, which is always very humbling. We on the BMWDCM committee pride ourselves on our friendship, great events and communication and we are always happy to welcome new members along for the ride.
Finally, you would have all received the latest edition 5 of idrive by now. If you have not received it, then I would check postal details on your profile on our website to make sure you are receiving our mailouts. It's a wonderful annual magazine and each year it just gets better and better, full of your stories and articles.
Drive safely and I look forward to seeing you out at an event somewhere 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
On the occasion of Art Basel in Basel 2023, BMW proudly presents “The Electric AI Canvas” an extension of the entirely virtual work "The Ultimate AI Masterpiece". Now, for the very first time, released as an awe-inspiring physical art experience that transforms the 100% electric BMW i5 into a dynamic canvas of distinct generative art and featuring works by contemporary artists Esther Mahlangu, Kohei Nawa, Eric N. Mack, Koo Jiyoon and Bin Woo Hyuk. “The Electric AI Canvas” will be exhibited from June 12 to 18, 2023, at Art Basel in Basel, the world's premier art show for Modern and contemporary art. Additionally, as a global partner of the Art Basel shows, BMW will once again provide the VIP car service.
In collaboration with creative technologist Nathan Shipley (Goodby, Silverstein & Partners) and Gary Yeh (ArtDrunk), custom artificial intelligence-generated animations are crafted using AI models trained on a curated dataset of works from renowned contemporary artists. These AI models are built upon a foundational model trained from over 50,000 images spanning 900 years of art history. The AI generates entirely new abstract animations based on learned styles from classical and contemporary art, which are then projected onto the BMW i5.
“BMW has been at the forefront of innovative technology and design to create cutting-edge automobiles. With 'The Electric AI Canvas,' virtual and physical worlds collide, and the connection between human senses and artificial intelligence as a tool to create new artworks can be experienced,” says Paul de Courtois, President & CEO BMW (Switzerland) inc.
According to Gary Yeh, "This is an exciting moment to build on our previous art and AI collaboration, which we had always envisioned activating in person. Realizing this collaboration's full potential will create a unique opportunity for art fair visitors to experience digital art, a medium that can often feel disconnected from the physical world. At the forefront of contemporary art, the artists that we've brought together bring a variety of global perspectives and share in their unique explorations of materials and culture. As the animations evolve in front of your eyes, we hope to take you on a journey through their worlds and how they represent the fabric of our society. Past, present, and future."
For “The Electric AI Canvas”, Nvidia’s AI architecture StyleGAN is trained to evoke various artistic styles and then generate abstract evolving animations. After training a base model to represent art in general, StyleGAN is further trained on works from the participating contemporary artists. “We wanted to explore what happens when an AI image-generation model encounters works by specific artists; how do the results change when different parameters of the algorithm are modified and how can we use that to create animations that evoke the essential feeling of a particular artist’s work,” asks Nathan Shipley. “We see experiments like this as part of a fascinating early conversation about ways that AI can be used in art-making.”
These newly created animations are now showcased for the first time as an on-site art experience employing projection-mapping onto the BMW i5 and shifting through each artist's distinctive style and aesthetic. The animations are amplified and reflected by mirrors, immersing viewers within the experience.
Since the digital debut in 2020, AI in art-making has stirred controversy, raising questions about ethics, creativity and authenticity. Shipley and Yeh approach the use of AI for art by focusing on how the technology can support artists and amplify their artistic visions, rather than to replace them. “It is essential that our experiments with AI for art are done in a responsible, thoughtful, and human-first way,” says Shipley.
This human-machine art installation brings forth a distinct convergence of innovation and creativity. It continues BMW's engagement in crucial dialogues about technology and art in the AI era. Beyond visual artistry, the Electric AI Canvas stands as a testament to BMW's dedication to human-centred technology and sustainability, exploring the potential of AI as a creative tool.
The new BMW 5 Series – the world´s most successful business sedan – is digital, dynamic and now, with the BMW i5, also fully electric. In the BMW 5 Series come together sporty elegance, comfort and premium connectivity. Like no other model, THE 5 stands for confidence, competence and a progressive mindset.
For its 2023 edition in Basel, Art Basel will bring together 284 leading international galleries to present the highest quality artworks across all media – from painting and sculpture to photography and digital works – by artists ranging from early-twentieth-century Modern pioneers to contemporary practitioners. A strong line-up of galleries from across Europe will be joined by new and returning exhibitors from around the world.
BMW PRESS
The ROWE Racing team finished on the podium at the 51st staging of the Nürburgring 24 Hours (GER). Dries Vanthoor (BEL) crossed the line in second place in the number 98 BMW M4 GT3, 26.911 seconds behind the winning Ferrari. Vanthoor had alternated at the wheel with Maxime Martin (BEL), Sheldon van der Linde (RSA) and Marco Wittmann (GER) on their way to completing 162 laps. For BMW M Motorsport, this was the first podium with the BMW M4 GT3 at the endurance classic in the Eifel Mountains.
Starting from 31st on the grid, the quartet of drivers steadily worked their way up the field in the opening hours of the race, and were already in the top ten after the second round of pit stops. Afterwards they were embroiled in a long-range battle with the eventual winners, which saw the lead repeatedly change hands between the two cars. The ROWE Racing crew made up a lot of ground on the winning Ferrari due to a shorter final pit stop, but were ultimately unable to close the gap.
The number 100 BMW M4 GT3 also made it to the end of the marathon at the Nürburgring. The Walkenhorst Motorsport Pro-Am car, with drivers Christian Bollrath (GER), Jörg Breuer (GER), Sami-Matti Trogen (FIN) and Henry Walkenhorst (GER), came home 16th, which earned them fifth place in the Pro-Am class.
It looked for a long time as though several BMW M4 GT3s would have a say in the battle for overall victory. However, that all changed as incidents occurred thick and fast in the early hours of the morning on the 25-kilometre Nordschleife. 13 hours into the race, Connor De Phillippi (USA), Philipp Eng (AUT), Augusto Farfus (BRA) and Nick Yelloly (GBR) were forced to retire from the race in the second ROWE Racing BMW M4 GT3, after De Phillippi collided with a slower car. Shortly after, the BMW Junior Team hit trouble; the number 72 BMW M4 GT3 suffered more damage as the result of a puncture. BMW M Team RMG spent a long time trying to repair the car and get it back out onto the track. Eventually however, Dan Harper (GBR), Max Hesse (GER) and Neil Verhagen (USA) had no choice but to retire, having spent much of the race in the top three.
Walkenhorst Motorsport was also unlucky with its remaining SP9 cars; on course for a top-ten finish in the seventh hour of the race, the #101 BMW M4 GT3 was forced out after two crashes in close succession. The race also came to a premature end for the number 102 car after an accident in the early hours of Sunday morning. At the time of the crash, the BMW M4 GT3 was running seventh.
This all means that BMW remains on 20 overall victories in “Green Hell”. No other manufacturer can look back on a more successful history at the 24-hour race. The last BMW win on the Nordschleife came courtesy of ROWE Racing with the BMW M6 GT3 in 2020.
The BMW M4 GT4 Media Car was also denied a creditable result in the SP10 class. Specialist journalists Jethro Bovingdon (GBR), Christian Gebhardt (GER) and Guido Naumann (GER), together with BMW M test and development engineer Jörg Weidinger (GER), were initially able to make up a lot of ground in the first eight hours of the race. However, an accident then required lengthy repairs before a second collision in the 14th hour of the race forced the team out of the race for good.
Despite this, there was still cause for celebration in the SP10 class. The FK Performance Motorsport team took victory with the new BMW M4 GT4. Christian Konnerth (GER), Maxime Oosten (NED), Lorenz Stegmann (GER) and Miklas Born (SUI) crossed the finish line well ahead of their closest rivals. Third place also went to an FK Performance BMW M4 GT4. In the BMW M240i Racing class, first place went to Adrenalin Motorsport Team Motec. GITI Tire Motorsport by WS Racing took victory in the SP 8T class with the first-generation BMW M4 GT4, while Adrenalin Motorsport also won the VT 2 class with the BMW 330i. Hofor Racing triumphed in the SP 6 class with the BMW M3 GTR, and the number 542 BMW 325i came home first in the V4 class.
Franciscus van Meel (CEO of BMW M GmbH): “I was thrilled by the atmosphere this 24-hour race provided. 235,000 spectators turned the race into a festival that is unrivalled in the world of motorsport. The action on the racetrack was also gripping, and I was delighted to see that we could stage a fantastic comeback with the BMW M4 GT3 and ROWE Racing and fight for the win. Second place is not quite the result we had hoped for in the end, but still an excellent performance. Congratulations and a big thank you to everyone! As always, it was also fantastic this year to see the entire range of BMW M and BMW vehicles on the starting grid and at our traditional M Corso before the race. BMW M and the Nürburgring are and will remain closely connected. I'm already looking forward to returning in the 2024 season!"
Andreas Roos (Head of BMW M Motorsport): “That was an eventful 24-hour race for us. Second place with the #98 BMW M4 GT3 of ROWE Racing is a fantastic result. Congratulations and a big thank you to everyone! Our drivers did a flawless job and worked their way into the leading group from outside the top 30. At the same time, I would like to congratulate the Frikadelli Racing Team on a deserved victory. Our other SP9 crews were also showing good pace and were in with a chance of a podium finish. At times, we had four BMW M4 GT3s in the top ten. However, the ‘Green Hell’ then struck back, particularly in the night, and took out no fewer than four of our trump cards with the #99 BMW M4 GT3 of ROWE Racing, #72 BMW M4 GT3 of the BMW Junior Teams, and the two Walkenhorst Motorsport Pro cars. As such, the podium is a nice way to finish and, above all, a worthy reward for the hard work of all the teams, drivers, and the BMW M Motorsport employees. I would also like to thank all the BMW teams who gave it everything and produced some fantastic motorsport in the various different classes. We were also able to make a statement with our new BMW M4 GT4. I congratulate the FK Performance Motorsport team on victory and third place in the SP10 class. Generally speaking, the 24-hour race was an outstanding event in 2023 with a crowd and atmosphere, the likes of which I have never experienced in my career. We will be back next year, when we will again do our best to make it 21 overall victories.”
Hans-Peter Naundorf (Team Principal ROWE Racing): “For us, the top priority is always to be capable of winning here – and we were precisely that! We were always in contention for the podium. The challenge we faced was not easy, but everyone involved did a super job. We don’t know what we could have done better. The drivers, particularly in the race, did a flawless job. You cannot but admire the ability to come through from 31st on the grid to finish runner-up, and to be in contention for the win for so long. That is a really great effort. My team feels like a champion. It is a real honour to stand on the podium here. That cannot be taken for granted.”
Maxime Martin (#98 BMW M4 GT3, ROWE Racing, 2nd place): “All in all, we had a strong race and, given our starting position, that is a good result. The team did a perfect job with the strategy. We were fast and consistent. However, I am also pleased for Frikadelli Racing. Klaus and the whole team deserved it. We can be happy with ourselves.”
Sheldon van der Linde (#98 BMW M4 GT3, ROWE Racing, 2nd place): “Simply getting through this race without any major issues or incidents is a very good performance. We saw a lot of crashes, particularly during the night. We wanted to survive that phase without any issues – and we managed that. We were just lacking a little bit of pace that would have allowed us to push for victory. However, we still produced a flawless race.”
Dries Vanthoor (#98 BMW M4 GT3, ROWE Racing, 2nd place): “That was not an easy race. We gave it everything and were ultimately rewarded with second place. Everyone did a fantastic job. A lot happened in the race, and the traffic was very difficult at times. Thank you to ROWE Racing and everyone at BMW M. We’ll go again next year.”
Marco Wittmann (#98 BMW M4 GT3, ROWE Racing, 2nd place): “We can be extremely proud of ourselves. To challenge for victory from the back row of our starting row, that is a very good team effort. That goes for both the team and us drivers. Not once did we make contact with another car. Although we did not quite have the pace to take victory, we can be happy on the whole.”
Connor De Phillippi (#99 BMW M4 GT3, ROWE Racing, DNF): “The Nürburgring 24h was an eventful one this year. Unfortunately in the early morning there was a light contact with a slower car that made a sudden movement on the straight and ended our race for the #99 crew. The team deserved a podium result and I’m sorry to have not achieved that this year for them. Hopefully next year we will have more luck on our side. Congratulations to our sister car on the podium finish.”
Dan Harper (#72 BMW M4 GT3, BMW M Team RMG, DNF): “Obviously I am a bit gutted about how it ended after a strong showing especially during the night. We had a super-strong car that was very nice to drive. It all went well until the end of my second double stint, when we had our first problem. After that another problem arose for Max, and we decided together with the team and BMW M Motorsport to retire the car. This is very disappointing for everyone in the team. They work so hard to prepare for this event. Up until our problems, we were super-fast and in a strong position. I think all of us three drivers did a very good job. It is a big shame for everyone.”
There’s nothing quite like being with people who share your passion. Joining a car club can connect you with like-minded people who are just as passionate as you are and can provide you with a sense of community and belonging. This is something BMWDCM does exceptionally well. Proof is having been awarded ‘International BMW Club of The Year 2021’ by the BMW Clubs International Council. Seeing there are over 800 official BMW car clubs worldwide, this award means BMWDCM is literally the best BMW car club in the world. Whilst we already knew this, here’s a few reasons you should know it too.
A car club is characterised as a community of car enthusiasts who share the same car-related interests. They focus may on marque (such as Audi, BMW, Mercedes-Benz, Porsche, Volkswagen, etc.), make or model (such as RS2, M3, 230SL, 911, Golf R Mk 8 etc.) or purpose (such as cars for racing, showing or driving). Car clubs may pick just one specialty or may generalise, accepting members with various marques, makes and models.
Whilst BMWDCM was founded specifically as a driving club for BMW car owners, it’s an inclusive club. I’m a proud club member and although I don’t own a BMW myself, I have always been made to feel welcome. In fact, my 1980 Mercedes-Benz 450SL won an award at the 2020 annual show and shine. Membership to a car club comes with a wide variety of exclusive member benefits of which BMWDCM offers many.
A ‘historic vehicle’ under the Club Permit scheme is a vehicle that is 25 years or older. Owners of historic vehicles can register their vehicles under the VicRoads Club Permit scheme. The scheme enables owners to drive their vehicles for 45 or 90 days per year for a reduced registration fee. Only registered car clubs can issue club permits and the vehicle’s age and roadworthiness must be proven to do so. Club permit holders must log an entry in a logbook each time they drive or they risk a fine. If you have a historic vehicle you would like to register under the Club Permit Scheme, contact Jo Mawson, Vice President of BMWDCM on 0412 661 900.
Car clubs traditionally publish a magazine or newsletter and this may be annually, bi-annually, quarterly or monthly. These publications may be distributed in hardcopy or via email and feature a mix of automotive articles and photographs, event coverage, service and parts advice, items and vehicles wanted or for sale, historical material of interest to the membership and other information relevant to car enthusiasts. This also applies other club collaterals the club uses to communicate with members. Many clubs also have a strong online and social media presence with which they keep members up to date with industry information, news and events and offer a forum where members can contribute images and articles and ask questions or get feedback and advice. Magazines and newsletters are predominantly informative whilst social media forums can also provide a strong sense of community and belonging.
The annual hard copy publication of BMWDCM is the idrive magazine, an exceptionally well produced, high quality magazine filled with interesting articles, automotive news and up to date information. BMWDCM also has a strong online presence with its comprehensive and informative website and interesting and interactive social media pages on both Facebook and Instagram.
In essence, car clubs are hubs for socialising and interaction and offer something real and tangible to connect to in an online world. Meetings can range from monthly club meetings to larger events, like drive days, track days, race days, driver training days, car displays, cars and coffees, show and shines and fundraising events. Club meetings are a fantastic opportunity for club members to connect with one another and share their passions regarding everything automotive. Attending club meetings offers members a wide range of benefits ranging from socialising and meeting people with shared common interests to making friends and forming emotional connections and bonds. They also offer a positive outlet for club members to get involved and contribute to the goings on within the club and provide forums where they can be recognised for their support.
BMWDCM holds a monthly club meeting either in person at a selected location or via zoom. These meetings are often hosted by club sponsors and club members. The hosts will often put on an interesting, informative or educational talk, display or demonstration exclusively for club members and members can often receive discounted merchandise, products and services from the hosts.
Through the club, members can purchase branded club merchandise often not available to the general public. Club members can also receive exclusive club member discounts on a variety of services and products within the automotive and motorsport industry. BMWDCM has their own range of branded merchandise and offer their members access to product and service discounts through their affiliations within their sponsorship base, membership base, automotive industry and motorsport connections.
Motorsport Australia affiliated car clubs provide their members with access to racing licenses and official driver training. Some clubs also run driver training programs to assist members in gaining advanced skills.
BMWDCM runs several driver training ‘come and try’ days throughout the year at Calder Park, Sandown and Broadford race tracks. Anyone who wants to be a better driver or experience the exhilaration of driving on a race track is welcome at these events. With instructors by their sides, drivers learn how to handle a motor vehicle under track conditions. These events grow in popularity each year and have formed a bit of a cult following with attendees often ‘trying out’ on more than one track and returning each year.
BMWDCM is a Motorsport Australia affiliated club. Such clubs help their members take their first step into motorsport. Club members can then participate in exclusive events such as motorkhanas, hill climbs and track days. Some of the events included in the BMWDCM calendar are the Traction Tyres/Yokohama Drivers’ Championship, Challenge Bathurst, and E30 Racing. All great events and well attended by BMWDCM members every year.
Car shows, cars and coffee catch ups, shown ‘n shines are a great way for members to show off their pride and joy to the general public. From current models to the classics, these spectacular head turning events may be open class or restricted to a particular specialty. Car shows allow both car club members and the general public to view a wide variety of marques, makes and models to socialise with other passionate car enthusiasts and experts. The German Auto Show, Geelong Revival and BMW Clubs Australia Nationals are popular annual and biannual events in the BMWDCM calendar.
This year BMWDCM has received the honour of hosting the 2023 German Auto Show. This year the show will be held at the Calder Park Thunderdome on 23 August 2023. With all German vehicles, bikes and cars welcome at the show spectators can be assured of seeing a great representation of German marques, makes and models of all vintages from classics to current. The German Auto Show is a fabulous annual event that brings together multiple clubs and is a favourite in the annual calendar for both club members and the general public.
Held every two years in a different location, the BMW Clubs Australia Nationals are where BMW clubs from all over Australia meet to share their love of their BMWs. BMWDCM has also received the honour of hosting the 2025 Nationals which will be held at in Melbourne, with some great events in the planning.
Club runs constitute anything from a one day run, a breakfast run, a short run followed by lunch, a weekend away or a longer run over several days. Club runs are often taken on scenic, quieter roads and may involve a visit to an interesting site, historic location or vineyard. There might also be a stop for breakfast or lunch.
BMWDCM hold many such fun and fabulous events throughout the year. Some of these popular events include the Australia Day weekend drive, the Anzac Day weekend drive, the Tasmania Tour and the Kings Birthday Long Weekend away.
BMWDCM actively supports many charities by raising funds at events throughout the year. Some of these include The Smith Family, Beyond Blue, Royal Childrens Hospital Good Friday Appeal and Victoria Police Blue Ribbon Foundation. Hosting many different events throughout the year, BMWDCM raised over $10,500 for Beyond Blue at the German Auto Show in 2022 and $2,000 for the Royal Childrens Hospital Good Friday Appeal in 2023. Annually BMWDCM raise approximately $16,000 for their nominated charities.
Whilst car club events are fun and exciting, sometimes life is not. In recognition of this, and to support its members who may be facing challenges, BMWDCM formed the BMWDCM Welfare Team. The team is comprised of a range of members from all walks of life who volunteer themselves at club events, club meetings, via email, phone or zoom for the benefit and wellbeing of club members. Whether it’s anxiety about getting on the track on a ‘come and Try’ day or just needing some support through a challenging life event or experience, the BMWDCM Welfare Team will be there for you.
German Auto Haus are proud sponsors of BMW Drivers Club Melbourne. If you’re not already a member and are considering joining a car club, we highly recommend joining BMWDCM as an all-inclusive club with a fun filled action packed annual calendar of events. For more information contact Jo Mawson, Vice President of BMWDCM on 0412 661 900 or head to their website www.bmwdcm.com.au.
Nella Santisi | Member #32 BMW Drivers Club Melbourne / German Auto Haus
The BMW Group is presenting the world premiere of its BMW Concept Touring Coupé at the opening of the Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este 2023. The closed two-seater, which was developed for one-off production, continues the tradition of legendary BMW classics: a timeless symbol of freedom on four wheels and the joy of travelling together.
BMW Design has reimagined the traditional body shape of an elegant sports car, giving the vehicle a shooting brake concept. In the interior, precisely crafted leather surfaces from Italian manufacturer Poltrona Frau create a luxurious ambience. The compartment behind the seats provides ample room to stow luggage for spontaneous trips; the luggage itself was also exclusively custom-made at the Schedoni leather workshop in Modena.
The world premiere of the BMW Concept Touring Coupé at the Concorso d'Eleganza Villa d'Este 2023 places the vehicle in a historical context. Surrounded by classic motors from automotive history that have brought joy to their owners and observers alike for decades, this unique car will be presented in Cernobbio, Italy, as a tribute to the timeless fascination of the automobile. “The BMW Concept Touring Coupé celebrates the original Sheer Driving Pleasure,” says Domagoj Dukec, head of BMW Design. “A highly emotional vehicle like this shows that the passion for everything that goes into driving pleasure has been essential through the ages and will be for the future.”
The hand-crafted, one-of-a-kind BMW Concept Touring Coupé unites a body concept steeped in tradition with the technology of a purist modern-day sports car. Its proportions and name are reminiscent of the BMW 328 Touring Coupé that won the Mille Miglia endurance race back in 1940. The functionality of the shooting-brake concept is a nod to the BMW 02 Series model variants of the early 1970s, which featured “Touring” in their name to distinguish them from sedans. The styling of the signets on the rear and inside this unique vehicle was inspired by the model inscription of this historic predecessor. The BMW Concept Touring Coupé is powered by the brand's hallmark six-cylinder in-line engine, with performance characteristics and refinement that confirm its status as a symbol of pure, unadulterated Sheer Driving Pleasure.
The design highlight of the BMW Concept Touring Coupé is its sculpted rear end. Created from the flowing contours of the roof, which merge seamlessly with the rear side panels, the shape accentuates the car's athletic shoulders, while the flat rear window and clearly defined body surfaces emphasise the vehicle’s solid stance.
Viewed from the side, the BMW-typical interpretation of the shooting-brake proportions is clearly recognisable. The long bonnet, streamlined roof contours and powerful rear section form a distinctive two-box design, while the elongated side window graphic with the Hofmeister kink and flared rear wheel arches underline its sporty elegance.
The Sparkling Lario exterior paintwork was specially created for the BMW Concept Touring Coupé. With embedded flakes of blue glass, its grey-brown hues achieve a unique impression of depth. The effect is completed by silver-bronze accents and the specially designed BMW kidney grille with longitudinal bars. The exclusive light-alloy wheels, measuring 20 inches at the front and 21 inches at the rear axle, provide a logical continuation of these colour accents in the 20-spoke radial design. The intricate implementation and discreet gold-coloured surfaces underline the vehicle’s elegant sporty character.
The interior ambience of the BMW Concept Touring Coupé is defined by the brand’s usual driver orientation in the cockpit, with maximum attention to the choice of materials, colour scheme and workmanship. The exclusive bi-colour option from Italian leather workshop Poltrona Frau divides the interior horizontally into two distinct colour segments: In the upper section, a dark brown tone aids concentration while driving; in the lower section, a light saddle brown brings comfort and warmth into the interior.
Precise perforations, as well as braided leather straps for the seat valences and slide bar, highlight the artisan character of the interior, which combines traditional craftsmanship at the highest level with modern design principles.
High-quality workmanship and attention to detail also characterise the luggage designed exclusively for the BMW Concept Touring Coupé by the long-established Schedoni leather workshop in Modena. The custom-made set consists of two large and one small weekender bags, plus a garment bag, all of which are perfectly coordinated with the vehicle.
For the first time, chassis and drive component production in Plant 02.10 at the BMW Group site in Dingolfing is operating an electrically heated ring hearth furnace. Compared with its conventional gas-powered equivalent, the latest electric furnace currently saves some 300 tonnes of CO2 a year.
“The new furnace has a planned service life of over 40 years, so it’s a future-focused piece of equipment that sets the course for our journey to net zero,” said Marc Sielemann, responsible for quality and production of powertrains, chassis and brakes with Purchasing, and director of the Dingolfing component plant 02.10. The BMW Group has set itself the target of being climate neutral along the entire value chain by 2050 at the latest.
With its innovative power-to-heat technology, the hardening furnace came at an investment of approx. €7 million.
Plant 02.10 in Dingolfing produces chassis and drive components for BMW, MINI and Rolls-Royce vehicles. To make them more hard-wearing, the parts are hardened in special furnaces. As electric mobility ramps up, more and more components are being manufactured, including for electric drives. Existing systems are gradually reaching the limits of their capacity, so a new ring hearth furnace with a fixture hardening press was needed.
Used to harden gear wheels for electric transmissions, the innovative system has production capacity of approx. 960,000 spur gears a year. What’s special about it is that unlike the two existing furnaces, which are powered by gas, a fossil fuel, this new solution is for the first time powered by electricity. Rather than using 33 gas flames in ceramic-jacketed pipes, as the older model does, the new furnace uses the same number of electric heating elements to heat up to 900 degrees Celsius.
Electric heat generation – or power-to-heat technology, as it is called – saves vast amounts of greenhouse gases, which are harmful to the climate. By running on electricity, the new hardening oven emits approx. 300 tonnes less CO2 a year than its gas-powered equivalent.
“Energy-intensive power-to-heat systems like this new electric ring hearth furnace support the decarbonisation of heat generation – an essential aspect of climate protection. They generate heat by climate-friendly means and can be powered among other things with excess energy from renewables,” said Sielemann. So, the new power-to-heat furnace not only reduces gas consumption at Plant Dingolfing but also supports the integration of renewable energies into the electricity grid. It is another component in BMW Group Plant Dingolfing’s transformation to a sustainable BMW iFACTORY. “For the future,” said Sielemann, “we are looking into converting the remaining hardening furnaces to electricity as well.”
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