Straight Six MEMBERS EDITION
NOVEM BER 2019 £5
Sun-snett
Snetterton circuit sees a shining performance from Club Racers at the penultimate round of the BMWCCR Championship.
PLUS: MEGUIAR’S CLEANING GOODIES TO GIVE AWAY!
BMW CAR CLUB
INSURANCE DEVELOPED BY EXPERTS FOR BMW CAR CLUB MEMBERS
BMW CAR CLUB GB ARE THE ONLY CLUB ENDORSED BY BMW UK
Bespoke arrangements for your Motor, Home and Commercial insurance needs. COVER AVAILABLE CAN INCLUDE: Ÿ Classic and Modern Car Policies
Ÿ Multi-Vehicle policies
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Ÿ Agreed Values
modifications
Breakdown Cover
www.BMWCARCLUBINSURANCE.co.uk Call the dedicated members line on 0330 123 0197 and speak to one of the team for all your Motor, Home, and Commercial Insurance needs. This agreement has been designed specifically for BMW Car Club GB, who have become an Introducer Appointed Representative (IAR) of A-Plan Holdings. A-Plan Holdings is Authorised and Regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA). Registered office: 2 Des Roches Square, Witney, OX28 4LE. Registration number: 750484. To confirm our registration on the FCA website, go to www.fca.org.uk/firms/systems-reporting/register/ or by contacting the FCA on 0800 111 6768.
Formed in 1952 as The BMW Car Club of Great Britain, incorporated in1982 as THE BMW Car Club (Great Britain) Ltd. A non-profit making club owned and run by and for its members. Combined One-Make Car Club Assoociated Club of RAC Motor Sports Association Ltd. The views and statements made in this publication do not necessarily reflect those of the BMW Car Club GB Founder The Late R.J.T Hewitt President John Safe Vice Presidents Chris Wadsley, Jeff Heywood, Len Oakshett
National Committee Members Chairman: Jamal Blanc Region and Register Director: Dave Evans Motorsports Director: Neil McDonald Retailer Liaison: Martyn Goodwin Technical Director: Richard Stern
inside this issue
Club Office Manager: Michelle Evans Club Coordinators Lisa Davies, Anya Edwardes BMW Car Club Insurance: Henry Francis Patron Mike Wilds, The late Barrie Williams
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E46 M3 CSL – Driving a BMW Legend
Jeff Heywood takes out an E46 M3 CSL to see ‘what all the fuss is about’. Find out his driving impressions as he takes it on a fun, but safe, drive!
Editing Team Lisa Davies – lisa@bmwcarclubgb.co.uk Jeff Heywood Cover image: Jon Elsey
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“I’m the King of the Castle”
Take a look at the new 1 Series! Steve Carter reports from Chandlers BMW Hailsham.
37
Going Back to My Roots Part 2
Find out if Tony Wawryk’s 02 made it back home in one piece in this second part of his journey to Germany and back.
Advertising Display Advertising Hine Marketing 01452 730 770 nick@hinemarketing.co.uk
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Website advertising office@bmwcarclubgb.co.uk
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BMWCCR Snetterton
Read about the successful penultimate BMWCCR Championship race at Snetterton circuit. After a damp day, the skies opened and gave Club Racers a sight to behold!
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Mechanical Marvel! The ‘Techie Bit’ Part 2
The second part of John Castle’s article on the BMW M30 engine. Learn about the ‘techie bit’ of this mechanical marvel, celebrating its 50th anniversary.
Online classifieds - £4.95 bmwcarclubgb.uk Classifieds - £9.95 per issue Club Office 01970 267 989 office@bmwcarclubgb.co.uk BMW Car Club (GB) Ltd, Unit 5h, Glan Yr Afon, Aberystwyth, SY23 3JQ Website: www.bmwcarclubgb.uk Email: office@bmwcarclubgb.co.uk Tel: 01970 267989 Office Hours: 9:00am-5:00pm - Mon-Fri Published on behalf of BMW Car Club by Hine Marketing, Hill Farm Studios, Wainlodes Lane, Bishops Norton Glos, GL2 9LN. Tel: 01452 730770 sales@hinemarketing.co.uk
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Santorini Dreaming Part 2
We take a look at Anthony Shilson’s finished project – his E92 M3.
53
7:12 BTG in an M2C
Ace BMW tuners TPS Performance blitz the ‘ring in their M2 C-TR.
Contents
from the editor
Welcome to the November issue of Straight Six! Brrr! It’s getting cold out there! Before you pack away your pride and joy this winter,
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take them out to our remaining National and Regional events this year. Inside this month’s issue we take a look at Anthony Shilson’s finished M3 E92 on page 49, catch up on part 1 in July 2019 Straight Six! Finish celebrating the 50th anniversary of BMW’s M30 engine in the part 2 article on page 44, and find out if Tony Wawryk’s
regulars 6
Board Torque
8
Thoughts from the Boardroom
10 Club News 13 BMW News 16 Motorsport News 19 Products 22 Dan Norris 56 Pirelli 58 Crossword/Social Media 59 Regions
02 made it home in one piece in his part 2 article on page 37. Ever wondered what it would be like to own an M3 CSL? Find out on page 24! The new 1 Series has recently launch! Find it on page 32! Some of our 2020 National Events have been confirmed! Will we see you at the Autosport International show in the NEC on the 11-12th of January? How about the London Classic Car Show on the 20-23rd of February? The venue has changed to Olympia London, and tickets are now on sale! The Western Region have confirmed their 2020 events – Everyone is welcome to come along to the Southern Concours on the 3rd of May, or how about BM’s on the Lawn on the 5th of July? Contact western@bmwcarclubgb.co.uk for more information! Discounted tickets for the NEC Classic Motor Show are available until midnight of the 7th of November. Book your tickets using the Club code CC2803 and come see us in Hall 1 Stand 210! Want to help the Club? We are always looking for volunteers with knowledge in BMW models to fill our vacant registers. To find out what roles need filling or to show your interest, email lisa@bmwcarclubgb. co.uk. Part-time photographer or just love taking pictures? Send us high quality images of your BMW along with a caption to lisa@bmwcarclubgb.co.uk to be in for the
73 Registers
chance to win FREE Meguire’s products!
80 Your Photos
Happy reading!
82 Events
Straight Six editorial team.
Lisa & Jeff
BMW Car Club Magazine NOVEMBER 2019
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boardtorque
Pirelli P Zero . Custom-made performance since 1986. TM
For more than 30 years, P ZeroTM tyres have been the choice of the most prominent carmakers, for the best vehicles in the world. Today, based on this experience and on its cutting-edge technology, Pirelli launches the new P ZeroTM, the custom-made tyre for the next generation of cars, designed to draw out an even greater range of driving emotions. For custom-made performance, look no further than P ZeroTM. Discover more on Pirelli.com
The new P ZeroTM tyres are now available. The coloured limited edition version shown in the image will be available to order from September 2016, in selected sizes only.
further information, contactEvans us at limitededition@pirelli.com Region and RegisterForDirector - please Dave
2020 to organise a conference for the Regional Chairpersons and Register Captains which will enable the club to give more support, encouragement and to build a stronger nationwide network linking the Regions together, also with the help of the Register Captains to share their knowledge and experience throughout the membership.
As Regions and Register Director I often find myself pondering over the vast diversity of models that the Club covers. From the classics of the early 50’s right through to the latest hybrids and i Series. My personal passion lies with the classics, but I am very much aware of the latest models that BMW are revealing to us on a monthly basis, although I’m struggling to keep up with the F and G numbers! But even so, who amongst us wouldn’t love to own a 2002, E30 M3 or an E39 M5? Whatever BMW you drive, check out the listings in the latest Club Directory. Also did you know that you can keep up to date with our latest news on Social Media, such as our main BMW Car Club Facebook page, as well as Regional BMW Car Club pages where you can find the latest events and pub meets in your Region; you can normally find these links in the Regional news at the back of the magazine. We are also active on Instagram (@thebmwcarclub), and Twitter (@bmwccgb).
deal with on to a specialist who can help with the vast array of questions and advice our membership requires. Regions On the Regional side, we have a great team of volunteers who tailor their own Regional calendars and monthly pubs meets to suit those members who are actively involved in events and the social side of the Club. The Regions are in place to enable members to get to know each other, share their experience, passion and knowledge of the cars they love and cherish. I’m often asked by members which Region they come under, but to be honest you are free to get involved with any Region that suits you best, whether by your home or work location. There is also no restriction regards joining in with the events organised by any Region. My intentions over the next few months are to not only interact more with the Regions and Registers, but in
So what else is new? It’s great to know that with a lot of input from the Club Office and the Board of Directors, a new exciting website is now on the horizon. We are now looking forward to a whole new “E” Experience for the membership. The website will link all aspects of the BMW Car Club and its members, with an easy to access information route linked to your individual interests and requirements, enabling you to keep up to date with the latest news, events and offers to mention but a few of its benefits. So our intensions are to not only continue with our very successful monthly Straight Six magazine, but also to provide a modern interactive facility to bring the Club further into the technological age of “social media“. This year we have purchased two new fully branded gazebos, one 3x3m and one 3x6m, replacement furniture and display/advertising boards which will be used for the larger events and can be transported in our new lightweight trailer if necessary. All this investment is to improve the overall presence of the Club at shows and enable us to grow the membership. All this equipment will be available for all Regions and Registers on request, but will be subject to Office approval. Looking forward to improving the membership experience in 2020! All the best, Dave Evans
Registers On the Register side of things, just touching again on the classics. We have an amazing wealth of experience and knowledge within the Club provided by people such as Nick Hull (E9), Richard Stern (2002), Neil McDonald (E30), Debbie Blythe (8 Series), Simon Alcorn (Alpina), and Dipesh Amin (modified) to mention but a few. We need to remember these Register captains give their time and experience on a purely voluntary basis, and they are there to advise or direct any queries they can’t
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BMW Car Club Magazine NOVEMBER 2019
www.bmwcarclubgb.uk
thoughts from the boardroom
Graeme Grieve, CEO BMW (UK) Ltd.
A
s I write it’s a scant 12 hours since Colin Turkington secured his record-equalling fourth BTCC drivers’ crown and BMW won its fourth manufacturers’ title in a row, and I’m still waiting for my heart rate to return to normal. I don’t think I’ve ever experienced a weekend like it. I am, of course, talking about this year’s BTCC season finale at Brands Hatch where I experienced more highs and lows in the space of 24 hours than I thought possible. It’s been an incredible season for the new BMW 330i M Sport – 11 wins, nine podiums and four pole positions – and all this from a brand-new car that had hardly turned a wheel in anger before the season got underway. West Surrey Racing who run the 330i M Sports in the BTCC has worked so hard this season to make the 3 Series the best car on the grid, and I couldn’t be happier all that burning of the midnight oil has resulted in this phenomenal success. The weekend started well when Turkington took pole position, but the changeable conditions for race one favoured the front-wheel drive cars with championship contender Dan Cammish taking the win for Honda with Turkington back in fifth. With Turkington’s lead in the championship reduced to just eight points a good result in race two was vital. A stunning start from Turkington in the second race elevated him from fifth to second by the first corner but joy turned to despair when he was unceremoniously punted off the track just seconds later leaving him fuming in last place. A gamble to switch onto slick tyres didn’t pay off and a 25th place for Turkington and a third spot for Cammish made another title for the BMW man look wildly improbable at best. You probably know the rest by now but a storming comeback drive from Turkington in race three saw him rise from 25th to 15th on the first lap and as he continued to make up places there was a glimmer of hope that the impossible comeback might be on. As the lap counter ticked down he overtook Cammish and ultimately a sixth place for Turkington saw him take the championship by two points. Further
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BMW Car Club Magazine NOVEMBER 2019
icing on the cake was BMW Pirtek Racing’s Andrew Jordan taking second place in the championship. From the nadir of race two to the zenith of race three it was a thrilling BTCC finale and even now I have to pinch myself to confirm I didn’t dream it all. The 330i M Sport now joins an illustrious list of BMW BTCC winners from the iconic E30 M3 through the E36 318i and E90 320si to the 1 Series models that took us to four manufacturers’ crowns in five seasons. I’m absolutely delighted the G20 330i M Sport has entered this hall of fame – let’s hope it’s the first of many. Its racing success only goes to further demonstrate its provenance as a class-leading road car, exhibiting the same prowess on the track as it does on our highways and byways. For the BTCC car to be so good straight out of the box is a fantastic achievement and I have to thank West Surrey Racing for all its hard work over the course of the season. While the on-track action might have
finished for the year you can bet West Surrey Racing won’t be resting on its laurels and plans will already be underway on how the 330i M Sports can be further improved over the winter. Here’s looking forward to more of the same in 2020 – my heart rate might just have returned to normal by the time next season starts!
www.bmwcarclubgb.uk
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clubnews NEC Classic Motor Show
Will we see you this month at the NEC Classic Motor Show on the 8-10th November? We’ll be in hall 1 stand 210! Early bird tickets are available until midnight on Thursday 7th November, so remember to book in advance with the Club discount code: CC2803!
Christmas Membership Pack
Our BMW Car Club Christmas Packs are now live! Want to treat a loved one or friend to a whole year of BMW Car Club membership, plus BMWCC goodies? Grab yours now for £55 in November*! We have limited numbers of these so remember to get them whilst stocks last! *£60 in December. The popular Autosport International Show is back! Public days are on the 11th and 12th of January 2020, so come along to see some high performance cars and well-known faces in motor racing! Early bird offer ends on the 30th November, so be quick to grab 10% off tickets!
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BMW Car Club Magazine NOVEMBER 2019
Good Luck Last month we said farewell to our Club Coordinator Jasmine Davies as she left us to pursue a new challenge. Jasmine started with us as a parttime office admin back in early 2017 and it was evident through her creativity and organisational skills that we had found a great addition to our team. If you follow us on Social Media you will also be familiar with Jasmine’s witty and interactive postings that have ‘shared the joy’ and captured many more followers. Her engaging personality and funny wit kept us entertained at Club events and she always greeted everyone with a smile. Jasmine’s quick humour within the office had us all weak with laughter on more occasions than we can remember. On behalf of BMWCCHQ, you the members and the Board, we would like to thank Jasmine for all her hard work and we wish her all the very best of luck for the future.
Calling all Irish members! Are you a creative and organised person? Do you like planning events and meeting new people on both sides of the border? Why not become our New Ireland Regional Chair! Contact officeadmin@ bmwcarclubgb.co.uk for more information! www.bmwcarclubgb.uk
CENTRAL
Simon Coltman Anish ailor Robert Judge Adrian Kellett
CENTRAL WEST Karamvir Reehal
CHESHIRE & STAFFS Ian Bird
CUMBRIA
Alistair Fletcher
COTSWOLD Mike Salmon
DEVON
Paul Samuel
EAST ANGLIA
Jake Hardwick Stuart Diaz-Faulkner Rich Daubney Peter Moore Trevor Jefferis
EASTERN
Sean Wilkinson John Barker Lewis Sutherland Richard Lacey Paul Trigwell Kenneth Parkin Andy Blake Marcus Motley John Golden James Toyne Phil Sneap Philip Patton Jeffrey Nunn
Dilly Stern Tony Daines James Pope David Wilkinson Jayne Robinson
Maurice Tyson Martin Taylor
IRELAND
Christina Fordham
LONDON
Michael Barker Viken Krikorian Clement Camilleri Pawel Orzechowski Jaspal Sohal Barry Buckingham Colin Brown John Grimes Thomas Hardyment Michael Angus Johar Mustafa
NORTH EAST
Kenneth McLeod
NORTH WEST Phil Robinson Thomas Robb Neil Dolman John Tillotson Gary Whitwell J Mahmood Keith Cartmell Mike Wilcock
SCOTLAND
Alastair Muir Alex Auchinachie Jason Rodgers Edward Beedie Alan Coutts David Tabb
SOUTH EAST Victor Pell Neil Reed
THAMES
Cole Jones Tom Farley
WALES - NORTH Derek Crump Kevin Roberts
WALES - MID & SHROPS Matthew Davies-Jones
WALES - SOUTH Clive Thomas Chris Hardcastle Phillip Price Dermott Mc caul David Holmes
WESTERN
Sean Henderson
November 8-10:
Discount code: CC2803
Calendar 2020 January 11-12: Autosport International, NEC
Early bird discounts are still available, book before the 30th November to get 10% off tickets.
February 20-23: London Classic Car Show A new beginning: The London Classic Car Show moves to Olympia London, Kensington. Tickets on sale now: www. thelondonclassiccarshow.co.uk/
May
Paul Merrett Jonathan Mason Erik Ribovic Oscar Rozario William Andrews Ramon Phillips Gary Williamson Rachel Bailey
3:
Friday 8th November.
£160.00 Contact officeadmin@bmwcarclubgb.co.uk for more information or visit our club shop: shop.bmwcarclubgb.uk
NEC Classic Motor Show
www.necclassicmotorshow.com /club-tickets
WESSEX
Oulton Park Trackday
www.bmwcarclubgb.uk
National Show Calendar 2019
Southern Concours
Held at Sherborne Castle and Gardens. For more information, email western@bmwcarclubgb. co.uk.
June 19-21: BMW Welsh Weekend
To book, please contact the Metropole Hotel direct on 01597 823 700 and quote BMW Welsh Weekender.
July 5:
BM’s on the Lawn
Western Region’s annual event at Western-Super-Mare beach front Lawns. All welcome. For more information, email western@bmwcarclubgb.co.uk.
Trackday Calendar 2019 November 8:
Oulton Park - £160
lisa@bmwcarclubgb.co.uk for more information. Purchase online at shop. bmwcarclubgb.uk BMW Car Club Magazine NOVEMBER 2019
11
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bmwnews
Stunning all-new M8 Competition Gran Coupe breaks cover Just as we were going to press, BMW released the first official photos and details about the new, super-sleek 4-door M8 Competition Gran Coupe, which will receive its world premiere at this month’s Los Angeles Auto Show. There is way too much info to list on the car, but here are the big numbers – The M8C Gran Coupe is powered by the same twin-turbo 4.4-litre V8 as its M5 Competition cousin, producing 625hp and 750Nm of torque. This allows the Gran Coupe to sprint to 60mph from rest in a staggering 3.0 seconds (or less!) Top speed is electronically limited to 155mph. Such mighty sprinting times are doable thanks to the (standard) BMW M xDrive all-wheel-drive system. The M8C Gran Coupe is also equipped with BMWs new Integrated Braking System, which provides two different brake pedal settings, COMFORT and SPORT. These modes alter the amount of pressure on the brake pedal required to slow the car. This in a nutshell allows the driver to choose between a softer or harder, more keen brake pedal. Average fuel consumption is listed as 26.9mpg with combined CO2 emissions of 240g/km. The M8 Competition Gran Coupe can be ordered now from UK BMW dealers, with OTR prices starting from £120,935 – with deliveries expected when the worldwide market launch gets underway in April 2020…
BMW unveils the Competition versions of the X5M & X6M BMW has rolled out the Competition versions of the X5M and X6M models, with some big numbers quoted; Power from the twin-turbo 4.4-litre V8 engine has been increased by 50hp to 625hp, with stump pulling peak torque of 750Nm. The X6MC can hit 60mph from rest in a mind boggling 3.6 seconds, with its X5MC brother just a tenth behind. Combined emissions for the X6MC are 284-289 g/km (X5MC 291-296 g/km) - ouch! BMW claims the X5/6MCs raise the bar compared to other rivals, including Porsche, having extensively tested and honed them at Miramas, the Arjeplog testing facility and of course, on the Nürburgring. Setup buttons for direct access to the settings for the engine, suspension, steering, M xDrive and the braking
www.bmwcarclubgb.uk
system, which allows the driver to vary brake pedal feel. Two individually composed overall setups can be selected using M buttons on the steering wheel. BMW Individual special paint finishes are available for the X5M and X6M, allowing customers to build a bespoke vehicle of their choice. Both models are available to order now at UK BMW retailers. The X5M Competition is priced from £110,610 OTR and the X6M Competition comes in at £113,310 OTR.
BMW Car Club Magazine NOVEMBER 2019
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bmwnews bmwnews The new BMW G21 3 Series Touring
We covered the launch of the new G21 3 Series Touring earlier this year; the G21 is now available to order at UK BMW dealers… The G21 is a sleeker design than its predecessor, with more interior space and improved practicality. It is certainly a bit of a looker. It is also lighter with an
Spy photos of BMW M5 LCI
It only seems like yesterday that BMW were releasing the all new F90 M5 to the motoring world, yet here we are, 18 months or so after its launch in the UK and we are showing spy shots of a camouflaged LCI M5 (Life Cycle Impulse). It looks as though the M5’s ‘mid-life’ updates will be pretty minimal. The LCI M5 will probably receive new bumpers front and rear, but the biggest change will be to the car’s headlights, which looking at the photos the LED ‘rings’ are now more squared off, similar to those on new Audi’s. At the rear expect a new bumper as mentioned and new lights; it’s the easiest and most cost effective way for a manufacturer to make styling changes.
improved chassis for superior handling. There is also a new M Sport Plus Edition exclusively for the UK market, and a plug-in hybrid will join the model line-up in June 2020. The new G21 can be specified with a plethora of engine and trim options, with the current choice ranging from
a 150hp 318d model up to an M340i xDrive with 374hp and 500Nm of torque from its turbocharged 3-litre inline six, enough to propel the M340i to 60mph in 4.3 seconds! The 330e plug-in hybrid model arrives in the summer with a 4-cylinder turbocharged engine allied to an electric drive system integrated into the eight-speed Steptronic transmission. The petrol engine gives 184hp whilst the electric motor gives 68hp for a total of 252hp; an extra 40hp is available for 10 seconds of extra boost to give 292hp. This allows the 330e to sprint to 60mph from rest in 5.9 seconds, with combined fuel consumption figures of 122.8156.9mpg; CO2 emissions equate to 52-42g/km. There are far too many model and trim varieties to mention here, so for more info best to visit your local BMW dealer or look online at bmw.co.uk – The G21 is now available at BMW retailers across the UK, priced from £35,505 OTR.
48V electrical system with overboost for all 520d models
The 5 Series range will get a couple of very interesting upgrades this autumn, the most important of them being a move into mild-hybrid territory. The Bavarian car maker announced that the 5 Series will get a 48 volt electrical system starter-generator and a second battery for better efficiency and sharper performance. With this new starter, the brake energy regeneration feature that has been offered as standard on BMW models for quite some time now, will be capable of recuperating even more energy when braking. The energy harnessed is not only used for powering electrical vehicle functions, but for generating additional power as well. The 48V starter-generator acts likes an electric drive unit that assists the engine. An electric overboost function, meanwhile, injects a bit of extra power when accelerating under full throttle. The BMW 5 Series with the 48 volt starter-generator has the additional benefit of allowing the engine to be switched off and restarted with remarkably little vibration and more smoothness when using the Auto Start Stop function. As of November 2019, mildhybrid technology will be fitted as standard on all BMW 520d Saloons and Tourings, including xDrive models. BMW also confirmed that all BMW diesel models will receive 48V electrical systems at some point in 2020 All BMW diesel models will receive 48V electrical systems at some point in 2020…
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BMW Car Club Magazine NOVEMBER 2019
www.bmwcarclubgb.uk
THE ORIGINAL AND THE BEST As the original equipment manufacturers to companies such as Rover, MG, Triumph, Jaguar and many others over the years, Tex has established an unsurpassed reputation for quality and service. Today that quality remains evident in our Classic range of products, over 95% of which are manufactured in our factory in Oxfordshire on the original tooling. Tex products range from wing and door mirrors, wiper arms and blades and accessories are all supplied as original accessories on most British cars in the 50s, 60s, 70s. Tex were ďŹ tted as original equipment to all British Leyland vehicles between 1974 to 1983.
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motorsportnews
Yet another mixed bag for BMW at the Nurburgring… In the penultimate round of the DTM Championship, held on the GP circuit at the Nurburgring, BMW were hoping to put on a better show in qualifying and the races themselves in front of thousands of BMW fans after a poor showing of late. Qualifying – Didn’t go quite to plan, as championship leader Rast claimed yet another pole for Audi. A resurgent Spengler qualified 2nd on the grid in his M4, but he was then surrounded by a gaggle of RS5s as Audi filled the next three spots. Van der Linde place his M4 6th on the grid, Glock was 7th for BMW with Audi locking out the remaining top ten places… Race 1 – Rast was dominant in the first race, securing a comfortable lightsto-flag victory to put him on the brink of securing the DTM crown. Spengler started slowly, dropping to 3rd spot behind Audi’s Rockenfeller. The Audi driver unfortunately had to retire, allowing
Spengler to inherit 2nd place which he held to the chequered flag. Apart from Rast’s dominant performance, there was another driver who deserved all the plaudits he received after Marco Wittmann battled through the pack in his M4 from 11th on the grid to finally finish on the podium in 3rd place, keeping his slender title hopes alive. Van der Linde, Eriksson and Glock finished 7th, 8th and 9th respectively for BMW, the rest of the top ten being made up of Audi drivers… Qualifying 2 – Was a complete nightmare for BMW, whose inconsistency was again their Achilles heel. The top six places were locked out by Audi, with Jamie Green securing pole in his RS5, followed by Rast and Rockenfeller’s RS5s. Glock qualified 7th for BMW, followed by Wittmann, Spengler and van der Linde making up the top ten for BMW.
Race 2 – Was an embarrassing Audi parade to the finish line, with the top seven places filled with RS5s. Jamie Green drove a dominant race to secure a lights-to-flag victory in his RS5. Frijns secured 2nd spot for Audi as Rast relaxed in the closing stages to allow Frijns through, knowing his 3rd place finish was enough to secure the driver’s DTM title for him and Audi. Unfortunately for BMW, Wittmann, the only BMW driver to consistently take the fight to Audi, was let down by a mechanical malady, a serious oil leak in the M4’s engine forcing him to retire, handing the crown to Rast. Top placed BMW finisher was Eng in 8th place, followed by Glock (9th) and Spengler (10th). The teams now move onto Hockenheim for the final race of the season, but an inquest into BMW’s poor showing will already have begun back at HQ. The performances by the teams this season just haven’t been good enough at times. DTM is the showcase motorsport event for the Germans, bigger than F1, so BMW will be smarting after being totally outgunned by the boys from Ingolstadt…
Spengler drove steadily and sensibly in the first DTM race at the Nurburgring to bring his BMW Bank M4 home in 2nd place in the first race
Second place finish for M8 GTE at Laguna Seca After struggling for pace at recent races, BMW Team RLL enjoyed a much happier weekend in the penultimate race of the season at Laguna Seca in the IMSA
Krohn (L) and Edwards (R) celebrate their 2nd place finish in the GTLM class in their #24 M8 GTE at Laguna Seca in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship
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BMW Car Club Magazine NOVEMBER 2019
WeatherTech SportsCar Championship. The #24 BMW M8 GTE driven by Edwards and Krohn crossed the finish line in second place, after starting from pole position. Their team-mates Tom Blomqvist and Connor De Phillippi just missed the podium, coming in fifth at the end of the race aboard the #25 M8 GTE. The #24 M8 GTE led for the first 19 laps of the race, but was baulked badly exiting the Andretti Hairpin, which allowed the #66 Ford GT to slip by and take the lead, which it held for the rest of the race to take the chequered flag and GTLM Class win, followed by the #24 BMW M8 GTE and the #3 Chevrolet Corvette C7.R.
The Krohn/Edwards #24 M8 GTE slices majestically through the infamous Laguna Seca ‘Corkscrew’ on its way to a 2nd place finish in the GTLM class…
The final race of the season takes place at the Motul Petit Le Mans at Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta. www.bmwcarclubgb.uk
Feature Roving reporters Jeff Heywood & Neil McDonald
Team BMW’s Colin Turkington seals recordequalling BTCC title Colin Turkington became British Touring Car Champion for a record-equalling fourth time as Team BMW triumphed at an astonishing season finale at Brands Hatch. Coming into the last of 30 races held this year at the iconic Kent venue, Colin needed to overturn an eight-point deficit to chief rival Dan Cammish, and was forced to start 25th on the grid in his BMW 330i M Sport after being spun to the back in Race Two. But a staggering fightback brought him into the top 10 by half-distance, and with Cammish crashing with a lap-and-a-half to go, sixth place – added to fifth and 25th in the earlier races – proved enough to make him champion for the fourth time by just two points. Completing the success story, BMW Pirtek Racing’s Andrew Jordan – whose 3 Series is also run by WSR – claimed the runner-up spot in the series to give the Sunbury-on-Thames team its first one-two championship finish in the BTCC. Not only that, it enabled Dick Bennetts’ team to give BMW the Manufacturers’ title for a fourth consecutive season, and in the debut year of the new 3 Series, which won 11 races across the year and did not suffer a single mechanically-related retirement. It is also the 12th overall BTCC crown won by WSR in the past 11 seasons. Team-mate Tom Oliphant produced an incredible fightback in the final race of the day to climb from 30th and last on the grid to 10th place by the chequered flag; the Leamington Spa-based driver also setting the fastest lap in the opening race. Tom had started at the back after being eliminated in a multi-car incident in Race Two in which he was an innocent bystander. With 16th place in Race One, he finished 11th in the
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Championship with two podium finishes, and second in the Jack Sears Trophy standings. Colin Turkington said: “I can’t believe it. After what happened in Race Two with being spun to the back and having to start the last race 25th, I knew I had nothing to lose, but when I crossed the line I was just in a state of shock. I’ve never won a championship in this way. Of course I feel for the other guys, but I’m also incredibly proud of this team and the work that’s been put in across the season with a brand-new BMW. I never would have dreamed that one day I’d equal the record of four championships, but here I am. That was the race of my life and I’m absolutely thrilled with this result.” Tom Oliphant said: “I’m incredibly pleased to be a part of this team. We’ve won the Drivers’ and Manufacturers’ Championships today, which is a great feeling, and I really enjoyed that last race. We played with the set-up of the BMW and got it really nailed for that final race on the dry track so to come from 30th to 10th was a great feeling. I’ve worked really hard on my pace in the second half of the year and I’m happy where we’ve got to now, and that was proved as we got the
fastest lap in Race One. Today’s a great day for WSR and BMW and it’s great to be a part of this success.” Dick Bennetts, Team Principal, said: “I can’t believe it. After Race Two, when Colin had been spun to the back, I thought the championship was gone, but one thing you can always be sure of with Colin is he never gives up, and he showed that today. He’s now equalled the all-time record of four championships and he’s won them all in WSR BMWs, so I’m incredibly proud of him and of the job done by the whole team. The new BMW 3 Series first turned a wheel the day before the season launch, and we’ve managed to win 11 races and not retired from a single race due to a technical problem. Tom’s drive in the final race was very strong and he’s done a good job for a first season in a rear-wheeldrive touring car. I think this achievement is going to take a little while to sink in.” Credit: Jakob Ebrey/BMW
BMW Car Club Magazine NOVEMBER 2019
17
d:class
Unit 6,6, Studley Unit StudleyCourt, Court,Guildford GuildfordRoad, Road,Chobham, Chobham,Surrey Surrey GU24 8EB Tel:01483 01483722 722923 923 •• web: web:www.dclass.co.uk www.dclass.co.uk Tel: email: email: dclassautomotive@hotmail.co.uk info@dclass.co.uk D:class automotive @dclassauto @dclassauto Full classic interior restoration
d:class automotive specialises in full interior management and restoration of all BMW models. We are able to offer original colours and finishes, including correct perforations, in cloth, velour, vinyl and leather, also for a supply only basis. We also offer period interior/boot carpet linings. The fundamental part of any restoration is being able to sympathetically complete the job to as true to when the car left the factory. We have a large knowledge and have completed many BMW interiors. All of our work is completed in-house by trained trimmers with vast experience and comes complete with full workmanship guarantee. d:class have completed work for customers as far afield as Australia, a testament to d:class’ craftsmanship and attention to detail. Our quality of work speaks for itself.
Interior repairs
We are able to repair single damaged areas only without having to go to the expense of replacing a whole cover. The common problem of worn bolsters can be repaired within a couple of hours work, replacing the worn cloth, velour, vinyl or leather panel. Other common faults are split stitching, often seen on the E46 model and cracking vinyl on the 1 Series. This again can be repaired as a while-you-wait service. Connolising and small burn repairs are also a speciality and can, within the Surrey area, be offered as a mobile service.
Cloth to leather and full custom interiors
d:class can offer for all models, a full upgrade from cloth to leather. This will be done to O.E.M. spec ensuring that it is finished using original patterns, perforations, styles and colours. We only use high grade leather with exact grains and from original suppliers. All work is done in-house and not a kit. Our cloth to leather service carries a full 2 year guarantee. Or if you prefer, you can overhaul your interior with a completely new and unique finish. We can trim your car in non-BMW colours, again in a high grade leather. Many unique and award winning interiors have been produced and restored by d:class and once they have rolled out of our workshops can be seen not only nationwide, but featured widely on the continent.
Hood fitting and rear screen repairs
We offer a fitting of new hoods and rear plastic window repairs
d:class staff are enthusiastic and most of all understanding. We will not compromise quality or authenticity for fast turn around. Our clients and their vehicles are foremost in our minds, you would struggle to find a more personal, friendly or knowledgeable workforce, who believe in quality over quantity.
For a professional and friendly service to BMW owners, club member owners, traders and BMW main dealerships visit www.dclass.co.uk or phone 01483 722923 We are located in Surrey, 15 minutes from Junction 10 or 11 of the M25 and from the M3. Collection can be arranged depending on distance.
Unit 6, Studley Court, Guildford Road, Chobham, Surrey GU24 8EB
Products products Brown & Geeson launches its own range of Steering Wheel Hub Kits
GAZ Gold Adjustable Coilover Dampers for classic BMW E9
Brown & Geeson has been distributing steering wheel and hub kits in the UK for over 25 years. Based on that wealth of experience the company is now launching its own range of hub kits. The new B&G range features over 800 new vehicle applications from classic to modern - far more than it could ever cover with the brands it distributed. A properly fitting, purpose made hub kit is an essential component when fitting an aftermarket steering wheel. B&G Hub Kits are just that. They are produced in Italy from the finest cast aluminium materials and are dual drilled to be compatible with various steering wheels featuring either a 6 x 70mm PCD pattern (such as MOMO, Sparco, OMP, Simoni and Mountney M-Range) or 6 x 74mm PCD pattern (such as Nardi, Personal and Raid). With any steering component absolute peace of mind is paramount, so all B&G Hub Kits are supplied with a 24 month warranty as standard. Prices from: £71.99 inc. VAT For more details contact Brown & Geeson Ltd. +44 (0) 1268 764411 or visit their website: www.b-gdirect.com
MStyle M2 Style Bodykit for BMW 2 Series F22 and F23
MStyle is pleased to announce that it can now supply a complete M2 style body kit for BMW 2 Series F22 and F23 models. The package contains durable polyurethane front and rear bumpers, grilles, fittings and reflectors. The kit retails at £945 incl. VAT A preparation, painting and installation service is also available at MStyle’s BMW specialist bodyshop in Romford, Essex at £350 incl. VAT. To complete the M2 look, MStyle can also supply a fully functioning quad exhaust for £445 extra. Price includes VAT. For more information, get in touch on 0208 598 9115 or email info@mstyle.co.uk.
Aeroflow Performance – DASH Sized Cushioned P-Clamps Aeroflow’s Cushioned P-Clamps are available in DASH- sizes ranging from -03 to -32 and are suitable for both hard line and braided hose. Aeroflow’s Cushioned P-Clamps are available in blue, black, and silver finishes. Sizes -03 to -06 are supplied in packs of ten and sizes -08 to -32 are supplied in packs of five. Retail prices start £13.19 inc. VAT per pack. For more details contact Brown & Geeson Ltd. +44 (0) 1268 764411 or visit their website: www.b-gdirect.com
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GAZ has quite a large inventory of uprated suspension for various BMW models, but one that has been missing from that list is the classic E9... until now. The latest GAZ Gold kit will fit all models of E9 including the CSi ‘Batmobile’ and is suitable for road use, trackday and racing. The kit includes adjustable coilovers for the front, and adjustable dampers and height adjustable spring platforms for the rear on which the ride height can be adjusted through 60mm. The coilovers have a coarse acme form thread for ease of height adjustment and to ensure that they remain in good order even after considerable service. (Donor front hubs are required for the conversion). Damping rates are variable by means of an adjuster knob on the damper bodies. The GAZ Gold range is designed primarily for out-and-out racing, so each comes with a reservoir filled with a high viscosity index multi grade oil to reduce fade, and a gas cell to prevent cavitation under harsh racing and trackday conditions. Springs can be supplied to the customer’s specifications according to the vehicle’s intended use with softer spring rates available for road use. All the units are individually tested before leaving the factory. The GAZ Gold coilover kit for the BMW E9 can be ordered as part number GGA119 at £1013.58 plus VAT. For further details visit the GAZ website: www.gazshocks.com BMW Car Club Magazine NOVEMBER 2019
19
Products MStyle GTS Style Bonnets for F8X M3 M4
MStyle is pleased to announce that it can now supply GTS style vented bonnet in aluminium or carbon fibre. The design adds a defined edge to the front end of the BMW F8X M3/M4 models whilst also providing additional cooling to the engine compartment. Prices start from £1,995 inc VAT and a painting and fitting service is also available at MStyle’s BMW specialist bodyshop in Romford, Essex. For more information, get in touch on 0208 598 9115 or email info@mstyle.co.uk.
Webcon 70mm Diameter Mesh Air Filters
GAZ Adjustable Coilover Kit for BMW Compact
GAZ has been the main sponsor of the BMW Compact Cup since the class first started. The class regulations dictate quite precisely the format of the GAZ suspension that can be used; however the company has now launched some variations for use in other race classes and for dedicated trackday Compacts. The kit includes adjustable coilovers for both front and rear on which the ride height can be adjusted through 60mm. The coilovers have a coarse acme form thread for ease of height adjustment and to ensure that they remain in good order even after considerable service. Damping rates are variable by means of an adjuster knob on the damper bodies. The GAZ Gold range is designed primarily for out-and-out racing; each comes with a reservoir filled with a high viscosity index multi grade oil to reduce fade and a gas cell to prevent cavitation under harsh racing and trackday conditions. Although on Compact Cup cars the springs are precisely mandated, other springs can be supplied to the customer’s specifications according to the vehicle’s intended use (as shown.) Camber adjustable top mounts can also be supplied as required (also shown). All the units are individually tested before leaving the factory. Although this kit converts the car to coilovers all round it is a direct replacement with no modifications necessary. The damper bodies are now finished in the new GAZ black plated coating to shrug off dirt, dust and minor gravel debris. The GAZ coilover kit for the BMW Compact with the mounts front and rear is priced at £1300.24 + VAT. For further details visit the GAZ website: www.gazshocks.com
DEI TIG Chill Coolant Additive
To complement its recently reintroduced 56mm and 63mm mesh air filters, Webcon is delighted to announce that a 70mm version is now available as well. The 70mm filter is superbly manufactured in the UK and features the same three layer mesh technology as proven on the previously introduced mesh filters. The 70mm filter is suitable for Weber 48DCO/SP and 48IDA carburettors, as well as other 70mm O.D. air horns. It can be ordered as part number AFM4870. AFM4870 is simple to fit, offers excellent filtration with the minimum of restriction, and is especially useful on 48IDA downdraft carburettors to prevent the ingress of debris when the car is being worked on or stored. AFM4870 mesh filters are sold in pairs and retail at £35.95 plus VAT per pair. For further details contact Webcon UK on +44 (0)1932 787100 or visit www.webcon.co.uk
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BMW Car Club Magazine NOVEMBER 2019
If you depend on your TIG welder for your work or hobby you’ll already know not to use tap water on its own as a coolant. If you did the insides of your heater rad and would end up in a sorry state! But even a recommended coolant can be improved upon. DEI TIG Chill Additive is designed to be compatible with all types of coolant and coolant/water mixtures and can even be used with plain water DEI TIG Chill will: • increase the thermal transfer of the coolant. • extend the coolant system life by reducing deposits. • reduce cavitation. With winter coming it’s even more important to ensure that you have a good coolant; adding TIG Chill will help avoid overnight freezing and bust pipes and pump failure due to insufficient lubrication. DEI TIG Chill is environmentally friendly and retails at $9.60 for a 4fl.oz bottle. In the UK and Europe DEI’s products can be ordered from Demon-Tweeks.com. Please contact Demon Tweeks for current UK price. To keep up with the very latest DEI product introductions and company news connect with DEI on Facebook or Twitter, or subscribe to DEI’s YouTube channel.
DEI Headliner Material for insulating and sound deadening
Some time ago DEI recognised the need for an attractive, professional looking, insulating material for the inside of the glass fibre roof panels of small 4x4 vehicles, such as the Jeep Wrangler, and so produced pre-cut kits for them. Now owners of other vehicles can also benefit from a reduction in noise levels of 3-4 decibels, as well as cooler interiors in summer and warmer interiors in winter, because DEI is now selling its headlining material in 75”x54” sheets for universal use. The 1” thick material comes in black, it is peel and stick for easy installation and it is marine quality to resist mould and mildew whilst insulating from heat, cold and noise. The material is ideal for the inside of hardtops on roadster sports cars. The sheets retail at $237.85 making it a cost effective DIY alternative for classic car owners rather than having a complete headlining with bows professionally fitted. In the UK and Europe DEI’s products can be ordered from Demon-Tweeks.com. Please contact Demon Tweeks for current UK price. To keep up with the very latest DEI product introductions and company news connect with DEI on Facebook or Twitter or subscribe to DEI’s YouTube channel. www.bmwcarclubgb.uk
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29/07/2019 10:49
DISCOUNTS AVAILABLE TO BMW CAR CLUB MEMBERS Based in Cambridgeshire, I’m a life-long petrolhead with a ‘passion for repair’ and I offer to maintain, service and repair your BMW, MINI and camper-van or caravan with the same dedication with which I look after my own vehicles, which include an E46 M3 and an R50 Mini Cooper. I will work closely with you to find the optimal solution to your needs within a value for money budget. Please call or email me if you wish to discuss your vehicle
www.bmwcarclubgb.uk
BMW Car Club Magazine NOVEMBER 2019
21
dannorris The BMW M1. Just like a bowl of Cornflakes Asking me to name my favourite BMW is a bit like asking me to name my favourite tune or band. I love the 60s greats like the Beatles and the Stones, but is that too much of a cliché? I like Foster the People (who? I hear you ask) and I like the Kooks and I’ve currently got The Wombats on repeat – but let’s face it, nobody’s beaten Exile on Main Street, yet, have they? It’s the same story with BMW. I love the latest M5 – even if I get the F numbers confused – and I’m known to have a soft spot for the V8 M3 (see many previous articles…) but just like Gimme Shelter, I keep coming back to the start. So, which BMW would I most want on my drive, if it had to be just one? The M1, of course. For me, the M1 is the epitome of everything you want from a classic car. Because its not just about the car – although this one delivers every bit of excitement you’ll need – its about the story behind the car. And I’m not just talking in general terms about the birth of the M1 and its concept, gestation and development – compelling story though it is. Every individual M1 has its own story to tell. Many are shrouded in mystery, the life of the cars inextricably intertwined with the life of their owners, and even those lacking in official history or provenance have a back story – often making the car just as fascinating as those with more paperwork or a traceable past. The more you read about BMW’s journey, the more you realise just how much they deserve their success. As a company they have proverbials made of steel, and they’ve never lacked ambition. Or a hint of madness. And possibly nothing was ballsier – or madder – than a company
This M1 is for sale at Munich Legends. Definitely better than Muesli.
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BMW Car Club Magazine NOVEMBER 2019
such as BMW in the late 70s developing a mid-engined, two-seater race car with the intention of taking on Porsche and friends, and beating them at their own game. With the original manufacturing partnership with Lamborghini effectively still-born, most people would have shelved the project and moved on. Not BMW. What is remarkable about this story - and a fair few other BMW tales from that era – is just how the same few names keep cropping up again and again, how a few individuals within the business made so much difference to the company’s future. Without the determination, drive and vision of Jochen Neerpasch, there would probably be no M1 – and possibly no BMW M. Neerpasch was a racing driver, manager and all-round motorsport dude, responsible for pushing the careers of greats like Hans Stuck and Michael Schumacher, as well as being a man possessed of clear vision and huge ambition. But to rival Neerpasch in the M1 awards, you have master engine designer Paul Rosche. Rosche may not have been as dynamic in his career as Neerpasch, but his Midas touch impacted legends from the 507 through to the 2002 turbo, the E30 M3 and even the Mclaren F1. His name is behind more racing victories than possibly any other engineer. But he was also the man behind the M88, and its fair to say that makes him Mr M1. Delays to the program meant the M1 missed its original purpose, and again, this could have killed the project. Reenter Neerpasch, this time using his sales and marketing skills to persuade Max Mosley - who when not spending time underground was already the rising star of motorsport – to get behind his single make
championship idea. Procar was born. Despite all of this excitement and talent, the M1 was pretty well a flop in the showrooms. Maybe the world just wasn’t ready – not for the first time BMW were well ahead of the public’s perception of the brand. You can find the original list on line of buyers and the allocations of chassis numbers, their corresponding engine numbers, and in many cases the actual delivery address. This, for any collector, is where the fun really begins. Some buyers were famous names – and quite predictable – Bernie Ecclestone and Johnny Cecotto are there, along with power boat racers, team managers and friends of BMW. Others seem incongruous - anonymous German business owners who must have wondered what they’d let themselves in for – until they drove one. Over time, the original 453 found themselves spread around the globe. Many went underground into collections, passing through tax havens and into the dark. BMW themselves pretty well disowned the whole project, as usual preferring to focus on the way ahead rather than celebrating the past. Nobody wanted M1s. At the lowest point you could pick up a good one for £40-£50 grand – Munich Legends used one to do the train station runs for service clients. But with the resurgence of the classic car market and a new generation of fans, the M1 suddenly started to emerge as the Best Classic Car You Never See. Values shot up, and more M1s started to appear, often with mysteries and secret stories attached. I’ve been lucky enough to drive a fair few M1s, and I have to say no other BMW makes the hairs on my neck stand up in quite the same way. Every car has its own personality - reflecting the handmade nature of its build – and the combination of history, heritage and Rosche’s genius seeps out of every car, like coolant from a leaky pipe. Out in the wild they look exotic, stylish, and let’s face it – downright cool. They don’t come up for sale that often, but when they do, I drop everything to get them into the showroom. There are other great BMWs from my favourite era – obviously the E30 M3, and the beautiful 3.0CSL, but nothing quite matches that feeling when you’re in the presence of that first M car, the moment where it all began. So, if you’ve got northwards of half a million quid burning a hole in your pocket, there’s nothing out there more exciting or exotic as an M1, and it won’t make a bad investment either, if that’s your thing. Like a bowl of Cornflakes, the M1 really does deserve the strap line: Original and Best. www.bmwcarclubgb.uk
CAR OF THE MONTH
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Driving a BMW Legend – E46 M3 CSL
COUPÉ SPORT LEICHTBAU! These three words in isolation don’t mean very much to the average soul, but to BMW aficionados the world over, Coupe Sport Leichtbau, or CSL in its abbreviated form, means so, so much more, be it in its original E9, Batmobile format, or as here, in E46 M3 guise. But what is it like to drive, and could you use one as an everyday driver? Would you want to? Read on to find out… Words – Jeff Heywood Photos – Jeff Heywood + BMW Press
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BMW Car Club Magazine NOVEMBER 2019
www.bmwcarclubgb.uk
Feature “Seven-thousand-nine-hundred rpm.” In these turbocharged days we’re supposed to be impressed by mammoth torque outputs conjured up barely above idle; 7,900 revs-per-minute is the sort of engine speed at which only six-figure exotica, usually Italian, finally give up every last hp they’ve got. Written on the spec sheet of a relatively attainable sports coupé, it feels wrong. Sinful, even. And damn exciting! BMW’s straight six for the millennium – the 3.2-litre S54 – is one reason why prices for even enthusiastically owned examples of the E46 M3 are inexorably on the up. Other reasons include its sweet chassis, near-perfect proportions plus it is totally practical. For many, when production ended in 2006, it also was the last time the world’s archetypal driver’s car was neither too lardy nor turbocharged. The E46 M3 hit der sweet spot, and in terms of pure synaptic pleasure it seems unlikely any successor will get the better of it. And so we come to the CSL; the CSL is what you get when you crossbreed the GT3 RS with an E46 M3.
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And, boy did BMW want you to know it. The original press information talks about a track-day special at “the very core” of the brand; of an ever increasing “weight spiral” halted only by “radical measures”; they quoted Newton’s second law, for pity’s sake. But, there is some justification for this, because the CSL’s modifications make the modern day ‘Competition’ models seem nothing more than an ashtray upgrade package. There is too much to list but here’s a flavour. The rear windscreen is made of thinner glass and the roof panel is carbon fibre. A carbon-fibre front air dam cuts front-end lift by half and the bonnet is manufactured from aluminium, not steel. Bespoke aluminium wheels save 11kg. Those running on ‘CSL copies’ take note! The boot floor is fashioned from a ‘paper-honeycomb-sandwich’ structure – ‘fibreboard’ to you and me… oh, and cardboard to that Clarkson fella – and the through-loading assembly is constructed from glassfibre instead of steel. That last one kind of proves just how serious BMW’s M division was. In total, 110kg
was shaved from the chassis for a kerb weight of 1,310kg – the equivalent of the current Ford Fiesta ST, plus a small child. Clothed in carbon and squeezed beneath a strut brace, the CSL’s 3.2-litre six is something quite special. Power is upped from 343hp to 360hp at a heady 7,900rpm, yes, there’s that figure again – with a modest 273lb ft of torque at 4,900rpm. Yes, this engine needs – no, demands – to be worked damn hard. Find a suitable quiet road and the über-M3 will sprint to 60mph in 4.5 seconds (0.4 seconds quicker than standard), whilst on the Autobahn you’ll see 160mph+ on the clock before the CSL, or the S54, starts to run out of steam. Controversially, the CSL was never offered with a manual gearbox. All cars had a quicker-shifting version of BMW’s SMG II semi-automatic gearbox, which allows sequential manual changes via the lever or steering wheel paddles. On road or track, the balance of the CSL was astonishing, even if the steering ratio (quickened over that of the standard M3, from 15.4:1 to 14.5:1) still feels slightly
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Feature lazy compared with the darting helm of an M2 Competition… Driving Impressions With only 422 RHD CSLs ever produced, they’re not exactly a common sight on UK roads, and of those 422, a fair few have met the great crusher in the sky, mainly thanks to owners with even less driving skills than brain cells – yes, the CSL gets driven hard which means that quite a few have hit walls or the odd tree quite hard and have been written off – even more have disappeared through hedgerows but escaped with a few scrapes if their luck held out. Luckily, a good friend who lives less than a mile from my abode has a low-mileage beauty squirrelled away in a purpose built, heated garage, and he’s willing to let me take it out for a drive – unaccompanied!! He tells me he gets too nervous sitting alongside someone so he’d prefer me going solo, adding he “trusts me”! Erring on the side of caution, he reverses his 2004 Silver Grey example out of his garage and onto the public highway, handing over the key as he prises himself out of the CSL’s limpet like bucket seat – hmm… Those who know me well will readily confess that I’m not built like a national hunt jockey, and being broad of beam, a CSL’s buckets aren’t the most welcoming of sights when given the keys to this road-racer. I manage to squeeze my way in to the fixed, Alcantaratrimmed bucket, but they are made for those with slim to mid-ish hips, not those of a prop-forward! Once I finally get myself (reasonably) comfortable I press the starter and the S54 bursts into life with a spine-tingling roar, which immediately settles down to a steady, almost silent idle. If you didn’t know the CSL you’d start to think, what is all the fuss about… I soon find out as I head out into the morning traffic. I’ve been in this car many
times but this is the very first time I have driven it any distance. My friend lives more in the ’burbs so it means having to traverse morning town traffic, stop start driving and pocked marked roads. And to be honest, these types of driving conditions are an anathema to the CSL. The ride is stiff and uncompromised and the SMG ’box can get a little jerky in stop-start traffic. My friend had warned me about the ’box and said it smooths out the more you get used to changing gear with it, but still, nose to tail traffic isn’t the natural playground for the CSL. For those that don’t know me, I live in Saddleworth in northern England, approx. 13 miles north-east of Manchester, home to the best music and some amazing driving roads! I head into and through the pretty Saddleworth village of Uppermill and on to the equally picturesque Delph village, where I exit the village past the White Lion on the A6052 Denshaw Road, or ‘Green Ash road’ as it’s known locally. Here is my first opportunity to extend the CSL as I leave the last of the stone cottages and huge executive houses behind and head out into open countryside, the Pennines looming sullenly as I glance eastwards. I snick the SMG ’box down into second gear and feed in the power progressively – bam! I’m pushed back into the now ultra-supportive seat as we rocket forward, into third gear, then snatch fourth, the S54 screaming like a mad banshee as we approach that magic 7,900rpm mark in each gear. The first bend comes up very quickly, a tight left-hander, so I back off slightly and have a quick dab on the super effective brakes to shed a bit of speed, select third and rocket out the other side as we exit the bend… this is already feeling intoxicating and I’ve only driven about a quarter of a mile in CSL ‘territory’! I quickly reach
the Denshaw crossroads in the village centre and I hook an acute right onto the exhilarating A640 which runs sinew like between ‘New Year’s Bridge’ and ‘Dowry’ reservoirs, heading eastwards towards the backbone of the Pennines and West Yorkshire. I gun the CSL past the reservoirs, the S54’s metallic wail bouncing off the yorkstone reservoir walls and the CSL makes short work of these twisty sections, the car sticking to the road limpet-like as we rocket onto the uphill section that stretches out like a piece of charcoal hued tagliatelle in front of me – if you know the road you’ll know the section I mean. It’s challenging but so rewarding and for a car like the CSL, it is roadway perfection!! I cross the point where the Pennine Way footpath ‘crosses’ the road, as the A640 plateaus out as we climb out onto a wonderful
Like all E46s, the M3 CSL’s proportions are wonderfully balanced, making for a very attractive motor car…
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Catch me if you can! The M3 CSL is right at home on fast country roads, where its mix of raw, screaming power and super dialled-in chassis can be used to perfect effect
escarpment overlooking the March Haigh reservoir in the valley below. The road straightens out more here with amazing sightlines; you can quickly find yourself travelling at highly illegal speeds, but I decide to rein it in a little bit. The CSL could easily hit 140mph+ here, but with a deference to my licence, freedom and the many local sheep, I settle into a still hand smacking cruising speed and drink in the views. The A640 is known locally as the Nont Sarah’s road, named after a local hostelry that I swiftly drive past on my right. This is God’s country, as well as being home to many hang-gliders as the A640 runs eastwards at 1,150ft above sea level as they enjoy the thermals created in the deep valley below. I then turn right, down Pole Gate and past Howard Walker’s lovely abode. I think about stopping for a cuppa, but knowing Howard if he sees the CSL he’ll want me to take him out in it to “see what all the fuss is about” – he has history here; he once said the same before when I called in my Z3M Coupe, and in his words “it was brown underpants time” as I demonstrated the M Coupe’s prodigious performance over the Nont Sarah!! And to be totally honest, I just don’t have the
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time today. I’m thinking of my good friend back home, sitting there, thinking if his pride and joy will return in one piece… As I head down the steep valley into the village of Slaithwaite, the roads too narrow and blind to be driven at speed, I settle back into an ambling cruise and contemplate what the CSL is all about. Driving the CSL feels like your backside is resting on the rear differential while your hands clasp the front axle, the extremities of the chassis seem to alter their trajectory as one, though you can cover the length of a tennis court during the torque interruption prompted by an upshift from the SMG automated manual ’box. It also sounds like nothing else I’ve driven, my M Coupe included. Its baritone blare builds to a widescreen, DTM-racer wail as air is sucked through its carbon manifold then spat out through quad exhausts. It gives me goosebumps just thinking about it. I head out of Slaithwaite heading in the direction of Meltham, then out on the B6107 in the direction of Holmfirth – Last of the Summer Wine country! I turn right onto the A6024 which takes me past the famous Holmfirth T-junction with Victoria Street to my left, the main shopping
street, but I carry on through the junction and then fork right onto the A635 – the infamous Isle of Skye road and one of my all-time favourite driving roads. The A635 actually runs between Manchester and Scawsby, running west to east through Stalybridge, Saddleworth Moor, Holmfirth, Barnsley and Doncaster, but it is the Saddleworth Moor section that holds dear to my heart. It is a challenging road, a sinewy streak of black ribbon stretching out over the bleak moors; it rises to 1,400ft+ above sea level at its highest point and is often closed by heavy snowfall during the winter months… As I head up the long hill and past the last of the houses as we climb out of Holmfirth, I hold the CSL back – there’s just too many dangers here with cars pulling off driveways and the possibility of children, dogs, etc running out into the road. Best to be circumspect and wait until we clear the last of the dwellings, we can then start to pile on the revs… On a relatively smooth paved road like the lower end of the A635 here in Holmfirth the CSL is quite refined. Not over noisy at lower revs and a relatively smooth cruiser. It’s only when the road becomes pock marked and patched,
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This is where the ‘M’ magic happens – 360hp from the 3.2-litre S54 engine
with road crossings, ruts, ridges and sunken manholes that the CSL’s rockhard suspension becomes agitated, lumpy and slightly uncomfortable. We’re all different, but I always wait until I clear the Huntsman Inn when I’m travelling towards Saddleworth before I open up a car on the A635. Once past the Huntsman I drop a couple of gears again and give the S54 its head. My ears are again assaulted by that intoxicating, mechanical banshee wail that accompanies every gear change at nigh on 8,000 revs, the carbon airbox acting a like a quality hi-fi amp to bring extra definition and clarity to what was already a superb motor with a deliciously angry, rasping metallic acoustic presence. Minor bends you don’t even have to lift for, and for all its straight-line performance, it’s the CSL’s handling that elevates it to legendary status. The last car I drove that felt so tied-down yet throttle-adjustable was in (dare I say it here in Straight Six) a Porsche Cayman GT4! High praise indeed for a BMW 3 Series first launched in 2003. It is utterly sublime, and here on
the Isle of Skye road it is in its element. I’ve now crested the climb uphill and I’m on the Saddleworth Moor plateau; the bleak moor spreads out for miles in all directions as the CSL cuts along this ribbon of tarmac like an Exocet missile. Thankfully, the road is fully fenced in its entirety, meaning any sheep with kamikaze tendencies are kept safely behind wire. And it’s a good job, because the CSL is now flying, and boy is it rapid. I know I keep repeating myself but it is just so intoxicating to drive; the explosive performance from that screaming straight-six, the surefooted handling that inspires you to keep trying just that little bit harder – remember those hedgerows – as I find myself hitting some highly illegal speeds – addictive! The A635 is no walk in the park though, no easy drive that flatters the uninitiated. Anyone who knows this section will tell you it’s a real challenge; it dips up and down, meandering over the moor with swooping crests and aggressive cambers (it rains up here… quite a lot!) and in places it is raised
Nice touches abound on the CSL, and although it looks similar to a ‘standard’ E46 M3, there are just enough changes to differentiate between the two…
almost causeway-like, built up to avoid the moorland peat bogs. The cambers are so severe and combined with the dips and rises they give any car’s suspension a thorough workout – the CSL passes with flying colours, its control, precision and sheer grip a pleasure to exploit – what a chassis. Anything travelling over here that is softly sprung wallows and pitches like a 50s Cadillac! I press on, past the junction (with caution) where Wessenden Head Road meets the A635 and I ‘pass’ over the Pennine Way again, the pathway running north-south as the A635 heads east-west,
Although stripped of most kit, the CSL’s interior is impeccably finished and trimmed, with Alcantara and carbon fibre covering most surfaces. The front bucket seats are impeccably trimmed and are like works of art, but compromised. Made for those of a narrower gait, their lack of adjustment is one of the reasons why the CSL is hard to justify as an everyday user, although I know one or two who do…
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Travelling from Holmfirth to Greenfield on the left hand side of the A635 ‘Isle of Skye’ road you enjoy a wonderful vista of Yeoman Hey reservoir… unfortunately immediately right of this spot on the bleak moor is Hollin Brown Knoll, where the Moors Murderers buried their poor victims…
and onwards past Shiny Brook – the CSL hard-wires itself into your head like a craniotomy, leaving your mouth dry, your palms damp and your soul stirred! You then notice the road just starting to slowly descend, and then out pops on your left a stunning vista down a valley to Yeomans Hey and Dovestone reservoirs in the distance, which means immediately to our left is Hollin Brown Knoll, the infamous Moors Murderers site. The A635 now starts to drop at a faster pace, the beefy brakes coming into their own (larger front discs than the standard M3), as does the wonderfully communicative steering, the brakes providing fade free stopping power as I lean on them to shed speed for some of the tighter bends, the road as twisty and challenging as any Alpine pass as we descend towards the Saddleworth village of Greenfield and journey’s end. It has been memorable, the CSL still feeling as quick and as capable as any modern, high-end sportscar. The handling is aweinspiring and grip is limpet like, whilst the steering is utterly sublime, the chunky Alcantara-wrapped wheel and snug glassfibre buckets add to the road-legalracer feel, although I was beginning to suffer in the seat – as well as being for the slim-hipped they are fixed; the only adjustment they offer is to slide back and forward to cater for driver’s leg length and reach, so the fixed and rather upright backrest was causing one or two aches after my spirited blast! The ‘standard’ E46 M3 is perhaps the ultimate practical performance car. And while the CSL doesn’t thumb its nose at such matters – it has the same rear seats and (decent) boot as the M3 (air-con and a radio were options) – for me it isn’t a www.bmwcarclubgb.uk
car you’d want to drive every day. The ride is very firm, for starters: more akin to the tightly-damped GT3 RS than a regular M3. And then there’s those seats! The lack of sound deadening material also puts your ears under constant assault from wind noise, tyre roar and, of course, that freer-breathing straightsix. Around town, it feels like a caged animal, the ageing SMG ’box venting its frustration with occasionally clunky shifts. Of course, all of that is soon forgotten once you find the right road. With no turbo to spool up, throttle response is instant, the engine exploding to 8,000rpm as the gearbox bangs through the ratios with brutal ferocity. I return to base and hand over the car (and keys) to my good friend. He smiles, he doesn’t need to ask if I enjoyed the drive, my face paints a picture a thousand words couldn’t describe. Plus his immaculate baby is home safe and sound, unmarked and tucked away in its heated ‘stable’ – after a thorough wash and towel dry I might add!! Running a CSL A total of 1,400 M3 CSLs were built, including 422 right-hand-drive cars for the UK. Only two colours were offered: Black Sapphire Metallic and Silver Grey Metallic, with black being rarer. Official fuel economy for the E46 CSL is a slightly sobering 23.7mpg, although you’ll be lucky to see mid-teens if you drive one hard… and how else would you drive a CSL? I’m not being flippant here, if you have driven a CSL for any kind of distance you’ll understand exactly what I mean. My run saw my mpg in the high teens, which I don’t think is too bad for the kind of spirited driving the car
enjoyed. Likewise, CO2 emissions of 287g/km mean annual car tax (VED) is on the high side. Consumables, such as tyres, clutches and brake pads, are on the expensive side too. And whatever you do, don’t damage those beautiful, carbon fibre door cards, which are like pieces of art and cost as much as a Rembrandt to replace! In fact, any kind of damage to any of the interior carbon trim may result in you having to resort to selling a kidney to pay for them! These points aren’t meant to put you off the CSL, just to make you fully aware of the commitment involved in running and keeping a CSL in pristine condition… On the plus side, the engine – including its Vanos variable valve timing – is reliable if properly serviced, i.e. on a regular basis with the finest (recommended) oil and BMW consumables. And you can save quite a few quid by seeking out a trustworthy BMW/M Power specialist to carry out servicing and repairs; there are plenty of specialists that cater for M cars, usually with labour rates quite a bit lower than BMW dealerships. Could you drive one every day? A CSL is a bit like a Jägerbomb: stimulating and intoxicating, but you wouldn’t want one for breakfast! As I mentioned previously, it’s a bit too single-minded for commuting or ferrying the kids to school. This is a special car best saved for special occasions. The ideal place to experience a CSL, of course, is on-track or on the deserted country roads where I drove today. Unfortunately very few still see action on circuits: more likely they are tucked up in air-conditioned garages – such is the fate of the appreciating classic car. While values have increased, it still isn’t economical to spend large sums restoring a very poor one, and you could, as part prices for the CSL are high. You could throw a lot of money at an abused CSL. Check the service indicator lights on the dashboard aren’t illuminated and scour the paperwork. The car should have had its first oil-change at 1,000 miles, followed by intermediate (Inspection 1) and major (Inspection 2) services at annual intervals. The Inspection 2 includes a valve clearance check: missing it could result in Vanos problems. One well-known E46 issue, not unique to the CSL, is a cracked boot floor – caused by wear in the subframe mounts. If caught early, it’s a minor repair, but once the floor is damaged, the only option is to weld in a new one: a minimum of £1,500. Parts are still available, but CSL-specific items, such as the carbon front bumper, can BMW Car Club Magazine NOVEMBER 2019
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Feature be frighteningly expensive. Remember, originality is key to future value, so check bodywork and interior trim carefully. And steer clear of cars with lots of aftermarket modifications. If anyone has modified their CSL they will hopefully have been
sensible and stored the standard parts, ready to convert it back to standard when they decide to sell. If your bank balance won’t stretch to the price of a CSL there is a less costly option – the 2005-2006 M3 CS. It cherry-picks some of CSL’s best bits for
a fraction of the price. These include the steering rack, brakes and springs, plus a slightly wider version of those gorgeous alloys. You’ll pay £12-25k for a good one.
If you just can’t stretch to a CSL, an E46 M3 CS gives you 90% of what the CSL gives for 50% of the price, or less!!
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New 1 Series Launch at Chandlers BMW Hailsham
“I’M THE
KING
OF THE CASTLE” Editorial and photographs by Steve Carter
I
“
’m the king of the castle and you’re the dirty rascal.” This seems the perfect childhood taunt for the inspired location that Mark Bridgland and his team from Chandlers Hailsham have chosen for this late September evening’s new BMW 1 Series launch, Knockhatch Adventure Park, nestled in the heart of the Sussex countryside. In 2018, the 1 Series was BMW’s biggest selling model in the UK and probably their most important; after all, it is the lowest priced entry point into new BMW ownership, and that can lead to a life of brand advocacy. Since it first launched in 2004, the BMW 1 Series has sold over two million units globally, and doing so with the near unique BMW approach of front engine and rear wheel drive. But in this latest F40 model 1 Series, BMW have taken the decision to base its hatchback drivetrain architecture on a more traditional front wheel drive layout. Now I am sure for most of you this is not the first time you would have heard this news, but I’m sure it doesn’t make
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it easier to read it all over again. BMW have developed a number of brand identifications over the years that you would think nothing less than a total global design studio apocalypse would ever dare tamper with. You know, things like the Hoffmeister kink in the rear window, rear wheel drive layout, longitudinal straight six engines and those all-important kidney grilles (more of those later). Well times are a-changing in the automotive industry, with the rapid shift to EV and Hybrid powertrains, one in 10 UK BMWs sold in 2018 being electrified, and the huge efforts to clean up those fossil fuel guzzling engines that nearly all of us still use on a daily basis. Add to that the requirements to maximise the useable space inside a vehicle and NCAP pedestrian impact safety requirements changing front end designs, and the fog begins to clear as to why our beloved marque has launched its latest entry model to what appears on the surface to be just one of the hatchback crowd. So, there is new news regarding the drivetrain layout, but does this mean we www.bmwcarclubgb.uk
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are starting to see the beginning of the end for that delightful BMW rear wheel drive experience we all so love? When Auto Express tested the new 118d (yes model numbers are familiar), they stated in July, “The new BMW 1 Series offers strong performance, decent fuel economy and low emissions. The switch to front-wheel drive has, if anything, enhanced the way it drives, the car behaving much like the larger (rear-wheeldrive) 3 Series in day-to-day running”. What, have BMW been using front wheel drivability witchcraft? I hear you cry. Auto Express were not alone in their view. Autocar were also full of praise in June this year, giving it 4.5 out of 5 stars. “Find a series of corners and you’re in for a surprise, because the 118d is genuinely good to drive, if not in a traditional BMW way.”
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The fact is though, even BMW admit that something in the range of 85% of all 1 Series buyers have no clue that the car they have been buying is rear wheel drive; for the vast majority of buyers this just isn’t the likely purchasing decision factor. Customers are buying in to the BMW brand more than anything else, and drivetrain layouts are likely not as important as how frugal the entry level petrol and diesel engines are, and how much cool technology and connectivity the cars have. Talking of which, the new 1 Series is laden with the latest technology as seen in other new models such as the 3 Series. Should you have the right option boxes ticked, you just have to say, “Hey BMW…” to get started with the BMW Live Cockpit Professional to manage your entire driving experience.
Other cool additions include being able to open the car with your smartphone, and of course no modern BMW should allow the driver the indignity of parking the car yourself. This one comes with the option of both automatic parallel and bay parking; that’s the kind of technology that was reserved only for the highest end of the range a few years back; pretty ‘sick’ as my teenage kids would say (apparently and contrary to my own misspent youth, being ‘sick’ is a good thing nowadays). Back at Knockhatch and the Chandlers Hailsham team have the new 1 Series displayed against the backdrop of the awesome wooden Dragon’s Castle. With the hog roast sizzling, soft drinks flowing and some of BMW’s finest M cars on display, there is something for everyone. Mark Bridgland also offers us a great series of prizes to win depending on who could top the charts on the Brands Hatch M4 driving game, with first prize being taking the brand new M135i for the weekend. Needless to say, the queue formed quickly as the sun set… There were two M135i’s and a 118i on display which allowed us to have a good poke, prod and rev of the M135i’s new engine. The B58 3.0 litre straight six twin power turbo as seen in the last generation F20 M140i has gone, this time replaced by a 2.0 litre four-cylinder engine developing a little over 300bhp which is lighter, cleaner and far more fuel efficient. But whilst it’s slightly down on power compared to the previous generation, the new model has BMW’s excellent xDrive four-wheel drive system which can apparently send up to 50% of the torque to rear wheels, providing huge levels of grip and improved driver confidence. What is noticeable with the new 1 Series revised drivetrain layout, is that there is more space inside the car; you can visibly see and feel it sitting in the front, and the rear seats and the boot www.bmwcarclubgb.uk
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is 20 litres bigger too. The quality of the finish inside the 1 Series has also stepped up a notch and it feels a special place to be, and very premium. In the M135i there are some really nice finishing touches too, with the Alcantara seats being particularly comfortable and great looking. In addition, there is some pretty cool mood lighting going on in the cabin which, combined with all of the upgraded touch surfaces, really makes you feel you are sitting in something pretty sophisticated. On to the outside of the new 1 Series, and I have to say I was pleasantly surprised by what I saw in the flesh. I had half expected from the images I had
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already seen for the new 1 Series to look, well, a little puddingy (if such a word exists). In my mind, the car looks best from the front, the rear, and rear threequarter view, but less distinctive in the side profile; it’s only side on where it could be any other latest generation hatchback with similar design elements from Ford’s Focus or even Peugeot’s 308. Still, the new 1 Series is a smart looking machine. And on this particular M135i in stunning Misano Blue metallic, I think the grille, albeit oversized as they are with the current BMW design language, looks pretty good. The unique M Sport design certainly works better on the M135i than
the more chrome intensive version sitting on the 118i SE models, to my eyes. All there is to do now is wait for this high spec’d M135i to be registered by Chandlers Hailsham and organise a test drive. If this M135i goes as good as everyone says, it most definitely is the new King of the Castle! And great though the last generation M140i still is, and I know because I’m lucky enough to have one, it is, unfortunately, a bit of dirty rascal. A huge thank you to Mark Bridgland and his team at Chandlers BMW Hailsham for their invitation to attend this new 1 Series launch and their generous hospitality. Top job!
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GOING BACK TO MY ROOTS – Part 2 Words and images by Tony Wawryk, originally published on www.viaretro. com/2018/07/back-to-my-roots/
F
irst stop was the recently opened new headquarters of BMW Group Classic. I had originally hoped to be able to book a tour, but it transpired that these are only available on Mondays, which was a little frustrating. Nevertheless, we parked in the surprisingly small facility and were able to spend a few minutes checking out the customer cars that were being worked on, among them a 2002 Turbo and a stunning 2800 CS. However, in the absence of a tour, there wasn’t much www.bmwcarclubgb.uk
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More customer cars inside the meticulous workshop of BMW Group Classic
else to do there so we headed to BMW Welt and the BMW Museum, where there was plenty to see and do. Those of you that have been recently will know that the original museum,
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based in the upturned cup building which represents a cylinder head and stands alongside the iconic Vier-Zylinder, was much extended and re-opened ten
years ago to create a very impressive record of BMW’s proud history. In my view, it’s not quite up to the standard of Mercedes Benz’s fabulous collection, but it compares well with the Porsche Museum. The exhibits cover engines, bikes and cars, with displays including a row of Neue Klasse cars, the stunning 507, a 315 and 328, and more. It’s a superlative display of German – no, Bavarian – engineering history. BMW Welt, in contrast, is a modern shrine to the BMW of today, a very impressive facility showcasing the full range of BMW’s models and also acting as a collection centre for those customers who want to pick their cars up from the factory. This was the penultimate day of my round of family visits, and on Saturday at 8:00 I set off on the 223 miles to Mulhouse, to fulfil a long-held ambition to visit the Cite de l’Automobile and its famed Schlumpf Collection. I shall make this the basis of another piece, but for now, let me say that it’s by far the most glamorous, as well as largest, collection of historic cars I’ve ever seen. It’s a monument to both the passion (and the money) of the Schlumpf Brothers, and to the motor car, primarily – but not exclusively – the French motor car and in particular, to Bugatti. There are two Bugatti Royales there, out of a grand total of only seven ever made, and another 120 Bugattis besides these. There are a couple photos accompanying this piece which will give you some idea of the incredible – not a word I use lightly – motoring riches within.
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Incredibly, not part of the Schlumpf Collection!
My initial plan to take a detour through the Black Forest, a region I haven’t visited for 45 years, was unfortunately disrupted by heavy traffic, so it was motorway all the way to Mulhouse again. Just south of BadenBaden I came across a metallic brown Porsche 911 SC, and while parked alongside it, had a brief chat with the returning owner, who was en-route to celebrating his mother’s 80th birthday party. Apparently, there was a major classic car event happening in BadenBaden the next day… but I couldn’t go back that way, tempting as it was. Die Zitrone coped easily with the hills along the way on the A8 and A5, especially the Aichelberg and Drackenstein heading towards Stuttgart. On the descent, I was passed by a BMW 635CSi, whose occupants offered a fanfare of horn tooting as they drove by, which I of course reciprocated. I remember that on family trips back in the 1960s and ’70s we used to stop at the end of these two hills to allow the car to cool down; not necessary this time!
Outside the Peonia at Home B&B, Mulhouse, ready for the home leg www.bmwcarclubgb.uk
After an evening in the pleasant market square in Mulhouse and an overnight stay at the thoroughly charming and elegant Peonia at Home B&B, where I was presented with one of the best breakfast spreads ever, it was time to set off on “the long way home”, to quote Supertramp. Once more, distance and time required that I stick to the superb French toll roads, on which there was almost no traffic and – even better – absolutely no trucks, as they are banned on Sundays, a very sensible idea which should be implemented everywhere! Imagine how much more relaxed a Sunday drive would be without the noise and traffic generated by heavy goods vehicles – bliss! Driving on these superb roads was in no way a hardship, as I crossed seemingly endless fields of wheat, corn
and grapes, and France is anything but flat and featureless. I had also taken the precaution of subscribing to the SANEF electronic toll sensor, which, placed behind my interior rear view mirror, saved me the hassle of having to climb out of the car and walk around to the pay machine every time. It’s not the cheapest thing, but if you’re travelling solo in a RHD car, definitely worth it. Note to self – must remember to now cancel the subscription! My route took me around Strasbourg, via Metz, Reims, Laon (or L-A-O-N, as Ms. Google would amusingly pronounce it) and on up to Calais. Reactions to the 02 were less frequent in France than
Another fellow Brit enjoying his classic on a European road trip BMW Car Club Magazine NOVEMBER 2019
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Back home and comfortably tucked up…
Waiting to board Le Shuttle in Calais
in Germany – unsurprising, of course, though it did generate some waves and toots. Disappointingly, I didn’t see a single French classic being driven all day – could this have been purely because I was on toll roads? My Shuttle was scheduled for 19:25 but was of course delayed by about 45 minutes – amazingly, there didn’t seem to be a single TV showing the World Cup Final. Considering les Bleus were playing – and winning – I thought this remarkable.
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In any case, I emerged back in Blighty to be greeted by the pitted surface of the M20, and more traffic than I’d seen all day. Welcome home. As darkness began to fall, I motored around a very busy M25 and up to the M40, by which time headlights were necessary and as die Zitrone’s beams are, if we’re being charitable, just about sufficient, I was pleased to be able to trundle into the garage at just before 22:00. Although I was tired, I had no aches or pains from spending so
many hours in the car. That day alone we had covered 923 km, and 2,893 km in total over the trip. 2,400 of these were done in four days. All of them were swallowed up by the little 02 with minimum fuss or bother, even on the hottest days. The trip was a success on every level – a chance to catch up with many members of my extended family, visit a couple of outstanding museums, drive through beautiful French and German countryside in summer sunshine, and most of all, bond with my yellow 02 in a way that short drives to classic events would never do. Would I do it again? Definitely!
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1957 AC ACE BRISTOL A beautiful example of AC’s quitessentially British sports car fitted with a rare BS1 MK3 competition engine. After a chassis-up restoration in 1989, the car competed in many races and road rallies and is now a perfect candidate for a wide number of historic motorsport events
+44 (0)1242 384092 : GLOUCESTERSHIRE, GL7 5NX : INFO@CLASSICMOTORHUB.COM : WWW.CLASSICMOTORHUB.COM
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1977 ASTON MARTIN V8 S A rare factory manual in Moonbeam Grey with black hide. 1 of only 184 ‘S’ variants, which was recently the subject of an extensive ecommission. Upgraded to 6-litre specification and gearbox, rear axel, braking system and servos all refurbished
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he BMWCCR headed for Snetterton in Norfolk for the penultimate round for what has been a highly successful season for all involved. It’s been great to involve the Regions in the events and for everyone to mix and socialise. The racing has been excellent, but the fun has also been evident off track whether in the paddock or the banter between meetings. All the ingredients were there for what would be another successful meeting. The weather seemed to have different ideas with wind and rain affecting testing on Friday and those doing 750mc Roadsports on the Saturday, but despite the forecast it turned to drizzle for the BMWCC Sunday races. The track was still too wet for dry tyres for qualifying and the first race, but the smiles from the drivers and supporters were a constant, creating an exciting buzz on what was always going to be a busy day, with the drivers also having a meeting to discuss ideas for the 2020 regulations. Despite motorsport distractions on ITV4, and we must congratulate Colin and WSR, the club races were streamed live and available to view via the Clubs
Facebook page which has received a large number of views. You can catch up on this at any time. With a large grid it can be difficult in wet conditions, but everyone stayed on the black stuff. It was the winner from Brands Hatch this year, Gary Hufford, who was the man to take pole, followed by fellow M1 class drivers Dave Kempton and Chris Bialan, and the M2 class drivers Graham Crowhurst and Paul Cook. In Class 6 it was to be another tussle for pole between Benson, Ball and Denwood, and in the BMWcup it was Page, Watson and Laramy. The first race was a different story with the race close in every class, the eventual overall winner Dave Kempton
BMW CAR CLUB RACING
had to work hard for the win followed closely by pole man Hufford and a recovering Mike Cutt who had battled with Bialan for much of the race. In the M2 class it was dual again between Cook who had gambled on dry tyres and Crowhurst who took the class win. In Class 6 Benson kept his advantage through the race whilst Ball and Denwood scrapped for the podium places. It was Matt Page who took the BMWcup honours; after a close battle swapping places with Clive Watson, but it was pleasing to witness Paul Laramy claim his first trophy in only his third meeting. The drivers next race would not start until 5.40pm so they went away to ensure their lights worked and swap to dry tyres as the sun came out to provide
SNETTERTON 13th OCTOBER 2019 Words: Neil McDonald Images: Jon Elsey
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the opportunity for some stunning photos from Jonathan Elsey, some of which we have published for you to enjoy. The second race involved a reverse grid so Dave Kempton was going to have to work even harder for a podium despite his earlier win. There were battles again in every class with respect and space given to each and every driver. It was Paul Cook who took the overall win, with the M1 class having an exciting finish with Dave Kempton finishing less than a cars length ahead of Mike Cutt, with Hugh Gurney claiming the third step. In M2 it was
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race winner Cook heading Crowhurst and Williams. In Class 6 the man to beat again was Jim Benson, with Darren Ball and Kevin Denwood sharing the accolades. Whilst in the BMWcup Matt Page was able to squeeze home for his 11th win so far this season, and stretch his overall Championship lead from Clive Watson. A thoroughly enjoyable and fun day where the weather could and would not dampen the club racers spirits, days like this was why the BMWCCR was formed and it a fantastic Championship for all involved.
As I stated earlier, the 2020 regulations were discussed and changes voted on so the Championship will be bigger and stronger. We now look forward to the final races of the season around the Silverstone GP circuit. The Club will be hosting a party for everyone who has enjoyed the racing this year so please come along and say hello from 7pm on the 26th October, with the races being the following day where we will discover who our overall and class winners will be in what will be remembered as an historic and record breaking year for all concerned.
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FROM SMALL ACORNS DO M30 ENGINES GROW! Part 2 - CelebratingThe 50th Anniversary Of BMW’s Superb M30 Engine –The ‘Techie Bit’! Words – John Castle/Jeff Heywood Photos – John Castle/Jeff Heywood/BMW Press
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hings like great car engines do not just happen. In 1960, when the designers at BMW started work on the Neue Klasse cars, design was largely empirical without access to modern computer aided design tools. There were two major
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design considerations, combustion and balance. Combustion was getting air and fuel into the engine, and exhaust gasses out; balance was managing the combustion to turn it into rotation to drive the road wheels throughout the power delivery range of the engine. For
Neue Klasse ‘combustion’, designs for the cylinder head started in 1954 during which six different experimental concept engines were made and tested. From these, one head design was based primarily on the all alloy ‘M532’ 3.2-litre V8 engine introduced in 1954 which powered the 500 Series Baroque Angel saloons, coupes and roadsters. The V8 was a good engine which had established the benefits of a hemispherical shaped combustion chamber with inclined valves to give a pure cross flow design for the gasses; inlets on one side, exhausts on the other, with the valves offset along the length of the engine to allow for rocker www.bmwcarclubgb.uk
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arms to be driven by a central camshaft. The first version of this design used for a four-cylinder engine, the M520a, delivered 85bhp. The real skill was to get the flame front of the burning air/fuel mixture to match the rate at which the piston descended down the cylinder on its power stroke. Detonation (pinking), where the shock wave of the fuel igniting at the spark plug exceeds the burning wave front, had to be avoided at all costs. Karl Rech, the engine designer working under chief
engineer von Falkenhausen, found that a flattened hemispherical cross section with the valves at an angle of 50o to each other and a disfigured heart shape in plan gave the combustion characteristics he wanted. The first M115 1.5-litre engine with this head design made its debut in 1962, producing 80bhp at 5,700rpm. Balance of the new engine was ‘state of the art’. Square cylinder designs, where the cylinder bore is close to the length of the stroke, is a well-accepted design principle which keeps piston
speeds down (short stroke) and hence the loads on the crank pins. The M115 was slightly over square at 82mm bore and 71mm stroke. Another advantage of these dimensions was that they could give an overlap of the profiles of the main bearings and big end bearings, greatly increasing the strength of the crankshaft. The main bearings of the M115 were 55mm in diameter, the big ends 48mm, and with a stroke of 71mm the two journals overlapped by 11.5mm which was like having a steel rod 11.5mm in diameter running the length of the engine. Rech then took this several steps further. A cylinder centre line spacing of 100mm allowed for five main bearings and for each of the big end journals there was room to incorporate a counterbalance so that in effect each cylinder was balanced on the crankshaft. Four-cylinder inline engines with their cranks at 180o to each other (two at 0o, two at 180o) are inherently balanced at engine speed but suffer from a secondary force at twice engine speed which bends the crankshaft about its centre. The five bearing crankshaft adopted by Rech, which is more complex and expensive to manufacture, deals with this secondary force and made for a tough engine capable of revving at 6,400rpm although limited for production cars by a rev-limiter in the distributor to 5,500rpm. As a finishing touch, the crankshaft was forged and the bearing surfaces were hardened by nitriding, which diffuses nitrogen into the top few millimetres of each journal to create a case-hardened surface.
The M10 alloy cross flow cylinder head with offset inclined valves
Small acorns…the M05/M10 four-cylinder engine fitted to the Neue Klasse cars including the 2000 ‘spawned’ the M06/M30 sixcylinder engine
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A cross section through the M10 engine BMW Car Club Magazine NOVEMBER 2019
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Feature For production this first M115 was used for the 1.5-litre Neue Klasse 1500 saloon in 1962 and later, increased to 2 litres, in 1966 in the 2000 saloon as the M05* (and would later be given the codename M10). It is as well to remember that this crankshaft design concept went on to be used in the 1983 Formula 1 engines developing 1,400bhp for qualifying at 11,000rpm and 850bhp at 8,500rpm for races. So, what has all this to do with the M30? The M06* as it was known in 1968 was a direct development of the successful M05* four-cylinder engine by adding two further cylinders. The 100mm cylinder spacing was perfect so the M06*, with its six cylinders, started at 2.5 litres (86mm bore and 71.6mm stroke), almost the same as the 1600cc M115 version, but within a year it had been increased to 2.8 litres and in 1971, to 3 litres. Some design changes were needed. The first was a significant change to the shape of the cylinder head where the combustion chamber was modified from two overlapping flattened hemispheres to three. This created a much-improved swirl to the incoming fuel and air mixture adjacent to the spark plug and an even smoother combustion flame front. The distributor drive from the rear of the camshaft on the M05* was moved to the front on the M06* and a new induction manifold was developed for twin Zenith INAT carburettors. Inline six-cylinder engines with the six cranks at 120o to each other have well balanced forces at both engine speed and twice engine speed and are inherently smoother than an inline four-cylinder. But there are additional higher order torsional forces at both four and six times engine speed which necessitate the use of a torsional damper on the front of the crankshaft to smooth power
The M30 engine with twin-Zenith INAT carburettors. One can clearly see the front mounted distributor and the vibration damper on the front of the crankshaft
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A 1993 BMW E32 735i was the final model to receive an M30 engine – the 3430cc M30 (M320B35) produced 211hp in its final guise
delivery and give reliability, so a torsional damper was added. With a rev limit of 6,200rpm permitted for short periods for road cars, BMW delegated the use and development of the new engine for racing to ALPINA who soon found that the crankshaft would break at 7,100rpm. Whilst BMW felt the solution was to increase the strength of the webs and the size of the damper, it was Fritz Indra, a new young engine designer working for ALPINA, who lightened the webs, allowing the rev limit to be lifted to 8,200rpm for racing! ALPINA also discovered that the 30o inclination of the engine caused oil surge on left hand corners and developed a compressed gas reservoir which maintained engine oil pressure whenever it fell below a safe level. For the production engine, BMW introduced a baffle in the sump to deal with this problem by reducing the oil flowing away from the oil pump pick-up when cornering. In May 1972, with the engine now displacing 3 litres, Bosch D-Jetronic Fuel Injection, which used induction manifold pressure to control the fuel volume injected, was introduced to replace the carburettors, except for cars for the USA where D-Jetronic could not meet American exhaust regulations. The D-Jetronic engine produced 200bhp to power both the CS Coupes and E3 Saloons. But carburettors were retained for automatic cars because fuel injection could not cope with the need for ‘stamp down’ acceleration whereas carburettors could. In 1975 the D-Jetronic system was replaced by L-Jetronic fuel injection, which used mass air flow to control fuel volume, increasing the power
to 212bhp but with a much-improved torque curve. In 1973 the displacement of the engine was increased to 3.3 litres for the E3 saloons and in 1978 to 3.5 litres for the 5 Series saloons and 6 Series Coupes using a longer stroke crankshaft. This last increase in volume with the bore at 93.4mm reduced the spacing between adjacent cylinders to 6.6mm which led to head gasket failures. 1982 saw a major update of the cylinder block to make it narrower and lighter and to reduce the cylinder bore to 92mm with the restoration to 8mm for the spacing between cylinders. 1979 had seen the introduction of Bosch Motronic fuel injection using a ‘Lambda’ sensor which measured the residual oxygen in the exhaust gasses (which are related to CO and CO2) so that the fuel injected could be optimised to the driving conditions. Further improvements to the Motronic system followed, such as knock-sensors which allowed for the fuel injected into each cylinder to be individually controlled. Horsepower of the M30 variants was kept at around the 200bhp mark with the emphasis instead on improving torque and response. The last 3.5-litre M30 engine was produced in 1993 for the E32 735i saloon – 25 years after the first M06* had entered production in 1969. Footnote For the purist, the biggest change to the M30 design came in 1978, although for some the change is not considered as part of the M30 history. By 1972 the Motorsport Team with the help of ALPINA had developed the single overhead camshaft engine to produce 333bhp at 8,000rpm for their team cars. By 1973 this had increased to 370bhp which was then felt to be the reliable limit for the design. So, in 1974 BMW Motorsport introduced a twin camshaft 24-valve cylinder head for fitting to the M30 block. Its design was derived directly from the 16-valve twin overhead camshaft cylinder head being used by BMW Motorsport for their Formula 2 racing engines. Whilst the principles of the M30 block www.bmwcarclubgb.uk
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The E9 Stella Art Car with 750hp on tap from the turbocharged M49/3 could keep the Porsche 935s at bay, unfortunately the gearboxes struggled to cope with the extra power…
were retained, the twin camshafts required a different drive system from the crankshaft – a chain to an intermediate gear and then a gear train to the camshafts themselves. A Kugelfischer mechanical pump injected fuel directly into separate induction trumpets for each cylinder and the inlet and outlet ports to the combustion chambers were Siamesed to fit two inlet ports and two outlet ports into the limited cylinder spacing of 100mm. This first Group 2 race engine, M49/2 produced 440bhp at 8,500rpm. But under pressure from other manufacturers competing in touring car racing, in 1975 the twin camshaft engines were excluded from Group 2 racing unless they were used in series production road cars. So, the BMW Motorsport Team delegated the use of the single camshaft race engines to ALPINA and Schnitzer for European Group 2 races and used the twin camshaft engine, M49/3, now producing a reliable 470bhp, for World Championship of Makes (up to 3 litres) races in Europe and in America for the IMSA Camel GT Championship. The USA had become an
important market for BMW road cars and the IMSA series was seen as a way of bringing BMW coupes to the attention of the American public which the BMW North America Team achieved in considerable style. The M49/3 had one last throw of the dice – turbocharging. In the 1975 World Championship of Makes the BMW Motorsport team could not outrun the turbocharged Porsche 935 in the ‘3 to 6 litre classes. So, they handed over a team car to Josef Schnitzer to add a turbocharger. It required significant changes but the original ‘M30 block’ and overhead twin cam design remained unaltered. The engine produced 750hp and was installed in the Motorsport Team car (chassis number 2275981), which raced first at Silverstone in May 1976 in BMW Motorsport livery, and the same car then received the Frank Stella Art Car graph design in time for the Le Mans race in June and finally in the Dijon 6 Hour in September, although it did not finish in any of the three races because the
transmission could not handle the power. It was however a fitting swansong for the competition life of the ‘M30’ – 170bhp in 1969 to 750bhp in 1976 for the Frank Stella Art Car! In 1976 BMW embarked on the production of a ‘supercar’, the M1. For its production engine, Paul Roche, now leading the engine development department, turned to the now successful M49 competition engine design but used the block from the production M06*. The engine was mounted vertically and had dry sump lubrication to reduce its height, and the cylinder head was still a twin cam setup but redesigned for ease of production with the two camshafts driven by a single chain. Each cylinder was fed from an individual throttle body with fuel injected by a Kugelfischer pump. The engine produced 277bhp and was given the works name M88 – it was first used in the new M1 from 1979 until 1981, and a reworked variation, M88/3, would power the forthcoming E24 M635CSi and the E28 M5… *In 1980 BMW changed the numbering of their engines. M05* became what is now known as M10, M06* became M30
The ultimate production M30 derivative, the M88 engine, was designed to power BMW’s first and only mid-engined supercar, the M1. With future mods (M88/3) it would provide the motive power for the E28 M5 and the E24 M635CSi
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MILLE MIGLIA VIP TOUR 2020 Tuesday 12 to Saturday 16 May 2020 (tbc)
The original and the best! Join TV celebrity and motoring legend Tiff Needell as we dip in and out of the epic 1,000 mile Mille Miglia on our all inclusive 5 day hosted tour. Our carefully planned programme will immerse you in the history of this classic event as you enjoy exclusive viewing and privileged hospitality at some truly memorable locations, transferring in the comfort of our chauffeured vehicles. Our boutique hotels are perfectly located and of course you’ll enjoy wonderful locations, breath-taking scenery and fabulous wining and dining throughout. We will ensure a stress free, relaxed environment for you to fully enjoy this iconic event and Italian hospitality at its very best! We look forward to meeting you in Italy!
HOSTED BY
TIFF NEEDEL
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4 NIGHT VIP HOSTED PROGRAMME INCLUSIONS: With numbers limited to around 25 clients this tour is intimate, friendly and exclusive. » Arrival meet & greet with chauffeured transfers directly to your hotel » Boutique hotel accommodation including breakfast » Hosted chauffeured transfers throughout the programme » Welcome drinks reception and superb regional wining and dining included throughout » Private tour of the Mille Miglia Museum including dinner & drinks
» VIP Day in the beautiful walled city of Corinaldo.The day includes privileged access passes with viewing of the cars just feet away » Informal guided tour of Bologna’s key and hidden sights with your own guide » Private tour of select motoring museums including optional exclusive behind the scenes access to the Lamborghini Factory » Motor Passion concierge management on-site throughout the weekend with hosting by motoring legend Tiff Needell
» View all the build up in Brescia and view the cars as they pass our private balcony overlooking Lake Garda Price Per Person £2,770 For further details and a full colour proposal contact steve@motor-passion.co.uk, call 01635 31658 or visit www.motor-passion.co.uk
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SANTORINI DREAMING! PART 2 Words and images by Anthony Shilson - See Part 1 in July 2019 Straight Six Chassis Set Up Along the way I had been trying to educate myself on suspension and had read a couple of books from the local library. I also recalled reading an article in BMW Car Magazine about an E92 M3 running Ohlins R&T suspension that had been given a chassis dynamic set up by a company called TDI in Thuruck. I started speaking with them about chassis set ups and they sounded very knowledgeable. They asked me a number of questions, such as: How I wanted the car to behave? How was the car going to be used? How I wanted it to feel? etc. When I said I didn’t want any roll whilst cornering, they asked me why. Surely body roll is bad because that’s what written in internet forums and certain car magazines, and don’t race cars, such as F1, have almost zero roll? ‘Wrong!’ they said. This was where they gave me a lesson in chassis dynamics and mathematics. A certain amount of body roll is helpful for road cars and 80% of race cars, using what is known as a chassis dynamic set up. Only cars with full aero or go-karts require or benefit from having almost zero roll. They explained the chassis dynamic set up is mathematically calculated by measuring a car’s weight and various www.bmwcarclubgb.uk
dimensions of the chassis components; then small adjustments are made, based on the specific requirements and wishes of the driver. Having read on car forums about cars being corner-weighted, I asked if they would be doing this. They said yes but that it was not very important. It was explained that corner-weighting was done to obtain a baseline. The distribution of the vehicle’s weight whilst static (stationary) was not as important as its distribution when cornering at 1.1g. Once that had been explained, it was obvious and it highlighted to me the importance of speaking to professionally trained and qualified people. We agreed on the set up work which they would do after PMW had completed the install. They asked me to provide the ride height of the car (front and rear) before and after the install and to ensure the ride height adjusters were nice and free. After three days at PMW, the install was finished. Removing the EDC is a time consuming process as it has to be coded out in two places and the system physically unplugged both front and rear. Simply telling the car it does not have EDC is not enough, else the car reports errors. Peter had done this, taken the
I just love the proportions of the E92 M3.
ride height measurements and given the car a road test before signing it off. Millers Racing 300 brake fluid had been used and all the original parts were wrapped and boxed up. He waxed lyrical about the test drive and marvelled at the engineering of the AP brakes, which he said was the best he’d ever seen. Praise indeed. Peter also advised me that on the test drive the Ohlins remote cable adjusters had rattled occasionally inside the boot. He didn’t like it and thought I wouldn’t either so he had put bubble wrap around them. I chose the optional rear cable adjusters because it allows easy adjustment of the rear dampers without the need to remove the boot trim or cut a hole in the trim that I had seen others do. The adjusters are hidden behind the carpet trim in the boot that covers the wheel arches. Despite the chassis not being set up, the car felt like it was on rails. The next day I drove it to TDI where they asked me yet more questions and questioned some of my responses, such as when I said I wanted the car to mildly oversteer at the limit. They suggested that might be acceptable to Kimi Raikkonen but not recommended for your average driver. So we agreed on very gentle understeer that could be adjusted by use of the
Ohlins remote adjuster
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Feature throttle. TDI informed me that one of the fundamental measurements for proper chassis set up is the rake of the car. You often hear about rake from F1 teams as it has a big impact on downforce. Red Bull are known for running a high rake, high drag car compared to say Mercedes, who run a low rake / low drag car. I digress. TDI asked if they could lower the rear of the car further or whether I wanted it where it was in order to understand how much the front could be adjusted to get the correct amount of rake. I didn’t want the rear any lower (it was already a bit lower than ZHP) and so they would only need to alter the front ride height. After agreeing the set up and handling characteristics, they advised they would need the car for around three days as they would be performing test drives after each iteration to perfect the set up. When TDI phoned and said my car was ready, I was very excited. I couldn’t wait to drive it and feel what is was like. Sam explained that after applying the initial setting, they went through three further iterations, making minor changes each time before arriving at the final set up. Sam advised the damper settings and tyre pressures they had arrived at and why. He also talked me through the road testing. Given my driving style and the type of roads I enjoy, they fully expected tyre wear to be even across the width of the tyres, though if I did more motorway drives and less B-road blasts, the wear could be uneven and I could return the car to have the settings adjusted. That was 2015 and I put another 3k miles on the car before changing the rear tyres in 2019, and the tyres wore evenly. Upon my request, Sam also kindly emailed me the set up data as long as I kept it strictly for myself, because a lot of work had gone into perfecting it and was not something they wanted posted on the internet or shared with third parties. I’ve kept my promise.
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Leaving TDI, I didn’t get much chance to assess the changes or use the car’s performance as there were huge roadworks and a rather large traffic jam which put me into the rush hour for the drive home. It wasn’t until going to Evolve that I used the car ‘properly’. Before I write about the next changes, here is a picture of the Russ Fellows x-pipe that I forgot to include in Part 1. Very soon after the chassis set up was done, I drove to Luton, taking as many back roads as possible, and was delighted with how the car felt, behaved and the noise it made. The turn-in was immense (I used to race go-karts in my youth) and it felt go-kart-esque but without being edgy. The transition from steering input to turn-in and the car taking a set was super quick yet smooth and seamless. It’s provided so much confidence to attack corners and the improvement in the way the rear of the car felt and behaved in relation to the front, was so much better. My car was set up to understeer at the limit but on the roads, pushing the car (when it’s safe to do so) it reacts immediately to steering input and just keeps turning the more lock is applied. It feels completely natural to drift the car, steer it on the throttle, as it seems to pivot around me, the driver. It’s very hard to describe how good it is and it has certainly not only met but also exceeded my expectations and feels perfect for the road. Software Updates Having used Evolve before, there was no doubt which company I would use for software updates. I had booked in for the latest version of the 240E software, changes to the power steering maps (to reduce its use), GTS DCT software and a map to make the most of running without front cats. The steering now feels slightly less assisted and nicer to use but I do not
believe the map changes provide much more in the way of increased feel. There was plenty of feel before because it is hydraulic but there wasn’t an improvement. The GTS gearbox software is not the same as the OEM GTS software but the shift speed is faster, with better rev matching than the standard BMW software. If the car has one of the early DCT maps, lag can be experienced in a number of scenarios, such as changing from first to reverse and back again. The GTS software removes the lag. Early cars suffered from lag but BMW released a number of updates until around 2012 which eliminated it, along with smoother shifting. With the GTS-esque DCT software, shift speed 4 is lightning fast but still smooth. Five and above provides a kick that some may find entertaining but shifting in speed 5, 6 and 7 can and will upset the car when cornering hard. I’ve never bothered to try 6 or 7 due to mechanical sympathy. The last map to be updated was the sat nav mapping which I had done by a friend. Induction I love the sound of carbon airboxes and wanted to get that CSL sound, and started researching carbon plenums. The E92 M3 has an airbox and also a plenum. The plenum is huge and sits upon the eight throttle bodies, providing them with air. Inside the plenum are carefully shaped venturies that provide an equal amount of air to each cylinder. A few companies had made carbon airboxes for a number of years and also a carbon air feed pipe to the plenum. None provided much in the way of resonance and some were poorly made, and cracked. The OE pipe has flexible connections to accommodate the movement of the engine. In 2017 all the carbon fibre ones were rigid and would eventually crack, as owners reported on forums. My research led me to Goke AG, a German company that made carbon parts for BMW and Volkswagen Motorsport. They made two carbon plenums: one in OE size, and another with 20% more volume. They used the original BMW bottom half (that contained the venturies and all other connectors to the throttle bodies and other hoses) and mated that to their own carbon fibre top half. I wouldn’t trust any company to make their own venturies unless they could evidence they worked equally across all eight cylinders. I found a few suppliers in the UK selling the standard size version for around £2k. I sent an email direct to Goke and then spoke to www.bmwcarclubgb.uk
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Goke carbon plenum and Eventuri intake pipe fitted
the owner on the phone. For EUR 1,400 he would make me the larger version, add the white BMW Motorsport stickers and lacquer over the top. When the plenum came I couldn’t believe how light it was. So a minor weight saving on top of the engine was an added bonus. Fitting it was a different story as a flexible long-reach driver is required to undo the eight clamps of the throttle bodies. Two of the hoses are almost impossible to undo without BMW’s special tools because there is hardly any room to squeeze the clamps with one’s fingers. Fortunately one of my friends is a mechanical engineer and he had an ingenious way to squeeze the clamps open, and also lent me a flexible long-reach driver. A new air temp sensor was also required because it is impossible to remove the existing one from the standard plenum without breaking it. I ordered mine from Sytner Harold Wood, as I do all my OE BMW parts. Whilst fitting, my friend showed me the operation of the throttle bodies and checked their movement. They squeaked a little with just a hint of resistance so we cleaned them up and applied some WD40. Afterwards they operated more smoothly and were silent in use. He said it would now lessen the load on the throttle actuators, a weak point on the S85 and S65 motorsport engines. The drive after refitting was memorable to say the least. The carbon plenum is probably the best single modification I’ve made to the car. The www.bmwcarclubgb.uk
sound was immense and it now made different notes according to the throttle position, akin to using it as a musical instrument. There is a deep bellow with a WOT at low revs which turns into a banshee wail at high revs. Inside the car, the induction noise drowns out the exhaust. It is spine chillingly epic and has really taken the driving emotion to a whole new level. Some may say EUR 1,400 is a lot for some better induction noise but it truly magnifies the driving experience from an emotional and sensory perspective. Around a year later Evolve released a carbon intake pipe, larger cone filter and carbon scoop. The scoop smoothed the airflow coming in from the main front air duct into the airbox. The larger filter then flowed more air and the induction pipe smoothed out the flow to the plenum. Evolve’s testing had shown an improvement in flow and on their dyno, a 9bhp gain. Importantly the system allows the engine and airbox to move independently which is essential, else the induction pipe wouldn’t last very long, as evidenced by other companies’ efforts and their broken pipes. The Finished Article? That was the last modification I made to the car. Is it now finished? Well I’m still toying with putting lightweight seats in, but given how comfy the stock seats are, I want to be certain any replacements will be too. When the original battery dies, a lightweight one
Evolve / Eventuri carbon intake system
will take its place, saving over 20kg! So I can still remove another 65kg from the car without sacrificing comfort or functionality. For extra mechanical sympathy I have also looked at uprated coolers for the water, engine, DCT and power steering. Next year the coolant and power steering fluid will be changed as part of its routine service and I may invest in uprated coolers but given I do not track the car, the stock systems are fine for road use and changing the coolers to DO88 isn’t exactly cheap. Thanks Therefore this brings a pause in my car’s current journey and I’d like to mention a few people, thanking them for their help, advice, quality of work and service: Peter Mould and Daniel Bearman at PMW Ltd; Dean Ward, David Marler and Lee Wood at Sytner BMW Harold Wood; Jeff Ritter at Essex Racing; Sam Borgman at TDI Plc; Lazlo Nagy Fejes at Ohlins; Jens at Goke AG; Russ Rellows and Evolve. BMW Car Club Magazine NOVEMBER 2019
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Feature
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ccording to TPS head honcho Toni Tepenis (no sniggering at the back!) BMW finally got it right with the M2 Competition. The S55 engine, as used in the F8x M3/M4 makes their little brother a proper M. The potential for extracting more power makes the M2C a lot more attractive and gives it the extra pep that it lacked in its first incarnation. Sure the original M2 was quick, but the M2C has the potential to be super quick. So, if an M2C is totally fine for you how it rolled out of your local BMW dealership that is fine, Toni understands. But…there’s always a but… Although the M2C is already a lot of fun straight out of the box, that’s not enough for the guys at TPS. “Especially in terms of lateral dynamics there is still a lot of room for improvement” adds Toni. “TPS offer the right suspension set-up for every requirement - If you want to go further, TPS can also offer big brake kits, more BHP, wheel and tyre upgrades and lots more.” Right now you’ll be thinking “and so can lots of other tuning shops”, including a plethora right here in the UK, but this little tuning shop, situated 18 miles north of BMWs spiritual home city of Munich, have some Nurburgring pedigree to bring to the table, and the next sequence of numbers
and words tell you everything you need to know - 7:12.16 BTG – Bridge to Gantry! That is the lap time set at the Nurburgring for the TPS M2 C-TR – read on… TPS decided to build a ‘proper’ Nordschleife weapon; a car suited to the Nurburgring’s undulating, sweeping and swooping straights, bends and brows, whilst also remaining a usable road car. And with the M2 C-TR, TPS has driven a huge stake in the tuning world ground that has reverberated around both competitors and potential customers alike. Their weapon of choice was a Hockenheim Silver BMW M2 Competition. Tony added – “There is no magic formula or secret trick parts in building an ultra-quick car to lap the Nurburgring, it’s all about selecting the right kit.” A plan was drawn up, parts were ordered and many a late night was notched up in TPS’ workshop as in no particular order, on went a set of forged 19” HRE FF04 rims with Michelin Cup2 tyres. Toni says… “The wheel/tyre set-up is the only connection between the car and the road, therefore you need a dependable set of ultra-strong wheels and sticky tyres.” Next up was a KW Competition 3-way suspension set up - “by far the best kit for the Nurburgring assault” added Toni.
7:12 BTG IN AN M2C!
Ace BMW tunersTPS Performance blitz the ‘ring in their M2 C-TR
Braking, believe it or not, was left to the BMW Motorsport brakes optioned on this particular M2C, “plus endless brake pads!” added Toni. The interior of TPS’ M2 C-TR also came in for attention - for their weight saving properties, and because they’re damn fine, the racing seats they installed were Recaro Pole Position buckets. A Wiechers roll-cage and ‘brace bar’ was installed, along with 4-point Schroth seat-belts. The Awron data display provides the necessary temp and data readings, and a Liteblox battery provides an additional 22kg saving! Externally, Krass-Technik supplied all the carbon fibre body parts – bonnet, boot lid, the huge rear wing and the 2-piece front splitter. A CSF cooling package consisting of a triple pass radiator, high performance intercooler, race-spec dual-pass DCT and a race-spec oil cooler were added to the M2C; cooling is a huge factor on any fast lap attempt on the ‘ring in a turbocharged car. The CSF intercooler shows a -40*F drop in temperature after repeated runs (when compared to an OEM intercooler), whilst giving 20-25hp increase over a stock M2C!! Finally, the S55 engine was remapped, and thanks to the above CSF mods, only a very modest tune was needed to produce 520hp and a huge 680Nm of torque, with lots, lots more still to come if needed. A gorgeous CF Eventuri intake were also installed, which gives +10-17hp, along with a stonking titanium Akropovic exhaust; 40% lighter than its stainless steel equivalent and gives +22hp on an M2C… The TPS M2 C-TR now complete, it was handed over to Nurburgring expert Alex Hardt to tackle ‘die Grunholle’. Alex’s attempt was carried out on a normal open (and busy) track day, plus track temperature had reached 37°C, so certainly
Alex warms up the tyres on the M2 C-TR before his ‘assault’ on the Nurburgring BTG lap time www.bmwcarclubgb.uk
BMW Car Club Magazine NOVEMBER 2019
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Feature not ideal conditions. If you watch the video, you’ll notice Alex has to be quite ‘pushy’ at times, as some of the drivers just weren’t using their mirrors, and he has to give one guy a rollicking who was wandering (slowly) onto the racing line! Even so, timed from (the recognised) Bridge to Gantry (BTG), he clocked an astonishing time of 7:12.16!! To put this into perspective, in 2018 a Porsche 911 Turbo (991.2) with carbon ceramic brakes, driven by pro racer Christian Gebhardt (running on a closed circuit) was 5 seconds slower than the M2 C-TR!! In view of the sub-optimal conditions, the announcement from Toni at TPS came as no surprise: “We are delighted to have dipped well under 7:15, but we are not finished - we will soon attack again, with a sub-7 minute target time which both myself and Alex think is doable.” Toni has since messaged me saying they are thinking of tweaking power up to 550hp and are looking at a BBK (big brake kit) for their next attack! You can watch the M2 C-TR’s lap of the Nordschleife here, it’s well worth a watch - www.youtube.com/ watch?v=zZHkWRSbvHg *A big thank you goes to TPS Performance proprietor Tony Tepenis for his help in compiling the info/photos for this article.
The M2 C-TR ‘cockpit’ – the Recaro Pole Position seats look superb but they are also an extremely important addition to hold the driver firmly in place
BMW E46, 320Ci Convertible.
5-speed automatic with Tiptronic and Sport option. 1st registered December 2001. Only 81,000 miles. MOT until April’20, with no advisories. Dark Orient blue paintwork with unmarked dark blue mohair power hood with full grey leather interior & overmats. Original Owner’s Service Book showing detailed service history with 8 stamps, (7 main agent). Lots of service receipts indicating regular maintenance totalling £4,600. Previous MOTs from 2005. Original complete tool kit. Recent rear shock absorbers.
SE spec includes: Sport interior and M-Sport Multi-function steering wheel along with walnut trim, electric heated memory seats, digital climate control, on-board computer, traction control, cruise. Additional extras: Rear parking sensors. Electric windows, mirrors. A/c. BMW Radio Cassette and 6-stack CD, Cruise Control, factory Alarm and Tracker. Sports Exhaust.
£3,450 ono All enquiries, please call or text 07792 422209 (lady owner) 54
BMW Car Club Magazine NOVEMBER 2019
www.bmwcarclubgb.uk
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BMW Car Club Magazine NOVEMBER 2019
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Feature
PIRELLI GETS BEHIND TYRESAFE MESSAGE AGAIN Pirelli has once again supported TyreSafe’s ‘Tyre Safety Month,’ which took place in October, with the aim of reminding road users in the UK to ensure that their tyres are safe and properly maintained. Tyre Safety Month is an annual campaign launched by TyreSafe, the UK’s tyre safety charity, which uses October to reinforce its key messages about the maintenance checks motorists should carry out once a month and before long journeys. Pirelli is a proud founder member of TyreSafe and supports Tyre Safety Month in the UK each year with a number of activities aimed at raising awareness of the important messages behind this campaign. On a global level, Pirelli is a longtime partner of the FIA’s ‘Action for Road Safety’ campaign. The 2019 Tyre Safety Month strapline was ‘Look Who’s Talking’ with the simple message to drivers of ‘don’t ignore your tyres’. It covers the three key areas of routine tyre maintenance: pressure, condition and tread depth, encouraging drivers to check their tyres at least once a month, and also before long journeys. It’s a simple message: let your tyres talk to you. This year, Pirelli hosted special evenings at its state-of-the-art Performance Centre in Burton for car owners’ clubs, employees and local residents. On top of that, Pirelli also used its social channels to spread the word about tyre safety, helping drivers to check their tyres and develop good habits that will last a driving lifetime. Pressure should be checked against the recommended settings found in the vehicle handbook, door surround or fuel filler cap, using an accurate tyre pressure gauge. In addition, don’t forget to do a Pirelli fuel gift card offer Members of BMW Owners Club can now benefit from an exclusive offer from Pirelli of a fuel gift card. Available only when purchasing Pirelli tyres from a Pirelli Performance Centre or official BMW dealer. The Pirelli tyres purchased can be for any vehicle and not limited to tyres just for your BMW. It means that this offer is valid on tyres for any car and can also be used for your friends and family,
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BMW Car Club Magazine NOVEMBER 2019
visual check too. When checking the tyres, any lumps or bulges may indicate internal damage and increase the risk of a failure, so it’s best to get them inspected by a professional. Tread depth should be checked with an accurate gauge to ensure it’s above the minimum legal limit of 1.6mm, though a 20p coin can also be used as a guide to how close the tread is provided the terms and conditions are adhered to. The card’s value depends on the rim size and quantity of tyres purchased as follows: Rim Size
Two Tyres
Four Tyres
16” & below
£10
£30
17”
£30
£70
18” & above
£50
£100
Where can you get your tyres fitted? A
to the limit. If you can still see the border of the coin when you insert it in the tyre tread, it’s time to change. When was the last time you checked your tyres? Remember you can always go to your local PPC for a free tyre check or visit www.tyresafe.org for tyre safety information. dedicated website is set up at http:// pirelli.co.uk/bmwcarclub. Here you will find all the promotional details and a dealer locator enabling you to search for your nearest participating dealer. Terms and conditions apply. Please note, only claims from a Pirelli Performance Centre or official BMW dealer will be accepted. And don’t forget, you can keep in touch with Pirelli here: www.pirelli.co.uk/keepintouch. www.bmwcarclubgb.uk
BMW 728i E38 AN APPRECIATING CLASSIC FOR SALE
OVER 10 YEARS BMW DEALERSHIP EXPERIENCE GENUINE PARTS USED MOT’S ARRANGED FREE NEW PURCHASE APPRAISAL
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01506 885 788
E: info@ksautomotive.co.uk
Registered June’99 – just 20 years young! Original Service Book with 12 stamps
Long MOT until April 2020 no advisories 2 keys Full black leather High spec includes: 6-stack CD Electric front seats, windows, mirrors Driver’s 3-way Memory seats Front and rear parking sensors Cruise control Air con – fully charged Door-handle entry down-lights F/R mud guards Motorway miles with good tyres all round A good example of this gentleman’s autobahn cruiser.
£1,995 ONO PLEASE CALL OR MESSAGE: 07969 456214 www.bmwcarclubgb.uk
BMW Car Club Magazine NOVEMBER 2019
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crossword 2
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Sponsored by
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Winner of last month’s crossword John Hulme - All entrants for October’s issue crossword must be received into the office by 11th November. Winner will be announced in next issue. The first correct crossword chosen at random will receive Meguiars Goodies. Please email all completed crosswords to office@bmwcarclubgb.co.uk or post it to BMW Car Club GB, Unit 5h, Glan Yr Afon, Aberystywth, SY23 3JQ Answers to last months Crossword Across: 1. Ferrari, 7. Sepang, 9. Chain, 10. RLE DOHC, 13. Aid, 14. Enzo, 17. NEAT, 20. Oil, 21. Alfetta, 23. Until, 25. Sbarro. 26. Alpinas Down: 1. Fiorano, 2. Reseda, 3. Ascot, 4. REHH, 5. I-PACE, 6. Ann, 8. AI (Artificial Intelligence), 11. Lie, 12. Polaris, 15. Notion, 16. Zit, 18. Tatra, 19. A flop, 22. LIRL, 23. UBS (Union Bank of Switzerland), 24. Na
1. Therefore (4) 4. Initials used for BMW’s electrohydraulic transmission first offered in 1997 on the E36 M3 (1,1,1) 7. Postcode of Cooper BMW’s second-most Northerly location (1,1) 8. ...Bovensiepen: Developed and in 1962 started marketing a Weber dual carburettor for the BMW 1500 (7). See also 16. and 28. Across 11. German for ice (pronounced the same!) (3) 13. Critical components on your BMW (6). See also 15. Across 14. Romanian off-road vehicle manufacturer, producing over 380,000 vehicles from 1957 until its closure in 2006 (1,1,1) 15. Something that parts of 13. Across are designed to do (4) 16. Model of the business founded by 8. Across based on the E90/E91 BMW 320d (1,5) 18. Initials of the Egyptian actor who starred in “Lawrence of Arabia”, “Doctor Zhivago” as well as the film referred to in 9. Down (1,1) 19. Could be Yacht Club? (1,1) 20. Audi’s 2012 International Car of the Year (1,5) 22. Initials for Japanese Food Sanitation Law (1,1,1,1) 24. ...Otomotive: Approved BMW parts and service provider in Bornova, Turkey (3) 25. An important decision when you are buying your new BMW (6) 27. French for street (3) 28. Bavarian city and location of business of 8. Across (7) 30. Initials for Japanese automotive electronics group founded in 1949, now simply known as Denso (1,1) 31. Initials for ailment caused by long-term repeated actions (1,1,1) 32. Successes e.g. 10 for Williams F1 with BMW engines (4)
Down 1. BMW E number for the 3rd generation of 5 Series model, launched in 1988 (6,4) 2. Postcode of Berry Heathrow BMW and MINI (1,1) 3. It might have been alright for James Bond’s Lotus Esprit, but not an environment suited to your BMW! (6) 4. The most-northerly settlement in the United Kingdom. Your nearest BMW dealer is Harry Fairbairn in Inverness - a 105 minute flight away (4) 5. What you might decide to give your BMW once in a while (8) 6. Devices for precisely applying lubrication under pressure (6,4) 7. Lifeless (4) 9. Initials for the now-BMW brand featured heavily in the eponymously-named 1965 film “The Yellow...” (1,1) 10. Initials for Diagnostics Services & Repairs, a BMW and MINI specialist repair company in Leighton Buzzard (1,1,1) 12. Could be term given (initials for camshaft configuration) to a group of the V8engined C107 Mercedes-Benz coupes (1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1) 17. Legal term meaning held in trust until certain conditions are met, or an E46 Compact ‘value model’ together with a large, black bird! (6 or 2,4) 21. You want a new car, but you... a BMW (4) 22. Heavy vehicle manufacturer founded in 1945 and based in Rocester, Staffordshire (1,1,1) 23. Pair of shortform insignia found on some heater controls (2,2) 26. Could be University of Limerick? (1,1) 29. Initials of Northern Irish racing driver who made his Formula One debut at the 1993 Japanese Grand Prix (1,1)
socialmedia The importance of events in the social media age As I write this, we’ve just got back from another brilliant Sunday Scramble at Oxfordshire’s Bicester Heritage facility. The club had a good turn out from the Central Region, and the Scramble itself was sprinkled with all manner of BMW goodness, ranging from a lovely Frazer Nash-BMW, an immaculate M1 from BMW Classic and an air-bagged E30 M3. Sunday Scramble is like Instagram in real life. Everywhere you turn there are brilliant cars and even more brilliant moments just waiting to be captured and shared. The audience, broadly speaking, is young and digitally savvy, and images from Sunday Scramble begin to pop up on Instagram before the gates have even opened. A few hours in and the regular feeds are full of the latest Scramble sets. It’s almost like Bicester Heritage has a whole life of its own online, with a worldwide following keen to see what’s happening at the ex-WWII airfield-turned classic car business park. If you don’t believe me, search for @woofbh – it’s an account dedicated solely to dogs at Bicester Heritage. But it raises a very obvious, but often overlooked element. Bicester Heritage is only so successful online because the venue itself is stunning. It’s full of wonderful cars, and there are engaging
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BMW Car Club Magazine NOVEMBER 2019
characters hosting great events. It’s hard to have a great presence and following on social media if there isn’t anything good to share. The lesson we can learn for the Club is that as much as things change, they really stay the same. One of the primary focusses of the Club has been its events, its people and its cars. Focus on that, make sure that members are talking about it and sharing online, and the rest will follow naturally.
Credit: @purecarphotography www.bmwcarclubgb.uk
regionalnews Central Tony Skerrett Central Region sponsored by
07879 404648 central@bmwcarclubgb.co.uk
Barons Bedford
The pre-arranged AGM scheduled for 11th November 2019 is unlikely to take place as we have had only one interested party for Chairman and due to his other interests that looks unlikely. However, all is not lost so at the November Meet we will try and persuade the prospective candidate to act as an area rep for the Leics/Warks areas and see how that goes. For social events we would like to try again at the Althorpe Coaching Inn as the first meeting was an enjoyable success. A further matter of interest was the discovery of a little known Z4 forum with about 1,400 UK members but you have to join first to view the posts/ articles… BMW Z4 Drivers Club UK (https://www.facebook.com/ groups/1707273612888197/). Worth a look for Z4 owners/lovers! Past Events 29th September – Rousham House and Gardens Always an enjoyable afternoon out wandering around the gardens with several Members; the gardens even in late summer looked great, and how on earth the garden team manage to keep the gardens in such good order amazes me. We were unable this year to tour the House but it was good to know how Mrs Dormer was and still very active.
01234 434 122
www.baronsgroup.co.uk/bmw BARONSCC20133 = 15% discount code
Left to right – Roy and Phil’s 8 Series and view of the flag and cars. Pictures by Chris Smith
Two priceless BMWs on display. Picture by Richard Morgan
My Car by Chris Goddard Chris is very busy renovating an E3 and has promised an article on the experience! Chris has also bought a lovely looking Series 8. Lucky fella.
The house itself
6th October – The Bicester Sunday Scramble Huge event with over 1,400 cars, mostly classics of which 61 were from the BMWCC. Strangely enough an awful lot of cars had gone by 1pm but it was sunny with no rain, it was a bit of a chilly wind. It was good to see Richard Morgan, Chris Smith, and Clive Collison in a very nice E30 Tourer in Hellrot Red, Roy Pugh and Phil Starr in their super 8s, Jeff Wyatt and Sasha in their E9, Chris and son Matt Saunders, and even John Laycott but not in his E36 M3. All good fun.
Central West Dave Evans Central West Region sponsored by
Autobahn Servicing Ltd Unit 11, Pitcairn Drive Halesowen B62 8AG Tel 0121 585 9146
www.autobahnservicing.co.uk info@autobahnservicing.co.uk
Welcome to all Regional members old and new. We have had a fantastic year with some great shows, and of course our wonderful National Festival and the up and coming Classic Car Show at the NEC this month which is always a great event. As we approach the winter months I anticipate many www.bmwcarclubgb.uk
Future Event Christmas Dinner 13th December The Althorpe Coaching Inn, Main St, Great Brington, Northampton NN7 4JA. Meet at 7pm. www.althorp-coachinginn.co.uk. Menu: https://1drv.ms/b/s!AiEHO-Tbbw77lLiQ4cQ9iJ0cu5t If you have an issue with this link please text me on 07879 404648. 07800 616500 centralwest@bmwcarclubgb.co.uk
Richard Felton 07739 120111 01743 632391 www.autocardetailing.co.uk enquiries@autocardetailing.co.uk 15% off with presentation of membership card
of you will be bedding down your classics and preparing your daily drives for the ravages of the winter months. We will continue to have our regular monthly pub meetings throughout the winter months, with a few additional events interspersed. BMW Car Club Magazine NOVEMBER 2019
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regionalnews Members’ Day at Shelsley Walsh Hill Climb – Dean Greenfield A few weeks ago, I spent the day at Shelsley Walsh Hill Climb on one of their members’ days which gives you a great opportunity to drive your own car up the famous hill – in operation since 1905. Shelsley Walsh is one of the oldest motorsport events in the world and is in fact the oldest event to have been staged continuously on its original course apart from in wartime. With a total length of 1,000 yards or 914m, and a gradient of 1 in 6 at its steepest part, it is a real test for both driver and vehicle alike. This was made especially more difficult due to the rain which persisted during most of the day. However, I still managed to get eight runs up the hill in my E36 328i track car running on semi slick track tyres which made things very interesting at times as you can imagine. Although all the runs were non-timed runs, after some analysis of video taken on the day I worked out my best run of the day was 50.01 seconds. Overall it was a brilliant day and I will definitely be going back again next year.
Forthcoming Events Friday 8th–Sunday 10th November – Classic Motor Show, NEC Birmingham The biggest and best Classic Car Show in the UK! An event not to be missed for any classic car owner, collector, enthusiast, car club member or anyone with a passion for classic cars. The show brings together the world’s largest gathering of 300 car and motorcycle clubs with over 3,000 iconic classic and vintage cars and motorbikes on display across seven halls at Birmingham’s NEC. As well as admiring these amazing vehicles, you’ll have the opportunity to shop from the UK’s largest indoor auto jumble and specialist traders to source parts and tools for your maintenance and restoration needs, drive or buy your very own classic car from an outstanding range of dealers, enjoy the spectacle of live auctions, talks from motoring celebrities, restoration demonstrations and much more. Joining together with classic car enthusiasts from all over the UK and beyond, this year our Club stand will be celebrating the anniversary of the 8 series. Christmas Party – Friday 13th December We are returning to The Chateau Impney, Droitwich for our Christmas celebration this year. The evening’s entertainment will be a live tribute to the Jersey Boys and includes a set three course meal, all this for just £40.00 per head. If you would like to join us please drop us an email. Limited spaces available so first come first served. If anyone has a short article or photo they would like us to share in the regional news section please email or message us and we will include it in subsequent editions. Hope to see you soon, Dave (07800 616500), Dean & Jan
Cheshire & Staffs Steve Cooper Cheshire & Staffs Region sponsored by
A warm welcome to any new members of the Cornwall Region. I hope you will enjoy being a member of the Club and Region. Please contact me if there is anything you wish to know about the pub meets, Club events or Regional activities we have planned. I hope to meet you at one soon. If you are a Facebook user please check out the BMW Car Club GB – Cornwall page. Details of meets and events are posted on this page along with any last minute changes/updates. Please also check the Cornwall page of the Club website for details of events; I will update this as events are confirmed, and everything will be printed in Straight Six as deadlines allow. Monthly Meets The monthly pub meets continue to be held on the second Monday of the month, please check the dates at the back of the magazine. We are a friendly bunch so please come along! If you are a new member or a member who has not attended before and are planning on attending, give me an email or call beforehand so I can look out for you. Recent Events: Truro High School Classic Car and Bike Show – thanks to all who attended this event. We had a good turnout again with seven cars attending. It was the first time this event was held BMW Car Club Magazine NOVEMBER 2019
Blue Bell Fourth Avenue, Weston Road, Crewe
Cheshire. CW1 6XH. Tel:01270 212525
DISCOUNT OF UP TO 10% IS GIVEN TO MEMBERS WITH VALID MEMBERSHIP CARD *Conditions apply
Cornwall Jim Husband
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cheshireandstaffs@bmwcarclubgb.co.uk
Knights Bede Road, Radial Park, Stoke on Trent Staffordshire. ST4 4GU Tel:01782 572100
cornwall@bmwcarclubgb.co.uk
and it is hoped it will become an annual event so hopefully we will be back next year.
Drive out – Six cars met at Diner 31 on Bodmin Moor early on Sunday 22nd September for their Breakfast Meet. We didn’t see all the cars that eventually turned out as we headed off for our drive. The route took us to North Cornwall and Devon then back across the county with coffee and food stops and toilet breaks – no names mentioned but we know who!! Thanks to Dave who sorted the route. Looking forward to the next one. www.bmwcarclubgb.uk
regionalnews Forthcoming events: 13th December Christmas Meal – This year’s meal is at the Plume of Feathers at Mitchell. We will meet at 7pm with the table booked for 7.30pm. I will need menu choices by the end of November please. Car of the month If you would like to have your car featured please send me details with a maximum of 100 words and a good quality photo. Even if you have had your car featured previously but have since modified it, an updated report would be good. I also know some have changed their car recently so a new report would be welcomed.
Cotswold Martyn Goodwin Cheltenham BMW Cheltenham MINI Cotswold Motor Group Cheltenham Motorrad www.cotswoldgroup.com Cheltenham Parts Corinthian Way, Cheltenham, GL51 6UP Cheltenham Service Hereford Roman Road, Hereford, HR1 1LN
Cotswold Region sponsored by
cotswold@bmwcarclubgb.co.uk 01242 335 335 01242 335 345 01242 335 355 01242 335 365 01242 335 375 01432 375 555
Devon Kathy Jemfrey Devon Region sponsored by Our monthly pub meet continues to be held at the Hare & Hounds Kingskerswell, 7 for 7.30pm. It is good to welcome new members and we hope Bob who popped in to see us on Thursday enjoyed his evening with us and will make a return visit. We had 18 members and friends join us at our pub meet and plans are well in place for our Christmas Dinner planned for 12th December 2019. Don’t delay, book your place. Having asked the members for help with an article for Straight Six, I am pleased there has been some interest. The first member’s contribution is from Ian Magnani and I thank him for taking the time and effort to make this contribution. BMW, the safest car on the road? Well we think so. A few weeks ago my parents were travelling home from getting their usual Wednesday night fish and chips, when some brain dead idiot coming the opposite direction decided to overtake on double white lines around a curve. Straight into my parents’ year-old 540i touring. Every airbag deployed, the seat belt tensioners did their job as did the numerous crumple zones, the inside of their car looked like a bouncy castle. Within seconds BMW emergency services were talking to them asking if everyone was OK and
www.bmwcarclubgb.uk
Cotswold Motor Group offer members: Generous discounts off the new BMW and MINI range
Discounts on approved used vehicles in stock 15% plus discount on parts and accessories, 10% discount on all service work and labour ( 15% on vehicles 4 years old plus ) Available to members presenting current valid membership card
01626 330436 devon@bmwcarclubgb.co.uk INDEPENDENT BMW & MINI SPECIALISTS
that all the emergency services had been alerted. Less than five minutes later the road had been closed off and the fire brigade, police and an ambulance were there doing what they do best. After a few roadside checks my parents (who are in their late 70s) were taken to hospital for x-rays and a thorough check over. Thankfully and amazingly they were only suffering from bruising and mild shock. While at the scene we were talking to the police, and they said that the impact speed was around 120mph and had they been in any other car their injuries could have been quite serious. The idiot in the other car miraculously crawled out of his upturned Honda Accord and did a runner, never to be found. Apparently he had bought the car for cash a week earlier; the car had no tax, insurance or MOT. After checking the car’s MOT history it had failed so badly (over 20 items – mostly serious) that it should have been scrapped. After receiving a full insurance payout my dad went out and bought a new X5 and said that he’s never buying another make of car again, he was so impressed with BMW services and the way the car took the impact. The 540i was sent to be recycled as the damage was too severe to be put back on the road.
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East Anglia George Champ East Anglia Region sponsored by Barons Cambridge
& Stansted
07514 216660 eastanglia@bmwcarclubgb.co.uk
www.barronsbmw.co.uk Cambridge Stansted
: 0844 326 7249 : 0844 326 7244
Barons offers members • Generous discounts off the new BMW and MINI range • A minimum discount of £500 on approved used cars in stock • 15% discount on parts and accessories 10% off servicing, excludes Value Line Servicing which applies to cars over 4 yrs old.
Welcome to new members who have recently joined. Although the busy events season is nearing the end I hope you and existing members will try to continue to enjoy the various pub meets. Norfolk are looking for another venue apart from the Bird in Hand so please double check their Facebook page, as a new venue may well have now been found. Staying with the topic of Facebook we are looking for a member to run the Essex Facebook page so if you think you can help please contact me. So many events have happened recently and you will have received some emails with details, but here are just a couple of snippets. Kings Lynn Classic Car Day and Heritage Open Day – A fantastic day out. Two hundred and forty-seven various classic cars including eight BMWs of which two were ALPINAs, a B3 and a B10. Plus 55 very interesting historic buildings, museums, galleries etc open to the public for free, and personally after looking at the cars my wife and I only managed to see about 14 of the properties. It’s an event you can never get bored with. Breakfast Meet and Visit to the Muckleburgh Collection After an enjoyable breakfast at The Hill Top Cafe, Rackheath we had a trundle up to Weybourne on the North Norfolk coast to The Muckleburgh Collection. An impressive collection of military vehicles and tanks together with history of the site during war time, plus an exhibition of some superb models of not only military vehicles but of aircraft and in particular ships, made it an interesting day. Most of the vehicles at the museum are in working condition, but sadly none were actually working on the day, which was a bit disappointing as the weather was superb. Thanks to all who turned out. It was nice to greet some new members, Neil Jones and also Keith Barnes and his wife Angie.
Warren Classic and Supercar Show – Details already sent but a couple of extra pictures to enjoy, one being a bit cheeky. Contacts: George Champ (East Anglia Regional Chairman) eastanglia@bmwcarclubgb.co.uk 07514 216660 David Adams (Suffolk Branch Rep.) bmwccsuffolkrep@btinternet.com 07774 668596 Stewart Chambers (Assistant Suffolk Branch Rep. and Motor Sport coordinator) stwrtchambers@gmail.com 07717 327014 John Herman (Essex Branch Rep.) johnherman316@gmail.com Anthony Shilson (Assistant Essex Branch Rep. and M Power Development for EA Region) anthony_shilson@hotmail.com Matthew Hunt (Cambs/Beds Branch Rep.) matthew.hunt13@btinternet.com 07973 986525 Richard Howard (Norfolk Branch Rep.) bmwccnorfolk@gmail.com or janetrichard@rarness.co.uk Paul Roberts (Assistant Norfolk Branch Rep.) 07768 881763 Aaron Reeve (NW Norfolk, STH Lincolnshire, Peterborough Branch Rep.)westnorfolk@bmwcarclubgb.co.uk 01553 764600 Sindy Ratini (East Anglia Region Website and Facebook coordinator)
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Eastern Paul Rice Bridlington Festival of Motoring After initially not taking place in 2019 and with only 10 weeks’ notice, North Humberside Motor Club Ltd took on the organisation of the Bridlington Weekend of Motoring event on behalf of the East Riding of Yorkshire Council. The many events taking place around the country and a full calendar for many, may have explained the reduced numbers from 2018, although also a nominal charge this year may have had an impact. A good showing from BMWCC certainly helped swell the numbers with 17 cars in total putting on a fine display. North Humberside Motor Club have confirmed they will be organising the event for 2020, so a big thank you to all involved. Sewerby is a top venue with lots to offer for all the family, so make a date in September to attend, I certainly will be! Donington with the Zed Cars
Had a very enjoyable, if wet day with members of both BMWCC and Zroadster.org for a day of racing with the Zed Car teams as part of the MSVR series. Having paddock parking made us all feel an integral part of the day, topped off by an amazing two laps of the circuit with a spirited parade drive in challenging conditions, made all the more special by the inclusion of the race cars on track with us at the same time. Zed Cars will be back next year so look out for dates and venues, good day’s racing with a friendly atmosphere.
eastern@bmwcarclubgb.co.uk
Car of the Month: 320 GT M-Sport+
Purchased recently from Stratstone Hull as a replacement for my 118d. After initially making enquiries about several 420 Coupes, then discounting as a need for better rear access I turned my attentions to the Grand Coupe. Offering coupe looks but with the added bonus of better rear access and a hatchback, the hunt continued for a specific specification. Not new but nearly, delivery or low miles, M-Sport, preferably M-Sport+, and after my brief love affair with the new Z4, auto a desirable must. A part of me has always bemoaned BMW’s need to produce more and more niche vehicles and not stick to what they do best, 4 door sport saloons. Gone are the days of a limited model range of 3, 5 and 7 with the occasional 6. We have Zs and Xs, we have 1,2,3,4,5,6,7 and 8 and even, dare I mention it, front and four wheel drive. And this is where I find myself buying such a vehicle. The GT is badged as a 3 although it is based on the floor pan of a 5 and sold in China as a 3 Series saloon. The fact that the car is one of BMW’s less than successful models in terms of numbers appealed to me, so when I came across this car with a very acceptable specification, 2,000 miles and in one of my favourite colours, Estoril blue (only available in M-Sport+) a test drive was booked. After some extended negotiations, balance paid and the car was mine. After taking delivery some eight weeks ago I have doubled the mileage, including a week in the Lake District and the trip to a very wet National Festival, amongst some of the journeys covered. Really love the M-Sport+ specification including the excellent laser lights, great seats and updated info system, but what keeps impressing me more and more is the excellent 8 speed box and in eight weeks only gone for the absent clutch pedal twice. So purchasing one of BMW’s niche models has proven a good decision for me. It’s a shame news is that the 3 GT is no more, apparently people prefer the X4, well each to their own. Regional Christmas dinner Just a reminder, Percy Arms, Airmyn will be the location for our annual Christmas dinner to be held on Sunday 15th December from 2pm. Spaces are limited so please book direct with the venue: Percy Arms, High Street, Airmyn, Goole DN14 8LD Tel: 01405 780792
London Tim Fathers London Region sponsored by
london@bmwcarclubgb.co.uk
BMW Park Lane, 70 Park Lane London. W1K 7TT www.bmwparklane.com mail@bmwparklane.co.uk 020 7514 3559
Barons Watford 01923 700 217 and Borehamwood 02031 316 645 www.baronsgroup.co.uk/bmw www.bmwcarclubgb.uk
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Mid Wales & Shropshire Phil Pinnington Welcome to November’s edition of the Mid Wales & Shropshire Region Chairman chitty chat. Soon it’ll be Christmas and then another year ends and a new show season starts, so watch out for our list of shows. There will be our favourites and of course we’ll throw in a couple of new ones to whet your appetite. Don’t forget to make a note of our Christmas lunch date in this month’s magazine. This year I will be awarding a trophy to this year’s best car of the year. You have to be in it to win it.
Oulton Park August Bank Holiday Weekend The Region proudly represented the marque at the Gold Cup again this year. We were treated to great weather, unlike last year, and it was welcomed! Despite tighter restrictions on the appropriate ages of ‘Modern Classic’ cars we still managed to have a great representation of cars. We had 14 cars on both days while the tent was full of treats and hotdogs – thanks to all our members. We watched a lot of the historic racing which included E30, E36 and E46 race cars. Then each time we retreated back to the stand the interest in our stand was clear to see. We all agree that the standard of our cars has improved and the lovely compliments we are getting from the general public show we must be doing something correct. Next year we want Mr ‘Unbelievable’ there with his dad; come on Steve, you know who you are and dip your toe into this fab weekend event. PS. Congratulation to James Gordon who is getting married by the time everyone reads this! Well done mate from us all. National Festival Unfortunately the weather didn’t play ball this year. We had a cracking Regional stand, definitely one if not the largest with 13 BMWs on the pitch which was great and the cleaning was in full swing. Unfortunately by the time we were drifting off around the site gazing at other precious metal the heavens opened and ruined the day. We were impressed with the representation of classic cars vs new metal and it was really well organised. The new car hard standing area on the top deck was a welcome addition to the site and next year I’m sure it will be even better. Great to meet up with BMW Regional family once again. Thanks
North East
Nick Thomas
Cooper BMW Teesside are now offering parts at cost price + 10% when you show your membership card. Cooper BMW Sunderland are also offering a 15% discount on parts and servicing when you show your membership card. The end of the year is now rapidly approaching. Whilst we still have a busy couple of months left (see below for upcoming events) it is time to start planning 2020. Our AGM on 10th November is where the plans take shape. If you have ideas for trips, shows or events let me know beforehand or bring them along to the AGM. Our monthly breakfast meetings will continue to be held on the second Sunday morning of each month from 10.00am to 11.30am at the Black Horse Beamish, Red Row, Beamish, Co. Durham, DH9 0RW (www.blackhorsebeamish.co.uk).
midwales@bmwcarclubgb.co.uk
everyone for making this a great occasion. Fingers crossed for good weather next year, I blame Steve Seed... Bodrhyddan Hall
This show was rescheduled due to bad weather so we were all hoping for a sunny day, and the week leading up to the show it was showing sun until the day before. Then it forecast heavy rain, but this did not deter the hard-core members from braving the torrential rain they endured to get to the event. Tony in his 420d powered on at 20mph along the M6 with zero visibility as well as our noble Mr Seed in his little E30 battling the forces of nature that could easily have swept his little trooper away. They made it, along with 12 others including a small number from the North Wales Region. Despite the rain the sun did make an appearance and so did a few showers, but we still enjoyed the day. Again Steve Seed gained another trophy for his cabinet, getting silver in the 80s section. Well done Steve. Great show. Forthcoming events 2019 Christmas lunch: 15th December 12 noon Hanmer Arms, Hanmer Village. SY13 3DE northeast@bmwcarclubgb.co.uk
members’ cars and one of the Region flags taking pride of place in the showroom.
Recent Events Cooper BMW Teesside held a dealership relaunch in early September. The North East Region helped out with a couple of
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The September meet at Black Horse Beamish was well attended. It was my first time hosting the monthly meet there, and it is certainly a good venue. The good weather certainly helped to make the cars lined up in front of the Car Barn gleam. At the end of September we attended the NECPWA End of Season show at the Beamish Living Museum. Heavy rain on the day reduced the number of cars overall, and the number of BMWs. However we still had the biggest one-make stand and looked good with all the flags up. The day after the Beamish show two North East cars were at the BMWCCGB track day at Snetterton. As usual it was a very well run day, with good driving standards and very few warning flags. The last track day of the season is on 8th November at Oulton Park, come along if you can as it is free to spectate, look round the cars in the paddock and chat with fellow Club members.
latest security systems or would like a bespoke Air Ride then Bassmechanix are the guys that can satisfy the most demanding customer. From the simplistic but well executed sub-woofer upgrade right through to show winning audio installations with either acoustically correct sound or earth shattering bass systems can be delivered right through from concept to high quality installation. With over 15 years’ experience in vehicle security, Bassmechanix are the people to talk to when it comes to vehicle security. They supply and install a complete range of anti-theft and tracking systems to the latest specification and highest security rating. The meet will be held at Bassmechanix, Unit 14 Terraced Factories, Bassington Industrial Estate, Cramlington, NE23 8AD from 10am until about 2pm. Coffee and snacks will be provided. Sunday 8th December – Monthly meeting at Black Horse Beamish. Saturday 14th December – North East Christmas Dinner at Black Horse Beamish. I will be very pleased to see you all at one or more of the events, whether a new member or an old hand. Plans can and do change so keep checking on the Club website, forum or North East Region Facebook group. Car of the month The September ‘Car of the Month’ was awarded at the Black Horse meeting to Greg Frost with his recently purchased Hellrot E38 7 Series. Greg won a goodie bag supplied by The Polishing Company.
Forthcoming events Events for the next few months: Sunday 10th November – AGM and monthly meeting at Cooper BMW Teesside, starting at 10.30am. The AGM is quite informal, however you will need your membership card to vote. Following the AGM, the dealer’s BMW genius Kurt will give us a tour of the dealership. Sunday 24th November – We have arranged a visit to Bassmechanix in Cramlington. If you’re into Car Audio or the
North Wales David Allen
07788 718590 northwales@bmwcarclubgb.co.uk
After the lousy weather for the Bodrhyddan Hall show at the end of July, we had notice from the organisers that a new date had been scheduled for 22nd October. The weather forecast was again not good but a few brave members from Mid Wales & Shropshire and a couple from North Wales arrived in the sun and left during the showers that followed in the afternoon. Thanks to Phil Pinnington and his members for all the goodies, shelter and their company. Finally a plea. The Club is unable to give members’ details to the Regional Chairs. It is therefore important for new members or members that haven’t made contact, to email me. My contact information is detailed in the magazine. In the North Wales Region
North West
Jeff Heywood
we have over 10 members we’d like to meet or talk to – please! Forthcoming events: Nothing planned at the moment for December but if members want to do something before Christmas, please give me a shout. I promise to finish the ‘run’ around North Wales for next year. Apologies once again for not being able to organise a date, and I thought retirement meant more ‘free’ time. I will aim to organise our first meeting in February/ March so we can plan ahead. Car of the Month If any members would like their car featured, drop me an email.
BMW Car Club GB North West image Twitter: @BMWNW
07801 506632 northwest@bmwcarclubgb.co.uk
News Welcome to November’s North West News. We’re now into the early winter months with Xmas on the horizon, but your Region hasn’t gone into hibernation! This month we have the final Swan pub meet of the year, and in December a real treat, Xmas lunch at Arley Hall + parking in front of the Hall for a fantastic photo opportunity – more info below. Club Regional Cups If you are in possession of a cup or trophy handed out by the www.bmwcarclubgb.uk
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regionalnews North West Region, will you be kind enough to just drop Jeff an email with the cup name etc so we can arrange for it to be returned… if required. Alloy Wheel Repair – Highly recommended Class Alloys – mobile visiting service, repair and refurb alloy wheels, all finishes, covers NW Region. Discount given to Club members, wheel repairs start from £40.00 – contact Steve on 07594 018525 – see Steve’s work on Facebook, search for ‘Class Alloys’ BMW Servicing & Repair – Highly recommended Darren Wood BMW Specialist (0161 425 7403) Bredbury, Stockport SK6 2QB. www.darren-wood.com
Forthcoming Events 17th November – Swan Pub Meet Let’s see a large turnout of members for the sixth and final Swan meet of the year. Don’t miss the last round of the NW Quiz, with prizes provided by sponsor Darren Wood, plus the committee will be judging the Swan Car of the Month, which includes a prize from regional sponsors the Car Detailing Centre plus a write-up in Straight Six, so let’s see some effort put into prepping those BMWs! The Swan meet kicks off at 12 noon, and is situated at Bucklow Hill, Cheshire WA16 6RD, with easy access from both the M56 and M6 motorways making it an easy drive and an ideal location for most in the Region.
Bodywork – Highly recommended David Tully Bodyshop (Tully’s), Rochdale – top class paint/body repair shop. 01706 643866 – www.davidtullyltd.co.uk Express-dent-removal – Highly recommended Mobile Service – speak to Simon Robinson on 0800 998 9828 or 07767 832255 – or visit www.express-dent-removal.co.uk Event Reports 29th September – Swan Pub Meet The fifth Swan meet of the year enjoyed a decent turnout of Club members, even though the country was experiencing monsoon-like weather at the time! Three nice E39s in attendance, one M5 plus two Alpina B10s, one a 3.3 model and the other a B10 V8, which was nice enough to take the Swan CotM award – see below. The Darren Wood sponsored NW Quiz was won by the B10 lads, so a triple win for Alpina. The E46 Boys finished second and Paul Hearn third. The E46ers still lead the way with one round still to go – can they be pipped at the post as some of the quiz ‘big guns’ return for the final round in November...? Swan Car of the Month
Darryl Curran, proprietor of the Car Detailing Centre (L) hands over a box of detailing goodies to Norman Bull, owner of the Swan CotM winning Alpina E39 B10 V8
The Car Detailing Centre sponsored award went to Norman Bull’s stunning 1999 Alpina E39 B10 V8 (4.6). The car is finished in Boston Green whilst the interior is trimmed in silver buffalo leather with green piping. The car has full BMW-Alpina service history and has covered just 34k miles, and it shows, being in excellent condition. The E39 B10 V8 4.6 had 350hp and 480Nm of torque, good enough to propel the B10 to 60mph from rest in 5.7 seconds before finally running out of steam at 175mph – a true Autobahn stormer! In 2002 Alpina released a B10 V8S model with 375hp… Norman has only owned the car for three months so as one would expect there have been no issues to report. Norman loves the car, how it drives (and goes!), adding: “Of all the cars I’ve owned” (and he’s owned/owns some beauties, including a stunning Estoril blue 840Ci), “this is my favourite”. Norman has previously owned an E39 B10 for three years, which he sold a few years ago – methinks this one’s a keeper!!
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15th December – NW Region Xmas Lunch at Arley Hall & Photo op! We’ve organised a real treat for our Xmas lunch this year to be held in the ‘Gardener’s Kitchen Restaurant’ at Arley Hall, home to Thomas Shelby from TV drama Peaky Blinders! The lunch consists of a two- or three-course meal and costs £22.50/£23.50. I will send out a menu to all enquiries so that you can make your choices, but I need you to book ASAP as the restaurant needs to know numbers and choices. I’ve also managed to persuade them to allow us to park our cars (again) in the gravel courtyard in front of the hall, allowing us to take some cracking photos. We’ll also be holding our prize Xmas raffle, kindly sponsored by Darren Wood, with an Xmas hamper going to the winning ticket. Places are limited so please book ASAP with Jeff on 07801 506632 or northwest@bmwcarclubgb.co.uk
Local NW Branch News Manchester Branch News The October meet was sparsely attended with just the usual www.bmwcarclubgb.uk
regionalnews stalwarts in attendance. The chat centred on BMs, minor accidents, future events, Xmas and bread! A big thank you to those who supported October’s meeting – let’s see everyone make the effort to attend next month’s meet in November! Manchester Branch meetings are held on the first Tuesday
South East South East Region sponsored by
of every month at the Sheldon Arms, Lord Sheldon Way, Ashton-under-Lyne OL6 7UB, half a mile from Jct 23 M60 and accessible to all. Future meetings – 5th November, 3rd December & 7th January 8.00pm onwards.
Ian Bryant
Chandlers Brighton 01273 769 812
Chandlers in Hailsham hosted the new 1 Series and 3 Series Touring launch at Knockhatch Adventure Park on 26th September. It was a great event. The evening commenced at 18:00 with Mark Bridgland, Head of Business introducing the cars and explaining the importance of the new 1 Series. There was much discussion about the move to front wheel drive. The feedback from those that have driven was very positive; those that have not, will need to drive and decide for themselves. Watch for Steve Carter’s article on the event. While mentioning Steve Carter I would like to thank him and Dean Grossmith for the M Life article they did on my Z4M in last month’s Straight Six, very professional feature and pictures. The plan is to do more of these features and have recently launched http://www.instagram.com/turnandclipit
southeast@bmwcarclubgb.co.uk
Hailsham 01323 306 106 Worthing 01903 444821
www.baronsgroup.co.uk/bmw
BARONS CC20133 =
15% discount code
Returning to Chandlers Hailsham, they will be hosting a breakfast meeting for the BMW Car Club, provisional date is Sunday 27th October. The day will start at 10:00 with a spot of breakfast, ramp inspections and access to the team at this dealership. The Sussex Micro Meeting at Shoreham Airport proceeded as normal even though the weather forecast was particular bad. As it transpired it did not rain for the event, with a number of regulars still attending. The Kent Micro Meeting at Chatham Dockyard hosted by Larry, his second event, went ahead as planned but they were impacted as members attended other planned events. Thanks to Norman Burnham for organising a visit to BMW HQ in Farnborough and drive around parts of Hampshire, Surrey and Sussex. I got up early to find heavy rain and strong winds. By the time I got to Horsham the weather was improving and on reaching BMW HQ it was dry and remained that way. There was a great section of cars, nice to catch up with so many members not seen for a while. After a bacon roll, coffee and a good look round then off to Goodwood for a spot of lunch. Forthcoming events: By the time you read this article we would have concluded a busy October with British Touring Cars at Brands Hatch, Lancing Motor Show and visit to Chandlers in Hailsham. I have my tickets for the NEC Classic Motor show on 8-10th November and highly recommend attending and using the Club discount. In terms of events, this time of year it reverts to the Micro Meetings, Kent and Sussex that is two a month, both have great catering facilities so we would be pleased to see you. This is also where the ideas start for events in 2020, and we don’t mind if your pride and joy stays in the garage and you turn in the daily driver. Please keep an eye on the South East Region home page and WhatsApp group as we tend to close down for a couple months over Christmas. For full details of all events keep watching the BMW South Region home page https://bmwcarclubgb.uk/regions/south_ east.html If you have any ideas of events or want to get more involved in the South East Region, please contact me.
South Wales Ben Sullivan & Adam Mazaheri Welcome to our South Wales Region November news. I would like to welcome all our new members and let you know about our WhatsApp group chats. We have one based on events, shows and runs that we organise; all ideas are welcome so don’t be afraid post in there about events. For general chat/ banter and
www.bmwcarclubgb.uk
southwales@bmwcarclubgb.co.uk
project updates we use a second group chat. To be added to either, please email on southwales@bmwcarclub.co.uk. Our visit to RAF Telford Phil, our event manager, consistently plans runs that never cease to impress. From the stunning views to the always interesting final destinations, you are always bound to enjoy yourself when he is at the helm of a run. The destination of our latest run was the air museum at RAF Telford which is currently showing its Cold War collection complete with small booths explaining the timeline of the Cold War, not just showing you the vehicles that were designed for BMW Car Club Magazine NOVEMBER 2019
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regionalnews the war that never happened. The journey to and from the museum was complemented with great views and a lovely Sunday lunch, taking alternative routes to keep the scenery new and fresh and ending it returning through Brecon National Park. If you have yet to join Phil on one of these runs I would seriously recommend it as they are always a great way to spend the day.
Future Events We are delighted to tell you that Team Sport Go Karting Centre Cardiff will be hosting our Christmas party on 7th December. We will then be heading into Cardiff town for food and drinks. We are also organising a day out at Caffeine and Machine in Ettington. It is, by all accounts of members who have been, ‘A petrol head’s Heaven on Earth’. When we have arranged the dates for the trip we will add it to both in the magazine and the WhatsApp group chats.
Thames Tony Skerrett Most of Thames summer activities are winding down now with only the Christmas Dinner to look forward to; more about that later on. The monthly meets at the Littlebury Hotel have been a decent success with generally a dozen or so members attending. Officially our meetings go into hibernation in November and restart in April 2020. We plan to continue to hold the meetings at the Littlebury Hotel who have always been supportive of the Club and indeed now hold the BMWCC Directors meetings. Attendance at local events has been patchy with the majority of people attending coming from other Regions! Past Events 29th September Rousham House and Gardens This is a delightful way to end the summer season, and the House are always glad to see us and even welcome us with coffee and homemade ginger biscuits. We have our own display area in the Court Yard and we do get some visitors looking at the cars. The gardens are magnificent and clearly well managed and even in September had a summery feel about them! The vegetable gardens were remarkable for the huge leeks, not to mention the Oca, Romanesco, Kohlrabi, Celeriac and Yard Long Beans. Our party of 10 members or so enjoyed the day if only for the decent warm weather and the peace and tranquillity of the gardens.
Car of the Month Our Car of the Month is owned by Mark. Mark’s M435i is the highest spec car I think I have ever seen. Some of the add-ons include, but are not limited to: • A full 360 degree view of cameras including in the bumpers so you can see approaching traffic at junctions. • Auto parking feature which will slot you nicely into a parking spot without the driver having to worry about a 30 point turn into a tight spot. • Harman Kardon sound system. • Heads up display. • The ability to lock/ unlock the car from your smartphone. It also sports a stunning gloss black M Sport pack bodykit to contrast the beautiful Melbourne red paint, with a set of 20 inch hyper silver 763 wheels to finish it all off, with the performance to match its styling; beneath that glorious paint lies one of the best engines that BMW has made in this current generation. The triple Wards ‘Best Engine Award’ winning N55B30 produces 302hp and 400Nm of torque, going from a standstill to 60mph in less than five seconds, it definitely has the performance to back it up. It has a stunning appearance, and has effortless tune-ability. Expect to hear more about this soon. 07879 404648 thames@bmwcarclubgb.co.uk
Man Smith, Tony Moreton, John Laycott of E36 M3 fame, Clive Collison in a super Red E30 Touring, Chris Saunders with son Matt, Jeff Leeks and Jeff Wyatt and Sasha. This year Heritage have tightened up on security with no late entries permitted after the cut-off date (30th September) and no cars produced after 2002. Certainly the display benefited, with many outstanding E3, E9, E24 etc plus a plethora of E30s, E36 and E39 all looking pretty good in the sunshine. It seems odd that in spite of the excellent BMW attendance at these events the Club does not get more heavily involved, that is the Office and Directors. For instance, the event had over 7,000 visitors on the Sunday. Surely an opportunity to promote the Club and gain fresh members.
Picture from Richard Morgan on these two rare beauties
And a big thank you to Chris Smith for this display picture. 6th October Bicester Sunday Scramble Last Sunday Scramble of the year with over 61 BMs in attendance with a sunny day accompanied by the usual airfield nippy breeze. The event starts bright and early with most car clubs in situ by 8.30am and the public coming in at 9am. Strangely enough some car clubs were packing up at 1pm and leaving. By 2pm most of the BMWs had departed. We missed the Trailer (now sold) but even so quite a few members gathered together in groups to discuss the merits of their cars. I was glad to meet up with Richard Morgan and daughter, Chris Camera
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(Tokyo 1992) and its open-top sibling, the C2 Spider (1993). But the BMW Nazca M12 never made it into series production. Which was a shame, of course, but not the one-way ticket to obscurity it might have been. Because BMW Group Classic has gathered together a treasure trove brimming with FORGOTTEN Other EventsHEROES – and we delight in telling the fascinating stories behind these unforgettable milestones in BMW history. Christmas Dinner Correction to the Jeff Leek article in the SS6Althorpe June Issue. Central have organised a Christmas do at Jeff LeekHouse has requested to be known thatwhich the Gearbox in the Coach on 13th itDecember 2019 is a Friday.
Tim Maltby Maltby Wessex Tim
Barons Barons Farnborough Farnborough 01252 883 565 Hello November! Just recounting our trip to Sturminster Mill that took place in the middle of September helps brighten up some of the dull and wet days we have endured recently. Many thanks to Eric Thompson for organising and for his notes as described below. Sturminster Newton Mill In time honoured tradition we met for coffee and a chat at the St New Forest Treasure Hunt Leonard’s Hotel. Leaving Ringwood at 11.30 we drove through We met countryside at our usual rendezvous, theNewton St Leonard’s Hotel, for coffee Dorset to Sturminster via Three Legged aCross, chat and a chance to check out the cars. Horton, Pimperne, Blandford Forum and Durweston. AThe staggered at 2.00pm themotoring. 36.8 mile drive through weatherstart wasbegan fantastic for top and down the most stunning Forest countryside began. must be said Arriving at theNew Mill we parked up in line, then Ittook some that one or two of us did considerably more than 36.8 miles. photographs. With 45 questions to solve, our navigators were kept busy. During the drive we saw New Forest ponies and their foals, longhorn cattle and everyone’s favourite, donkeys, all roaming freely from village to village. Various stop off points around the route enabled us to learn facts relating to the New Forest whilst solving the questions. We all arrived at the Bell Inn in Brook and sat down to a hearty meal.
Western Nigel Smith Welcome new members. Thank you to all that came along to BM’s on the Lawn, hopefully you all enjoyed yourselves; look out for the full article in next month’s magazine. Apologies to anyone who didn’t get the message that last month’s pub meet was held at an alternative venue due to change of ownership at our regular meet. However we will be back to normal this month unless anything else happens. At our last meet we held a little fun raffle and the prize was a bottle of Bead Maker by P&S Products, won by Scott Walters; well done Scott, we await his feedback. Our Dorset Drive is getting closer and it would be nice to know how many are interested in taking part. We have about 15
Western Nigel Smith Welcome new members. Ok, I’m not much of a lover of this time of year, dark mornings and dark evenings, feels like we should be tucking ourselves away earlier than we would normally. While on the subject of tucking away I expect we have a few cars now hibernating for the winter. Maybe we could get a few pics of cars garaged for the winter. Dare I say it but I bet a few of you have a picture or two of a car cover lifted on a corner, giving a sneaky peak of what’s underneath, you know what I mean. Send them to me and we will get some published. Don’t forget our November meeting will incorporate our AGM www.bmwcarclubgb.uk for a short period. Remember that our November pub meet is our last meet of the winter and we then reconvene again in March all fresh and bushy tailed. Meetings then carry on throughout the BMW Straight Six July2019.indd 71 Wednesday of the month at 7.30pm. year on the first
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getting in such a tangle. Won’t happen again.
regionalnews Some Thames members are coming to this event but no specific dinner has been planned as yet for the Thames Region. Obviously, any Thames may attend but I welcome ideas from Members for a more local place to hold this event. 07885 252448 wessex@bmwcarclubgb.co.uk
Barons Hindhead 01428 853 357 We had our own guided tour of the working Mill as they were grinding wheat grain. When you think there has been a water powered mill on this site for 1,000 years, there was plenty of history to be told. When in 1904 Mikewheel were the the Sharon woodenand paddle waswinners and also the quickest, so congratulations them. housing replaced with a to turbine, sun shoneofallblades, day, there wasn’t a traffic jam in sight, just a ironThe cups instead perfect day was out. raised Our thanks the output to 24to Belinda and Julian for organising the whole event and all thehead questions. horsepower fromsetting a five-foot In conclusion brilliant day out and one that will be repeated in of water suppliedaby the mill pond. the future. The gears that drove the Eric Thompson mechanism were made from applewood, and, lubricated with Diary Dates 2019 specially made grease, ran very quietly. Should something jam, National Gaydon 11th August. If youbreak are parking then one Festival of the wooden peg gear teeth would off so up with Wessex thentoplease Timmechanism Maltby a line: Wessex@in avoiding damage any of drop the drive – simplicity bmwcarclubgb.co.ukbook ticketswhen bmwcarclubgb.uk itself, and easily repaired oryour replaced any maintenance Sunday 15th September is now confi rmed for of ouryears visit to a working was required. Working conditions hundreds ago were fldreadful, our mill atflour Sturminster Newton and indulgeand in avery cheese dust everywhere, noto lighting longfestival. hours. MoreMany details of to usfollow. bought freshly ground flour for our bread makers. Following our tour we crossed over the river Stour, via a pedestrian bridge from thewestern@bmwcarclubgb.co.uk Mill, to visit Sturminster Newton Cheese Festival. Lots of food and drinks to try and buy, and mostso of far. us did both. cars Please contact me to register your interest. A beautiful in athe fascinating Please visit day our for FB driving page for fullcountryside, list of event adates and any insight toon part of our history and wandering around festival: updates changes, also printed here. If you wouldalike your car what better wayCar to of spend a few featured in our Month thenhours! please forward some pictures to me. Happy motoring everyone. Forthcoming events Dorsetevents Area Christmas – The Bournemouth Pub Meet on 2019 dates forDinner you all: 4th December upthe as our Christmas Dinner. Please 3rd July 2019,will Pubdouble Meet at Woolpack, Weston-Super-Mare let Eric know if you want to indulge and he will organise sight from 7.30pm of a menu for you: will show be 14th July 2019, seeEricthompson429@gmail.com. us at Powderham Castle classicThis vehicle heldAugust at the Tyrell Ford Christchurch. Whilst 7th 2019, PubCountry Meet atInn thenear Woolpack, Weston-SuperChristmas-themed Mare from 7.30pm apparel is optional, Ray may well be wearing his amazing 11th Augustjacket! 2019, National Festival, Gaydon, Warwickshiretickets purchased at bmwcarclubgb.uk 1st September 2019, Dorset coastal drive, further details to western@bmwcarclubgb.co.uk come but will start at Portland Bill, Dorset, 9am start 4th September 2019, Pub Meet at the Woolpack, WestonSuper-Mare from 7.30pm 2nd October 2019, Pub Meet at the Woolpack, Weston-SuperMare from 7.30pm 6th November 2019, Pub Meet at the Woolpack, WestonSuper-Mare from 7.30pm December 2019, Christmas meal TBA BMW Car Club Magazine JULY 2019
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regionalnews Our annual Christmas meal on 7th December is being organised by Michael and Paula Pang michael.pang@hotmail. co.uk. Spaces limited. Just a little note, if you are coming along to our pub meets we may either be in the conservatory where we would normally be or may have been moved into the carvery suite as we were last month, the new owners of the pub have not decided yet as to where is the best area for us. Please visit our FB page for a full list of event dates and any updates on changes, also printed here. If you would like your car featured in our Car of Month then please forward some pictures to me. Happy motoring everyone. Forthcoming events: 2019/2020 events dates for you all 6th November 2019, Pub Meet & AGM at the Woolpack, Weston-Super-Mare from 7.30pm 7th December 2019, Christmas meal pre booking via michael. pang@hotmail.co.uk 2020 Events 4th March 2020, Pub Meet at the Woolpack, Weston-SuperMare from 7.30pm 1st April 2020, Pub Meet & AGM at the Woolpack, WestonSuper-Mare from 7.30pm 3rd May 2020, Southern Concours & General BMW Gathering at Sherborne Castle, Sherborne, Dorset 5th July 2020, BM’s on the Lawn, Weston-super-Mare sea front lawns 12th July 2020, Powderham Castle
BMWCC Shop Club branded merchandise available from our online shop.
Stay warm and dry this event season with our new line of jackets & coats, adding to our extensive range of merchandise from clothing to accessories. All available to purchase at shop.bmwcarclubgb.uk. See the full range on display at our national events such as NEC Classic Car Show, NEC Autosport International show, London Classic Car show, and our National Festival.
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CLASSIFIEDS
in association with AnyM.co.uk
Immaculate BMW 2001 E46 320Ci Coupé (2.2) petrol manual. Gelb metallic, CD player and R/C, Climate Control, Cruise Control and electric rear windows. Multi-function steering wheel, Piano black trim cappings. Staggered original 18” BMW MV2 alloys (unmarked) and recent Falken tyres. New Brembo brake discs and pads. 46 thousand miles from new with full service history! Last MOT had no advisories. Owners club car and was part of the BMW UK launch of the new 3 Series model at BMW Wolverhampton. Has been in the owner’s club magazine on a number of occasions and also the motoring section of a national newspaper. This car has been my baby with no expense spared on its maintenance and has always been garaged. It’s a regrettable sale due to ill health. Has just had full service. Cherished plate has been removed before sale. Possibly one of the best and most original E46 coupe’s in the country in a beautiful rare colour. One of a kind. Comes with 12 months MOT on purchase. I’m asking £3,250 Adam Browning Mob: 07962 372342
E30 320i Production BMW Race Car - Full professionally welded in roll cage with integral rear strut brace, front strut brace, plumbed in fire extinguisher, electrical cut out, sump guard, Avo suspension front and rear, adjustable suspension top mounts, Tarox Grooved brake discs on the front with Ferodo DS300 pads, drilled rear disks, new front brake callipers, Racing Dynamics wheels and Toyo R888 tyres, oil pressure gauge, Miltek race exhaust with extra silencer for track days, 2 race seats – 1 ‘eared’ as per the PBMW regs, 2 six point harnesses, short throw gear shift, fuel and brake lines run inside the car, professional differential rebuild, Goodridge braided brake hoses, Polyflex black bushes all round, manual steering rack. This car has some battle scars but has never had a heavy crash. Lots of receipts and history. Ready to Race but will need to be checked against the current regs. Please email myself at markleabon@ gmail.com or call 07745 960230 for more information, more photos or to arrange a viewing. £4,950.
For sale: 728i Sport in immaculate condition, potential show winner. New fuel tank, full service including gearbox service, 3 keys, brand new battery, and full book pack. Much loved and admired car, previously owned for 18 years. Seeing is believing, on condition please no time wasters. Illness forces sale. Asking price is £3,750. Call Archie on 07521174523.
www.bmwcarclubgb.uk
THE METROPOLE HOTEL & SPA
BMW WELSH WEEKEND 2020 19th to 21st June
Back again for another year is our very successful Welsh Tour. Based in the scenic Spa town of Llandrindod Wells, The Metropole Hotel & Spa will once again welcome Car Club members for the weekend. Please find details below and if you would like to book contact the Hotel direct on 01597 823 700 quoting BMW Welsh Weekender. Arrive on Friday 19th June to stay for 2 nights from £85.00 per person per night to include Dinner, Bed and Breakfast*.
Enjoy a three-course dinner on Friday evening followed by a full cooked breakfast Saturday morning before venturing out on some iconic Welsh roads. There will also be a light lunch included as part of the tour route on Saturday. Return to the Metropole Hotel & Spa to enjoy an evening three-course meal and catch up with fellow enthusiasts. Sunday morning early risers can enjoy the indoor pool and spa while the more leisurely wander down to our hot and cold buffet breakfast serving up to 10.00am. An optional morning drive of around 25 to 30 miles then friendly farewell or Sunday Lunch for those wishing to. Should you wish to extend your stay Sunday night with dinner can be added for just £60 per person. Classic double or twin room rate £170 per night (assuming two occupants)* Single room rate £85 per person per night It is possible to upgrade to a superior room, in which case the following supplements apply: Superior rooms £10 per room per night based on double occupancy Tower Suite rooms £30 per room per night based on double occupancy Please note that a non-refundable deposit of £20.00 per person will be payable when you reserve your room. Make the weekend extra special and stay Sunday night at a further discounted rate starting from £60 per person DB&B.
01597 823 700 info@metropole.co.uk www.metropole.co.uk www.bmwcarclubgb.uk
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registernews 02 Richard Stern We, the 02 Register, always cater for all 02s whether they be concours, standard or modified. We always cater for all, and just happy to see any 02 at our events. Which is why we do our ‘Best of Class’ competition that even has a modified section at the annual show, rather than just focus on concours and standard cars. It’s not easy keeping a car standard especially if it’s a restoration, and we appreciate just seeing an 02 on the road; at the end of the day it still has the DNA of an 02 and we’re always pleased to see them, so let’s see more of you at next year’s main event and some of the big shows. Many 02 clubs are now planning an event on 2nd February, 02/02/2020 – any suggestions before I start planning something? The BMW Club of USA is celebrating 50 Years – congratulations to them. Some limited edition ideas for sale here: https://bimmerlife.com/2019/09/16/bmw-cca-50thanniversary-1969-bmw-2002-limited-edition-poster-set/ 02 Colour coded 12 fuse box label: https://www. bmw2002faq.com/articles.html/technical-articles/electrical-andignition/fuse-box-wiring-color-coded-cardboard-r314/ Converting your bonnet to gas struts: https://www. bmw2002faq.com/articles.html/technical-articles/body-andinterior/converting-hood-to-gas-struts-r353/ Tony Gibson’s 1969 2002 1969 2002. Fifty years old on 22nd October 2019. I first purchased this car in 1972, drove for a few years until children arrived in our life, then sold it to my neighbour. Luckily, he kept
07770 443373 02register@bmwcarclubgb.co.uk
the car well and I was able to buy it back after some 20 years of barn storage. After some five years of work fitting many genuine new parts, two new doors and a total glass out respray, we are back on the road again with an MOT. There are still a few more jobs to do, mainly a new carpet set and if I can find them some seat pads.
Watch out for an episode of Salvage Hunters – Classic Cars, as a 2002 Touring is in one of the episodes featuring Drew Pritchard and Paul Cowland: 02 related events All events here: https://www.bmw2002.co.uk/upcoming-events/ Bavaria Tour 2021 Yes folks, it’s being planned for 2021, predictably will be oversubscribed and sold out as soon as booking opens. Holding page here: https://bavaria-tour.info/ 2020 key events to watch out for Classic Le Mans Tail Pipe October’s Car of the Month on my site also has video action: https://www.youtube.com/user/bmwdriver62
3 Series E46 Simon Maskell Welcome to the article, and I cannot say how chuffed I was to have my car on the front cover of this illustrious publication last month. The show season now seems a distant memory and my thoughts are turning to what I need to do in the way of winter maintenance, yes those jobs that could wait may now actually need tackling. Since the last article my E46 life has been a plentiful one. The annual Beamish car show was a wash-out sadly and the 328i looked lovely, if not a little damp. The Vibrator has seen action at Snetterton circuit, as has Graham Hinton and Greg Webster’s E46 330 track car (see photos for details). This for me was a first time visit and hopefully not the last. The trip down revealed another common E46 problem (one for you Greg W) and that is the final stage resistor had given up. For those of you who are not familiar, the FSR is an integral piece of equipment, buried deep behind the dash and by the looks of it from YouTube et al, a bit of a tricky customer to access. The symptoms are firstly your fan speed will vary randomly and then, as has happened to the Vibrator, will cease to www.bmwcarclubgb.uk
e46register@bmwcarclubgb.co.uk
function altogether. The weather was 17 degrees and sunny at Snetterton during the on track session, sadly the journey home was torrential rain and standing water on the A1, and the lack of fan action was problematic to say the least. We had to run with the rear windows open and this drew some air through a misty windowed 46. The plan had been to change the FSR because the Vibrator was going to be going north of the border for the excellent Highland Fling event, organised by the Scottish Region. Sadly this job isn’t going to be tackled in time, so looks like the 328i
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registernews is going instead. On the way to Snetterton Nick Thomas (coconspirator of the Vibrator) was in the passenger seat so had time to kill. My buddy Phil had spotted a tidy looking 2002 model 330Ci M-sport on Facebook earlier that day. Nick was looking for a new daily so on the journey down he contacted the seller. It was quite literally 20 minutes out the way, so very doable, and we called in for a look; well the rest is history and a deal was struck. Fast forward seven days and a return journey
4 Series
Paul Roberts
Another month has gone past so here I am again at my iPad bashing out some more comments. Apart from the usual monthly meet I have only attended one organised event and that was breakfast at the Hill Top Café just outside Norwich, then a drive to the Muckleburgh Military Collection on the North Norfolk coast. I think we had some 15 cars of various shapes and sizes and I’m attaching some pictures. The weather held up until late in the afternoon so for me it was top down all the way there and back home via an ice cream in Cromer and a coffee and scone in Holt.
in the 328i to collect Nick’s new car. This reminded me of what a fine motorway cruiser a 328i is; being an auto it is very long legged and as such returns over 40mpg on, or near, the legal limit. Mighty impressive for a 1998 machine that can also get going in a reasonable way when you want it to. So my job list is the FSR on the Vibrator, get the convertible to an adult for diagnosis of its intermittent fault and who knows what else! Thanks for reading and let’s do it again next month, thanks. 4series@bmwcarclubgb.co.uk
The whole hotel has been booked out to the BMWCC for three days so it should be a great opportunity to swap ‘war stories’ and get to know what other Regions have been up to! For us we then leave on the Monday with a drive to Richmond in North Yorkshire for our overnight stay. Our final hotel is just outside Manchester, my home city, to see my brother and sister before heading home to Norfolk on the Wednesday. All in all it should be a great trip, just need good weather! Pictures to follow. Please note I wrote this before going on the Highland Fling, but will reveal more details for the December article! Now on to matters ‘technical’. I’ve had an email from a new member, Sean Woodhouse, who has just joined the Club. He is based in Bexhill on the South Coast and is the proud owner of a 2018 420i M Sport Gran Coupe (see picture attached). Sean has brought to my attention just a couple of small issues so I thought I would raise these now. Firstly there is the difficulty to easily access the radiator to clean off leaves and other debris. The answer to this seems to be to buy a pair of 24 inch forceps! God knows what Sean’s postman would have thought delivering these! Secondly Sean has acquired a bonnet bra to reduce the problems of stone chips. However although the bra fits perfectly it doesn’t seem possible to stop the car giving a ‘bonnet open’ warning. So if any other 4 Series owners have this problem email me and I’ll send on to Sean/publish in the next article. Think it’s now time for my afternoon cuppa so I’ll sign off now.
I suspect that this event will be the last locally but we now have the ‘road trip’ to Scotland to look forward to. This has been organised by the BMWCC Scottish Region. For us living so far away we are heading off on Tuesday 8th October with a gentle wander through the Lincolnshire Wolds, over the Humber Bridge round York and making our first stop at the Croft Hotel just outside Darlington. We then wind our way up to Edinburgh for a two nights stop before making the relatively short journey to the Best Western Hotel in Crianlarich, which is very close to Loch Lomond.
5 Series
Stephen Coulson
No news this month, however we have had a request from Alexander Stilwell of Amberley Books who is looking to create a book on BMW models. If anyone would be interested in coming
5 Series E28 Mark Cox Hello and welcome to the E28 Register. I wonder if you have been in the market for an E28 over the last 15 years, or just been checking around to see how prices are going? If so, you will have scanned the usual internet sites where cars, and particularly classic cars are offered for sale. In the process of doing this I have no doubt one car will have caught your
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up with a 5 Series book idea, and to work alongside Amberley Books, please contact Alexander directly on a.stilwell@ amberley-books.com. e28register@bmwcarclubgb.co.uk
attention, as it has been offered for sale for at least that length of time. The car in question is a very clean Cosmos blue 528i with a blue cloth interior for sale in Weston super Mare with only 51,000 miles on the clock. It has been a topic of conversation for all that time as it was first advertised for £6,000 when a www.bmwcarclubgb.uk
registernews
reasonable M535i could be had for less than two! I remember when I bought my current M535i that this car was for sale then, some 13 years ago. But why was it so expensive? Yes, it’s a low mileage car, but wearing incorrect alloys, a few other original parts are missing and it’s possibly not in the most desirable colour combination. I had thought eventually values would overtake the price and it would eventually sell, however over the years the price has jumped ahead. It was £8,000 and for a good while now it has been up for £12,000. I notice as I am writing this article it has jumped up again by a further five hundred! After some people questioning whether the car actually exists, a gentleman called Ivor who I know through BMW circles actually went to visit the small garage where the car is for sale and reported back: “The story is that he bought this from someone he knew years ago and appears to be in no hurry to sell. He told me about one particular buyer that he knocked back because the buyer wanted to turn it into a racer or drift car.
6 Series
Mani Singh Hayer
In late August, we had a brilliant trip to the BMW Killingholme VDC facility with BMW once again showing us all areas of the outstanding facility and really treating us like VIPs. This is my second time visiting the facility and it still amazes me, the investment, high level of technology and green credentials as well as the tremendously high level of workmanship that goes into preparing and processing each vehicle. My thanks to Vicky, Vicki and Steve for their time, the excellent question and answer session covering a wide variety of subjects and of course, the tour of the facility. For members who are interested, I am also organising a trip to the BMW Thorne centre, the home of BMW Approved Z8 and Carbon Core repairs as well as ex-management vehicles and being the technical expertise centre for BMW UK. I went a few years ago and it was fascinating to see the work that goes on there. The tour is on Friday 6th December and if you would like to come along, please either send me an email and I will add you to the list or register your name on the Eastern section of the
7 Series Scott Margison
“I think reading between the lines that he is quite content to sit on it until he gets the offer he wants and the buyer will cherish the car. He is the second owner and owns the small showroom the car sits in. Mileage is genuine as far as I can ascertain, however he didn’t like me advising him on the legalities of the tyres being too old and the effects of age on rubber. He seems to place the vehicle on some sort of pedestal and revels in the fact that the vehicle hasn’t been used for a long time. He isn’t aware of the ravages of time that keeping a car stationary can have on it.” So there you go, in case you were wondering, yes it does really exist and looks to be a nice tidy example. However, due to lack of use, I would imagine re-commissioning could cost a princely sum to get it roadworthy again. It is also probably still ahead of current values so if the trend continues it may be there in another 15 years! If anyone has anything they want to share with the Register relating to winter projects or anything E28 related then I will be only too pleased to hear from you. 6series@bmwcarclubgb.co.uk
Club forum. For further details of the event, please take a look at the Club calendar but if you have any queries, please do get in touch with me. 7series@bmwcarclubgb.co.uk
Hi 7ers. Sorry there has been no content the last couple of issues, I have not been 100% and the 7 has taken a back seat of late. I feel more myself again so back in the saddle and ready to contribute again. We have had an email from a commissioning editor at Amberley Publishing, looking for people to contribute to a new book on the 7 Series. It will be between 8,000 and 18,000 words with 70 – 200 illustrations. If you are interested in helping, please let me know and I will pass on your details. I went along to the BMW Annual event in Warwickshire the other month and was heartened to see some E38s in attendance. We didn’t have our own stand, and that is down to me not organising anything. I did meet a few members who were there with their E38s, all in immaculate condition. Mine was www.bmwcarclubgb.uk
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registernews in the car park, not in any way good enough to stand beside the ones I saw. So, thanks for coming and doing your bit. I will get my act together for next year. It was also disappointing not to have the latest 7 on display, as almost every other model of BMW’s current line up was there including the new 850. We have also had some contact from Richard Whitton, a recent member looking to go to 7 Series meets. What do you think, shall we have our own meet somewhere? I am open to suggestions, but as we are all spread to far and wide we may have to have it in different places each month/bi-monthly/six monthly? I am open to suggestions and willing to co-ordinate. I have created our own Facebook page, https://www. facebook.com/groups/7seriesregister/ – please sign up and join. I have put some of the photos from the show on there. Looking forward to hearing from you all.
8 Series
Debbie Blythe
Welcome once again to all the 8 Series owners and enthusiasts out there. Well that is it for this year, most events have finished and with the weather getting wetter and the roads saltier some of you will have put or be putting your cars away for the winter. There are still a couple of opportunities to attend events around the country, please see our future events below and look at your regional section to see what is happening there. Since last month’s edition of Straight Six we would have had out autumn meeting at The Chequers, Weston on the Green, and the only organised show for the 8 Series Register is The Classic Car Show at the NEC on 8-10th November. We hope to see some of you there A Pair Of 8s
For those of you who read our LE JOG article a few months ago, you would have seen the gorgeous Estoril Blue 840Ci owned by Tommy and Mai Thomson that joined us on the Scottish leg of our epic journey. At the time we discussed the recently released G15 8 Series and had our own opinions about it and we were all yet to be convinced. At that time Tommy and Mai also had a couple of other cars including a Range Rover, a new shape Jaguar XJ and a new Ford Mustang 5.0l which suited their needs. But after a failed MOT for the Mustang and a few weeks of Ford trying to source the parts it became clear that it was time to move it on and they wanted to try out the new 8 Series for themselves. So off to the local BMW dealership they went, and after a chat about a possible p/ex for the Jag and Ford they were given a White M850i for a 24 hour test drive.
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8series@bmwcarclubgb.co.uk
This obviously did the trick as a couple of weeks later they took delivery of a lovely M850i in Sonic Speed Blue with white leather interior and carpets and just 3k miles on the clock. They have now had the car for a few weeks and have given it a much more thorough test drive, and Tommy has this to say. I’m privileged to have both the E31 and G15 models, 1998 and 2018, exactly 20 years apart and it’s amazing to see how much technology has advanced in that time. It also shows how far advanced the E31 was back then as the drivability is still superb, smooth, precise etc, way ahead of any other car from that era. Having said that, I used to say that Mai’s Range Rover was excellent, but the M850 beats it hand down. One of our first trips out was to Anstruther; we had a great wee run, totally loving the car, absolutely amazing, so much spec. Especially the phone app where you can view the car all around through 360 degrees, how does it do that! There is so much to say about the M850. As it’s a Launch car it has everything you could want. The only thing I am not yet sure of is Steering Intervention; if it thinks you are wandering out of lane or too close to the middle or edge, it steers itself back, turning the wheel itself. Indicating cancels it but I suppose it can be turned off. Speak to her and say “I’m stressed”, she talks back, turns up the heat, switches on the seats, changes the mood lighting and plays soothing music. Tell her you’re sleepy, she turns on the cool air and seats, brightens the mood lighting and plays upbeat music. Drive slowly out of our unit up to a distance of 50 metres, stop and select Reverse Assist and let go of the wheel and she reverses exactly the same route you have just driven. There is so much more to go on about, a phenomenal car.
Future 8 Series Register events – 2019 8th – 10th November 2019 – NEC Classic Car Show in Birmingham. There will be five E31s alongside a couple of new 8s on the BMW stand. We would love to see some of you there, please visit the stand and say Hi. Christmas (December) meet at WOTG? Please let me know if you are interested and I will arrange, Saturday or Sunday? I am still looking for ideas for 2020 events/meetings. Please let me know if you have a local event that you think would be good for the Register to attend, or if you feel there is something else we could do as a group, including drives. www.bmwcarclubgb.uk
registernews
MINI David Young
mini@bmwcarclubgb.co.uk
One of the issues I think most of us have is smeary windows, both inside and out. When your car is new the windows are usually spotless with great visibility. Those who wash their MINI regularly will probably use Snow Foam, Car Shampoo, rinse, dry with a Microfibre cloth, then apply a proprietary glass cleaner like Fast glass, Nilglas, etc. All good and all work to a certain degree. I have been cleaning windows this way for years. Into the freshly cleaned car you go and immediately you spot a smear! Shock horror, you have just cleaned the window. Did you clean the inside too? Probably just a wipe round. Dashboard cleaners like Armour all have lots of silicone and that evaporates and ends up on the inside of you ‘clean’ windscreen. A good sneeze and catch it in a handkerchief if you are quick, but windscreen and steering wheel gets the full blast most of the time. All these deposits and more build up. Cleaning or just wiping moves the deposits around. The outside is even more severe. Deposits from the road, dead insects, acid rain, car spray from the car in front all getting pressure from the wind to grind the debris into the glass. I think you get my point. In a vain search for a good OCD method of cleaning glass I searched YouTube, I know a bit sad, but there are simply loads of hints, tricks, workflows, pro valet ideas. They all sort of work if you have a day or so to clean just the glass. I have tried a fair number of these. One method to me stood out and worked – both on my newish F56 and the wife’s 10-year-old truck. First up is to wash the car in the usual way that you prefer. Wipe down the windscreen just to dry it. Next up is the part one of the magic. Get a piece of a clay bar, or your kids’ modelling clay, moisten the window with clay lube or water mist, and thoroughly move the clay bar up and down to pick up and remove deposits. You need to do this part on both sides of the window. You can then polish the windows with magic Number 2, Flitz Metal polish. It is very lightly abrasive but is finer than the finest polish I have ever tried. You can use a fine microfibre cloth or a Cloth ball on your drill. The polish is so gentle the rubber around the glass will not mark. Just keep it moving and do not let it dry. Magic Number 3. A fine mist of glass cleaner; the best out there, in my opinion, is Stoner Invisible Glass. Wipe it around with one cloth and dry it off with an Ultrafine Microfibre cloth. I promise you that you will be amazed. Do the same on the inside of all your windows. It works for me. All the products are available of that well-known auction site, some come from across the pond but there are some UK based stockists. Here ends the first lesson.
Z3 Register
Alan Jones
Welcome to the November edition of Straight Six. As my car is now 22 and a bit years old, I thought that I would replace the sills on both sides of the car as there is a small area of rust at the ends of the sills. This is a common area for the car to rust. Long time readers and those with good memories may remember that I had an article published in the May 2015 edition detailing the removal and replacement of the sills. As the sills were not in a bad condition I decided just to refit them as the outside of the sills looked perfect. But time moves on and rust attacks, so I thought that I would replace them this time, and I know I should have done it in the first place but at least I’ll know what I’m doing. www.bmwcarclubgb.uk
What’s new at OX4? Birthday parties around the 60th birthday of MINI. The 1275GT is 50 years old and this signalled the end of the Cooper and S production, for the first time. A look into the future and we now have the promise of the MINI Electric. To mark the motor show debut of the new MINI Electric, the brand’s first all-electric powered series-production model drove the 249 mile journey from the BMW Group headquarters in Munich to the Frankfurt Motor Show, to take its place on the MINI stand. Elena Eder, MINI Electric Project Manager, completed the journey and proved that electric mobility doesn’t have to be limited to day-to-day journeys. With a battery range of up to 145 miles, the car only needed one charging stop along the way. Using a public DC fast-charger, it went from just above zero to 80 per cent of range in only 35 minutes.
The MINI Electric can easily cope with longer journeys thanks to the option of using 50kW DC fast-charging stations, so a lunch break is all it takes to recharge. The MINI Electric will be produced at MINI Plant Oxford from November 2019, with customer deliveries starting in March 2020. It is priced from £24,400 OTR including the Plug-in Car Grant. All very close to the design concept I shared with you a month back. Obviously the way forward and BMW together with Rolls are pushing ahead with E cars. How electricity gets produced is another issue. Nuclear, Wind, Waves? No idea. Reduced Car Excise Tax will be good. The issue for me is that it is hard enough finding Shell Garages with V Power, I can’t imagine the hunt for 50kW DC fast-charging stations. Ask a friend to bring a spare battery? I think not. Keep them clean and shiny, until next month, pedal to the Metal. Images: BMW UK z3register@bmwcarclubgb.co.uk
I bought the sills from Coopers at Sunderland, taking advantage of the 15% Club discount that Nick Thomas had arranged for parts and servicing. I also thought that I would buy the parts now as no one seems too sure what will happen with prices because of Brexit, but as a guess they will probably go up. I’ll let you know how I get on, if I get the time to start it. This month I have received an email from Steve Lyons, a member who wants to tell everyone about his ownership of his Z3, who incidentally purchased his car by importing it! Enjoy the read: For a number of years I always wanted a Z3 in good condition and low mileage, which was hard to find. Eventually I BMW Car Club Magazine NOVEMBER 2019
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registernews went down the route of importing from Japan. I found a trusted dealer who had imported two Z3s, one of which was in classic Estoril Blue with all the Z sport features. The mileage was 25,500 and in immaculate condition. It included the hardtop fittings, but no hardtop, must have been lost in its voyage from Japan. Well this was the car for me so I purchased it, but I wanted to find a hardtop to make the purchase complete. Finding a good hardtop in good condition proved difficult – travelling a couple of hundred miles to find the hardtop that you had been promised was in good condition, and on arrival you found the headliner was sagging and the hardtop was slightly warped. Eventually I bought one in Titan silver, but as you can see by this photo taken overlooking Buckstones Reservoir on the A640 near Huddersfield, I have had the top done in Estoril Blue. The car itself runs and sounds beautiful and I hope to keep it for many years even with the Japanese tax disc still attached to the windscreen. The car runs really well and it has a four cylinder 1945cc engine. In fact I have a 2015 1 Series Sport, and although not as fast as the Z, the car runs really smoothly. I would have preferred a 2.8 straight six. Alas good ones are hard to find, and the higher spec engine was not popular in Japan and I believe was more expensive. The Z3s that were exported to Japan were of high spec and were cherished by their owners as prestige cars, possibly because the car was featured in the Bond movie Golden Eye in the mid 90s. I believe that there were restrictions on speed and mileage in the late 90s. I bought the car from Seven Seas Motors in Dewsbury, West Yorkshire. There are quite a few more importers of cars from Japan on the
Z4 Register
Paul Dodds
Hello and welcome to the November edition of Straight Six. The past couple of months have been busy, from switching up careers to finally getting away for a few weeks in the sun and completing my first half marathon at the Great North Run, resulting in hardly any time left over to get out and properly use the Z4. I was intending to join some of you on one of the many BMW track days but that will now have to wait until next year. Now with winter fast approaching (at the time of writing this), and having to use my own cars for work, I had a ‘hold my beer, and watch this’ moment one evening and decided I would prove a point to all of those 4x4 drivers out there, that we can drive our cars all year round too. I might not get very far or end up facing the wrong way but nothing’s going to stop me from driving the Z4. So I did what I do best after a couple of beers: I got straight on the internet and ordered more car parts. I found a set of BMW 17” Style 209 wheels wrapped in Pirelli winter tyres that should see me through any snowy spells nicely. The other benefit of having a second set of wheels is hopefully the style 108s will last that little bit longer before needing another refurb. As everyone with split rims will know, they tend to corrode no matter how well you look after them. That reminds me, I need to replace the old Eagle F1 tyres on my summer wheels. I also have some great news this month! I have finally found a solution to my jammed cd changer. And the quick fix was to
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BMW Car Club Magazine NOVEMBER 2019
internet, but I was more than happy with Seven Seas – www. sevenseasmotors.com Mark runs the business in the UK, and is married to a Japanese lady, and the company is owned by his friend who lives in Japan. Mark was living in Japan for 15 years when they decided to set up a UK division. Mark moved back to England about three years ago to run the UK side of the company. They import mainly high quality classic motorcycles; some of them are quite rare. They also import people carriers which the Japanese love, and quality high spec saloon cars. I suppose that I would be circumspect of directly importing a BMW from Japan, but there really is nothing to fear, as the road conditions and no salting of roads make these cars a superb buy. Thank you for the interest in the photos of my car. Again thank you for your time on the Z3 Register and good luck in the future. Steve Lyons z4register@bmwcarclubgb.co.uk
indeed disconnect it completely and never use the stupid thing again. Instead, I have plugged an aftermarket Bluetooth adapter into the cd changer’s now obsolete wiring harness. See images where wiring is accessible from the boot. This means when I press the mode for the cd changer I can now stream music from my mobile phone. Radio and steering wheel volume and track buttons still work as usual which means no messing around with my phone whilst at the wheel. In other news, I was chatting with Terry, one of our E89 Z4 owners, about an issue he was having with his Idrive recently, as the voice command no longer understood what he was saying whilst driving over 30mph, despite having the roof and windows up. He later found that resetting his Idrive made a vast improvement, allowing voice commands to be made at motorway speeds without a problem. So if anyone has a similar issue, try resetting the Idrive system first. Don’t forget this month the BMW Car Club will be heading back to the NEC Classic Motor Show from 8–10th November. If you haven’t already got your tickets, make sure to use code ‘CC2803’ online at www.necclassicmotorshow.com. I have been three times over the years and I can’t recommend it enough. It might take you all day to walk around the full display of cars but it is a worthwhile day out.
www.bmwcarclubgb.uk
FOR SALE
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2,171cc petrol engine One owner from new Registered Sept 2001, Metallic green with black leather interior
BMW Main Agent Service History – Original BMW Handbooks, Service Book, unused First Aid kit, toolkit, spare wheel etc – 2 keys
All ‘SE’ extras: – wooden cappings on dash, steering wheel and gear knob – front and rear parking sensors (both working) – multi-spoke steering wheel – CD Sound system – Roof rails – Factory alarm
Good condition and barely showing its 18 years High motorway miles but BMW Replacement Engine fitted 70k miles ago MOT September 2019
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BMW Car Club Magazine NOVEMBER 2019
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BMW Car Club Magazine NOVEMBER 2019
Neil Jones (N-Dog) - Bessie J www.bmwcarclubgb.uk
FOR SALE BMW E36 328I Sport Coupe, Individual
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INDIVIDUAL Specification inc. Champagne nappa leather with violet blue piping matching paint work, M Sport steering wheel and gear knob, DSC, EM, EM, CL, PS, AC, SR, front fogs 6 Stack Kenwood CD system I have owned this car since 2003 (over 15 years) using it daily. I bought the car with 58,000 miles on the clock. This is very quickly becoming a collectable car.
£5995.00 – BUT - all serious offers considered. To contact please call 07866 888 266 for any further details and any questions.
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BMW Car Club Magazine NOVEMBER 2019
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Feature
clubevents Pub Meets: This section is for those regular pub meets that are on-going within the Regions. You will always be very welcome to attend any of these events, so pop along and introduce yourself. CENTRAL: 2nd Monday of each month (11th November) – Aviator Hotel, Northampton, 7.30pm. CENTRAL WEST: Second Tuesday of every month at 7.30pm at The Manor House of Whittington, Wolverhampton Road, Stourbridge, DY7 6NY. CORNWALL: 11th November – 7:30pm at the Punchbowl & Ladle, Penelewey, Feock, Truro, TR3 6QY 9th December – 7:30pm at the Punchbowl & Ladle, Penelewey, Feock, Truro, TR3 6QY. COTSWOLD: Second Wednesday of each Month 7.30pm at “The Swan at Coombe Hill” Tewkesbury Road, Coombe Hill, Gloucester GL19 4BA. CUMBRIA: Suspended until around spring time (TBC) DEVON: Last Thursday of the month at 7.00pm for 7.30pm we shall be meeting at the Hare & Hounds, Torquay Road, Kingskerswell, TQ12 5HH. For further information, contact Kathy or Derek on 01626 330436 or mobile 07971 871739 or email: devon@bmwcarclubgb.co.uk EAST ANGLIA: Pub Meet Contacts - all members are welcome at any meet. ALWAYS double check with your Branch Rep. as some Pub meets are suspended or venues changed for a variety of reasons. Suffolk Pub Meet - White Horse, Stoke Ash IP23 7ET 21/11 Contact - David Adams (Suffolk Branch Rep.) bmwccsuffolkrep@btinternet.com 0777 466 8596 Also follow us on Facebook BMW Car Club GB Norfolk and Suffolk Branch Cambs/Beds Pub Meet - The Royal Oak, Barrington, nr Cambridge CB22 7RZ - SUSPENDED UNTIL APRIL 2020. Contact - Matthew Hunt (Cambs/Beds Branch Rep.) matthew.hunt13@btinternet.com 0797 3986525 See details of coffee mornings on FACEBOOK https://m.facebook.com/groups/1795515350724518?ref=bookmarks Norfolk Pub Meet – LOOKING FOR A NEW VENUE. Last Thursday of every month Contact Richard Howard, on bmwccnorfolk@gmail.com Also follow us on Facebook BMW Car Club GB Norfolk and Suffolk Branch Essex Pub Meet - Various locations. Breakfast Meets are being trialed, refer to Facebook BMW Car Club GB Essex Branch or occasional advices in Straight Six or Emails. NW Norfolk, STH Lincs, Peterborough Pub Meet - The Sandboy Pub, Gayton Road, Kings Lynn, Norfolk PE32 1EP. Contact Aaron Reeve on westnorfolk@bmwcarclubgb.co.uk EASTERN: The Motorist Breakfast Meet: On the first Sunday of each month commencing 3rd November, starting at 10am. The Motorist New Lennerton Lane Sherburn in Elmet LS25 6JE Contact: 01977 681486 Peak & South Yorkshire Pub Meet: Second Monday of the month from 8pm at the Elm Tree Inn, Mansfield Road, Heath, Chesterfield, Derbyshire, S44 5SE Yorkshire & Humberside Pub Meet: Last Tuesday of the month at 19:30 at the The Percy Arms, High Street, Airmyn, Goole, DN14 8LD North Nottinghamshire at the Reindeer, Sturton le Steeple DN22 9HQ on the second and fourth Thursday of the month – Suspended until the New Year. LONDON/HERTS: Second Monday evening of the month from 7.00pm at The Crooked Chimney, Lemsford, Welwyn Garden City, AL8 7XE NORTH EAST: Change in venue - Our monthly breakfast meetings are held on the second Sunday morning of each month, from 10.00am to 11.30am at Black Horse Beamish, Red Row, Beamish, Co. Durham, DH9 0RW. NORTH WEST: North West Region Sunday Lunch & Quiz: Sunday of alternate months (all at 12.00 noon) 17th November – 26th January at The Swan, Bucklow Hill, Cheshire, WA16 6RD CONTACT: Jeff Heywood – 0161 678 2088 Manchester/NW Local Branch Meeting: First Tuesday of the month (except January) at 8:00pm, 5th November, 3rd December, 7th January at The Sheldon Arms, Ashton under Lyne, M34 5QL CONTACT: Jeff Heywood – 0161 678 2088 SCOTLAND: See Scottish region news and club forum for more information or contact Issy on: bmwccscottishregion@ gmail.com SOUTH EAST: Ashford Micro Meet: 1st Sunday in month 9:30am - 12:00pm. Sussex Micro Meet: 4th Sunday in month 8.30am. THAMES: Last Thursday of the month (28th November) at the Littlebury Hotel, Bicester, at 7.30pm. Contact thames@ bmwcarclubgb.co.uk for more information. WALES: NORTH WALES: For more information contact northwales@bmwcarclubgb.co.uk MID WALES & SHROPSHIRE: 17th November at 12PM, Hanmer Arms, Hanmer Villeage SY13 3DE SOUTH WALES: Third Wednesday evening of the month at 7.00pm (6.30pm for food) at The Twelve Knights Pub, Margam, Port Talbot, SA13 2BN WESSEX: Bournemouth Area: First Wednesday of the month (6th November) is usually at the St Leonards Hotel, Ringwood, BH24 2NP from 7pm onwards. Contact John Munyard 07977 501128 or Eric Thompson 07722 835930 with any queries or confirmation of meeting venues. Basingstoke Area: Third Tuesday of the month (19th November)from 19:00 at The Fox, North Waltham, Basingstoke RG25 2BB. Contact Simon Alcorn 07973 299024. Alton Pub Meet: Last Tuesday of the month (26th November) at 7.00pm The Jolly Farmer, Blacknest, Binsted Road, GU34 4QD Contact Bob Ward 07980 833321. WESTERN: First Wednesday of the month: 6th November, 4th December, 7.30pm at The Woolpack, Weston-Super-Mare.
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BMW Car Club Magazine NOVEMBER 2019
Your Region & Register officers Regional Officers BMW Car Club Central
Tony Skerrett
central@bmwcarclubgb.co.uk
Central West
Dave Evans
centralwest@bmwcarclubgb.co.uk
Channel Islands
Jonathan Harris channelislands@bmwcarclubgb.co.uk
Cheshire & Staffs Steve Cooper
cheshireandstaffs@bmwcarclubgb.co.uk
Cornwall
Jim Husband
cornwall@bmwcarclubgb.co.uk
Cumbria
James France
cumbria@bmwcarclubgb.co.uk
Cotswold
Martyn Goodwin cotswold@bmwcarclubgb.co.uk
Devon
Kathy Jemfrey
East Anglia
George Champ eastanglia@bmwcarclubgb.co.uk
Eastern
Paul Rice
eastern@bmwcarclubgb.co.uk
Ireland
Nick O’Kane
ireland@bmwcarclubgb.co.uk
London
Tim Fathers
london@bmwcarclubgb.co.uk
North East
Nick Thomas
northeast@bmwcarclubgb.co.uk
North West
Jeff Heywood
northwest@bmwcarclubgb.co.uk
Scottish
Issy Phillips
bmwccscottishregion@gmail.com
South East
Ian Bryant
southeast@bmwcarclubgb.co.uk
Thames
Tony Skerrett
thames@bmwcarclubgb.co.uk
Wales - Mid
Phil Pinnington
midwales@bmwcarclubgb.co.uk
Wales - North
David Allen
northwales@bmwcarclubgb.co.uk
Wales - South
Ben Sullivan
southwales@bmwcarclubgb.co.uk
& Adam Mazaheri
Wessex
Tim Maltby
wessex@bmwcarclubgb.co.uk
Western
Nigel Smith
western@bmwcarclubgb.co.uk
devon@bmwcarclubgb.co.uk
& Shropshire
Register Officers BMW Car Club Classic E3 E9 02 M Power ALPINA 1 Series 2 Series 3 Series 3 Series - E21 3 Series - E30 3 Series - E36 3 Series - E46 3 series F30/1 4 Series 5 Series
Sam Lever classic@bmwcarclubgb.co.uk Tony Wilkes e3register@bmwcarclubgb.co.uk Nick Hull e9register@bmwcarclubgb.co.uk Richard Stern 02register@bmwcarclubgb.co.uk Richard Baxter, mpower@bmwcarclubgb.co.uk Tristan Glass & John Denny Simon Alcorn alpina@bmwcarclubgb.co.uk Anthony Mason 1series@bmwcarclubgb.co.uk VACANT 2series@bmwcarclubgb.co.uk Simon Maskell 3series@bmwcarclubgb.co.uk Kyri Nicolaou e21register@bmwcarclubgb.co.uk Neil McDonald neil@bmwcarclubgb.co.uk Sean Garnham e36register@bmwcarclubgb.co.uk Simon Maskell e46register@bmwcarclubgb.co.uk Katie Littler f30register@bmwcarclubgb.co.uk Paul Roberts 4series@bmwcarclubgb.co.uk Stephen Coulson 5series@bmwcarclubgb.co.uk
5 Series - E12 5 Series - E28 5 series - E39 5 Series - E60/1 5 Series- F10/11 6 Series 6 Series - E24 6 Series - E63 7 Series 8 Series Z Series Z Series - Z1 Z Series - Z3 Z Series - Z4 X Series i Series + i8 MINI Modified Concours Track Days
Pat Tremain e12register@bmwcarclubgb.co.uk Mark Cox e28register@@bmwcarclubgb.co.uk Tristan Glass e39register@bmwcarclubgb.co.uk VACANT e60register@bmwcarclubgb.co.uk Mani Singh Hayer f10register@bmwcarclubgb.co.uk Mani Singh Hayer 6series@bmwcarclubgb.co.uk Konstantinos Loizou e24register@bmwcarclubgb.co.uk Duncan Antony e63register@bmwcarclubgb.co.uk Scott Margison 7series@bmwcarclubgb.co.uk Debbie Blythe 8series@bmwcarclubgb.co.uk VACANT zregister@bmwcarclubgb.co.uk Jamal Blanc z1register@bmwcarclubgb.co.uk Alan Jones z3register@bmwcarclubgb.co.uk Paul Dodds z4register@bmwcarclubgb.co.uk Jonathan Harris xseries@bmwcarclubgb.co.uk Clive Neville iregister@bmwcarclubgb.co.uk David Young mini@bmwcarclubgb.co.uk Dipesh Amin modified@bmwcarclubgb.co.uk Dan Wood concours@bmwcarclubgb.co.uk Neil McDonald trackday@bmwcarclubgb.co.uk www.bmwcarclubgb.uk
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Paintshield Ltd · Unit 4 · Morley Court · Morley Way · Peterborough · Cambridgeshire · PE2 7BW t: 01733 390777 · f: 01733 390778 · web: www.paintshield.co.uk · e: info@paintshield.co.uk Paintshield Ltd · Unit 4 · Morley Court · Morley Way · Peterborough · Cambridgeshire · PE2 7BW t: 01733 390777 · f: 01733 390778 · web: www.paintshield.co.uk · e: info@paintshield.co.uk
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