Straight Six February 2021

Straight Six MEMBER’S EDITION

FEBRUARY 20 21 £5

The Forgotten Racer BMW’s 320 Group 5 racer steps into the limelight as we cover the car’s inception and racing history...

PLUS: MEGUIAR’S CLEANING GOODIES TO GIVE AWAY!

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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 in 1982 as BMW Car Club (GB) Ltd. A non-profit making club owned and run by and for its members. Combined One-Make Car Club Associated 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 Chairman Jamal Blanc Board of Directors Dave Evans Martyn Goodwin Nick Thomas Richard Stern Club Office Michelle Evans Lisa Davies Anya Edwardes

inside this issue

BMW Car Club Insurance Henry Francis Patron Colin Turkington, Mike Wilds, The late Barrie Williams

27

Editing Team Jeff Heywood Lisa Davies Andrew Coles

18 – MLife: The Generation Game

Cover image: BMW Press Advertising Print & Digital Next Step Heritage Madeleine Lillywhite 01485 779455 07855 447968 advertising@bmwcarclubgb.co.uk Website advertising Next Step Heritage Madeleine Lillywhite 01485 779455 07855 447968 advertising@bmwcarclubgb.co.uk

27 – 2020 Motorsport Review

36

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 Cedar Group, Unit 3, The Triton Centre, Premier Way, Abbey Park Industrial Estate, Romsey, Hampshire SO51 9DJ Tel: 01794 525 020 info@cedargroup.uk.com

A crazy year back on track with amazing people – Neil McDonald takes the opportunity to recall the best highlights of the year in the BMW Car Club Racing championship and the Club’s trackdays.

32 – A Tribute: Robert Scanlan Club members Nigel Smith, Richard Stern, Dan Wood and Ron Parish lead a tribute to one of the Club’s most loyal and hard-working member and friend.

36 – Eastern Extremities and beyond in a BMW X5

Online classifieds - £4.95 bmwcarclubgb.uk Classifieds - £9.95 per issue Club Office 01970 267 989 office@bmwcarclubgb.co.uk

ere at the Club, and in conjunction with Hagerty H Insurance, we revisit how the first four generations of the M3 have been performing in the marketplace.

42

Club member, Paul Owen, recounts a memorable trip taken in May 2018 in his X5 – 4,684 miles to Lithuania and back.

42 – BMW’S Forgotten Racer…

BMW Motorsport chose the E21 3 Series as its basis for a new touring car – the E21 Group 5 racer was developed in just 12 weeks, and the end result was truly a spectacular machine.

49 – Shaken… and Stirred!

A classic BMW E24 recently came up for auction.

So what’s the fuss? Well, this Sharknose just so happened to be once owned by James Bond himself, Sir Sean Connery.

Contents

from the editor Welcome to the February issue of Straight Six! To begin this month’s issue of Straight Six, we revisit how the first four generations of the M3 have been performing in the marketplace, read the full 8-page feature of MLife: The Generation Game on page 18.

2020 was a difficult year for everyone, with the majority of events cancalled. However, the BMW Car Club Racing championship managed to get out on track, and the Club saw two successful trackdays take place. Neil McDonald reviews the year’s motorsport on page 27.

Club member Paul Owen is no stranger to the BMW marque, having owned a string of BMWs from a 1502, to a pair of E39s and an F31. His first brand new BMW, a factory order E70 X5 in Black Sapphire, is the topic of the feature on page 36, where he recounts the X5’s 16th continental motoring trip taken in May 2018 – a 4,684 mile journey to Lithuania and back.

BMW lacked a natural contender for the newly announced Group 5 touring car championship in the ‘70s, a contender was finally chosen by BMW Motorsport – the E21 320i. Although a successful contender, the 320 has now become a distant memory.

Read the feature on page 42.

18 regulars 6

Board Torque

8

Thoughts from the Boardroom

A classic BMW E24 6 Series recently came up for action. So what’s the fuss, it’s just an old BMW 6 Series? Well, this Sharknose just so happened to be once owned by James Bond himself, Sir Sean Connery. Find out more about the Coupe which was sold at auction on 19th January on page 49.

Do you have an interesting article for Straight Six? Whether it’s a restoration project, technical information, Club event, or simply why you love your ultimate driving machine – please don’t keep your BMW adventures to yourself, we want to read about them! Please send article suggestions to officeadmin@bmwcarclubgb.co.uk.

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 officeadmin@bmwcarclubgb.co.uk.

10 Club News

Part-time photographer or just love taking pictures? Send us high quality images of your BMW along with a caption to officeadmin@bmwcarclubgb.co.uk to be in for the chance to win FREE Meguiar’s products! Below is this month’s winner, Paul Neal.

12 BMW News

Happy reading!

14 Motorsport News

Jeff, Lisa, & Andrew Straight Six editorial team.

16 Dan Norris 17 Products 52 Pirelli 54 Crossword/Your Letters 57 Regions 69 Registers 81 Your Photos 82 Club Pub Meets

boardtorque Andrew Coles, Straight Six Editor

Is 2021 the year that motorsport really makes sense?

We don’t need to rehash the miniature of the past 12 months yet again in these pages, except to say that the effect of hitherto unknown lexicon such as ‘social distancing’, ‘furlough’ and ‘lockdown’ becoming part of our societal vocabulary has had a profound impact on our lives, on all fronts.

The pandemic has brought untold misery to our world and I write this in full awareness that many of our members have been affected in ways a lot of us simply can’t comprehend. Yet still, the glass isn’t completely empty, and I’m not referencing the fact that we finally seem to be giving the NHS and our health workers, researchers and scientists the respect they’ve deserved for decades.

No, I’m talking about something far less important than public health – motorsport. It may be inconsequential to most in our society and with good reason, but it is more important to me right now than it ever has been, because 2020 was the year that I rediscovered my love for it. And it was the BMW Car Club’s motorsport offerings – the race series and the trackdays – that really spurred it along.

A decade ago, fresh out of University and in that blissful period of life when you have the disposable income of your first real job and none of the serious financial commitment, I was doing 10 trackdays a year, three or four hillclimbs, co-driving in tarmac rallies and photographing full seasons of gravel rally. I was engaged with Formula One, and had a great group of mates all doing the same thing.

But then we bought a flat, and a few years later moved from Australia to the UK, and it turns out that those are two very expensive things to do, so my own motorsport was the first thing to be cut.

F1 became boring once ‘Aussie Grit’ was no longer there challenging for victories, and I must admit, there was a time when the social consciousness of the sport hit me. Can I really take a moral stand against fracking when I love to endlessly burn the product at the weekend?

And then 2020 hit and the world stopped.

6 BMW Car Club Magazine February 2021

Somehow, they pulled off a Formula One season and it was a corker. I was swept into a group of mates, all usually too busy to routinely devote every second Sunday afternoon to watching a race, who suddenly had nothing better to do.

We’d share memes and banter in the build-up and when permitted, gather over a barbeque and a few beers to watch the race. Our girlfriends even joined us and it was great fun!

I then got to attend the first postlockdown BMW Car Club Racing event at Brands Hatch for Straight Six. We mainly covered it in such detail because being the first event back after such an unprecedented break made it rather unique, and I really had forgotten how much I’d missed the energy, excitement, smells and atmosphere of a race weekend. A great chance for the first guilt-free circuit burger in months, too.

And then while out covering the Snetterton Trackday for Straight Six Neil McDonald insisted I do a few laps, despite the fact that I was in my old Boxster, and it very quickly lit the flame for track driving again. You think you’re driving fast on the road? It ain’t nothing compared to what you can do out there!

A visit to BMW’s team in the BTCC, West Surrey Racing, in late 2020 for a Straight Six feature further imbedded the motorsport bug.

Sure, lapping a track isn’t great for the planet, but neither are cruise ships or frequent flyer programs, or all the rest of

the nonessential consumption we revel in under the auspices of pleasure. The climate crisis is real, but it is a global problem to be tackled at governmental policy level, otherwise we’re all just fighting a forest fire with a bucket while big business continues unabated. The fact that we can develop a Covid vaccine and roll it out at record pace gives hope that we are capable of real change if lives and political careers depend on it.

Anyway, my point is that life can very easily get in the way of motorsport. After all, it’s an indulgent pastime that requires an element of selfishness to allocate time and resources to and with competing demands, it’s easy for it to fall down the list. I don’t tell my story out of narcissism, but only because I’m sure that I can’t be alone in this.

But here in the BMW Car Club, we’re blessed to have such great access to Trackdays and the Club racing championship, highlighted so well by Neil in his feature this issue. 2021 won’t gift us the answer to our cries, but rediscovering your love for motorsport may just make the in-between times that little bit more palatable…

www.bmwcarclubgb.uk

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thoughts from the boardroom I

Graeme Grieve, CEO BMW (UK) Ltd.

s there a finer sight than spotting a classic roadster, hood down in the middle of winter, a broad grin on the driver’s face? Even better when the roadster in question is a BMW Z1 with its innovative doors in the down position and its lusty straight-six emitting a soulful wail as the revs rise and fall.

The Z1 was a brilliant design and as I was musing over its merits the other day it dawned on me that it’s now 30 years since production ended and 35 years since it was first glimpsed in concept form. There can’t be many cars from that era that still look so fresh three decades later. The Z1 was the first project to emerge from BMW Technik GmbH which was set up to examine innovative, futureorientated concepts and approaches to design and production, and while the Z1 might have had a limited production run of just 8,000 examples it provided valuable insights into the materials of the future.

While its doors were one of the main talking points, it was one of the parts of the Z1 that couldn’t be seen that was the most important from a production perspective. It featured a new rear suspension set up, known as the Z-axle, that offered excellent traction and handling properties and would go on to be utilised on the E36 3 Series and was further refined on later models, too.

The Z1’s thermoplastic outer panels also taught us a lot about using alternative

8 BMW Car Club Magazine February 2021

materials for bodywork and many models since have used various types of composites for their exterior panels.

If the Z1 was the starting point for BMW Technik there have been many concepts and designs since then – some that have been seen in public and many that have remained behind closed doors – but they’ve all been forward-thinking and used cutting edge technologies. For example, the E1 that made its debut at the Frankfurt motor show in 1991 was the launchpad for our electro-mobility concepts, the first BMW designed from the ground up to be purely electric – the i3’s great, great grandfather.

For the sheer number of groundbreaking ideas on one vehicle the Z22 from 1999 takes some beating as it contained 70 technical innovations and 61 pioneering inventions. Features such as steer-by-wire and brake-by-wire, extensive use of cameras, a head-up display and a body made entirely from carbon fibre reinforced plastic made it

hugely advanced for a car conceived last century. Its use of cameras are now seen in today’s production BMWs as Surround View while many BMW models can be equipped with a headup display, too.

Innovation has always been at the forefront of BMW design and we’re certainly not resting on our laurels. Indeed, in September last year we opened our new FIZ Nord facility in Munich which is BMW’s centrepiece Research and Innovation Centre, where our specialists will be developing the hardware and software for future generations of BMW Group vehicles. It’s a hugely impressive state of the art facility with over 100 test benches and 200 laboratories and will be home to 4,800 vehicle developers.

There’s no doubt the automotive landscape is moving at an extraordinary pace at the moment and the future of motoring will no doubt look very different to how it did in the past. Increasing digitisation and connected technologies will certainly play their part but our talented engineers at the FIZ will be making sure that no matter how vehicles change our cars will always provide the maximum in driving pleasure. Just like the Z1 that started the ball rolling all those years ago.

Graeme Grieve. CEO BMW (UK) Ltd.

www.bmwcarclubgb.uk

clubnews Exclusive Virtual Pirelli Event for BMW Car Club GB Pirelli would like to invite BMW Car Club GB members to join them for a virtual event on Wednesday 24th February from 7pm to 8pm.

Members can enjoy a virtual tour of the Pirelli Performance Centre depot and a talk from a Pirelli Technical Expert on Pirelli’s Perfect Fit philosophy and tyre technologies. There will also be a chance for a Q&A at the end of the session for members to ask any questions they may have.

To register for the event, please just visit the link below and complete the short form, making sure you state the date as the 24th February. You will then be sent all the joining details.

We look forward to seeing you at the event! www.pirelli.co.uk/virtualevent

Check and update your contact and vehicle information on our new website...

Use Club code BMWCLUB to book your tickets at www.theclassiccarshowuk.com

Classic Silverstone 2021 Tickets for Classic Silverstone 2021 are on sale now! Join us between the 30 July – 1 August to celebrate the Classic’s 30th anniversary.

Please use discount code 2021CCD057 at checkout on www.silverstoneclassic.com.

10 BMW Car Club Magazine February 2021

To ensure you receive Club communication, renewal reminders, and your monthly Straight Six magazine, we remind members to check and update their details on our website.

It’s easy to do, simply visit www.bmwcarclubgb.uk/profile/ where you will find your information all in one place.

We’d also like to build a larger member vehicles database, to help locate member’s cars for activities such as Straight Six articles, National event displays, photoshoots, etc., so please visit the above website to enter or update your current vehicle information.

If you would like us to manually update any of your contact or vehicle information, please email us via officeadmin@bmwcarclubgb.co.uk or call 01970 267 989.

www.bmwcarclubgb.uk

New Members CHESHIRE & STAFFS Steve Cooper Neil Lamont

Nicholas Spowage John Baker Anthony Gilbert

IRELAND COTSWOLD Alistair Brown

George Dixon Andrew Yelverton

DEVON

LONDON

Neil Herbertson John Iles Martin Bamber

Raman Sharma Pirani Ylber David Anker Arthur Rodd David Goodge David Graney Harendra Satkunarajah

EAST ANGLIA Ivor Morison Harry Vanson Ian Jones Graham Muff Mark Dowman Sergie Mineev Swales Bolesworth Melvyn Manning

EASTERN Alan Genders Rob Hirst Suroop Dhaliwal Andrew Barrett

NORTH EAST Dave Gilbert

NORTH WEST Matthew Taylor John Wilkinson Damien Gray

SCOTLAND Christopher Wheeler

National Events Calendar 2021 SOUTH EAST Lee Farrow Ben Lawrence Michael Grimwood Nigel Bailey Aaron Reynolds Mark Perring

WALES - MID & SHROPSHIRE

April 16-18:

London Classic Car Show

May 1-2:

Donington Historic Festival

June

John Tweed

11-13: Practical Classics Classic Car & Restoration Show 18-20: Retro CarFest

WALES - SOUTH

July

Michael Ormond Randall Watkins

WESTERN Darren Mcdicken Andrew Taylor Mark Povey Derek Meads

WESSEX Grant Race Danuta Hulse Ralph Hill Tom Powell Lee Agutter

23-25: Camp CarFest North 30-1 Aug Classic Silverstone

August 27-29:

Camp CarFest South

November 12-14:

NEC Classic Motor Show

We truly hope that 2021 will provide a return to normality, but if we’ve learned one thing this year, it’s that anything can happen. Keep an eye on the event calendar on the Club’s new website and our social media channels for the latest information.

Trackday Calendar 2021 *Provisional dates

May 28:

Cadwell Park

September 12:

Anglesey

November 12:

Oulton Park

www.bmwcarclubgb.uk

BMW Car Club Magazine February 2021 11

bmwnews BMW Group’s COVID year wraps up!

The BMW Group once again confirmed its position as the world’s leading premium automotive manufacturer during a strange year, as the world struggled to come to terms with the Coronavirus pandemic. BMW delivered a total of 2,324,809 BMW, MINI and Rolls-Royce vehicles, a figure down by 8.4% compared to 2019, but an amazing result considering factory shutdowns, and the logistics of selling cars to people remotely or with social distancing measures.

The Group enjoyed a particularly strong fourth quarter, with 686,069 vehicles sold, an increase of 4.3% year-on-year. Sales of plug-in hybrid vehicles climbed by 38.9% compared to the previous year, while sales of electrified vehicles totalled 192,646, an increase of 31.8%. 144,218 M models were sold in 2020, a 6% increase. Although M2 CS production was limited to just 2,200 units, how quickly they sold out was particularly pleasing.

The BMW brand itself had a strong 2020, with a total of 2,028,659 sales, down just 7.2% on the previous year. In the upper luxury segment, sales increased by 12.4%, with 115,420

The BMW Group posted remarkable sales figures in a world in the grips of a pandemic, with burgeoning sales in the upper luxury segment of models like the M8C.

7 Series, 8 Series and X7 models delivered to customers. Sales of these highly profitable models have increased by more than 70% overall since 2018.

BMW M2 Cup to support the revived DTM Series

BMW Motorsport’s new M2 Cup series will act as a support race for the new GT3based DTM championship, giving drivers the opportunity of greatly increased exposure.

BMW M Motorsport have confirmed that the recently announced M2 Cup Series will now support the revived DTM Championship. The BMW M2 Cup will run a total of twelve races in 2021 as part of six DTM weekends, featuring at the Norisring, Lausitzring, Nürburgring, Red Bull Ring (Austria), Assen (Netherlands) and Hockenheim rounds, with two M2 Cup rounds at each race meeting. BMW have chosen the much-admired M2 CS model as the base car for the M2 Cup Series.

The BMW M2 Cup is open to all drivers, but it does give young drivers the chance to compete on the big stage of a DTM round and prove their worth. This is particularly attractive to the young drivers selected for the BMW Junior Team, which was relaunched in 2020.

That is if they can eventually get a seat in the DTM GT3 car…

Walloth & Nesch parts hit by UK VAT problem A problem has arisen with car parts coming into the UK from the EU, and in this case, specifically Germany. Well known BMW classic parts supplier Walloth & Nesch (W&N) sent out an email advising that they would no longer charge German VAT on parts supplied to the UK. Our first thought was that they would have to attach a customs declaration and we, as recipients, would have to pay UK VAT to HMRC before delivery. In a Sunday Times article, it was explained that all EU companies intending to supply items to UK customers valued at less than €150 will have to apply for a UK VAT registration (to prevent postal sales being used to avoid the tax). We can only guess there will be some other arrangement for more expensive items. So it seems that W&N will have to apply for a UK VAT number, charge UK VAT on any UK orders, and pay HMRC. W&N supply quite a few parts that are BMW Classic NLA, and these parts are sometimes required urgently for cars that are in for repair or restoration so the above situation may delay repairs. Of course, BMW Classic can supply the parts through BMW UK, although quite often they are more expensive than OEM items from W&N, although the Club discount can help.

12 BMW Car Club Magazine February 2021

The Brexit VAT fiasco could halt or hinder UK sales of car parts arriving from the EU, especially classic parts from specialists like Walloth & Nesch, who have already experienced problems and at one point threatened to temporarily halt sales to the UK.

The problem is, as we’ve already mentioned, W&N carries a large number of parts that BMW Classic lists as NLA. It’s also worth noting that here in the UK, Jaymic carry a good range of OEM parts for BMW classics.

www.bmwcarclubgb.uk

Changes to Number Plate rules The DVLA is introducing new legislation for the UK’s number plates in 2021. The new plates will have improved durability and enhanced compatibility with automatic number plate recognition (ANPR) cameras. There will also be changes with regard to 3D-effect number plates and traditional black and silver plates.

Different shades of black lettering that create a 3D effect or highlighting will no longer be allowed. The letters and numbers will have to be only a single shade of black, and raised lettering will also be banned. The new plates will be available from January 1st 2021 and will become mandatory from September 1st 2021.

From January 1st 2021, only vehicles built before January 1st 1980 will be eligible to display the black and silver number plates. You must apply to the DVLA for the plates and your vehicle must be registered in the ‘historic vehicles’ tax class.

take advantage of moneysaving benefits for zeroemissions vehicles such as cheaper parking and free entry into congestion charge zones.

Hybrid and plug-in hybrid vehicles are not eligible.

There are a raft of changes to the UK’s From January 1st 2021, UK number plate laws in 2021, plus new plates registered vehicles can no longer with a ‘green flash’ as seen in the photo, will start to become more commonplace on be fitted with number plates UK roads as more and more drivers switch to displaying the GB EU flag. electrified vehicles.

Drivers of vehicles that already have the GB EU symbol won’t have to change them, but they will need to display an oval GB sticker when driving in Europe.

Other Changes – ‘Green Flash’ plates!

As of December 2020, drivers of all-electric and hydrogen fuel cell vehicles can display number plates with a green flash on the left-hand side. The new green plates will enable drivers to

Private Number Plates These changes in legislation will also apply to personal number plates, and owners must ensure that their plates conform to the required legal standard.

Paddy Hopkirk MBE takes delivery of new Limited Edition MINI, named in his honour Northern Irish rally driver Paddy Hopkirk MBE is among the first of just 100 customers in the UK to receive the MINI Paddy Hopkirk Limited Edition, named in his honour to commemorate his triumph at the 1964 Monte Carlo Rally in the classic Mini Cooper S. When asked what the special edition means to him Paddy said, “I’m so flattered to have a MINI named in my honour. Motorsport is long behind me now and for my win at the Monte Carlo Rally to be remembered in this way is a great thrill and honour”.

The Paddy Hopkirk Limited Edition is based on the MINI Cooper S three-door hatch and available with automatic or manual transmission.

The engine delivers 178bhp and 280Nm, reaching 62mph from rest in 6.7 seconds, and is priced at £28,200 OTR.

Paddy Hopkirk MBE takes delivery of his ‘MINI Paddy Hopkirk Limited Edition’ and poses for a photo with the new MINI and 33 EJB, the 1964 Monte Carlo Rally winning Mk1 Mini Cooper S

BMW Group most popular employer The BMW Group was named the “World’s most attractive employer” in the automotive sector and again takes number-one spot in the Young Professionals Barometer 2020. It has held this position since 2012. At the same time, a majority of students in Germany rated the BMW Group among the top companies this year, earning it second place in the business category in the Trendence Graduate Barometer 2020. It also ranked fourth in the engineering category and sixth among young IT talents – making it the most attractive company in the automotive sector for IT graduates. BMW’s goal is to recruit the best talents in a highly competitive market.

BMW Group speeds towards electromobility The BMW Group is speeding up the shift towards electromobility and strengthening its global network for production of electrified vehicles.

The company is investing €400 million in a new vehicle assembly hall at the main plant in Munich and is concentrating its European production activities for internal combustion engines at the Steyr and Hams Hall locations. By the end of 2022, each of BMW’s German plants will be producing at least one fully electric model.

www.bmwcarclubgb.uk

BMW is investing €400 million on a new vehicle assembly hall at the main assembly plant in at their Munich headquarters – the new Hall is contained in the plant highlighted in gold on the photo

BMW Car Club Magazine February 2021 13

motorsportnews

Roving reporters Jeff Heywood & Neil McDonald

M6 GT3 propels Catsburg and Farfus to IGTC Driver’s title!

A dramatic final round of the Intercontinental GT Challenge at Kyalami for Walkenhurst Motorsport’s M6 GT3s brings title success…

The final round of the Intercontinental GT Challenge (IGTC) took place in December at the Kyalami Circuit in the Republic of South Africa, with Walkenhurst Motorsport flying the flag for BMW with two M6 GT3s entered for the Kyalami 9 Hour. The #34 M6 GT3 was piloted by Sheldon van der Linde, Nick Catsburg and Augusto Farfus, while Martin Tomczyk, Nick Yelloly and David Pittard took the wheel of the #35 M6 GT3.

Qualifying was a mixed bag for the team; the #34 car secured a strong 3rd spot on the grid while the #35 car qualified in 6th place.

Farfus drove the first stint in the #34 M6, and was able to defend his position in the early stages before handing over to local hero van der Linde. The South African was able to move up one place to 2nd due to a competitor suffering from technical issues. However, the #34 BMW M6 GT3 then lost three places, reaching the halfway point of the race in 5th position. The trio then managed to battle their way back to 3rd place after strong stints by both Farfus and Catsberg, before losing a place once again during the penultimate pit stop.

One and a half hours before the end of the race, heavy rain moved in over the circuit. The team deserves huge credit for reacting before everyone else, telling Catsburg to pit immediately.

The #34 BMW M6 GT3 was the first car from the leading group to head into the pits and change to wet tyres. Competitors then

Nick Catsburg, Sheldon van der Linde and Augusto Farfus celebrate with the Walkenhurst Motorsport Team after their race win which brought them the IGTC title

spun out and made later pit stops as Catsburg moved into the lead around half an hour before the end and he was able to cross the line first under full course yellow conditions for the win. And thanks to an earlier win in the season by Catsburg and Farfus, who triumphed at the 8 Hours of Indianapolis, the pair won the IGTC Drivers Title.

The #35 BMW M6 GT3 managed to move up two places into 4th spot, holding onto their position until the first pit stop.

Unfortunately a minor technical issue which was fixed at a pit stop put them back down into 6th place, which they held to the chequered flag.

The Walkenhurst Motorsport #34 M6 GT3 showed there’s still life in the ‘old dog’ yet, powering van der Linde, Catsburg and Farfus to victory in the Kyalami 9H Race, also helping Catsburg and Farfus to the IGTC Driver’s Title

14 BMW Car Club Magazine February 2021

www.bmwcarclubgb.uk

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BMW Car Club Magazine February 2021 15

dannorris I’m not Nostradamus, I’m a very naughty boy.

Welcome to 2021 dear readers. A year full of promise and hope, a renaissance if you will – time to put our collective anus horribilis behind us and move on to those bright sunny uplit…. no, wait a minute.

That’s 2022.

Time seems to have changed shape for most of us – I heard a great term to describe what most of us encounter when deprived of our normal routines; Blursday. This is when you’re not sure what day of the week it is but it doesn’t matter because the pub is closed anyway.

I do wonder how long it will take for this time to pass from daily conversation and then fade from mainstream memory. If its anything like the second world war, it may take a while – my grandparents still filled the bath every day before they went to bed in case a water main burst during a night raid. This was in 1990. I told them the Germans just aren’t like that anymore, but old people are slower to forget.

Let’s be honest, none of us really expected to be where we are at this moment, but then that’s COVID for you – full of surprises. One of the biggest COVID related surprises of 2020 was car sales - and this one was the good sort.

As the first lockdown was announced I realised I’d have time to actually do some forecasting for the financial year ahead, much to the joy of our accountant. Now, as we all know, forecasting is an essential part of running any business. Banks love them, accountants have spreadsheets for them, and higher up, stock markets and hedge funds gobble up forecasts like candy. I absolutely hate them. For an independent garage like Munich Legends to be able to predict how many rare classic BMWs – in the right condition are going to arrive in the showroom for sale from across the UK or the World and who is going to buy them - is almost impossible to guess – and guesswork it certainly is. Sure, you can take the previous year or two and run that forward.

But what if one year there was a Brexit?

Or a closely fought general election? Or a global pandemic? What if the cars simply aren’t out there? We’re pretty picky, after all.

So, there’s me in March, doing the most tedious job in the world (sorry, accountants) thinking that at least this time, I’m in with a shout. 2019 was rubbish for the classic motor trade, and as we went into lockdown, heading towards the Brexit, I decided to put a few

16 BMW Car Club Magazine February 2021

token numbers in the boxes and focus on the restoration and workshop side of the business. Car sales would be pretty well non-existent. Easy job. Except I was completely wrong.

2020 was our best year for car sales for half a decade, and ranks amongst our best ever. And we were closed for Essential COVID shopping - the E46 M3 a month. And our foreign clients couldn’t from home indefinitely, he didn’t need visit. And we had to remove the coffee to spend five grand a year on a season machine from the showroom. rail ticket. Goodbye freezing trains, hello So, what went wrong? How did I make E46 M3. such an error? Well, the straight answer Of course, there’s also the fact is; I have no clue. I’ve asked people – that nobody’s gone out to eat all year some of whom know lots of stuff – and because even when the restaurants they had no clue either. What is the logic were open, it was too risky. Nobody behind the largest global crisis for well went on holiday either because all over half a century – in some ways the the staycation destinations had been biggest ever – and the most draconian booked by people called Hugo and Lotti controls on the UK population in history, from Hampstead and it was too risky producing a year of bumper car sales. to fly abroad in case Easyjet cancelled And not daily cars that people need to your return flight and you ended up get to hospital or drive to Barnard Castle quarantined in the last hotel left open – you know, the vital things in life – but – the one with the two stars that are collectable machines for weekend use definitely not from Michelin. and pleasure.

It may be a bit of all the above, and At first, we thought it might be a you may ask why I care – after all, surely nefarious use of Bounce Back Loans. just make hay while you can, and worry Any business person who went through about the reasons later. But I’m going to the application procedure will know how take away from this way more than just easy that was. A series of boxes that you increased sales and profits. It shows had to tick – they didn’t want to miss out me just how deep seated our love of people who couldn’t write – one of which classic cars has become. We are in the actually said ‘I understand that the bank middle of economic meltdown, death will not be checking any of the answers lurks around every corner, we haven’t given in this application and I’m still happy seen our families for months, and we’ve to proceed on that basis’. Check. Another forgotten what it feels like to be served said ‘only tick the box if your business a meal – or even a pint – by a complete has been affected by COVID-19, as your stranger. And what are we thinking? I application will be refused if this is not the really fancy an M3. case’. Check. I mean – who hasn’t been I now have faith in my fellow man affected? It didn’t say adversely affected, (yes and woman) that we haven’t got all so I’m assuming Amazon were eligible. grown up and forgotten our priorities.

So, the Bounce Back Loans got spent We’re daft. We’ll overcome anything you and the sales kept coming. Maybe it throw at us. Nothing is so bad that we’ll was savings. I remember one customer stop thinking about cars. I am not alone.

I spoke to because I genuinely wanted Well, it’s nearly that time again. In six to get some answers. He said ‘I’ve been weeks, it will be a year since the last saving for a rainy day for ages. This isn’t forecast. So, what do I predict? just raining, it’s a bucking monsoon!’ I’m I haven’t got a clue. But I do fancy a pretty sure he said bucking. Another client new M5… explained that as he was now working www.bmwcarclubgb.uk

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BMW Car Club Magazine February 2021 17

Life Feature – M3 Review

LIFE

The Generation Game!

Words – Jeff Heywood & John Mayhead (on behalf of Hagerty) Photos – Jeff Heywood & BMW Classic

When BMW revealed the sixth-generation M3 earlier this month, swathes of the car community were fixated by its super-size front grille, as though caught in the hypnotic trance of Paul McKenna. Yet here at the Club (and in conjunction with Hagerty Insurance), we had other things on our mind, and they weren’t to do with the nose job of the latest M-car, its 500bhp twin-turbo engine, new four-wheel drive system or 10-stage traction control. We wanted to revisit how the first four generations of the M3 have been performing in the marketplace...

I

t could be argued that the M3 is BMW’s Porsche 911. It has been with us for 35-years and each incarnation has moved the game on, some more successfully than others. The story of how the car came to be is well told – BMW needed to create it to homologate a vehicle for touring car racing, although that changed slightly when BMW saw just how well the E30 M3 was selling

18 BMW Car Club Magazine February 2021

and quickly upped production. Yet as the role of the M3 within BMW’s portfolio of cars has changed, so has the level of exclusivity. That, in turn, has had an impact on desirability as the cars gain age and become modern-classics.

BMW E30 M3

BMW launched the E30 M3 at the 1985 Frankfurt Motor Show. Because of the

relatively high production numbers required to homologate the M3 (at least 5000 had to be produced), production took place at the normal Munich-Milbertshofe factory instead of in the more limited Motorsport facility in Garching. However, unlike the normal E30 models, the M3’s drivetrain was assembled by special teams, then mated to the chassis on the regular assembly line. In total, 17,970 E30 M3’s www.bmwcarclubgb.uk

were sold worldwide, a figure which includes the special editions, Evo models and 786 convertibles.

Values of the E30 M3 (1986 – 1991) first started showing a rebound in their prices about fifteen years ago, and have rocketed over the last 7-8 years. In May 2015, the UK Hagerty Price Guide listed the value of an ‘excellent’ (Condition 2) example of a ‘standard’ E30 M3 as £27,800, that’s increased to £48,800 today: a rise of 75.5%. For the very best Condition 1 cars – those with exceptional originality or a top-quality restoration – the increase has been even more www.bmwcarclubgb.uk

pronounced, up 85.4 percent: £39,000 in 2016 to £72,300 today. And that’s just a standard M3 – the various special edition models (Tour de Corse, Europameister 88, Cecotto and Ravaglia) all carry a premium over the standard cars. These specials are confusing for many so here’s a rundown of each model pertinent to the UK market.

Tour de Corse M3 - this model was a special edition of the E30 M3 created by BMW France and sold exclusively in the French market, to celebrate the win of French drivers Bernard Beguin and Jean-

Jacques Lenne in the Tour de Corse rally, although there are a handful of Tour de Corse M3s in UK captivity. A total of 40 Tour de Corse M3’s were produced in April 1987, each based on the E30 M3 Evo I. Europameister - BMW celebrated the dominance of the E30 M3 in the 1988 Touring Car season with a limited run of 148 “Europameister” edition road cars, built from October through December of 1988. Based on the regular production M3 with the 195bhp catalyst-equipped S14 engine, all examples were finished in Macao Blue with a silver extended Nappa BMW Car Club Magazine February 2021

19

Life Feature – M3 Review

An E30 M3 being driven enthusiastically, it’s the best way to get everything out of the car, the S14 hitting the limiter as the wonderfully communicative chassis and steering allows you to steer the car with one hand, or the right foot!

leather interior. The extended hide covers the entire centre console and also the special diagonally-pleated door cards. The interior was also equipped with M-tricolour stripes on all four seats. A special plaque on the centre console read “Europameister 1988 auf BMW M3” and was signed by the 1987 WTCC champion Roberto Ravaglia. Most examples of the Europameister were produced for the German and Swiss market but quite a few slipped into the UK. Cecotto model - BMW produced a special version of the E30 M3 during 1989 to celebrate the many competition victories of factory driver Johnny Cecotto.

This model introduced the 215bhp version of the catalyst-equipped 2.3-litre S14 engine, still rated at 170lb/ft of torque (though now peaking at a slightly lower 4.600rpm). This engine, which would become standardized on Europeanspec M3s beginning in September of 1989, can be identified in the Cecotto by its body-colour cam cover. The Cecotto edition was offered in the same three exterior colour choices as the E30 M3 Evo II: Misano Red (236), Macao Blue metallic (250) and Nogaro Silver metallic (243). It also gained thinner rear window glass, chrome tailpipes, and 7.5x16” alloy wheels with unique metallic black centres.

Although it featured Evo II front and rear spoilers, the Cecotto version doesn’t include the front brake cooling ducts in place of fog lights. Inside, the centre console features the signature of Johnny Cecotto, as well as the exclusive number of each car in the series out of 505. (480 E30 M3 Cecottos were built in total in addition to 25 near identical Ravaglia editions - see below).

In addition to the initial 505 examples of the E30 M3 Cecotto and Ravaglia editions, the Swiss market later received

20 BMW Car Club Magazine February 2021

its own special series of E30 M3 Cecotto models. These were produced in two batches, the first in October and November 1989, and the second in April and May 1990. A total of 80 examples were built, and although equipped with a special centre console plaque that bears the signature of Johnny Cecotto, the Swiss edition is not individually numbered – be aware if you are in the market for a special edition M3 because the market can be a minefield, plus there are many fakes out there.

Instead of the E30 M3 Cecotto edition, the U.K. market only officially received the E30 M3 Ravaglia edition, which was essentially an identical car except for the signature of a different BMW factory race driver on the numbered plaque. A total of 25 examples were produced, 16 in Misano Red (236) with an Anthracite M cloth and Bison leather interior, 9 in Nogaro Silver metallic (243) with a Silver M cloth and Bison leather interior. We’ve deliberately included all the special edition

models in this review because many of the Euro-market examples have found their way to the UK, as have many of the standard M3s, and vice-versa. As mentioned previously, values for the special edition models are higher than the standard cars but trying to pin a precise value on each edition is tricky, with values seeming to be in a permanent flux, hence why clubs like ours provide a valuation service!

The initial E30 M3 Evo I was created to homologate refinements to the E30 M3 designed to make it more competitive in competition. A total of 505 examples were produced with consecutive VINs (2190283 through 2190787) during March and April of 1987 – be aware of the VIN numbers when viewing a car.

A total of 501 E30 M3 Evo II models were built in the Spring of 1988. Unlike the first Evolution, the E30 M3 Evo II received significant mechanical upgrades to its S14 engine (famously identifiable by its unique cam cover and airbox in

The E30 M3’s wonderfully ergonomic interior, with dash angled towards the driver so that the instruments and switchgear are all to eye and hand

www.bmwcarclubgb.uk

The pretender to the crown meets the master – BMW’s 1M takes on the iconic E30 M3 Sport Evo

white with tri-colour ‘M’ stripes). New pistons raised the compression to 11:1 (from 10.5:1) amongst many changes and power was raised to 220bhp.

The Evo II’s exterior is easily identified by its deeper front airdam, additional rear lip boot spoiler and front brake cooling ducts in place of fog lights. In addition, thinner window glass, plus a lightened trunk lid and bumpers reduced weight by 22 pounds. The E30 M3 Evolution II was only available in three exclusive exterior colours: Misano Red (236), Macao Blue metallic (250) and Nogaro Silver metallic (243). A special dashboard plaque denoting the specific number of each example out of 501 was fitted to every Evo II. E30 M3 Sport Evo – BMW produced 600 E30 M3 Sport Evo models during late 1989 and early 1990, and it was the most extensively modified of the three E30 M3 Evolution editions. The cylinder bore was increased to 95mm (from 84mm) plus a long-stroke crank boosted displacement to 2,467cc. There were also numerous mods made, such as larger valves. The 2.5-litre Sport Evo engine made 238bhp at 7,000rpm. These engines use the regular black cam cover but have red spark plug wires. Like the Evolution II, the Sport Evolution has thinner glass, a lighter trunk and bumpers, and brake cooling ducts in place of fog lights. In addition, it also has a smaller fuel tank. For homologation purposes, the Sport Evolution has unique front and rear spoilers with adjustable extensions for greater downforce, and wider front wings. The M3 Sport Evolution also sits 10mm lower than the normal E30 M3.

The Sport Evolution was only offered in Jet Black (668) with red bumper stripes or Brilliant Red (308) with black bumper stripes. The wheels are the same 7.5x16inch cross-spoke items used on other www.bmwcarclubgb.uk

Evolution models, but the spokes are painted Nogaro Silver.

Inside, Recaro sport seats with integrated headrests were standard in Anthracite M cloth, with Black Nappa leather and the M tri-colour logo on the backrest as an option. A suede-covered M Technic II steering wheel, shift knob (illuminated) and parking brake handle were included, along with red seat belts. Door sill plates with colour ‘M3’ insignias were added, and a special plaque denoting each car as a Sport Evolution appears on the centre console (though it does not include the unique number of each example out of the 600).

The three Evo variants all carry a premium, and while the Evo I carries a more modest hike in price over a standard M3, in the case of the Evo II and Sport Evo models their hike in price is a hefty one, with Evo II prices now approaching £100,000 for a decent example and well over £125,000 for a decent Sport Evo. Again it is really difficult to place a specific price on these cars as they are red hot property at the moment

and sellers are speculating by placing sky high prices on these cars, hoping someone makes a high bid on them.

BMW E36 M3

BMW launched the E36 M3 Coupe in November 1992 to an initial mixed reception. The motoring press and BMW aficionados alike both greatly admired the E30 M3, so its replacement needed to be pretty special, and to say they were underwhelmed by BMW’s offering is an understatement. Both camps were taken by surprise at BMW’s smooth and conservatively styled E36 M3, more Grand Tourer than sports saloon. It did have some great points. It was quick; it’s 3-litre smooth-as-silk straight six S50 motor pumped out 286bhp and 236lb ft of torque at 3,600rpm. Mated to a five-speed manual gearbox, it was a fair bit quicker than the E30 M3, with the 0-60mph sprint covered in 5.7 seconds; but although equipped with its highly acclaimed multilink rear axle it just didn’t handle like the E30 M3 did. It lacked the poise, balance and sheer driveability of its older brother.

The three E36 M3 versions pose for a photo BMW Car Club Magazine February 2021

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Life Feature – M3 Review

The prices of E36 M3 GTs are quickly following those of its E30 M3 older brother, with excellent examples with low-ish miles fetching nearly £30,000. Although the right-hand drive GT is a looker the changes to the car are just cosmetic, it’s the left-hand drive version like the car in the photo that go more than skin deep

But in the end it was the transformation from pumped up muscular wide-arched saloon car racer to svelte coupe that disappointed most.

An E36 M3 Convertible was added in 1994, followed by a four-door saloon which arrived in December of the same year but failed to ignite the market; the M3 saloon was essentially added to fill in the gap caused by the lack of a four-door M5 model between the end of E34 production in 1995 and the launch of the E39 M5 in 1998.

BMW’s introduction of the facelifted ‘Evo’ M3 Coupe in September 1995 finally started to switch people over to the M3, although the reception was still lukewarm. The Evo received a twin-Vanos 3.2-litre version of the S50 engine that produced 321bhp and was attached to a new six-speed manual gearbox; the new Evo engine allowed the M3 Evo Coupe to sprint to 60mph from rest in an indecently rapid 5.2 seconds, over a second and a half quicker than an E30 M3 could muster.

The M3 Saloon became an ‘Evo’ too in November 1995 when it was fitted with the 3-2-litre S50 engine and six-speed gearbox, the Convertible model followed suit in February 1996; now all the E36 M3s had 321bhp at their disposal. The facelift also saw the introduction of the six-speed SMG gearbox, the first time a semi-automated gearbox was available on an M3 in Europe.

Although the E36 M3 didn’t receive the accolades of its older brother, that’s not to say they weren’t popular with customers.

In total, 71,242 E36 M3s were sold worldwide, broken down into 46,525

22 BMW Car Club Magazine February 2021

Coupes, 12,114 Convertibles and 12,603 Saloons.

E36 M3 GT - In 1994, BMW introduced the limited-edition M3 GT as a racing homologation special, in order to compete in the FIA-GT class II, IMSA GT and international long-distance races. A total of 356 cars were produced, all in lefthand drive for mainland Europe. They received engine mods that resulted in power increasing to 295bhp and quite a number of cosmetic changes - a deeper and adjustable front splitter, higher double rear wing and aluminium doors. All M3 GTs were painted in British Racing Green, including the 50 UK examples.

The UK received a watered-down version of the homologation GT, receiving special GT trim and limited to 50 righthand drive cars with only the cosmetic upgrades of the homologation special.

E36 M3 GT Individual – In 1998 the UK also received a further limited edition model in the guise of the M3 GT Individual, also known (incorrectly) as the M3 GT2 or Imola Individual. Finished in Imola Red, they had Nappa leather seats also in Imola Red and with anthracite Amaretta suede bolsters in anthracite. Engine and performance were unchanged; 200 M3 GT Individuals were produced in total, with 50 right-hand drive models coming to the UK. E36 M3 Special Edition Convertible - BMW UK also released a limited run of 25 E36 M3 Convertibles in Carbon Black metallic with a Modena Natur Nappa leather interior in July of 1999.

The family of E36 M3s have remained unloved for a long time, although they have always had a loyal band of followers. Like all M cars though, prices do eventually start to creep upwards, and that is what we have seen with the E36 M3, more so in the last five years. From April 2017, when Hagerty first tracked the E36 M3 in the Price Guide, values of ‘excellent’ examples of the E36 M3 Coupe have risen from £16,900 to £17,400, a gain of 3%. We now occasionally see concours standard E36 M3s (usually Coupes) fetching between £20,000 and £25,000. Convertibles fetch decent money, condition is key, although right at the top end above £20,000 they seem to lag behind the Coupe models by at least 10%. The four-door saloons are a strange breed. They have their own following and prices seem to be around the same as those for the Coupe.

The E36 M3 pricing structure is still in its infancy, and isn’t as developed as the E30, with poorly modified and scruffy high mileage examples still available for little money, and often overpriced cars will be seen overlapping these groups. Poor, ropey, mega high-mileage examples can be had for £3,000–6,000. Average cars needing work or with high-ish mileage are generally priced between £6,000-12,000, while excellent cars with lower miles are priced between £12,000-20,000. Exceptional, concours condition cars, GT models or examples with unusually low miles are now fetching over £20,000, with the very finest low milers pushing £25,000 and more.

We expect a mint, low mileage GT or GT Individual to breach the £30,000 barrier in 2021. www.bmwcarclubgb.uk

who had withdrawn orders. Even so, thanks to the car’s iconic status, they have become a real collectors must have.

The E46 M3 is the best-selling M3 model of all time, and you can see why when you take in the slightly muscular stance, with large wheels filling the arches giving the car real presence on the road

BMW E46 M3

The third generation M3, the E46, was launched in 2000 by BMW and received a far better reception than the outgoing model. People loved the more aggressively styled E46 M3; the subtly flared wheel arches, deep front spoiler, the large diameter alloy wheels and discreet boot spoiler gave the E46 M3 a more muscular, almost touring car-like presence on the road, and sales were strong. Priced on a par with the Porsche Boxster S at launch, the E46 M3 was streets ahead in performance, challenging the much pricier 911 with its 343bhp S54 straight six screamer mated to either a Getrag 420G six-speed manual or six-speed SMG, also based on the Getrag 420G. Performance was lively; 0-60mph came up in an indecent 4.9 seconds while the top speed was limited to 155mph, although most test cars easily topped 160 in period.

E46 M3 Convertible - Spring 2001 saw the arrival of the M3 Convertible in the UK. The car was heavier so the 0-60mph time slipped to 5.1 seconds, but it was still fast enough to more than ruffle your hair! The weight does slightly hamper performance and handling, and there is some scuttle shake present on rougher roads, but the car is still a flyer and sold well, so shouldn’t be dismissed.

BMW facelifted the E46 M3 models in 2003, although it was mainly cosmetic with the most notable changes being new LED rear lights. Performance and handling remained the same - why mess with something that was so right straight out of the box?

E46 M3 CSL - 2003 also saw the introduction of the E46 M3 CSL, a car that would soon be viewed as a BMW icon. The CSL was nothing short of epic.

BMW’s engineers had managed to shed 110kg from the kerb weight, the seats were a fixed-back competition type and www.bmwcarclubgb.uk

BMW finally got it right again with the E46 M3, with worldwide sales of over 85,000 units. Of those, 56,000 were Coupe models, hence why prices haven’t really taken off yet, although mint, low mileage examples are fetching top dollar

were covered in swathes of Anthracite “Reflex” cloth and Amaretta (synthetic suede), which also adorned many other trim panels. The bonnet was made of aluminium and carbon fibre was used profusely, both in the interior and externally including the roof for a lower centre of gravity. Tyres were semi-slick Cups from Michelin and power had increased to 360bhp, which allowed the demonic CSL sprint to 60mph from rest in (at the time) a mind boggling 4.6 seconds, and all with an induction roar to die for! All CSLs were equipped with BMW’s SMG II transmission.

The CSL was only available in Silver Grey Metallic and Black Sapphire Metallic, with both versions showing off that raw carbon roof. The CSL lapped the Nordschleife in under eight minutes, making it a real hero car for BMW at the time. Only 1,383 CSLs were built in total. Of these, 542 were right-hand drive models, with 422 coming to the UK market. 315 are finished in Silver Grey and 107 in Sapphire Black. The UK was the largest market for the CSL, with 300 going to Germany. The CSL was never officially sold in the USA. With all the hype surrounding the CSL you would have thought that BMW UK could have sold double the 422 CSLs they received, but thanks to a list price close to £60,000 they struggled to sell the remaining examples that hadn’t been pre-ordered, or left-overs from customers

E46 M3 CS - BMW UK used the ‘M3 CS’ designation for all E46 M3s equipped with the Competition Package. However, this model does not contain ‘M3 CS’ badging of any kind. The CS was equipped with larger cross-drilled brake discs (13.7inch front), the steering ratio reduced to 14.5:1, M Track Mode setting for Dynamic Stability Control, 19-inch ‘CSL-style’ cross-spoke alloy wheels (8x19 front, 9.5x19 rear), Alcantara covered M threespoke steering wheel with M Track Mode button, Aluminium interior trim with milled effect and the option to choose Interlagos Blue metallic (A30). A total of 241 M3 CS models were sold in the UK market.

E46 M3 Silverstone Edition - A limited edition of 50 E46 M3 coupes with BMW Individual paint and interior trim were produced for the UK market during late 2004. Available with either the six-speed manual (30 produced) or SMG II gearbox (20 produced), they were all painted Silverstone Metallic and came with a high spec of kit as standard.

In total, the E46 M3 was the most popular M3 ever, with 85,766 sold worldwide, made up of 56,133 Coupes and 29,633 Convertibles. The E46 M3 pricing structure is even more in its infancy than the E36s, but it is starting to take shape as M3 numbers start to dwindle with cars being written off.

Hagerty are now only starting to watch E46 M3 variants in the ‘modern classics’ category. UK auction results over the last 12 months show a mixed bag: sales vary between just under £6,000 for high-mileage ropey examples to just over £14,000 for nice cars. A few – mainly very low mileage examples or limited edition specials – have been estimated at more, but a total of 8 of the 11 offered failed to sell. Buy now before the wider market switches onto them like they have with the E30 and E36 models.

The CSL is still the pick of the E46 investment bunch, but mint, low mileage examples are already advertised at up to £100,000.

The UK market saw the largest number of E46 M3 CSL sales for BMW. The car soon reached iconic levels and is still commanding stratospheric prices for concours condition, low-mileage examples

BMW Car Club Magazine February 2021

23

Life Feature – M3 Review

The E90/92 models have proven popular, with their 420bhp V8s screaming to over 8000rpm, but they are a fair way short of the production numbers reached by the E46

BMW E90/2/3 M3

The E90/2/3 M3 market is the youngest of the four used shapes. With certain models still available new just seven years ago, they are slightly different to the other three models covered above. The E92 M3 Coupe was the first of the M3 models to be launched, with build commencing from May 2007 and available until June 2013, while the E90 M3 Saloon was introduced in November 2007, with production halting in October 2011. The E93 M3 Convertible was introduced in February 2008 and was available until September 2013.

What sets the E90 / E92 / E93 M3 apart from its forebears, and the M3 / M4 versions since, is the use of a highrevving 4.0 litre naturally aspirated V8 engine, known as the S65. Never again will such an engine be available from BMW - it’s a masterpiece of engineering.

The manic way in which engine revs rise, especially that last 2,000rpm before the 8,300rpm redline, dominates the entire driving experience. Like all great M cars, it only comes truly alive when you drive the wheels off it, and only then does it reveal its depth of talents.

And not only that, the M3 remains a highly forgiving machine. The hydraulic steering and weight balance allows the nose of the car to be pointed exactly where you need it; you have to be exceedingly juvenile with your driving to wash the front end wide, easier in the wet of course, but warp speeds are required

24 BMW Car Club Magazine February 2021

in the dry. With options such as the DCT gearbox and Electronic Damper Control fitted, the M3 can be tuned along with its throttle mapping to be set up however you want it to behave, and all via the iDrive Settings menu and that little “M” button on the steering wheel.

And yet, when you want it to, this car can pootle around town and do the dayto-day duties just as well as any other 3 Series, transporting the family reliably and in comfort; it’s a wonderful Jekyll and Hyde-style machine and last of the breed for BMW M’s normally aspirated engines.

In total, 65,985 E90/2/3 M3s were sold worldwide, made up of 40,092 Coupes, 9,674 four-door Saloons and 16,219 Convertibles. M3 variants are selling for a wide range of prices within the UK, from as low as £13,000 to £39,000 and above, depending of course on mileage and condition.

E90 (four-door) saloon - These are far rarer than its E92 and E93 two door siblings, and therefore retains slightly higher values by £2,000 to £3,000 for cars in similar condition. The E90 came in a limited edition run of 67 ‘CRT’ versions; unveiled in June 2011 at the M Night held during the Nürburgring 24-hour race, one of these rare cars surfaced last year priced at £125,000. In the E90 M3’s lifetime, 116 right-hand drive Competition Pack (ZCP) models were produced, and these also carry a small premium over standard cars.

E92 Coupe - The Coupe also came in various special editions during its lifetime, including the famous Competition Pack, ‘Frozen’ paint editions and the ultimate version, the M3 GTS in Fire Orange with matching roll cage. Out of the 135 manufactured globally, only 15 GTS’ came to the UK and just like the CRT, when they become available on the market prices are typically north of the £100,000 mark. The M3 GTS features an enlarged 4361cc version of the S65 V8, pumping out a muscular 450bhp.

E93 Convertible This was the first BMW to be fitted with a folding metal hardtop, which unfortunately added a fair bit of weight to the equation and means it isn’t as dynamic or sharp as it’s Coupe and Saloon brothers. It’s more of a boulevard cruiser than an out-and-out sports car. It still has some poke, though, and can still pick up its feet and go with that glorious V8 roar. Some owners have had issues with the folding metal roof, so be aware.

The LCI model, or facelifted version, came to the market during the 2010 model year and introduced revised headlights, LED rear lights and updated interior trim. The M3 dominated all of its contemporaries from Mercedes and Audi during its lifetime, with Car and Driver in the US going as far to state the M3 was the “world’s all-around best car for the money”. www.bmwcarclubgb.uk

Race winner and still the daddy of all M3s, the E30 M3. What a stunning design and concept. Will we ever see another M car like it?

CONCLUSION

wins as a rally car, and achieved touring car championship wins across the globe including two BTCC titles and two DTM crowns. This translated immediately to sales of the road car.

Simon Lord, the mastermind behind the Redux BMW E30 M3, believes the model’s unique design also plays a part.

“From the E36 onwards, the design language of the 3, 5 and 7 series became more consistent; each model looks like a slightly larger, or smaller, version of its own siblings.”

He also believes there’s a generational aspect. “The E30 generation of teenagers have reached the stage in their lives where they are likely to be able to afford (or justify) the car they lusted after 30 years ago. For an E30 aficionado, the E30 M3 is at the top of their wish list; the Sport Evo being its zenith.”

So, how are values likely to change?

Prices seem to be continuing to climb gradually, although exceptional outlier sales such as the July 2020 Bring-ATrailer online auction sale of a very low mileage E30 M3 for £175,000 show that some are prepared to pay serious money for the top cars. In the UK, Classic Heroes, founded by Barney Halse (formerly of Munich Legends), has just sold a 1990 M3 Sport Evolution, which has covered 26,000 miles, for £170,000.

Halse says the appeal of the E30 has always been its competition pedigree. “Nothing dominated motor racing like the M3; it won in Group A, Group N, DTM, The ultimate E92 M3 and one of the all-time M greats, only fifteen M3 GTS’ came to the UK and all now fetch six-figure sums when they come up for sale hillclimbs, you name it.

So, why is the E30 M3 so much more popular than its successors? Age is one thing: the E30 was the original M3, and its racing success in a golden age for touring car racing played a huge part in its popularity. Initially a 5000-run homologation model, the car made its racing debut at the first round of the 1987 World Touring Car Championship at Monza on March 22. The BMW Motorsport E30s took the first six places at the chequered flag, but although they passed post-race scrutineering, they were subsequently disqualified for having underweight Kevlar bootlids after (ironically) a complaint from a privateer BMW E30 team whose car was shown to be 50kg heavier.

The event may have provided no points, but it stated the car’s arrival in unambiguous fashion and phenomenal success followed. The model dominated endurance racing, including the WTC crown in 1987, four straight wins of the Nürburgring 24 Hour, two ETCC titles and four Spa 24 Hour victories. It achieved

www.bmwcarclubgb.uk

The Sport Evolution is the final homologation and therefore the most advanced of all M3s, and the only one with the 2.5-litre engine. It’s the one collectors want to add, which is why it commands a big premium.”

What advice does Halse have for buyers? “Buy the best you can afford.

By which I mean, if you have £60,000 to spend, buy the very best example of a standard M3, rather than a dog-eared Evo that needs lots of costly work.”

Lord’s success with Redux has to be another factor: although prices are a closely-guarded secret and are, according to Lord, based on the client’s exact requirements, you’ll need deep pockets.

And for the later models? The Hagerty Price Guide’s trajectory of E36 values has been a gradual increase, actually a healthy state of affairs in this turbulent market, and several promising E46 results since June could suggest their star is rising too, but it’s early days.

James Mills, Hagerty’s own editor and a motoring journalist of 30 years and counting, bought an E46 M3 last year, and says he felt the market was awakening to what a fabulous package an E46 presents. “I tested them back in the day and loved the S54 straight-six engine, the rear-drive playfulness and the four-seat capability of the car. It manages to be both spine-tinglingly good and comfortable enough to take a jaunt to the South of France.

“Taxed M3s have reduced from a peak of around 1900 to 311, and the number declared SORN has shot up. People are tucking them away. You only need to browse the classifieds to appreciate how there are far fewer original, low mileage cars around than five years ago, and when that happens, prices tend to go only one way. Plus, I can’t afford a CSL!” And of course, regular MLife scribe Steve Carter is a big advocate of the E90 M3, owning the stunning Interlagos Blue M3 Saloon as seen featured in past editions of Straight Six. Steve loves the punch the S65 V8 provides, and says “like all great M cars, it only comes truly alive when you drive the wheels off it!”

That’s one to watch in the future. For now, there’s no disputing that the original is still the best. “The E30 M3 is regarded as one of BMW’s greatest ever vehicles, if not the greatest,” says Lord. He’s quite right: can you imagine a world without that iconic M badge?

A big thank you goes to Hagerty Insurance for allowing their M3 review to be incorporated into this article. Also, a big thank you to Steve Carter for covering the E90/2/3.

BMW Car Club Magazine February 2021

25

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Feature

A Crazy Year Back On Track with Amazing People

Words: Neil McDonald Photographs: Jon Elsey

No one could have predicted what 2020 would bring, and for the Club it has been a year of coping with change and ensuring everyone stays safe as our first priority. With the Club trackdays and racing programme finally going ahead after adapting to date and regulation change, it proved to be a relief and an outlet that many members appreciated. It was noticeable to Nick Wright that we received more thanks at Snetterton than usual, despite feeling that we’d done less on the day to deserve it. The Club managed to squeeze in trackdays at Anglesey, Snetterton and Oulton Park and races meetings at Brands Hatch, Oulton Park, Castle Combe, Snetterton, and Donington Park - even if it was mid-November when it all wrapped up!

www.bmwcarclubgb.uk

BMW Car Club Magazine February 2021

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Feature

A

t the race meetings, with the assistance of 750 Motor Club, all the dates had to be reworked and it was remarkable that for our first meeting at a wet Brands Hatch in August we had a full grid of drivers wanting to take part. It was always going to be a topsy-turvy event with the wet weather making the results unpredictable and some drivers with great expectations not having their best day at the office. It was Graham Crowhurst (M2) who was the master in the rain in race one to take the flag, whilst Paul Cook took the advantage in race two. In M1 we had some new drivers who impressed, whilst others struggled to find grip. In Class 6 Kevin Denwood impressed but race two didn’t quite go to plan. Whilst in the BMWcup Karl McMillan qualified brilliantly but failed to finish, handing Clive Watson the class advantage. It was one of those days that would create opportunities that made the rest of the season exciting to watch. There was also the benefit of Live Streaming on social media enabling supporters and families to cheer the drivers on from their homes, so if you

28 BMW Car Club Magazine February 2021

want to catch-up visit www.750mc.co.uk or Facebook @bmwcarclubracing.

Next we went north to Oulton Park on a dry day in September. Again we would see different drivers doing well with Mike Cutt initially being the man on the pace in M1, chased by Michael Pensavalle, whilst in M2 Class it was a close battle between Paul Cook and Graham Crowhurst with Steve Schweikhardt putting his marker down for the remainder of the season.

Graham took M2 honours in the end. The biggest excitement was in Class 6 where rookie and regular Club Trackday Register driver Dan Harborow won both races and broke the lap record, chased down by Kevin Denwood finishing an impressive 5th and 6th overall and leaving M3s in their wake. In the Cup Karl Mcmillan took the win but lap times were within a second for the top 5 cars making that another exciting race to witness.

The Club then journeyed south to Castle Combe for yet more close racing. In M1 Michael Pensavalle, and Niall Bradley took advantage of others with issues. In M2 it was Cook taking the win with Adrian Williams this time

the chaser. We had more excitement in Class 6 but some of this was off-track due to Stewards decisions. Jim Benson had been the man to beat, and Kev Denwood was going to be excluded for overtaking under Yellow flags (which means no overtaking) which would impact their Championship chances. An appeal process followed with Denwood successfully supported by Crowhurst, who was overtaken as his car slowed through the chicane due to his throttle pedal coming loose. It just goes to show the team spirit and family atmosphere in the paddock as it could impact Graham’s Championship aspirations. Dan Harborow started the meeting leading the Championship and came second to Kevin in race one, but had a wheel bearing issue in race two. What did I say earlier about it being a topsy-turvy year?

October would normally signal the final round but it was to be the penultimate round of 2020 at Snetterton. It was Paul Cook again showing some of the more powerful cars a clean pair of heels, chased by the M1 cars of Pensavalle and Hugh Gurney, and Michael Eustace who www.bmwcarclubgb.uk

Feature

had improved in his first season with the Club. In race two Mike Cutt and Rick Kerry turned it on to fight out the win, the other impressive drives were in M2 between Crowhurst and Wayne Lewis, in his first race since Brands Hatch. In Class 6 Kevin Denwood was the man to beat, with Stuart Pywell and Paul Travers being the ones to keep him honest. In the BMWcup it was a three-way fight between McMillan, Watson and Laramy.

The drivers then had a long wait to see www.bmwcarclubgb.uk

how the government restrictions may change for the final meeting at Donington Park on November 12th. Realistically there were three drivers who could win the 2020 Championship but mathematically more were still able to clinch the victory. All the classes were still to be decided so it was all to play for and there were some nervous drivers given the wet and cold track for qualifying and race one. Tyre choice was going to play a part as pole went to Steve Schweikhardt with some exceptional driving, he has come on leaps and bound this year and he is another driver who has come through the Trackday Register days with the Club. The other surprise in qualifying was Steve Scott in his historic 2002, taking 6th surrounded by M3s.

The Rain Meisters Graham Crowhurst and Paul Cook were again impressive but Denwood struggled to qualify well, putting Cook and Crowhurst in a positive position in the Championship duel. It was Cook who did all that could be asked from him to take the chequered

flag in race one, ahead of a charging Mike Cutt in M1. The impressive Steve Schweikhardt took second in M2 which put a dent in Crowhurst’s hopes of the overall Championship. In Class 6 Denwood needed to drive well and have some luck which he got - with the leading Class 6 cars all fighting for the win they left the door open for a grateful Denwood, who now just needed to finish the final race third in class to pip the leading M2 cars. In the BMWcup McMillan and Watson swapped wins with Laramy impressively taking second and then third, so it was still all down to the last race for the class win.

In terms of the class wins, by race two Pensavalle had already taken M1 honours, and in M2 Cook needed to finish in the top three. In Class 6 Denwood had this part of the job wrapped up, but the overall was in his hands. In the BMWcup it was everything to the winner and it was another interesting race to watch unfold. Paul Cook did as much as he could, winning his class and earning the most class wins of any driver in 2020, but some non-finishes would be his undoing.

BMW Car Club Magazine February 2021

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Feature

The 2020 Awards List is as follows: Overall Champion and Class 6 Winner - Kevin Denwood Second Overall and M2 Winner - Paul Cook Third Overall and 2nd in M2 - Graham Crowhurst Gripper Diffs Novice Winner 3rd in M2 - Steve Schweikhardt Automac Rookie Winner - Dan Harborow Class M1 Winner - Michael Pensavalle 2nd in M1 - Mike Cutt In Class 6 Denwood tried to keep out of trouble but Bill Reddrop, Cavan Grainger and Shaun Jackson would bring out the racer in him. Bill took his first win of the year and Kevin sneaked in second to claim the 2020 Championship. In the BMWcup Clive Watson showed what he was made of by taking the race and class win.

What a season and what an incredible bunch of drivers – they have all done a magnificent job and respect where it is due, with many of them being ever present during a year I hope we will not witness again in terms of the restrictions and changes. It’s been emotional, it’s been exciting, it’s been challenging but it was all worth it. The Club owes all the participants, families and supporters a huge thank you for making it another successful year’s racing for the Club.

Given we are unsure whether we will be allowed an awards night due to Covid regulations, we took the decision for last year’s Champion Matt Page to award the overall trophy to Kevin – again you will see video footage of Club history being

30 BMW Car Club Magazine February 2021

made on Facebook.

With regret we can’t mention every driver that has taken part this season but we have tried to highlight 30+ drivers on the BMWCCR Facebook page and also thanked the Club’s supporters – Bilstein, Eibach, Superpro, Redbox, Supersprint, Gripper Diffs and Automac.

Special thanks must also go the team at 750 Motor Club, Giles, Nicky and James who worked tirelessly behind the scenes and also Phil Brough, Mark Townsend and the many other drivers who helped.

One thing I can say is that all the drivers and the Club were again the real winners this year and everyone who made it possible deserves our thanks and appreciation. It’s a huge thank you from the BMW Car Club.

The 2021 dates have now been published in the magazine for the races and trackdays and the regulations are on the 750 Motor Club website – we have more to announce for 2021, so with some hard work from the brilliant NHS and powers that be we should be attending

3rd in M1 - Mike Eustace 2nd in Class 6 - Shaun Jackson 3rd in Class 6 - Cavan Grainger BMWcup Winner - Clive Watson 2nd BMWcup - Karl Mcmillan 3rd BMWcup - Paul Laramy Whizzo Award (TBC) Gearknob Award (TBC) Russ Cockburn Award (TBC)

shows and events and enjoying at least some more of the social side we all enjoy on the days – but we also need to remain safe.

Let’s look forward and make the Club events successful, and make all the work by the BMW Car Club and 750 Motor Club offices worthwhile. Let’s make them proud! www.bmwcarclubgb.uk

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A TRIBUTE

ROB19.11.66 SCANLAN – 20.12.20 WESTERN REGION

Getting a telephone call from your friend’s mobile and then realising it’s not him, and to realise it won’t be him again, is tough.

I have known Rob for many years, Rob has been a fellow Club member, Club committee member, friend and a customer of mine for many years.

He is often in my thoughts on a regular basis, he was on the phone to me for various bits of advice on an E30 he was tidying up for his partner Debbie, and we had not long spoken to each other before he died.

I am glad that I have had the pleasure of knowing such a great man who was kind and gentle, Rob was not a loud in your face guy. Rob was more of the private keep yourself to yourself guy who would help anyone out.

Those of us who had the time with him will remember his passion for his collection of BMW cars and his attention

32 BMW Car Club Magazine February 2021

to detail in everything he did, even his garage was a car enthusiast’s dream and his garden like a golfing green.

Rob was a true genuine man who will be deeply missed by us all in the Club.

We wish his partner Debbie and all his family all the best, and the deepest of

condolences at this difficult time.

As many will know “you don’t forget someone, you just learn how to deal with the loss.”

R.I.P. Rob Nigel Smith, Western Regional Chair www.bmwcarclubgb.uk

Rob Scanlan Feature

I was shocked to read about the sudden passing of Robert Scanlan, I am old school and to suddenly read of a friend’s sad passing this way I think is awful, but I guess that’s the way of the world now.

I met Robert many, many years ago, he used to email me about the 2002 he was restoring and ask for advice and where to get certain parts. Years later, finally Robert finished his stunning Polaris Silver 2002 and I have to say the quality was outstanding (no wonder it took decades), it was better than new, the attention to detail was incredible.

Then the unspeakable happened - a few weeks later it was written-off in an accident at no fault of Robert’s, talk about unlucky. Robert was obviously upset but luckily not too badly hurt. But Robert, unperturbed, decided to do it all again.

This time (as the years had passed) he wanted a left-hand drive 02 so he could retire abroad and use it there. Once again Robert produced a stunningly restored, better than factory car. I saw it at the BMs on the Lawn in Weston-super-Mare and was amazed at the quality and finish wow indeed. Sadly, Robert didn’t live near to me so I never saw the car and Robert as much as I’d have liked to. Sometimes life can be very fragile, and we need to live every day to the fullest.

My thoughts go to Debbie and his family at this sad time.

We’ve lost a true friend and 02 enthusiast, hopefully Robert is now driving his 02 in heaven, where of course all 02 owners go. Love you Robert, we’ll miss you.

Having messaged Rob just three days earlier, I was shocked and very saddened to hear of his sudden passing.

Rob was always there to help with anything you needed and supported Club Concours on many occasions in his beautiful 1989 E24 635CSi, winning numerous trophies over many years.

Rob was the main organiser of the annual BMs on the Lawn event in Weston-super-Mare, taking the lead in all manner of tasks from liaising with the local authority to gain authorisation of the Club’s use of the seafront beach lawns and organising sponsorship of the event

by Clayton Cars, to being the first on site to organise the early morning event setups, with his partner Debbie always there doing all sorts to ensure smooth running of the event.

I remember Rob giving me the most wonderful tour around his E24 some years ago; I will always remember that; a true gentleman.

As an experienced Concours participant, Rob was a great sounding board for me when I put together the first Club Concours Guide Booklet, giving all sorts of ideas and suggestions which truly added to the way we approach Club Concours today.

My thoughts are with Debbie and family at this time.

Rob was a Concours supporter, a BMW enthusiast and a Club enthusiast, putting in huge amounts of time and effort to support all sorts of Club events every single year. You will be greatly missed Rob.

Richard Stern, 02 Register

Dan Wood, Concours Register

www.bmwcarclubgb.uk

My friend Rob, It’s so very hard to come to terms with losing such a good friend so suddenly as we did. Rob had such positive qualities and yet was very modest and had such a generous nature. I know that if I asked anything of him, he would be there, be it personal or anything relating to the Club.

Let’s hope we can continue BMs on the Lawn in his memory. Margaret and I will miss him greatly. RIP dear friend.

Ron Parish.

BMW Car Club Magazine February 2021

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Feature

Eastern Extremities and beyond in a BMW X5 Words and photographs by Paul Owen

36 BMW Car Club Magazine February 2021

www.bmwcarclubgb.uk

Feature

One particular day in 1973, in my early teens, I was instantly seduced by an advertisement that appeared in one of the Sunday supplements for the BMW 3.0 CSL with the caption “Breakfast in Calais, dinner in Nice”. That sounded impressive. That the French autoroute network was in its infancy in the early 1970s made it all the more fascinating and I have been a BMW enthusiast ever since.

A

s it turned out, there would be plenty of BMWs in my life, and continental road trips too.

At the time one of the Masters at my school had an H registered BMW 2002 in Chamonix white. And then a few years later in 1976, I persuaded my dad to buy a 1502, also in Chamonix white, which I then purchased from him at the ripe old age of 25.

I was first introduced to continental motoring holidays from a very young age by my parents. My mother was half Italian with relations in San Daniele del Friuli, the district of North East Italy famous for the Prosciutto of the same name. Inevitably, the annual summer holiday involved driving to Italy through France and Switzerland over two to three nights. The passion was thus born.

Having grown to like both cars and travel, what better way is there to combine those two pleasures than to enjoy continental motoring holidays on the open and largely traffic free roads of Europe? I am not one for long haul flights to far flung destinations, but a few days across the channel visiting Luxembourg for instance, gives me immense pleasure.

That 1502 was followed by a string of BMWs, some run as company cars, some as my own, from an E30 320i through E34 Touring, a pair of E39s and an F31, and all saw many thousands of miles abroad. In 2012, whilst still running my second E39 as a daily driver, I bought the first brand new BMW of my own, a factory order E70 X5 40d SE in Black Sapphire with Individual Champagne

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upholstery. It has since proven to be a very capable long-distance cruiser and also extremely good in climbing up snowcovered single-track alpine roads up to ski resorts, albeit fitted with winter tyres, with no drama at all.

As I write this article the X5 has completed its 16th continental motoring trip, having now clocked up just over 50,000 miles, most of it in Europe. With the current circumstances now making continental touring virtually impossible for the near future, I thought it would be fun to recount one of the most memorable trips here taken in May 2018 – 4,684 miles to Lithuania and back.

Newly married to my wife who is originally from Lithuania, we decided to break with tradition and head East, partly to visit my new Mother-in-Law but also to see the country of my wife’s origin. We decided that as were going all this way, we would make the most of it and see as many places as we could.

We crossed from Dover to Dunkirk on the first day, and then woke to travel through Bruges, Ghent, Antwerp and then on the A61 to Koblenz, the A60 to Mainz, Frankfurt, the A3 to Wurzburg, through Nurnberg and finally the A6 to Pilzen in the Czech Republic for our first night’s stop. 633 miles and a single tank of diesel from Dunkirk to the Czech Republic – not bad.

BMW Car Club Magazine February 2021

37

Feature

We travelled to our next destination in Prague where we walked around the lovely old town, and then ambled over the Charles Bridge in the evening, strolling among the crowds, the European way.

We then got caught in an almighty deluge but found refuge in a pleasant restaurant where we had a most enjoyable meal and my wife, whose second or third language is Russian, spoke to some Russian diners at the next table. They gave us an ‘unofficial’ insight into real life in Russia which was most interesting and enlightening.

We left Prague the next afternoon and drove via Brno, crossing into Poland and passing by Ostrava and Katowice, reaching Krakow, our destination. As soon as we crossed the border, we filled up with diesel and found a delightful little restaurant in a small village where the tasty and fulsome meal consisted of a typical Polish dish of a schnitzel, salad and fries with a beer all for about 5 Euros! We reached Krakow just before midnight and stayed at a very nice hotel - Pensjonat Bloniach - on the outskirts of the town, from where we took a bus into the centre the following morning.

We spent a few hours exploring Krakow and wandering around the main square.

Again, a city of magnificent buildings and very friendly people.

We left Krakow at 4pm and set off

38 BMW Car Club Magazine February 2021

for Lviv in Ukraine. The drive east was through very pleasant rolling countryside with magnificent roads with very little traffic. We arrived at the border frontier just before 7pm. We eventually crossed into Ukraine at 11pm, and it felt that leaving Poland and the EU was like leaving the solar system. The queue seemed interminable and when border staff were going on their regular breaks and when shifts were changing, no one moved.

Of course, the car insurance ran out at the border, although my Building Society continental breakdown was still valid, and we had to purchase special insurance at the frontier. We went to a rather rundown booth like a small portaloo in the middle of what can only be described as a lorry park. It was staffed by a lady who obviously lived in this booth as she had a bed against the back wall. There was no sign of any computers and the insurance document was prepared in triplicate and stamped with all sorts of official looking stamps. It was all very reminiscent of

what you read about communist Europe and what I remember from when I travelled by train in Eastern Europe on an InterRail card back in the early 1980s!

The drive to Lviv was uneventful save that the roads were not in a good state of repair and in Lviv itself, the cobbled roads were so uneven that even in the X5, I thought the suspension was being given such a hammering that I would need to have every nut and bolt tightened upon my return home! We stayed at the Hotel Eden which, thankfully had a high level of security, and the car park was full of old Russian cars.

The next day we met up with one of our friends, who is Ukranian, and who showed us around the city. It was very interesting with some lovely buildings, some you might think had a rather French feel to them. There are still a lot of Ladas around and one had the feeling that you might encounter Pierce Brosnan coming around the corner driving a Russian tank!

Day 7, now a week into the trip, was an early start back into Poland as our www.bmwcarclubgb.uk

next night’s destination was Lithuania.

In order to try and beat the queue at the frontier, we left our hotel at 5am and reached the frontier just before 7am, eventually crossing back into Poland and the EU just before 9am - only two hours this time! There was a certain amount of relief being back in the ‘West’ with the X5 unscathed from its sojourn to the East.

However, before leaving Ukraine I did manage to fill up with Shell V Power for just 94p per litre!

Instead of going back into Poland, we could have cut up through Belarus to Lithuania which would have been the shorter route as the crow flies, but we were advised that the roads were full of bandits and that it would be safer to drive back through the eastern part of Poland instead. The route took us through Zamosc, Lublin, Bialystok, and Augustov, crossing the border into Lithuania just past Sejny. We reached our destination in Alytus, the home of my wife’s cousin, at 9pm.

After a day in Alytus, we set off at 5pm www.bmwcarclubgb.uk

and drove to Šiauliai, my wife’s home town, where we spent the following day relaxing. Recharged, we drove North West and went to Panemune which is on the border with the Russian enclave Kaliningrad. I had to make sure I did not pass the point of no return at the Russian frontier, but I was at least wearing my BMW Car Club shirt!

We next went to Vilnius, capital city of Lithuania, via Kaunas and on the way visited Trakai, the Castle in the lake which is a stunning building dating back to medieval times. Before going back to Vilnius, we drove out to Medininkai, at the Lithuanian border with Belarus. The roads were dead straight through pine forests.

On July 31 1991, just after Lithuania gained independence from the Soviet Union, this Lithuanian border post was attacked 18 times by the Soviet OMON forces and seven Lithuanian volunteer officers were shot dead.

We returned to spend another day in Šiauliai, and on leaving decided we would head up to Latvia and Estonia, being so

near yet so far we thought that whilst we were in this ‘neck of the woods’, we might as well see as much of the area as possible. We headed up to Riga, following the Baltic coast, and up to Tallinn. The roads were straight and the countryside largely forested and empty. We stayed at a hostel on the outskirts of Tallinn which is an absolutely beautiful city.

That evening we enjoyed an amazing meal in a fantastic authentic medieval restaurant called Old Hamsa, where the waiters and waitresses were all dressed in costumes and the food had a rustic, Estonian flavour, all eaten by candlelight.

We looped back down to Riga where we got caught in the mother of all rain showers which rather dampened our spirits and curtailed the sightseeing.

However, once again the buildings are of architectural interest, many having gabled fronts in the Flemish style. That evening, we headed back to Šiauliai. A mere 100 miles that day - the X5’s engine was barely warmed up!

On the way back to Lithuania, we BMW Car Club Magazine February 2021

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Feature

visited the Hill of Crosses which is the only one in the world. It is a site of pilgrimage about 12 km north of the city of Šiauliai. It is a place where people place a cross either in memory of a loved one or to protect others. It was a very moving experience to wander through.

Lithuania, and the other former Eastern Bloc countries, seem to collect what we would describe as classic cars, such as old VW Passats and Audi 80s from the 1980s and 90s and many others and which are still kept going as daily drivers.

Driving in these countries is somewhat like being in a time warp.

The long return journey home commenced by leaving Šiauliai after lunch, returning via Kaunas and Marijampole, with our destination that night being Warsaw. I took a wrong turn somewhere and ended up on the national road instead of the motorway which slowed down the journey time considerably. There was a lot of heavy traffic on that road, the likes of which I had never witnessed before - there must have been a convoy of a 100 or more lorries. However, we eventually reached Warsaw at 11pm.

40 BMW Car Club Magazine February 2021

We spent the next morning wandering around Warsaw, which is a beautiful vibrant city combining the old and the new and one that I would like to return to for a longer visit. It was heavily bombed in WW2 but many buildings have been rebuilt in the original style, and very well done it is too. We departed Warsaw at 2pm, and before crossing the frontier, we diverted off to a small border town for one last delicious Polish meal before continuing with the rest of our journey.

We couldn’t resist clocking up another European capital, so we exited the autobahn and drove through Berlin and past the Brandenburg Gate, heading for our next destination and our final night’s stop in Magdeberg. Now in Germany of course, but it would have been in the old DDR or East Germany for those of us of a certain age!

We spent the night at a rather fine Hotel in Magdeberg, the Sachsen-Anhalt, arriving after 1am. The hotel car park, strangely enough, was full of German Police cars, including a very nice E39 Touring looking as if it was still in daily use. I think they were there on some Police Convention. Anyway, I felt the X5

was safe for the night in such esteemed company.

We had a quick drive around Magdeberg before re-joining the autobahn and passing Hanover, Duisburg, Venlo and on to Dunkirk. We arrived at 7.45pm and were squeezed onto the 8pm ferry, arriving home just after 1.30am, having covered 645.5 miles for the day and 4684 miles and 102 hours of driving. Ten countries and six European capitals in 17 days. It was more of an adventure than a holiday!

Calculating fuel consumption on actual fuel purchased, it worked out at 33.3 mpg which on any view is quite respectable for such a large, heavily laden 4x4 with the available power from the 40d twin turbo. As a long-distance touring car, the X5 is ideal. Its commanding driving position makes driving more relaxed as you can see further ahead than from the seating position in a normal car, enabling you to anticipate much earlier. The X5 never missed a beat the whole trip and we did bring back a heavy vintage iron sewing machine on top of all the other paraphernalia that goes with such a trip, as well as the obligatory trip to the German supermarket Lidl to stock up with wines and beers.

It has emphasised to me that BMWs are ideal long-distance touring machines.

The caption “Breakfast in Calais, dinner in Nice” still holds true, if not even more so these days. www.bmwcarclubgb.uk

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BMW’s E21 320 Race Car

BMW’s forgotten racer…

Words Jeff Heywood Photographs BMW Classic

BMW Motorsport had enjoyed unbelievable success throughout the 1970s, thanks to the foresight of BMW Motorsport founder Jochen Neerpasch, who had recruited many top drivers like Lauda, Bell, Stuck, Cheever, and Winkelhock.

But as the decade moved into its second half, Neerpasch was worried that the mighty CSL was beginning to get a little long in the tooth. He also realised that they lacked a natural contender for the newly announced Group 5 touring car championship, which would be needed to take on a plethora of new cars from rival manufacturers that were both lighter and more wieldy than the CSL. A contender was needed, and needed quickly…

42 BMW Car Club Magazine February 2021

www.bmwcarclubgb.uk

Feature

B

MW Motorsport were attempting to juggle many spinning plates at once – they were busy in Formula 2 whilst also concentrating on putting together a challenger for the World Sportscar Championship, the ill-fated M1. Also on the horizon was a venture into F1. BMW Motorsport had taken their eye off the touring car ball, and Neerpasch saw the need for something new, with race-winning potential.

BMW Motorsport chose the E21 3 Series as its basis for a new touring car.

The newly introduced 3er provided a new, www.bmwcarclubgb.uk

more modern and stiffer chassis, which was relatively lightweight and offered plenty of future development potential.

Neerpasch’s engineers set to work on a group of E21s taken from the factory production line in August 1976, and unbelievably developed the E21 Group 5 racer in just 12 weeks! The car was ready for shakedown in mid-December 1976, ready for the 1977 season.

The BMW E21 320 made its race track debut in 1977 in the hands of the BMW Junior Team, and it did so in the same BMW Motorsport GmbH tricolour

livery that also distinguished the 3.0 CSL racers that had caused such a sensation on European and International racing circuits. The CSL’s dominance continued in the European Touring Car Championship, with it winning five more ETCC titles on the trot, from 1975-‘79.

As Group 5 racing cars go, the BMW 320 models certainly cut a dash with their heavily boxed wheel arches and the large front spoiler and rear wing, which had been honed in the Pininfarina wind-tunnel.

The end result was a truly spectacular machine that tipped the scales at just BMW Car Club Magazine February 2021

43

BMW’s E21 320 Race Car

BMW Junior Team racer Manfred Winkelhock pushes the BMW 320 to the limit at the Mainz-Finthen DRM round in 1977. He would eventually clinch the DRM two-litre class for BMW in that season

740kg wet, with driver! With a near perfect 50/50 weight distribution, it was also very well balanced.

Underneath the bonnet nestled the mighty, thoroughbred BMW M12 Formula 2 race engine; a 1998cc four-cylinder twin-cam 16V unit that produced 300bhp.

Some observers wondered why BMW had gone to the trouble of producing such outlandish aero for a car with only 300bhp? Well, there was much more to come, and the wider track and fat wheels would soon be needed to transmit much more than 300bhp to the tarmac.

It wasn’t just the car and its technology that were spectacular: the drivers at the wheel of the three BMW works cars also created a stir on and off the track. Known as the BMW Junior Team, the three up-and-coming drivers – Eddie Cheever, Marc Surer and Manfred Winkelhock, were a trio of hot-blooded young talents who took on the established competition in the German Motor Racing Championship (DRM). At the time, the DRM was a showcase for the world’s best touring car drivers and works teams, with many drivers also competing in ETCC, F1 and F2 to supplement their incomes.

Yet the BMW Junior Team, made up of relative unknowns, would rise to everhigher challenges in this series and were mixing it with the front-runners right from the start.

44 BMW Car Club Magazine February 2021

A total of 28 Group 5 BMW 320 units were built in 1977-78. BMW Motorsport GmbH delivered the touring cars as sport kits to racing teams around the world. In the 1977 DRM, BMW raced in the under 2-litre class, which Manfred Winkelhock won for BMW after some major tussles with the Ford Escort RS2000s. Indeed,

RS2000 pilot Heyer came 2nd with Cheever and Surer claiming 3rd and 4th in the championship for BMW – not a bad return for the relative newcomers. Racing was distinctly ‘elbows out’ and Surer was banned for a couple of races after his tussle with the Fords turned ugly at the Norisring, which likely cost Surer the title!

BMW released this advertisement after the ‘battle of the Norisring’ in ’77 which led to Surer being banned for two races. It was rubbing salt into Ford’s wounds… BMW later released it as a poster and it is quite collectable now – if you can find an original one – there are lots of copies!

www.bmwcarclubgb.uk

Feature

Winkelhock at the wheel of the Rodenstock-Wurth BMW 320 1.4 turbo. Seen here competing in the second round of the DRM at Hockenheim in 1979, Winkelhock finished 2nd in this race, behind a Zakspeed Capri turbo. He again secured the DRM two-litre class title for BMW in 1979

The 1978 season couldn’t have turned out better for BMW and the 320. The BMW Junior Team drivers were seconded to drive the F2 cars so BMW turned to the privateer teams to run the 320s in the 1978 season. Lead driver was Harald Ertl in the famous Sachs sponsored 320, now running a 1.4-litre turbocharged engine.

Ertl took the 320 Turbo to 5 race wins out of 11 rounds, with two 2nd places and two 3rd places to not only win Division 2 for cars up to two-litres but the overall DRM Championship, beating Porsche 935 driver Toine Hezemans to the crown.

Runner up to Ertl in Division 2 and 4th in the overall standings was fellow BMW driver Markus Höttinger, who drove the ‘Fruit of the Loom’ 320, which remained naturally aspirated. 1979 was the last hurrah for the 320 as a major force in DRM, and Manfred Winkelhock took the Division 2 title for BMW and finished 3rd overall in a privateer Rodenstock Würth/ Team Schnitzer BMW 320 Turbo.

BMW Motorsport’s decision to clear the track in 1978 for the privateer teams to run in DRM worked a treat, as the Junior Team (the first systematically run junior promotion scheme by a manufacturer in motor racing) contested the European Formula 2 Championship.

They proved very successful in this too, with the March BMW 782 F2 car dominating the season. Bruno Giacomelli, www.bmwcarclubgb.uk

A BMW Motorsport engineer tweaks the engine in one of the Junior Team’s 320s

who had replaced Cheever, took the European F2 Championship title ahead of his teammate Marc Surer.

With a good deal of courage and the concentrated power of the two-litre engine in the BMW 320, BMW Motorsport GmbH fielded a touring car against the sports racers in the World Sportscar Championship of Makes in 1977.

A highlight was the victory of Gilles Villeneuve and Eddie Cheever in the Six Hour Race at Canada’s Mosport circuit.

The following year also saw customer

Three of the BMW Junior Team drivers pose for a photo with a couple of BMW support engineers at the Nurburgring in 1977, from L-R (in race overalls) Manfred Winkelhock, Marc Surer and Eddie Cheever

teams competing, with BMW winning all seven races in the two-litre class of the World Sportscar Championship - Dieter Quester and Derek Bell at Mugello, Harald Grohs and Eddie Joosen at Silverstone, BMW Car Club Magazine February 2021

45

BMW’s E21 320 Race Car

Winkelhock’s 320 leads the Jagermeister-Faltz 320 driven by Harald Grohs. This round at the Norisring resulted in Marc Surer being banned for two races after his tussle with the Ford RS2000s

Ronnie Peterson, Hans-Joachim Stuck and Markus Hattinger in the 1000km of the Nurburgring, Harald Grohs again, this time with Patrick Nève, at Misano, the hot duo of Dieter Quester and HansJoachim Stuck at Watkins Glen and, finally, to round off the season, Marc Surer and Freddy Kottulinsky at the Six Hours of Vallelunga. BMW concluded the World Championship of Marques as winner of the two-litre class with the optimum number of points: with its 320 the company had provided conclusive evidence of the sporting aspirations of the 3 Series range.

With the revered BMW E9 3.0CSL surprising everyone by still holding its own in the ETCC, the E21 320 was left to compete in the DRM series and the 1977 World Sportscar Championship of Makes, but that was also to change. BMW fitted a turbo to a suitably modified two-litre M12 engine (which was now christened M12/13), and boy was there some grunt – an initial 500bhp quickly rose to

46 BMW Car Club Magazine February 2021

over 650bhp! BMW were going Porsche hunting with the 320 turbo in the IMSA Camel GT series, where they would do battle with the powerful 934 and RSRs, and even the revered 935 in 1978.

The 320 turbo had a reputation for being fast but fragile. It was always in the hunt for pole position, and if the highly strung motor managed to survive a full race it was always in with a chance for outright victory. The 320 turbo raced in the 1977 season against the 934s and numerous RSRs, but 1978 saw the arrival of the monstrous 935 to the IMSA championship. BMW’s 320 did have some advantages over the 935 in being lighter - 875kg against 970kg, plus it was noted for having superior braking. Several wins were scored over the two seasons, mainly on the twistier circuits where the 320’s wieldy and lightweight chassis and better brakes gave it the upper hand, but the championship titles remained out of reach. This was no disgrace though, as the Porsche 935 was a dominant race

Manfred Winkelhock guests in the Wurth-Hat Team BMW 320 turbo at the second Round of the DRM at the Nurburgring on 2nd April 1978, finishing in 5th place

winning sports car with an impressive win ratio, going down in motor racing history as one of the icons.

Back in Munich a similar development program was started with a 1.4-litre turbo version of the M12 unit; BMW used the 320 racer as a test mule for this engine, readying it for its debut in the BMW-Brabham F1 car, which would famously clinch BMW’s only F1 World Championship crown in 1983.

Following a realignment of the www.bmwcarclubgb.uk

Feature

BMW were quick to capitalise on the 320’s success, hiring Roy Lichtenstein in 1977 to paint a 320 Group 5 racer’s bulging arches and thus creating BMWs third Art Car after the Calder and Stella E9 CSLs

Harald Ertl dominated the 1978 DRM two-litre class in the Sachs Sporting BMW 320 1.4 turbo. Here Ertl keeps the famous Fruit of the Loom BMW 320 at bay in the 4th round at Avus. The Fruit of the Loom 320, driven by Markus Höttinger, would eventually finish 3rd behind a Zakspeed Escort

displacement classes in the European Touring Car Championship (a similar realignment of classes and rules in sportscar racing also killed the M1 as www.bmwcarclubgb.uk

a top contender) and BMW’s entry into Formula One, BMW Motorsport turned its focus to the over 2500cc class in ETCC, firstly with the E28 528 and 535

and then the E24 635, which left the 320 somewhat redundant. Jochen Neerpasch also left BMW in 1979. He wanted BMW to move into F1 far faster than the cautious Bavarians were willing to move, so he left the company. By the end of the decade he was Head of Motorsport at Mercedes-Benz.

Many 320s carried on racing in privateer hands, but for BMW Motorsport the 320 was a spent force.

It is a crying shame that the 320 has been so overlooked in the list of BMW Motorsport greats. Whereas the M1 was a racing failure but gained a cult following amongst BMW fans and petrolheads alike, the 320 is almost forgotten today. It came into being at a time when BMW Motorsport had so many cars racing in so many genres that the 320 was (mostly) left to race in the DRM, when the original idea was likely for the car to replace the CSL in the ETCC. But with the CSL still so successful in the late 1970s, BMW’s ongoing involvement in F2 racing, plus the M1’s development for sportscar racing, a car like the 320, which looked at one point as though it was going to succeed the CSL as BMW’s main touring car weapon but never did, almost became the forgotten racer.

As the decade rolled over into the 1980s, a new model would soon emerge that would mean the 320 was but a distant memory. Based on the E30 3 Series, the M3 would go on to become the most successful touring car of all time.

BMW Car Club Magazine February 2021

47

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Feature

Shaken… and Stirred!

Words – Jeff Heywood ~ Photographs - The Market

A classic BMW E24 6 Series recently came up for auction. So what, you might think?

It’s just an old BMW 6 Series, what’s the fuss? Well, this Sharknose Coupe just so happened to be once owned by James Bond himself, Sir Sean Connery.

T

he car in question, a 1986 lefthand drive E24 635 CSi, sold through ‘The Market’ auction website, and was once owned by Sir Sean Connery, 007 himself.

But first, a bit about the E24 itself; BMW’s new coupe had a lot to live up to.

The E9 was a stunning looking pillarless coupe that had put the brand on the map thanks to its racing success, so the pressure was on BMW’s head of design, Paul Bracq, to come up with a corker, and he didn’t disappoint. The E24 was launched at the Frankfurt Motor Show in September 1975 to critical acclaim - the same show that Volkswagen launched the MK1 Golf GTi. The reception was www.bmwcarclubgb.uk

warm but several motoring scribes were surprised that the E24 sported a traditional B-pillar.

The E24 went into production in January 1976, and was available for thirteen years before production ended in 1989, with a total of 86,216 built. When first launched the E24 was manufactured at the Karmann factory, just like its predecessor the E9 CS, but production was moved to BMW’s Dingolfing Plant in 1977 once the plant was ready to start production of the 6er. All E24 models were powered by a variant of BMW’s venerable M30 straight six engine. The Connery car is powered by the M30B34 engine, sized at 3430cc which produced

220bhp and 310Nm of torque, giving the 635 CSi a 0-60mph time of 7.3 seconds.

Top speed was an Autobahn-storming 143mph.

Connery purchased the 635 at some point between 1989 and 1990; the canny Scot buying a two-year-old example which had lost the initial depreciation. The car stayed by the big man’s side at his home in Marbella until 1998. We’re told the ‘Iberian climate and salt-free roads’ helped keep the dreaded tin worm at bay, something the E24 is notoriously prone to suffering from. As a reminder of the car’s origins, the windscreen still has Marbella tax and Puerto Banus harbour access stickers.

BMW Car Club Magazine February 2021

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The interior is in very good condition, although the leather on the front seats needs some immediate attention to the cracking and creases. The 635’s dashboard is an ergonomic delight, with all switchgear to hand, the instruments are crisp and clear and the drivercentric curve on the dash was a wonderful feature on BMW’s of this era.

The Market attributes the vehicle’s low mileage of 38,426 miles to the fact that Connery was at his most prolific during that period, meaning he didn’t have much time to drive it, a theory backed up by the fact that between 1989 and 1998, Sir Sean was actually quite busy making titles such as Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, The Hunt for Red October, Highlander II, and Robin Hood. However, the actor will be best remembered for his nearly decade-long tenure as James Bond.

He brought energy and charm to the role in seven films - Dr No, From Russia with Love, Goldfinger, Thunderball, You Only Live Twice and Diamonds are Forever, as well as the noncanon Thunderball remake Never Say Never Again.

Most of the paintwork is original, although the vendor tells us that some work was undertaken to clean up and respray the front of the car, and the insides of the wings and engine bay.

The sunroof - which works perfectly was also resprayed as were the wheel arches after any corrosion had been professionally addressed, which is a

50 BMW Car Club Magazine February 2021

worry as the E24 is prone to rusting in the front wings.

In terms of known issues, all the electrics work, barring cruise control, which shouldn’t cost a fortune to fix. Some of the rubber seals will need replacing, and there are some tiny blisters in the paintwork that will need addressing.

The vendor also points out that although the BMW OEM alloy wheels are generally in good condition there are one or two minor scuffs that the more pernickety will want fixing. It’s a great shame that the service history is a bit potted, but it doesn’t seem to have put off the bidders.

After Sir Sean’s near-ten year tenure, he sold the car in 1998 to Prestons BMW, Lancashire; it has then mostly been languishing in dry storage here in the UK until 2007, then again in Luxembourg from 2008 to 2019, apart from a brief sojourn to Belgium to make a cameo appearance at BMW’s 100th year birthday event in 2016 in Belgium.

Connery passed away in his sleep at his home in the Bahamas on October 31, 2020. Tributes to the 90-year-old

The engine bay is nice and clean thanks to a recent refresh and new paint. The 3430cc M30B34 220bhp straight six engine has been detailed nicely for sale – unfortunately the service history is a little hit and miss over its 35-years, although the engine does seem to run smoothly and the vendor assures that it pulls like a train and uses no oil.

rolled in from the worlds of entertainment, sport and politics. Sir Jackie Stewart, a three-times F1 World Champion, said that Connery was a “great man and a great friend”. Meanwhile, incumbent James Bond Daniel Craig called Connery “one of the true greats of cinema”, who “will continue to inspire actors and film-makers alike for years to come”.

The winning bid saw the car sell for £46,100, which we think is a fair price for such an original example with great provenance. Schupurb!

www.bmwcarclubgb.uk

STILL LEADING.......

STILL LEADING.......

>90% sale rate maintained throughout 2020

>90% sale rate maintained throughout 2020

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Winter tyres are also recommended for electric and hybrid cars, if they are driven a lot in winter conditions, and

52 BMW Car Club Magazine February 2021

their drivers require the best possible performance even in the harshest conditions. As autumn turns into winter and temperatures drop below seven degrees centigrade, summer tyres are no longer able to perform at their best and so discerning drivers prefer winter tyres. Thanks to their softer compound, which still works well even when temperatures drop below zero and surfaces offer particularly low grip, winter tyres deliver excellent roadholding and traction – which is particularly challenging

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BMW Car Club (UK) Crossword

10.

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Also known as Autódromo José Carlos Pace, Brazilian Grand Prix circuit (10) British singer-songwriter, marine mammal or impervious fitting critical to the operation of your BMW! (4) Could be Special Equipment (1,1) Read-only optical disc format introduced in 1999 offering audio improvements over a standard Compact Disc (1,1,1,1) See 4. Down (4) Commonly-used initials for Austin, Texas Grand Prix circuit (1,1,1,1) Ross…: Texan billionaire, twice presidential candidate and was at one point General Motors' largest individual shareholder. Died in 2019 (5) A person or thing that sits outside the mainstream - perhaps Morgan in automotive terms (7) Home of the first British Grand Prix in 1955, although more recently associated with horse-racing (7) JJ…: Finnish racing driver, twice winner of the 24 Hours of Le Mans and former BMW Motorsport driver (5) Edible fruit (4) Nicolaus August…: German engineer who developed what led to the four stroke spark ignition internal combustion engine (4) Certainly not a BMW - something that you might tow behind a horse! (4) …Bean: Childish comedy character of 1939 BMW 328-owning Rowan Atkinson (2) Although a sound normally associated with a large feline, something your BMW might also be able to do (4) Norse warriors reputed to have fought with trance-like fury (10)

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9. British singer-songwriter, marine mammal or through different eras of the company (10) 25.

4. (With 13. Across) an energy drink and Formula 11 12 13 14 26. impervious fitting critical to the operation of your 1 team, also owns what was previously called the 27. BMW! (4) 28.

10. Could be Special Equipment (1,1) Österreichring Grand Prix circuit (3) 15 16 29.

11. Read-only optical disc format introduced in 5. Commonly-used initials / shortform for major 31.

1999 offering audio improvements over a standard West Coast US city. Nick Alexander BMW is one of 17 18 Down Compact Disc (1,1,1,1) the local BMW dealers (1,1) 2.

An audio problem - with cutting out immediately after the third letter of the second4. word!

(2,3) (4) 13. See Down 6. … Circuit: Home of the Australian Grand Prix in 19 20 21 3.

Moving staircases to transport people between floors of a building - I seem to remember at the BMW Museum in Munich, these takeTexas visitors through 14. Commonly-used initials for Austin, Grand Melbourne 1996-2019 (6,4) different eras of the company (10) 4. Prix circuit (With 13. Across) an energy drink and Formula 1 team, also owns what was 7. Capital of Norway. Bavaria BMW is your local (1,1,1,1) 22 23 24 25 previously called the Österreichring Grand Prix circuit (3) 5. 16. Ross…: Commonly-used initialsbillionaire, / shortform for major Westpresidential Coast US city. Nick Texan twice dealer (4) Alexander BMW is one of the local BMW dealers (1,1) one point General Motors’ 6. candidate … Circuit:and Homewas of the at Australian Grand Prix in Melbourne 1996-2019 (6,4) 8. Alka-…: Effervescent antacid and pain reliever 26 27 7.

Capital of Norway. Bavaria BMW is your local dealer (4) individual Diedfirst in launched 2019 in(5)1931 (7) first launched in 1931 (7) 8. largest Alka-…: Effervescentshareholder. antacid and pain reliever 12.

World's largest telecommunications company (usually with ampersand). In the 17. AUS person thing that sits outside 12. World’s largest telecommunications company provide theor Wi-FI hotspot for the BMW Connectedthe Drive service (1,1,1) 28 29 30 14. …-grün: BMW Z1 green. Means "primeval" in German! (2) - perhaps Morgan in automotive terms (7) (usually with ampersand). In the US provide the 15. mainstream SI unit for electric charge - named after French physicist Charles-Augustin 16.

"The… is mightier than the sword" - attributed to Edward Bluwer-Lytton (3) Wi-FI hotspot for the BMW Connected Drive service 18. (7) Could be Oxford Internet Institute - backwards! (1,1,1) 31 20.

Commonly-used initials for the hybrid commuter rail and rapid transport 19. Home of the first British Grand Prix in 1955, (1,1,1) system serving Paris and its suburbs (1,1,1) 21.

Someone in a restaurant, and homophone for the 'efficiency model' 2.7l E28 although more recently associated with horse14. …-grün: BMW Z1 green. Means “primeval” in BMW 525 of the 1980's (5) 23.

(Ignoring circumflex) "to be" in French (4) racing (7) German! (2) 24.

Commonly-used initials for leads (prior to coil packs) connecting to spark plugs (1,1) Winner of last month’s crossword Richard Hancock 22. JJ…: Finnish racing driver, twice winner of the 15. SI unit for electric charge - named after French 27.

British automotive enthusiast magazine published monthly by Bauer 2021 Crossword Consumer and taking this name in 1965 (3) 24 Hours ofMedia Le Mans and former BMW Motorsport physicist Charles-Augustin (7) AllFebruary entrants for the February issue’s crossword must be 30.

Could be Original Equipment (1,1) driver (5) 16. “The… is mightier than the sword” - attributed received into the office by 11th February. Winner will be 25. Edible fruit (4) to Edward Bluwer-Lytton (3) announced in next issue. The first correct crossword 26. Nicolaus August…: German engineer who 18. Could be Oxford Internet Institute - backwards! chosen at random will receive Meguiars Goodies. developed what led to the four stroke spark ignition (1,1,1) Please email all completed crosswords to internal combustion engine (4) 20. Commonly-used initials for the hybrid office@bmwcarclubgb.co.uk or post it to BMW Car Club 27. Certainly not a BMW - something that you commuter rail and rapid transport system serving GB, Unit 5h, Glan Yr Afon, Aberystywth, SY23 3JQ might tow behind a horse! (4) Paris and its suburbs (1,1,1) 28. …Bean: Childish comedy character of 1939 21. Someone in a restaurant, and homophone for Answers to January 2021 Crossword BMW 328-owning Rowan Atkinson (2) the ‘efficiency model’ 2.7l E28 BMW 525 of the Across: 1. Silver, 8. Heat, 9. Earth, 12. Camargue, 14. SR, 15.

29. Although a sound normally associated with a 1980’s (5) large feline, something your BMW might also be 23. (Ignoring circumflex) “to be” in French (4) Observe, 20. kW, 22. WL, 23. Gilmour, 25. In, 27. Spitfire, 31. able to do (4) 24. Commonly-used initials for leads (prior to coil Isner, 32. US RT, 34. Seraph 31. Norse warriors reputed to have fought with packs) connecting to spark plugs (1,1) Down: 1. Shadow, 2. ie, 3. Lachs, 4. VTA, 5. Rea, 6. ergs, 7. trance-like fury (10) 27. British automotive enthusiast magazine The, 10. AR, 11. Turku, 13. Mori, 16. Blips, 17. eg, 18. VLSI, 19.

Down published monthly by Bauer Consumer Media and Em, 21. Wraith, 24. Odesa, 26. Nine, 27. Sit, 28. TE, 29. FRS 2. An audio problem - with cutting out taking this name in 1965 (3) (Fellow of the Royal Society), 30. Rur, 33. RP immediately after the third letter of the second 30. Could be Original Equipment (1,1) word! (2,3) 1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

17.

yourletters IN RESPONSE TO MICHAEL LEADER’S MOST HELPFUL LETTER IN DECEMBER 2020 ON FUEL PRESERVATIVES Readers may be interested in my recent related experience.

Having used my Ford Capri RS3100 daily for six years, owned from new (1975), I stored it in 1981. It had been Ziebart rust inhibited so it was rust free, clean and tidy. And before shutting down, the cylinders received a good dose of rust inhibiting oil (Shell Rotella TX).

A few months ago I readied it for the road again, reviving it after 39 years hibernation. Although the engine spun freely, it wouldn’t start and the “petrol” smelled like paraffin, having been in the tank since 1981. Not only that, but the brake pedal went to the floor despite plenty of fluid. The fluid dated from 1980.

Maybe I shouldn’t have been surprised.

Every crevice of the fuel system had to be cleaned and flushed.

And the brake fluid was rather treacly so we flushed that out too, especially the master cylinder and servo. And wonders of wonders, it then started immediately and once again had brakes.

54 BMW Car Club Magazine February 2021

So next time I shall take Michael’s advice when storing petrol in tanks – and thank you for the information! Is there similar advice for brake fluid?

As for my everyday car, I’ve run a 328Ci since 2000. My nicest car; I often considered changing to a later model but preferred the simplicity of my earlier one. Mine came off the line December 1999, loaded with extras, used regularly until a year ago mainly on long journeys. Mileage under 120,000, always BMW maintained; almost like new. I notice that many of the same era need expensive work to make them reliable; several friends’ sons bought 330Ci’s for £2,000 or so and some had to spend twice as much to put them right!

Regrettably mine has to go, regrettable because it’s worth so little despite being in almost new condition throughout. And how do you find the new owner who will appreciate the car for what it is rather than thinking it’s a cheap street hotrod?

I would like to keep it but long-term space makes it difficult.

Such is life!

Colin Mynott www.bmwcarclubgb.uk

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19/11/2020 09:40

regionalnews Central / Thames Tony Skerrett central Region sponsored by

07879 404648 central@bmwcarclubgb.co.uk

Barons Bedford

This will be a relatively short report due in part to the enforced Government lockdowns but at least Central have had their first Zoom Meeting held on December 22nd. From an operational point of view it went well.

Past Events Big thanks to all those who attended the Central Zoom Meeting on December 22nd, especially to new member Terence Costello (of Corrie fame), proud owner of a Z4 and 5 Series. Nick Thomas (North East) joined in to assist on technical matters which was just as well as my Video Camera had packed up the day before.

Also Simon Maskell (Sunderland Fan) who helped run the quiz which rounded off the evening; Chris Smith was the winner by some margin.

Future Events Central Region Zoom Meet will be held on February 8th from 7.30pm.

Thames Region Zoom Meet will be held on February 25th from 7.30pm to discuss cars, including Sir Roy’s new M6!

Perhaps Gary will have a new E31?

It’s too early to arrange face to face meets as the pandemic looks set to encompass most of spring one way or another.

My Car by Ian Newnham – E46 Touring

01234 362 400

www.baronsgroup.co.uk/bmw BARONSCC20133 = 15% discount code

Back in April while we were in lockdown, the car was sent up to a friend of mine and had the rear subframe mounts and rear floor cleaned up, any rust cleaned off and treated before being welded up with reinforcing plates. This also ended up with the rear subframe being powder-coated and poly-bushes fitted.

Added to this, I had the rear main seal replaced again, given it had not been installed correctly when last replaced, and we did a swap to an E36 six-speed Getrag gearbox using components from the E46 M3, as this was to resolve the motorway cruising issue with the 3.23:1 final drive ratio I installed with the LSD. Will submit a running report on a monthly basis so be patient you E46 fanatics.

Niek Nijsen E9 Brunhilda Project Project C.A.R.™ was started in March and has seen some good progress in that the car is fully stripped and ready to begin repairs and modifications of the bodyshell. My scale modelling took a bit of a back-seat over the year and I didn’t get to build as much as usual, but I’m happy to report I’ve started a new kit and hopefully I’ll be able to enjoy the hobby again soon.

It’s been a quiet month as I’ve spent quite a bit of it at work and the holiday season pretty much filled my time at home with social activities. I have started the modification work on the body shell though, and the first order of business was the removal of the seat frames, as they’re being replaced by Recaro bucket seats. Using the angle grinder, a spot weld drill and the TIG welder to fill up the gaps, the frames were fairly easy to remove and subsequent cuts filled. And that’s it, not much else was achieved. I did however upload a new special to the Project C.A.R. series; a review of 2020 and all that’s been achieved in the project, as well as a quick look ahead of what’s to come next year. I’ve included the video below for easy viewing.

I’d like to thank you for your support, interest, feedback and comments over the last year.

They’re definitely a driving force behind the project and keep me in check when it comes to producing new updates and episodes for you.

I look forward to seeing you all again in the new year with hopefully more quality content coming your way!

P.S. I’ve finally been able to sort out my YouTube account in that the series should now be easier to find and better titled for your convenience… www.youtube. com/watch?v=520Ev1DVBOI &feature=youtu.be / youtu.be/ 20Ev1DVBOI?t=19

Subframe mods www.bmwcarclubgb.uk

BMW Car Club Magazine February 2021

57

regionalnews

Cornwall Jim Husband

cornwall@bmwcarclubgb.co.uk

Hello to all members of the Cornwall Region. I hope this newsletter finds you and your families safe and well.

At the moment things have not really improved regarding Covid. If anything, stricter restrictions are looming. As soon as these restrictions are eased and we are able to meet and arrange events I will do so. Hopefully by the time the weather starts to improve we can look to arrange a drive out to kick off the season.

I suppose with not being able to use our cars as much it has given some time to catch up on the winter jobs and to get them clean ready for the season.

The pub and coffee meets will be restarted just as soon as we possibly can and I will let everyone know via email, Straight Six and the website.

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 and 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.

Events and Monthly Pub Meets All events are cancelled until further notice. Pub meets will commence on the second Monday of the month as soon as possible once restrictions have been lifted. As dates for events in 2021 are set I will update so we can pencil into diaries.

Provisional dates for diaries; Sunday 20th June – RSOC 40th Anniversary event at Little Bodieve Sunday 18th July – Wadebridge Wheels Sunday 1st August – Mt Edgcumbe car show.

Date TBC – I have been sent a car recognition quiz paper and plan to hold a quiz night at some stage this year in aid of a charity.

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.

Cotswold Martyn Goodwin

cotswold@bmwcarclubgb.co.uk

Cheltenham BMW 01242 335 335 Cotswold Motor Group offer members: Cheltenham MINI 01242 335 345 Generous discounts off the new BMW and MINI range Cotswold Motor Group Cheltenham Motorrad 01242 335 355 Discounts on approved used vehicles in stock 15% plus discount Cheltenham Parts 01242 335 365 on parts and accessories, 10% discount on all service work and www.cotswoldgroup.com labour (15% on vehicles 4 years old plus) Cheltenham Service

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feel free to come along to our meets and events.

Regards Jim.

KathyJemfrey Jemfrey Devon DevonKathy

01626 330436 330436 01626 devon@bmwcarclubgb.co.uk devon@bmwcarclubgb.co.uk

Devon Region sponsored by

INDEPENDENT BMW & MINI SPECIALISTS

It hasSidmouth been oneCar of the strangest years many of however us can remember.

Then along comes the new10am strainuntil of the virus and bitesand us on The Show has been cancelled, if anyone Sunday 27th September 4.00pm.

Come go the as We all became detached our friends the Car Club bum.

All we can do is follow the instructions from the Government wishes to attend, we will from be attending theinCrash Box Endand of I am you please. sure like Car many felt ititwould all be back to normal soon. and Take for once our see livesyou do as are requested. Many of us at Season Show is at Lady’s Mile Holiday Park, Dawlish, on careinand all we soon.

I would like to say a big thank you for all the phone calls, emails this time with health issues know only too well taking each day as 07514 216660 and cards at Christmas. I hoped that we might begin to see a it comes and being thankful.eastanglia@bmwcarclubgb.co.uk George Champ glimmer of normality for 2021 and we could begin to plan for Please all members and friends throughout the BMW family Barons offers members www.barronsbmw.co.uk summer car shows and meeting up for our pub meetings again. stay safe and keep well.

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Hi everyone, www.barronsbmw.co.uk Region sponsored by difficult ToEast say Anglia 2020 has been a strange and year would be an understatement, but nonetheless I am delighted to say we 784 still 500 Barons Cambridge Cambridge: 01954 have new members joining the Club, soStansted: welcome to 01279 you all,755 the906 & Stansted good times will return. In the meantime as I remind you all every month, keep up to date with yourof respective Part 2 of Andrew’s restoration his M5 Facebook pages and reading on thethat contributions and think about sharing I hadenjoy also noticed first drive home that the front shocksyour stories and next photos with everyone as well. were doing to nothing to absorb rebound, and there was a We have a little glimmer of hopewhich that we willnormally be ablean to M5 enjoy worrying vagueness to the steering, isn’t at least a couple and/or pub meets if the situation trait.

I was offeredofa events pair of AC Schnitzer front struts that were in allows, hence I still produce a rather small list. I am sure like me BMW you all miss shows and events. Personally I have found it 58 Car Club Magazine February 2021 frustrating that the only reason I have forced myself to get my 2002 out of the garage is the fact it deserves and needs to

• 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 07514 216660 applies to cars over 4 yrs old.

eastanglia@bmwcarclubgb.co.uk

car but I always felt the BMW was a bit ‘sportier’ and less Barons offers members ‘company• Generous car’. discounts off the new BMW and MINI range • A minimum discount of £500and on approved carsan in stock Scouring the local magazines papers used I found interesting • 15% discount on parts and accessories 10% off servicing, excludes looking E34 540i for sale near Watford.

The advert mentioned an Value Line Servicing which applies to cars over 4 yrs old. interesting previous owner but did not give any more details. A phone call was made and trip tothese Watford arranged. near perfect condition andafitted to the car, along with new Thearms, car was a beautiful Green E34 540i a in my control track rod endsForest and drop links, none of with which, parchment interioran and filledI also with renewed ’toys’ such a remote view, shouldleather have passed MOT. theas discs and controlled radioasand a car personalised pads all round, they werephone, all wellcompleted below theirwith weara limits, and number plate, A2HKJ. The interior was perfect and the rear had the callipers refurbished. seats looked almost new. I still remember looking at the massive V8 engine under the bonnet and thinking to myself that while I www.bmwcarclubgb.uk could afford to buy the car, if anything ever went wrong with the engine I would probably not be able to afford to repair it! The

regionalnews

I can tackle most mechanical work, having maintained all my BMWs over the years, but welding and spraying are not within my skill set, so having sorted the handling and brakes, I took the car to a friend whose skills I trust. As a favour to me, not as his day job, he was prepared to fit and fabricate what was required to sort the body. To do a proper job, the front seats would have to come out to allow the carpet to be peeled back for good access to the floor. That was a problem, as neither of the electric seats worked in any direction, and the rear mounting bolts were not accessible until the seat could be moved forwards. I managed to use an electric screwdriver in the slot on the back of the motor on the nearside seat to wind it far enough forward to get the seat out and then drove her to my friend’s house resolving the sort out the driver’s seat later.

I supplied him with new sills and new front wings, with instructions to use as little of them as possible. It’s all too easy to fit whole new body panels all around the car, but to me that’s a bit like assembling a replica. This one was so complete as it left the factory, I wanted to keep that going wherever possible. So we used barely 12 inches of new sill each side, and cut the new wings through the trim section which would hide the join when welded in place. Above that, the original wing was fine so was retained, and the rear jacking points, sills and rear wings were fine too. Progress was slow but thorough, and by the end of last year only the nearside was finished. My friend then needed his workshop back for a while, so I agreed to bring the car home and do other jobs I had been planning to do later.

First issue was a rattle which suggested that the water pump was on its last legs, so I trailered the car home so as not to risk a fan through the radiator moment and fitted a new pump, together with a new viscous fan. New belts on everything, then onto the engine internals. Removing the cam cover gave the opportunity for that to be refurbished, as well as allowing me to reset all the valve clearances by fitting new shims where required. I invested in the genuine BMW tool to compress the valves in pairs without removing the camshafts, as they will need checking regularly and I intend to keep the car. I also fitted new spark plugs, distributor cap and rotor arm while they were more easily accessible.

I then moved on to the induction side. I first checked the breather system, tracing and replacing a split pipe at the base of the dipstick tube, but my main discovery was a very large split, about 5 inches long, around the main air supply pipe from the air flow meter to the air box, or “air accumulator” as BMW like to call it. The problem is basically a design flaw. BMW fit the same size jubilee clip at both ends but at the air box end, the rubber pipe is bigger in diameter than the clip fitted to hold it, so can never fully release unless you dismantle the clip. Instead the temptation is

www.bmwcarclubgb.uk

to force the pipe off with the jubilee clip loosened as far as it will go (not far enough), causing it to split around the soft bellows. I fitted a new air supply pipe, a new (bigger) stainless jubilee, and a new lambda probe. I also removed the injectors and had them refurbished by a local specialist, before refitting them myself.

BMW Car Club Magazine February 2021 59

regionalnews

Eastern Paul Rice Welcome to 2021 May I wish all in BMW land a Happy New Year, and let’s face it, it doesn’t have much competition from 2020. Personally, I was able to visit four shows which provided a welcome break from the spring lockdown. We are hoping this spring some form of normality will be returning and the coming months will be full of car events. We can not go to them all but if you have an event that may be of interest please contact me at eastern@ bmwcarclubgb.co.uk Over the coming months I will be keeping the Club website event calendar updated and will also be posting information on our two Facebook sites BMW Car Club GB Yorkshire area and BMW Car Club GB South Yorkshire and North East Derbyshire.

May I take this opportunity to thank Nick Wright and Richard Rixham for hosting and keeping the Facebook pages alive over the previous year along with organising the monthly meets when allowed, it’s been a great source of contact and information for many.

Bridlington Festival of Motoring One for your diary and a good sign so fingers crossed for our first confirmed booking of 2021.

As with most, North Humberside Motor Club were unable to present the event in 2020, I am now pleased to announce it’s back on the calendar for 2021.

The event will be held on the weekend of the 17th/18th September with the main event taking place on the Sunday within the grounds of the magnificent Sewerby Hall. Always a popular event with lots to see in addition to the varied collection of vehicles, the hall and grounds make a great place to roam including a small zoo and full catering and amenities, in addition to spectacular views and cliff walks it is within easy reach of Bridlington centre.

The Leather Repair Company

eastern@bmwcarclubgb.co.uk

recording equipment. As a result of this they have managed to reach a wider audience which has seen sales of their very extensive range of leather care, detailing and cosmetic products reach record levels.

It’s great to see Richard and Carolynne going from strength to strength, hard work and determination with more than just a touch of enthusiasm has seen them through hopefully the worst.

Look forward to visiting them in the future For further details at www.leatherrepaircompany.com or give them a ring on 03333448418.

Car of the month James Cook 2007 E91 330d You may remember we featured James last year with his recently acquired E34. This time we have his E91 pictured here outside the Reindeer Inn, the location of one of our Regional Club meets.

As you can see James has chosen the modified route with his E91, adding air suspension and aftermarket wheels along with other modifications.

James has had the car for four years now and is very happy with how it turned out, he is now planning on diverting his attention to his E34.

If you would like to have your vehicle included as a Car of the Month please send me a good quality picture, details and history in no more than 300 words.

The past year has been extremely difficult for many and strange for us all. Having heard of lots of businesses struggling to survive, it was great to read in the December issue of Practical Classics about our friends Richard and Carolynne Hutchins at The Leather Repair Company in Hull, having a successful if trying year.

We have visited twice now as a Club and enjoyed their hospitality with a very informative and productive visit, unfortunately these types of events have been sadly missing due to the current pandemic.

Richard and Carolynne took this forced opportunity to concentrate on creating more instructional videos with an investment not only in time but more advanced camera and

60 BMW Car Club Magazine February 2021

www.bmwcarclubgb.uk

regionalnews

London Anthony Mason London Region sponsored by

london@bmwcarclubgb.co.uk

BMW PARK LANE

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 02089 512 600 www.baronsgroup.co.uk/bmw Like many of the Regional chairs, we have all turned our attention towards the social media side of things. I’d love someone who’s IT savvy to join me in running the London Regional news online, so if you fancy getting your BMW geek on with me please email london@bmwcarclubgb.co.uk Some of the other Regions share photos of interesting cars and other articles, I’d like to get more ‘foot flow’ through the London Region page as I feel it would be the ideal platform during these testing COVID times.

Hard to believe, but this time last year we were at the London Classic Car Show in Olympia. I met some lovely people though that and spent some time with the lovely Anya who’s sadly moved on from the BMW Car Club office. I also met the artist Ian Cook of Pop Bang Colour Art. I’ve mentioned him before during the lockdown, he’s been doing continuous car drawings.

I had one of the first ones done, illustration 19, which is my favourite image. It’s on my T-shirt, my wall, and even on my mug that I use for work. Look at his work online and he’s still doing commissions to order.

I hope you got some fun stuff for Christmas, I got a lovely BMW Motorsport watch from my other half and a BMW hoodie for the cooler evenings, well I think I look cool in it. I also tracked down an original dealer 1M poster to add to my collection of bits that will one day hang in my dream garage, until then my flat is becoming a BMW shrine. I hope to have some more exciting news for you next month. Do get in contact and tell me your car stories.

Mid Wales & Shropshire Phil Pinnington Welcome to February’s edition of the Mid Wales & Shropshire Regional news. Happy New Year to all our members. I hope everyone enjoyed their Christmas the best they could under the circumstances. I know for some last year was a tough year, but I hope we can look forward to a year of things getting back to some normality. Hopefully myself, Tim and Adrian will get together to go through this year’s events calendar and produce a list of shows and events that we will be going to.

I had organised a Christmas meal for members at the Hanmer Arms, however as the Chairman of the Region I have a responsibility to keep my members safe at any events. Due www.bmwcarclubgb.uk

midwales@bmwcarclubgb.co.uk

to different members being in different tiers I felt it wasn’t appropriate for myself, members and their families to be put at risk and it meant we did our bit to protect the NHS. So the decision was made to cancel the meal until such time it was safe to do so.

As soon as we have any information on events we will let you know. If anyone has an event near them or breakfast meets they think may be a good event to go to please let me know via our Region email address.

Look forward to seeing you all soon.

BMW Car Club Magazine February 2021 61

BMWCC BRANDED JACKETS & COATS. shop.bmwcarclubgb.uk

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North East Nick Thomas Hi everyone! It is short news this month as there has been less going on over winter and with the Covid restrictions. If you are a relatively new member, welcome to the Club and come along to some of our events as the weather starts to get warmer, you will be very welcome.

Recent Events For December we met up for the monthly meet via Zoom again.

Congratulations to Pete Cossavello for winning the quiz, a good recovery after coming last in November! There was also a wooden spoon awarded, and Judge’s Choice went to Simon Maskell for putting the quiz together.

northeast@bmwcarclubgb.co.uk

to be planned in a COVID-safe way so keep an eye on the North East Region Facebook Group for the latest information.

• TBD – Brancepeth Castle ‘Meet The Region’ • Sunday 14 February – Monthly Meet • 28 February – ‘East Coast 50’ Treasure Hunt • Sunday 14 March – Monthly Meet • 21 March – ‘Holy Picnic Batman’

Car of the Month The Polishing Company December Car of the Month was Winter/Christmas themed. It was awarded by Richard Parkinson to Mike Milbourne’s 318i. All BMWs are eligible to win COTM (and a goodie bag supplied by The Polishing Company at real life meetings). Join us at our next monthly meet to be in with a chance of winning.

Forthcoming Events As we move out of winter it is time to start up the events again, COVID restrictions pending, of course. It is looking to be a good year that is likely to get even better as more events recover and publish 2021 dates. Some events are tentative and will still need

North Wales David Allen I would like to start this month’s news by extending a warm welcome to our new members in North Wales – Graeme Watson, Gary Ashworth and George Owen.

I invite you to contact me via the North Wales email address (northwales@bmwcarclubgb.co.uk) to be added to the mailing list and WhatsApp group. This way, new members and their cars can be introduced to our existing members on the WhatsApp group and this can also help us arrange meetings at short notice.

If there are existing members that would like to be included on the WhatsApp group, please give me a shout.

Forthcoming events Details of the shows will be passed on as and when we are

North West Jeff Heywood

northwales@bmwcarclubgb.co.uk

informed of dates, in the meantime we have a provisional date for the Anglesey Trackday – 12th September.

Whilst Covid is dictating our lives, who we see and where we go, I suspect some shows will be arranged at short notice.

I will do my best to keep you all informed with dates etc.

Clearly we all have to be careful. Please stay safe but keep in touch.

Car of the Month It would be good to receive details of member’s cars, particularly those who have carried out any restoration and/ or you can detail your special BMW. Please email me with details.

07801 506632 Search for: BMW Car Club GB North West Twitter: @BMWNW northwest@bmwcarclubgb.co.uk

News Welcome to February’s North West News. Our socially distanced Christmas lunch at the Kilton Inn went down well; it seems as though we have found a great replacement for the Swan – see report below. We’ve taken the decision to hang fire on organising events for 2021, which was justified when the government announced in early January that we were back in lockdown.

Fingers crossed that the vaccine helps to clear the pandemic up soon so we can get back to living normal lives again, which of course includes attending Club events!

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regionalnews Trade Recommendations Darren Wood BMW Specialist (0161 425 7403) Bredbury, Stockport SK6 2QB. Offering BMW repair, servicing and engine tuning etc. Facebook – Darren Wood Ltd – Independent BMW Specialists www.darren-wood.com.

Class Alloys offer a mobile visiting service, repairs and refurbs alloy wheels. All finishes, including chrome shadowline, are perfectly matched. Covers most of NW. Discount given to club members – contact Steve on 07594 018525 – Facebook - ‘Class Alloys’.

David Tully Bodyshop (Tully’s), Rochdale, for all body/paint requirements, comes highly recommended – 01706 643866 www.davidtullyltd.co.uk Facebook – David Tully Ltd. Express Dent Removal for those niggling dent/dings to your BMWs bodywork? Speak to Simon Robinson on 0800 998 9828 or 07767 832255 – or visit www.express-dent-removal.co.uk The Car Detailing Centre for car detailing/valeting - highly recommended - give Darryl at the Car Detailing Centre a call on 07415 945979 – Facebook – The Car Detailing Centre.

Lockdown Car of the Month – Keith Bridge’s E28 M5 Keith Bridge’s stunning E28 M5 is February’s Lockdown Car of the Month. Finished in KarminRot with an anthracite houndstooth cloth trim, the car was first registered in May 1986. Keith’s M5 is unique, being the only UK-supplied right-hand drive E28 M5 finished in KarminRot. E28 M5 production started in March 1986, and Keith‘s car is an early example carrying chassis No 1679014, which means it is the 14th right-hand drive example to roll off the production line at M Power Garching after being hand-built. The car was first registered and used by BMW GB as a press car and can be seen in many period magazine articles. BMW GB sold the car 12 months later in May 1987 via the dealer network to the second owner who was based in the North East.

In 1990, the car was purchased by John Forster. The car made such an impression on the family that not long after his son Chris also purchased an E28 M5, a Royal Blue example fitted with the M-Technic aerodynamic kit (like the kit fitted to the E28 M535i), and trimmed in Pearl Beige leather.

Both John and Chris were Club members (John had already owned a number of BMWs) and part of a Lancashire farming family, owning farms near Haigh Hall, Wigan and one near St Helens.

Many Club stalwarts will remember that Chris was heavily involved with the Club for a while, serving on the North West Committee which also included a stint as regional Chairman, whilst also serving on the Club’s board. Keith was good friends with Chris, and had admired John’s car for a long time, so when Chris let it slip that his father was thinking of selling his M5 after 14-years of ownership, Keith spoke with John and a deal was done, with Keith becoming only the fourth owner in February 2004.

Keith has enjoyed many a Club event over the years in his M5, taking him (and wife Lynn) the length and breadth of the UK plus a trip to the Sharkfest, Holland, and a planned trip to the Laon Historique once this pesky pandemic clears. The M5’s mileage now stands at 198,000 and is still going strong, testament to the build quality of the E28 5 Series. Keith has a full and comprehensive service history with the car, with past owners having the car serviced and repaired mostly via the dealership network, including John Forster, who had the car serviced at Williams BMW Manchester. Keith has placed all recent maintenance and servicing in the hands of JBM at Bury, whose owner is an ex-Ian Anthony (Bolton) technician. In the 16-years of ownership Keith has never had any major issues with the car, just regular maintenance and age related repairs and servicing being required.

16+ years on and Keith still loves the car, how it drives, it’s wolf in sheep’s clothing good looks that help it fly under the radar; yet true petrolheads know exactly what car Keith is driving, and always proffer a kind word or nod of appreciation.

He’s definitely picked up a gem, and In Keith’s own words, he said “it’s a keeper!” www.bmwcarclubgb.uk

February’s NW Lockdown Car of the Month is Keith Bridge’s E28 M5

Event Report 13th December - NW Christmas Lunch It felt so good seeing many of our regulars again and it feels great to actually be writing about a Club event again! We enjoyed an excellent turnout at our socially distanced Ann & Andy Messina look well pleased with the NW Christmas lunch at the Christmas hamper, whilst also receiving a thumbs Kilton Inn, which is no up from Alfie Messina! The hamper was kindly surprise seeing as we’ve all sponsored by Darren Wood BMW Specialists been locked up for most of 2020. The staff at the Kilton did us proud, everything was so well organised, the food was excellent and plentiful and the two young ladies who waited on our tables couldn’t have been more pleasant and helpful.

We held our usual NW Festive Prize Quiz, sponsored by Darren Wood BMW Specialists, which was won by the E46 Boys. Runner up was the ‘TucanTeam’ made up of Keith & Lynn Bridge, with the Taylor2 team consisting of Nick & Angela Taylor in third place.

The Festive Car of the Month, kindly sponsored by the Car Detailing Centre, was won by Nick Taylor’s Alpine White E82 118d Sport Plus Edition, which was presented in immaculate condition on the day. Nick took home a nice selection of detailing goodies for his efforts – see photo.

The draw for the Christmas Hamper, again kindly sponsored

by Darren Wood BMW Specialists, was won by the Messinas (see photo), with everyone in attendance also taking home a prize.

I will finish by thanking everyone for attending and supporting the event. It wasn’t your normal Club activity, but at least people managed to stretch the legs of their BMWs on the round trip to the Kilton, and most if not all had an enjoyable drive, although Les & Wendy Bush had a monsoon-like shocker driving over the Cat & Fiddle to attend!

Nick Taylor pictured with his Alpine White E82 118d Sport Plus Edition, winner of the ‘Festive Car of the Month’ prize, kindly sponsored by Darryl Curran, proprietor of the Car Detailing Centre BMW Car Club Magazine February 2021 65

regionalnews

South East Ian Bryant South East Region sponsored by

Chandlers Brighton 01273 423 312

southeast@bmwcarclubgb.co.uk

Hailsham 01323 844 032 Worthing 01903 784 147 www.baronsgroup.co.uk/bmw

BARONS CC20133 =

15% discount code

Usually at this time we are finalising a list of events for the year to come, however this is not possible with all the current uncertainty.

That said I have been in communication with the team and below are our thoughts on potential events when restrictions allow: • K ent Micro Meeting (monthly) will continue at the Copper Rivet Distillery at Chatham dockyard, please note the new entrance (see pictures).

• S ussex Micro Meeting (monthly) to continue with Billy’s on the Road at Billingshurst • Interest in attending Michelham Priory again (usually in July) • B rands Hatch continue developing relationship and attending events • H ost a combined BMW, Porsche and Mercedes event at the Hawth in Crawley • E vents with our sponsors Chandlers BMW, most likely at Hailsham • Lepsons alloy wheel refurbishment site visit • Sherborne Castle trip, join Wessex team at Classic Car show • T he Warren Classic Concours d’Elegance join Essex team at this event It will all depend on how this year unfolds, but it will be great to start getting some events in the diary and having something to look forward to.

If you have any ideas of events please contact Nigel, Larry or myself.

Stay safe and keep an eye on the South East Region web page for updates. https://bmwcarclubgb.uk/regions/south-east/

South Wales Jonathan Bamford Welcome to our South Wales Region February news. I hope everyone is safe and well - if you are new to the Club and this is your first issue, then welcome. Our monthly meetings are usually held at the Twelve Knights Pub in Margam, SA13 2DB. They are usually held on the third Wednesday of every month, lockdown restrictions permitting. If you haven’t been to one of our meetings before then please come along. It is a great opportunity to meet new people and share your passion for cars.

They start between 6:30pm and 7:00pm, with some arriving slightly earlier for food. At the time of preparing this, there were no monthly meets due to COVID-19 restrictions. Hopefully these can start back soon, in Wales at least. Please ensure the Club has your correct email address so that you don’t miss out on any future events or plans.

Again, not much to report on this month, mainly due to

66 BMW Car Club Magazine February 2021

southwales@bmwcarclubgb.co.uk

it being out of season for car shows and the lockdown restrictions that we all have found ourselves in. If you are not involved in our WhatsApp groups, then please contact me to be added. It is here that last minute runs and meetings may be arranged. I have begun to plan our calendar for this year and obtained booking codes for various events. If these have not yet been received, then please contact me for details.

It looks like this year’s trip to North Wales will again be in September. Details on activities and dates will be published soon. Last year was a great success, so if you missed out then come along and enjoy this time around.

During the winter months we will continue to arrange, where we can, meetings and small runs when possible. It is difficult for everyone at the moment, so if there is any chance to escape our four walls then we will do so. www.bmwcarclubgb.uk

Car of the Month This month I would like to share Chris’ E90 M Sport. It’s a 2006 pre-LCI model and is a very clean example. Chris cherishes his car and keeps it clean throughout the year. It always has at least one coat of polish on the paint! Mods include the 19-inch 403M alloy wheels painted in gloss black, lowered suspension and a tuning box plugged in to bump up the torque and bhp. With carbon fibre on his wish list, this beauty is only going up in value.

Wessex Tim Maltby

Snows BMW Snowsgroup.co.uk/bmw

07885 252448 wessex@bmwcarclubgb.co.uk

Our parts department is open 7 days a week.

Portsmouth: Eastern Road, Portsmouth, PO3 5FF 02392 657500 Isle of Wight: Forest Road, Newport, PO30 5QJ 01983 522555

Barons Farnborough 01252 883 565

Barons Hindhead 01428 853 357

There is a new kid on the block taking over from the esteemed work that Tim Maltby has done leading the Wessex Region for the past 10 years. On behalf of everyone in the group, I would like to express my sincere thanks to Tim for the great leadership he has demonstrated and I will do my best to follow in his footsteps. He is not disappearing, however, and will continue to look after the Basingstoke area of the Wessex Region, whilst Eric Thompson will look after the Bournemouth area.

So, what will I be doing you may ask? Writing these blooming reports with little to say as we have done nothing is one answer, but I hope to be much more active when we return to normal meetings and events.

You may know me, possibly only virtually if you are not a Wessex member, from looking after the E9x Register since March 2020. I have been a member of the Wessex Region for just over two years and have been very impressed at how friendly and welcoming the Bournemouth area has been, but I have to say that my familiarity with the Basingstoke area is very low. The Wessex Region covers a large area and is made up of two distinct groups that meet at different times and in widely dispersed locations, and so Tim has done a magnificent job in holding the reins of both.

Recent Events The only activity that I have to report from this last month was our Zoom Christmas Party. Although a poor apology for a Christmas gathering, we did have 12 members who joined in a festive quiz and enjoyed some remote celebratory drinks.

Under “not so recent events”, I have happy memories of two www.bmwcarclubgb.uk

Wessex Region visits early last year before lockdown. The first, in January, was to Boscombe Down Aviation Museum near Salisbury, followed by lunch at the nearby Stones Hotel.

The second was a family lunch at the Cliffhanger Restaurant, Highcliffe-on-Sea, with great views towards the Isle of Wight.

Oh for a return to such times!

BMW Car Club Magazine February 2021 67

regionalnews Forthcoming events At this time, all events are proposed and are only provisional.

March – Thruxton Go-Karting – on an outdoor track, so may be possible.

April – BMWCC track or race day – either watch or take part in a track day or attend one of the rounds of the BMWCCR as spectators.

May – Solent Sky Museum – Southampton.

June –Swanage Steam Train – An idea raised by Ray Powell and initial planning ensued with the help of Martin Hockey, but sadly didn’t take place owing to Ray’s untimely death in July 2020. This event will be run in Ray’s honour and will be titled “Ray’s Day”.

Mottisfont Abbey and Gardens – Romsey. Picnic and great garden displays.

July/August – Classic Silverstone - 30 July to 1 August. www.silverstoneclassic.com August – Sculptures by the Lake – Dorchester. Large park with sculptures by Simon Gudgeon set in a landscaped garden with art gallery and café. Option to picnic.

September – Gurston Down Hillclimb – Salisbury. Last visit there was excellent.

Western Nigel Smith Welcome new members and welcome back to our Regional news.

Here we go again, at the time of writing this we are back into another lockdown. Hopefully by the time you read this things with any luck might have started to improve now that the vaccines are being rolled out, fingers crossed anyway.

Sadly our Region and Regional Committee lost a great gentleman and friend on December 20th 2020. Robert Scanlan, who organised BM’s on the Lawn at Weston Super Mare, sadly suddenly passed away, and at the time of writing this has yet to have his funeral. He was a great, honest gentleman who will be deeply missed by those of us who were close to him in the Club, and obviously his partner Debbie and

western@bmwcarclubgb.co.uk

family. Our heartfelt feelings and condolences go out to Debbie and his family.

We will pay tribute to Robert in some form, to be arranged.

R.I.P. Robert Scanlan.

Please visit our Facebook 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 the Month then please forward some pictures to me.

Happy motoring everyone.

2021 Events 2nd May 2021 - Southern Concours & General BMW Gathering at Sherborne Castle, Sherborne Dorset. Covid restriction permitting.

27th June 2021 - BM’s on the Lawn, Weston-super-Mare sea front lawns. Covid restriction permitting.

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registernews 1 Series Anthony Mason December brought lots of great events, although I’m still like you living in some form of lockdown. It was my 44th birthday and 2-year Anniversary since I bought the 1M, also the first Christmas at my girlfriends (we will forever refer to her as Mrs Claus). Those who have read my previous 1 Series exploits will remember I had a bad experience driving into the channel tunnel train on my way to the 1M meet in Frankfurt in 2019, I’ve since found out you can claim alloy damage from them if you ask for an incident form when it happens.

My birthday present from Mrs Claus was a full wheel refurb from a company some of you might have heard of, some not. I chose Lepsons in Gillingham, not because they were my local branch, far from it in fact as they were a combination of three trains and a bus from my home. I made the decision to use them because of their ‘unsurpassed reputation for excellence’. This is quite a big claim, but I do agree they live up to it.

When I went down there I signed the car in at reception and then spoke to one of the technicians, he walked round looking for damage on the car, and noting it on the form which I signed (there was no damage). Then we discussed achieving an OEM look and chose ‘flat silver’ as a finish, I nearly went with chrome silver - it had a bit more depth, but my pockets didn’t.

I was introduced to Jay, the operations manager and he gave me a tour of the facility. Over the last 20-years they have slowly expanded though several buildings on the industrial site.

First port of call is ‘goods inward’ where the alloys are taken off the car and given a unique code etched into the wheel for identification (it’s not visible once the tyres are refitted), a sticker is stuck on all the tyres to avoid confusion and any valves or emblems are bagged and taped to the tyre. I chose to replace my existing centre caps and M logos with brand new OEM ones purchased directly from Lepsons.

The first big step of the process is the wheels are put into a hot chemical peel, a huge machine with up to 30 alloys in a cage at a time left overnight to remove all of the paint and any fillers.

Before…

www.bmwcarclubgb.uk

07770 443373 1series@bmwcarclubgb.co.uk

The substance will not corrode metal, only the (sometimes) several layers of paint. Then onto wheel straightening and any alloy repair, luckily for me mine hadn’t got any cracks. Then they are sandblasted back to bare metal and any finishing on the edges is done. Next into the primer powder coat depending on the colour of the wheel, they are primed accordingly, the quality control is logged during the whole process. Using lots of conveyor belts and the unique wheel code to establish the end finish, the wheels are then powder coated in lacquer, all kiln dried and quality checked. At this point any diamond cuts are done and all the finished edges are refined. Once the wheels have been thoroughly checked they are sent back to have new tyres and valves fitted. If the car comes with a TPMS type valve they will try and reuse them, if not supply and fit new ones (although they do not have the equipment to code them). They balance the wheels and then refit them to the vehicle ready for collection. Looking through the website there’s an option to have the vehicle detailed with a local company and which I wish I had opted for - if you look closely at the photos you’ll see my car was quite dirty. If you don’t want to travel to Kent they offer a courier service at competitive rates (probably less than my train fares) and collections are on a Tuesday. If you require a courtesy car these are also available for a small fee.

I’m over the moon with the end result, I applied a liberal layer of Poor Boys wheel sealant to protect the finish (which comes with a Lepsons 12-month warranty) until I can ceramic coat them. The M359 has so many nooks and crannies it’s a tough wheel to keep clean. Because I was embarrassed by the damage to my alloys I don’t have many pictures of ‘before’, I think you’ll agree the finished job is amazing. Now if I could stop driving the car it would stay clean - but this car is too good to be locked away in a garage.

After...

BMW Car Club Magazine February 2021 69

registernews

02 Richard Stern It is with deep regret that 02 enthusiast and friend Robert Scalan sadly passed away just before Christmas, our thoughts are with his wife at this difficult and sad time.

Charging problems? An interesting YouTube video on how to fit a voltage regulator meter and fit USB ports to your 02; https://www.youtube.com/ watch?v=xeyEGH7GATU&feature=youtu.be Bavaria Tour 2021 has been moved-out by another three months, it is now scheduled for 8th September to the 12th. If you were lucky enough to get onboard and now can’t make it please let them know immediately so others on the backup list might be able to now attend, email the organisers at tour@bmw-02-club.de . I plan to go via Dover-Calais on the September 7th, staying overnight at the Landgasthaus Am Frauenstein Hineterweidenthal, then drive down to Oberammergau on the 8th for arrival. Leaving on the 12th and reverse of the outbound journey if anyone wants to join us on route.

Don’t forget we are celebrating 50 years of the Tii all year and the first event is the London Classic Car Show at Syon Park 16th to 18th April, hope to see many of you there.

Check out January’s Car of the Month on www.BMW2002. co.uk - Mike Joy’s beautiful 2002, check out that interior, what do you think? I also need more 02s for future COTM’s - just email over some nice mixed images and a story or details on the car.

07770 443373 02register@bmwcarclubgb.co.uk

Survey Said: On a recent online survey about 02 colours it turned out that the top colour was Inka Orange followed by Chamonix White then Fjord Blue and Colorado then Golf Yellow.

Surprised to see Chamonix as the second most favourite colour and a personal favourite of mine Taiga Green way down the list (metallic).

E10 petrol is now going to be sold throughout the UK and Europe, older cars are not designed to run on Ethanol at this high percentage. Frost sells an additive and main petrol stations have stated they will continue to sell the lower E5 petrol for a while yet. Also the FBVHC are fighting the cause for classic and older cars (pre-2002 cars are not designed to run on E10), also cars will use more E10 fuel as they get less MPG from the new fuel – that’s progress eh?

Tail pipe: Paul Gabbink’s from The Netherlands Colorado S14 (M3 E30) modified 02 on YouTube; https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vFQr9OavbQ&feature=youtu.be

3 Series Simon Maskell

3series@bmwcarclubgb.co.uk

This month’s article is going to be a shameless plug to draw your attention to the upcoming trip the Register is organising. This event had to be postponed from 2020, due to obvious reasons and I am very keen to get back to travelling with my car. The trip is capped at 20 participants and Autofahrt Munich is due to take place in June 2021 as follows; Sunday 13 June 2021 (day 1) The tour starts from either Hull, Newcastle or Harwich, arriving in Rotterdam, Amsterdam or Hook of Holland respectively the following morning after taking an overnight ferry.

Monday 14 June (Day 2) Meet at E&R Classics by 12am (around 60-80 miles from all of the Dutch ports to here). Reserved BMW parking and a light lunch at the ER Classics showroom (a fantastic venue for any car enthusiast). The lunch will also serve as a ‘meet and greet’ and first briefing.

Drive to Rüdesheim via the Rhine Valley.

70 BMW Car Club Magazine February 2021

The hotel is right in town, with good parking. The hotel this evening is B&B only, everyone can go out and explore the town and riverfront.

www.bmwcarclubgb.uk

registernews Tuesday 15 June (Day 3) After breakfast, we will head straight onto the road, with a choice of scenic routes to the ‘Romantic Road’, before taking a very leisurely afternoon stopping in the towns along the ‘Romantic Road’. Dinner is included for everyone at the hotel in Ulm tonight, along with the second briefing (Regensburg, Munich & Sinsheim plans over the next three days).

Wednesday 16 June (Day 4) BMW Facilities to be toured and times to be confirmed three months prior to the tour. If total numbers on the tour are low, the price may need to increase to cover the cost of the BMW facilities.

Ulm to Regensburg, to start off with on the Autobahns and main roads, then onto more scenic routes as we get closer to Regensburg and BMW Plant Regensburg on the town outskirts.

The plant tour lasts for about three hours and leads through different production and outside areas. Plant Regensburg assembles the 1 Series, 2 Series Gran Tourer, 4 Series convertible, M4 convertible, X1 and X2. In the past it was the birthplace of most E30s, E36s and E46s.

After the tour we drive to Munich where we will be staying for two nights at the hotel on B&B basis only. In the evening either relax in the hotel beer garden or head into Munich City centre.

Thursday 17 June (day 5) Facilities to be toured and times to be confirmed three months prior to the tour. If total numbers on the tour are low, the price may need to increase to cover the cost of the BMW facilities.

Guided Duo-Tour (BMW Museum/ Welt) – 90 min.

3 Series E46 Simon Maskell Welcome once again to this month’s instalment of the E46 Register news. One of our members, Michael Dearden, has been in touch to tell us about his very desirable Alpina and tells us about his history with the marque: To put my history with BMW in chronological order I must start many years ago when, out driving with my son, I drove past a car dealer who had a BMW E30 325i Coupé on the forecourt.

It was love at first sight, a swift U-turn and the car was mine. It turned out to have been enhanced by Racing Dynamics and was a marvel to drive.

Time passed and family considerations meant I had to sell the E30 and buy a series of BMW estate cars, E39, two E46s, and a short period with an E30 Convertible.

Now, to the Alpina B3. I spotted a white 2003 B3 in my local dealership, very much liked what I saw but decided it was outside my budget. On reaching home I telephoned my son and waxed lyrical about the car. My son was at his computer and brought up the dealer’s website and asked me if I had looked at the other 2001 Alpina they had in stock. No, I had not seen any other Alpina, so back to the dealer and there it was on the forecourt positively gleaming in the sun. It seemed it had been hidden away in their garage being cleaned. I had only recently bought the 325i Convertible from this dealer, a quick test drive, an exchange and an agreed price and the Alpina was mine.

It is not an M car, more of a gentleman’s carriage for high speed touring in complete comfort. A subscriber in a recent magazine article wrote more eloquently than me on the desirability of these cars, they are, without doubt, a class apart.

Two years ago, I had to renew the suspension, shock absorbers www.bmwcarclubgb.uk

BMW Group Classic guided Tour – 60 min.

Return to the BMW Museum for more time looking around and/or visiting the Olympic grounds across the road and the Olympic Tower for views over Munich. Again in the evening either relax in the hotel beer garden or head into Munich City centre.

Friday 18 June (day 6) Blast along the Autobahns to Sinsheim for lunchtime. Afternoon in Sinsheim Technik Museum. Lunch at museum café (not included in tour cost).

Close by is our hotel for the night, set on a man-made lake, hopefully if the weather is nice we can arrange a meal on the hotel terrace, if not a meal in the hotel. Also the third briefing (Lueven and return to ferries).

Saturday 19 June (day 7) Drive north to the picture postcard town of Leuven in Belgium.

This is a bit of a hidden gem with lots of beer and chocolate shops. The hotel is within walking distance (so no need to worry about driving) of the home of Stella Artois where we will have a Stella brewery tour. Then we will head into the town for a restaurant meal.

Sunday 20 June (day 8) Drive to the French or Dutch ports and overnight ferries home.

Monday 21 June 2021 (day 9) Arrival home.

For further details and to reserve a place contact Simon at 3series@bmwcarclubgb.co.uk

e46register@bmwcarclubgb.co.uk

and springs. Due to the usual financial restraints, I fitted an upmarket aftermarket set. Bad mistake, that beautiful, controlled ride disappeared, and every pebble was felt. So, last year I bit the proverbial and fitted original equipment and all is back as it should be.

I have had the car for six years now and have decided to be buried in it as grave goods; assuming my daughter does not get her hands on the keys first.

A lovely car from a great period. If you can find one, don’t hesitate, buy it!

A cautionary tale of how seeming to save some hard earned can indeed prove costly in the long run, after all, who wants to spoil anything about their Alpina B3?

Have you ever replaced something only to have to do so again with a higher quality item? If so, let me know about it.

Have you got any up and coming maintenance you would care to share? I have my 330Ci convertible to put through an MoT in February and the power folding mirrors have just stopped working. I am sure that will prove to be a fun job. I am also planning on fixing the VANOS oil leak, plus attending to a tired CCV system.

Until next month, keep enjoying the best cars BMW made, bye for now.

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registernews

3 Series E9x Julian Pickering I opened my big mouth in the December 2020 E9x Register report saying that my E93 had been faultless – on reflection a dangerous thing to say with the MoT coming up in early January.

I have paid the price - literally! A leaked shock absorber at the front of the car had resulted in a cracked spring and as it is unwise to replace these items on one side only, I was looking at two new shock absorbers and two new springs. The experience has revealed an interesting limitation in car warranties. I bought the car from a very reputable independent dealership in March 2018 and I paid extra for a 3-year warranty from a very wellknown supplier. I am fully to blame because I hadn’t read through the five pages of small print in the warranty conditions but it turned out that only the damaged side was covered (in the eyes of the warranty supplier you don’t have to replace both sides of the car in the case of springs and shock absorbers), and the limit on labour cost was about £50/hour, meaning that I had to pay the balance. Have you got access to good quality garage services for £50/hour? If so, please send me the details.

The result was that the garage had to produce two invoices – one for the warranty company and one for me and, as you will appreciate, mine was more than the one for the warranty company. Next time I had better read the five pages!

I do have to say, however, that the ride quality is much better with the new springs and shock absorbers installed. The shock absorbers are an unusual fitment on the E93, with a clamp securing the bottom rather than the more conventional bolt and bush attachment. I have shown the arrangement in the two photographs.

I am very pleased to have received the following feedback from Mike Pope in response to my E9x report in the January edition of Straight Six: I’ve just read the latest Straight Six from cover to cover, approx. 2 hours after it was delivered! (Sad I know, but other activities are a bit thin on the ground right now). Your Register article struck a chord with me, not so much for the template BMW may or may not use for an LCI, but the fact the main change for the 335i was that move from the N54 engine to the N55.

When I bought my 335i (2007 model) I was instantly attracted to the particular car at the time - I was keen to find another BMW, it had a six cylinder engine rated at over 300bhp out of the factory and I loved the way it drove. Enough said and I bought it.

It was only later that I looked into the model history more deeply and learned of the N54/N55 change. My N54 engine was lauded by the press for its almost ‘non-turbo’ feel with the two turbo’s being a fine solution to eliminating any lag. However, the economy and, in particular, higher emissions were the price paid. Hence the N55 engine with its single twin scroll turbo set out to improve on both of these aspects. I have no idea how the

4 Series Paul Roberts Belated Happy New Year to all. I’m writing this missive on New Year’s Day and hoping that 2021 will be a lot better than the year we’ve just left behind. It was a year to forget in many ways but to be remembered in a lot of others. All events and get-togethers were cancelled and there was nowhere to go, even though on some days the weather was good.

On the car front, I’ve had my car MoT’d which went okay apart from the usual, “oh by the way the front brake pads need replacing” so not a cheap day! In addition as I’ve had the car for two-years now, I need to think about taking another year’s warranty which has been offered at a cost of £435.00

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e90register@bmwcarclubgb.co.uk

drivability (or reliability) compare as I only have experience of my own car.

I believe many current performance cars use the twin turbo route as the preferred method of building a performance engine with the best combination of response and power. Perhaps today’s advancements in engineering and electronics enable manufacturers to be able to achieve these features together with acceptable economy and emissions?

When I have to pay my road tax at the second highest rate the UK demands, I tell myself the N54 engine was the best solution BMW’s engineers had at the time for a performance motor and the N55 was just a ‘second best!’

I look forward to reading more on this and hope you receive plenty more comments.

I would love to receive more comments from owners of N54 and N55 engined cars. Please keep them coming, as owner feedback makes these articles much more interesting.

That’s all for now, so please stay safe and healthy.

4series@bmwcarclubgb.co.uk

which I think isn’t too bad. However as we’re moving house in a couple of days’ time, and downsizing so releasing some additional capital, I’m very tempted to consider a change.

I have thought about a newer 640d convertible and read as many reports as I can on the internet. Fantastic power and economy and probably a more comfortable ride. This has particular relevance in view of our trip through Europe scheduled for August. Anyway watch this space.

Well that’s all for now, and again no additional photos so remains for me to wish all BMW owners a happy and safe 2021. www.bmwcarclubgb.uk

registernews

5 Series E12 Pat Tremain

e12register@bmwcarclubgb.co.uk

This issue I have attached a couple of photos of a member’s long-awaited family restoration. It is a 1973 twin carb four-cylinder, manual, E12 520.

These early cars, especially the four-cylinder M10 engine version, are now quite rare, and becoming rarer. We only know of a couple in the Register.

This restoration is being undertaken all by family and has been a long time coming. It is still in early stages but I hope we can bring the full article and completed restoration to you later this year. So no pressure, Ian! We are now well into 2021, let’s hope it turns out to be a whole lot better than 2020. As you might expect we have nothing but time on our hands and no events to inspire us to get into our cars. I do hope that we will eventually be able to get back out and about this year.

5 Series E34 Manj Sandhu

e34register@bmwcarclubgb.co.uk

As I write this, we have just come out of the second national lockdown. Learning from the last lockdown saw vehicle recoveries increase, as motor vehicles were underutilised and as a result are breaking down more frequently than normal. I have spoken in the past about how a lack of use can lead to all sorts of unfortunate mechanical issues. Such times will expose a weak battery. It gives you two choices, maybe three. Disconnect the battery, or buy yourself a trickle charger or lastly and I do not advocate this during lockdown – go for a 30mins drive every few days on your own. The third point might get me in trouble but I did do this on occasion around the block a few times. In my defence, I was not interacting with any other people; it was me and my E34 enjoying some quality time during a difficult period.

I see others doing much worse, but two wrongs do not make a right!

On another note, a friend of mine has asked me to find him an E34. He has seen my 535i Sport more recently as well as the 1994 525i Sport my friend from Welwyn has, and it appears he has very much picked up the E34 bug. He told me to wait until he was back working again and that he has a budget of around £2000. Which in all fairness is a par budget. He is not looking for a mint machine (if you base that budget on my valuation range from a couple of articles ago), but something he can use every day. I will update you more in the future on how I get on.

This month I will share with you part two of David Anker’s 483,000 mile E34 525i Touring. I think it is such a one-off car that it deserves more space in the E34 Register slot. I wonder how many other E34s with high mileage we have out there.

Please get in touch if you have a high mileage E34, as I am interested in the history of the car and your experiences with it.

“The car was due its annual MoT and it is always a time for concern. No matter how well you look after the car, it could always surprise you with a fault or two at MoT time. However, the car sailed through its MoT yet again last week, and with no advisories! All this at 483,556 miles on the clock. To be fair the amazing machine has only done 3,000 since last year with these Covid-19 restrictions.

So another story is the registration – B16 DKA. DKA are my initials David Keith Anker. My wife bought the plate for me back in 1997 or thereabouts as a fathers’ day present from my two young boys (at that time they were 5 and 7 years old).

Since I am 6ft 6ins tall, so she thought BIG DKA would be fun and a little cheeky!

Then some time later, after fitting the plates, I noticed a number of people on the motorway passing me (did not happen

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BMW Car Club Magazine February 2021 73

registernews very often!) laughing at me. I was scratching my head and could not work out what it was. Then a little later I was coming out of Heathrow airport and I noticed that I had picked up a patrol car which was definitely following me.

I noticed, through my rear-view mirror, the two coppers inside having a real good chortle! Then eventually, they pulled me over (I was not speeding or anything!). I asked them why they were having a laugh – they said, “Surely you know!” I said, “Not a clue!” They said “come on, you must be joking!” I said “sorry,

7 Series Matthew Swanborough

really no idea!” The driver said to me, “so if you pronounce your plate Big D**ker, are you bragging?” It took me several seconds before it dawned on me what they were on about.

Luckily, they didn’t fine me or anything, just carried on laughing and drove off!”

Stay safe and I hope you all had a great holiday period. Here is hoping for some E34 meets in 2021. Kind regards, Manj and family.

7series@bmwcarclubgb.co.uk

Hi all, not much to report this month having had Christmas, New Years and very cold weather, coupled with the news of a further national lockdown. Hopefully this lockdown will prove as productive as the last was for getting car jobs done, although with the cold weather I think that might be optimistic!

Very interested to know who down in the South or South East may be up for meeting later in the year and any suggestions on suitable locations.

I have heard from a number of E32 owners who are really battling to source replacement parts - if you happen to know of somewhere you have found to be useful and are happy to share the details, please could you send them to me to keep on file should other members need some help.

Please do get in touch with me anytime and follow me on Instagram @e38th or email 7series@bmwcarclubgb.co.uk.

8 Series Debbie Blythe

8series@bmwcarclubgb.co.uk

Hi everyone, I hope you are all keeping safe and well at this difficult time. I would like to be writing about events and meetings we have all attended but sadly not yet, so please help me to fill this column on a monthly basis with stories or articles, tips and advice from any of you E31 (Orca) 8 Series owners out there. We also have the ‘Car of the Month’, so if you would like your car featured just send me an email at 8series@ bmwcarclubgb.co.uk How Many Left In December’s issue I mentioned the ‘How many left’ website where you can find out how many of your model are on the road or SORN. I have gone looked at it on behalf of the 8 Series register and here are the current numbers: Model

Licensed December 2020

SORN December 2020

840ci (6 speed manual)

20

30

840ci Auto

497

528

840ci Sport Auto

191

160

850ci (6 speed manual)

2

12

850ci Auto

22

54

850csi (6 speed manual)

35

74

850i (6 speed manual)

12

64

850i Auto

63

186

1 of 39 in the world in this colour combination, comprising of an Aegean Blue exterior and Extended Champagne Nappa interior with contrasting piping along with special order CSi door cards.

Despite having only 57,000 miles I’ve done a fair bit of work; the cooling system has been overhauled, consisting of OEM and genuine parts from the very helpful Park Lane parts department. The suspension has undergone some serious work too. 12 new bushes and ball joints along with two front lower arms and complete track rod assemblies. After being aligned by Wheelpower in Brockley (highly recommended) she now drives as good as new. Fuel lines and brake lines have been replaced with genuine BMW parts. Most recently I had the Brembo brake callipers rebuilt by my local BMW specialist in Mitcham and the GM Module rebuilt by a fellow 8 Series enthusiast in Twickenham.

Covid has limited how much I drive it and she currently sits covered up. On the road it’s amazing how many people stop, stare and compliment; it really makes it a pleasure to drive. E31 ownership has been full of wallet opening points, however you forget all that when you realise how special these cars are.

Hope to see lots of fellow enthusiasts at some shows soon!

Car of the Month – Shaneel Mungul Growing up as a kid, owning an 8 Series was a dream. I still have a diecast 850 on my window sill. When I turned 21 I decided it was time to buy a classic BMW and this 840Ci Sport Individual fell into my lap.

74 BMW Car Club Magazine February 2021

www.bmwcarclubgb.uk

registernews Social Media Love it or loathe it, at this challenging time it seems like the only way we can keep in touch with other E31 owners around both the country and world. There are several Facebook groups set up and all contain very useful links to other owners where you can just look or post yourself. These are especially useful if you have a question or need some advice, there are many out there who are very willing to support fellow owners.

There is also a great WhatsApp group in the UK set up by this month’s ‘Car of the Month’ owner Shaneel, where you can get all types of help with any of your E31 related queries. Here are the groups; Facebook groups •B MW 8 Series UK Owners • BMW 850 & 840 (E31) World Owners Association • BMW E31 8 Series Fans WhatsApp • BMW E31 Collective UK Future Events All I can say here is yes we hope to be able to organise a few meetings and events but obviously do not know when or where. But if you do know of anywhere you think might be suitable for a meet, then I will take them into account when we do get around to making plans in 2021. Stay safe everybody.

Concours Dan Wood Welcome to the Concours Register section! First of all, I would like to apologise for the absence of articles over recent months, I have been particularly rushed off my feet since March last year. 2020 saw no Club Concours events which was extremely disappointing given the amount of work, time and effort that goes into your cars and not to forget the social side of the events which is extremely valuable for our mental health and wellbeing.

Each year, I produce the Club Concours Guide Booklet for the year and this is published on the Club website. I intend to do the same this year, so please look out for it during February. The Booklet is your go to guide for all things Club Concours and is intended to be a helpful resource for all Club Members.

Don’t forget that the first Concours event of the year is set to be The Southern Concours at Sherborne Castle, Dorset on Sunday 2nd May 2021. All Club members are welcome to come along and participate (this is a Club event so you can come and join in even if you don’t wish to enter the Concours).

A major part of my role is to encourage Club Members to come along and participate in Concours events. Entering a Concours event may sound a little daunting, but with the Club Concours Guide Booklet on hand and the warm welcome you will receive, there is every likelihood that you will enjoy participating and you will certainly have a great day. I was delighted to receive a message from Ron Parish who talks us through his experience of Club Concours in his article below.

Keep on Concours-ing!

Concours Concours d’ Elegance to be precise. If you Google Concours it says it’s a French term that means a “Competition of Elegance” and refers to an event where prestigious vehicles were displayed and judged. It dates back to 17th century France and refers to aristocrat’s horse drawn carriages in the parks of Paris.

As for us in the BMW Car Club, we normally refer to it as Concours, still on the same lines as the original. But now refers

www.bmwcarclubgb.uk

concours@bmwcarclubgb.co.uk

to cars, although still horse-powered!

I first heard of Concours whilst reading car magazines. The oldest Concours still in existence is Concorso d’ Elegance at the Villa d’Este and dates from 1929. Today this event is sponsored

by BMW and is held near the Villa d’Este hotel in Cernobbio, on the shores of Lake Como in Italy. The other very well-known one (the first prestigious one I heard of) has been held at Pebble Beach Golflinks in California, since 1950. The longest running event is the Hillsborough Concours d’Elegance, California, held every year since 1956 (the others have skipped years since 1956). There are many others throughout the world. In the UK we have Salon Prive held at Blenheim Palace, and Hampton Court. As far as I know the Car Club has always held an annual national Concours either at the National Festival or as a separate event.

In the past it was thought of as an elite event, but under the guidance of Dan Wood and with the help of Keith Waller and the judges it is now well attended by many Club members. With the introduction of the Pride of Ownership Class and trophies and BMW Car Club Magazine February 2021 75

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entry certificates for all entrees it has become more popular with Club members from up and down the country. Plus of course prizes and trophies for all classes from Pride of Ownership to Master Class and Elite Class.

As for my own experience over the years I have entered three different BMWs in Concours.

My first was with my 1989 E30 316i in 2000 - at that time I was a member of the BMW Drivers’ Club. The event was in Somerset’s Summer Mirage and I gained a 2nd in Class. My next car, an E30 325i Sport, won me four Western Region trophies.

With my present car, a 1999 2.8 Z3, a first in class at a National Event in 2010. Plus, three class wins with the Western Region Southern Concours. In 2018 I entered the National Concours at the Club’s National Festival and gained 2nd in class in Pride of Ownership and Best Zed.

i8 Clive Neville With little really going on anywhere currently, I want this month to look at the state of the i8 market. It’s fair to say that while the i8 is a masterpiece, it hit the market at the wrong time and innovators rarely get it completely right or read the zeitgeist correctly. It’s still before its time - even seven years later.

Unfortunately, the car didn’t do enough for petrol heads with its little MINI engine and neither did it for the early adopters who were soon persuaded away by other options coming onto the market, even if none of them precisely offered the same balance of attributes.

What this means is that the car is considered a risky and oddball purchase, which of course has a concomitant impact on used prices, but that is good news for used buyers. While nearly new delivery mile stocks are now getting a bit more limited (at least in terms of colours - anyone for Sophisto Grey?), those buying now will find that they can have a car that is effectively as new for just over 50 percent of the new list price. That is a great buy but also truly catastrophic depreciation, and is all to do with a) it’s a BMW and BMWs don’t do so well in the £100,000+ market, b) it’s weird, and c) people have still to trust the technology and/or they want a full electric car and not a hybrid.

This situation is unfortunate but understandable - even BMW lost faith in the technology (except as a pathfinder for other vehicles) by not replacing it.

Despite this early “fall off a cliff’ depreciation, values settle down well after the first year and seem only to lose about £7,000 a year after that. So, buying a car at a year old with 3000 miles and selling it two years later isn’t so expensive after all. What remains to be seen though is how the market (i.e. people like

76 BMW Car Club Magazine February 2021

So, to sum up, what do you need if you are to enter concours? No doubt you have the car, patience and enthusiasm which is a good start. The cleaning of the car which is the essence of the ‘elegance’ is up to you, there is a lot of help online. You could start by checking out BMWCC YouTube with Dan Wood and Scott Walters. The internet is awash with cleaning products so I will leave that with you.

Last but not least without trying to put you off you will need to put some elbow grease into your cleaning. Two things to remember once your car has “elegance” this will add value if you sell, the trophies will come with your efforts. I wish you all the best and good luck.

Stay safe, Ron Parish

i8register@bmwcarclubgb.co.uk

us) will react to the car when the batteries are out of warranty at 8 years. The first cars are 6 years old now so this point will shortly come over the horizon. Most commentators, even those on the Facebook forums, seem to think the car will be disposable at that point. I disagree. Rather, we need to consider battery replacement at perhaps 10-12 years (we don’t know yet when it will be necessary), to be a routine servicing requirement. Okay, it’s going to cost about £8,000 to do but I would rather know and do that than face the unknown of how many clutches and cambelts my Gallardo/488 will have needed over the same period. I would wager that the cost for the latter cars would be much greater. I accept that the i8 is not a supercar in the same vein as those but even 911s cost a lot to keep on the road over the long haul.

The challenge will, of course, be the value of the car versus the cost of the servicing work. With a Lamborghini the value will always be at least £50,000 so owners normally accept the cost of the servicing as the car will still be worth something.

But, will the i8 or will prices fall into the ground because nobody wishes to buy and/or is scared of having to buy batteries? The unknown is always a killer for markets - look at Sterling with Brexit! Unfortunately, this real loss of value might well be the case in the same way that traditional BMWs generally have their fallow years and then rebound, but by that time many of them have gone, the result of those who drive them into the ground with no maintenance. However that plays into the hands of those who maintain their cars meaning that those are left are worth considerably more.

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X Series Greg Lyons & James Brigginshaw My other car is a BMW X2 sDrive 1.8i Sport. However, as it shares its platform with a Mini Countryman, has front wheel drive and a transverse 1.5 three cylinder turbocharged engine, is it really a BMW? Surely BMWs have rear wheel drive, with a big, powerful engine up front. Our 2006 2.5 Z4 certainly does.

Some explanation is needed. It is a lease car. Some years ago my son explained to me that the most sensible way to run a car is to find a really good lease deal. Sure, you pay a lot up front, but after that the only costs are the monthly lease payments, insurance, fuel and one service if it is a two year deal. The road tax is paid for you. Previously I had bought cars at about three years old when they cost about half the original selling price, and kept them for years, but my son was right. I was paying for services, MoT’s, new tyres, new parts and depreciation. I once bought a 330d Touring for £16,000 and when I sold it a few years later I only got £3,500 for it.

Back to the X2. It certainly looks good, a sort of sporty SUV, and it has a reasonable sized grille, unlike some current and future BMW models. The engine is the smoothest I have ever experienced and the car goes and stops well. It is the first time I have felt that a manual gearbox was obsolete because the engine is so smooth that on a motorway it is impossible to tell whether you are in 4th, 5th or 6th gear without looking at the telltale on the speedometer. The front seats are comfortable and very adjustable and there is plenty of room in the back for a car of this size, more than a VW Golf, I would imagine.

Connectivity… Well, that doesn’t interest me very much, but the radio and stereo are efficient and have a good tone. My iPhone works through the car’s system, and so would my iPod Touch if I

Z4 Register

xseries@bmwcarclubgb.co.uk

could be bothered to set it up.

Disappointments; the X2 doesn’t have a very good turning circle compared to a rear-wheel drive car with a longitudinal engine, and there are no parking sensors at the front. Also, it is quite wide, so difficult in old fashioned multi-story car parks with pillars and narrow parking bays. I recently scrapped one of these pillars, but it was more my fault than the car’s. The mirrors don’t fold in when you park, which makes them quite vulnerable.

Finally there is a lot of road noise from the tyres on some surfaces, which I find tiring, but I suppose it may depend upon the type of tyres fitted.

And the things I like, apart from those already mentioned; the rear hatchback floor is low and it is easy for our old Labrador to jump in and there is plenty of space. Two presses on the key fob cuts off the internal alarm so the dog doesn’t set it off when parked - with some competitors you have to go into the main menu to access this facility. The car certainly looks good; it is well styled without being too overt, and whatever its connections and ancestry, it is a BMW. Most importantly for my peace of mind - my wife likes driving it and says that she feels “in control”.

Overall then would I recommend the car? Yes, I would. Would I have another? Yes, I would, but it would also depend on what lease deals were available for X1s, or even the 1 Series.

Simon Buckley.

z4register@bmwcarclubgb.co.uk

Thank you to John Cowey for sending in his news below. The Z4 Register position is currently vacant, so if any Z4 owners or enthusiasts are eager to volunteer for the position please email us on officeadmin@abmwcarclubgb.co.uk.

“Let me tell you what is new to me. New member of the BMW Car Club, new to BMW, new car to me, new fan of BMW. For the last 30 years I have been a Triumph owner, my pride and joy being the Triumph Stag I have had for around 25 years, but also had a few Spitfires. My wife wanted something more modern, that I wouldn’t be frightened to leave out should we have a weekend away, so as I love convertible sports cars I tried some out. When I tried the Z4 I loved it, I know it’s not everyone’s cup of tea but the hard top was a factor. As a company car driver I have had many makes, Audi, Ford, Vauxhall are just a few over 30 odd years, but in all my years of driving I had never sat behind the wheel of a BMW. After the test drive I felt I had to have one, and within 4 weeks I got my very first BMW - a

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BMW Car Club Magazine February 2021 77

registernews 2011 Z4 23i sDrive M Sport with a nice specification of parking sensors, folding mirrors etc., not things you worry about with older classic cars. Sadly one of the Triumphs had to make way for it. The 19 inch wheels give it not as bad a ride as others make out, I now cannot wait for the weekend to drive it, but not only that, my wife being one of those people that thinks cars are to get you from A to B, also loves being in it should she be driving or a passenger.

If I was to say the down side, is information; where do you get it from? For example I would like to obtain some sort of manual as I would like to be confident of oils, and when you ask the question on forums it’s quite hard to get a straight answer, however it’s something that I am sure I will overcome in time. I am sure this car will end up staying with us for a very long time.”

John Cowey.

Individual Experience Dhaval Bakhai ‘A car to keep for as long as it runs’ Owner: Michael Grimwood The E9x M3 range was a special BMW M product as it was the last to have a naturally aspirated engine and the only M3 to be powered by a thunderous V8. BMW M decided to up the ante from the E46 range and continue the power war with its German counterparts, the Mercedes Benz C63 AMG and Audi RS5, but the BMW was actually the smallest V8 of the three models. In 2012, BMW also returned to DTM racing (German Touring Cars) after a gap of 20 years with the E92 M3 and in true style they won 5 out of 10 races that season, winning both the Manufacturer and Driver’s title in their comeback year. They also won various other motor racing competitions at the time with the E92 M3.

The E9x M3 came with a 4-litre V8 engine with either a manual gearbox, or for the first time for BMW, a DCT semi-automatic option. The DCT ended up delivering faster performance times and such was the popularity of this gearbox that they sold significantly better than the manuals, especially in the facelift (2010 – 2013 for the coupe). The cars were generally well equipped even by modern standards but BMW did offer a Competition package on top with gorgeous 19-inch alloy wheels, lower ride height, adjustable dampers and an ‘M mode’ adjusting the Electronic Stability Control. Alongside the competition pack, BMW produced several other limited edition models including the GTS, Performance Edition, Frozen edition, Alpine White, Dakar Yellow, Monte Carlo Blue and the limited Edition 500.

However, despite all the different editions Michael’s car is even rarer as it’s a colour called Petrol Mica and believed to be only 1 of 2 in the UK or 1 of 4 ever produced. Michael had decided after some expensive lessons that he wanted to ensure he got a car

78 BMW Car Club Magazine February 2021

with as much standard from the factory as possible, therefore, when the chance came up to buy this car, he quickly put a deposit on it and travelled up by train to go see the car. The initial pictures were poor but once in front of the car, he knew it was a special example, particularly with it having the gorgeous individual champagne leather interior to complement the exterior, Harman Kardon upgraded sound system, adaptive lights, and DCT gearbox. After the initial apprehension it was clear the car was for him and he couldn’t resist converting the trip into a memorable journey back home in the new purchase. Michael has been a keen BMW enthusiast who has owned a couple of others but has firmly stuck with the E92s as for him they were special cars that were an aspiration to purchase when younger. Michael’s car history started from a humble Vauxhall Corsa but he was soon taken by the modifying bug (he even did it to his moped before the Corsa) as he wanted to build his own individuality, thus quite fitting he now owns one of the rarest M3 colours.

As you can see from the pictures, it didn’t take Michael long to put his stamp on the car and underneath it. The car has an extensive list of modifications and I’m sure he will continue to make his car the perfect one for him as unlike his previous E92 M3, this one will be going nowhere because it is a childhood dream to own and who can blame him when you have such a rare M3. The highlights of the modifications on the car currently includes ESS Tuning 625 Supercharger, GTS rear wing, Carbon front splitter, Carbon fibre high kick spoiler amongst others.

The car certainly commands respect and is not one for the faint hearted, but when you have nurtured the car and grown with it by adding your touches along the way, there is no one else who will know the car better than yourself.

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BMW Car Club Magazine February 2021 81

clubpubmeets Please check with your Regional Chair before attending a pub meet. 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: 6.30pm-8pm at Café Belge, Nash Road, Beachampton, Milton Keynes, MK19 6FW. CENTRAL WEST: Second Thursday of every month at 7.30pm The Three Horseshoes, Alveley, Bridgnorth, WV15 6NB. CORNWALL: Date, Time and venue to be confirmed once the pubs reopen for business.

COTSWOLD: Second Wednesday of each month 7.30pm at The Swan at Coombe Hill, Tewkesbury Road, Coombe Hill, Gloucester GL19 4BA. CUMBRIA: 7.30pm – The Sportsman, just off the A66, CA11 0SG. Feel free to contact me beforehand if you have not been to one of our meets.

DEVON: Last Wednesday of the month at 7.00pm for 7.30pm at the Hare & Hounds, Torquay Road, Kingskerswell, TQ12 5HH. For further information, contact Kathy or Derek on 01626 330436 or 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 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, near Cambridge CB22 7RZ – Recommences April to September, Fourth Tuesday evening of the month.

Contact – Matthew Hunt (Cambs/Beds Branch Rep.) matthew.hunt13@btinternet.com 07973986525.

See details of coffee mornings on Facebook 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 – 9am every second Sunday of the month at The Castle, Main Road, Great Leighs CM3 1NE, refer to Facebook BMW Car Club (GB) Essex Region.

Contact Anthony Shilson on essex@bmwcarclubgb.co.uk.

NW Norfolk, South 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 between 10am - 12noon.

The Motorist New Lennerton Lane Sherburn in Elmet LS25 6JE. Further details on the Motorist can be found at www.themotorist.com. 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 6pm at The George & Dragon, Doncaster Road, Whitley, Goole, DN14 0HY. North Nottinghamshire – The Reindeer Inn, Sturton le Steeple DN22 9HQ on the second and fourth Thursday of the month.

LONDON/HERTS: The Crooked Chimney: Second Monday evening of the month from 7.00pm, Lemsford, Welwyn Garden City, AL8 7XE. Ace Café: First Monday of the month.

NORTH EAST: 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 if allowed, or virtually if necessary.

NORTH WEST: North West Region Sunday Lunch & Quiz – Sunday of alternate months (all at 12.00 noon) at The Swan, Bucklow Hill, Cheshire, WA16 6RD. Contact Jeff Heywood – 0161 678 2088.

Manchester/NW Local Branch Meeting SCOTLAND: See Scottish Region news and Club forum for more information or contact Issy on bmwccscottishregion@gmail.com.

SOUTH EAST: Kent Micro Meet – Chatham Dockyard first Sunday of month 10:00am - 12:00pm.

Sussex Micro Meet – Shoreham Airport fourth Sunday of month 8.30am.

THAMES: Last Thursday of the month at Littlebury Hotel, Kings End, Bicester at 7.30pm.

Contact thames@bmwcarclubgb.co.uk for more information.

NORTH WALES: For more information contact northwales@bmwcarclubgb.co.uk.

MID WALES & SHROPSHIRE: TBC at 12PM, Hanmer Arms, Hanmer Village 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 Pub Meet – Every first Wednesday of the month. 7.00pm onwards. Venue to be confirmed by email nearer the time. Contact John Munyard 07977 501128 or Eric Thompson 07722 835930 with any queries or confirmation of meeting venues.

Basingstoke Pub Meet – Third Tuesday of the month. 7.00pm onwards. The Fox, North Waltham, Basingstoke RG25 2BB. Contact Simon Alcorn 07973 299024.

Alton Pub Meet – Every last Tuesday of the month. 7.00pm. The Jolly Farmer, Blacknest, Binsted Road, GU34 4QD. Contact Bob Ward 07980 833321.

WESTERN: First Wednesday of the month: 7.30pm at The Woolpack, Weston-Super-Mare. 4th November.

82 BMW Car Club Magazine February 2021

Your Region & Register officers Regional Officers BMW Car Club Central Central West Channel Islands Cheshire & Staffs Cornwall Cumbria Cotswold Devon East Anglia Eastern Ireland London North East North West Scottish South East Thames Wales - Mid & Shropshire Wales - North Wales - South Wessex Western

Tony Skerrett central@bmwcarclubgb.co.uk Dave Evans centralwest@bmwcarclubgb.co.uk Jonathan Harris channelislands@bmwcarclubgb.co.uk Steve Cooper cheshireandstaffs@bmwcarclubgb.co.uk Jim Husband cornwall@bmwcarclubgb.co.uk James France cumbria@bmwcarclubgb.co.uk Martyn Goodwin cotswold@bmwcarclubgb.co.uk Kathy Jemfrey devon@bmwcarclubgb.co.uk George Champ eastanglia@bmwcarclubgb.co.uk Paul Rice eastern@bmwcarclubgb.co.uk VACANT ireland@bmwcarclubgb.co.uk Anthony Mason london@bmwcarclubgb.co.uk Nick Thomas northeast@bmwcarclubgb.co.uk Jeff Heywood northwest@bmwcarclubgb.co.uk Issy Phillips bmwccscottishregion@gmail.com Ian Bryant southeast@bmwcarclubgb.co.uk Tony Skerrett thames@bmwcarclubgb.co.uk Phil Pinnington midwales@bmwcarclubgb.co.uk David Allen northwales@bmwcarclubgb.co.uk Jonathan Bamford southwales@bmwcarclubgb.co.uk Julian Pickering wessex@bmwcarclubgb.co.uk Nigel Smith western@bmwcarclubgb.co.uk

Register Officers BMW Car Club Classic Sam Lever classic@bmwcarclubgb.co.uk E3 Tony Wilkes e3register@bmwcarclubgb.co.uk E9 Nick Hull e9register@bmwcarclubgb.co.uk 2002 Richard Stern 02register@bmwcarclubgb.co.uk Sharknose Richard Baxter sharknose@bmwcarclubgb.co.uk M Power Richard Baxter, mpower@bmwcarclubgb.co.uk

John Denny/ Tristan Glass ALPINA Simon Alcorn alpina@bmwcarclubgb.co.uk 1 Series Anthony Mason 1series@bmwcarclubgb.co.uk 2 Series VACANT 3 Series Simon Maskell 3series@bmwcarclubgb.co.uk 3 Series - E21 Kyri Nicolaou e21register@bmwcarclubgb.co.uk 3 Series - E30 Neil McDonald neil@bmwcarclubgb.co.uk 3 Series - E36 Mischa Falkenau e36register@bmwcarclubgb.co.uk 3 Series - E46 Simon Maskell e46register@bmwcarclubgb.co.uk 3 Series - E90/91/ Julian Pickering 92/93 3 Series - F30/31/34 Katie Littler f30register@bmwcarclubgb.co.uk 4 Series Paul Roberts 4series@bmwcarclubgb.co.uk 5 Series Stephen Coulson 5series@bmwcarclubgb.co.uk 5 Series - E12 Pat Tremain e12register@bmwcarclubgb.co.uk 5 Series - E28 VACANT 5 Series - E34 Manj Sandhu e34register@bmwcarclubgb.co.uk 5 Series - E39 Dan Paskin e39register@bmwcarclubgb.co.uk 5 Series - E60/61 Christina Kostova e60register@bmwcarclubgb.co.uk 5 Series - F07 VACANT 5 Series - F10/11 VACANT 6 Series Mani Singh Hayer 6series@bmwcarclubgb.co.uk 6 Series - E24 Konstantinos Loizou e24register@bmwcarclubgb.co.uk 6 Series - E63/64 Mani Singh Hayer e63register@bmwcarclubgb.co.uk 6 Series - F06/12/13 VACANT 7 Series - E23, E32, Matthew 7series@bmwcarclubgb.co.uk E38, E65 Swanborough 7 Series - F01, F02, VACANT F03 onwards 8 Series Debbie Blythe 8series@bmwcarclubgb.co.uk Z Series - Z1 Jamal Blanc z1register@bmwcarclubgb.co.uk Z Series - Z3 Alan Jones z3register@bmwcarclubgb.co.uk Z Series - Z4 VACANT X Series Greg Lyons & xseries@bmwcarclubgb.co.uk

James Brigginshaw i. Series Clive Neville iregister@bmwcarclubgb.co.uk i. Series - i3 VACANT i. Series - i8 Clive Neville i8register@bmwcarclubgb.co.uk MINI David Young mini@bmwcarclubgb.co.uk Concours Dan Wood concours@bmwcarclubgb.co.uk Track Days Neil McDonald trackday@bmwcarclubgb.co.uk www.bmwcarclubgb.uk

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