BMW - 750i - Brochure - 2009 - 2009

BAYERISCHE Summer 2009 BAYERISCHE BAYERISCHE BMW Classic AT THE 2009 MILLE MIGLIA pages 6-7 BMW GENESEE VALLEY CHAPTER BMW CAR CLUB OF AMERICA Contents Genesee Valley Chapter BMW Car Club of America 4 • President’s Message Summer 2009 Volume 53 • Issue II Sponsors Open meetings in Aug & Sept. 4 • Beemers Forty Years of BMW Motorcycle Production in Berlin-Spandau Please support the advertisers who support us... 10 • News from National 2009 Membership Drive 12 • Pancake Run Annual Pancake Run 2009 13 • The Bimmer Boy Enjoying the local (car) culture while traveling abroad… 17 • Calendar of Events 2009 Ultimate Driving Schools and more! 19 • Perspektive Racing in Crisis 20 • Autocross Coming into the 21 Century Bavarian Autosport............. 17 Eksten Autoworks............... 22 ESCORT, Inc.......................... 18 Gault Auto Sport BMW........ 23 John Holtz BMW................... 3 Towne BMW........................ 22 der bayerische brief is a publication of the Credits: Images and text with BMW have been taken from the BMW Press Club web site. Contacts Club Hotline 585-624-9890 PRESIDENT Vince Leo 585-732-5070 [email protected] VICE-PRESIDENT Dave Lanni 315-597-0064 [email protected] SECRETARY Bill O’Neill 585-275-4023 William_ONeill@urmc. rochester.edu 2 TREASURER BMW Genesee Valley Chapter, Inc., (GVC or The Club) a non-profit New York corporation and chapter of the BMW Car Club of America, Inc., and is not affiliated in any manner with Bayerische Motoren Werke AG or BMW NA. The Club assumes no responsibility for any of the information contained within. Ideas and technical information are solely those of the authors and no authentication is implied. Contributions from all members are welcomed and encouraged! Information contained within the newsletter is for The Club’s use and permission is granted to reproduce material only if GVC’s der BAYERISCHE brief is given credit. Email [email protected] Web Site www.gvc-bmwcca.org EVENTS CHAIR Dave Lanni – Chief Instr & Instr Training 315-579-0064 [email protected] Jim Dresser 585-624-9890 [email protected] AUTOCROSS CHAIR Jim Dresser – Registrar 585-624-9890 [email protected] EDITOR/ART DIRTR. DRIVER’S SCHOOL Joe Burke [email protected] REGISTRAR Seth Berlfein 315-524-3126 [email protected] CO-EDITOR Elaine Lanni 315-597-0064 [email protected] Credits: Images and text with BMW have been taken from the BMW Press Club web site. Elaine Lanni 315-597-0064 [email protected] Andy Blake [email protected] Bill O’Neill – Chairman 585-275-4023 William_ONeill@urmc. rochester.edu CLUB RACING John Bulbulia [email protected] Marketing Ad Rep MEMBERS AT LRG. TOOLS & TECH ?S Robert Kraus – Buffalo 716-631-9125 [email protected] Roy Hopkins 585-352-5938 607-533-7000 day [email protected] Adrienne Hughes – Rochester 585-352-5938 Gene Skic [email protected] Joe Ajavon 585-264-1102 [email protected] Karl Hughes – Syracuse 315-687-5799 [email protected] Karla Kuzawinski [email protected] der bayerische brief President’s Message vince H LEO ere’s hoping that you all are having a great summer! It’s hard to believe that the year is half over -- but there are lots more great GVC events still on our calendar. I want to thank everyone who worked hard to make our Mosport drivers school a success – in spite of the economy and our reworked format! Please check the calendar in this issue so that you don’t miss any upcoming gatherings. See details for all events at www.gvc-bmwcca.org . We’ll be having an open meet and greet get-together on the third Wednesday in September at the Distillery on Winton Road. That’s September 16 at ~6:30 pm. Just show up and find us in the bar area. To all “old” members, please wear a hat or T-shirt that will identify you as a club member so that new members can find us. Check out our web site for details closer to these dates. On a personal note, I’ve been asked re- cently why I withdrew from BMW club racing, and the answer is simple... I’ve been with my 11 year old son, Michael, racing go-karts. In six short weeks I’ve watched him go from spinning like a top and getting lapped twice in his first race – to him winning his first feature race – in a downpour no less! Completely gratifying!! Watching him earn his first win was better than anything I ever won on track. The torch has been passed! I want to publicly thank Rick Hoyt and Jim Simpson for all their set-up and kart racing advice. Without them, Mike would be stuck listening full time to me! Forty Years of BMW Motorcycle Production in Berlin-Spandau M unich/Berlin. BMW Plant Berlin, where all BMW motorcycles are built, now looks back at a tradition of no less than forty years, with more than 1,882,400 BMW motorcycles coming off the production lines to date. What started in 1969 with 400 employees and 30 units of the new BMW /5 model series built per day, had however already contributed through efficient production to the success of the BMW Group in the three preceding decades. How it All Started – from Aircraft Engines to Motorcycles. Berlin-Spandau became a BMW AG production plant back in 1939. Up to that time the plant had belonged to Siemens & Halske, which back then had built their new aircraft engine production facility 4 where the BMW Plant is today, producing famous engines such as the Sh-14a radial power unit for the famous German Bücker 133c “Jungmeister” aerobatics biplane. In 1936 the Siemens Aircraft Engine Plant was transformed into the independent company Brandenburgische Motoren Werke GmbH, which also built aircraft engines now under the name “Bramo”. In 1939 Bramo became part of BMW AG and served until the end of the war as the production plant for BMW aircraft engines including the nine-cylinder radial power units for the legendary Junkers JU 52. After the war the plant in Berlin-Spandau – like other factories and production facilities in Germany – was dismantled by the Allies. But in May 1945 some 100 employees at the plant were already producing various utensils for daily use, and after the currency reform the Berlin Plant began to build tools for BMW AG in Munich. Production of motorcycles components for the BMW’s Main Plant in Munich started in 1949 as the first step in gradually moving motorcycle production from the River Isar in Munich to the River Spree in Berlin. And as of 1958, BMW car components were also built to an increasing extent in Berlin-Spandau. Motorcycle Production Moves from Munich to Berlin. When BMW’s managers in Munich started to consider the option to move motorcycle production from Munich in the mid-60s due to the significant increase in car production, Berlin with its well-trained workforce was an obvious choice. So in 1969 the Berlin Plant started production of the all-new BMW /5 Series, a completely new design and der bayerische brief BMW Motorcycle construction following a modular principle all the way from the suspension to the flat-twin power unit. BMW Motorrad started out back then with three new models in the market: the 32-hp R 50/5 intended especially for the authorities such as the police, the R 60/5 very popular among touring riders with its 42-hp power unit, and, ultimately, the R 75/5 featuring a 50-hp flat-twin for sporting riding dynamics, a top speed of 175 km/h or 109 mph, and outstanding sales success in the international market. With the motorcycle – which, in the 1960s, had been almost forced out of the market by the automobile – starting to re-gain popularity in the early 1970s, production figures at BMW Plant Berlin began to increase rapidly. In 1970 no less than 12,287 units came off the production line and by July 1973, when the /5 model series reached the end of production, a significant volume of 68,956 motorcycles had left the Berlin Plant, production increasing five-fold within just three years. Another highlight celebrated at the time was the completion of the 500,000th BMW motorcycle in the history of the Company. The new /6 model series upgraded der bayerische brief in numerous features and, as a particular highlight, the legendary BMW R 90 S, were presented on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of BMW Motorrad in autumn 1973. Displacing 898 cc, the flat-twin power unit featured in this most powerful BMW by far delivered maximum output of 67 hp, sufficient for a top speed of 200 km/h (124 mph) and very sporting riding dynamics, without missing out on the all-round and touring qualities so typical of a BMW. Rapid Growth – from 0 to 100,000 in Six Years. The 100,000th BMW built in BerlinSpandau comes off the production line in January 1975, the famous BMW Boxer flat-twins reaching a new level of development just one year later marked by the introduction of the /7 model series. Apart from the R 60/7 and the R 75/7, BMW Motorrad also introduces the R 100/7, living up to the general trend to build larger motorcycles with a full litre engine capacity. And launching the R 100 RS, BMW also presents the world’s first production motorcycle with full fairing able to reach a top speed of 200 km/h or 124 mph with its 70-hp power unit while at the same time offering protection from wind and weather never seen before. This new model series again achieved outstanding success in sales, making it imperative to enlarge the Plant in Berlin-Spandau. A new Assembly Hall was therefore built to expand the production facilities, construction work starting in a symbolic ceremony in the presence of Walter Scheel, at the time the President of the Federal Republic of Germany. The purpose of the DM 200-million investment is to build up to 60,000 BMW motorcycles a year in Berlin-Spandau from now on, creating new jobs in the process. 40 YEARS cont’d on p8 ➤ 5 From the museum to the road: BMW Classic at the 2009 Mille Miglia Munich. Munich/Brescia. BMW and the Mille Miglia are united by a shared history that goes back a long way. The triumphs of the BMW 328 are as inseparably linked with this 1,000-mile race as the winning appearance of the BMW 507 in the late 1950s. 2009 sees BMW Classic writing a further chapter of this historic narrative. An icon of BMW racing history, normally only on view at the BMW Museum, has been rendered raceworthy again especially for this year’s Mille Miglia: the BMW 328 Mille Miglia Touring Coupé, overall winner of the 1940 event. “On the one hand we want to express the high regard in which we hold the Mille Miglia,” says Karl Baumer, head of BMW Classic, “and on the other our aim is to show that the BMW Museum is no dead-end street, but that we also put historic vehicles back on the road for special occasions.” Visitors to the Museum need not miss out on the legendary racing coupé: during its absence a faithfully reproduced replica will be standing in for the original. As well as the Touring Coupé, several BMW 328 production models will be sent out onto the roads between Rome and Brescia, along with a range of BMW 328 Mille Miglia Roadsters and a BMW 328 Berlin-Rome Roadster. The youngest BMW to make the journey from Munich to Italy will be a BMW 507 built in 1957. In all, nine works cars will be lining up at the start of this year’s Mille Miglia, with seven further teams bearing the blue and white logo also expected in Brescia. The teams: No. 71 BMW 328 (Prinz Leopold von Bayern / Peter Lovett) No. 72 BMW 328 (Ulrich Knieps / Dr. Hans Hamer) No. 73 BMW 328 (Maximilian Schöberl / Jürgen von Kuczkowski) 6 No. 74 No. 75 No.76 No. 77 No. 78 No. 365 BMW 328 Mille Miglia Coupé ( Andrea Castronovo / Kristian Ghedina) BMW 328 Berlin-Rome Touring Roadster (Ian Robertson / Charles Lord March) BMW 328 (Dr. Friedrich Eichiner / Dieter Pfundt) BMW 328 Mille Miglia Roadster (Heinrich Lingner / Karl Baumer) BMW 328 (Michael Schröder / Daniel Kiess) BMW 507 (Reiner Löslein / Marcel Botterweck) BMW 328 Berlin-Rome Touring Roadster In the hope of competing in the Berlin-Rome race scheduled for 1941, Germany’s National Sports Authority had three existing BMW Roadsters fitted with more advanced aerodynamic roadster bodies by Carrozzeria Touring of Milan. What ultimately emerged were racing cars that boasted an outstandingly good drag coefficient for the time. The events of the Second World War, however, put paid to any further motor racing events with German involvement. Year of construction 1937 chassis, 1941 body Engine 6-cylinder in-line Displacement 1971 cc Bore x Stroke 66 x 96 mm Power output 136 bhp at 6000 rpm Gearbox 4-speed Brakes Alfin drums, vented brake back plates Weight 780 kg Max. speed 200 km/h (125 mph) der bayerische brief BMW 328 The 328 Roadster, developed in 1935/36, is one of the legends of automobile history. Although only modest facilities were available, the result was a sports car of most attractive appearance that soon dominated the two-litre class. Modified competition versions won their classes at Le Mans and in the Mille Miglia. Of the 464 cars that were built, 403 had the standard roadster body, the remaining chassis being used for racing versions or special bodywork ordered by customers. Construction period 1936 - 1940 Quantity 464 Engine Six-cylinder in-line Displacement 1971 cc Bore x Stroke 66 x 96 mm Power output 80 bhp at 4500 rpm Transmission Four-speed, central shift Front brakes Hydraulic drum brakes Rear brakes Hydraulic drum brakes Dimensions 3900 x 1550 x 1400 mm Unladen weight 780 kg Max. speed 155 km/h BMW 328 Touring Coupé The company Touring in Milan built a particularly lightweight “superleggera” coupé body on the BMW 328 chassis for use in fast long-distance races. The improved aerodynamics were intended to achieve much higher speeds. The car was first used in June 1939 in the 24-hour race at Le Mans. Max Prinz zu Schaumburg-Lippe and Hans Wencher won the 2-litre sportscar class in a new record time and came 5th in the overall placings. In April 1940, the car driven by Fritz Huschke von Hanstein and Walter Bäumer won a commanding overall victory in the Mille Miglia. Successes and the overall concept make this vehicle a unique racing legend. Year of construction 1939 Engine Six-cylinder in-line Displacement 1971 cc Bore x Stroke 66 x 96 mm Power output 136 bhp at 6000 rpm Gearbox Four-speed Brakes Alfin drums, vented brake, back plates Weight 780 kg Max. speed 220 km/h (137 mph) BMW 328 Mille Miglia Roadster For lack of time, two of the three BMW 328 Roadster models scheduled to compete in the 1st Gran Premio Brescia delle Mille Miglia of 1940 had their bodywork built not in Munich, but by coachbuilders Touring of Milan on the basis of BMW designs. Like the BMW 328 Coupé, this aerodynamically advanced, ultra-lightweight body consisted of a tubular space frame with an aluminium skin. The team behind the wheel of this car comprised Willy Briem and Uli Richter, who propelled it to an outstanding fifth place overall in the 1940 Mille Miglia and thus played a key role in securing the team prize for BMW. der bayerische brief Year of construction Engine Displacement Bore x Stroke Power output Gearbox Brakes Weight Max. speed 1940 6-cylinder in-line 1971 cc 66 x 96 mm 130 bhp at 5750 rpm 4-speed Alfin drums, vented brake, back plates 700 kg 200 km/h (125 mph) BMW 507 The BMW 507 roadster was launched at the 1955 Frankfurt Motor Show. BMW had succeeded in creating one of the most beautiful sports cars of all time. The car was based on the technology of the 3.2 litre 502 saloon but with the power output increased to 150 bhp. The 507 was built to a design created by Albrecht Graf Goertz, a colleague of Raymond Loewy. This sports car, available with three different rear-axle transmission ratios and a range of top speeds between 190 and 220 km/h, worked wonders for the image of Bayerische Motoren Werke. Almost all BMW 507s, in many cases bought originally by international celebrities, are still on the road today. Two of them have special bodies. Year of construction 1957 Quantity 251 (1956 - 1959) Engine Eight-cylinder V-engine Displacement 3168 cc Bore x Stroke 82 x 75 mm Power output 150 bhp at 5000 rpm Transmission Four-speed, central shift Front brakes Hydraulic duplex brakes with servo Rear brakes Hydraulic simplex brakes with servo Dimensions 4380 x 1650 x 1260 mm Unladen weight 1220 kg Max. speed 205 km/h BMW and the Mille Miglia: triumphs for eternity The name says it all, and it has a legendary resonance: Mille Miglia. From its inception, this road trial covering 1,000 miles was considered the ultimate challenge for drivers and cars alike. Those who stayed the course in the Mille Miglia proved not only their competitiveness in motor sports but also their automotive engineering prowess. Between 1927 and 1957, the Mille Miglia was staged 24 times in northern Italy. It was a spectacular event for many thousands of motor sport fans and a perfect stage for race drivers such as Tazio Nuvolari, Stirling Moss, Rudolf Caracciola, Juan Manuel Fangio and Fritz Huschke von Hanstein. But the Mille Miglia was also a crucial trial of strength for car manufacturers. The legendary event celebrated its revival in 1977 and, as a reliability trial for historic vehicles, has kept alive the spirit of classic car racing ever since. In 1925 four young men from Brescia, as wealthy as they were enthusiastic about motor racing, had resolved to turn their home town into a hub of motor sports. Two years later they saw their plans come to fruition. MILLE MIGLIA cont’d on p9 ➤ 7 40 YEARS from p5 ➤ In 1978 BMW Motorrad again enlarges its model range through the introduction of the R 100 RT, a full-fairing motorcycle closely related to the R 100 RS, but focusing fully on the needs of the touring rider in terms of aerodynamics, ergonomics and comfort. At the same time the so-called “small Boxer Series” makes its entry into the market in the guise of the R 45 and the R 65, once again boosting both production and sales figures. The BMW Motorcycle Plant in BerlinSpandau also helps to use synergies within the BMW Group, taking over the production of brake discs for BMW cars in 1979 as another major activity. BMW Motorcycles from BerlinSpandau – Innovation in Technology and Superior Quality The 250,000th BMW motorcycle built in Berlin comes off the production line in 1980 – a special machine built for the palace motorcycle escort of King Hussein of Jordan. In the same year Rolf Witthöft brings home the European Offroad Championship on an 800-cc BMW, and shortly thereafter the R 80 G/S makes its debut with relatively modest 50 hp engine output. Combining innovative suspension technology weighing just 186 kg or 410 lb, the R 80 G/S offers outstanding qualities not only in offroad riding, but also in everyday use and as an ideal partner on motorcycle tours. A particular innovation hitting the headlines at the time is the single swinging arm or 8 BMW Monolever on the rear wheel. The biggest enduro motorcycle at its time in terms of engine size soon sets the foundation for a brand-new segment in the market, the large-capacity Grand Touring Enduro. Yet a further milestone in the history of BMW Plant Berlin-Spandau is the introduction of the new BMW K Series with its water-cooled straight-four power unit fitted flat within the frame and featuring fuel injection for the first time. This new machine also marks the start of the new Assembly Line and the new Machining Shop, a DM 500-million investment serving to integrate modern industrial production facilities in the buildings protected by the government as national monuments. Seeking for ongoing innovation in technology, BMW Motorrad subsequently launches the BMW K1 in 1988, a truly outstanding machine offering a whole range of highlights in technology. This is the first production motorcycle from BMW to feature four valves per cylinder, maximum output of 100 hp and sophisticated aerodynamics providing a top speed of 240 km/h or 149 mph. The most important feature, however, is the introduction of ABS anti-lock brakes for the first time ever on a motorcycle as a world-first achievement. To this day, in fact, BMW Motorrad remains the leader in riding safety also through the use of sophisticated ABS technology. To an increasing extent BMW motorcycles not only have an excellent reputation worldwide in terms of quality, riding dynamics and comfort, but also make a substantial contribution to the image of the BMW brand. Many celebrities enjoy Sheer Riding Pleasure on a BMW, US actor Peter Fonda, for example, very well known to motorcyclists at the latest after his famous film Easy Rider, visiting the BMW Plant in Berlin on 23 February 1990 on the occasion of his 50th birthday. Reaching Seven Digits in 1992 – the 1,000,000th BMW Comes off the Production Line Just one year later the 1,000,000th BMW motorcycle comes off the production line in Berlin-Spandau, with the production of BMW motorcycles in Berlin in the course of the last 22 years now exceeding the mark of 500,000 units. The introduction of a fundamentally new design and construction principle following the concept and configuration typical of BMW marks the 70th birthday of the BMW Boxer in 1993, the 90-hp BMW R 1100 RS making its debut with a top speed of 215 km/h (133 mph) and full fairing to the benefit of the rider. The flat-twin power unit now comes with chain-driven crankshafts positioned half-way up the engine, four valves per cylinder, and fuel injection. To this day this construction principle sets the foundation for all BMW Boxers. der bayerische brief The R 1100 RS also introduces outstanding innovations in terms of its suspension and running gear, becoming the world’s first production motorcycle to feature the Telelever, a ball-joint longitudinal arm fork separating the spring/ damping functions, on the one hand, from the process of wheel guidance, on the other, and thus clearly standing out from the conventional telescopic fork. Indeed, this opens up a new dimension in terms of response and smooth handling, at the same time ensuring very well-balanced brake performance with automatic anti-dive. The new Boxer series again proves highly successful, BMW Motorrad building and selling more than 50,000 motorcycles for the first time in 1995. A large number of these machines are BMW GS models consistently developed not only in technical terms since their introduction in 1980 and therefore acknowledged the world over as “the” grand touring enduro. The last BMW with the “old” flat-twin engine comes off the production line in 1996, the R 80 GS Basic concluding the highly successful chapter of BMW’s two-valve Boxers after 27 years of production. Always a Step Ahead – also in Terms of Quality of Work and Environmental Protection. The innovative power and clear focus on the future of BMW Motorrad is not limited to the Company’s two-wheel products alone. On the contrary, quality of work and environmental protection are likewise indispensable parts of the Company’s philosophy. So it is no surprise that in 1997 BMW Plant Berlin is acknowledged as the first motorcycle plant in the world to fulfil the international standards for labour and environmental management, after having switched over the in-house supply of energy from oil to gas just one year before. With the F 650 GS, BMW Motorrad introduces its third model series in 1999, supplementing the Boxer and the K Series. In all the Company invests DM 4.5 million in the expansion of the new Assembly Line for this single-cylinder built in Berlin-Spandau, with more models to der bayerische brief follow in future. Riding pleasure, quality and the image of BMW motorcycles remain appealing to celebrities everywhere, German actor Götz George, to this day a passionate BMW motorcycle rider, visiting BMW motorcycle production in his home city Berlin in the late ‘90s. Focusing on the Future – Innovations and Investments. With the success of BMW Motorrad and BMW Plant Berlin continuing unabated, the foundation stone for a new Production Hall, Building 7 completed just two years later, is laid in May 2001. In all BMW invests Euro 280 million in the new Assembly Hall, an automated Paintshop and new machining facilities from 1999 – 2003, thus making a clear commitment to the Berlin-Spandau Plant as the Group’s motorcycle production facility. A BMW R 1100 RT for the Red Cross comes off the production line in the same year as the 500,000th BMW with ABS anti-lock brakes. In the years to come, not only motorcycles, but also production conditions continue to shape the destiny of BMW Plant Berlin. A new, environmentally friendly Paintshop, for example, is opened in 2004, followed by the introduction of environmentally-friendly one-way and recyclable motorcycle packaging just one year later. The first version of BMW Motorrad’s new, fourth model series – the F 800 GS – comes off the production line for the first time in 2006, featuring a watercooled straight-two power unit (the parallel-twin) and setting the foundation for future models with this drive concept. Also in 2006 BMW Plant Berlin for the first time builds more than 100,000 BMW motorcycles within one calendar year – and the introduction of hydroclear water-based paint in 2008 again confirms the clear commitment of the BMW Motorcycle Plant to the cause of environmental protection. The 500,000 BMW bearing the famous model designation “GS”, a BMW R 1200 GS, comes off the production line on 12 May 2009, with production of the new BMW S 1000 RR, the first supersports from BMW Motorrad, also starting this year. MILLE MIGLIA from p7 ➤ Henceforth, the start and finish line in Brescia would take on a carnival atmosphere, with the drivers and their automobiles enthusiastically celebrated by the numerous spectators who flocked there. E ach year racing fever spread throughout the land – and not only because the cars that dominated the event were initially of Italian manufacture. The first Mille Miglia led through Bologna and Florence to Rome, and from there through Ancona, Ferrara, Treviso and Vicenza back to Brescia. In subsequent years the route also went over unsurfaced roads and through narrow village streets. It was a tough test for drivers and vehicles alike, creating a unique atmosphere in which man and machine were constantly driven to their physical limits. Its critics were deeply concerned about safety, and their fears were tragically vindicated in 1938 when ten people died in a terrible accident near Bologna. This tragedy prompted the Italian government to impose an immediate ban on racing events on public roads. Just two years later, the rally was replaced by the 1st Gran Premio Brescia delle Mille Miglia. Once again the course covered 1,000 miles, but this time it ran along paved roads in the city triangle between Brescia, Cremona and Mantua. Competitors drove around the course nine times, while spectators got to know not only a new route but also an entirely new triumphant car. For many years the 8-cylinder bolides from Alfa Romeo had dominated the Mille Miglia with their supercharged engines that produced up to 360 hp. Only in 1931 did Rudolf Caracciola manage to halt the Italians’ winning streak in a powerful, supercharged Mercedes SSKL. But then a new kind of sports car appeared on Europe’s racing circuits: the BMW 328, actually a rather delicate vehicle when compared to its competitors, with its 2-litre engine and a modest output of 80 hp. This small 2-litre-class roadster won the Mille Miglia in 1938, enabling BMW’s breakthrough. But the truly great triumph followed in 1940 MILLE MIGLIA cont’d on p16 ➤ 9 News from National Greetings from Greenville! Once again, we have some new items this month—along with a few you’ve already seen; we left the current events in! Let’s start with some news: Allegheny Chapter shines at Pittsburgh Vintage Grand Prix The Pittsburgh Vintage Grand Prix is a unique event hosted annually in Pittsburgh’s Schenley Park—a venue that allows vintage autos of all makes to race through the park’s tree-lined streets. BMW was this year’s featured marque, and the Allegheny Chapter made the most of their opportunity to highlight all things BMW! The event began with a BMW Club race at BeaveRun and continued over ten days with shows, dinners, receptions, driving tours, and finally the races, corral, and concours in Schenley Park. Nearly 300 BMWs crowned “German Hill” at the BMW CCA/ Allegheny Chapter Corral, and 46 cars were entered in the concours. BMW CCA and Vintage Club members brought historic BMWs dating back to the 1930s for display and racing. Scott Hughes took third place overall in the Schenley Park BMW races; a veteran Club racer—in fact, Hughes invented BMW CCA Club Racing!—Scott drove his 1974 CSL, a car that won its class at Le Mans and is one of only sixteen remaining today. Huge thanks to the officers and volunteers of the Allegheny Chapter for their outstanding performance organizing and sustaining a ten-day event. We are happy to report that all friendships and marriages that existed prior to the event continue to this day—and Liberty Mutual and BMW CCA were pleased to be among the sponsors of this one-of-a-kind event. Oktoberfest 2009: Early-bird registration discount ends this week! Oktoberfest registration is still running ahead of last year’s at the same time. 10 The early-bird reservation discount ends August 2, 2009. There is still hotel space availability at the Holiday Inn Express at Chateau Élan (770 867-8100), located across from the main gates of Chateau Élan Winery and Resort in Braselton, GA. Group rates are valid for booking from May 5 through September 14. You can proceed directly to the registration desk by using this URL: http://tinyurl. com/2009hotel or call 1-888-HOLIDAY (888 465-4329). Use Group Code BMW. Please make your reservations as soon as possible! Michelin will sponsor the Gymkhana at the Performance Center in Spartanburg. BMW will be furnishing X5s for Club members to romp through the course utilizing BMWs motorcycle-training area in the rear of the facility. The topography is hilly, curvy, and bumpy; it undulates to the left and right, and should significantly challenge your driving skills. The Sandlapper Chapter will be your host for this fun-filled event. Thursday and Friday driving schools are full, but the Wednesday school still has some slots available. The Saturday/ Sunday driving school is only available to students with previous Road Atlanta experience. We still have room for more companies and organizations who would like the opportunity to display their wares to a special national audience: the BMW CCA nation. If you know anyone who fits the description, please contact Linda Axelson at 864-250-0022 or by e-mail at lindaa@ bmwcca.org. A reminder: Our dedicated Oktoberfest website — http://www. bmwccaofest.org — is the best and fastest way to learn everything about this outstanding event. Official O’Fest 2009 merchandise is now available online for purchase. Sign up today! Come and experience Fall in the South as we celebrate our 40th anniversary. Y’all be glad you did—we guarantee it! O’Fest 2009 Souvenir Program Ad Space Would you like to place an ad in the O’Fest Souvenir Journal? Now you can! Take out an ad to wish someone well on their first driving event at Road Atlanta. Congratulate your chapter officers for the great job they’ve done. Acknowledge the meaningful friendships you have developed through BMW CCA. Remember that special BMW CCA friend who may or may not be with us anymore. If you or someone you know would like to participate in this exciting opportunity, please call Linda Axelson at (864)250-0022 or e-mail lindaa@bmwcca. org 2009 BMW CCA Car-Of-Your-Dreams Raffle The raffle has only one month to go! If you haven’t been to the website recently, stop by and click on the Car-OfYour-Dreams Raffle Link: www.bmwccaraffle.org. From there you can even buy your tickets online—for a chance at the car of your dreams! Our Grand Prize is your choice of any BMW up to an MSRP of $102,100. (What a coincidence! That’s the price of a new M6!) The First Prize is your choice of any BMW up to a total MSRP of $66,650. Then, depending on the number of tickets sold, we will likely award several Main Prizes— any BMW up to an MSRP of $42,000. (BMW 135i, anyone?!) As always, only BMW CCA members—including associates—are eligible to purchase tickets and win prizes. You must be a member in good standing as of 5:00 p.m. EDT, Friday, August 31, 2009, to qualify to purchase tickets. The maximum number of tickets available for purchase will be ten (10) per valid membership. Tickets are available for purchase on our website. The annual raffle is one of our most popular programs. Chapters may promote the raffle and take advantage of it as a recruitment opportunity! Central Cal stages West Coast Concours at Monterey To kick off the Monterey Historics weekend, the Central California Chapter of BMW CCA will host the BMW CCA West Coast Summer Concours on Friday, August 14, in the Monterey-Carmel Valley area. Sponsored by Liberty Mutual and BMW CCA, this event will cover the splendid lawns of the Rancho Canada Golf Course, located on Carmel Valley road just east of historic California Highway 1. der bayerische brief This event will be limited to two hundred cars in judging competition, but will include a parking corral area for those registered but not participating in the concours competition. The Summer Concours site is also a perfect location for a picnic lunch, and attendees are encouraged to bring their own baskets. Additional attractions may include winetasting, a silent auction for a local charity, and several guest speakers and celebrity judges. There will be additional vendors and displays on site. For additional information, please contact Wayne Wundram at [email protected] or visit www.cccbmwcca.org. BMW Festorics set for Monterey Historics The Golden Gate Chapter’s event at the Monterey Historic Races—the BMW Festorics—is perhaps the most significant of all their events, celebrating the mystique of BMW and our appreciation for the marque. Set for August 14–16, the Festorics features a two-day parking corral with hospitality tents overlooking Laguna Seca’s Turn Five—the slightly banked left-hander that can be taken without lifting, if your nerve is up. The Festorics package includes the opportunity to buy corral tickets, lunch tickets, a special BMW banquet ticket, and even tickets to the Monterey Historic Races themselves—all from one convenient source! But the corral at the track is only one attraction. Don’t miss the BMW banquet, or the insiders’ tour of the whole Monterey Historics weekend. It’s an affair you won’t want to miss! BMW Corral set for Labor Day Lime Rock Vintage Fest Members in the North Central Region are inviting all of BMW CCA to participate in their corral at Lime Rock Park during the Rolex Vintage Festival, September 4–7, 2009. As the event website says: “There is nothing like the perfect late-summer afternoons that the Northwest corner of Connecticut produces, and with a breathtaking collection of cars that take to the track, there is no better way to spend Labor Day weekend.” Fans discover the glamour, glory, and style of historic and vintage sports cars as they claim focus of der bayerische brief the event both on track, in the open paddock, and during the prestigious Sunday in the Park Automotive Extravaganza. Sunday in the Park has evolved from what was essentially considered a local car show 27 years ago into a car-showand-concours extravaganza devoted to automotive beauty, history, and diversity. The park will be engulfed with interesting vintage and historic sports cars, classics, customs and hot rods, woodies, trucks, racing cars, and motorcycles. There will also be marque car-club groupings including Morgan, celebrating their 100th anniversary, Porsche, BMW, Corvette, and Aston Martin. All of this makes for a wonderful day out in the scenic green valley of Lime Rock Park. Here are the special BMW CCA details! BMW CCA North Central Region Chapters will be assisting with a special BMW Corral this year, which will feature parade laps on Saturday. To get discount tickets, make sure you enter the BMW special code—2009BMW—when you place your order. The parade size will be limited, so if you want to participate or have questions, please e-mail Paul Ngai New Jersey Chapter at with your name, CCA number, and chapter name. There will also be special BMW display parking on the track during Sunday’s car show. Ticket costs: Weekend $80/per person, Saturday/Monday $35/per person (10% discount with the Special BMW Code.) When ordering tickets on the LRP website (tickets.limerock.com/eventperformances.asp?evt=13), after clicking “Tickets,” you need to scroll down and click on to “Vintage Festival Corrals.” That will show a box for the BMW Special Code. Sunday in the Park has a $20-per-person track admission charge, but there’s no charge this year to enter the car show. BMW CCA Foundation open house set for September Are you looking for something to do on Sunday, September 27, following the Petit Le Mans at Road Atlanta? Well, now you have something to do between the race and Oktoberfest! The BMW CCA Foundation will hold an open house that day between the hours of 10:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. EDT. If you are driving to O’Fest on Sunday, make a detour and stop by the office; they would love to give you a tour of their new home. The Foundation recently moved into a new facility located just a couple of miles off I-85 in Greenville, SC. Foundation curator Michael Mitchell says, “We not only have room to display and grow our archives, but we can also display a car.” Currently they have the Ray Korman E30 M3 (serial number 001) on loan. Additionally, CCA members can view a trailer—made from the rear end of a 2002tii—which is permanently displayed at the office. Please note: The Foundation office will not be open during the week of O’Fest , as the staff will be at O’Fest and you can visit with them there. If you have anything you want to donate to the Foundation—books, brochures, magazines, or just about anything automotive- or motorcycle-related—bring it with you to the open house. Please RSVP by September 15—and feel to contact Michael Mitchell if you have any questions. If you would like to donate any automotive or motorcycle-related materials to the Foundation, now is the time. Bring them with you on the trip, and save on shipping. Contact Michael Mitchell for further details: [email protected]. 2010 Chapter Congress set for Dallas The next Congress will be in Dallas on March 5-7, 2010 at the Westin DFW. Each chapter will be invited to send three members to the Congress with airfare and lodging paid for by the Club. The meeting will focus on leadership development, long-term planning, and recruitment. At this time the agenda remains partially open; chapter presidents will be surveyed for topics of interest to fill in the blanks. Hey, Frank! When are you going to lay off the e-mails?! Some members have questioned the volume of e-mails we’ve sent from the National Office recently, promoting our affinity credit card, the roadside assistance program, HPDE insurance, Liberty Mutual, and other member benefits. NATIONAL cont’d on p14➤ 11 annual pancake run by Mel Dilion The day before was cold, wet, snowy and miserable. Not good portents for what was to take place the next morning. But, thirty souls with faith in the weather forecast put aside their concerns and braved a brisk Sunday morning for the annual pancake run. Good to meet the Wrights from Ontario who started out on Saturday in their beautiful 6 series only to be turned back by snow. We had members and non-members alike from directly across the big pond ( Lake Ontario ), the Syracuse area, Buffalo and several points in between. A couple of the Western New York MINI club members joined us this year also. Made for quite a conga line as we snaked our way down to the Maple Tree Inn. The drive was beautifully sunny; the roads were clear except for some road kill encountered half way there. It was a picture perfect run, other than the general anxiety several drivers ex- 12 pressed when we turned onto the last leg of the journey only to encounter snow on both sides of the road from the previously mentioned foul weather. This year the queue outside the Inn was short and I don’t think we took twenty minutes from arrival to being seated at a table. Much nicer then the years when we have stood outside in the blowing snow for some period of time. That’s for certain. But then again, maybe they knew we were coming? LOL. The short wait did cut down on the time spent chatting up other participants while waiting, which was missed. Afterwards several cars made a scenic tour through Letchworth park while the rest headed back to Rochester and other parts. This was one of the biggest turnouts we have had in a while. Let’s hope for more good weather and more attendees next year. der bayerische brief der bayerische brief Germany, in Bavaria. I suppose a week anytime in Germany is always better than SoCal in March, especially since it would be my first trip to the nation that bore our beloved BMWs. That was the plan. Instead (yes, this is intentional repetition), three days before departing for Munich, the seminar organizer was called away for an emergency meeting on another topic – so Germany was put on hold, and it seemed my work travel-luck had run out. But then, the Bavarian seminar was rescheduled for mid-May – no small feat to quickly find free time among people traveling from around the world: Austria, Brazil, China, Germany, India, and the USA. I didn’t really trust that I was going, though, until the airplane wheels lifted off from Philadelphia. And the plane’s two-hour departure delay added to my belief I still wasn’t going to Germany. But I did go, I’m back, and I loved it! The business aspect was good of course, but I managed to work in some extra fun during my weekend. I got to see much of the countryside on a 25 kilometer mountain bike ride with some colleagues (and this was the “easy trip,” according to our leader, since we were mountain biking novices). I admit, for the first hour or so, I thought about how I’d much rather be blasting down the country roads in something propelled by a straight six with a roundel on the hood. But despite the great physical toll, it was indeed a fun ride and an excellent way to see Germany. One very cool aspect was pausing on an overpass over an unrestricted straight section of Autobahn. The sound alone of the cars whooshing by at high speed is not something I’ll forget. During the other half of the weekend we went to Austria to visit a hydropower plant (I work for a hydropower company) high in the mountains (where even in May, I saw BMWs wearing Nokian tires because of the ever-present snow), and during the trip I got to ‘carwatch,’ -- one of my favorite activities. There are few better places to get a great view of a multitude of cool cars going quickly than on a tour bus driving three hours on German and Austrian Autobahns. The best were Porsches coming from a Carrera Cup race: one 911 that went by with such fury in the opposite direction that I only had time to make out its shape and nothing else, and the Audi R8 that simply blew the bus away with a glorious roar. Of course there were plenty of home-grown BMWs to be seen, too. I did not find the Heidenheim 2002 Turbo I met in Hershey a few years ago, but I’m holding out hope that I’ll see it next time. My peers at work already know of me by now: “Have lust for German cars, will travel!” The Bimmer Boy ack in March I had planned out a piece to write for this space, about a great road in southern California. I was headed for a business trip to Palm Springs, and, while looking for extra-curricular activities, I saw California Route 74 on the map nearby. The road heads south out of Palm Desert, through the San Bernardino National Forest, and forms the Pines to Palms Highway. I counted no fewer than 25 curves or so in the first 15 miles, and if nothing else would provide some great views of the desert valley. The fact that I’d be in some econo-rental car was out of my control. That was the plan. Instead, five days before I was set to leave, and escape the northeast in late winter for the dry, hot weather of southern California, it was decided I needed to stay in York and work on a different project rather than travel to the conference. So I’m still assuming that the road is fun, and I’m keeping it marked for a trip…sometime. In the meantime, I put away my sunscreen and flip-flops and got ready for another business trip in April – this time to my company’s headquarters in Heidenheim, russell LABARCA B 13 Of course, if our membership num- “our” club will do more to increase our NATIONAL cont’d from p11➤ bers were higher, we might not need ranks than anything else. Is this e-mail really necessary, you ask— To encourage members to help the such support. How about making a midand I have to tell you the simple answer is Club grow, we hold an annual memberyear resolution? We all know of a few yes. Each of these programs has brought ship drive with meaningful rewards. BMW drivers who don’t know about the much-needed dollars into the Club cofThe membership drive for 2009 runs Club; why not make it a personal resolufers; this allows us all to enjoy Roundel, from Feb. 19, 2009 though Dec 17, 2009. tion to recruit just one new member this Oktoberfest, Chapter Congresses, and There are three membership drive cateyear? That would double our numbers for more—without a primary-membershipgories. The categories for the awarding of 2010! fee increase since 2004. prizes include one for the club’s members Meanwhile, here are some other inEach of these programs has been carefully selected by the staff and ap- centives that might help you commit to in general, one for those members who work for a BMW dealer or independent proved by the BMW CCA Board of Direc- recruiting new members: BMW shop, and one for BMW CCA chaptors because they are backed by reputers. table companies and add value to the 2009 Membership Drive The rules are detailed below. If you Club experience. Liberty Mutual offers Since the beginning of 2009 the Club want to get credit for signing up a meminsurance that is specifically designed for has experienced a drop in membership ber, make sure the person adds your BMW owners; Lockton Affinity offers dis- each and every month. Some months name and member ID to any paper form counted HPDE insurance so you can en- have seen smaller decreases than others, or online form. joy driving your car at BMW CCA driving and the national office is doing as much events; our roadside-assistance program as it can, with limited resources, to stimprotects you when your BMW coverage ulate growth. National office staff and BMW CCA Membership Contest no longer applies; and the PartnersFirst volunteers are attending more functions rules: the fine print! Visa card allows you to pay for all things than ever before, to actively recruit new These are the official rules and superBMW CCA with points earned on your members. We redesigned our recruit- sede any description listed elsewhere and card. Most recently, PartnersFirst has pur- ment materials and are placing ads in a any verbal communications. chased one-year membership extensions variety of car related outlets. for more than 200 members. Actions taken on the national level February 19, 2009 to December 17, “. . . but isn’t my $40 a year enough are valuable and necessary as part of con- 2009 to cover the costs of the Club?” certed effort to maintain the Club during The BMW CCA membership drive is open Well, you would think it would cover these difficult economic times. However, to three categories of participants: everything, but unfortunately $40 doesn’t these actions are require a grassroots 1. Current BMW CCA members, go very far these days. Here’s a quick effort from our Chapters and individual 2. Current BMW CCA members who breakdown of where that $40 goes: $15.30 members. The Club could spend tens of work for a BMW dealer or indepenof every membership fee is sent back to thousands on advertising and still not be dent BMW shop, and each member’s primary chapter. Another as successful at recruitment as our mem3. BMW CCA chapters $15 is allocated toward the cost of Roun- bers can be one on one. A smile, a handdel. The $9.70 that is left over must cover shake and a heartfelt invitation to join New Membership Definition the Club’s operating expenses, A new membership is defined as a such as staff, the Greenville Of course, if our office, membership for an individual that has MEMBERSHIP STATS as of 6/18/2009 membership numbers were Full Associate Total IT maintenance, insurance, chapnot previously belonged to BMW CCA, higher, we might not need such 63,150 9,261 72,411 Current Membership ter congresses, event subsidies, or an individual that was previously a support. How about making a mid-year resolution? We all travel, promotional materials BMW CCA member but whose memknow of aelse few BMW 63,542 9,295 72,837 and everything that drivers makes Last Monthʼs Membership bership lapsed at least six months who don’t know about the what we do possible. So ityes, -392 -34 -426 Monthly Net Gain (Loss) prior to the date of the new memberClub; why not make a we personal to recruit do what we can resolution to associate our- Monthly % Change ship. A new membership with a cor-0.62% -0.37 -0.58% one new member this year? selves withjust companies who offer responding associate membership That would double our numbers products for and services useful to Last Yearʼs Membership 2010! counts as one new membership. 65,977 9,678 75,655 our members—and who will- Annual Net Gain (Loss) Meanwhile, hereare are some -2,827 -417 -3,244 that might ing to payother for incentives the privilege of help asEligibility -4.28% -4.31% -4.29% Annual % Change you commit to recruiting new sociating with the BMW CCA. And To be eligible, current BMW CCA members: in this day and age, those e-mails members must be paid members in 66,104 9,872 75,976 2007 Membership 2009 Drive are the best wayMembership to let you know good standing through December 31, -2,954 -611 -3,565 Net Gain (Loss) for 2 years Since beginningoffers; of about benefits andthespecial 2009 (that is, they may not be mem2009 the Club has experienced -4.47% -6.19% -4.69% % Change for 2 years without them you might be missbers by virtue of being “comped” by a drop in membership each and New Members 840 ing out onevery a part of Some the Club month. monthsyou BMW CCA or a BMW CCA chapter). Renewals 55.85% have seen smaller decreases Roundels Mailed 64,591 really enjoy. 14 than others, and the national office is doing as much as it can, with limited resources, to stimulate growth. National office staff and volunteers are attending more functions than ever before, to actively recruit new members. We redesigned our recruitment materials and are placing ads in a variety of car related outlets. Actions taken on the national level are valuable and necessary as part of concerted effort to maintain the Club during these difficult economic times. However, these actions are require a der bayerische brief About the Categories The program differentiates between BMW CCA members who work at BMW dealers or independent shops and those who don’t. The reason for this is because those who work at places where BMWs are sold, serviced, or repaired are assumed to have a much greater opportunity to meet BMW owners who may not already be members of BMW CCA. While all BMW CCA members have equal opportunities to receive a reward for the new member, they will only be competing against other members in their own category for the grand prizes. Category 1: Rewards for current BMW CCA members who refer new members for each new member that joins, referring members will receive $5.00 in “BMW CCA Bucks” that can be used for the purchase of BMW CCA merchandise or applied to BMW CCA memberships. There is no limit to the amount of “BMW CCA Bucks” a member may receive based on new member referrals. Additionally, there will be grand prizes for the three BMW CCA members who refer the most members. • “BMW CCA Bucks” will be applied as a credit in the membership record of the Primary Member. • “BMW CCA Bucks” may be used to purchase BMW CCA merchandise or they may be applied toward the renewal of a BMW CCA Membership. Example: A member with 20 “BMW CCA Bucks” may opt to apply the 20 “BMW CCA Bucks” toward the cost of their upcoming membership renewal resulting in a $20.00 decrease in the renewal fee. • “BMW CCA Bucks will expire one year from date of accrual and have no cash surrender value. Date of accrual will be December 18, 2009. “BMW CCA Bucks” are non transferable. Category 2: Rewards for BMW dealer or independent BMW shop employees who refer new members Current BMW CCA Members employed by a BMW dealer or independent BMW shop: For each new member that joins, referring members will receive $5.00 in “BMW CCA Bucks” that can be used for the purchase of anything sold by BMW CCA. There is no limit to the amount of “BMW CCA Bucks” a member may receive based on new member referrals. Additionally, there will be grand prizes for the three BMW CCA members in this category who refer the most members. • “BMW CCA Bucks” will be applied as a credit in the membership record of the Primary Member. • “BMW CCA Bucks” may be used to purchase BMW CCA merchandise or they may be applied toward the renewal of a BMW CCA Membership. Example: A member with 20 “BMW CCA Bucks” may opt to apply the 20 “BMW CCA Bucks” toward the cost of their upcoming membership renewal resulting in a $20.00 decrease in the renewal fee. • “BMW CCA Bucks will expire one year from date of accrual and have no cash surrender value. Date of accrual will be December 18, 2009. “BMW CCA Bucks” are non-transferable. Please note that memberships purchased by dealers for their customers are not eligible. This exclusion is in effect even if a current BMW CCA member is listed on the application as a referrer. However, BMW Dealers or independent BMW Shops who purchase forty memberships will be entitled to one half-page ad in Roundel. BMW Dealers or independent BMW Shops who purchase eighty or more memberships will be entitled to one full-page ad. Category 3: Rewards for chapters that achieve a designated level of new member activity. Chapters are eligible for rewards based on an overall increase in their total membership and their renewal rate. Both are important for continued growth of the Club, since renewing members are more likely to stay in the Club for more years, while new members are needed to replace those members who don’t renew. Only primary chapter memberships will count toward chapter goals. Secondary chapter affiliations will not accrue towards the goals. To be eligible for rewards, chapters must be in good standing. Chapters that are officially on probation during the period of the membership drive will not be eligible. The basis for chapter goals for new members will be the total number of pri- mary members as of the official close in the National Office on February 18, 2009. The goals for chapters that gain or lose members due to chapter realignment or the creation or dissolution of chapters will be revised so that they maintain an equitable basis for rewards. • The total membership goal for each chapter is 10 percent; that is, the chapter will have reached its goal if, by December 17, 2009, its total number of primary members is equal to 110 percent of the number of primary members assigned to the chapter as of February 18, 2009. • The renewal goal for each chapter is 78 percent; that is, the Chapter will have reached its goal if, by December 17, 2009, at least 78 percent of its primary members as of February 18, 2009 have renewed their memberships. • Chapters that meet either their total membership goal or their renewal goal, but not both, will receive $100.00 of “BMW CCA Bucks” or $5.00 of “BMW CCA Bucks” per 100 members, whichever is greater. • Chapters that meet both their total membership and renewal goals will receive $150.00 of “BMW CCA Bucks” or $15.00 of “BMW CCA Bucks” per 100 members, whichever is greater. • Chapters that meet their renewal goal and meet or exceed 110 percent of their total membership goal will receive $200.00 of “BMW CCA Bucks” or $20.00 of “BMW CCA Bucks” per 100 members, whichever is greater, and a 5 percent discount on driving event insurance premiums for the year 2010. • Chapters that meet their renewal goal and meet or exceed 120 percent of their total membership goal will receive $300 of “BMW CCA Bucks” or $30.00 of “BMW CCA Bucks” per 100 members, whichever is greater, and a 10 percent discount on driving event insurance premiums for the year 2010. The top ten chapters in percentage of new members and the top ten chapters in renewal rates will be officially recognized in Roundel Magazine. NATIONAL cont’d on p16 ➤ der bayerische brief 15 NATIONAL from p15 ➤ New members can join: 1. By calling 1-800-878-9292 to submit their application and credit card information over the telephone. The referring member’s name and BMW CCA member number must be provided at the time the call is made. 2. By visiting the www.bmwcca.org web site and submitting an application online. To receive credit, the referring member’s name and BMW CCA member number must be entered in the appropriate space on the online application form. 3. By mailing a membership application to the National Office. In order to receive credit, the referring member’s name and BMW CCA member number must be written on the application. Membership applications/BMW CCA brochures are available from the National Office by calling (864) 250-0022 or sending an e-mail to [email protected]. Deadline, Procedures and Restrictions The National Office must receive all new member applications no later than December 16, 2009, to be counted. If referred by a current BMW CCA member, a new member application must contain the name and BMW CCA member number of the referring member in order for the referring member to receive credit. Credit may not be applied retroactively. If a new member cancels their membership within three months after joining, the referring individual will lose credit for that membership. If a new member is referred by a current associate member, the associate member will receive the “BMW CCA Bucks.” “BMW CCA Bucks” will be awarded at the end of the program and only to those who are members in good standing as of December 31, 2009. Prizes for Category 1 and 2. 1st Prize One day M School at the BMW Performance Center plus 2 nights lodging for one, not including transportation. Minimum of 30 referrals to qualify. Must be redeemed by December 31, 2010. 2nd Prize 2010 Oktoberfest Registration. Minimum of 20 referrals to qualify. 3rd Prize Valentine 1 Radar Detector, Minimum of 10 referrals to qualify. 16 BMW CCA members who are members of the National Board of Directors, paid employees of BMW CCA, Roundel senior staff, and members of their immediate families or households are eligible for referral reward incentives, but are not eligible for the grand prizes. Referral credit will not be given to applications received without the referring member’s BMW CCA member number. ”BMW CCA Bucks” awarded under this program will be mailed to members within 45 days of the end of the Membership Drive. To help members earn credit for every referral they make we suggest you use the attached link in all your e mails, forum and website postings. Delete “Your ID” from the end of the link replacing it with your membership number. When a potential member uses the link to join the club your membership number will automatically fill in on the join form. http:// bmwcca.org/index.php?pageid=club_ join&ref_by=YOUR_ID Questions? Questions about the 2009 BMW CCA Membership Drive may be directed to Frank Patek in the BMW CCA office, by e-mail to frank_patek@bmwcca. org. We have new recruitment brochures and “take one” applications available -please call or write to order some. MILLE MIGLIA from p9 ➤ when Fritz Huschke von Hanstein and Walter Bäumer drove to a historic victory in their BMW 328 Mille Miglia Coupé with a Touring body. Driving at an average speed of 166.7 km/h, they set a record that would remain unbeaten. The second-placed car, an Alfa Romeo, did not cross the finish line until a quarter of an hour after the victorious BMW 328. For BMW, this spectacular success was to remain the only overall victory in the classic event. The Second World War initially put an end not only to the Mille Miglia but also to BMW’s motor racing activities. On its revival in 1947, the Mille Miglia once again led from Brescia to Rome and back. Following Alfa Romeo’s win in the maiden event, Ferrari assumed the dominant role in subsequent years. After the war BMW no longer sent works teams to Italy. Despite some spec- tacular races – such as the 1955 victory by Stirling Moss and David Jenkinson in a Mercedes 300 SLR – the demise of the Mille Miglia was only a matter of time. The field of participants became increasingly bewildering; occasionally there were over 400 vehicles at the start line, including diesel models and oddities such as the ISO micro-car – the predecessor of the BMW Isetta – which bravely struggled across the Apennine passes in 1954. But above all, negotiating the roads and making it to the finish line became increasingly fraught with risk as the race cars grew more powerful and faster from year to year. The tragedy of 1938 was repeated in 1957 when a serious accident in Guidizzolo claimed 12 fatalities – and spelled the end for the Mille Miglia. The fascinating moments of the Mille Miglia remain etched in the memories of countless automobile enthusiasts – and they can be experienced again today in the Mille Miglia storica. In 1977, exactly half a century after the first Mille Miglia, a new version of the legendary race was staged for the first time. It is now held in May of each year as a reliability time trial at historic sites. The chase for best times has turned into a demonstration of automotive engineering skills in a three-day event that attracts hundreds of thousands of spectators to the roadsides. All vehicle models that participated in the classic Mille Miglia at least once between 1927 and 1957 are permitted to enter. That includes the BMW 328 and other models such as the BMW Isetta and BMW 507 – two models deployed by private competitors in the 1950s. Each year BMW Classic dispatches a range of vehicles from its collection to the Mille Miglia start line. Private teams are also involved in the 1,000-mile event. For fans of classic automobiles, today’s Mille Miglia enjoys an importance on a par with the significance of the original races for the motor sport scene of the time. Nowhere other than between Brescia and Rome is the history of motor sport and automotive engineering celebrated so intensely and impressively. The Mille Miglia storica pays homage to the design engineers and their creations, which continue to inspire professionals and aficionados to this day. der bayerische brief Calendar of Events September 19th, Saturday. Autocross at BIMP 26th & 27th, Saturday & Sunday. Ultimate Driving School at Watkins Glen G E N E S E E VA L L E Y C H A P T E R BMW CCA CLOTHING GVC’s clothing line. All our high quality garments and additional items come with four color embroidery. Check out the full selection at T-Shirt Express, 1044 University Avenue, Rochester, NY, 585-256-0070 or pick them up at the TSX trailer at your next driving school! All profits from clothing sales go to club charities. All cotton low profile baseball cap, logo on front, navy and black. One size fits all, $18.50 Heavyweight fleece, logo on front, navy only. Small-3XL, $44.00 All cotton full zip jacket, logos front and back, navy only. Small-2XL, $130.00 All cotton pique’ short sleeve sport shirts, multiple colors. Small-3XL, $35.00 Membership in BMW Car Club of America Membership cost is only $40 for one year, $76 for two years, or $112 for three years! You will receive the monthly Roundel, our informative 140 page magazine, which many consider to be the world’s best car club publication. You’ll become a member in one of our 63 local chapters which publish newsletters, conduct driving schools, tech sessions, social events, and assist you in servicing and enjoying your BMW. In addition, BMW CCA offers a long list of additional benefits & services. Contact National Office: BMW CCA 640 S. Main Street, Suite 201 Greenville, SC 29601 [email protected] or call 864-250-0022 der bayerische brief 17 Trade In. Trade Up. Or Pull Over! Limited Time Offer Trade-in your old detector and save! Now available with Blue Display Speed traps get more sophisticated every day. Smart drivers make sure they stay one step ahead. Now, for a limited time only, we’re making it easier than ever for you to own the most advanced radar and laser detector on the market: The PASSPORT 9500i. Long-range protection, GPS enabled to provide the most accurate signal detection in the industry, and backed by our 30-day money-back guarantee. Trade up to the best radar & laser detector on the market: The all-new PASSPORT 9500i. Call or log on to our website today for more details on this great offer! Day 1 Lock out false alert Now available with Blue Display Day 3 Day 2 False alert signal is rejected New signal is detected GPS-powered TrueLock™ technology permanently locks out false alerts by exact location and frequency. www.EscortRadar.com 18 PASSPORT 9500i • Red $449.95 • Blue $499.95 +S&H (OH res. add tax) THE RADAR AND LASER EXPERTS ©2006 Escort Inc. ©2007 ESCORT Inc. Call 1-866-229-3555  Department BMWCLB der bayerische brief orldwide, motorsports have been caught in a perfect storm of recession, dwindling sponsorship, exploding operating costs and waning attendance. The storm has been brewing for some time now, but most of it cannot be blamed on the sick economy. NASCAR - leads the parade. Television ratings are falling: last November, with 34 laps to go at Phoenix, ABC switched to a re-run of America’s Funniest Home Videos. Many race fans can no longer afford the increasingly steep ticket prices, and those who can are finding the races boring. The freight train of 40 some odd cars is only interrupted by crashes (which are encouraged by the rules) and the cars are virtually identical. The entire spectacle is beginning to look more like a staged wrestling match than a stock car race. It costs $25 million a year to run each car, 90% of which must come from corporate sponsors. Something’s got to give. IRL - Open wheel racing in this country has been wounded for many years by the ego driven manipulation of Tony George, owner of Indianapolis Raceway. IRA and CART have finally patched things up, but it may be too late. The halcyon days of greats like Mario Andretti, Al Unser and Emerson Fittipaldi are all in the past. Today, it’s amateur hour and all about showmanship: Helio Castroneves on Dancing With the Stars and Danica der bayerische brief to press, things have been patched up. GRAND AM / ALM - Every cloud has a silver lining. With all the turmoil happening in the major venues, grass roots sports car racing seems to be making a comeback. First of all, it’s a lot more affordable; secondly it’s real racing rather than a hyped-up show, and, the thing we like best – the fans can get up close and personal with the drivers and their cars. This season’s opener, The Rolex 24 at Daytona, was a barnburner with a closest finish in years between the Daytona Prototypes (still ugly but exiting to watch) of Brumos Porsche (winner) and Chip Ganassi. Attendance was way up over previous years and the series seems to be off to a good start. I helped to officiate at the Sahlen’s six hours at the Glen and it was, indeed, exiting to watch. BMW fans have little to cheer about, but there is hope as the beautifully turned out M3 GT is undergoing teething pains in the American LeMans series. Perhaps next year we’ll see BMW in the winners circle in at least one series. Perspektive W Patrick for sex appeal. IRL needs a shot in the arm – perhaps more professionalism and a few road courses would help. Formula One - The greatest seachange has occurred in Formula One. In their quest to control skyrocketing operating costs (BMW’s budget is $300 million per year) the series has returned to exiting racing, no longer dominated by Ferrari and Mercedes. The cars have been completely redesigned, and, by reducing the size of the back diffuser, increasing the front wing, significantly improving aerodynamics, and returning to slick tires, the ‘parade’ has turned into a race. Previously, the turbulence created by the signboard-sized rear diffuser virtually eliminated the chance of getting close and tucking your nose in under the car in front. Now it’s back to pass-re-pass on corners and wheelto-wheel on the straights, as God intended. Honda bailed out before the 2009 series opened, paving the way for Ross Braun (the genius who put Ferrari on top) to take over their operation and create Braun GT, who leads the manufacturers’ championship so far this season. Incredibly, two has-beens -- Jenson Button and Rubens Barrichello, (Braun teammates) now lead the drivers championship. Red Bull (no it’s not a typo) is in second place. Mercedes, Ferrari and BMW all trail by a wide margin. F1 almost committed suicide over a flap with the manufacturers about capping development budgets, but as this goes hal MILLER Racing in Crisis See you at the track. [email protected] 19 GVC by Andy Blake I t seems like the driving season in the northeast gets shorter each year and the events go by more quickly. I guess it’s just part of the aging process, but it makes me somewhat jealous of people living in southern climates who don’t have the eventuality of ice and snow creeping in as the year winds down. Of course, there’s always ice racing . . . But with summer well under way it’s time to make every weekend count. Between driving schools, our picnic and autocross events, Genesee Valley Chapter fills the summer with opportunities to socialize and put our Bavarian motors to good use. Our autocross events this year have been very well attended and the variety of venues has added to the fun. In addition to the always enjoyable Batavia kart track, we held an event at the Cherry Valley kart track and two events at the Seneca Army Depot air strip. As summer winds down, we have just one more autocross event left – BIMP on Saturday, 9/19. This event is 20 our popular Mini Day, so Mini drivers get free entry. Once again this year, we thank our autocross sponsor, Towne BMW-Mini in Williamsville, NY, who makes Mini Day possible. One of the biggest changes for this year was moving to electronic timing collection. For the past twenty-some years we’ve relied on a small box developed by Jim Dresser that presented times based on cars tripping the start and finish lights. In order to work properly, an operator had to flip little toggle switches for the two timing readouts to either start or stop the appropriate timer. Once the car’s run time was displayed, it was recorded on a scorecard and a reset button was pushed to clear the time. This process required the timing box operator to be constantly focused on the action so that the appropriate switch was in the proper position and the appropriate timer either began running or was stopped every time a car started or finished the course. update autocross der bayerische brief It could get a little hectic -- especially with certain layouts or shorter start intervals. If someone asked a question or the operator looked away to talk for more than 10 seconds there was a good likelihood of a missed switch flip resulting in a timer not starting or stopping as needed or stopping when it should have stayed running. Then one or both of the drivers on course would have to be given a rerun due to the error. Of course, as a driver, being told that you get a rerun isn’t always bad news. Now we have all of the entrants and their cars in our laptop computer at the beginning of the event (thanks in large part to pre-registration on the web) and can simply click on the next car in line as they show up for their run. The timing lights send start and finish signals for the cars to a wireless receiver that feeds the info into the computer and the software records the times for each car. It still requires attention on the part of the timing operator, but now it’s more of a monitoring activity to make sure the right time is being recorded for the right driver. We can now print results periodically during the day for review rather than writing them on a whiteboard. The final results can be posted der bayerische brief to a file for publishing on the GVC web site without having to type in dozens of times that were written on the scorecards. Overall, the new approach helps our events run more smoothly and gives more accurate and timely recording and reporting of run times saving effort that used to be needed to find the right scorecard, write down the time, post it to the whiteboard, and then type in all of the results for the published reports. The autocross events this year have provided a lot of good competition and general fun for the participants. Our first event in May brought out 14 BMW drivers and 4 in Minis as well as many others. Our second event at Seneca Army Depot was the best attended so far this year with 54 drivers -- including 12 in BMWs, 3 in Minis, and 3 in Porsches. The Corvette club also showed up for this one so we had 8 Vette drivers. We had 39 drivers show up for the event at Cherry Valley, with 10 BMWs matched by 10 Corvettes. At our second BIMP event we had 14 BMW drivers, 5 Minis, and the Porsche club got the word out and brought 8 drivers to play. The second event at SEAD had surprisingly low attendance with only 24 attendees – 7 BMW drivers and 2 Mini drivers (Mel and Alice Dillon). The low numbers gave us the opportunity to take 8 runs each on a fast course around the runway and fueling pad and still wrap up the event by 3:00. Among the GVC members, the Top Gun challenge is shaping up to be reminiscent of recent years with Eric Hinkston and Tim Moriarty battling for top times at each event: Eric driving his supercharged Z4 and Tim in his supercharged E30 318is. With one event left in the season, Eric has the edge, but may need to finish the last event ahead of Tim in order to take the season championship. Steve Lawless has been nipping at their heels, beating Tim’s best time at SEAD in his E36 M3. All of the event results are posted on the GVC web site, and there is a summary of points for the 2009 Top Gun challenge for GVC members there as well. As always, I encourage drivers of all skill levels to give autocross a try. It’s one of the best ways to get to know your car and have fun going fast in a controlled environment at the same time. Take advantage of the warm days before we slip into another winter of driving discontent. 21 Towne bmw A Member of F.G. Downing’s Towne Automotive Group 8215 Main St., Williamsville, NY 14221 • 716-505-2100 www.towneauto.com The Ultimate Driving Machine TM Center of Excellence Free Service Loaners eter m o m a n y D s i ss In-House Cha & PCA Club Racing & Event Preparation BMW r Head Work stom Cylinde Building & Cu ne gi En • Inspections ch rs • Track Te ub Membe r Service to Cl t, Bilstein, etc. bo us La ha f Ex of Balancing t % in rin 10 Sp Sp • mputerized rings, Super Co Sp & R g in H& , nt es ou Upgrad • Tire M • Performance Maintenance • Full Import HSR, SCCA, SVRA, s k r o w o t u A Eksten -8200 Y • 585- 621 N r, e st e ch o R n Dr., 78 Benningto BOYD, BARRY • 06 530 XiT AE BUSH, RICHARD AE GEYER, MICHAEL • 98 M3 E GRELICK, SUSAN • 08 328i convertible A LANNI, DAVID • 95 M3 E LAUCK, JEFFREY • 07 Z4 Roadster AE LOJACONO, JOSEPH • 09 328i AE MALCZEWSKI, JEFFREY • 04 545i AR MUNSON, PHILIP • 03 E46 M3 A NORDQUIST, DOUGLAS • 06 Z4 A NOTARIUS, BURTON • 07 M5 A NOTARIUS, JON A NOTARIUS, MARK A O’BRIEN, TIMOTHY E ODROBINA, ANNMARIE • 08 528xi A RUSSO, MICHAEL • 98 328i E SWIFT, PETER E VANDERHOEF, JAMES • 06 Bmw 330I A ZINGONE, DANIEL AE DUGAN, KATHERINE • 04 Mazda 6 A EDKIN, WAYNE • 06 E90 330I Sedan AE FANTANZO, ANTHONY E FINCH, GREGORY • 73 2002 FITZPATRICK, DAVID • 74 2002 AE GENTSCH, MARGARET • 81 733i E HART, BRIAN • 09 335I A HIRANANDANI, SANJAY • 02 M3 E IANNOLI, PASQUALE • 04 Subaru Wrx Sti AE KELLOGG, ERINN AE KORNFIELD, ROBERT • 04 X5 4.4I E LAWLESS, STEPHEN 95 M3 A O’LOUGHLIN, WILLIAM • 04 745Li AER PADDOCK, JOHN • 98 740iA AE POOLER, J. • 09 535ix AE PUFKY, THOMAS • 04 325i A SCHIFFERLE, STEVEN AE SCHILLINGER, JON E SCHNEIDER, JOSHUA • 02 330i AE THIELKE, HELEN • 07 328xi AE VINES, MITCHELL E BORK, ROBERT • 04 330Ci E JUN HYEOK • 08 Bmw X5 4.8I A CHURCHILL, DAVID • 00 Bmw 750Il E DARCY, KEN • 09 M6 A DELAIN, RAHSAAN • 08 Bmw 135I A DELLA, RAY • 06 325xi ER ANDREWS, GARY • 90 535i A BARBIERI, ANTONIO • 84 635CSi BAUMANN, SALLY • 07 328xi sedan E BILLIES, FRANK • 03 325i sedan AER BLUESTONE, AARON AE April May BOGNER, PAUL • 07 328i coupe A CHASMAN, DOUG • 06 Z4 M Roadster A CUNNINGHAM, WILLIAM E DAVIN, MICHAEL • 07 530 E DUMANIAN, PETER • 99 M3 Coupe A DUNCAN, DEREK • 01 525i E EDMISTER, THOMAS • 82 528e AE FOX, ROBERT • 09 535xi AE HAYES, JIM • 09 535xi AE KISSOONDATH, MARIA • 97 318 ti A KRONENBITTER, KEVIN • 90 M3 AE LANGEVIN, ADAM • 05 330i A LILL, KEN E MERCER, RAY • 07 M Roadster A MOROSE, RICHARD • 02 325i A PATEL, MANISH A SINGER, RICHARD E STOCKMAN, GARY • 99 M3 E THOMAS, ROBERT • 03 330ci E VENUTI, JOSEPH • 95 M3 E WARD, JAMES • 04 X5 E New Members March GAULT AUTO The Ultimate TM Driving Machine SPORT BMW 2507 North Street • Endicott, NY 13760 888-424-2858 www.buybmw.com The Enthusiast’s Store for all BMW toys! Authorized Sales, Service & Parts. A fully equipped collision center. BMW Car Club Discounts, Tech Inspections, Free Loaner Service and Pick-up & Delivery. • Tom Marcy - Service Manager der bayerische brief 23 GVC BMW CCA PRSRT STD U.S.POSTAGE PAID ROCHESTER, NY PERMIT NO. 51 P.O. Box 20100 Rochester, NY 14602 Address Service Requested Please visit our web site at www.gvc-bmwcca.org. Click on “Forums” then “Classified Ad Forums.” brief der Summer 2009 BAYERISCHE Volume 53 • Issue II BMW Classifieds