BMW Preps M Racers for Nürburgring Oldtimer-GP to Celebrate 40 Years of M GmbH

[Dackelone]

     Featured on BIMMERPOST.com

BMW Classic prepares historic racers for Nürburgring Oldtimer-Grand-Prix held on August 11th and 12th... next weekend.

Press Release

2012 is a special year for all BMW M fans with BMW M GmbH – formerly known as BMW Motorsport GmbH – marking its 40th birthday. BMW Classic is celebrating the anniversary with an array of highlights at this year’s edition of Germany’s largest classic car race at the Nürburgring. BMW M is not alone in reaching an important landmark; the event itself also has its 40th birthday this year. Organisers are once again expecting in excess of 60,000 spectators to flood to the circuit in the Eifel from 10 – 12 August 2012 for the double anniversary.

BMW involved as a key partner.

BMW is a partner of this year’s AvD Oldtimer Grand Prix. BMW Classic will therefore have a suitably prominent presence at the Nürburgring and offer visitors an extensive programme of attractions. Topping the bill are activities celebrating the “40 Years BMW M GmbH” anniversary and the division’s illustrious motor sport heritage. And attracting particular attention – alongside the display of BMW M cars and racing machines at the approximately 1,000 m² BMW Classic exhibition area in the paddock – will be the BMW M “Jubiläumsrennen” (anniversary races) and 10-minute demonstration drives with BMW M models immediately before the races. Added to which, a major element of BMW Classic’s activities at the event will be the supply of parts to the expanding ranks of both recent and older BMW classics.

BMW M Jubiläumsrennen contested by distinguished drivers.

BMW Classic is teaming up with the AvD to hold the BMW M Jubiläumsrennen races, in which the full gamut of BMW racing cars since 1972 will be represented. “I’m sure we’ll be able to wave off a packed field of wonderful cars from the past 40 years,” says Norbert Knerr, Head of Classic Motorsport at BMW Classic.

The races are open to all BMW racing cars developed by BMW Motorsport GmbH (today’s BMW M GmbH) since 1972, and the cars will be split into relevant classes. The AvD is accepting entries up to 17 July 2012. BMW Classic will line up with five BMW racing cars piloted by familiar figures. These will include two BMW M1 Group 4 racers, a BMW 320 Group 5 car, a BMW M3 Group A (1987) model and the BMW 320i STW (1995). Four highly successful BMW touring car drivers will be doing battle, with Dieter Quester, Prince Leopold of Bavaria, Marc Surer and Marc Hessel all getting behind the wheel. Adrian van Hooydonk, Senior Vice-President BMW Group Design, rounds off a rare quintet of drivers.

Schedule:
Qualifying: Friday, 10 August, 16.00 – 16.25 hrs
BMW M Jubiläumsrennen 1: Saturday, 11 August, 13.30 – 14.00 hrs
BMW M Jubiläumsrennen 2: Sunday, 12 August, 13.30 – 14.00 hrs

The third highlight of the anniversary festival will be demonstration drives, each lasting 10 minutes, which will take place before the anniversary races. The demonstration drives are open to all BMW M cars – indeed, standard road models are also very welcome – and will each start at 13.00 hrs.

40 Years BMW M – a history of success.

In 1972 BMW brought together the company’s motor racing activities under the umbrella of a new company, BMW Motorsport GmbH. Former racing driver and team boss Jochen Neerpasch took over the reins and built the wholly-owned BMW subsidiary into a powerful race team – one that would go on to earn BMW countless triumphs in motor sport competition over the years that followed. The construction of ultra-sporty BMW road cars was also part of the company’s brief. In 1978 the BMW M1 super-sports car became the first BMW M model to make its debut, laying the building blocks for a tradition that continues to define BMW M to this day. By the early 1990s a new company name was required to reflect the BMW subsidiary’s wider spheres of activity, which now included BMW M cars, BMW Individual and BMW Driver Training. The legendary “M” – “the most powerful letter in the world” – provided the inspiration for the company’s rechristening as BMW M GmbH on 1 August 1993. Motor sport activities have since been handled by the specially formed BMW Motorsport division.

The guest list for the anniversary celebrations will include a line-up of well-known racing drivers and former members of the BMW Motorsport GmbH and BMW M GmbH management.

http://www.avd.de/ogpracing/home.html

tickets...
http://www.avd.de/startseite/service...st/?fontsize=2






Here are some photos of BMW Classic preparing the old racers from BMW's glory days...


BMW's private testing area in Aschheim, near Munich.

[Mo_power]

i want everyone of those

[DrivenByE30]

At this point, can this even be called work ??

When you see a car company with such passion... you just want to come back for more ...

Thanks for all those drool-worthy pics !

[Chaddy808]

awesome pics!

[White person]

Nice

[positiveions]

oh how i wish I am there for such event

[Aussie F10M]

So hard to pick a favourite ... they are all so special

Awesome post. Thanks

[mapezzul]

If those are the images from Facebook- If it's the photographer I think it is he is awesome with car to car stuff- he is a bit of a nut and likes to hang out windows. Great guy to boot and has a real passion for BMW's.

Love the idea that BMW Motorsport and Classic do this stuff- hoping to take in the race myself this weekend.

[135junky]

Originally Posted by eatrach73

oh how i wish I am there for such event

I will be there with other 1addicts!

[Diver]

Great photo series. I wish I could have been there.

[MrPig]

*Stewie Griffin-like*

I WANT IT!

[JWKC]

Legendary Ms...!

[Rich@GTBPerformance]

I wouldn't mind having a few of those in the old stable!

[PrimeBMW]

No E46 M3 GTR Love?! I need some good pics and ideas for my E46 M3 race car.

[Koop]

Wow. Some amazing machinery there.

[JJFESQ]

Wow!

[Dackelone]

Originally Posted by PrimeBMW

No E46 M3 GTR Love?! I need some good pics and ideas for my E46 M3 race car.

Humm... here is one from my photo collection! Taken at the Nürburgring Ring Werk museum.

Take note of how far forward the front bumper sits. Looks like it acts like a added wing for the front end. ?


some specs:

weight = 1250 Kg
500 HP @8000 rpms
480 Nm @6400 rpms
redline @8400 rpms
fuel tank = 120L
90' V8 NA, 3997cc's