OFC 001 BMWCAR 0916 01/08/2016 12:13 Page 1

PLUS Frozen Edition E92 M3 | Bargain Used Buys | Spa Classic

JPS E30 M3
The story behind this fully
restored motor racing icon

the ultimate BMW magazine

www.bmwcarmagazine.com

E28 M5

The ultimate guide to buying

and owning the original
super saloon

Plus

AC Schnitzer F30 330i Classic Auctions BMW buying advice Technical Tips
M5 Edition models Whats In Your Garage? 2002 Targa Tech Focus:cooling systems

SEPTEMBER 2016 4.50

Stunning 520hp M4 tested

New 3 Series GT driven

002 BMWCAR 0916 02/08/2016 12:28 Page 2

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003-005 BMWCAR 0916 Contents 03/08/2016 11:51 Page 3

CONTENTS

his time tomorrow Im very much hoping Ill be lying on a beach,

or by the pool, with a good book in one hand and a cold beer in
the other but knowing my luck Ill probably still be fighting with
airport security or arguing with check-in staff about the weight of
our bags or, assuming weve reached our destination, causing a
ruckus at the car hire desk! Ah, the joy of summer holidays. Im sure itll be
worth it when I get there but burning the midnight oil for weeks before
going away and then the inevitable stress of coming back to thousands of
emails and another shortened magazine schedule does sometimes take the
shine off it a little, but I guess were all probably in the same boat these days too much to do, too
little time!
I must admit I do somewhat relish the hire car lottery of discovering what each company deems to
be a suitable or equivalent car to the model youve actually booked. I vividly remember being told by
one member of staff at a hire car company in South Africa that Id booked a luxury vehicle and seeing
the rumps of several BMW 5 Series and Mercedes C-Class saloons through the window I thought my
luck was in. I was a little confused when he presented me with a Chevrolet key fob and gobsmacked
when I reached the car to discover it was a Chevvy Cruze effectively a rebadged Daewoo Lacetti!
Not a luxury vehicle in my book.
Perhaps we are spoilt as BMW owners but so often when I drive a car from another manufacturer I
do come away somewhat disappointed with the experience. Sometimes this can be simply down to
unfamiliarity with the car in question just because a cars controls dont operate in a BMW fashion
doesnt mean its a bad car, but once youre familiar with a particular brand you can get a little set in
your ways. Thus I was a little surprised when a colleague in the office borrowed the 120d M Sport
from our Longtermer fleet and returned the keys saying he thought it would be better than he found
it. He didnt like the steering, the ride, the suspension and felt it was a little slower than he
remembered a 120d being. This was particularly surprising given that his everyday machine is a Lexus
CT 200H effectively a Toyota Prius in drag. I didnt have time to go and drive the cars back-to-back
but Id be utterly gobsmacked if most people preferred the Lexus to the BMW. Ill take them both for a
spin when I return from my holiday and desperately hope I dont end up eating my words.
Before I head off to the airport theres just space to say that I hope you enjoy the issue, especially if
youve picked BMW Car up as a bit of light holiday reading. I think theres just about something for
everyone in here from our first drive of the new 3 Series GT to our look at a wonderfully restored
motorsport icon in the form of the JPS E30 M3 from Australia. Wherever youre heading this summer,
I hope you have an enjoyable and restful trip youll need those batteries recharged for when you
get back to office chaos on your return, or perhaps thats just my office!
Bob Harper, Editor

Editor Bob Harper

Sub Editors Christian Shelton, Rachael Harper
Senior Designers Lorna Mansford
Designers Dave Powney, Kelly Rodgers
Junior designer Jon Lawrence
Controller Tom Jackson
Retoucher Laurence Green
Managing editor Bob Harper
Contributors Jon Tallodi, Ben Cook, Jamie King, Jeroen de Laat,
Chris Nicholls, Mark Williams, Oli Tennent, Mahomed Abdulla,
Dave Smith, Elizabeth de Latour, Guy Baker, Andrew Everett,
Johann Venter, Matt Robinson, Mike Taylor
Advertisement Sales Manager
David Lerpiniere, Tel: 01732 445325
Email: david@talkmediasales.co.uk
Production Manager Jo Claydon-Smith
Subscriptions Dannielle Martin
Accounts Claire Brown
Financial Director Helen Lawson

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004 BMWCAR 0916 02/08/2016 12:29 Page 4

003-005 BMWCAR 0916 Contents 03/08/2016 09:51 Page 5

CONTENTS
ISSUE 267 SEPTEMBER 2016
T H E U LT I M AT E B M W M A G A Z I N E

006 News M5 Edition models announced

plus a 1 Series Saloon for China

011 New Products BMW offers, exhausts

and several new suspension setups.

014 Behind the Wheel We get to grips

with the F30 330i and this ones had the
full AC Schnitzer treatment.

020 Lean Green Flying Machine A

stunning Java green M4 with a full set of
choice performance modifications.

028 Small Changes BMWs thoroughly

reworked the 3 Series Gran Turismo but
do the changes make it a better steer?

034 Frozen in Time South Africa didnt

get the E92 M3 GTS so it made its own
limited edition performance model.

042 Braking the Bank What used BMWs

can you buy for the price of the M5s
optional Carbon Ceramic brakes?

052 Classic Auctions We look at BMWs

that have sold recently plus a couple of
big budget machines on offer soon.

056 Spectacular Spa All the BMW

highlights from the Spa Classic weekend.

062 A Very Special Player One of

Australias most famous BMW race cars,
the JPS E30 M3, under the spotlight.

070 Buying Guide The E28 M5 is one of

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the most iconic M cars ever produced

and is still a brilliant classic choice.

078 Whats in your Garage? One

mans love for his lovely 2002 Targa.

084 Tech Focus: Cooling This month its

everything youve ever wanted to know
about cooling but were afraid to ask

092 Saxon Motorsport The team returns

to the Ring with two cars for the VLN.

094 Longtermers A full round-up of

whats been happening with the fleet.

104 Postbag A selection of mutterings

and musings from our readers.

108 BMW Buyer Everything thats going on

in the new and used BMW marketplace.

110 Technical Tips Our tame tech rounds

up the latest from the workshop floor.

114 Art Cars The eighth machine in the

series: Ken Dones Group A E30 M3.

BMWCarMagazine
@bmwcarmag

SEPTEMBER 2016 5

006-008 BMWCAR 0916 01/08/2016 11:02 Page 6

NEWS

News of the introduction of special edition models

generally means one of two things: either the
models struggling in the market or its coming to the
end of its life. In the case of the F10 M5 its the
latter thats prompted the release of a brace of
special edition machines. The Competition Edition
and the Pure Metal Silver Limited Edition both
feature enhanced powertrains, bespoke detailing
and chassis improvements.
The Competition Edition will be available in all
markets bar the USA while the Pure Metal Silver
model had been designed purely for the American
market and will not be sold elsewhere. If you fancy
the look of either model youll need to be quick as
the Competition Edition is limited to just 200 units
while only 50 examples of the Pure Metal model
will be produced.
As youd expect from its name, the Competition
Edition is based on an M5 with the Competition

BMWcar

006-008 BMWCAR 0916 01/08/2016 11:02 Page 7

NEWS

package but for this limited edition its seen a power

hike to the same level as the 30 Jahre model. Thus
power is up to 600hp (a boost of 25hp from the
normal comp pack) while torque is raised by 15lb ft
to 516lb ft. Unsurprisingly, the Competition Edition is
pretty rapid, knocking off the benchmark 0-62mph
sprint in just 3.9 seconds, an improvement of 0.3
seconds over the 575hp comp pack model.
Like the regular comp pack machines, the
Competition Edition receives suspension
improvements which includes stiffer responses from
the springs and electronically-controlled dampers,
along with thicker anti-roll bars. The Active M
electronically-controlled multi-plate limited-slip
differential has also been recalibrated to allow
slightly higher slip angles before intervention.
Externally the new model can be spotted by the
20-inch M Double-spoke 601M light alloy wheels as
specd on the normal comp pack machinery, but for
the celebratory model these are finished in high
gloss Jet Black. A smattering of M Performance parts
also give the game away as the new machine is
endowed with a rear spoiler, rear diffuser and
mirror caps, all manufactured from carbon
fibre, and a gloss black kidney grille. Just
two colours are available Mineral

white and Carbon black with the M5 Competition

logo appearing on the side gills.
The M5 Competition Edition comes with an
extensive range of equipment including Adaptive LED
headlights, Reversing Assist camera, powered bootlid
operation, Comfort Access and sun protection glass.
Inside, occupants benefit from front and rear heated
seats, an electric rear sunblind and the Bang &
Olufsen Advanced audio system. As standard it also
comes with full black Merino leather upholstery with
Opal white contrast stitching. Opal white is also used
for the M5 logo that now appears on the head
restraints of the M Sport multi-function seats, and for
the piping of the anthracite floor mats. To accentuate
the exclusivity of the car, the M Performance interior
trim in carbon finish features the M5 Competition
logo along with the unique 1/200 designation. And
the price for all this? A cool 100,995 on-the-road.
The cynical among you may be thinking thats an
awful lot of money to pay for an M5 thats right at
the end of its life, especially when you spend a little
time with the on-line configurator. If you spec a
normal M5 with everything the Competition Edition is
equipped with you end up with a price of about
90,000 which means youre paying in the region of
10k for a non-standard paint colour, 25hp and

some M Performance carbon fibre accoutrements. Of

course, it is a limited edition machine but it does
seem like a lot to pay.
The US-only Pure Metal Silver edition follows a
similar path to the Competition Edition but features
some additional items. It too has the 600hp/516lb ft
engine upgrade and the Comp pack suspension
changes but features the 20-inch M Double-spokestyle 343M forged alloy wheels rather than the
20-inch cast items that are usually foisted on the
Comp pack models. Weve never understood why
the Competition models are endowed with the
heavier cast wheels surely they should have the
lightest items possible? The US-only machine also
benefits from the fitment of an M Performance
exhaust with carbon tips. While the Competition
Edition receives two relatively run-of-the-mill colours,
BMW North America has really pushed the boat out
on its special edition as the Pure Metal Silver
paintwork is a unique BMW Individual paint that
features a special layering process. BMW states: Due
to the unique application process, creating a special
light/dark effect, Pure Metal Silver is BMW Individuals
most exclusive paint job available. The Pure Metal
Silver Edition is on sale now and costs $131,895
roughly the same as the Competition Edition.

SEPTEMBER 2016 7

006-008 BMWCAR 0916 01/08/2016 11:02 Page 8

NEWS
1 Series Saloon
makes its debut
At the Auto Guangzhou motor show in China at the
tail end of 2015, BMW revealed the Concept
Compact Sedan. A scant eight months later BMW
has revealed the first image of what will be the 1
Series Saloon.
With the arrival of this model the BMW Group
and its Chinese partner, BMW Brilliance Automotive
(BBA), will further explore the premium compact
segment in China. BMW says this is the first
compact sports saloon under the BMW brand. This
makes BBAs product range in the compact class
even more comprehensive with premium entry-level
cars covering segments of the Active Tourer, Sports
Activity Vehicle, and Sports Saloon, which BMW
hopes will attract new customer groups to become
premium car owners.
The 1 Series Saloon will be an exclusive model,
tailored and aligned to the needs of Chinese
customers, solely produced for and specifically sold

in China. The development and testing of the new

car was undertaken at BMWs Munich HQ with the
involvement of Chinese engineers and it also
performed intensive road tests to ensure the model
is suitable for the unique road conditions and
climate situations in China.

Specific information on the 1 Series Saloon has

yet to be revealed but its believed that the engine
line-up will be exclusively petrol diesel is a very
small player in the Chinese market with likely
models to include the 118i, 120i and 125i with the
possibility of a range-topping M135i or M140i.

Mixed fortunes for the IMSA BMWs

The M6s taking part in the IMSA WeatherTech
SportsCar Championship have had a mixed bag of
results at Mosport and Lime Rock Park.
At Mosport the M6 GT3 recorded its first class
win outside of Europe when drivers Bret Curtis and
BMW Works driver Jens Klingmann secured the first
GT Daytona victory of the season with the number
96 Turner Motorsport car. After 116 laps, Klingmann
crossed the line as race winner having started the
race from fourth on the grid. The number 97 sister
car driven by Markus Palttala and Michael Marsal
was sadly forced to retire early in the race.
In the GTLM class, BMW Team RLL once again
fielded two M6 GTLMs with Dirk Werner and Bill
Auberlen finishing fourth after 119 laps in the
number 25 car, narrowly missing out on another
podium finish. Due to a technical problem in the
first stage of the race, the number 100 car with
John Edwards and Lucas Luhr at the wheel had
dropped to the back of the field and eventually

came home in a disappointing ninth position.

There had been encouraging signs for Team RLL
at Mosport and it went into the Lime Rock event
with high hopes. Initially these seemed to be
well-founded as the number 25 machine qualified
on the front row of the grid and took over the lead
on lap two, a position it maintained for over an
hour. Things didnt go so well for the number 100
machine as John Edwards started from eighth on
the grid and was unceremoniously punted off the
track on lap five by the number 912 Porsche with
the BMW ending up in the tyre wall and unable to
continue. Unbelievably the number 25s race was
also ended by the number 912 Porsche on lap 89
when Werner (who was leading the race) was
knocked off the track at the last corner, hitting the
barriers hard. Fortunately Werner was given the all
clear after a trip to the tracks medical centre.
The team hopes for better luck at the next round
at Road America.

iPerformance 740e goes on sale

The flagship models in the iPerformance range
the 740e and the 740Le xDrive have gone on
sale in the UK with on-the-road prices of 68,330
and 74,880 respectively. Both models make use
of the turbocharged four-cylinder petrol engine
that develops 258hp which is coupled to an
electric motor with an output of 112hp.
The total combined system output is 326hp
and 369lb ft of torque which endows the two
models with 0-62mph times of 5.4 and 5.3
seconds the four-wheel drive models greater
traction off the line accounting for its marginally
quicker time. The 740e has an all-electric range of
29 miles while the xDrive model can manage 27
miles purely on electric power. Their official
combined economy and emissions figures are
134.5mpg and 49g/km (740e) and 117.7mpg
and 54g/km for the xDrive.
The 740e and 740Le xDrives standard
specification includes LED headlights, the BMW
Display Key, the ConnectedDrive navigation
package, smartphone integration with an inductive
charging facility for the phone battery, and an

BMWcar

iDrive operating system expanded to include a

touchscreen function for the Control Display and
the globally unique BMW gesture control feature.
Customers can also look forward to auxiliary heating
and air conditioning, which allow them to prepare
the cars interior temperature in advance.
The heating and air conditioning system of the
plug-in hybrid models is supplied with energy from
the high-voltage battery and works almost silently
due to the electric operation of the refrigerant

compressor and instantaneous water heater. The

auxiliary air conditioning function is powered by the
mains supply when the cars battery is being
charged, while a timer function allows the advance
preparation of the interior and charging of the
battery to be programmed via the iDrive menu.
In addition, the BMW Remote app allows the
driver to activate the auxiliary air conditioning
function from outside the car via a smartphone.
The 740e and 740Le xDrive are on sale now.

009 BMWCAR 0916 03/08/2016 12:36 Page 9

C60 Trident Pro 600 Chronograph

010 BMWCAR 0916 02/08/2016 12:30 Page 10

Hand craed in Italy,

especially for the Germans.
Tarox discs are hand craed in Italy from the highest
quality materials and tested to the limit to achieve
the toughest European approvals and accreditations,
delivering outstanding performance for German
sports and supercars.
Testing on track and on our powerful in-house dyno,
combined with rigorous TUV, KBA and ABE accreditations
ensure the highest quality discs with unrivalled
performance and durability.

Machined from the nest European billet steel

2 piece construction with alloy bell reduce
vital un-sprung rotational weight
Increased performance and improved
durability over OE parts
Our specially craed products have been developed for
new and classic BMW M models, new and classic Audi S,
RS models and many other high performance VW,
BMW and Audi models including the R8.

Since 76

Tel +44 1706 222 872 / www.tarox.com / sales@tarox.com

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011-012 BMWCAR 0916 03/08/2016 17:03 Page 11

NEW PRODUCTS
Eibach M235i
Pro-Street-S coilovers

BMWs summer
wheel and tyre package offers
BMW UK currently has a promotion running on wheel and tyre packages that offer considerable savings
on their recommended retail prices. Its not just wheels for new models that are covered either as E9x
3 Series models are catered for, as are the first generation 1 Series and X1 models and the E70 X5s and
some F01 7 Series models. Wheel diameters range from 17 to 21 inches and prices start at 1200 for a
set of 17-inch Y-spoke 380s and rise to 3150 for a set of 21-inch M Double-spoke 310 wheels and
tyres suitable for the E70 X5.
To find out more about the full range of wheels offered in the promotion please contact or visit your
preferred BMW centre for more information.

Eibach has launched its Pro-Street-S coilover kit for

the M235i which features stainless steel
construction and offers extensive height adjustment,
allowing you to lower the front of the car between
25-55mm and the rear between 30-55mm.
Eibach says the kit offers great ride comfort and
quality, with damper rates computer matched to the
springs to ensure the perfect setup. There are three
versions of the kit available, one for cars with normal
factory dampers and two for those fitted with BMWs
optional electronic damping control. For these cars,
the kit is available either with Eibachs Pro-Tronic
module, which plugs into the suspension system
and overrides the computer so it thinks the
electronic dampers are still present, which
prevents errors and warning lights, or
without the module, allowing you to
purchase it separately.
Price: Non-electronic damping
936.92, electronic damping with
Pro-Tronic module 1084.62,
electronic damping without
Pro-Tronic module
998.77
Contact:
01455 285851 or
www.eibach.co.uk

Dinan X5 and X6 M exhaust

The X5 and X6 M are monstrously quick and extraordinarily fun machines but theres always room for
improvement, especially when it comes to the soundtrack. This is where Dinans new performance exhaust
system comes in. Dinan says its free-flowing system, made from 100 percent T304 stainless steel, reduces
back pressure to boost power by 8hp and torque by 7lb ft. More importantly, it gives the twin-turbo V8 a far
more satisfying soundtrack, but one which Dinan says isnt overly loud. Drone is said to be kept at bay with
a Helmholtz chamber which means time in the car can be spent enjoying the V8 and not nursing a droneinduced headache.
Price: POA
Contact: www.dinancars.com

The One.

The new AC1 wheel generation from AC Schnitzer is here. Call 01485 542000 for more details or visit us at www.ac-schnitzer.co.uk

SEPTEMBER 2016 11

011-012 BMWCAR 0916 03/08/2016 09:53 Page 12

NEW PRODUCTS

Bilstein B16
suspension for E36 M3
The B16 range of fully adjustable suspension has long been one of Bilsteins most popular offerings and
the latest model to benefit from the B16 range is the E36 M3 (both 3.0 and 3.2 iterations).
Bilstein reckons the B16 kit offers real versatility making it suitable for both road and circuit driving, and
therefore its perfect for E36s that will be driven to, on and from track days on a regular basis, or those that
prioritise chassis brilliance and handling poise above all else. The ability to toggle between the ten
pre-arranged settings by simply twisting a dial means that they can be tweaked to suit the individual
requirements of a specific car, while the threaded bodies offer an adjustment range of 20mm at both
axles, along with lowering of approximately 30mm at the front and 50mm at the rear. All B16 coilovers
feature Bilsteins gas-pressure and mono-tube upside-down technology, plus carefully wound springs
the latter specially developed specifically for the performance versions of the E36.
Price: 1568.82 Contact: www.bilstein.de

BMW rear
bumper protectors

Weve all done it while loading cases or awkward

items into the boot of our BMW not lifting the
item quite high enough and leaving an unsightly
scratch along the top surface of the bumper which is
potentially expensive to repair.
Fortunately BMW has the solution in the form of
these rear bumper protectors a cover in a black
grained finish which can be easily fitted by owners

or by their local BMW centre. The covers are

designed and manufactured in the UK and are an
approved BMW accessory, looking to all intents and
purposes like a factory fitted product. Theyre
individually tailored moulded in recyclable ABS
plastic to each individual model and are available
for the majority of the range.
Price: 45 Contact: Your preferred BMW Centre.

H&R M2 lowering springs

The M2 has been wowing everyone whos got behind the wheel of one,
ourselves included, and German suspension expert, H&R, has wasted no
time in developing a set of lowering springs for the high performance
2 Series. The H&R springs deliver a purposeful but sensible drop of
30mm up front and 20mm at the rear taking out just enough arch gap to
give it the perfect ride height.
Price: 275.99
Contact: www.h-r.com

12 BMWCAR

EBC expands UK
manufacturing
British brake expert EBC has announced its 10
million expansion plan to treble brake production
capacity over the next ten years. Surging global
demand for the companys high performance
braking products has led to the decision to
construct further warehousing at its Northampton
site and refit its Bristol manufacturing plant. EBC
has also hired 30 new staff and a
further 100 will be added
over the coming five years.

013 BMWCAR 0916 02/08/2016 12:30 Page 13

014-018 BMWCAR 0916 01/08/2016 16:42 Page 14

BEHIND THE WHEEL

ADDED
ATTITUDE
BMWs 330i is no longer powered by a six-cylinder engine but can a selection
of AC Schnitzer goodies put the pizzazz back in the sports saloon?
Words: Bob Harper Photography: Dave Smith

14 BMWcar

014-018 BMWCAR 0916 04/08/2016 10:14 Page 15

AC SCHNITZER ACS3 3.0i

t seems hardly possible that its getting on for a

year since we first drove the face-lifted 3 Series
back in the November 2015 issue and its perhaps
even more of a surprise that weve yet to sample
the car in its new 330i form. The 328i was dropped
in favour of the 330i with the four-cylinder
turbocharged engine, changing from the 328is N20
to the 330is new modular B48 unit. This saw power
rise from 245hp to 252hp in the 330i not bad for a
2.0-litre four-cylinder that also develops nigh-on
260lb ft of torque too. Sadly the soulful straight-six
soundtrack is no longer part of the 330is make-up
and it is worth mentioning that the cars still 20hp
down on what the last of the E90 330is developed.
Economy and emissions have both improved with
the F30 330i when compared to the six-cylinder in
the E90 330i with the newer car promising to go

eight miles further on each gallon of unleaded while

promising to emit 22g/km CO less while its doing it.
Performance figures are virtually identical so I guess
youll just have to make up your own minds whether
the improved economy and emissions makes up for
the loss of the straight-six.
We probably shouldnt get too hung up on this
though BMWs not likely to suddenly go back to
naturally aspirated sixes anytime soon so we should
make the best of what weve got. Our first chance to
drive a 330i actually came on one of our recent visits
to AC Schnitzer in Aachen and the M Sport 330i
Saloon kitted out with a selection of the tuning firms
accessories certainly looks the part. Its always
interesting to sample machinery destined for markets
other than the UK as one does get to appreciate
quite how highly specd our cars are over here. Thus

while this looks to all intents and purposes like a UKspec M Sport, one discovers as soon as one opens
the door that the interiors actually refreshingly
different. In the UK a 330i M Sport would come
equipped with leather as standard and once weve
spent the day driving this machine we would much
rather have this cloth and Alcantara setup offered in
the UK. For some reason leather is equated with
luxury or prestige in the UK, but lets face it, it tends
to be cold in the winter, too hot in the summer and a
bit slippery when pressing on the cloth/Alcantara
setup is far superior.
Still, its not really the BMW options weve come to
study, rather the Schnitzer upgrades and if we start
with the external modifications we have a set of rather
nice carbon front spoiler elements and mirror caps
finished in the same material, while at the rear theres

SEPTEMBER 2016 15

014-018 BMWCAR 0916 01/08/2016 16:59 Page 16

BEHIND THE WHEEL

a small spoiler at the top of the rear screen and a

rather shapely item adorning the top of the bootlid.
The wheels set the car off nicely and on this car we
have a set of 8.5x-20-inch AC1 on the drivers side
and a set of Type VIIIs in similar dimensions on the
passenger side although now Ive looked at the
pictures it appears we only shot the drivers side of
this car, so apologies for that! Those wheels are
wrapped in Michelin Pilot Super Sports measuring
225/35 up front and 255/30 at the rear and they
really do fill the arches rather well. Im a little
concerned that this might be an inch or two too big
for the 3 Series to ride acceptably but well come on
to that in a minute
Elsewhere on the car its performance intent can be
gleaned from the exhausts which are considerably
beefier than the standard machine and on this ACS3
Schnitzer has opted for a twin-exit setup which always
looks more performance-orientated than when you
have a pair of pipes exiting through the rear valance

16 BMWcar

at the same side. Were also hoping that the Schnitzer

exhaust will release a more strident note than the
ones weve encountered so far on BMWs latest fourcylinder petrol turbos, as their soundtrack does tend
to let them down in standard form. Pop the bonnet
and youre treated to one of Schnitzers trademark
Engine Optics packages which basically involves
painting the plastic engine cover to inject some
pizzazz into what are very dull swathes of black plastic
in modern BMWs. Last, but by no means least, this
machine is packing a development engine
performance upgrade for the B48 2.0-litre that
promises around 300hp and 310lb ft of torque
gains of 48 and 52 respectively, although those
numbers are, as yet, not set in stone.
Out on the road, though, the ACS3 3.0i does prove
to be an eager performer, exhibiting the sort of pace
youd expect from a 300hp saloon, offering up a big
dose of torque lower down the rev range but like
some of BMWs smaller turbocharged petrol units

theres not a huge amount to be gained from really

extending it as its best work is already done by the
time you reach 6000rpm. As a performance upgrade
its pretty effective, taking the 330i almost up to 340i
levels of power and torque for less than the price
difference between the two cars, assuming the
Schnitzer upgrade comes in at a similar price point to
its offerings for other models. You obviously dont
get the straight-six soundtrack, or some of the 340is
additional equipment, but it is still worth bearing
in mind.
We were worried that those 20-inch alloys might
be an inch or so too large for the car but we
shouldnt have worried Schnitzer generally knows
its onions when it comes to suspension setups and
this car features the companys Sports suspension
system which features new springs and dampers.
Schnitzer reckons it goes a long way to eliminating
the vertical chop associated with BMW damping on
fast bumpy corners yet also offers a compliant ride

014-018 BMWCAR 0916 01/08/2016 16:43 Page 17

AC SCHNITZER ACS3 3.0i

AC Schnitzer ACS3 3.0i

ENGINE: Four-cylinder, 16-valve, turbocharged
CAPACITY: 1998cc
MAX POWER: 300hp*
MAX TORQUE: 310lb ft*
MODIFICATIONS
ENGINE: AC Schnitzer Performance Upgrade TBC;
AC Schnitzer engine optics 359.88
EXHAUST: AC Schnitzer silencer with Racing Evo tailpipes left and right
1588.44
SUSPENSION: AC Schnitzer Sports suspension 1233.48

WHEELS AND TYRES: AC Schnitzer AC1, 8.5x20-inch with 225/35 (front) and
255/30 (rear) tyres 3255.83
AERODYNAMICS: AC Schnitzer front spoiler elements (carbon) 888.50;
AC Schnitzer mirror covers (carbon) 430.79; AC Schnitzer rear roof spoiler
242.73; AC Schnitzer spoiler 326.42
INTERIOR: AC Schnitzer aluminium pedal set 155.67; AC Schnitzer
aluminium foot rest 149.82; AC Schnitzer key holder 79.88; AC Schnitzer
floor mats 181.03
* In development, price and final figures TBC. All prices are for parts only but
include VAT. For further information please contact AC Schnitzer UK.

SEPTEMBER 2016 17

014-018 BMWCAR 0916 01/08/2016 16:44 Page 18

BEHIND THE WHEEL

and having spent some time behind the wheel of its

330i we have to agree. While the majority of roads we
encounter are better than those in the UK the section
of road we end up using for the panning photography
is worse than most of our B-roads and is little better
than a dirt track with a crumbling surface and the 330i
simply soaks it all up. Big potholes will still upset it,
but on the whole Id say it rides as well as, if not
better than, a standard 3 Series on 18s with the M

Sport suspension. It feels nicely planted when

cornering too, with enough feedback to make it
entertaining which is all you could wish for from a
sports saloon.
It might lack the sonorous straight-six of pervious
generations but we reckon the 330i is still a pretty
decent piece of kit, especially with a few choice
Schnitzer upgrades. The exhaust does go someway to
eliciting a better soundtrack from the four-cylinder,

although its never going to sound as sweet as a sixpot, but the performance on offer does go someway
towards making up for the lack of aural excitement. It
doesnt sound bad, just never all that inspiring.
Overall, though, another job well done by the chaps
at AC Schnitzer. The car has enough exterior changes
to help it stand out from the crowd and the wheels
and suspension combine very well to make it an
entertaining companion

CONTACT:
AC Schnitzer UK
Tel: 01485 542000
Web: www.ac-schnitzer.co.uk
AC Schnitzer Germany
Tel: +49 (0)241 56 88 130
Web: www.ac-schnitzer.de

18 BMWcar

019 BMWCAR 0916 02/08/2016 12:33 Page 19

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020-026 BMWCAR 0916 02/08/2016 16:15 Page 20

Lean

green

flying
machine

Its not just the colour that makes this M4 stand out
from the crowd as its packing a serious power hike
among some other tasty modifications
Words: Bob Harper Photography: Dave Smith

20 BMWcar

020-026 BMWCAR 0916 02/08/2016 16:15 Page 21

MOTECH M4

SEPTEMBER 2016 21

020-026 BMWCAR 0916 02/08/2016 16:15 Page 22

22 BMWcar

020-026 BMWCAR 0916 02/08/2016 16:15 Page 23

MOTECH M4
may have mentioned this before but our company
chairman used to have a fondness for the
expression, if youre going to be a bear, be a
grizzly! We discovered this one day when he
appeared in the office wearing what can only be
described as a rather interesting tie you know, the
sort that one of those programmes on the TV
populated by so-called fashion gurus would have had
a fit about. To call it bright would have been the
understatement of the century. And we can only
imagine this sort of if youre going to be a bear
thought process must have gone through the owner
of this M4s mind when he signed on the dotted line
for this rather wonderful Java green M4 Coup. It
turns out that hed actually gone to his local dealer to
put an order in for an altogether more straight-laced
M3 Saloon, but when he clapped eyes on this M4
which had just been delivered to the dealership to be
a demo car it was love at first sight.
But its not the colour that first grabs my attention
as I can hear it coming long before I can see it. Were
camped out at a photo location we know of in the
wilds of Northamptonshire and at first it sounds as if

theres a Chinook helicopter on exercises somewhere

in the distance, but after a few seconds this doesnt
make sense as the sound isnt constant it rises and
falls every couple of seconds or so. Whatever it is its
getting closer though and eventually we see the Java
green M4 spearing along the lanes with the sun
glinting off its freshly polished paint and even when
its surrounded by lush green vegetation it still stands
out from the crowd.
As the M4 sits quietly ticking away to itself as it
cools down from its workout we quiz Motechs Mike
Hodder as to what exactly we have before us. Mike
has been involved with tuning BMWs for more years
than he cares to remember and instead of just
offering remapping services with which hes still very
much involved, hes now offering what he likes to
think of as a one-stop tuning solution for busy owners
of BMWs. While some owners might have the time
and inclination to visit one company for an exhaust,
another for a remap and another for some styling
upgrades, Mikes increasingly finding that many
owners would like to have all the work carried out at
once at the same company.

SEPTEMBER 2016 23

020-026 BMWCAR 0916 02/08/2016 16:15 Page 24

Not only are you covering ground at an

increasingly rapid pace but youre being
aurally assaulted at the same time

020-026 BMWCAR 0916 02/08/2016 16:15 Page 25

MOTECH M4

Thus this M4 is sporting what hes calling the

M520 package, and yes that figure does refer to the
cars power output. At the heart of this particular
conversion are a couple of Remus products: a
Powerizer and an exhaust system. Over the years
Mikes become a big fan of Remus products its
expertise with exhausts is second-to-none and you
may well be surprised as to quite how many
manufacturers Remus make exhausts for. Well start
with the Powerizer which is a tuning box that brings
power up from 431hp to 520hp a pretty significant
gain while torque is also swelled from 406lb ft to
472lb ft. Like most tuning boxes its a plug-and-play
item thats fairly easily plumbed into the cars
electronics with the supplied wiring kit and it gently
manipulates signals from the ECU to make its gains.
The fact that Remus Powerizer has full TV
certification gives you peace of mind too.
Its not the Powerizer thats responsible for all the
noise though, thats down to the full Remus system
that replaces everything aft of the downpipes. The
fully stainless system is beautifully made and has
been fully reengineered by Remus boffins at their
state-of-the-art R&D centre. As is the way these days,
its a switchable system meaning that it can be quiet
and discreet when you want it to be or strident and
vocal when youre feeling a little more extrovert as
we heard earlier on.
Completing the M520 package are a set of
Pipercross air filters that are a direct swap for the
OEM items. Pipercross reckons its filters have a vastly
improved surface area and that the carefully selected
multi-layered foam within the filters offer 30 percent
more airflow which is never a bad thing an engine
that can breathe properly should always be a strong
performer. These three modifications Powerizer,
exhaust and Pipercross filters add up to the M520
package and when the works carried out at the same
time they offer pretty decent value for money at
2898 youre seeing some excellent power
improvements for your money.
Motech doesnt just deal with the power side of
the equation though as this car is sporting some tasty

styling upgrades too. The 20-inch wheels will be a

matter of personal taste I usually like my wheels to
be silver but these black DForged items do look good
when set off against the Java paintwork and whats a
very nice touch on this particular machine is that the
brake callipers have also been painted in Java green.
The standard fit blue callipers with their M logos
didnt really look quite right with the cars exterior
colour. Whether or not the 20-inch alloys will actually
improve the driving experience on our lumpy roads is
a moot point but theres no doubting they fill the
arches nicely and look very good indeed.
Elsewhere around the car youll find some nice
carbon additions around the huge front air intakes
and a splitter just below the front spoiler along with a
rather natty little ducktail spoiler atop the bootlid and
a nice diffuser around the quad pipes on the Remus
exhaust. This particular machine has the carbon tips
to the Remus exhaust and it has to be said they really
do look the part. As is the case with carbon exterior
parts they dont come cheap, well certainly not for
quality components such as these, but at 540 for
the three-part front spoiler, 660 for the rear diffuser
and 276 for the rear spoiler these particular items
do seem to be very keenly priced and look to be of
high quality with a nice lustre displaying the carbon
weave underneath.
The last couple of changes that have been wrought
cant be seen but include au Ultra Racing lower rear
strut brace to tighten up the rear end and a set of
Eibach lowering springs which lower the M4 by
20mm. These wont be the end of the chassis
changes though, Mikes currently experimenting with
a couple of different options which should help the
M4 to use its power to good effect.
Thats enough of the theory though and now that
photographer Smithys got his pictures in the bag its
time to experience the performance for ourselves.
Before we put the hammer down we start off by
getting familiar with the M4 again and driven at
moderate speeds its as refined and cultured as you
could want it to be. The exhausts muted, the
additional power is slumbering and you could almost

SEPTEMBER 2016 25

020-026 BMWCAR 0916 02/08/2016 16:15 Page 26

F82 M4 M520
ENGINE: In-line six-cylinder, turbocharged, 24-valve
CAPACITY: 2979cc
MAX POWER: 522hp
MAX TORQUE: 472lb ft
MODIFICATIONS
M520 PACKAGE: Pipercross free-flow filters; Remus
downpipe back exhaust system with 102mm carbon
tips with race centre section; Remus Powerizer. Package
price inc. fitting (with chrome tailpipes): 2898.00
STYLING: CarbonSpeed three-part front spoiler
extensions and splitter: 540.95; CarbonSpeed full rear
diffuser: 660.95; CarbonSpeed ducktail rear boot
spoiler: 276.95
WHEELS AND TYRES: DForged D1 9.5x20-inch (front),
10.5x20-inch (rear); Toyo Proxes
CHASSIS: Ultra Racing rear lower strut brace: 189.95;
Eibach 20mm spring kit: 245.00
Thanks to:
Motech Performance: 01604 810000
The Performance Company: 01933 685840
Pipercross Air Filters: 01604 707750
Colour Kraft: 07881 536 186
Dooka Detailing: 07754 733778
RS Repairs: 07904 078161

be forgiven for wondering what all the fuss is about.

The roads around here are lightly trafficked and
have some wonderfully inviting sections that are wellsighted and allow you to really drive quite hard and in
these circumstances the M4 really comes alive. Its
been set up so that when you engage Sport Plus you
have the full 520hp at your disposal along with the
exhaust having its flaps fully open, so not only are you
covering ground at an increasingly rapid pace but
youre being aurally assaulted at the same time. Like
many other modern M cars its not a desperately
cultured sound if you compare it to a naturally
aspirated multi-valve straight-six from the olden days
but of its type this Remus system has to be one of
the best weve experienced. It sounds angry very
similar to the AC Schnitzer ACL2 we drove a couple of
months ago and it does seem to egg you on to

extract the full performance from the car.

I cant imagine wanting to travel any faster than this
on British B roads, even ones that are as wellsurfaced and well-sighted as these ones, but you find
you cant help yourself you keep trying that little bit
more, just a bit more throttle, just to hear an even
more vocal and strident symphony from the exhaust.
Its a bit of a licence loser, but what a way to go! Even
though these roads are better than most the odd
bump can knock the M4 off line and eventually we
call a halt to proceedings while were all still in one
piece. On a dark and damp winters evening you
could get yourself into an awful lot of trouble with this
car, but if you have a modicum of self restraint and
are happy to notch the pace back a little then youd
still be able to cover ground at an indecent pace
while (colour aside) slipping under the radar.

Driven at moderate speeds its as refined

and cultured as you could want it to be

Contact:
Motech Performance
Tel: 01604 810000/07842 122467
Web: www.motechperformance.co.uk

26 BMWcar

We run the M4 back to Motechs Northampton HQ

and as weve had our fun on the back roads we elect
to cruise back and in its normal mode loping along at
the legal limit the cars perfectly refined. The exhaust
is quiet, theres no hyperactive throttle response
even the rides pretty decent on those bigger rims
and lowering springs. Its nigh on the perfect
all-rounder fast and shouty when you want it to be,
calm and relaxing when youre not in the mood.
So, ultimately, while you dont have to have be a
grizzly and spec your M3 or M4 in a lairy BMW
Individual colour, opting to fit Motechs M520
package will certainly help you sound like one. Weve
tested plenty of M3s and M4s now and reckon this
ones right up there with the best as far as aural
stimulation is concerned and with the performance
upgrade its got the bite to match its bark

027 BMWCAR 0916 03/08/2016 12:38 Page 27

performance through
technology

SETTING
THE TONE

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We offer Active mapping and X maps
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028-032 BMWCAR 0916 02/08/2016 12:25 Page 28

If you like the unusual looks of

the 3 Series Gran Turismo, then
theres little reason to fault
the storming new 340i
range-topper
Words: Matt Robinson Photography: BMW
here seems to be a trend in the
automotive industry at the moment that is
stifling the excitement out of midlife facelifts. So many modern cars, upon reaching
the three-year halfway point of their lives,
are updated with barely anything changing at all. Only
the most intense of motoring enthusiasts would be
able to spot the differences between the old version
and the new at 50 paces.
BMW is one of the worst offenders. Time was
when a Life-Cycle Impulse (or LCI, in BMW-speak) on
a BMW would see all the light clusters change shape,
various design details would be overhauled on the
front, back and sides and, of course, there was the

28 BMWcar

easiest identifier for fans of the marque enlarged

kidney grilles.
Nowadays, youre lucky if Munich has even altered
the front air intakes. And so it is with this, the 2017
Model Year 3 Series Gran Turismo, or GT. Visually,
youll be hard-pressed to spot the newcomer, so let
us outline the alterations. All of the illumination in the
BMWs front end is now handled by LEDs. For a fee
the advanced Adaptive LED Headlights can be
specified. And, yes, the air intakes have been tinkered
with, too. At the rear, the LEDs have been fashioned
into an L-shaped light signature, the exhaust pipes
have marginally increased in diameter, and theres a
reshaped lower apron. Two new colours for all
models, Arctic grey and Jatoba metallic, have been
added and on the M Sport variants you can opt for a
classic BMW shade: Estoril blue. Three fresh alloy
wheel designs complete the revisions.
Maybe theres a good reason for this reluctance to
take drastic exterior restyling action, namely so that it
doesnt annoy the 140,000 customers worldwide
whove already signed up to the 3 GTs particular set
of aesthetic charms.
Inside, its core strengths of passenger space
(enough rear legroom to rival the regular wheelbase
7 Series) and a gigantic boot, starting at 520 litres
and rising to 1600 with all the seats folded down,

028-032 BMWCAR 0916 02/08/2016 12:25 Page 29

F34 40i GT

SEPTEMBER 2016 29

028-032 BMWCAR 0916 02/08/2016 12:25 Page 30

30 BMWcar

028-032 BMWCAR 0916 04/08/2016 11:14 Page 31

F34 40i GT
remain intact. Talking of the interior, like the 3 GTs
bodywork theres little to see here, save for some
new wood trim finishes, touches of chrome around
the air vents, the Navigation System Professional
dashboard screen with its tile menu arrangements
and also the premiere of BMW Connected. This is
one of the big changes for the Gran Turismo.
BMW Connected is a personalised digital mobility
companion function in the cars infotainment brain.
Launched in Europe in 2016, this system will develop
over the years, says BMW, to become a learning,
digital friend who can autonomously help you plan
out your day. For now, in the simplest terms possible,
one of the key services BMW Connected can provide
is to automatically monitor your planned routes for
changes in traffic conditions and then alert you (long
before youve got into the car) as to the best time to
leave if things are looking nasty on the commute.
It does this by sending messages to a smartphone
or Apple Watch telling you when you need to depart
in order to still get to the office, or a rendezvous with
friends, or a restaurant downtown, at the scheduled
time. Think of it as an extension of the traffic
announcement feature of sat nav systems, only
instead of getting in your 3 GT at your normal time in
the morning and then finding out a traffic incident is
going to make you 30 minutes late for a crucial board
meeting, what actually happens is BMW Connected
pings a message to your phone while youre still
brushing your teeth to say you need to leave in ten
minutes to make your appointment. Clever stuff.
More changes can be found under the GTs
bonnet where the latest family of modular, 500ccper-cylinder petrol and diesel powerplants are drafted
into service. All three of the petrol choices the

The 3 GT has always had a great interior and subtle

tweaks have improved it further; theres a huge amount
of rear legroom and the boots bigger than a Tourings

184hp, four-cylinder 320i, the 252hp, also fourcylinder 330i and this flagship 340i are brand-new
motors, while over on the diesel side just the fourcylinder units come from this family. The 150hp 318d
and the 190hp 320d were both introduced to the
3 GT range in 2015, so theyre carry-overs, but there
is a newcomer in the form of the twin-turbo 325d,
delivering 224hp and a massive 332lb ft of torque.
For anyone wanting six-cylinder turbodiesel oomph,
the 330d (258hp/413lb ft) and the 335d
(313hp/465lb ft) models stay on, having been part

of the Gran Turismos line-up since 2013.

Most GTs now come with the eight-speed
Steptronic as standard and many of them can be had
in xDrive as well as traditional rear-drive format; the
335d is the only GT that comes with xDrive as
standard. We drove a rear-wheel drive 340i, where
power is up 20hp on the superseded 335i, peaking
at 326hp, while torque swells 37lb ft to a robust
332lb ft. Thats enough for a scorching 0-62mph time
of 5.1 seconds and the 155mph limited maximum,
yet BMW says it can achieve 40.4mpg on the

The interior is superb, with little to fault

about the driving position nor the
visibility out and about

SEPTEMBER 2016 31

028-032 BMWCAR 0916 02/08/2016 12:25 Page 32

F34 340i Gran Turismo

ENGINE: B58 straight-six, turbocharged
CAPACITY: 2998cc
MAX POWER: 326hp @ 5500-6500rpm
MAX TORQUE: 332lb ft @ 1380-5000rpm
0-62MPH: 5.1 seconds
TOP SPEED: 155mph (electronically limited)
ECONOMY: 40.4mpg
EMISSIONS: 159g/km
WEIGHT (EU): 1735kg
PRICE: From 42,735

Manhandling the 340i GT along a twisting back

road is a slightly uncomfortable affair

combined cycle with just 159g/km CO emissions.

Say what you like about the modesty of the
overhaul, but the 3 GT is an imposing car to look at
without appearing gargantuan. The interior is superb,
with little to fault about the driving position nor the
visibility out and about. And the 340i, on its bigger
alloys and with a sportier cabin, has real presence, so
theres a lot to like about this striking 3 Series.
Its name tells you that its a Gran Turismo, so
maybe we shouldnt be too harsh on the fact the
340is focus appears to be on thunderous straightline pace and near-unimpeachable refinement first
and foremost, with the dynamic road-holding abilities
further down the pecking order. Our test car didnt
have the 515 adaptive dampers; it had a passive set
of springs and shock absorbers instead and theres

32 BMWcar

just a little more body roll and a touch too much

understeer in the corners to make the 3 GT feel like a
truly sharp machine. Its not without merits, such as
fine steering, strong brakes and impressive traction,
but manhandling the 340i GT along a twisting back
road is a slightly uncomfortable affair.
Theres nothing uncomfortable about the rest of
the driving experience, though, because this thing has
a brilliant ride. Supple and languorous, the 340i is as
cultured picking its way along crumbling suburban
streets as it is ironing out stretches of motorway. That
body roll in bends speaks volumes about the softness
of the setup, with the pay-off being refinement of the
highest order. The lack of significant wind, tyre or
engine noise seeping into the cabin certainly helps
the overall classy demeanour of the 340i GT.

And while it might not be faultless in the curves,

once you show the car a straight then all is forgiven. It
doesnt feel appreciably different to the 335i that
went before, but thats no bad thing because the
340i is therefore near-M Performance ballistic if you
pin the throttle. On an autobahn outside Munich, it
hauled well into three-figure speeds with seemingly
no let-up in its appetite for acceleration. It also
sounds excellent when closing in on its redline, and it
almost goes without saying that the Steptronic
transmission is fluid and unobtrusive at all times.
All of which means that, while theres no seachange for the LCI 3 GTs, tangible improvements
have been wrought. And as other manufacturers offer
very little like it in the way of competition, then the
3 GT remains well worth a look

033 BMWCAR 0916 02/08/2016 12:36 Page 33

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034-040 BMWCAR 0916 02/08/2016 12:16 Page 34

34 BMWcar

034-040 BMWCAR 0916 02/08/2016 12:16 Page 35

FROZEN M3 EDITION

SEPTEMBER 2016 35

034-040 BMWCAR 0916 02/08/2016 12:16 Page 36

ome on feel the noise. Those words

uttered by Quiet Riot couldnt be
more appropriate as the M3 charges
down the straight, the shifter being
blipped in quick succession, the
noise incessant, the speedo racing towards 240km/h.
Then its hard onto the brakes, the nose digging into
the Tarmac. The rear feels like it wants to pole vault to
the sky. The turn-in to the hairpin is sharp. Full throttle
on the exit, creating the perfect power-slide. Thankfully
the electronic nannies have retired for the day. Quick
counter-steer is needed, though, to make sure it
doesnt all come undone. Then its onto a short
straight, then a left kink, requiring just a slight lift off
the throttle, into the next hairpin, followed by another
short straight and a swooping left-hander onto the pit
straight, that thunderous F1 noise of old returning, as
the right paddle is relentlessly tugged. Hard onto the
brakes again going into a left hairpin, blip the throttle
for the short straight that follows and then a full

power-slide through the 90-degree right hander. Get

the nose straight long enough to make the last hard
right turn, onto a flowing section with one swooping
right turn, clip the right apex on the final straight, and
finally were back on the long straight where we
started. Hopefully we set a new lap record on this
short 2.6km Midvaal Raceway track. This is heartpounding stuff. Get it right and you feel like a Top Gun
ace; get it wrong well, we dont even want to think
about it. This is the allure of the E92 M3, dialled-up to
11 if it is the limited Schnitzer Frozen Edition. Quiet
Riot was right, it did get rather wild. Were sold. Where
do we sign?
How is it, though, that BMW SA was once again
able to have a model specifically developed for the
South African market? In 2010 South Africa was
deemed the seventh largest M market for BMW and
local M enthusiasts were therefore understandably
cheesed-off when the E92 M3 GTS, commemorating
the 25th anniversary of the M3, did not come their

way. Fortunately BMW SA was able to convince BMW

AG that it should have its own unique
commemorative M3 for the South African market. Not
a new feat by BMW SA as developing unique models
for the South African market had already reached
legendry status with the likes of the E12 530 MLE,
E23 M-powered 745i, E30 333i and E30 325iS all
garnering plenty of aficionado followers.
So what made this Frozen Edition so special? For
starters, BMW for the first time offered an M3 with
blatant Schnitzer badging on the outside (underneath
the right tail-light) and even under the bonnet (the
Schnitzer crest found on the carbon fibre intake
manifold). This was no ordinary Frozen Edition,
though. To the rest of the world a Frozen M3 means
an exotic paint finish and some stitching on the seats.
This Schnitzer package, on the other hand, comprised
a high performance exhaust, including a de-cat, a
carbon fibre Schnitzer intake manifold, and the DME
(Digital Motor Electronics) was reprogrammed to

034-040 BMWCAR 0916 02/08/2016 12:16 Page 37

FROZEN M3 EDITION
THANKS TO:
Midvaal Raceway
or the use of the circuit.

Web: www.midvaalraceway.co.za
Tel: +27 82 774 4285

ignore the de-cat and allow for a top speed of

180mph (290km/h). The 0-62mph dash, achieved
in 4.5 seconds, shaves off a few tenths from the
standard M3s time. Power was up by 29hp
(21kW), with a maximum of 449hp (330kW)
reached at a hefty 8400rpm. The torque band was
also increased by 15lb ft (20Nm) to 310lb ft
(420Nm) which peaked at 3900rpm. What is
significant is that the cars were not imported from
Germany with the Schnitzer upgrades. Instead
BMW SA entered into an agreement with JSN
Motors, the sole importer and distributor for AC
Schnitzer on the African continent, to carry out the
conversions at the Rosslyn plant.
We caught up with BMW/Schnitzer technician,
Shaun du Plessis, from JSN, who was responsible
for carrying out the conversions at the VDC (Vehicle
Distribution Centre) at the Rosslyn plant. He
explains: The M3s were imported just as they
rolled off the production-line in Germany. All

It took two weeks to complete all the conversions,

eight lucky owners took delivery in late 2010 and
the rest were delivered early the following year

SEPTEMBER 2016 37

034-040 BMWCAR 0916 02/08/2016 12:16 Page 38

Schnitzer components were shipped separately. A

colleague and I removed the rear exhaust boxes and
carried out the de-cat. We swapped the intake
manifold for the Schnitzer carbon fibre item and
removed the DME. Sounds rather straightforward?
Yes, except for the fact that we had to ship all the
DMEs to Schnitzer to be reprogrammed. We would
have thought that BMW AG could have arranged that,
and du Plessis concurs: You and I both. That was the
lengthiest part of the conversion. Our colleagues at
Rosslyn only assisted with welding on the rear
Schnitzer exhausts.
This special SA Frozen Edition was limited to 25
cars to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the M3.
There was one additional car for the press that most
people dont know about. It took two weeks to
complete all the conversions. Eight lucky owners took
delivery in late 2010 and the rest were delivered early
the following year. These Frozen M3s were only
offered in two colours 20 were black (including the
lone press car) and just six in grey.
Du Plessis is obviously a fan of these cars he
helped to create and gives us his impressions of the
car: Stavros Neophitou, the dealer principal and
owner of JSN, owned one for a short while. My most
lasting impression is the noise, it was proper! So loud
that it would rattle your neighbours windows. Start it
cold and it exploded. The throttle response was
definitely sharper than the standard M3, the power
gains were down to the manifold, de-cat and rear

38 BMWcar

034-040 BMWCAR 0916 02/08/2016 12:16 Page 39

FROZEN M3 EDITION
Schnitzer exhaust and not really the DME. The top
speed was raised to the limit, and I can testify to that,
the 290km/h (180mph) is genuine! Definitely a
collectors item then? Without a doubt! The only fly in
the ointment is that BMW SA never issued limited
edition plaques to authenticate each car as a limited
edition and to specify the number, which I think will
lower the values of these M3s somewhat.
When sold new in 2010/11 it retailed for
R1,180,000 (114,563) a whopping R215,671
(20,939) premium over the standard M3. Lets put
that into perspective. The M3 sold new in the UK in
2010 for 51,000 and some change. The M3 GTS
sold for 117,630, so in essence South African buyers
were paying just 3000 less than the cost of a GTS
for the Schnitzer and also almost double for the
standard M3 over UK buyers.
So what did your 114k buy you? A 10mm
lowered suspension, 19-inch high gloss alloys
(unfortunately not the Y-spoke CSL-style rims)
wrapped in 245/40 ZR19 Pirelli rubber in the front
and 265/40 ZR19 at the rear, and contrasting fiery red
brake callipers. Electronic Damper Control came as an
optional extra. Damn that is cheeky. Wasnt the price
high enough already? Fortunately, all the other
goodies came free, which included the seven-speed
M Dual Clutch Transmission, dark chrome kidney
surrounds, matt Shadowline exterior trim, carbon-like
central insert in the dash and vibrant red stitching on
the leather. Unfortunately the Alcantara steering got

left out of the equation pity.

Turning to the grey example adorning the pages in
front of you, it is one of only six in this hue. With only
24,000km (14,913 miles) on the odometer, it is in
superb condition. The grey, in our opinion, is the
better colour option over the black, achieving that
frozen (frosted) look much more convincingly, and
accentuating the lines, curves and creases much
better. Truth be told, the Frozen Silver is the one that
gets our hair to stand on end. Although this M3 does
not get much road time, it is very practical as an
everyday steed. The award winning, naturally aspirated
V8 engine (the last of its kind) is capable of dealing
with traffic, blasts through the countryside and the
occasional track day, so quite versatile in all respects.
This M3 is best enjoyed on a charge, though, the freerevving engine making it easy to keep it in the sweet
spot, with the flexibility to either have all of the drive
aids fully switched on, or just enough to burn rubber
as you power-slide or, for the brave, the option of no
safety net whatsoever. The steering is well weighted
with a precision that allows you to tackle S-bends and
hairpins with confidence. The cross-drilled ventilated
rotors and single-piston callipers provide neck
snapping deceleration. All of which is achieved in a
comfortable, luxurious, Germanic cockpit with worldclass ergonomics and a sizable luggage compartment
to boot.
The matt paint finish on this M3 has been
perfectly preserved, unlike a large number of the

SEPTEMBER 2016 39

034-040 BMWCAR 0916 04/08/2016 11:15 Page 40

remaining 25 that were sold. Most have succumbed

to the blotchy gloss effect that is caused by cleaning
the cars with exotic shampoos and by applying
waxes and polish. Only regular shampoo (naturally
BMW recommends its own brand) is needed; no
sealants, waxes and polishes are to be used. Even a
microfibre cloth is a no, no. Residues such as tar and
bird lime is to be removed immediately. Were not
sure if the initial owners were given a thorough
enough briefing with regards to cleaning or if they
simply ignored it. By now the cars are in the hands
of second or third owners and we doubt if they were
alerted to the dos and donts. BMW, however, seems
to be on a roll with the Frozen paint effect and has
extended it to a wider range in its line-up. It all
started with the M3 in 2010 and, according to BMW,
all 30 units of the grey M3 Frozen Edition sold out
within 12 minutes. The Frozen effect is achieved by
applying a different clear-coat mix ratio, in terms of
hardeners, reducers, application methods, and drying
options. Different panels of the vehicle require
different clear-coat ratios. A Frozen finish reflects
about 20 percent of the light that penetrates, so

The noise was proper!

So loud that it would rattle
your neighbours windows

40 BMWcar

make sure your air-con is working.

All rather complex, and what self-respecting car-nut
doesnt occasionally want to apply some wax or polish
to his pride and joy, and buff it until a mirror finish has
been achieved?
BMW caught on to the limited/special edition trend
with the first generation M3 and has not looked back
since, with the highly anticipated M4 GTS now
available in Europe and North America. South African
M devotees are rejoicing, as this time around the GTS
will be gracing their shores. However, only 25
customers were invited to the GTS party, with a price
tag of R2,134,500 equating to 99,510 at an
exchange rate of R21,45 (the exchange rate is more
than double what it was in 2010). In the UK, however,
the GTS is priced at 121,780 (whos laughing now?).
Clearly South Africa has become an M market that
cannot be ignored; indeed its now ranked fifth in the
world in terms of overall M market share. It doesnt
hurt that on the 7 April 2016, Dr. Ian Robertson,
member of the Board of Management of BMW AG
responsible for Sales and Marketing and former boss
of BMW SA, unveiled the second largest standalone

M showroom in the world: Zambesi Auto in Pretoria.

We have mixed feelings about the GTS, and the M4 in
particular. We much prefer the four-door M3; its a
much better balanced and cohesive shape as far as
were concerned. It all goes horribly wrong aft of the
B-pillar on the M4; the rear wing is way too long and
the tail-lights disproportionally large. In my opinion the
previous E92 M3 Coup hits the spot. It is a rather
handsome devil that cuts a suave figure, its design
well balanced and proportioned.
Cosmetically the Schnitzer Frozen M3 Edition is a
bit of a mixed bag; some key elements, such as the
Y-spoke CSL-style rims and Alcantara steering, were
omitted. But it is a cracking limited M3. And even
though it doesnt have a plaque declaring its rarity, it
will definitely increase in value over the years. BMW
made a plethora of limited edition E9x M3s; whether
they will all be worth the investment, only time will
tell. What is certain, though, is that were all suckers
when it comes to these M limited edition runs

THANKS TO:
Ron Silke

041 BMWCAR 0916 02/08/2016 12:37 Page 41

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SEPTEMBER 2016

41

042-048 BMWCAR 0916 02/08/2016 15:57 Page 42

BRAKING
THE BANK
If youre speccing a new M5 you could spend nearly 7500 on a set of
optional carbon ceramic brakes or you could have one of these
used cars for the price of those discs!
Words: John Tallodi

ew car prices are continually on the rise

it seems like only yesterday a decent new
car was not much more than 10,000.
Well that yesterday may have been over
30 years ago now but there is no denying
that even an entry-level BMW is a fair bit of change
these days.
While it is true that prices have risen, the quality of
what is available for the money has undoubtedly
increased even more dramatically. In some ways the
motoring public have never had it so good.
Performance is up, emissions are down and some of
the latest options on top-of-the-range BMWs were the
preserve of supercars not that long ago.
Ah, the options list. Most men spend more time
agonising over their new 3 Series specifications than
they do over the name of their first born, and for good

42 BMWcar

reason too. Tick the wrong box or too many boxes

and you could soon be driving around in a 45,000
316d. Even judicious option picking can add
thousands of pounds to most models and some
extras, such as carbon ceramic brakes for your new
M5, will set you back an eye-watering 7395. Surely
you could buy an entire BMW for that? Well, as it turns
out, you can
To see just what sort of BMW can be had for this
kind of money we took a look at some practical
options and a few that are a bit more focused. We
went into this endeavour expecting to find nothing
more than a few wheezy old bangers staring fearfully
at their next MoTs. Instead, thanks to a combination of
depreciation and German build quality, we found
some truly desirable cars that have much more than a
little life left in them.

042-048 BMWCAR 0916 02/08/2016 15:57 Page 43

BUYING USED
E90 320d
A company car favourite thanks to its class-leading
combination of efficiency and affordability, these cars
are equally at home on the open road as they are
around the city. The slab-like dashboard design may
not be to everyones tastes but the exterior styling
looks sharp, especially with the optional M Sport trim.
Handling and dynamic ability are still excellent
although the decent interior dimensions and good
fuel efficiency are perhaps more important for those
looking at a four-cylinder diesel derivative.
Our budget gives us a range of options from
2007/2008 all with less than 70,000 miles on the
clock. Face-lifted models offer a softer ride, greater
reliability and a hike in power from 163hp to 177hp
so look out for these. LED rear lights and bonnet
grooves are the quickest way to differentiate the preand post-face-lift cars.
Avoid the similarly priced but significantly less
powerful 318ds which are detuned to 143hp and
look for automatic transmission models if you spend
most of your time in stop/start driving.

E87 118d
As an alternative to the larger E90 320d, especially
for those that do not often venture out of the city
limits, a 118d is just the thing. For the price of a set of
fancy brake discs you are looking at a 2010 E87 1
Series with fewer than 60,000 miles to its name. Why
not a 120d then? Well, the 118d with 143hp has
more than enough grunt for its intended role and you
pay the same low road tax as the less powerful 116d.
A manual gearbox is the way to go on these cars, and
while standard equipment is not overly generous you
still get electric windows, a decent sound system as
well as that great chassis to keep you company.
2007-on face-lift cars have the updated interior
and engines, and as these cars were built in the last
two years of production, niggling issues found on
early cars should have been attended to. A combined
average of 62.8mpg and our relatively low fuel prices
means that this is one wallet-friendly car to own.

SEPTEMBER 2016 43

042-048 BMWCAR 0916 02/08/2016 15:57 Page 44

E60 520d
The venerable 2.0-litre diesel makes one more
appearance in our list of sensible drives, this time in
the form of the E60 520d. For the larger family or for
longer motorway trips the comfortable E60 is an
excellent choice. With 177hp and 258lb ft of torque
the smallest engine choice in the 5 Series doesnt
equate to limp-wristed performance. In fact, in cut
and thrust driving and during overtaking manoeuvres
this little diesel lump actually outshines its 523i
stablemate. A combined average of 55.4mpg also
betters every other E60 offering.
Ceramic brake disc money gets you an updated
LCI 2007 or even a 2008 520d with under 70,000
miles on the clock. Both the manual and automatic
versions are pleasant to drive while specification
levels are generally quite generous. 530d and even
535d models can also be found for this price and
while the added power and six-cylinder refinement is
tempting, you would be looking at very high mileage
examples and potentially far steeper running costs.

E85 Z4 Roadster
The E85 generation Z4s were well-built machines
that have fared well on the secondhand market. If
you want the benefits of open-top motoring in a
more efficient and modern package then the Z4 is
your car. The Roadster variants were available in a
variety of specifications, however, for our money the
best bet is the base 2.0-litre four-cylinder car, which
replaced the 2.2-litre six-cylinder model in 2005 and
offered increased driveability and efficiency for a
small performance penalty.
2007 and 2008 models are available at our
7400 price ceiling, some with less than 30k miles.
Its face-lift occurred in 2006 and these cars benefit
from refreshed exterior colours, newer alloy wheel
designs, as well as head- and tail-light updates. Weak
spots are few, though check the drainage holes
around the hood as pooled water can damage the
electric motors. The larger capacity six-cylinder cars
can be tempting but fuel costs and maintenance will
be higher. Instead, stick to the sweet handling 2.0-litre
car and enjoy budget open air motoring.

44 BMWcar

042-048 BMWCAR 0916 02/08/2016 15:58 Page 45

BUYING USED
E46 M3 Convertible
At its launch in 1999, the E46 M3 descended on
its opposition like an anvil on some hapless
cartoon characters head. Such was its superiority
to the usual suspects that it was regularly
compared to contemporary and much more costly
Porsche 911s. A superb chassis, great looks and
an eight-times international engine of the year
award winner, these amazing cars are just
creeping into our budget range. Admittedly some
compromises have to be made and the soughtafter low-mileage manual coups are not the ones
we will be looking at.
Our budget dictates that we limit our choice to
the pre-facelift Convertible cars and the odd high
mileage coup. Stick to the manual cars as the
early SMG gearboxes are not the pinnacle of
smoothness in daily driving. Comprehensive
service histories are an absolute must. Steer clear
of accident damaged or modified cars. Find a
mechanically sound one, perhaps keep a few extra
pounds aside for the odd maintenance item and
you too can savour one of BMWs all-time greats.
343hp for a set of brake discs amazing!

SEPTEMBER 2016 45

042-048 BMWCAR 0916 02/08/2016 16:11 Page 46

E31 8 Series
Arguably one of BMWs finest designs, the
early 90s 8 Series is a truly desirable piece of
kit. Over the past few years it has quietly
slipped into classic car territory and mint
condition examples are now commanding
faintly ludicrous prices. Lets ignore those ones
and take a look at the sort of stuff we can get
for our budget. While the 300hp V12 850i
seems the obvious choice, the later 286hp
V8-engined 840Ci is the one to go for. The
post-1995 4.4-litre cars are the most desirable
but our budget only allows for the earlier
4.0-litre variants in automatic guise. Thats not

46 BMWcar

necessarily a hardship and the auto box does

suit the nature of the car well. Mileages will be
well over 100,000 miles but if you were the
cautious type you would have stopped
reading at that nice, economical 320d we
reviewed earlier on.
In truth, other than the Nikasil bore issues
that would have long since been resolved,
these grand tourers arent unreliable, its just
that when they do go wrong they cost an arm
and a leg to fix assuming you can get the
parts! Just look at it, though those lines just
seem to keep getting better with age.

042-048 BMWCAR 0916 02/08/2016 15:58 Page 47

BUYING USED
E46 330Ci Convertible
The E46 3 Series has developed a reputation as a
solid and dependable car and due to its popularity it
remains a common sight on our roads. While there
are a number of desirable models in this range, the
330Ci Convertible is equipped with a 3.0-litre 231hp
engine and looks that still turn heads. Its arguably the
pick of the non-M variants. There are still a number of
well-maintained low-milers out there, 7400 getting
you the last of the 2005/2006 run-out models.
UK 330Cis came well equipped with 18-inch
alloys, a full leather interior and a Harman Kardon
sound system as standard. The straight-six powerplant
makes all the right noises and while consumption is
not particularly stellar, the lag-free, torquey power
delivery suits the nature of these cars well. One thing
is for sure, more of your friends will be impressed by
one of these parked in your driveway than you telling
them how fade-free your braking will be when you
take your M5 to a track day.

E92 335i Coup

These efficient diesels and sun-friendly convertibles
are all well and good but what about a car for when
the traffic thins out and the open road beckons?
Thats when you get behind the wheel of the car that
redefined the affordable sports car sector: the 335i.
The turbocharged 3.0-litre engine pumps out 306hp
but its the E92 M3 equalling 295lb ft of torque that
gives it that relentless shove in almost any gear. Our
carbon ceramic brake disc budget can get us one of
the early 2006/2007 twin-turbo cars with around 90k
miles on the clock. Most are automatics, which is no

bad thing, although the manual cars do offer a bit

more driver involvement.
Modified engines can cause extra strain on various
components so be wary of chipped examples. Regular
oil changes are essential on these early turbos so walk
away from cars without a verifiable service history.
The coup body style has aged well and the E92
335i offers a combination of practicality and
performance that makes it a fantastic daily driver while
also providing the kind of back road thrills no diesel
saloon can match.

SEPTEMBER 2016 47

042-048 BMWCAR 0916 02/08/2016 15:58 Page 48

E63 645Ci
Retailing at 911 prices when new, the E63 6 Series
had its work cut out to persuade punters that it was
the car they wanted to buy. While it did not quite
deliver the same sort of raw-edged thrills as the
Porsche, it was a superior open road cruiser and now
that the years have softened the entry fee they make
a lot more sense. For our 7400 we have to go back
a few years to 2005 where we find a nice range of
sub-90,000-mile 645Cis. The majority are automatics
but with 333hp at their disposal, performance is still
very rapid.
The looks have aged better than expected and the
interior is a pleasant place to be although rear seating
is best reserved for groceries. Maintenance costs can
be prohibitive on high mileage cars but who cares
when you have a big capacity V8 with all the toys for
this kind of money.

E65 730d
Most of our off-the-wall choices have focused on the
fast and furious back catalogue of BMWs range. For
our last car we take a look at BMWs luxurious
depreciation king. The 7 Series has always been the
harbinger of technology that eventually permeates
down the ranks. For our budget we take a look at the
E65 7 Series which in face-lifted form had ironed out
most of the issues that plagued the early cars. And as
a nod to curbing running costs we will focus on the
730d variant.
While the E65 was not BMWs finest moment
styling-wise, post-2005 models were somewhat
de-Bangled and these cars have aged well. Our
7400 ceiling means that 2007 model year 730ds
with close on 100k miles are within our grasp. The
six-cylinder diesel engine and cavernous interior make
for a top-class motorway cruiser and well-looked-after
examples should hopefully not cost too much to run.
The sheer number of electronic gadgets and motors
means that electronic faults are a possibility, however
the basic cars are reliable and for this price so what if
the rear seat massager doesnt work?

Conclusion
While few new car buyers specify carbon brakes
on their cars, it is astonishing what that sort of
money can get you these days. What is even
more surprising is that for the 1550 eightspeed auto transmission on an entry-level
1 Series, you could have your pick of perfectly
serviceable face-lifted E46 318is! If nothing else,
it will at least make you think twice before ticking
every optional extra on your new pride and joy.

48 BMWcar

049 BMWCAR 0916 03/08/2016 12:36 Page 49

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051 BMWCAR 0916 02/08/2016 15:49 Page 51

Classics

IN
ASSOCIATION
WITH

ALL THE LATEST GOINGS-ON IN THE CLASSIC BMW WORLD

52

Classic News
All the latest from the auction halls plus some lovely racing models.

62

JPS E30 M3
Not a model but the genuine article a wonderfully restored M3 racer.

56

70

E28 M5 Buying Guide

The original super saloon is on the up grab one before its too late.

The Spa Classic is one

of the highlights of the
season and there were
plenty of BMWs past
masters taking part.

SEPTEMBER 2016 51

052-055 BMWCAR 0916 02/08/2016 16:01 Page 52

CLASSIC AUCTIONS

Under the
Hammer
Artcurial, Le Mans Classic

A slightly less frenetic month on the auction

floor as far as BMW sales were concerned.
We round up those that sold and also highlight
a few that failed to find new homes

SOLD FOR:

47,680
Approx 40,000

SOLD FOR:

184,760
Approx 154,500

1940 327 Cabriolet

This wonderful 327 Cabrio exceeded its upper pre-sale
estimate of 160,000 by some margin but when you
consider that the car has been the subject of a
painstaking 16-year restoration it perhaps wasnt such a
surprise. Nothing was skimped on during the extensive
recommissioning with the body, interior, engine and
gearbox all receiving attention. Despite the cars extensive
rebuild it still retained a nicely aged patina and the fact
that it had covered nearly 9000km since its completion
last year demonstrates what a usable classic it is.

1987 E34 M635CSi

This left-hand drive Zinnobar red M635CSi
had just one owner from new and had
covered just 132km (82,500 miles) in its
29 years. It had obviously had plenty of
love and attention lavished on it over the
years and appeared to be in immaculate
order. It was offered for sale with no
reserve and carried a pre-sale estimate of
35,000-45,000 which it exceeded
proof if any were needed that lower
mileage, low owner cars sell very well
at auction.

Charterhouse, July sale

SOLD FOR:

12,760

1987 E24 M635CSi

While the E24 M6 has been increasing in value
over the years its perhaps not appreciated quite
as fast as its mechanically identical E28 M5
brethren. However, cars with a decent
provenance will sell well and this Alpine white
machine looked to be a good example of the
breed. Mileage might have been on the high
side at 124,500 but the car had had just one
registered keeper and had recently been
recommissioned including the fitment of four
new TRX tyres not a cheap exercise! It sold
just shy of its 20k estimate but looked to have
been priced about right.

1960 Isetta
Isettas come up at auction relatively often but they seem to
be very hard to value with some machines looking
undervalued while others seem to find homes at overinflated
prices. This particular example has been the subject of a full
nut and bolt restoration by a previous owner to a high
standard and presented well at auction. In the current
ownership this charming bubble car has been used sparingly
with the last tax disc being issued in April 2008. It sold for
12,760, just over its higher estimate.

52

BMWcar

SOLD FOR:

19,800

052-055 BMWCAR 0916 02/08/2016 16:01 Page 53

IN
ASSOCIATION
WITH

Auctions America, Santa Monica Sale

SOLD FOR:

$189,750
Approx 145,000

2000 E52 Z8
It seems as if the Z8 is a perennial
favourite on the American auction
scene, perhaps hardly surprising given
that almost half of the entire Z8
production run were bound for those
shores. This 2000 example sold by
Auctions America looked like a fine
specimen and presented well in its
original black paint and fetching red and
black interior. It was wholly original and
had covered just 11,000 miles, and in
todays market its 145k hammer price
appeared to be about right.

SOLD FOR:

$4950

Approx 3750

1976 2002
Prices for perfect 2002s are definitely on the up, but
given the potentially high restoration costs of these cars
the less than perfect ones do seem to attract low bids at
auction. This 1976 example was one of the last of the
line with square rear lights and the rather unattractive
US-spec impact bumpers but nonetheless it didnt appear
to be in too bad shape with the interior in particular
looking in fine fettle. A hammer price of less than 4000
made it look like pretty good value.

H&H, Chateau Impney

NOT
SOLD

1972 E9 3.0CS
Despite having received a recent respray and
looking to be in decent condition this E9
3.0CS Coup failed to sell at H&Hs Chateau
Impney sale. Its light blue metallic paint
looked good and contrasted well with the
black leather interior perhaps it was the
automatic gearbox putting off potential
purchasers despite a reasonable estimate of
20,000-24,000

1985 E24 M635CSi

Its a sad fact that in this country we seem to have an
obsession over low mileage and we imagine thats the
reason this fine-looking M635CSi failed to sell at H&Hs
sale. With 217k miles on the clock it was likely this car
was going to struggle despite its excellent provenance
full history and a recent timing chain and brake
overhaul. It even had a nigh-on perfect MoT history
with the only advisories over the past eight years
pointing to light bulbs and a cracked tyre not a
mention of rust from the MoT testers very rare for
an E24! Despite this it failed to sell against a pre-sale
estimate of 16,000-18,000.

NOT
SOLD

NOT
SOLD

1936 319 Cabriolet

The third of H&Hs BMW offerings also failed to sell at Chateau
Impney which was a shame as the diminutive cabrio looked very
nice in its blue and grey paintwork. While the 328 is the poster
boy of the pre-war BMWs perhaps theres less demand for the
more mainstream models. With an estimate of 60,000-70,000
it would certainly have cost less than a tenth of what youd expect
to pay for a 328!

SEPTEMBER 2016 53

052-055 BMWCAR 0916 02/08/2016 16:01 Page 54

CLASSIC AUCTIONS

Coming
Soon

If youve a wad of cash burning a hole in your pocket how

about bidding on one of these three beauties coming
up for auction at RM Sothebys?

RM Sothebys Monterey Sale, 19-20 August

ESTIMATE:

$700,000 - 900,000

ESTIMATE:

$2,400,000 - $2,700,000

1939 328
The values of 328s have been going north for some time now
and this one is by no means at the expensive end of the scale,
perhaps because very little is known of its early life. What is
known is that for the last 30 years its been loved and
cherished by two American owners who have used the car
extensively competing in various classic events in California and
beyond. As such it represents a rare opportunity for someone
looking to competitively race a 328. Youll need half a million in
the bank if it goes for its low estimate nearly three-quarters of
a million if it sells for its high estimate!

1957 507 Series 1

Wow, yes, you did read that estimate correctly and at the
exchange rate as we went to press that equates to a cool
1.8-2.0 million. This example has had just four owners
one of which owned it for over 50 years and kept it
well-maintained throughout that time. Originally finished in
white with a red interior the 507 was repainted in this sea
green hue back in the 1960s.

ESTIMATE:

$450,000 - $600,000

1981 E26 M1
This Inka orange M1 is one of the 98 road cars painted in this hue and was originally delivered to an
Italian dealership where it remained until 1984 when it was sold to a Japanese collector. Once in
Japan it was used only sparingly and when it left Japan nearly 30 years later it had covered just 8000
miles. Since it has been in the US its mileage has crept up to 12,800 miles showing that its still in a
good, road-worthy condition and it should provide its new owner with an excellent investment. We
hope they use it from time to time too.

54

BMWcar

052-055 BMWCAR 0916 02/08/2016 16:02 Page 55

Classic Racers
in miniature

IN
ASSOCIATION
WITH

This month another stunning selection of classic

BMW race cars courtesy of Racing Models

1984 E24 635CSi

1977 E21 320i

The JPS team 635CSi as raced in the 1984 James Hardie 1000 race at
Bathurst to 15th place driven by Denny Hulme and Leopold von Bayern.
A stunning CMR 1:18 resin model supplied in the correct JPS Livery.
Price: 100

A fine Minichamps 1:43 scale model of the Warsteiner

Group 5 320i as it was raced in the 1977 DRM series
by Jrg Obermoser.
Price: 26.50

1977 E21 320i

1998 E36 320i

The Jgermeister Group 5 320i as it won the 1977 DRM Eifelrennen in

the hands of the great Hans-Joachim Stuck. A splendid Minichamps 1:43
scale model.
Price: 26.50

The Jgermeister Team Isert 320i as it was raced in the 1998 STW series
by Prince Leopold von Bayern. A very nice Minichamps limited edition
1:43 scale model.
Price: 28

The models on this page can be ordered from Racing Models: www.racingmodels.com or 0844 8793437.
BMW Car readers are eligible for a ten percent discount by quoting BMW010 when ordering from Racing Models.

SEPTEMBER 2016 55

056-060 BMWCAR 0916 02/08/2016 16:55 Page 56

SPECTACULAR SPA
The Spa Classic once again provided us with some wonderful cars and great
racing and there were plenty of BMWs in action to feast your eyes on
Words: Jeroen de Laat
Photography: De Laat Foto

56 BMWcar

056-060 BMWCAR 0916 02/08/2016 16:55 Page 57

SPA CLASSIC

he 2016 classic racing season is well

underway and even though the starting
grids appear to be a little shorter than a
couple of years ago, theres still plenty of
wonderful action to be found. Some events
and tracks really stand out, and the Belgian SpaFrancorchamps circuit certainly is one of them. The
former street circuit has been in use since 1922 and
has been hosting Grand Prix races since 1925, and
even though the track layout has changed quite
dramatically, the heart is still there and still used for F1
racing today. And no matter what era you choose,
there are always images and videos of breathtaking
action in the challenging hills and impressive night
shots from the 24-hour races. And the Spa Classic
organised by Peter Auto helps us relive these times,

and perhaps our own memories. The event even

includes late evening sessions to complete the
24-hour atmosphere.
Of course, there are all the usual suspects youd
expect in attendance, although there are always
pleasant surprises waiting around each corner, too.
Like the odd-looking Group C car we saw at Fridays
free practice. It didnt look familiar and we werent
planning to pay it much notice, but when it drove past
its exhaust note sure got our attention. In a field
dominated by flat-sixes and V8 engines this sounded
like a straight-six, and very much like a BMW one. So
we took a few photos before heading for the paddock
where we found the bright red car and the big smile
of French engine guru Eric Wasserman. The Sthemo
SM C2, chassis number SC-01, competed in

endurance racing in 1984 but, lacking power and

reliability, it was never really successful. Hardly
surprising if you look at the competition led by an
abundance of Porsches 956 with over 600 horses.
The different approach taken by the Sthemo made it a
budget racer, perhaps, but it suffered a lack of engine
power and a centre of gravity that was way too high
because of the tall straight-six. And if the engine
sounded familiar, well, that was because its the
3.5-litre M88 powerplant from the M1. Wassermann
tells us it produces over 450hp which is quite a leap
from the 277hp developed by the road-going versions
of the M1, but clearly not enough to be competitive.
Still, nice to see something different, a special piece of
motoring history and the only Sthemo survivor.
What we missed, though, was the presence of

SEPTEMBER 2016 57

056-060 BMWCAR 0916 02/08/2016 16:55 Page 58

Above left: Luigi CSL ran into trouble with its brake discs but local knowledge found a local firm who could skim them at short notice. Above right: Wonderfully period interior of the
Luigi CSL. Below left: The UFO Jeans-liveried CSL also ran into scrutineering problems due to the height of its front spoiler but an adjustment to the front springs soon had it sorted

BMWs in the Sixties Endurance class, where usually

we find a pack of 1800Tis with Jackie Oliver behind
the wheel of one of them. Luckily other classes were
better equipped, like the Classic Endurance Racing
series that saw a host of Lola prototypes fitted with
BMWs M12 engine. It was a pity we saw one of these
cars, which are usually one of the fastest ones in the
field, driven by Frdric de Rocha, blow a rear tyre
right in front of us at the Kemmel straight.
In the Classic Endurance Racing (CER) class we

also saw Frenchman Charles Veillard in his E21 320i

Group 5 car in BMW Junior Team livery. Throughout
the event we checked up on him several times and
even though the event passed pretty much troublefree and even though he could keep up with the M1s
pretty well during the practice sessions, he couldnt
really get into the rhythm in the race which resulted in
a sixth place finish in his class. But he was relaxed and
enjoyed the event, and we asked him where to go if
we wanted some shots with exhaust flames. He told

us he heard the most popping noises at the end of

Kemmel so we went back up there (100 metres
above the pit lane) to capture some flames for you.
The CER class also saw two M1 ProCar racers
which are always good for impressive action and
sound. Peter Mlder and Patrick Simon did well during
qualifying and set the second best lap time during the
race, although the Team Lepitre M1 had to bow to the
sheer turbo power of three Porsche 934s and 935s
and finally came fourth in class with the other M1, the

This unusual Group C car was

a Sthemo SM C2 the only one
in existence and it was packing
a glorious-sounding BMW M88

58 BMWcar

056-060 BMWCAR 0916 02/08/2016 16:56 Page 59

SPA CLASSIC

BASF car driven by Gnther Schindler, which finished

behind the 320i of Veillard.
The Heritage Touring Cup traditionally is where we
see the most BMWs in action and this year was no
exception. Throughout the event we checked in with
Geoff Steel Racing who had brought a couple of
delectable E24 6 Series race cars with them. We
already knew it was going to be running the Garage
du Bac 635CSi, one of the most original 6 Series race
cars being used today, but it also brought its latest
build, a very well detailed replica of the Gerhard
Berger 635CSi in Marlboro livery. The Berger car ran
really well throughout the event but the Garage du
Bac car in Motul livery had some issues. Wed noticed
it was slower coming out of some corners and drivers
Paul Hope and Richard Beddow reported they were
lacking some power it felt like one the cylinders
wasnt co-operating all of the time. Intermittent issues
are always the worst to find and the search started in
between the practice and qualifying sessions. Starting
off with a compression test, a new set of spark plugs
and a full check over of the ignition system the team
was no closer to finding an answer and clearly the
engine was still missing a beat here and there. It took
some time but in the end a fuel injector was found to
be faulty and after replacing it the engine was back to
Top: Wonderful BASF-liveried M1 ProCar rounding the
hairpin at La Source. Above: Luigi CSL back to its
winning ways. Below: Group 5 E21 in BMW Junior Team
livery was spitting huge flames on the Kemmel

SEPTEMBER 2016 59

056-060 BMWCAR 0916 02/08/2016 16:56 Page 60

full spec again and was even faster than the Marlboro
635CSi in race two.
In this class we saw several E9 CSL racers in action
as well, including two original Luigi machines. Exactly
40 years after the last official victory of a Luigi
Cimarosti-prepared CSL, the Marabout-liveried
example, driven by Eric Mestdagh and Pierre-Alain
Thibaut, finished first in race one. The other Luigi CSL
was the 1977 Le Mans IMSA class winner in UFO
Jeans livery, driven by Patrick Mortier and John Baak.

There have been so

many great races at
Spa-Francorchamps
over the years, many
of them being
24-Hour events.
Night racing at the
Spa Classic is thus
a wonderfully
evocative sight

60 BMWcar

Mortier and Baak initially had some trouble getting

past scrutineering as their revised front spoiler was
too deep to meet event regulations but after
readjusting the front springs they were good to go
and fortunately handling was hardly affected. But after
qualifying the UFO team ran into more trouble with
warped front brake discs. Since these are not really
off-the-shelf items from the local BMW dealer their
best bet was to have them skimmed, but where do
you arrange that late on a Saturday afternoon with an

evening practice session ahead? Francesco Cimarosti,

yes, Luigis brother, happened to drop by and as the
Cimarostis have been running BMW dealerships in
Belgium for decades he knew just who to call. He
saved the day and with help from Luigis brother the
Luigi car was back in business on time. Its little things
like that which make classic racing so wonderful. It
was a thrilling weekend for all concerned and wed
thoroughly recommend you put it on your bucket list
for next year

061 BMWCAR 0916 02/08/2016 12:41 Page 61

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61

062-068 BMWCAR 0916 02/08/2016 15:40 Page 62

Special
Player
AVery

Banged up, shipped across the

Tasman Sea twice and, until
two years ago, a bit worse for
wear, this JPS stunner is now
back to its former glory
Words and photography: Chris Nicholls

MW race cars have been lucky enough to

wear some of the iconic competition
liveries over the years. Whether its the
various Art Cars, the Jgermeister colours,
the Warsteiner and Fina liveries or just the
M stripes by themselves, Bavarias best racers have
always looked the business. However, while we in the
northern hemisphere have been spoilt for choice with
these beauties, we have missed out on one truly
iconic racing design that only ever competed on
BMWs down under the JPS livery.
Obviously most famous for its stint on Lotus F1
machines, the JPS colours have been applied to
many other cars over the years, but F1 Lotuses aside,
only the Australian JPS E21 320i Turbos, 635CSis and
E30 M3s, which ran from 1981-87, used the livery
officially in any four-wheeled racing capacity. And my,
doesnt it look good on this M3? The deep, jet black
paint is perfectly offset by the gold pin striping that
runs along the cars flanks, accentuating those
blistered arches, while the other sponsors logos and
of course, the laurel wreath JPS crest itself all add to
that golden lustre. Oh, and lets not forget those sexy
matching gold Australian Simmons centre-lock
wheels, either.

62 BMWcar

062-068 BMWCAR 0916 02/08/2016 15:40 Page 63

JPS E30 M3

SEPTEMBER 2016 63

062-068 BMWCAR 0916 02/08/2016 15:40 Page 64

Despite the superb condition its in now, this JPS beauty

will see the race track as often as possible in the future
Group A JPS E30 M3
ENGINE: 2332cc DOHC S14 in-line four, cast iron block,
16-valve alloy head, 12:1 compression ratio, forged
crankshaft and con rods, forged alloy pistons, Bosch
electronic fuel injection, Bosch 044 fuel pump, 40-litre
ATL fuel cell with in-tank swirl-pot, 300hp @ 8400rpm,
199lb ft @ 7000rpm
GEARBOX: Getrag five-speed manual gearbox, sintered
metal clutch, LSD with 75 percent locking ratio
CHASSIS: Unitary steel with welded-in roll-cage, 52mm
JLS Motorsport air jacks (front), 62mm AP Racing air
jacks (rear)
SUSPENSION: McPherson struts with original Group A
Bilstein dampers (overhauled and re-valved by MCA
Suspension), MCA custom main springs, Eibach helper
springs, anti-roll bars (front), semi-trailing arms with
original Group A Bilstein dampers (overhauled and
re-valved by MCA Suspension), MCA custom main
springs, Eibach helper springs, anti-roll bars (rear)
BRAKES: AP Racing four-piston callipers with AP Racing
330x32mm two-piece slotted rotors and Ferodo
DS3000 pads (front), Lockheed four-piston callipers
with AP Racing 300x20mm two-piece slotted rotors
and Ferodo DS3000 pads (rear)
WHEELS AND TYRES: 8x17-inch (front) and 9x17-inch
(rear) Simmons three-piece centre-lock mesh wheels
with 225/625-17 (front) and 240/620-17 (rear) Pirelli
or Michelin slicks
INTERIOR: Custom-embroidered Racetech RT9009HR
seat with orange Racetech HANS-compatible belts

64 BMWcar

This particular example is an ex-factory Team JPS

BMW car from 1987 the last year the Frank
Gardner-run team that built the machine existed
and was relatively recently restored to nearimmaculate condition (hence the shine) by the
current owner Peter Jones and the team at Ecurie
Bowden, whose M1 and Schnitzer 635CSi weve
featured in past months as well. We say nearimmaculate as Peter has deliberately kept some of
the patina via a faded and chipped bonnet roundel
and cracked right-rear light lens, as well as damage to
the drivers footwell; the result of a nasty shunt at the
1989 Bathurst 1000 when it was racing as part of the
John Sax Racing Team from New Zealand. Other than
that, though, the car is as straight and clean as you
could possibly want, and walking around the car to
shoot it, it was impossible not to be blown away by
the paints lustre (even inside the car) and the sense
of mechanical solidity. BMW master mechanic Jason
Matthews and paint and panel man Phil Milburn, as
well as all the other Ecurie Bowden crew members,
should be rightly proud of their work.
Of course, such a high-level restoration doesnt take
place overnight, and from the time Peter purchased
the car in 2014 until it was finished, a full 15 months
had passed, and even now, hes is still tweaking and
fettling the car particularly the rebuilt engine as it
doesnt quite achieve what he wants on track yet.
However, thats all part of racing, irrespective of the
car and its level of restoration, and even in its current
state, the project has definitely been worth it.
So what prompted Peter to buy this car in the first

place? Well, it turns out this isnt his first Group A M3,
having owned a Benson & Hedges racer back in the
mid-90s that he purchased from Frank Gardner
himself (Gardner was a long-time family friend), and it
was his love for that machine, and the hole in his
heart it left when he sold it, that prompted him to
seek out a replacement.
Ive been involved in motorsport since the 80s.
The highest level I ever did was the CAMS Gold Star
[Australias top open-wheeler class]. I raced that in
Formula 2, only as a bit of an also-ran, and Ive also
raced Formula Fords and Sports Sedans and Historic
cars over the years. From about 1997 to 2012 I
basically had a bit of a hiatus due to family and the
demands of business and then got back into it in
2012, running around in a Formula Ford. I still enjoyed
it and have always missed the E30 M3 that I owned
and spoke to [Ecurie Bowden boss] Chris Bowden
about it and kept him on the look-out for me.
And look-out Chris did, but in the end, it actually
turned out that another contact, BMW and JPS nut
Stewart Garmey (whose E28 M5 we featured in
October 2014), knew the right people and gave Peter
a nudge in the direction of this cars previous owner,
David Towe.
Stuart warned me that Id either love it or hate it,
but that its a great car, says Peter. When I looked at
it, I realised it had suffered in its life, but you cant
replace history, and thats what it has.
Indeed, it has a lot of history, and not just of the
type that causes battle scars. Built in 1987, it was one
of the first two Group A E30s Team JPS BMW brought

062-068 BMWCAR 0916 02/08/2016 15:40 Page 65

JPS E30 M3

SEPTEMBER 2016 65

062-068 BMWCAR 0916 02/08/2016 15:40 Page 66

over from Europe after phasing out its 635CSis (one

of which youll also see in a future issue). Initially, both
cars actually ran 325i suspension, such was the
European demand for parts, but by midway through
the season, each car got the legs it deserved. And
despite being designed for flowing European circuits
and down on power compared to some rivals, the
E30s innate talents, and those of drivers Jim Richards
and Tony Longhurst, meant the team quickly got
results. This ex-Longhurst car, for example, managed a
best of third at round three of the Australian Touring
Car Championship (ATCC) even before it got proper
M3 suspension, but for some reason it got sold
before the end of the year and could prove its worth

66 BMWcar

with proper footwork. If you want to see what the

potential was, though, just look at Jim Richards taking
his M3 to the ATCC title in the cars first year.
When this particular machine was offloaded, it got
sent to the aforementioned John Sax Racing Team,
with Sax and fellow Kiwi Graham Lorimer behind the
wheel until midway through the 1990 season. They
took it to a best of eighth at the 87 Castrol 500 at
Sandown, as well as a 10th at the Wellington round of
the inaugural World Touring Car Championship that
year, but sadly, the cars biggest headlines came when
it speared off at Forest Elbow at the 89 Bathurst
1000, stoving in much of the front-right side. The
team did repair the damage (albeit not to a high

standard, as well see later) and it soldiered on until

Kiwi Racing purchased it midway through the 1990
season. Having not had much luck with the car bar a
second in class at the 91 Nissan Mobil 500 at
Pukekohe, Kiwi racing then sold the E30 to Auckland
Ferrari specialist Allan Cattle in late 93, who proved
any issues may not have been with the beast itself by
promptly winning his class, along with co-driver Brett
Taylor, at the Wellington Nissan Mobil 500 and taking
second in class at a shorter 300km race at Pukekohe.
Finally, this now well-travelled M3 went to another
two Kiwi owners, Trevor Bills and Kevin Underwood,
before heading back home to Australia and new
owner James Searley in 1999. There it sat in James

062-068 BMWCAR 0916 02/08/2016 15:40 Page 67

JPS E30 M3

collection for four years until noted Sydney BMW nut

David Towe got hold of it and immediately started
racing the car again, first at the 2003 Winton Historic
meeting, then at numerous classic and historic events
around the country. Notably, David converted the car
back to its JPS livery (because why wouldnt you?)
and even managed to take away the Murray Carter
Cup at the 2009 Phillip Island Classic in it. Indeed,
such was the love affair that he only gave it up to
switch to a later-built 1987 JPS M3 in 2011.
However, not able to part with it entirely, David held
onto the machine until 2014, when current owner
Peter Jones came into the picture.
Now, as we hinted at, the car wasnt perfect when

SEPTEMBER 2016 67

062-068 BMWCAR 0916 02/08/2016 15:41 Page 68

Peter got it. The John Sax team had repaired the
Bathurst damage, but removing the right-hand quarter
panel showed the chassis rail underneath was still
further back than the left, so stretching and rebuilding
was needed. And while David had done his best at
the time, there were also cracks in the rear arms and
the front callipers (among other parts) were way past
their use-by date. Knowing personally that Frank
Gardner wouldnt have accepted anything other than
perfection were he still alive, Peter thus decided to go
for a bare-metal resto to bring it back to its best. And
thanks to the talents of the Ecurie Bowden crew, its
now as gorgeous as you can imagine.
Its just magic when you walk around it and
underneath it. The jobs been done very well, says
Peter. All the chassiss perfect now and when we put
it on the scales, we measured where it should be,

68 BMWcar

dropped it down and it just plumbed up beautifully on

the corner weights. And as youd expect, even with
the fettling still needed, it goes pretty well, too.
Its a very lovely car to drive a very fast car Its
a heavier car by 20kg [than the Evos], but the earlier
cars, because they run the 17-inch wheels not the 18s,
can drop the nose a little bit lower, so what they lose
in some respects they pick up in others. And I think it
sits well on the road. The 2.3 motors still a powerful
little engine, and whilst a good 2.5 should beat a 2.3
every day, youre not going to be that far behind.
Once the cars engine has been brought back to its
full Group A peak, it should be even quicker, too. And
yes, in case you were wondering, all this testing
means that despite the superb condition its in now,
this JPS beauty will see the race track as often as
possible in the future, with Peter planning to enjoy it

at every historic meet in Australia he can get to. Of

course, he doesnt relish the idea of getting it banged
up again, but says that once I get one stone chip on
it, it wont hurt so much.
Because its not the original paint on the car from
day one, youre not disturbing or risking something
that hasnt already been repainted or repaired, unlike
the Sierra Ive got [a Group A RS500] which is the
original paint that Rudy Eggenberger used and its
never had a mark on it. Thats a car you dont want to
put in harms way. Whereas, I dont want to hurt this
car either, but if in two years I have to give it a bit of a
respray to make it pretty again, were not ruining
history in doing that.
In a world of collectors that never use their cars as
intended, thats refreshing to hear. Long may this black
beauty continue to run

069 BMWCAR 0916 04/08/2016 09:15 Page 69

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070-077 BMWCAR 0916 03/08/2016 16:57 Page 70

BUYING GUIDE

E28 M5
The original super saloon is a brilliant drive
and while theyre becoming expensive its
not too late to grab one while you still can.
Its a surefire investment and will be a hell
of a lot more interesting than an ISA!
Words: Bob Harper and Andrew Everett
Photography: Oli Tennent/www.olitennent.com

70 BMWcar

070-077 BMWCAR 0916 03/08/2016 16:57 Page 71

BUYING GUIDE

ver the years BMW has dabbled with

just about every type of car possible,
from microcars to mid-engined
supercars and just about everything in
between but it could be argued that its
very essence, its raison detre if you like, is to produce
the finest sporting saloons on the planet. The M3 and
M5 are at the very core of the company and perhaps
no other machine defines BMW quite as admirably as
the E28 M5. It was the first of the M-powered saloons
and was an utterly wonderful piece of kit, offering
supercar performance wrapped up in a sober and
practical four-door suit.
As youd expect for a machine thats been with us
for 30 years, their numbers are dwindling but their
prices have yet to go through the roof yes, theyre
on the up but its still possible to secure one before
they enter the realm of unobtanium. Itll be better
than money in the bank as far as an investments
concerned and will be a lot more fun to own, too.
The E28 M5 arrived at the Amsterdam Motor Show
in 1985 and while there had been fast saloons before
the M5 arrived, there had never been a four-door
quite as rapid and rounded as the M5. BMW had
already demonstrated its intent to produce some
indecently rapid saloons and the E12 M535i showed
how effective this sort of confection could be and with
the arrival of the E28 Five in 1981 it was inevitable

that BMW would build on the success of the E12 with

another fast Five. True, the E12 hadnt been a huge
sales success just 1400 were made but it
certainly reflected glory on the rest of the range. Thus
in 1984 an M535i version of the E28 was shown at
the Paris Motor Show and BMW could certainly have
left things like that had it wished the M535i was
plenty fast enough and with its M-tuned
underpinnings it handled, too.
But some people always want more and it seems
that there were influential BMW Motorsport customers
who had enough clout to persuade BMW that it
needed to go further. Indeed, when the E28 M5
made its world debut at the Amsterdam show M had,
it seems, already delivered quite a few M-powered 5
Series saloons to its special customers.
The M5 received an enthusiastic reception from the
worlds press, and when you have a look at whats
beneath the skin it was obvious how serious BMWs
intent was. Under the bonnet lay the same 24-valve
M88 straight-six that made the E24 M635CSi such a
bahnstormer and this melodic engine was itself
derived from the M1 mid-engined supercar. For the
M5 and M635CSi its power was upped from 277hp
to 286hp thanks to larger valves, a pair of 264-degree
camshafts, unique con rods and pistons, and the
adoption of Bosch ML-Jetronic fuel injection system
over the M1s rather troublesome Kugelfischer

mechanical setup. While the engine was pretty

cutting-edge for its day, Ms engineers obviously still
had their eye on the Deutschmarks as items like the
crankshaft were carried over unchanged from the
M30 big-six that was used in the 535i and 635CSi.
BMW could also have left the M5s underpinnings
more or less unchanged from the M535i but that
would have been selling the car short and to cope
with the 30 per cent power increase there were a
number of revisions under the skin. While the car
retained its MacPherson strut/semi-trailing arm
configuration, there were unique Bilstein front
dampers and a larger front anti-roll bar although
initially the setup at the rear retained standard E28
components. Throughout its production life the M5
gained Boge front and rear dampers and different
springs at the rear plus a larger still front anti-roll bar
and a thicker one at the rear, too.
Stopping power was taken care of by 300mm
vented front discs clamped by four-piston callipers,
while at the back there were solid 284mm discs (as
fitted to the M535i) and ABS was a standard fitment.
The M5s gearbox, the Getrag 280/5, was unique too
and unlike the M535i there was no auto option.
Power was transmitted to the road with the aid of a
25 percent locking limited-slip differential.
While there were a plethora of changes under the
skin, the M5s plain Jane looks did very little to

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BUYING GUIDE
distinguish this Super Saloon from a cooking 518i.
There were a couple of very discreet M5 badges
one on the front grille and one on the bootlid and
the M5 had a slightly lower front valance, but other
than that it you could very easily have walked past it in
a car park without giving it a second look. Early
European versions were shod with metric rims and
TRX tyres but as these looked no different to optional
rims on other E28s they werent exactly a giveaway
either. Later in its life the E28 M5 sported 7.5x16-inch
cross-spoke alloys with 225/50VR16 rubber and the
vast majority of the 187 right-hand drive cars came
equipped with these.
In this pure form, the E28 M5 was one of the
ultimate Q cars, an entirely anonymous-looking
sober-suited four-door that was capable of
embarrassing much more exotic machinery. Its plain
looks must have been one of the main attractions for
many owners, but they would have needed to be
well-heeled, as back in 1986 when it went on sale in
the UK, the M5 was an eye-watering 31,295 a
staggering 11k more expensive than the M535i, but

interestingly a significant 6k less than you would

have needed to slip behind the steering wheel of the
similarly-powered M635CSi.
However, there were a significant number of
owners who wanted their ber-saloon to stand out
from the crowd. As a result the M5 could be specd
with the E28 M535is M Tech aerodynamic kit and
in the UK around 30 percent of owners went down
this route.
As youd expect, UK cars tended to be quite well
specd, but as were talking about a machine from 30
years ago the list of standard kit might seem a little
lacklustre if youre used to new cars today. Inside
there was a leather-rimmed 380mm M-Tech steering
wheel and the gear knob, gear lever gaiter and
handbrake handle were all similarly clad in leather
with the gear knob bearing the M tricolour stripes on
its top. The vast majority of UK cars also had electric
seats they were standard for the 1986 model year
but leather was always an option in the UK.
Naturally enough you could have the standard BMW
leather as an option and some cars were equipped

with extended leather which included the centre

console and dash too. UK models came almost
exclusively with air conditioning and sunroofs too and
items such as the on-board computer were also
standard fitments.
As well as the European versions of the M5 (588
LHD, 187 RHD) BMW also developed a model for the
US market and 1340 of these machines were
manufactured. Virtually all of these US cars were black
with a tan interior, with a few Canadian-spec cars and
a few of the last US market machines being optioned
with black extended leather. As the M5 was effectively
hand-built BMW North America more or less fixed the
spec of the car in order to give the guys in Munich a
fighting chance of assembling enough cars to satiate
demand. There were also 30 Japanese market cars,
built to a very similar spec as the US machines and
a further 96 machines assembled from CKD kits in
South Africa. The last European machines were
produced at the tail end of 1987 and the E28
was eventually replaced by the all-new E34 M5 in
late 1988.

Buying one
Given the limited production numbers it shouldnt
come as too much of a surprise that youre not
going to find the classifieds full to the gunwales with
E28 M5s. For this reason it doesnt pay to be too
choosy when searching for one, especially if you
have a particular colour in mind.
Most popular for UK models was Lachs silver
(34), followed by Diamond black (31), Dolphin
grey (22) and Zinnobar red (21). Other moderately

72 BMWcar

popular hues were Alpine white and Cirrus blue, but

no other colours made it into double figures. Thus,
if youre searching for a Malachite green example
you might have a very long wait as only two were
made in that colour.
Many of these cars will be sold by word of mouth
so its worth joining a club and getting active in the
M Power section. It will also be worth letting the
specialists know that youre actively looking to buy

as pretty often by the time the cars reach their

websites theyre already sold!
Prices start at around 20,000 for a usable
machine thats either done high miles or is a bit
rough around the edges. From there, you should be
looking at a very nice example by the time you
reach 40k. Above that youll be looking at the
very best cars with low miles and low owners
and signs of recent expenditure and restoration.

070-077 BMWCAR 0916 03/08/2016 16:57 Page 73

BUYING GUIDE

Engine
The M88 24-valve engine is a tough old unit but
unless its a low miler or has had a rebuild, be
careful. They have proven more robust in old age
than the E34 M5 units but theyre still old and wont
really appreciate being bounced off the rev limiter
too often. The big thing on these is the timing chain.
These are single row (simplex) and whilst perceived
wisdom says they last about 100,000 miles, its not
that simple. Whilst the twin-row duplex chain on the
E30 M3 and later catalysed M88 units almost never
breaks, the single row chain certainly can. What
made BMW revert from the duplex chain of the
original M1 engine to a simplex chain is unclear but
like a reformed serial killer, the simplex chain cant
be trusted unless you have cast-iron proof that its
been replaced. Sure, some cars have done 150,000
on one chain, others less than 100k, and it depends
on how this 25-30-year-old car has been driven and
maintained. Replacing an M5 chain is an expensive
job the chain itself isnt costly but the tensioner
blades are pretty expensive and you are looking at
around 800 for all the parts needed and about ten
hours of labour the sump and front timing casing
come off but the head can stay on. Convert to a
duplex chain? Forget it, its too much aggro as so
many parts have to be changed and a new simplex
setup is good for another 100k or the first engine
rebuild. The other thing about the M88 is that
everything is different to the M30 535i engine the
water pump for example is BMW only and 215.
Apart from that the M88 is a great engine.
Regular oil changes, setting the valve clearances and
throttles as well as warming it up carefully from cold

means the M88 will do 200,000 miles, often more.

If you are decent at DIY and can rebuild a Ford
Pinto engine, the M88 is actually a pretty easy
engine to remove and rebuild theres no Vanos or
trickery and the top end is often easier to rebuild
than an M30 for instance. The M88 is a simple but
high quality unit that will repay a painstaking rebuild
but be aware that a professional rebuild will be
close to five figures and that good used units are

very rare some cars now have 3.6 E34 engines

fitted as a result.
Exhausts are still available from BMW and arent
overly expensive either the rear box is 400 and
the front section is about the same so at 800 for
the pair its not worth going the stainless steel route
because its unlikely to fit or sound as nice. Should
you need a new radiator, they are 421 from BMW
with almost no aftermarket alternatives.

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BUYING GUIDE
Body
Rust has no respect for the M badge and despite
being hand-built, the bodyshells still came from the
same Dingolfing factory as every other E28. While the
E28 was superbly built and lasted well, the last one is
knocking on the door of three decades old and 20-30
British winters will result in rust. Starting at the front,
the edge of the bonnet can rust where the skin folds
over, and the air intake scoops are also susceptible.
Good used bonnets are thinning out now reckon on
100 minimum for a really good one while a new
one from BMW is a not unreasonable 382 all-in. The
front panel is standard post-85 but with an extra
plastic front spoiler the towing eye covers are near
enough unobtainable at present.
Bolt-on front wings are a common casualty as well
although they are available new from BMW at under
150 each. Like the M535i, the M5 wings have plastic
arch spats that are bolted on and there are shallow
depressions where the studs pass through. Doors rust
mainly at the front edge as well as around where the
rubber seal fits on again, new ones are available at
a price (514) and a good used one over 100 if you

can find one. Sunroof panels can rust through

although good used panels are fairly plentiful. Bootlids
almost never rust and rear doors seem good too. Rear
arches have the plastic spats as well but look for iffy
repairs underneath.
The biggest issue is probably the rear sill area. The
sills can rot around all four jacking points but its the
rear of the sill adjacent to the rear axle beam that can
be rusty and expensive to fix sorting this out
involves dropping the rear axle out and some pretty
involved welding work the actual axle beam
mounting points can be rotten as well and its a
complex double-skinned area. The rear panel rusts in
the corners where it meets the rear wings, whilst the
fuel tanks rust around the seams and where the filler
neck meets the main tank. Fuel and brake pipes are
notorious for rust, especially where they snake over
the rear axle beam. Other structural rust can include
the inner front wings such as around the strut tops
but thats not very common.
There are three types of bumpers standard
chrome, dechromed and body colour. Theres also the

M535i type plastic body kit. The latter doesnt rust of

course but does polarise opinion on its aesthetic
qualities. However, steel bumpers can. New sections
are available new at a high cost (600 for the three
sections of front bumper) and dechromed bumpers
come in primer. An option for rusty dechromed
bumpers is to find straight chrome bumpers with bad
chrome and have them painted. Headlights and taillights are plentiful in decent used condition.

The E28 M5 was an anonymous-looking sober-suited four-door

that was capable of embarrassing much more exotic machinery

74 BMWcar

070-077 BMWCAR 0916 03/08/2016 16:58 Page 75

BUYING GUIDE
Transmission and drivetrain

The M5 has a bigger clutch than a standard 535i, and

from BMW it will set you back a whopping 750
companies such as C3BMW will sell the same Sachs
clutch kit for a more sensible 250. The M5 gearbox
is the Getrag 280 five-speed that is basically a beefier
version of the 535i Getrag 260. This unit was also
used in the M635CSi as well as the E34 M5 and
whilst its strong, many have a rattly layshaft and will
need a rebuild good used units are about 1000
and you can bet many impecunious owners slotted
an almost identical-looking 535i gearbox in there
The gear change is often sloppy due to a worn out
gear change knuckle. The part itself is about 35 but
fitting it requires the use of a ramp and whilst youre
doing it, you might also consider fitting a Z3 shortshift gear lever as well. Be aware that the M5 gearbox
is a H pattern overdrive unit the M5 never, ever had
a dogleg gearbox these were fitted to certain 535i
and M535i cars only
Propshafts dont cause any problems other than a
worn out centre bearing or doughnut. The diff is the
massive Type 210 limited-slip unit and they very
rarely give any grief other than a leaky seal.

Interior
As it was sold in the UK, the M5 was a very wellequipped car. They nearly all came with electric front
seats, air conditioning, electric windows all-round
and an on board computer. The chances of the last
two working on cheaper examples are fairly remote
the OBC may well just require a back lighting bulb
but good used parts to fix it arent too obscene. The
air-con though is an old R12-based system and will
most likely need an overhaul with new seals, a new
condenser and a rebuilt compressor, all modified to
take the later R134A gas. The E28 air-con isnt a bad
system but its not brilliant compared to modern
cars. Many cars had leather (its rare to find one with
the standard houndstooth Highland cloth) but that
makes it easier and cheaper to have a worn side
bolster replaced less than 100.

Electric window motors and regulators are all

reliable as is the electric sunroof that still needs
periodic oiling. Of more concern is the instrument
cluster as this uses the SI board (a circuit board) to
control the instruments and the service interval light
system. This needs to work as its very expensive to
fix the backing plate with the circuit board is over
1000 with VAT but at least its the same as the
regular 1986 onwards E28 and thus can be found in
a good working condition for less pay about 100
for a 1986 onwards cluster that works (four- or sixcylinder will do) and swap the board over. Many
later cars also had extensive leather trimming
doorcards, dashboards as well as the centre console.
A well-looked after full leather interior is a sight to
behold and smells like a good shoe shop.

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BUYING GUIDE
Steering and suspension
Wheels, tyres and brakes
Unlike early LHD cars and the first couple of UK press demo cars, the RHD E28 M5 doesnt have the
metric wheels and tyres. Instead, the car has BBS 16-inch cross-spoke alloys similar to (but not the same
as) the E30 M3 rims. These were unique to the M5 and with so few being sold in the UK, the chances of
finding a good used set are slim. They are still available new from BMW at a whopping 383 each and a
set of decent tyres (225/50 VR16), such as a Continental Premium Contact 2 or a Michelin Primacy 3,
will be just under 400 fitted. Some cars may have been fitted with different wheels Alpina or BBS
split-rims for example whilst the 16-inch E39 BBS Fundo cross-spoke looks similar but the correct
wheels need to be present if paying top dollar for a car.
The brakes are based on the 535i with the hydraulic servo, but the single-piston sliding front callipers
are replaced by proper ATE four-piston iron callipers. These were fitted only to the M5 and M635CSi and
were not used on anything else older E23 and E24 callipers look similar but are not suitable. From
BMW they are available at a frightening 600 each but the sensible approach would be to get them
rebuilt with new seals and stainless pistons. The same problems with the hydraulic servo system applies
seizing pedal to master cylinder cross linkage pivots, a failed pressure storage sphere leading to a very
hard pedal or one that sinks under load, and a knackered booster ram. None of it is particularly cheap to
fix but as its all made by ATE, buying from ATE via a factors or companies such as C3BMW will slash
costs hugely. From BMW, a pair of new discs is 323 so not too bad if you say it quickly! The rear brakes
are the same as fitted to E28 M535is and many other E28s and E24s so shouldnt break the bank to
replace. The brake master cylinder, ABS block and ABS ECU are all the same as the other E28s with discs
all-round.

Unlike the 535i, most UK versions of the E28 M5

used Boge dampers rather than Bilsteins along with
much fatter front and rear anti-roll bars. The usual
E28 issues apply here worn out rear beam bushes,
rusty front strut spring cups and so on. Luckily the big
bits are the same as the 535i but the M5-specific
Boge dampers are very scarce instead, a Bilstein B6
or B8 kit is the way forward.
The infamous 55mph steering shimmy still
happens and this is generally due to tired upper
control arm inner bushes. You can solve this by fitting
a polybush kit to the existing arms or by simply
replacing the complete arms with those from BMW,
Febi or Lemforder.
The steering is much the same as any other E28
complete with a steering box and drag links. The
steering box itself is similar to the 535i but with a
slightly quicker ratio these are NLA, so if theyre
worn out youre need to get either a good used one
or a 535i steering box as no parts are available for a
rebuild. Slightly worn boxes can have the play taken
out with careful adjustment and many worn out
steering boxes on these 80s BMWs are in fact play in
the steering column splines and tightening the 32mm
adjuster nut inside the car sorts it out. Moving to the
rear axle again a weird wandering feel can in fact be
worn out dog bones. The twin-bolt Pitman arms that
link the outer part of the trailing arm to the axle beam
but these are easily and cheaply replaced. Watch out
as well for rotten rear spring cups cars with the
yellow Bilstein rear dampers have removable spring
cups but getting new ones can be a nightmare.

Electronics
Much of this has been covered already but
there are a few other bits to consider. Central
locking is standard and you may find some
cars also have the extra security lock
underneath the main door lock. This was a
factory or dealer fit option and its unlikely to
work now. Engine ECUs are like gold dust and
a faulty one is best repaired a new one is
over 2000. The M5 used the original style of
Motronic with the twin-flywheel sensors that
picked up a pin on the flywheel, and both
these and the fuel pump/DME relays should
be replaced now as a matter of course. We
mentioned the instrument cluster earlier the
signs of the SI board failing are the rev counter
and temperature gauge flickering but should
the speedo fail, it could be a faulty plug-on diff
speed sensor or even a fuse.

76 BMWcar

070-077 BMWCAR 0916 03/08/2016 17:10 Page 77

BUYING GUIDE
E28 M5

Verdict

ENGINE: In-line six-cylinder, DOHC, 24-valve

CAPACITY: 3453cc
COMPRESSION RATIO: 10.5:1
MAX POWER: 286hp @ 6500rpm
MAX TORQUE: 251lb ft @ 4500rpm
TRANSMISSION: Getrag 280 five-speed manual, LSD
SUSPENSION
FRONT: MacPherson struts, coil springs, Bilstein/Boge
shock absorbers, anti-roll bar
REAR: Semi-trailing arms with auxiliary pivot link,
Bilstein/Boge shock absorbers, anti-roll bar
BRAKES
FRONT: 300mm ventilated discs, four-piston callipers

REAR: 284mm solid discs, single-piston callipers

STEERING: Recirculating ball, PAS
WHEELS AND TYRES: 7.5x16-inch alloys, 225/50 VR16
TOP SPEED: 152mph
0-62MPH: 6.5 seconds
STANDING KM: 26.8 seconds
ECONOMY: 17.1mpg (urban), 36.2mpg (56mph)
DIMENSIONS (L/W/H): 4620/1700/1400mm
TRACK (F/R): 1430/1465mm
WHEELBASE: 2625mm
WEIGHT: 1470kg
PRICE: 31,295 (1986)
NUMBER MADE: 187 (RHD)

Servicing costs
The E28 M5 needs diligent servicing not just changing bits but looking out for potential issues such as rusty
brake pipes. Barney at Classic Heroes says that rust is the big problem with these now and as with anything this
age, you need to start actively looking for corrosion and dealing with whats there before it spreads and causes
more damage. At this age its worth also replacing brake hoses and coolant hoses as well. The service prices on
the right are from Munich Legends, but they are of course only an estimate youre not dealing with a 59-plate
320d but a 30-year-old car and things are never black and white!

Thanks to:
Munich Legends
Tel: 01825 740456
Web: www.munichlegends.co.uk

Classic Heroes
Tel: 01825 732817
Web: www.classicheroes.co.uk

The E28 M5 is a cracking car and one that

deserves its classic status and price tag. When
an E Type costs over 100,000 and a really
good RS2000 is over 30k, 30k or 40k for a
nice E28 M5 doesnt seem too ridiculous. Be
aware though that there were quite a few rough
ones about not long ago so you dont want to
buy one of those thats been cosmetically tarted
up. Mileage isnt a huge issue although for
investment purposes, one with much more than
100k will of course lag behind the low-mile
unrestored mint examples

Oil service

159

Inspection I

499

Inspection II

649

Valve clearances

239

Timing chain replacement

3360

078-083 BMWCar 0916 02/08/2016 12:22 Page 78

WHATS IN YOUR GARAGE?

This month we look into the history and production of the

soft-top 02s and talk to Michael Oben who describes life
with his unusual late model 2002 Baur Targa
Words and photography: Mike Taylor
n 7 March 1966 BMWs CEO, Gerhard
Wilcke, celebrated the companys 50th
anniversary by introducing a smart new
two-door coup to appreciative guests
at the Bavarian State Opera House in
Munich. Called the 1600-02 it was small, agile and
clearly capable of taking more power than its
four-cylinder 1573cc 85hp engine delivered and
spoke to a whole new sector of the car-buying public.
It marked yet another first for the Bavarian-based
business. Not surprisingly, it would not be long before
the latest BMW tin-top would be joined by a sporting
cabriolet version.
Karosserie Baur is a coach-building business based
in Stuttgart, the capital of South West Germany. It is
renowned for its links with the German motor
industry; both Porsche and Mercedes-Benz have
factories and museums in the city. Baur was
established in 1910, the family registering a patent for
the manufacture of folding hood mechanisms for
luxury vehicles soon after. By the 1930s the company
had created a reputation for high quality
craftsmanship over building specialised car bodies
it signalled the start of its legendary links with BMW.
In the early post-war years Baur was responsible
for building the cabriolet bodies for the elegant BMW
Baroque Angels. Another German company with
strong ties with BMW was Karmann of Osnabruck and
by the 1960s it was manufacturing the bodies for the
elegant 2000C and 2800CS Coups. With the launch
of the 02 saloon it seized the opportunity and built a
prototype convertible based on an 02 body but the
proposal was not accepted by Munich.
Almost from the outset BMWs business
parameters involved high quality engineering design

78 BMWcar

throughout the range ensuring that even base models

encapsulated best-of-breed handling, ride and
performance as well as deriving the greatest revenue
from each version; the two-door 1600-02 model was
no exception.
When Karosserie Baur put forward its proposal for
a convertible version of the two-door 02 Munich took
up the suggestion with alacrity. It was a model that
would attract yet another sector of BMW customers.
Moreover, the complexity of transposing a saloon
bodyshell into a full soft-top version stepped outside
BMWs mainstream assembly processes and was
ideally suited to Baurs quality hand-built
craftsmanship. Apparently, BMW had already
considered the possibility of producing a cabriolet
version of the larger Neue Klasse saloon. Styled by
head of design Wilhelm Hofmeister his proposal used
an all-new bodyshell mounted on the monocoque
body platform of the four-door saloon. But the notion
was discarded on cost/volume/revenue return
grounds. In contrast the opportunity to maximize on
the 02 model by releasing a soft-top version from
the Baur factory aligned with BMWs policy to expand
the model range.
In 1967 Baur created a prototype using an 02
saloon as a basis. Part of its charismatic appearance
relied on a foreshortened rear deck/boot area.
However, possibly on cost grounds, after careful
consideration BMW rejected the rear treatment. It
then reconfigured this section using standard 02 hind
quarter panels and displayed the car at the Frankfurt
Show ready to accept orders.
With the go-ahead from Munich in September
1967 Baur began offering the 1600cc 02 cabriolet
for special order, each car being almost unique, built

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WHATS IN YOUR GARAGE?

SEPTEMBER 2016 79

078-083 BMWCar 0916 02/08/2016 12:22 Page 80

to the customers demands, assembled from partfinished shells supplied by Munich. It was a complex
process. Baur began by dismantling the outer sill
panels and inserting additional strengthening sections
to give the bodyshell torsional rigidity and stiffness.
Then the roof, complete with B-posts and rear pillars,
was cut away before much of the interior was
retrimmed. A Baur-made collapsible hood was then
added, which could be stored behind the rear seat for
fresh air motoring. The result was a remarkably pretty
car, the sleek 02 lines lending themselves surprisingly
well to the radical transformation. However, on the
road some observers suggested that despite the
added metal strengthening the convertible 02 still
suffered from scuttle shake over uneven surfaces and
did not align with BMWs drivers car reputation.
Significantly, all 1600-02 convertibles were left-hand
drive and none were exported to the States.
In 1971, a 2.0-litre version was introduced though
this option was ceased prematurely after only months
of manufacture, the greater performance potential
revealing the structural deficiencies of the Baur body
changes even more.
However, BMW was not blind to the attractions of
an 02 soft-top and an alternative was considered.
Almost immediately Baur released a targa-top version.
The assembly process for the Targa involved adding a
16 gauge sheet metal plate between the inner and
outer sills. Next, the rear section of the roof from the
B-post back complete with screen was removed,
attaching a new B-post and roof panel, which
included opening rear quarter lights. The rear three
quarter panels and screen were replaced by a folding

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078-083 BMWCar 0916 02/08/2016 15:44 Page 81

WHATS IN YOUR GARAGE?

canvas roof complete with Perspex window. To make
way for the Targa lid a section was cut out from the
roof. To restore structural integrity bracing was added
to the perimeter of the remaining roof bodywork and
braced to the windscreen frame. Also, changes were
made to channel rain water from the roof to the hood
bin and exit via holes in the sills. Finally, the centre
sections of the Targas seats were recovered in a
hounds tooth material and the seats themselves were
installed slightly lower in the floor pan to compensate
for the lower roof line.
This clever conversion allowed the car to be driven
with the Targa roof section in place, saloon-like, the
Targa roof to be removed and stored resting on
purpose-built supports in the boot above the luggage,
or with the rear window/hood lowered and stored
behind the rear seat. In acknowledgment of the
association of the name Targa with Porsche in
Germany, the BMW was titled the Top Cabriolet while
in the UK it was known as the 2002 Convertible;
production began in June 1971.
The prototype 2002 Top Cabriolet was displayed at
the Amsterdam Motor Show in early 1971 with
production starting in April. Sadly, sales of right-hand
drive models was slow and production ceased ahead
of schedule while manufacture of LHD cars carried on
until 1975. Worthy of note was that Baurs work was
time-consuming, done largely by hand, which meant
that a car leaving Munich just before the introduction
of a change in specification could mean that it was
already out of date by the time it reached its eager
owner. Perhaps reflecting this craftsmanship prices
were just under 15,000DM for the first Targa and

16,215DM for the last square rear light models.

Finally, while the US is usually reckoned to be the
largest market by far for soft-top cars the impact of the
book Unsafe At Any Speed published in 1965 had a
major impact on the sales of sports cars on the
American automotive market with the very real fear
that open cars would be banned altogether in the
future. While this did not happen it did affect the
planning schedule of European sports/convertible car
manufactures during this period. Companies like
Triumph and Jaguar for instance ceased offering
soft-top cars for a period. This could explain why no
Baur BMW 02s were exported the States.
Standing admiring the glorious bronze coloured
2002 Targa belonging to Michael Oben he begins by
telling us something of his background. I was born in
Maidstone, Kent, he recalls. My dad was always
interested in cars and when it first came out he
bought a brand-new BMW 325i from our local dealer.
It was fantastic, fast even by comparison with other
cars of the time. It gave me the aspiration to have
nice, unusual cars myself when I grew up.
My first car was a very early dark green Mk1 Ford
Escort 1100cc, continues Michael. I got interested in
rally driving and I began to participate myself. My
friends and I used to follow the career of a local rally
hero, John Taylor, who was sponsored by Ford main
agent Haynes in Maidstone and he became the first
European Rally Cross Champion. It was because of
John that I got the urge to drive fast and I joined a
local driving club. I then had some racing lessons, but
was told by my teachers that I was too aggressive.
My first sports car was an MG Midget and then I

had two further Midgets and later three TR6s before

moving on to a Triumph Stag. The Baur came in for
sale at Kent High Performance Cars, a garage owned
by a friend of mine. The owner was looking to trade it
in against a Ferrari Testarossa! The first thing I noticed
about it was its unusual colour, it really stood out.
When I drove the Baur for the first time I was so
impressed. Only minutes beforehand Id just got out
of a Triumph TR6 and it was a much nicer car to drive,
it handled, rode and steered so much better. It was a
pleasant surprise.
I like BMWs because they are reliable and they do
what they say in the advertisements, reflects Michael
sagely. Nowadays, I dont drive the Baur from one
month to the next. But, when I do I get in, I pump the
throttle a couple of times, pull the choke out a little
way, turn the engine while pulling the choke out fully
and it will start straight away. On the road it will easily
keep up with modern traffic. The car gives the dual
experience of saloon-like luxury with the Targa roof
panel in place and an almost sports car-like sensation
with the lid stored in the boot. One particular memory
I have is when my wife and I took the Baur to a
friends wedding. I think it was almost a case of
the guests looking at the car and not at the bride.
Often, people will walk past other classics to look at
the Baur.
Michaels Baur BMW was built in 1973 and was the
first right-hand drive car with square tail-lights and a
plastic grille insert to be imported into the UK. The
build details also indicate that there were far fewer of
these later square rear light cluster cars made, making
his BMW rare indeed. However, Michael would love to

2002 Baur Targa

ENGINE: M10 Four-cylinder, eight-valve
CAPACITY: 1990cc
MAX POWER: 100hp @ 5500rpm
MAX TORQUE: 118lb ft @ 3500rpm
0-62MPH: 10.9 seconds
TOP SPEED: 106mph
FIRST PRODUCTION RUN OF RHD CARS: Round rear
light models, chassis numbers 2791001 2791266
(January 1973-July 1973): 267 cars built

SECOND PRODUCTION RUN OF RHD CARS: Square

rear light/plastic grille models, chassis numbers
3595001-3595094 (September 1973-January 1974):
94 cars built
SPECS OF SECOND PRODUCTION RUN: Square rear
light cluster, black plastic grille, simulated wood facia,
four-spoke steering wheel. Lux option introduced with
improved trim, simulated wood veneer window sill
strips, glove pockets on doors and arm rests

SEPTEMBER 2016 81

078-083 BMWCar 0916 02/08/2016 12:22 Page 82

clear up two questions: what happened to it between

1973 and its first registration in 1975 and why is the
colour, which appears to be original and unique, not
listed in BMWs paint catalogues? Mysterious.
When I bought it there was a small dent in the
offside door and a degree of surface rust. After
looking around for a paint match we repaired the
affected areas and resprayed the bootlid and the
door. Also, the engine had been fitted with a Weber
carburettor and wasnt running very well. Graham
Juffs at Bee Emm Workshops in Chart Sutton near
Maidstone changed it to an original 40 PDSI twin
choke Solex type and immediately the car began to
run properly.
Sadly, however, Michaels Baur is up for sale as it
has to make room for restoring his E-type Jaguar. Its
just something I have to do, he concludes.
When Motor magazine road tested a 2002 in June
1968, it said simply: We thought it to be an
outstanding car. Praise indeed. What made the car so
desirable was that it successfully married several
characteristics into one: comfortable and
accomplished long-distance tourer, economic round
town urban transport and sporting coup with the
acceleration to put many equally-sized engined cars
to shame. In transforming the 2002 into a Targa
model none of these attributes were lost, with the
added bonus of the chance of fresh air motoring
when the opportunity permits.
Climbing in behind the wheel and the 2002 Targa

82 BMWcar

exhibits a compact yet comfortable interior giving a

hint of the enjoyment yet to come. Quality controls
mixed with attention to detail in design exhilarate the
impression. Ahead of the drivers eye line is a threegauge binnacle with speedo, rev counter and
supplementary dials for temperature and fuel with
knobs on either side for wipers, choke and so on. A
usefully deep shelf runs the full width of the
dashboard with a glovebox, which drops down, on
the passengers side. Beneath is a neat centre
console which houses the heater controls and radio.
The front seats in the 2002 are well shaped to give
good lateral support. However, Baur located the seat
squabs low down relative to the side windows and
windscreen. Another drawback is the height of the
fixed steering wheel while the pendent footbrake and
clutch pedals are set high above the floor pan making
heel-and-toe changes a little awkward.
The in-line four-cylinder OHC BMW engine is
always a joy to start as it bursts into raucous life at the
twist of the key. Equally delightful is the knife-throughbutter action of the gearstick; into first and balancing
power and clutch take up is creamy smooth as we
move off. Reaction from the throttle is immediate and
its easy to see how the road test report spoke of a
0-60 sprint of just 9.2 seconds, going on to reach a
creditable 107.4mph at full gallop.
Up through the gears and the decisive gear lever
action encourages you to use it to derive the best
from the car. Another pleasurable experience is the

clutch which, despite having to cope with 116lb ft of

torque at 3000rpm, is far from heavy in action. For
the 2002 model BMW uprated the final drive to 3.64:
resulting in useful top end speeds in the
intermediates and a long-legged feeling in top; ideal
for fast cruising on the motorway.
In 1990cc form the engine producers 100hp at
5500rpm resulting in good response. With only a
slight increase in pressure on the throttle the 2002
reacts with a satisfying surge and a noticeable push in
the small of your back.
On its release much was made of the 02s market
leading suspension design; independent MacPherson
struts with lower wishbones up front with trailing
arms, coil springs and dampers at the rear aided by
anti-roll bars fore and aft, the setup giving supple yet
accomplished ride qualities while good damping
characteristics result in lurch-free cornering instilling
the driver with confidence in the car.
With the Targa lid and rear canvas roof in place
this version of the 2002 gives draught-free almost
saloon-like motoring. Remove the top and drop the
rear hood and the car is transposed almost into a
sports car with the enjoyment of an open air world
while at the wheel, who could want for more?

THANKS TO
Michael Oben, Graham Juffs, Bee Emm
Workshops and Richard Stern at the
02 Register: www.bmw2002.co.uk

078-083 BMWCar 0916 02/08/2016 12:22 Page 83

WHATS IN YOUR GARAGE?

Sadly, sales of right-hand drive models was slow

and production ceased ahead of schedule

SEPTEMBER 2016 83

84-88,90 BMWCAR 0916 03/08/2016 12:08 Page 84

TECH FOCUS

Cooling
Systems
Overheating is one of the biggest concerns of
BMW ownership, so lets take a closer look to
fully understand how it all works, and, more
importantly, how it can be improved
Words: Jamie King

he internal combustion engine is a

wonderful creation, but it isnt exactly the
most efficient thing in the world. Almost
a third of an engines energy is
wasted as heat output. This is
hardly surprising really when you consider it
is a combustion engine, and when things
combust they generally get very
hot! This heat energy needs to
be dissipated away from the
engine, so cooling is
absolutely vital.
When you say engine
cooling most people will
immediately think of water
and radiators, but its not
just water temperatures that
need be kept under control.
Oil, charge air in turbo
applications, gearbox and diff oil,
and in some cases power steering
fluid, all absorb heat as they work
and therefore need to be cooled to
keep their temperatures within a
safe operating window.
There are a number of variables
that affect a coolers characteristics,
and thats what were going to
look at here

84 BMWcar

What is a cooler and

how does it work?
Most cooling products, including water radiators,
intercoolers, and oil coolers, all work in a similar
way. The water, air, or oil to be cooled (working
fluid) is passed through a cooler. This cooler is, or
should be, situated in a place where it receives a
constant flow of air as the vehicle moves forward.
The working fluid passes through the core of the
cooler and transfers its heat to the (usually)
aluminium core of the cooler itself. This heat is
then dissipated to the surrounding air as the much
colder airflow passes through the foil, or fins, of the
cooler core. Its a fairly simple principal but there
are a number of factors that need to be considered

84-88,90 BMWCAR 0916 03/08/2016 12:08 Page 85

TECH FOCUS

in order to produce a cooler capable of doing what

it should.
On the subject of different coolers, another type of
cooler is a chargecooler. Its job is to cool the charge
air on a forced induction engine. Unlike an
intercooler, which is an air-to-air radiator, a
chargecooler uses water to cool the charge air.
Essentially, it consists of a tube for the charge air to
pass through, which is within a water-filled tank. As
the charge air passes through the tube, the heat is
transferred from the air to the surrounding water. The
water is then pumped back into the engine cooling
system and cooled by the water radiator.

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Physical size
The size of the cooler has a massive affect on its
cooling properties, but contrary to popular belief it is
not simply a case of bigger is better. The cooler
needs to be correctly sized for its application. It is
more to do with volume of the cooler and mass of
the working fluid than the actual size of the cooler.
For example, an air-to-air intercooler the same size
as a tiny oil cooler wouldnt be any good, likewise an
oil cooler as big as a radiator wouldnt work either.
This is where things start to get a bit scientific. Its
all about the specific heat capacity of the working
fluid, which relates to the amount of heat energy one
kg of that working fluid can transfer. Air, for example,
has a specific heat capacity of 1.01 kilojoules per kg.
This means that every single kg of air can transfer
1.01kj of heat energy. Oil, on the other hand, has
a specific heat capacity of 2.13kj per kg. Water is

even higher at 4.18kj per kg.

These calculations are all based on mass (kg), so
when you factor in the volume required to achieve
this mass it starts to paint a clearer picture. One kg of
water equates to one litre. One kg of oil is slightly
more at 1.14 litres (oil is less dense than water).
Whereas one kg of air fills a huge 1114 litres of space!
Yes, one thousand, one hundred, and fourteen!
So you can see why air-to-air intercoolers need to
be much larger than oil/water coolers in order to have
the same cooling potential.
One other consideration affecting the size of a
cooler is the temperature decrease required. Oil, for
example, generally only needs to be cooled by 10-15
degrees, whereas charge air coming from a super hot
turbocharger needs to be cooled by as much as 5060 degrees for best performance.

The optimum size of a cooler is a compromise

between different factors. The most common factor is
the physical amount of space available in the engine
bay in which to fit it. Intercoolers also have to consider
the fact that the more volume there is, the more laggy
the engine will be because of an increased pressure
drop across the cooler.
Water radiators and oil coolers can also suffer from
pressure drop and while the end result may not be as
immediately noticeable as increased turbo lag, it can,
however, be even more detrimental. The oil/water
pump will have to work harder to force the fluid
through the cooler, which can lead to cavitation with
potentially fatal consequences for an engine. So, you
want a cooler that is just big enough to offer the
required temperature decrease, but not too big as you
may start to run into other problems if you do.

84-88,90 BMWCAR 0916 03/08/2016 12:08 Page 87

TECH FOCUS
Positioning
Where the cooler is placed probably has the most
influence on its performance. Contrary to common
belief, its far more involved than cutting huge holes
in the bodywork and assuming youve increased
airflow and therefore optimised performance of your
cooling system. Its not just about how much can get
to the cooler, but how effective it is, how quickly and
easily it can pass through the cooler, and, in some
applications, how much drag it creates.
Massive coolers may give better results on a test
bed, but in reality, when they are mounted to the car,
their performance is directly related to how much air
can actually reach them through bodywork apertures,
cooling ducts, and alike. A huge radiator will perform
better than a smaller one on a test bed, but if in situ
that particular application only has a letterbox-size
opening through which it channels cooling air it wont
perform as well as a smaller radiator with a more
efficient stream of airflow.
The speed at which the cooling air passes through
the intercooler also needs consideration, and the
coolers positioning can alter this. For example, an oil
cooler mounted on the roof will receive plenty of
unrestricted airflow, but the air will pass through it so
quickly (especially at motorway speeds) that it wont
have time to absorb any heat from the oil within it,
and therefore its effectiveness will be compromised.
With the same oil cooler mounted within the confines
of the engine bay, the speed at which the air passes
through it will be considerably less due to the
shrouding effect created by the bodywork. But
obviously, if the air speed passing through the cooler
is too slow, it wont work efficiently either.
Another factor to consider, although somewhat less
of a concern with mainstream road cars, is the drag
created by a cooler. In race applications, especially
single seaters where aerodynamics play a huge part
in the cars performance, the positioning of the
various coolers can drastically affect the amount of
drag the car produces.

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Core
The core is made up of two main parts; the tubes
that the working fluid passes through, and the foil,
or fins, which the surrounding air flows through as
the vehicle moves forward. This tube and fin
design is the most common for most applications,
but some front mount intercoolers use a bar and
plate design instead. The two are very similar in
the way they work, but the stronger construction of
a bar and plate design means it is capable of
dealing with higher boost pressures more
effectively and is more robust against things like
stone chip damage.
The design of the core and the number of tubes
used will have a huge effect on a coolers
characteristics. For example, a core with four rows
of 50mm tubes will have greater cooling potential
than a single row core with a 20mm tube. The
number and sizes of tubes used within a core
depends on what application it is intended for.
A number of variables can be altered to give a
core its particular properties. The first is the size of
the tubes. A larger tube will flow more fluid than a
smaller one, but the pressure drop across the core
will be greater than that of a smaller tube.
This can be counteracted to some extent by the
use of multiple rows of tubes. Two tubes will flow
the same mass of working fluid at half the speed
of a single tube of the same size. This results in a
lesser pressure drop across the core.
However, by increasing the number of rows you
also increase the thickness of the core. A thicker
core will have a greater drag effect on
aerodynamics and the speed that air flows through

Welded and extruded tubes

There are two types of tubes used within coolers:
welded and extruded.
Welded tubes are relatively cheap and easy to
produce as they are simply flat sheets of metal that
are folded into a tube and then welded together. It is
also possible to insert something called turbulators
within welded tubes too. These are primarily
designed for intercoolers where the increase in
surface area is needed to transfer the heat.
Turbulators have a dual function, increasing the
surface area available and also increasing rigidity to
prevent ballooning under pressure.
An extruded tube is much stronger than a welded
tube, but is significantly more expensive too. The
process involves forcing aluminium through a
specialist machine at very high pressures and
temperatures to create a seamless tube that can cope
with much higher pressures than a welded tube.
However, due to the cost and practicality of
producing varying sizes, an extruded tube is
usually reserved for use is specialist
applications where its strength and
ability to cope with high pressures
is required.

88 BMWcar

the core itself will decrease. This can lead to

problems getting the air through the cooler
and out the other side, causing detrimental
effects to the cooling. One way to combat
this is to use multiple smaller tubes,
rather than one larger tube. For example
a two-row core with two 25mm tubes
will flow the same mass of working
fluid at the same speed as a single row
50mm core.
Smaller tubes are also structurally
stronger than larger items. The lower
height/width ratio of the tube means its
physically stronger and therefore less
susceptible to ballooning under pressure.
The downside to using multiple smaller
tubes is that they are much more fiddly, and
therefore expensive to produce. There are at
least twice the number of joints that need to be
fused, which adds to the time taken to produce
and the costs. Also multiple row cores tend to be
heavier than single row ones.
You may think that the more rows in a core, the
better it is at cooling. To an extent this is true, but
there will come a point when too many rows, and a
core thats too thick, starts to have a detrimental
effect. For example, a four-row core with four 20mm
tubes will have better cooling potential than a core
with only three rows of the same size tubes.
However, this difference will be smaller than you
might think. And the downsides the extra fourth row
brings can in some cases outweigh the positive gains.
The most effective row is the first one the first

part of the core that the cooling air comes into

contact with. The second and third rows have an
ever-decreasing impact, each being less effective
than the row before it. Therefore the fourth row
right at the back of our example cooler will only
offer a small amount of cooling potential, but the
increased thickness it adds will cause the speed of
air flowing through the core to slow and offer more
restrictions than a three-row core, so it may not be
worth adding the extra row.

Foils/fins
The foil, or fins, are the part of the cooler that
the cooling air passes through. Heat from the
tubes is transferred to these fins, where the
cooling air rushing over them takes the heat
away and therefore the cooler, and the working
fluid within it, experiences a temperature drop.
The pitch of the foil used can alter the speed
at which the air is able to pass through the
cooler core, and therefore can affect the coolers
performance. The more open the foil is, the less
restrictions it will pose to the cooling air passing
through the core. But the trade off is the
number of fins (surface area) available within a
given space is reduced, affecting the cooling
efficiency. Tighter packed fins offer greater
cooling properties, but come at the expense of
increased drag and a slower speed of airflow
passing through the core. Thats why the foil
used needs to be carefully considered for the
application and its intended use.

089 BMWCAR 0916 03/08/2016 17:08 Page 89

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Anodised outer alloy components

FEATURES: On-car camber and caster adjustment

Bump and rebound is adjustable by

means of a a single control knob.

All units in all our ranges can be

purchased individually or repaired, by
return, in the event of an accident. Leda
rebuild service also available.
A full range of springs are stocked at
the factory for road and motorsport use.

www.gazshocks.com

Does it for me!

enquiries@gazshocks.com

Gaz Shocks Ltd

Rayridge House, Swinborne Road
Burnt Mills Industrial Estate
Basildon, Essex, SS13 1EH

Anodised billet alloy components

Integral Top Bearing
Fits underneath the wheel arch to
allow for fitment of any strut brace
above the arch.
Can be combined with GAZ specially
shortened coilover units for maximum
adjustment.
Available for many BMW models
including classics.

Telephone:

01268 724585

84-88,90 BMWCAR 0916 03/08/2016 12:09 Page 90

BMW cooling problems

The design, construction, and positioning of most
BMW coolers is actually pretty good straight from the
factory, but many models (especially the E36/E46)
are renowned for poor cooling systems. How so?
Well, in these cases its not actually performance
issues that are the problem, but it is a more of a
concern for reliability. Many standard cooling
systems (like the E36/E46 engine cooling system)
uses plastic components. These are cheap and easy
to produce at manufacture, but after time can
become brittle and cause leaks to the system.
It goes without saying that for any cooling system
to work it needs to be sealed, and any leaks in that
circuit will result in failure to keep the temperatures
under control. Lets take the engine coolant system
as an example; any leaks will cause the volume of

90 BMWcar

coolant within the system to fall. When this reaches

the point that the volume of coolant left in the
system isnt sufficient to absorb the amount of heat
the engine is producing, temperatures start to rise,
rapidly. And they will continue to rise until
something gives usually a very expensive cylinder
head warping!
To prevent this the cooling system, and all of its
ancillaries, needs to be kept in tip-top condition.
Replace items such as the thermostat housing,
radiator cap, expansion tanks, bleeder screws, and
even the radiator itself at regular intervals (every 75k
miles) to avoid any disasters. Make a note of the
dates/mileage these have been replaced at too, as a
visual inspection simply isnt good enough
something may look perfect today but then fail

tomorrow, there is no way of telling.

You can, however, make a few upgrades to the
system to aid both performance and reliability.
Replacing the radiator with an all-aluminium
performance item is a good start, as leaks can occur
where the aluminium core and plastic end tanks
meet on standard items. Likewise an alloy
thermostat housing will not crack or break like the
plastic item, but some of these are notorious
for not sealing correctly with some owners
reverting to an OE plastic housing. Replacing
the standard rubber hoses, which can perish
over time, with performance silicone items is
another wise investment.
In short, dont skimp on servicing your BMWs
cooling system or it will come back to haunt you

091 BMWCAR 0916 03/08/2016 16:36 Page 91

6 Drawer Topchest & Rollcab

Combinations with
Ball Bearing Runners

Professional
Water Resistant
Storage
Case on
Wheels

NEW

PRODUCT

ZZZVHDOH\FRXN

89.95
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AP615Y
 List Price 159.95

WORKSHOP MODULAR SYSTEM PACKAGES

Exc.
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NEW
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PACKAGE CONTENTS:
2 x APMS53, 1 x APMS59,
1 x APMS52, 1 x APMS55,
1 x APMS50UCD, 2 x APMS50UCS,
2 x APMS50BP, 1 x APMS50SSB
(Stainless Steel Worktop)
or 1 x APMS50WB
(Wooden Worktop).

 This mid-size combo has smooth 25mm ball

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professional tool chests except that the rollcab is
not lockable and the castors are 75mm.
 Not interchangeable with the rest of the
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AP2200BBCP
AP2200BBHV

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 List Price 1147.45

799.95
959.94

Adjustable
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Workstation

Exc.
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(Wooden Worktop)
 List Price 1087.45

 Model No.
AP200
 List Price 97.45

76.95 Exc.
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AP28102BR
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2 Drawer Mid-Box
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 List Price 859.85

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319.95 239.95 287.94

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79.95

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NEW

Model No. AP28COMBO2BR

Model No.

(Contents not included)

Model No.

 Inside are assorted

hooks to help
organise tools
and two full width
slide drawers.
 External Dimensions: 750 x 225 x 890mm.
 Model No. APW750
 List Price 249.95

169.95
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930mm Heavy-Duty
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Model No.

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092-093 BMWCAR 0916 03/08/2016 09:40 Page 92

Return to the Ring

Mid-July saw the Cotswold BMW Saxon Motorsport team back at the Nrburgring.
This time it was there for a four-hour sprint race after its class-winning
success at the 24-hour race on the same infamous circuit
n contrast to the one-car team that contested the
Nrburgring 24 Hours, this time the team arrived
with two cars and five drivers for the fifth round of
the German VLN Endurance series. Team owner
Nick Barrow and regular driver Jamie Morrow were
to drive the newly developed 5.0-litre V10 petrolpowered 1 Series while Ellis Hadley, Martin Gibson
and Tom Barrow were to drive the 2.0-litre diesel built
for the 24-hour race pre-qualification process. This car
would run in the Alternative Fuels class as it would be
powered by Neste Oils bio-diesel.
When Nick and his then team-mates first attended
the Nrburgring for a 24-hour race back at the end of
the 90s, as long as a driver had a competition
licence, it was quite possible to arrive with a road car
(a Peugeot 205GTi in Nicks case), lightly prepped
with a roll-cage and better brakes etc, get it
scrutineered and go racing. Things are a little different
these days and budding 24-hour race drivers with an
international competition licence need to complete
18 competitive laps over three VLN races (four- or sixhour sprints) in a 2.0-litre car as well as attend a twoday training course before being allowed to enter the
main event. With this in mind, Saxon converted one

92 BMWcar

of its 135d cars to use the Twin Turbo Diesel N47

engine and Ellis and Martin had secured funding
and tyres from their employer, Chinese tyre
manufacturer GiTi Tyres. The tyre company is looking
at the possibility of promoting public awareness of its
products through motorsport and this is its first foray
down that avenue.
Despite having driven numerous 24-hour races at
other circuits with Saxon over recent seasons, Tom
still had to complete the same pre-qualification
process so joined Ellis and Martin, both of whom had
previously driven for the team at Donington at the
end of the 2015 season. At this stage, the aim was to
give the three drivers a reliable car in which to
complete the necessary laps over the coming races
so chief engineer Jon Taylor and the Saxon
Motorsport crew provided just that: a reliable 120d in
a known chassis, albeit with unknown GiTi tyres!
Friday morning track-day practice on the GP circuit
allowed all five drivers to acclimatise to their cars.
Neither car had ever been to the track previously nor
were any of the drivers familiar with their cars, Ellis,
Martin and Tom for obvious reasons. Despite the V10
having run in the UK through its development

process, the recent addition of Bosch Motorsport ABS

and recalibrated paddle-shift gear change software
ensured the drivers and engineers needed the track
time to adjust both their driving and the cars
performance to a new circuit. The cars acquitted
themselves well in this first session with the inevitable
setup adjustments required between runs for both
cars and drivers! Principally on the 120d, some
suspension setup was needed to get the best out of
the GiTi tyres which were performing differently to the
usual Dunlop rubber.
Between the two practice sessions, scrutineering
for the main event on Saturday was conducted by the
VLN organising body. Due to a combination of the
language barrier and seemingly ever-changing rules,
this is always a stressful time for engineers and team
managers alike. This visit to the Nrburgring was to
be no exception with minor previously unknown
alterations to rules since the 24-hour race in May and
different rules for the two cars, causing delays and
frustrations. However, after a good effort by the team
to adapt to the new rules, the scrutineerers allowed
both cars to pass and be approved for competition.
Friday afternoon brought the opportunity for the

092-093 BMWCAR 0916 03/08/2016 09:40 Page 93

SAXON MOTORSPORT
cars to sample the full Nordschleife circuit for the first
time. This would also be the first time the 120d
drivers had been on the track with traffic indeed the
first time since completing their induction course at
the end of 2015! Its fair to say that the 120d is not
currently the fastest car on the circuit although
modifications and improvements will be incorporated
before the next race as the car is developed.
Nevertheless, the car again achieved the aim of
familiarising all the drivers with the course, helping
them to learn all 25 kilometres of the circuit. The V10
on the other hand flew. Initially it was in Jamies
hands and showed huge potential. However, as Nick
took over, a misfire became apparent and the car
returned to the garage. After extensive examination,
the engineers concluded that a recently serviced fuel
injector had become stuck open and partly filled a
cylinder with fuel. This meant that the cylinder had
become hydro-locked when Nick started the engine,
which in turn had damaged a big end shell bearing.
There would be nothing for it but to change the
engine overnight! As is often the case, physically
changing the engine with a spare already built-up,
ready for installation is the relatively straightforward
part. However, as the V10 runs with a dry sump
lubrication system, every component from filters to
pipes and the footwell-mounted oil reservoir, needed
to be removed, flushed and refitted. With qualifying
due to commence at 8:00am the next morning, the
team of engineers managed to grab an hour-and-ahalf of sleep before an early breakfast call.
With qualifying came the welcome news that all
the hard work had been worthwhile, with Jamie and
Nick reporting that the new engine was significantly
faster than the original unit. Jon Taylor had expressed
doubt about whether the Vanos system was working
correctly during the previous days running and this
seemed to be borne out by the drivers observations.
Indeed, as the drivers became familiar with the circuit,
the V10 was hitting the rev limiter in top gear nearly
165mph in more than one location! The end of the
qualifying session saw both car and driver
combinations acquit themselves well: the V10 liningup in 36th in the first group of 50, fourth in Class
SP8, there being 147 starters overall, and the 120d in
96th, second in Class SPAT (Alternative Fuels).
As the race start of 12:00pm approached, final
checks on both cars confirmed that all was in order.
The 120d was scheduled to stop twice to change
drivers but race-pace fuel usage meant a splash and
dash towards the end of the four hours remained a
possibility. The V10, meanwhile, would stop on or
around the hour mark for a change of driver and to
refuel; such is the difference in fuel consumption
between the two cars.
Jamie elected to start in the V10; Martin now
questioning the wisdom of choosing to start amongst
so many other cars had volunteered to start in the
120d, an offer that was gratefully accepted by his codrivers! Nearly 150 cars in groups of 50 approaching
the first bend is always going to result in a few
casualties, however, both Saxon cars avoided any
trouble and both gained positions from others
misfortune. The 120d race ran much as predicted
albeit with an earlier than hoped for fuel stop,
shortening the second stint for Ellis. He, however,
made up for his lack of laps, taking over for the final
dash, and brought the car home in a creditable 98th
place. All three completed their qualification laps
without incident.
The V10, on the other hand, had a busy and
ultimately frustrating race. After a brief stop to deal
with a noise infringement notice, the car climbed as
high as 33rd overall, running fourth in class and
gaining on a podium finish. The car was now reaching

the rev limiter in at least four places on the track and

setting a blistering pace. Next time out, the team will
alter the final drive gearing and run to approximately
175mph, which should see a significant improvement
in lap time. At the start of the final hour, with Nick at
the wheel, all still looked promising for a podium
finish, until radio contact was lost and Nick arrived in
the garage unexpectedly some ten minutes later than
due past the pits. He had moved to the left at Hohe
Acht to allow a faster Porsche to overtake on the
inside and been catapulted sideways by an off-line
bump. With so little run-off and carrying significant
speed through the corner there was nowhere to go
and the drivers side hit the barrier, hard. With the car
across the track, Nick initially climbed out to safety
disconnecting the radio and so lost contact with the
pit-wall. Further inspection convinced Nick that the car
could be driven, so he climbed back in and returned
to the pits. Close examination soon revealed,
however, that suspension components were bent and
the car would take no further part in the race.
Meanwhile, the 120d was still circulating reliably
and consistently, second in class, and it was not until
some time after the race that it became clear that the

leading Porsche Cayman a much faster car running

on an ethanol/petrol mix had failed to finish. In this
series, a car has to pass the chequered flag to classify
as a finisher, so first place was inherited apparently
on the last lap! Ellis, Martin and Tom were deservedly
delighted with their win: the result of consistent,
smooth driving from three very well matched drivers.
On the other side of the garage, Nick and Jamie were
left wondering what might have been and what
improvements and developments would enable them
to challenge for the podium again next time out.
The trip to Germany has taught the team a lot
about both cars: the V10 showing the improvements
made since last year and highlighting what needs
changing next in particular the gearing. The 120d is
a good, reliable base on which more performance can
be built. Both cars have considerable potential and
the GiTi tyres have performed like their drivers
consistently and long lasting, although a softer
compound may be used next time. The team already
has ideas for improving both cars performance before
the next round so the guys returned to base in
Hereford with mixed emotions but looking ahead to
their return to the Nordschleife in August

SEPTEMBER 2016 93

094-101 BMWCAR 0916 03/08/2016 12:00 Page 94

LONGTERMERS
The editor finally gets some sounds sorted for his
M635CSi, the M3 track car has a frustrating time
at the Ring and the E36 318iS is no more

E24 M635CSi
Ive had a little look in the Guinness
Book of Records but there doesnt
seem to be a category for longest
amount of time it takes to fit a stereo
to a BMW 6 Series. If there was one,
Id have won it, hands down. But here
I am, only four months or so after I
said I was going to fix the stereo with
four new speakers and a head unit all
nicely installed. I dealt with fitting the
new rear speakers a couple of
months back and Im still pleased with
the way these turned out, but Im
afraid that was the extent of my
hands-on involvement in the
installation, unless you count manic
Googling to find suitable speakers.
I think I left it last month with the
new head unit installed and a set of
front speakers that didnt fit but it
occurs to me that I didnt actually say
very much about the head unit Ive
installed. While the previous
Blaupunkt item was okay I felt it
looked a little bling and while it was
hooked up to a CD autochanger I did
find that I never got around to

94 BMWcar

swapping over the CDs so I became

very bored with the music. For better
or worse everything is digital these
days so I ideally wanted a retrolooking head unit with iPod or
memory stick connectivity and in an
ideal world, Bluetooth audio
streaming. Ive got so used to this in
my Passat company car that anything
else just seems a bit old-fashioned
these days. It also means that you can
literally listen to just about anything
you care to mention from internet
radio to the Archers podcast.
Amazingly I seem to have found a
unit that does all that, a Continental
TR7412UB-OR. I, like most folk,
generally associate Continental with
tyres but if you look a little more
closely youll find it has its finger in
several different pies. As far as I can
work out these are actually rebranded
VDO units theyre marketed as VDO
in Australia and Continental do
several of these from the basic
version Ive opted to buy right up to
far more advanced versions with CD

094-101 BMWCAR 0916 03/08/2016 12:00 Page 95

LONGTERMERS

players and DAB. Now its installed

and Ive had the opportunity to play
with it for a few days I must say Im
pleased as punch. It paired seamlessly
with my phone and plays everything I
want it to, the radio seems pretty
good and it even still has LW for
listening to the test match when
youve got no 3G or 4G reception! As
it has Bluetooth audio streaming its
also hooked up to a microphone for
handsfree calling which is a handy
bonus, too. All in, including VAT and
delivery, it cost 105 which I thought
was a bit of a bargain.
It was the front speakers that
caused the most amount of grief as
modern units have significantly larger
magnets than those with which 1970s
speakers were equipped. Space for
the footwell speakers in the Six is very
tight, not only due to the small hole
within which the magnet needs to fit,
but also because the actual aperture
is very shallow. And after endless
internet searching one thing became
very clear: its very hard to discover
the exact measurements for speakers!
Eventually I settled on a set of
Pioneer three-way 6x4-inch speakers
(TS-A4633i) that looked like they
might do the job and once Id
dropped them off with the everhelpful Jags at BM Sport (020 8304

9797, www.bmsport.com) I was

mightily relieved to get the call a few
hours later to say they were fitted!
Im sure a more serious hi-fi buff
would have come up with a more
innovative and better-sounding
solution to a 6 Series stereo install
but I really didnt want it to look too
non-standard or start cutting into the
leather door trim panels to fit some
kicking bass bins or whatever the
youth do these days! All-in-all though
Im very pleased with the way its
come out it didnt break the bank
either which was quite important as
when I return from holiday itll be
going back into BM Sport for a full
inspection service and investigation
into the running rich.
In an attempt to rectify that I
decided to run some of BMWs petrol
additive through the car to see if it
made any difference. After nigh-on 30
years I wouldnt be surprised if the
fuel system and valves are a bit
gummed up so spending 13 on
some fuel additive seemed like a
good idea. Im about halfway through
the tank of fuel since adding the
additive and it may well be my
imagination but it does seem to be
pulling a little bit cleaner through the
rev range although its still running
very rich in traffic. To such an extent I

almost feel like I should be handing

out face masks to those unfortunate
enough to be stuck behind me in a
queue of stationary traffic on the
south circular! The bottom line is that
the additive certainly wont do any
harm, and I may well try another one
through it just to see if it does clean
some dirty deposits off the injectors
after all, after 163k miles their spray
patterns probably arent quite what
they were when the car was new.
Hopefully new plugs, filters and a
proper check of the valve clearances
will sort F570 out, but knowing my
luck Ill probably need a new airflow
meter! Lets hope the summer holiday
isnt too wallet-wilting oh, wait, Im
going to Europe and the pounds just
tanked against the euro!
Bob Harper

E24 M635CSi
YEAR: 1988
MILEAGE THIS MONTH: 46
TOTAL MILEAGE: 163,305
MPG THIS MONTH: 19.3
TOTAL COST: 225

SEPTEMBER 2016 95

094-101 BMWCAR 0916 03/08/2016 12:00 Page 96

LONGTERMERS

F21 120d M Sport

Its been another busy month for the
1 Series, racking up the miles steadily
thanks to a number of shoots and
shows Ive been attending, and its
given me plenty of time to start
getting familiar with the 120d.
Did I mention I love the auto
throttle blipping on downshifts?
Because I really do. It makes the car
better to drive on every level and, far
from taking away from the driving
experience, Id say it enhances it and
its actually hard to imagine being
without it, even after such a short
space of time. On a couple of
occasions I have also strayed beyond
the lower level of the rev range,
where I can normally be found for
fuel economy purposes, and
subsequently discovered that the
120d is surprisingly rapid when you
choose to use the revs rather than
low-end torque. I feel a little guilty for
not enjoying the hot hatch levels of
performance more often, but the
120ds torque-rich motor is a victim of
its own success and theres little
reason to really rev it beyond
2500rpm or so in day-to-day driving.
Ive not yet had the opportunity to
see how well the cargo area copes
with a photographers demand for
space with all their equipment, but
Ive had four 18-inch wheels in the
back and my only complaint is the
lack of rear doors makes accessing

96 BMWcar

the space available, especially when it

comes to removing items, a bit tricky.
The 120d has also impressed me
with its fuel economy, even in these
early days when the engine is still
tight and not operating at its most
economical. Its currently averaging
high 40s, creeping over the 50mpg
mark on one trip, which is not at all
bad considering the very short daily
commute it does with me and
considering the more powerful
engine. I wonder if, when I swap from
run-flats to all-season tyres as I plan
on doing soon, fuel economy will take
a dip as it seemed to do on the
118d? Well have to wait and see.
Once upon a time, when BMW first
made the fateful switch to run-flat
tyres, we on BMW Car would be
constantly inundated with letters from
readers complaining about the
atrocious ride caused by the
combination of run-flats and M Sport
suspension. In fact, we would actively
discourage readers from specing this
combo if possible, or point them in
the direction of non-run-flat
alternatives. Well, the times they are
a-changing, and run-flat technology
has moved on significantly over the
years meaning that M Sport
suspension and run-flat rubber is now
a much better combination and
arguably the best its ever been. The
ride is, of course, firm as you would

expect from a sport suspension setup

and while on undulating roads the
120d does have a tendency to exhibit
a sort of pogo-ing behaviour, the rest
of the time it feels compliant and
nicely planted on the road.
Its not been a perfect two months,
though, as a couple of things have
been irritating me. The rain-sensing
wipers are as hopeless as they were
on the 118d, making it impossible to
select a setting that really works, with
the wipers either flailing around
dementedly when a fine mist
descends on the screen, or failing to
do anything when it feels like youre
attempting to drive through a lake. My
Camaro has what must be about ten
different intermittent wiper settings
and this makes fine-tuning wiper
activity to correspond to rain intensity
a breeze. Low tech for the win.
Another complaint I have is to do
with the speed-sensitive volume. On
the 118d it was fine, if perhaps not all
that effective, but on the 120d it has
a habit of being very quiet and then
SUDDENLY GETTING MUCH LOUDER
when it detects a random bit of road
noise and then goes quiet again. But
its not actually much cop when you
want it to get louder, like when your
brain is starting to drip out of your
ears on the M25s absolutely
ridiculously-surfaced and completely
deafening south eastern stretch, for

example. Maybe some tweaking of

the level will yield better results.
Finally, Ive encountered a strange
sort of part-throttle hesitation under
acceleration; it occurs when you have
to either lift off the throttle pedal and
go to press on it again or have been
travelling at a constant speed and
want to accelerate slightly. What
happens is, basically, nothing; its like
for that fraction of a second, which it
surely must be but does feel longer,
the throttle pedal is disconnected
from the engine and youre pressing
down on it but theres no response.
As I say it only lasts for a split second
and the solution is to just add more
throttle, but its slightly disconcerting
and it has been happening regularly.
Ill have to wait and see if it gets
better and goes away, or gets worse
and needs looking at.
Elizabeth de Latour

F21 120d M Sport

YEAR: 2016
MILEAGE THIS MONTH: 880
TOTAL MILEAGE: 1870
MPG THIS MONTH: 49.8
COST THIS MONTH: Nil

094-101 BMWCAR 0916 03/08/2016 12:00 Page 97

F10 520d SE
A fairly quiet month for the 520d,
although I did at least manage to put
the sat nav to the test on the run
back home from the Surrey Hills.
Wed been down there for the day on
a feature you can read about in a
future issue, and the iDrive traffic
updates looked rather sombre as we
drove through Guildford, the ETA back
to the house near Burford first
extending to 45 minutes later than
anticipated, then to over 90 Ive
learnt through the years to trust this
system though, so instead of ignoring
the alternative route suggestions I
obediently followed the screens
bidding and left Guildford by heading
west, then towards Reading and
onwards up to Newbury, as opposed
to simply whistling up the A3 then
around the M25.
We succeeded in joining the M4
around Reading with no hold-ups,
then exited at Newbury just as the
traffic was building beyond the
junction (my heart goes out to you if
you have to do this run every day of
the week). It then became clear that

the sat nav was regularly snipping at

the route and calculating where we
needed to be, because no sooner
had we joined the A34 than the
re-route option popped up again.
Twirl, click and were departing the
A34, heading west once again, out
towards Wantage. The nav was
constantly keeping south and west of
the M25, then south of Oxford, first
from the perspective of approaching
from the east and hence the spectre
of getting jammed up in the
Wolvercote roundabout road works
(which are necessary, but infuriating)
and then from the west for pretty
much the same reason. We eventually
popped up in Witney, and arrived
home around 30 minutes later than
would be expected, but well over an
hour earlier than we would have done
had we followed my normal route.
Impressive stuff.
Another impressive aspect of that
day in Surrey was during the trip
down there, OU16 succeeding in
returning a scarcely credibly 52.8mpg
at a little under an indicted 80mph.

Ive opined before on this apparent

witchcraft, but quite how a big saloon
with all the kit this thing has on it, but
which is rowed along by only a
2.0-litre four-pot, can then return over
50mpg is mind-boggling.
Im thinking of running a book on
when the washer bottle will need
topping up. Four months in and over
5000 miles covered, and theres still
no warning message appearing on
the screen, despite regular squirts I
can only assume that when it does
finally request replenishment, Ill be
stood there for an age whilst it feeds.
Talking of which, one of the diesel fillups this month was a tank of Super
Plus from Esso, and I have to say I
didnt notice any difference to the
regular stuff, so Ive reverted to the
cheaper option. Not sure its worth
paying extra for posh diesel, whereas
super unleaded always seemed to
bring tangible benefits, whether the
car in question was new or old.
Oh and finally this month, I had
been intending to talk about the
GoPro camera connectivity which is

apparently offered up by the iDrive

system, depending of course on the
options fitted to your car. Ive
mentioned previously that we should
be able to achieve this with OU16, so
I thought I would give it a go. Alas I
could not for the life of me either
remember the wireless password for
the camera (to enable it to connect to
the iPhone) nor figure out how to
reset said password. So Ill have to
work that out, give it another go then
confirm in a future report as to
whether it actually does as suggested.
Mark Williams (@QuentlyBentin)

F10 520d SE
YEAR: 2016
MILEAGE THIS MONTH: 1064
TOTAL MILEAGE: 5583
MPG THIS MONTH: 41.7
COST THIS MONTH: Nil

SEPTEMBER 2016 97

094-101 BMWCAR 0916 03/08/2016 12:00 Page 98

LONGTERMERS

E92 M3 Track Project

Typically as Im about to write about a
poor start to the summer theres
blazing sunshine coming through the
window, but on the whole its been
such a damp and soggy start to the
summer that Ive been wondering if I
shouldnt have built an ark rather than
a race car.
On my last trip out to the Ring I
left the M3 with Raeder Motorsport
for it to fit some carbon paddles and
an aftermarket steering wheel that I
had supplied, so I was looking forward
to seeing how these looked and if
they improved the dynamics of the
car. A few days later I had an email
from the team there saying that the
boss I had supplied wouldnt fit with
what I wanted to do and although
they could fit the wheel, the paddles
wouldnt work and I would only be
able to change gear with the gear
shifter. They then added that from
their experience the standard paddle
arrangement retro-fitted to an
aftermarket wheel wasnt the best
option anyway. Raeder reckoned it
could make it work with its boss and
aftermarket paddles, but it was quite a
price increase that I hadnt budgeted
for but the car was there and I
wanted it done, so I gave it the
green light
Upon my return for several days
driving at the Ring I went to the car to
have a look and any price anxiety
soon faded away it looked amazing.

98 BMWcar

I had also wanted a spacer put in to

bring the wheel closer as I had altered
my seating position to better
accommodate my legs, but this
meant my hands were further away.
To my surprise, the boss Raeder had
fitted had positioned it exactly where I
wanted, and I can trim the wheel in
and out to a perfect position with the
original adjuster. As you will see from
the picture, these arent just eBay
bolt-on parts, this is a proper handmade work of carbon art. Not only
that, but the pull is crisp and very
direct and it looks like its straight out
of a GT3 car and feels it too.
The next day I went to actually pick
my car up (even though it was a
Sunday and 9am, Raeder was open)
and I collected the car. It started on
the button as you would assume and
everything at first seemed fine. I
pulled out of the compound and
immediately the traction control
started to interrupt progress. That
wasnt particularly unusual, especially
as everything was now solid mounted
and the DSC doesnt like the way the
car feels obviously (I suspect the fact
that a 300kg reduction has further
confused the OE calibration as well).
This was first apparent on a track
day at Bedford when I first put
Michelin Pilot Sport Cups on the car,
as the grip level increase caused the
DSC to have a fit but the MDM mode
that allows much more slip was a

good compromise. Its pretty good at

reining the car in whilst letting you get
away some sideways antics. In fact it
is so clever that there have been
quite a few fast situations on track in
the wet where I have actually said a
quiet prayer to the BMWs M-power
engineers, as without the MDM mode
safety net, the car would have spun
like a top into the barriers (the Bomb
Hole at Snetterton being one time
that sticks in my mind).
Anyway, with the DSC going crazy, I
look for my friend the MDM button
and its obviously gone, as I have an
OMP steering wheel now and some
lovely carbon paddles and nothing
else. Not too much of a problem as
Im not going to be stupid as its my
first time out in the car for such a
long time, so I just switched the DSC
completely off This was absolutely
fine until I rolled out on track, applied
the throttle and all of a sudden I can
feel the DSC is back on. Reach down,
switch it off again and the same thing
happens again and again damn!
I had no choice but to take it back
to Raeder. With it being a Sunday,
despite it being open, there was only
skeleton staff on duty but one of the
guys was able to plug in the lap-top
and reset everything, so everything
should have been good to go
DSC off out I went out and this
time I managed to get as far as just
after T13 before the DSC was back on

again. I turned it off and it actually

stayed off for a bit longer this time. I
made it all the way to Adenau Forest
before it came on again. I stuck at it
and do a second lap, but the back
was skipping about a bit and the car
was nowhere near as planted as it
was last year. Discretion is the better
part of valour and all that, so I took it
back to Raeder and called it a day.
The next day I popped into the
workshop about 3pm and was
greeted with those beautiful words:
your car is ready. I had a chat with
them about the issues, mentioned the
missing MDM button and was told
that I did still have MDM mode and
that it was just discretely hidden in
the steering boss/wheel hub!
Excellent. When 5pm rolled around, I
was straight out on track and all was
good no DSC issues and everything
was working well and then the
steering went a little heavy. I came in
after a sighting lap, which I always do
to get a feel for the track and to get
the tyres up to temperature. I
dropped the pressures to what they
should be at and away I went again. It
was a better lap, but Im definitely not
happy with the rear end it is way
too skittish, even with the extra
downforce. I came in after that lap
and before I could go out again the
track was shut as there was a big
crash this closed the track for the
rest of the evening.

094-101 BMWCAR 0916 03/08/2016 12:00 Page 99

The next day I was convinced the

cars rear suspension was binding and
locking up due to it being too low, so
I raised the ride height a little. This
compromises the toe a little bit, but I
was running enough that it shouldnt
make the handling too wild. I just
wanted to see if the back end was
jamming up or not. Whilst doing this I
thought I should check the settings. I
had looked at the compression high
speed and low speed and had a little
fiddle but never touched the rebound
after I had it set it originally. What I
discovered was most odd. Someone
had adjusted the passenger side rear
to fully soft that obviously wouldnt
have been helping at all when the
drivers side was still on fully stiff!
After a few head-scratching moments
I realised the shocks must have been
off when the cage was fitted and
whoever took them off must for
whatever reason done the above
While I was at the circuit I had seen
a guy in the car park who asked me if
I wanted to do a video feature on the
car. He is co-owner of Ring Garage
aka Boosted Borris. You can rent all
sorts of wonderful cars from him,
including a track-biased M135i, a full
fat E92 M3 like mine or a full-blown
stripped-out E46 M3 race car!
So I took the car down for its video
shoot and it was more of a comical
video than serious and I will probably
be made to look like an idiot but hey

its all fun right?

At the end of the interview part
with me he asked how good the
driver was, I responded with a lets go
and see. So we went off to the Ring
and I went out for quick lap to get
the tyres up to temperature and
check everything was okay The
steering was a still a little lumpy in
parts but felt fine.
In the car park I strap him in and
off we go all was well the back
end was still not perfect but we were
making good progress. There was a
lot of traffic and we were on for a low
eight-minute lap when out came the
yellow lights and flags There was a
big off for an E46 M3 which had lost
its front end and it was not a pretty
sight. This messed up any chance of a
good lap time, but I thought Id still
give it the beans as he was filming
me with his GoPro. Then disaster
struck the power steering went rock
hard it was like driving a lorry. I was
having to place my hands around the
wheel and tug it to get it to turn. I
didn't want to back off and my pride
was a hurt with embarrassing notion
of viewers watching the video,
spurring me on to drive faster than I
should with no power steering there
were a few hairy moments and then
the lap was over.
I apologised and he said he could
see me fighting the power steering
but thats race cars unfortunately and I

guessed the loss of steering

assistance was down to those blasted
pulleys I fitted.
Or was it? I took the car back to
Raeder, and there was no boiling of
fluid which was strange just hard
steering. I had a chat with my BMW
tech and he said that if you run the
car with no fluid it can ruin the seals.
Sounds obvious, but when we were
running the shells in getting oil up I
wonder if the damage was done
then? Who knows, maybe the part
was just due to fail but all I know is it
cost me a power steering pump so a
reconditioned one has been ordered
and the original pulleys will be going
back on along with some new bolts.
So over the course of a weekend I

ended up with just five laps and only

one of them half hot with a
passenger lets hope when I return
that the car is ready for some abuse
as Ill be going along to a Destination
Nrburgring track day run by British
company Ring Weekenders and there
will be a lot of nice cars from the UK
going. Wish me luck!
Ben Cook

SEPTEMBER 2016 99

094-101 BMWCAR 0916 03/08/2016 12:00 Page 100

LONGTERMERS

The Everett Fleet

Well, the 318iS track car is no more.
Despite trying everything I could, it has
left the building. Even though I had
changed everything engine loom,
ECU, all the sensors, plugs, AFM, fuel
pump etc, the damned thing decided
to play silly buggers again just before
the BMW Car Club track day at Croft
the same spluttering misfire as before.
Having replaced everything and
explored every avenue but without the
back up of diagnostics (its too old), I
threw in the towel and broke it up for
parts. Perhaps that was rash but I just
felt that no matter what fix I came up
with I could never trust the car again
every time it did this, Id replace
something and it would behave
perfectly until the moment it didnt. I
even checked inside the tank for a big
glob of water, a stray plastic bag
nothing. So the engine came out, all

100 BMWcar

the new and trick bits followed and

the shell was given to a drift hero for
an offer that could not be refused
take it away and dont ever let me see
it again. Some cars just dont want to
be fixed I guess and whilst its a
disappointing outcome, at least its
gone and a problem solved. I think it
owed me about 500 and Ive already
recouped more than that but not of
course the many hours of time spent
prepping it.
Still, salvation came when Nick
Wright from West View Garage (and
the BMW Car Clubs excellent track
day organiser) heard of my
predicament and gave me the use of
both his 330Ci road car and West
Views E36 328i Coup track car to
blat about in for a few laps thanks
Nick, youre a hero!
Croft itself went very well it

reached over 30C at one point and

the usual superb standard of driving
Nick insists on was there in
abundance. Whilst his 330Ci went well
and handled nicely after you became
accustomed to the standard
suspension, the 328i was really
superb and I could have driven it all
day thanks to the torquey engine and
benign handling.
The 318i Touring goes about its
business as it always does, but could
really do with some new exhaust heat
shields now as the originals are falling
to bits. I have also replaced the M3
type steering wheel with the standard
type Sports II wheel in much better
condition and slightly bigger, I just
prefer it to the M3 wheel that quickly
found a new home via eBay.
The 318i Convertible has seen little
use and I should sell it its 800 if

you want a nice useable one for the

summer. The 730i should be gracing
Gaydon this year after I had two of the
alloy wheel centre caps repainted.
These are made from magnesium and
corrode like nobodys business but its
now four years since the wheels were
blasted and powdercoated so I cant
moan really. I also used Parksides
ramp to swear at the car for an hour
in-between replacing the worn out
front gear change knuckle.
The demise of the 318iS track car
meant I had a few good months of an
insurance policy left, and this was
transferred to the Daytona violet 318Ti
Sport Compact by the ever helpful folk
at Footman James I am due to go
down to Munich in September for the
100 years celebrations and right now,
the conundrum is which car to take?
Andrew Everett

101 BMWCAR 0616 03/08/2016 12:04 Page 101

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102 BMWCAR 0916 03/08/2016 16:11 Page 102

NEXT MONTH

Next
Month
Behind the wheel
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Plus

Upgraded E92 M3 635CSi rally car Revised i3 driven E23 745i

October 2016 issue available to download
12 September and in the shops 15 September
(Contents subject to change)

102

BMWcar

103 BMWCAR 0916 03/08/2016 17:08 Page 103

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104-105 BMWCAR 0916 03/08/2016 14:55 Page 104

POST BAG

Write and win

with Meguiars!
Weve teamed up with those car cleaning wizards at Meguiars to provide
the winner of the best letter each month with a fabulous Meguiars New Car Kit.
This superb kit includes Ultimate Wash & Wax, Ultimate Wax, Endurance Tire gel, a
Microfibre Wash Mitt, a Water Magnet and a Soft Foam Applicator pad worth 34.99!

Topless models
Im hoping you can resolve a dispute that Im
having with my brother. Were both BMW nuts and
hope to own one when we eventually pass our
driving tests. My dream car is an 8 Series ideally
an Alpina B12 5.7 but Ill need to get a pretty
decent job to afford one of those. Note to self
concentrate in school!
My brother says that I should really get an 8
Series Convertible and while I keep telling him they
never made one he insists hes seen an article

about the car. Can you clear this up for us please?

Freddie OConnor, via email
In a way youre both right Freddie you because
BMW never made a production version and your
brother because the prototype 8 Series Convertible
has been featured in these pages back in August
2010. BMWs marketing team was very keen for this
machine to be built but it proved to be too difficult to
successfully engineer a soft-top version as it suffered

Phillip Island appreciation

I thought I would write in to say I enjoyed the Phillip
Island Classic feature in the May issue of BMW Car.
There is a lot more to Phillip Island other than the
track which is rather good; the coastal scenery and
idyllic location just to name a couple. Myself and a
couple of mates travel over from Adelaide, South
Australia along the Great Ocean Road in Victoria
each year and enjoy a great road trip to the island
a little like Le Mans for you Poms!
There is always a great variety of cars on display
thanks to car clubs and their members and this year
we saw a Ford T (pictures attached) which was
one of the stand-out cars, at least in my opinion. I
think the driver had the same number of miles on
him as his car and had spared no expense in its

104

BMWcar

preparation when you consider the HT leads to the

spark plugs arrangement! You have you just love it!
Thanks for a great magazine.
Andrew Poulsen, Australia

STAR
LET TER

from terrible scuttle shake.

Strengthening the cars structure
took so much additional metal that
it was then too heavy to perform
adequately. Ultimately it was just too costly
to produce a soft-top version of what was not a
big-selling car.
Good luck in securing an Alpina B12 one day
start off with an 840Ci and hope that you can
bag that well-paid job!

104-105 BMWCAR 0916 03/08/2016 14:55 Page 105

POST BAG
Tech praise and postal woe
Ive been a subscriber from the beginning and its
always a great pleasure to receive a new issue every
month! I am very happy with the return of the Tech
Focus section as it includes very interesting topics that
are simply but accurately explained.
I do intermittently have an issue with the magazine
arriving though occasionally if the magazine isnt
inserted in its mailing bag correctly and the postal
staff can see what it is some of the more tempting
issues seem to go missing in the post, although I
must say your subscriptions staff have always been
very good at replacing these.

I have also noticed that the magazine now seems

to take longer to arrive, is this due to a change in the
postal carrier youre using?
Jean-Marie Ronnel, via email
Were glad youre enjoying the Tech Focus section of
the magazine Jean-Marie but sorry that your monthly
BMW fix is taking longer to arrive than before.
Have any other subscribers noticed this? If so
please do let us know (bmwcar@unity-media.com)
and well have to go and bang some heads together
somewhere along the line!

Wheel protection
I have a small dilemma. Im sick of catching my
damn wheels and damaging them on kerbs! It
costs me 60 every time and I am one of those
people who has to get them done ASAP. Lately it
seems as if I then catch them on some broken bit
of kerb within a couple of days.
Now its partly down to the fact we can no
longer see each corner of the car and I must
admit this current 5 Series is the most difficult
one to park due in part to its size I just cant see
the extremities of the car when parking. Do you
know of a decent alloy wheel protector that looks
good and works? I have read about AlloyGator but
not sure if theyre any good?
Also my car is up for renewal in March and Im
thinking about the M2 but have heard on long
journeys the exhaust noise gets a bit much Do
you agree? Im also thinking about getting an SUV
like the new Jaguar F Pace but just cant seem to
get the right APR especially when fully specd up.
Personally I find BMWs current crop of SUVs and
cars really are not good lookers with bland
interiors why cant BMW take a look at Audi
interior design and really sort itself out?
Lee Ryan, via email
Damaged alloys do certainly look unsightly Lee
and sadly almost however careful you are if you
live in town and have to try and squeeze your car
into small spaces theyre almost inevitably going
to pick up some scuffs. We dont have any firsthand knowledge of AlloyGators, but at 60 a set
theyve got to be worth a try as its the price of
just one wheel refurb. You might also want to
look at Rimblades sold by a company called
Rimbands. Theyre also pretty cheap to buy and
while theyll need to be professionally fitted they
could end up saving you a packet.
The M2 would definitely be louder than your
current 535d on the motorway but when we
spent 1000 miles in one recently we certainly
didnt feel it was overly noisy on the motorway.
Your main problem with an M2 will be getting
one as theres a long waiting list. An F Pace does
look attractive but with it being a brand-new
machine you will struggle to get a good finance
deal, especially as its another new to market
machine thats in demand. Wed recommend
having another look at the X5 in the right
colour and spec we still reckon its a pretty
attractive piece of kit.

M1 musings
Firstly let me apologise for the lateness of this
message but your magazine does take sometime
to appear in the newsagents here in Australia. Your
May 2016 issue featured a great article on the
Philip Island Classic but unfortunately I believe it
carried a couple of errors.
Your correspondent Chris Nicholls stated that
the Ecurie Bowden M1 Procar was the only one in
Australia and that its Philip Island outing was its
first competitive outing. Technically he could be
right on the first claim but that would be ignoring
Mr Maurice Alexanders magnificent 1980 M1
Coup (one of the 399 road cars produced) that
was on display at Melbournes Motorclassica in
October 2015 see the attached photographs
(kindly note its RHD status).
However, I dont think hes is correct on his
second claim as the Bowden M1 was at the Retro
Speedfest at Sydneys Motorsport Park in June
2015. I have attached a photograph of the car on
the dummy grid prior to the running of the event.

This is not to distract from either the article or

the magazine but arent all BMW owners
conditioned for perfection?
Colin Allerdice, Sydney, Australia
Thanks for getting in touch Colin, and youre right,
us BMW owners do strive for perfection! When
Chris stated the Bowden car was the only one in
Australia we think he was actually talking about
the Procar version, but thanks for sending in the
pictures of the road-going machine a right-hand
drive M1 is a real rarity.
Secondly, while you are right that the Bowden
M1 did appear at Retro Speedfest he didnt really
see this as being particularly competitive as a
gearbox issue occurred that kept the car off
the track for some time while it was being
rebuilt. This is detailed in the June issue where
theres a full feature on the Bowden M1
hopefully thats now hit the newsstands in
Australia for you to peruse!

BMW Car magazine and Unity Media plc do not necessarily share the views expressed within the
letters on these pages and accept no responsibility for any inaccuracies they may contain.

SEPTEMBER 2016 105

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108-109 BMWCAR 0916 02/08/2016 12:19 Page 108

BMW DEALS

Our monthly roundup of whats hot, or not, in the BMW marketplace

Words: Guy Baker
ritain voting to leave the EU has certainly
caused a drop in consumer confidence
which is likely to hurt demand for new
BMWs in the short term. There are already
early indications that potential buyers have
reacted negatively but with so much uncertainty in
the air it will take months to establish a balanced
outlook on the likely future.
Immediately prior to the referendum, however, new
car registrations, as reported by the SMMT, showed a
consistent market increase especially in the fleet car
sector. As a result, the 3 Series entered the top ten
best sellers list for the first time this year. In June yearto-date registrations for BMW had showed an increase
of 15.5 percent over last years figure. Quite an

achievement and one which suggests that BMW

may still fare better than many other marques over
the next few difficult months.
Thankfully the used car market seems less affected
by the latest political machinations, with trade gurus
Glasss reporting activity at auction experiencing an
unexpected upturn over the last few weeks. The
models with the highest first-time conversion rate at
auction were the 6 Series, X5 and X1. On dealer
forecourts we see a slightly different picture, but used
demand is as strong as it was before the referendum
with the fastest selling model surprisingly being the
7 Series. Only the 2 Series really struggled to find
eager second buyers.
BMW dealers are currently promoting Personal

Forecourt find
M135i Sports Hatch (F20) (2012-2016)
It may have come in for some criticism in terms of its styling but a
contemporary five-door M135i for less than 20,000 cannot be ignored.
With 326hp on tap and a whopping 332lb ft of torque the performance
in all gears is electric with 62mph dispatched in just 5.1 seconds. And
the five-door practicality makes it a great mini all-rounder.
This mint 2012 manual example we unearthed at south-coast prestige
specialist, Promotors, is competitively priced at 18,695 and has covered
just 15,000 miles. Boasting a full service history the comprehensive spec
includes front and rear park assist, Coral red Dakota leather, adaptive
Xenon lights and Dynamic Performance Control.
Web: www.promotors.co.uk
Tel: 01202 463198 or 01202 804350

108 BMWcar

Contract Hire offers on new 2 Series Gran Tourer and

1 Series five-door Sports Hatch models, with a 118i
five-door M Sport Hatch yours for 259 a month
(including VAT) over 36 months. There is a 4269
down payment though. A 218i M Sport Gran Tourer is
289 a month, plus a 5099 initial rental.
Elsewhere broadspeed.com is currently offering
some big discounts on new 3 Series Saloons, with a
saving of 5719 on a new automatic 320d M Sport
and as much as 7475 off an automatic 330d xDrive
M Sport. You will also find other sites offering sizeable
discounts on 3 Series Saloons and Tourings, but
before you press the buy button ask your local BMW
dealer if theyre prepared to match your discounted
offer. In our experience some will.

108-109 BMWCAR 0916 02/08/2016 12:19 Page 109

BMW DEALS
THIS
S
MONTHU Y!
BEST B
218d Coup (F22)
(2014-on)
Demand for most used 2 Series Coups has fallen,
with prices especially for the 218d following suit.
And although the model hasnt been around that long
its already starting to look like good value for money
list price is just over 28,000 yet prices start at just
under 18,000.
As a nearly-new car most examples have low miles
and come with at least a years BMW warranty
effectively theyre new cars in all but name. Wed go
for the Sport model which looks good, offers enough
driver enjoyment and yet returns 62.8mpg. Just dont
tell anyone how little you paid for it.

AUCTIONHT
SPOTLIG

BMW Cars lowdown on the latest

prices paid for average condition
BMWs at auction. To find your
nearest auction house check out:
www.british-car-auctions.co.uk

And remember
Always arrive early at car auctions, pick up the sales catalogue and examine the vehicles in the line-up
before the bidding starts. In addition to the hammer price, youll have to pay a small buyers fee. Youll
need to provide a deposit of at least 500 (in cash or by Maestro or Visa Delta debit card) but the balance
of the purchase price and the buyers fee can be paid via bankers draft, cash, cheque, telegraphic
transfers, credit or debit card.

Prices paid last month for average condition BMWs at auction

Model
Trim/transmission
Year/registration
325i
SE Saloon, manual,
2001/Y
325i
SE Touring, manual
2002/02
530i
Sport Champagne Edition, auto
2003/53
116i
SE five-door hatch, manual
2005/55
X5 3.0d
Sport, auto
2003/53
330d
SE Touring, auto
2004/54
330Ci
Sport Coup, manual
2004/54
120d
SE three-door hatch, manual
2007/57
M3
Coup, manual
2004/04
325i
M Sport Convertible, auto
2009/59
Z4 sDrive23i
Roadster, auto
2010/10
535d
M Sport Saloon, auto
2010/10
330d
M Sport Convertible, auto
2010/60
X5 xDrive35d
M Sport Touring, auto
2009/09
X6 xDrive30d
M Sport, auto
2009/59
Prices quoted are hammer prices and will be subject to buyers premium

Mileage
137k
169k
108k
106k
179k
59k
89k
68k
76k
49k
37k
63k
84k
83k
70k

Price
575
600
1850
2875
2900
3350
3900
5800
10,300
11,000
13,000
13,600
14,650
16,050
18,200

Top three 15,000 Alpinas

Fancy a BMW, but lust after something a little more exclusive? Then an Alpina may well be the answer.
The Buchloe-based firm works very closely with BMW, and its processes are even integrated into BMWs
production lines. As a result every model is backed by a full warranty, and can be serviced by any BMW
workshop. All three of our 15,000 contenders follow Alpinas unspoken more torque, less talk philosophy.

Alpina D3 Bi-Turbo
Saloon (E90) (2008 to 2013)

Alpina B5 Saloon (E60)

(2005 to 2007)

Alpina Roadster S (E85)

(2003 to 2005)

The D3 is based on the E90 320d, but fitted with the

twin-turbo four-pot derived from the 123d.
Performance is enhanced, with power rising to 214hp
and 332lb ft of torque from just 2000rpm. The result
is a 0-62mph time of 6.9 seconds and a top speed
of 152mph. Given the performance, a combined
economy figure of 52mpg is impressive. Alpina also
tweaked the suspension, brakes and added cool
alloys. 15,000 buys a 2010 with 55k miles.

For a similar sum you could be the proud owner of a

2005 100k-mile Alpina B5 super saloon, complete
with a heavily revised version of the 545is 4.4-litre
V8. Completely rebuilt, and sporting a super-efficient
supercharger, power rises to a very healthy 500hp,
whilst torque maxes at 516lb ft thats a lot more
than an E60 M5 generates. Performance is
breathtaking with an unrestricted top speed of around
195mph, while the plush spec lacks for nothing.

Alpinas E85 300hp Roadster S is a good match for

BMWs Z4M Roadster, but more exclusive. The
hand-built 3.4-litre motor delivers greater mid-range
torque too, plus a 165mph top speed and a 5.3second 0-62mph time. The styling is eye-catching,
but its a rare beast so youll need to be patient
cars dont come up very often. 15,000 bags a
highly-specd 80k-mile 2005 example with the
optional Lux pack, sat nav and 19-inch Alpina alloys.

Many thanks to John Warren Cars (www.independentbmw.co.uk) for its assistance with BMW Buyer

SEPTEMBER 2016 109

110-111 BMWCAR 0916 03/08/2016 16:13 Page 110

TECHNICAL TIPS
BMW Cars tame top tech, Andy Everett, casts his eye over the
latest goings on at the dealers, specialists and independent workshops

Z3 mirror fix

E46 door locks

One of the (few) problems with the old E36

Z3 is corrosion and breakage of the door
mirrors. The frames for these (the bit the
plastic casing and other parts bolt to) were
cast from an alloy probably best used for
Dinky toys. It corrodes nicely under the plastic
outer shell and eventually they will snap at
the base when an attempt is made to move
the mirror. A repair is near enough
impossible, and a new mirror is predictably
expensive using the online price checker it
appears to be 279 plus VAT for a new
mirror in primer without a mirror glass. A
good used one is around 100, but good
luck finding one as theyre nearly all in the
same state now.
A solution is at hand now, and tipped off
by someone, I searched eBay and found a
company called X8R (www.x8r.co.uk) which
has been selling plastic Z3 mirror frames.
They fit the same as the original, take the
casing, electrics and mirror glass from the
original and only require the base plate
painting easily achieved with an aerosol
can. These new plastic units are 95
delivered and represent a good fix. For
owners of Z3s whose mirrors still swivel, get
in there with the WD40 and spray grease
before its too late.

Whilst the previous E36 used an E34-style flat black lift-up door handle with
integral lock, the 1998 E46 used an all new style pull-out type handle with a
separate lock. By and large these are okay, but a common problem is when the
door lock breaks. This renders the key useless and its down to two things the
lock has started to seize and when the buttons on the key for the central locking
stop working this seizing lock is used manually. Removing the lock is very easy
open the door, remove the tiny black plastic cover and with an allen key, unscrew
the allen bolt within and withdraw the lock. The lock changed in late 2000
(around when BMW changed from the old E36 key to the 2000 onwards
diamond key) along with the handle, and the lock repair kit which is an
absolute nightmare of a job is different. Removing the lock and giving it a dose
of WD40 and spray grease
is essential maintenance
and prevents breakage.
As for the keys, the old
type can have a new
battery fitted but the
diamond key cannot.
These are charged whilst
in use and seem to last
10-15 years but once the
battery is dead, thats it. A
new key from BMW is a
lot of money, but a BMW
specialist can sync a good
used key from a breaker
to yours cut the blade
off the new key and have
it as a fob on the keyring.

N47 swirl flaps

Just when you thought the diesel swirl flap issue had gone away, it looks like its
returning again. Its not as bad as last time when steel swirl flaps could fall into the
cylinders and cause a major catastrophe, but its a new problem nonetheless, albeit a
rare one. The issue is happening on older higher mileage N47 diesels from 2007
onwards. On the previous M47, the swirl flaps had their own pivot and an operating
rod, but on the N47 they have utilised the idea Ford used on the 2000-onwards Mk3
Mondeo petrols where the flaps are all operated with one common shaft that goes
through the manifold a bit like a skewer in a shish kebab.
Thats all very well but as Ford found out, the metal rod can wear into the plastic
manifold body and even break, resulting in swirl flaps being ingested. BMW has used
a brass shaft, but it still has wear issues. I first saw this problem when Parkside Autos

110 BMWcar

in Worksop (01909 506555) had a 2008 E90 320d in with a recurring EGR fault
and a loss of boost. After doing the usual jobs of cleaning everything up, repairing a
few other bits and resetting fault codes it was noticed that under boost, exhaust gas
was appearing from behind the actuator for the swirl flaps.
Basically, the brass shaft had worn the manifold holes oval and pressurised exhaust
EGR gas was leaking. The team removed the manifold, took the swirl flaps out,
blocked the hole with a suitably hard resin and reassembled it result, no more EGR
faults and much better performance. Give them a ring if you want to get yours
deflapped because another possible scenario is that the brass shaft breaks and one
of the swirl flaps jams shut that will result in diesel going into a cylinder without any
air and that wont end well.

110-111 BMWCAR 0916 03/08/2016 16:13 Page 111

TECHNICAL TIPS
Six-speed ZF autobox maintenance
By and large, the six-speed ZF automatic box as introduced in the 2001 E65 7 Series
models has been a very good unit capable of putting up with high mileages.
However, it does have faults and weve mentioned sticking valves in the Mechatronics
valve block before. Weve also mentioned the bridge seal that fits between the valve
block and the main transmission casing before as well but its worth mentioning this
again as its now becoming part of the gearbox service that many transmission
specialists are offering. This rubber seal hardens with time and it can split, leading to
pressure loss and thus the gearbox acting up with rough shifting and so on. Because
the ECU is contained in the valve block and because there is a risk of it being
damaged by static electricity, you must wear a ground strap when doing this job. But,
the seal is about 30 or 40 quid and it takes two hours to drop the valve block,
replace the seal and reassemble so it really is a no brainer to fit a new seal even if
the gearbox was fine before.
Also, beware of anything other than a genuine ZF sump/filter kit. As many have
found out, aftermarket plastic sump kits are not much use no matter how Germansounding the name and a friend of mine recently found out that after a week the
sump was leaking (as was the mechatronics plug seal) and that the sump had
actually distorted no points for guessing which peoples republic that lot
came from. So for a gearbox service genuine ZF sump kit, new bridge
seal and fresh oil at 100,000 miles or less and the good old sixspeed should be good for another 100,000.

E46 transmission oil cooler

I recently went to look at a 2004 320d auto Touring with a view to buying it
apparently it had oil in the coolant, diagnosed as a head gasket problem, which
is fixable if the cars cheap enough. Sure enough, the coolant header tank was
full of oily mayonnaise but there were pointers that this was another problem
because the engine ran and idled perfectly, didnt overheat and the oil level on
the dipstick hadnt dropped at all. However, when I put the shifter into D, it
took a second or two to engage forward drive at which point the engine
started hunting as if the gearbox was struggling to maintain drive.
It had been driven like that for quite a while and, with discretion being the
better part of valour, I left it there heaving automatic gearboxes in and out
is no fun and the GM unit used in these is a heavy old brute. But I did tell the
owner what I thought the trouble may be a split auto box heat exchanger.
These fit to the base of the radiator with one of those spring clips and the auto
box cooler pipes fit on with the horrid push fit expanding clips and they can
rupture inside. Gearbox oil then seeps out of the split into the coolant and
often, vice versa. A phone call a few days later from the seller informed me my
hunch was right. As well as flushing the cooling system out and fitting a good
used cooler, the gearbox needed a full flush as well. The gearbox began
working again as it should but with a faint noticeable whine. So, keep an eye
on the coolant and at the first sign of oil and coolant mixing, check out both
the engine and transmission coolers.

N42/45/46/43 chain swap

As weve mentioned before a few times, the N series four-cylinder engine hasnt got a great reputation when it comes to the timing chain. The problem is the plastic guide rail
that hardens with age and the heat of the oil allows the chain to go slack and jump a few teeth. It the past, this has been considered a DIY no-go because you just cant do it
without the special tools you need to lock the cams, crankshaft, the Vanos units and the balance shafts and the tools were a lot of money. Not
anymore though. Looking online, you can buy the complete set of locking tools for a shade over 30 and theyre so easy to use
that with them, a chain swap isnt that much more tricky than the average modern cambelt.
There are a few pointers though. Its essential to drop the sump because even with care, there is no guarantee that
the balance shafts wont move slightly when the crankshaft pulley bolt is undone if they move, the con rods
and balancers will collide! N45 cars such as the 1.6-litre 116i dont have balance shafts so thats a
problem solved but the sump still needs to come off to retrieve any broken bits. Getting the
sump off is fairly unpleasant and involves dropping the front crossmember and
supporting the engine on a crane but a good DIYer with the locking tools
could do the job in a weekend.
Whilst the N43 looks like an N46, it is in fact
different, an N52 style head on an M42/46
type block and the locking tool kit
is closer to 50 quid. But be
careful where you buy the
chain kit from we would only
use proper branded stuff from
Febi (around 100 for the
complete kit with bolts). You
must always replace the
crank and Vanos pulley bolts
(the timing will slip if you dont),
but whilst the BMW chain has a split
link, the Febi chain is endless. In other
words, a skilled DIY mechanic can do the job
for around 150 including bolts and gaskets plus
the locking tools.

SEPTEMBER 2016 111

112-113 BMWCAR 0916 DIRECTORY 03/08/2016 16:31 Page 112

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114 BMWCAR 0916 - art cars 01/08/2016 12:15 Page 114

BMW ART CARS

BMW Art Cars

Ken Done
E30 M3

For its eighth Art Car BMW again looked to Australia, but this time the artist was best
known for his design work and brightly coloured images of Australian landmarks
he second Australian Art Car can almost
be seen as an opposite to the first
Australian Art Car. It was created by an
artist who was the youngest ever student
to be admitted to East Sydney Tech, an
art school in Sydney, who later moved on to
become a famous artist who created the logo for the
Sydney Olympics, among other things
At the early age of 14, Ken Done, who was born
in Sydney in 1940, began studying art at the
National Art School. In the late 70s, after 20 years
as a commercial artist in Sydney, New York and
London, he began painting full-time. Done held his
first exhibition in Sydney in 1980, soon becoming
one of the most significant painters on the Australian
continent. In 1988 he was commissioned with the
design of Australias and the United Nations
pavilions at the EXPO in Brisbane, Queensland. His
paintings feature vivid colours and brush strokes
portraying the typical face of Australia.

114 BMWcar

As opposed to Michael Jagamara Nelson, who

painted the seventh Art Car we looked at last month,
Ken Done was very much of the moment, a product
of modern Australia whereas Nelsons art could trace
its roots back to the very beginning of Australian
culture, long before it was discovered by the rest of
the world.
Dr Andreas Braun, curator of the BMW Museum
in Munich, is in no doubt as to the importance of
Dones M3: In my opinion it belongs to the
highlights of this collection as it took a new direction
at the end of the 80s. The Art Car series is meant to
reflect the whole world and Done paints the
happiness of his homeland countryside, sunshine
and beaches. His paintings are so colourful, carnal
and cheerful that you get the impression that it was
the beach fashion of the coming season.
From the very beginning, Done knew exactly how
the car should be designed. On the one hand he
wanted the paintwork to express some of the

fascination he held for this high-performance car. At

the same time, however, it also had to be typically
Australian, reflecting the vitality of his homeland.
Done decided in favour of the exotic colours of
parrots and parrot fish which, in his view, had two
characteristics in common with the M3: beauty and
speed. In that particular area I wanted it to be
something about speed. Even when parrots are
standing still they look as if theyre about to do
something very fast and thats the great thing
about a BMW, it looks like its about to go very fast.
The canvas for Dones art work was the same as
Nelsons, a 1987 Group A E30 M3, and given the
artists fascination with speed its perhaps a shame
that it never got to race in his livery. Theres no
doubt that Done was delighted to have been asked
to paint the car though: In the time in which we live
I like to use art to make beautiful things and I just
thought this was the most fantastic honour
imaginable it was such a great thing to do.

115 BMWCAR 0916 02/08/2016 12:32 Page 115

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