Munich.  No other city has motorsport so deeply rooted in its history than Monte Carlo. MINI has endured tremendous success within the principality, particularly in 1965, when the legendary Mini Cooper S, driven by Timo Mäkinen and co-driver Paul Easter took victory at the 1965 Monte Carlo Rally. At the time, the car was praised for its innovative technology, elegant performance, and agility under extreme weather conditions which MINI has been able to replicate and modernize in the form of the new MINI 1965 Victory Edition. This new edition creates a stylish statement and maintains typical MINI craftmanship, following the foundations laid by MINIs illustrious rally history.

In the Canadian market, the MINI 1965 Victory Edition will be exclusively offered on the MINI John Cooper Works model. It is equipped with a 2.0 litre TwinPower Turbo four-cylinder engine and has an impressive 228 hp and a maximum 280 lb-ft of torque. It sprints from a standstill to 100 km/h in just 6.1 seconds.

Exterior: a perfect blend of vintage and modern design.
In homage to the legendary motorsports colors of the 1960s, the 1965 Victory Edition impresses in Chili Red exterior paintwork, which is accentuated by a white trim stripe extending from bonnet to the roof and rear, enhancing the vehicle’s sportiness even further. As an exclusive trademark of the edition, a white “52” graphic adorns both sides of the vehicle – a reference to the number of the original car displayed from 1965.

The roof and mirror caps are finished in white – not normally available on JCW models - which provides an athletic and elegant contrast to the Chili Red body. The subtle “1965” sticker on the C-pillar catches the eye and gracefully emphasizes the historic year of victory. The 18-inch alloy wheels in the JCW Lap Spoke 2-tone design not only give the vehicle a dynamic appearance but also ensure optimum performance and safe handling on a wide variety of road surfaces. Based on rally sport, floating centre wheel caps and unique valve stem caps are painted in the specific colour scheme and set additional sporty accents. 

Interior: sportiness and comfort combined.
On entering the vehicle, the striking door sills showcase a white “1965” on a red and black background, immediately catching the eye and bestowing the cockpit with an exclusive look. In addition, each vehicle features a dedication on the door jamb reflecting information about the bygone rally.

The interior is based on the traditional JCW colour palette and the familiar JCW-Trim. Finished in a racy anthracite and red, this combination creates an elegant blend while also providing a sporty contrast to the vehicle’s exterior paintwork. The edition-specific details have been carefully selected to create a harmonious overall effect. The 6 o’clock spoke of the sports steering wheel and the storage box in the centre of the console feature the “1965”-lettering and thus become a subtle but impactful reference to the rich tradition of MINI motorsports history. The racing number of the victorious Cooper S from 1965 adorns the key cap of the exclusive edition, making it a daily symbol of this historical success.

The MINI 1965 Victory Edition will be limited to 45 units in Canada in a single, well-equipped specification for $55,200 CAD and is expected to arrive at MINI Retailers in Canada in late Q1 2026 / early Q2 2026.

-30-

BMW Group in Canada

BMW Group Canada, based in Richmond Hill, Ontario, is a wholly owned subsidiary of BMW AG and is responsible for the distribution of BMW luxury performance automobiles, Sports Activity Vehicles, Motorcycles, and MINI.  BMW Group Financial Services Canada is a division of BMW Group Canada and offers retail financing and leasing programs and protection products on new and pre-owned BMW and MINI automobiles, as well as retail financing for new and pre-owned BMW Motorcycles. A total network of 51 BMW automobile retail centres, 26 BMW motorcycle retailers, and 31 MINI retailers represents the BMW Group across the country.

For more information, please contact:

Marc Belcourt

Director, Corporate Communications

BMW Group Canada

marc.belcourt@bmwgroup.ca                                   

Jean-Francois Taylor

Product and Technology Manager, Corporate Communications

BMW Group Canada

jean-francois.taylor@bmwgroup.ca

+++ Over 18 million BMW 3 Series built worldwide +++ Manufactured at 18 plants in 13 countries since 1975 +++ A driving force for the production network and a trailblazer for the BMW iFACTORY +++

Munich. Built on four continents, the BMW 3 Series has been one of the most important products in the BMW Group’s international production network for 50 years. Since manufacturing began in 1975, the BMW 3 Series has rolled off the assembly line more than 18 million times at 18 plants across 13 countries. Core themes of the BMW iFACTORY – such as efficiency, flexibility, digitalisation and resource-efficient production – thread consistently throughout the production history of the BMW 3 Series.

BMW Group Plant Munich: Origins and role as a technology pioneer

The main plant in Munich has been the centre of BMW 3 Series production since 1975. From an early stage, the BMW Group committed to flexible manufacturing at the site, enabled by modern technologies, such as overhead conveyor systems and freely programmable welding machines. A fully-automated body shop was introduced in Munich in 1982 for the second generation of the BMW 3 Series. Through the use of industrial robots, it was possible to achieve an automation rate of more than 90 percent for this technology. Supplemented by flexible shift systems and modified work-time models, capacity increased significantly. Continuous modernisation, from powder coating technologies to computer-controlled engine production, ensured that the facility always remained state-of-the-art. Today, the plant deploys numerous digitalisation applications and AI-supported quality systems. In this way, the BMW 3 Series has consistently been a major driving force for the technological development of BMW Group production.

BMW 3 Series as a driver of growth and internationalisation

Volume growth at the plants was also influenced by the BMW 3 Series. In 1980, 3 Series production expanded from the main plant in Munich to Plant Dingolfing, and later to Plant Regensburg in 1986. The BMW 3 Series also provided the momentum for the internationalisation of BMW production. In the 1980s, additional production lines were established at other sites, including Rosslyn, South Africa (from 1984) and Spartanburg in the United States (from 1994). These locations enabled local supply for their respective markets and laid the foundations for the company’s global distribution of value creation – today, a key feature of the BMW Group production network.

The BMW 3 Series – an enabler for new plants

Since the opening of the Regensburg plant, the BMW 3 Series has served as the enabler for all new BMW plants – with the exception of the facility in Debrecen. The plants in Spartanburg, Leipzig and San Luis Potosí, as well as the BBA joint venture in China, all initially ramped up with the BMW 3 Series. Over the decades, various 3 Series derivatives – ranging from sedans and convertibles to Touring and M versions – have been produced at nearly all BMW Group plants with maximum flexibility. Multiple derivatives and different drive technologies – vehicles with internal combustion engines, plug-in hybrids and fully-electric drive trains – all come off the same assembly line.

Today, the seventh generation of the BMW 3 Series is produced in Munich, Shenyang (China), San Luis Potosí (Mexico) and at the company's own regional plants in Chennai (India), Rayong (Thailand) and Araquari (Brazil), as well as at partner plants in further countries.

Preparations for the eighth generation of the successful model series are proceeding in parallel: A fully-electric version of the BMW 3 Series will ramp up at Plant Munich from the second half of 2026 as the next vehicle of the NEUE KLASSE, with subsequent production in China and Mexico. A return of the BMW 3 Series to Plant Dingolfing is also planned.

Seven generations of the BMW 3 Series across the production network (full plants)

If you have any questions, please contact:

Corporate Communications

Sandra Schillmöller, Head of Communications Production Network BMW Group

Cell phone: +49-151-601-12225

Email: Sandra.Schillmoeller@bmwgroup.com

Martina Hatzel, Communications Production Network BMW Group

Cell phone: +49-151-601-11966

Email: Martina.Hatzel@bmwgroup.com

Media website: https://newsroom.bmwgroup.com/global/en

The BMW Group

With its four brands, BMW, MINI, Rolls-Royce and BMW Motorrad, the BMW Group is the world’s leading premium manufacturer of automobiles and motorcycles and also provides premium financial services. The BMW Group production network comprises over 30 production sites worldwide; the company has a global sales network in more than 140 countries.

In 2024, the BMW Group sold 2.45 million passenger vehicles and more than 210,000 motorcycles worldwide. The profit before tax in the financial year 2024 was € 11.0 billion on revenues amounting to € 142.4 billion. As of 31 December 2024, the BMW Group had a workforce of 159,104 employees.

The success of the BMW Group has always been based on long-term thinking and responsible action. Sustainability is a key component of the BMW Group’s corporate strategy – from the supply chain through production to the end of the use phase of all products. 

www.bmwgroup.com 

LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/company/bmw-group/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/bmwgroup

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bmwgroup

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bmwgroup

X: https://www.x.com/bmwgroup

On the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the BMW 3 Series, the press kit “40 Years of BMW 3 Series” from 2015 was comprehensively revised, supplemented and updated.

Please find the complete document in the appendix.

---

INTRODUCTION

50 years of the BMW 3 Series. Setting the benchmark for driving pleasure in the mid-size class for seven generations. 

The BMW 3 Series can look back over an extraordinary career path. Among the key milestones along the way have been its success in pioneering a new category of vehicle, establishing itself as the embodiment of driving pleasure in its segment and becoming the world’s top-selling premium car. The model range was launched 50 years ago to replace the already legendary BMW 02, and is now in its seventh generation. Today, as in 1975, purchasing a BMW 3 Series represents an expression of joy in sporty, agile handling, enthusiasm for innovative technology and appreciation of premium quality. First unveiled at the 1975 International Motor Show (IAA) in Frankfurt, the BMW 3 Series has since developed into both the brand’s most successful model range and an international bestseller. And that makes the 3 Series a highly effective global ambassador for BMW’s core attributes. Its history is testament to the advances achieved by the German carmaker in the areas of sporting ability, efficiency, safety, comfort and connectivity, as well as to the development of BMW design. Again and again, the introduction of trailblazing technological innovations in the BMW 3 Series has also broken new ground in the midsize class in general. Moreover, for five decades now the BMW 3 Series has led the way with new vehicle concepts that have expanded the brand’s model line-up and injected fresh ideas into the segment as a whole. The underlying character of the BMW 3 Series endures from generation to generation, complemented by the addition of new technological advances. Its design has likewise been shaped by a characteristic BMW sense of continuity and evolution. Indeed, throughout the model range’s history, its striking front end with twin circular headlights and familiar BMW kidney grille, the dynamic lines of the car’s flanks and the powerful rear end have always been quick to catch the eye. As for the interior, the unmistakable driver-focused cockpit design already established itself as a key element in the first model generation. The 3 Series’ exceptional run of victories in race competition has also contributed to the car’s status as a byword for sports performance. From the first successes notched up by the BMW 320 to the innumerable triumphs of the first BMW M3, this enviable record continued all the way to multiple victories in the German Touring Car Masters (DTM) race series.

Sporty and efficient: the engines for the BMW 3 Series.

The first generation of the mid-size sedan delighted customers with a level of sporty handling never before offered in this segment, while also impressing with its super-economical engines. The sporty, commanding character of those engines and the resulting performance clearly set the BMW 3 Series apart from its competitors. Its rear-wheel drive concept was another key factor responsible for the hallmark driving pleasure delivered by this new model series. In 1977, two years after the launch of the new model range, the BMW 3 Series became the first car in its class to be available with sixcylinder engines. Further innovations were to follow, including revolutionary injection and engine management systems, ultra-sporty diesel engines and weight minimisation through the use of aluminium and magnesium. Continued advances in engine power and performance, coupled with reductions in fuel consumption and emissions, have been a decisive factor in securing the pioneering status of the BMW 3 Series. In recent years, this has been amplified by electrified powertrains consistently reducing the vehicles’ CO2 footprint. Numerous BMW 3 Series models feature mild-hybrid technology, which delivers outstanding efficiency and takes dynamic power delivery to a new level. The plug-in hybrid models of the current BMW 3 Series generation also feature a new high-voltage battery enabling a significantly increased range.

Outstandingly agile, exceptionally safe: the chassis technology of the BMW 3 Series.

Brawny engines and rear-wheel drive have been combined with finely balanced weight distribution and advanced chassis construction from day one of the BMW 3 Series. Back in 1975, drivers of a BMW 3 Series were already guaranteed assured handling that was sportier than that of any of its rivals, thanks to a technically sophisticated suspension, extremely precise steering uncorrupted by torque steer and powerful brakes. It is a standard that has been maintained through to the new generation of the car. Each and every component of the chassis may have undergone an impressive process of development over the course of five decades and seven generations, but the basic concept underpinning Sheer Driving Pleasure endures. Boasting the most advanced chassis in its segment, the BMW 3 Series continues to set the benchmark for sports performance and handling agility. 

The BMW 3 Series’ ascent to the top of the tree in terms of agility and safety has also been aided by another innovation. In 1985 a BMW 3 Series model became the brand’s first series-produced car to channel its power to the road through all four wheels. Today, the BMW 3 Series Sedan alone offers the BMW xDrive intelligent all-wheel-drive system in conjunction with no less than seven different engine variants, either as standard or as an option.

Variety breeds success: the BMW 3 Series model variants.

The most successful model range in the BMW line-up has experienced an uninterrupted programme of expansion since it was first unveiled. A four-door body variant joined the two-door model in the range back in the second generation, and it wasn’t long before the BMW M3 highperformance sports car, the first Touring model and the first Convertible based on the BMW 3 Series were given their premieres. The third generation of the model range saw the distinctively styled BMW 3 Series Coupé bring additional allure to the line-up, while the BMW 3 Series Compact forged a passage into a new vehicle segment.

Growth and changes within the model line-up have since been responsible for a succession of landmarks in the history of the BMW 3 Series, introducing innovative concepts which continue to set trends for the segment as a whole to this day. The diversity of models has played a significant role in enabling a variety of target groups to experience the sporting character of BMW 3 Series in different ways.

The sixth model generation further extended the attractive selection of distinctive body variants, and for the first time split them between the BMW 3 Series and BMW 4 Series model ranges. The current seventhgeneration BMW 3 Series comprises the BMW 3 Series Sedan and BMW 3 Series Touring. In addition, the mid-size model portfolio also includes the BMW 4 Series Coupé, BMW 4 Series Convertible and BMW 4 Series Gran Coupé. And since 2022, the first BMW M3 Touring offers unalloyed motor sport allure combined with extended everyday usability.

How to sum up the success of this model series over the past 50 years? BMW has sold over 20 million BMW 3 Series vehicles since 1975. That is an impressive figure.  

Please find the complete document in the appendix.

Munich. BMW Group Classic publishes digital historical model overviews for use by the general public and supplements the recently revised BMW Group Online Archive with a comprehensive historical online product catalog of the BMW, Mini and BMW Motorrad brands.

First, the historic model overviews of the Mini and BMW Motorrad brands were made available to the general public in 2021. The historical model overview of the BMW brand is now also available online.

This research tool is available for media, enthusiasts and fans at
https://www.bmwgroup-classic.com/en/history/historic-modeloverview-bmw.html. 424 BMW models are available there. The BMW product range includes all series vehicles from the BMW 3/15 hp model to the BMW 3 Series (E46), including BMW Z4 (E85/E86). A total period of 80 years (1928 to 2008) was prepared. The historical model overviews of the Mini and BMW Motorrad brands round off the online research offering.

In all brand areas, there are overviews of all classic vehicles with short and informative texts on model series, body variants and engines.

These are enriched with current images from the BMW Group Classic vehicle collection and the historic BMW media archive. For this purpose, 614 data sets and 524 images were processed. During the design, emphasis was placed on the future viability of the tool. The historical model overviews can be extended with future vehicle generations.

Anyone who would like to delve even deeper into BMW Group cars and other topics related to BMW Group corporate history can do so under further links to the BMW Group Classic online archive, revised in 2024. For example, publications (brochures, workshop literature, on-board literature, etc.) and specialist books can also be found there.

Katrin Gfrörer, Head of BMW Group Archives and Historic Vehicle Collection: “By making our complete historical model overviews available online, we meet a high external demand for historical product information that has existed for many years and maximizes customer satisfaction with another digital tool. In addition, most of the database in our online archive is publicly available on the BMW Group Archive website and can be used for information and research purposes. These measures impressively underline BMW Group Classic's digitization strategy."

You can access the historical model overviews and the BMW Group Archive under the following links.

Hist. BMW model overview:
https://www.bmwgroup-classic.com/en/history/historic-modeloverview-bmw.html

Hist. Mini model overview:
https://www.bmwgroup-classic.com/en/history/historic-modeloverview-mini.html

Hist. BMW Motorrad model overview:
https://www.bmwgroup-classic.com/en/history/historic-modeloverview-bmwmotorrad.html

BMW Group Archive: https://bmw-grouparchiv.de/irc/

BMW Group Classic Website: https://www.bmwgroup-classic.com/en.html

Munich. This landmark year is particularly special as MINI introduces an all-new lineup, featuring the beloved MINI Cooper, the versatile MINI Countryman, and the bold MINI Aceman. These new models represent the next chapter in MINI's storied history, combining cutting-edge technology with the classic driving excitement that MINI is known for.

In addition, Fall 2024 will see the debut of the entire new John Cooper Works lineup, available in both petrol and electric versions. These high-performance models continue the legacy of MINI’s racing heritage, offering enthusiasts a choice between 4-cylinder TwinPower engines and the latest in electric performance.

This year also marks the 60th anniversary of MINI’s first victory at the Monte Carlo Rally - an achievement that solidified MINI’s reputation in motorsport. Fittingly, MINI celebrated this heritage with a category victory at the 2024 24 Hours of Nürburgring race, thanks to the exceptional performance of the MINI John Cooper Works PROtotype prepared by Bulldog Racing.

As MINI commemorates 65 years of automotive excellence, the brand looks forward to continuing its legacy of innovation, racing success, and driving excitement for many years to come.

In case of queries, please contact:

Corporate Communications

Franziska Liebert, Pressesprecherin MINI
Telefon: +49-89-382-28030
E-Mail: franziska.liebert@mini.com    

Andreas Lampka, Head of Communications MINI
Phone: +49-89-382-23662
E-mail: andreas.lampka@mini.com

Munich/Le Mans.

BMW Group Classic is returning to the Le Mans Classic for the first time since 2014 – and will line up at the Circuit de La Sarthe with the legendary BMW M1 Group 4 in “Münchener Wirtshaus” livery. Piloting the car will be the original driver trio from the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1981: HRH Prince Leopold of Bavaria (DE), Christian Danner (DE) and Peter Oberndorfer (DE).

On 15 June 2023 the team met up at the Spatenhaus an der Oper restaurant in Munich to set the scene for the action to come.

The drivers got together with fans and media representatives to
recreate the pre-race public photo call from 1981. The event on 3 June that year was intended to shine the spotlight on the company’s involvement in the upcoming 24-hour race.

So history was repeating itself this year – with the same venue, the same car and the same drivers.

“I’m really looking forward to driving the BMW M1 Group 4 in “Münchener Wirtshaus” livery at Le Mans again after 42 years,” said HRH Prince Leopold of Bavaria.

“It makes me particularly proud that my friends Christian Danner and Peter Oberndorfer are here with me, so that we can take a trip back in time in a very special way.”

2023 is a year of celebrations.

BMW Group Classic decided to enter the Le Mans Classic, in cooperation with BMW Motorsport and BMW France, to mark the centenary of the legendary 24 Hours of Le Mans. Plus, the BMW sales company in France is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year. And on 21 June, His Royal Highness Prince Leopold of Bavaria will turn 80.

As well as entering the BMW M1 Group 4 in the Plateau 6 category, BMW Group Classic will be hosting an exhibition of Le Mans racing icons at the Musée des 24 Heures du Mans:

The overall winner of the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1999 – the BMW V12 LMR – will take its place alongside the first ever BMW Art Car, the BMW 3.0 CSL from 1975 created by Alexander Calder. Visitors will also be able to admire the BMW M3 GT2 Art Car from 2010 – the work of Jeff Koons.

Just under 20 privately entered historic BMW racers will also be taking part in the Le Mans Classic.

More photographs will be available here:

https://www.bmwgroupclassic-downloads.com/Events/2023/

Alcohol free beer has been served.

Munich. BMW Group Classic has choreographed its appearance at the Goodwood Revival 2019 as a journey through time back to the year 1959. The occasion for this jubilee is the 60th anniversary of the MINI brand and a gala celebration in the parkland of Goodwood House in Southern England from 13 to 15 September. Since 1998, the estate of the Earl of March in West Sussex has been the annual showplace for a stylishly spectacular event celebrating historic motor sport. Racers from the 1940s, 1950s and 1960s along with celebrity drivers recall the fast laps on the Goodwood Racing Circuit at the sporting competitions that took place regularly in this setting between 1948 and 1966. In keeping with the historic vehicles and the authentically styled ambience, many of the visitors contribute to the classic atmosphere of this event by wearing outfits in the style of the period.

The year in which the classic Mini made its debut and the Swinging Sixties that followed are the focus of a wealth of attractions away from the race track. A number of feature films are being screened in the revival cinema at the venue. A highlight is “The Italian Job” from 1969 in which three Mini Coopers starred alongside Michael Caine playing the main parts in a sensational gold robbery involving a car chase through Turin.

“March Motor Works”: New models from 1959 are presented in period style.

Homage is also paid to the classic Mini as a screen hero in the halls of the “March Motor Works”. The documentary “The Incredible Seven” is being shown within the portals of a picture palace from the 1960s. The British Motor Corporation (BMC) commissioned the film in 1961 and it presents the story behind the creation of the classic Mini. Footage of test drives with early prototypes, conversations with the creator of the classic Mini, Alec Issigonis, images of the public debut of the revolutionary small car and driving reports by journalists give an insight into the initial years of an automobile that became a rolling legend over the many decades of its development, with faithful fans all over the world. The title of the film refers to one of the two official model designations under which the classic Mini was launched on the marketplace in 1959. It rolled off the assembly line in virtually the same guise as the Austin Seven and the Morris Mini-Minor. The Mini owed its doppelganger identity to the varied repertoire of brands marketed by BMC.

Visitors can also go back in time 60 years in the other rooms of the “March Motor Works”. BMW Group Classic is staging its presentation of historic vehicles in the style of a stand at the International Motor Show in 1959 and the model range of that era is showcased there. Two examples of the BMW 700 coupé, a BMW 600 and a BMW Isetta with “Lufthansa” livery, embody the automobile spirit in the years of the economic miracle. The taxi version of a BMW 501 is presented in front of the building. Two models of the Rolls-Royce Silver Cloud additionally provide luxurious grandeur and British flair. The models BMW R 69 S, BMW R 50 S and BMW R 27 represent the motorcycle range from BMW in 1959. Furthermore, the spectacle of a BMW 3/15 PS takes onlookers 30 years further back down memory lane. The history of BMW as an automobile manufacturer began with this model 90 years ago.

The “Revival Festival” is another perennial element in the firmament of BMW Group Classic at Goodwood. Visitors can enjoy Bavarian specialities in a historic festival tent and experience a hint of Oktoberfest atmosphere in the British Isles.

Barry Sheene Memorial Trophy: Title defender Troy Corser lines up at the start again.

Last year, Australian racing rider Troy Corser succeeded in achieving a historic success for BMW Motorrad Classic together with Herbert Schwab. The duo won the overall standings in the race for the Barry Sheene Memorial Trophy on a supercharged BMW R 57 Compressor for the first time at the Goodwood Revival. For his title defence race, two-time Superbike World Champion Corser has selected a BMW R50 Kaczor. This version of the BMW R 50 is characterised by increased power and reduced weight. Ferdinand Kaczor was a designer who subsequently became a BMW engineer and he achieved some spectacular successes on many race tracks in the 1960s.

British racing rider Maria Costello is battling for the coveted trophy astride a second motor-sport legend on two wheels. She is riding a BMW RS 54. The machine was presented in 1954 and it was the first motorcycle designed specifically for racing by the BMW brand. Even today, the motorcycle’s powerful Boxer engine driven by a vertical shaft ensures that the BMW RS 54 can achieve an impressive performance on any race track.

1. More than an automobile.
The MINI Model Family Over the Years. 2

2. With traditional sporting spirit and British flair.
The MINI 60 Years Edition. 10

3. Motor sport meets lifestyle.
MINI and the success story in motor sport.12

4. MINI All the Way – Always Different.
Customised to Your Personal Taste. 17

5. Traditional Values and Modern Diversity.
Concept and Technology. 21

6. From the Original to the Original.
The MINI Design. 29

7. The Revolutionary with the Drawing Pad.
Sir Alec Issigonis, the Father of the Classic Mini. 36

8. Made in England – Then and Now.
MINI Production between Past and Future. 39

9. Individualists Unite!
MINI fans are networked worldwide. 42

10. The Car for All Classes, with the Qualities of a Star.
MINI as a Member of Society. 45

11. Small Car, Great Show.
MINI Marketing. 48

12. Inspiring Character.
MINI Lifestyle and Special Editions. 51

13. A Question of Style.
The MINI Lifestyle Collection. 54

1.   More than an automobile.
The MINI model family over years.

The original in the premium segment of small cars has reached its 60th birthday – but it is even younger than ever. It was sixty years ago, to be precise on 26 August 1959, that British Motor Corporation (BMC) proudly revealed the result of their development activities in creating a new, revolutionary compact car. And indeed, the public right from the start were able to admire no less than two new models: The Morris Mini-Minor and the Austin Seven. This double premiere of two almost identical four-seaters was of course attributable at the time to the broad range of brands offered by BMC in the market, but it was also of very symbolic nature.

Lots of space inside with minimum dimensions outside, seats for four passengers, impeccable driving characteristics, superior fuel economy, and a very affordable price – precisely this was the brief the creator of the Mini, automotive engineer and designer Alec Issigonis, received from BMC’s Top Management. And the brilliant ideas he implemented in developing this two-door for a family of four had an impact quite sufficient for more than one single car, an impact therefore carried over successfully to other model variants.

Precisely this is why the Mini Van and Mini Estate also appeared on the market in the very first year of production of the classic Mini. And ever since the re-birth of the brand with the market launch of the MINI in 2001, the principle already applied successfully sixty years ago has once again proven its full value: a superior concept is always convincing in many different variants and renditions. Today, this still applies for the small cars MINI 3-door, MINI 5-door and MINI Convertible, for the MINI Clubman and the MINI Countryman in the premium compact segment, and soon for the all-electric powered MINI Cooper SE. They all show their individual strength and unique character, while right inside they are one and the same car in particular: a MINI.

Right from the start the very first sales brochures proudly presenting the Morris Mini-Minor highlighted the car’s clear and steadfast orientation to the future. But to what extent these prophecies would really come true, hardly anybody would have believed back then.

Today, sixty years later, we know that only very few car concepts have survived such a long time, and none of them has ever been converted into such a wide range of variants as the Mini.

One of the reasons for this outstanding success is that from the start the Mini met all the requirements of its time, while offering further qualities in the same process. Measuring just 3.05 metres or 120" in length and selling at a retail price of £ 496, the Mini was simply perfect for small parking spaces and low budgets. Through its driving qualities and the charming character of its proportions alone, the Mini was however also of great interest to the ambitious motorist seeking not only compact dimensions and superior economy, but also sporting performance particularly in bends as well as individual style on the road.

This blend of different qualities remains as popular today as ever before, with a concept likewise younger than ever. Hence, the current MINI is also more up-to-date and, at the same time, more fascinating and respected than any of its competitors, combining unparalleled efficiency, lasting value of the highest calibre, and incredibly agile handling in the modern mega-city with unrivalled sportiness and design full of expression and quite unmistakable.

Longer, stronger, more sophisticated, more versatile: the first variants of the classic Mini.

Introducing the classic Mini, Alec Issigonis, the creator of this unique car, clearly fulfilled his mission. The Morris Mini-Minor and the Austin Seven, differing solely through their radiator grille, wheel caps and body colour, were both powered by a four-cylinder engine fitted crosswise at the front and delivering maximum output of 34 hp from 848 cubic centimetres.

The performance of both models was identical, as was their luggage capacity of 195 litres or 6.83 cubic feet at the rear. Everybody was thrilled by the generous space available, the efficient but powerful engines, the good roadholding and the comfortable suspension this new compact car had to offer. But Issigonis was already looking far into the future – and he was not the only one.

As early as in 1960, BMC added a Mini Van to the classic Mini. Then, proceeding from this van structure with its closed side panels, BMC introduced an Estate version with glass windows all round as well as two rear doors, like the Van.

Like the saloons, this body variant was also marketed as the Morris Mini-Traveller and the Austin Seven Countryman with exactly the same technical features. And at the latest in 1961 the potential of the classic Mini really became clear once and for all, the year starting with the introduction of the smallest of all transporters, the Mini Pick-Up. Just half a year later two other Minis, this time at the noble end of the scale, saw the light of day: the Wolseley Hornet and the Riley Elf.

Now, therefore, two further BMC brands were able to benefit from the concept of the classic Mini, both models proudly bearing their own distinguished look through their majestic radiator grilles, an extended luggage compartment and swallow-tail wings at the rear. A very special variant destined more than any other to create the legend of the classic Mini made its appearance in the second half of the year: the Mini Cooper. John Cooper, the famous engineer and manufacturer of sports cars already a close friend of Alec Issigonis, had recognised the sporting potential of this new small car right from the start, when the first prototypes appeared on the track. So he received the go-ahead from BMC’s top managers to develop a small series of 1,000 units of the Mini Cooper featuring a modified power unit enlarged in size to 1.0 litres and offering maximum output of 55 hp.

The response to this car entering the market in September 1961 was quite simply euphoric, with only one further request from enthusiasts everywhere: even more power! So Issigonis and Cooper enlarged engine capacity to 1,071 cc, raising engine output to 70 hp.

This made the Mini Cooper S a truly exceptional performer not only on the road, with Finnish driver’s Rauno Aaltonen’s class win in the 1963 Monte Carlo Rally marking the starting point for a truly unparalleled series of outstanding success in motorsport. The highlight, of course, was three overall wins in the Monte Carlo Rally in 1964, 1965, and 1967.

Versatility at its best: from the Mini Moke to the Mini Clubman.

In August 1964 BMC presented yet another version of the classic Mini originally conceived for military use: the Mini Moke, a four-seater open all round and destined to remain in the price list for four years.

The “bodyshell” of this unique car was made up, for all practical purposes, of the floorpan with wide, box-shaped side-sills, together with the engine compartment and windscreen. To the event of rainfall, a folding soft top appropriately referred to as a “ragtop” at least tried to provide certain protection. Using the drivetrain and technical features of the “regular” Mini, the Mini Moke became a genuine success particularly in sun-drenched parts of the USA and in Australia. By 1967 the time had come for a thorough update of the classic Mini, the car receiving a more powerful engine offering 38 hp from a larger capacity of 998 cc.

Two years later the Mini Clubman joined the range as a slightly larger model with a somewhat different front end compared to the classic Mini. Indeed, this sister car was some 11 cm or 4.33" longer than the original, the Estate version replacing the Morris Mini-Traveller and the Austin Seven Countryman measuring exactly 3.4 metres or 133.9" in length, while width, height, and wheelbase remained unchanged. At the same time the Mini Cooper was taken out of production, being replaced by the top model in the Clubman range, the Mini 1275 GT developing 59 hp from its 1.3-litre power unit. A number of other details also changed in 1969, the front sliding windows so typical of the classic Mini since the beginning being replaced on all models by wind-down windows, the door hinges at the outside being moved to the inside, and a special “Mini” badge now standing out proudly on the engine compartment lid.

Never-ending classic Mini and the comeback of the Mini Cooper.

Numerous special versions of the classic Mini with all kinds of highlights – from sporting to trendy, from distinguished to fresh – entered the market as of mid-1970. Between 1980 and 1983 the model range was streamlined appropriately, with the Clubman, Estate and Van leaving production. The “only” car left over, therefore, was the classic Mini with its 1.0-litre power unit now delivering 40 hp. And customers, simply loving the car, remained faithful to this little performer for years to come, the five-millionth classic Mini coming off the production line at Plant Longbridge in 1986.

In 1990 fans the world over were delighted to celebrate the comeback of the Mini Cooper once again entering the model range. Now this special model was powered in all cases by a 1.3-litre, production of the 1.0-litre in the Mini ending in 1992 on account of growing requirements in terms of emission management. So from now on all models came with the 1,275-cc power unit and fuel injection.

Yet another new variant of the classic Mini made its appearance in 1991 as the last new model in the range. And this was indeed the only Mini to originate not in Britain, but in Germany: Like some tuners before him, a dedicated Mini dealer in the German region of Baden had cut the roof off the classic Mini, turning the car into an extremely attractive Convertible. And contrary to earlier attempts, the result was so good this time in its quality that Rover Group, now responsible for the classic Mini, decided to buy the construction tools and production equipment for the Mini Convertible, which from 1993 to 1996 accounted for sales of approximately 1,000 units.

Production of the classic Mini finally ceased once and for all in the year 2000. In the course of time more than 5.3 million units of the world’s most successful compact car had left the production plants in numerous different versions, among them some 600,000 cars built at Plant Oxford between 1959 and 1968. But even after 41 years, there was still a long way to go. For after a break of not quite one year, a new chapter in the history of this world-famous British brand opened up in 2001.

A new start in 2001 – starring the MINI Cooper right from the beginning.

Taking over Rover Group in early 1994, BMW also opened up new perspectives for the Mini brand. The first step was to present a concept version of the MINI Cooper at the 1997 Frankfurt Motor Show offering an outlook at the new interpretation of this unique small car from Great Britain. As a modern rendition of the Mini’s concept so rich in tradition, the new version for the first time combined the classic values of its predecessor with the demands made of a modern car set to enter the 21st century. The series production version of the MINI Cooper made its first official appearance in November 2000 at the Berlin Motor Show, the future-oriented interpretation of the original entering showrooms just a year later in the guise of the 85 kW/115 hp MINI Cooper and the 66 kW/90 hp MINI One. Featuring front-wheel drive, four-cylinder power units fitted crosswise at the front, short body overhangs and ample space for four, the new models successfully took up elementary features of the classic Mini. And while the exterior dimensions of the car were now larger, meeting modern requirements in terms of interior space, the design of the new model clearly retained the proportions so typical of the brand, as well as the unmistakable design icons at the front, the rear and at the side, thus boasting a clearly recognisable link between the MINI and its classical predecessors.

At the same time the MINI built in Oxford stood out clearly as the first premium car in the compact segment, achieving a status strongly reflected by a level of safety uniquely high for a car of this class as well as the uncompromising standard of quality so typical of BMW.  The new MINI also set new standards through its surprisingly agile handling, immediately moving right up to the top in terms of driving pleasure. This meant that the new model followed in the footsteps of the classic Mini, but now with a lot more power and performance thanks to the most advanced and sophisticated drivetrain and suspension technology.

Ongoing success the world over – from 2004 also in the MINI Convertible.

Almost overnight, the new interpretation of this classic small car developed into a worldwide story of success continuing to this very day. The introduction of new engine variants, to mention such one significant highlight, served to offer additional momentum, the MINI Cooper S with its 120 kW/163 hp compressor engine entering the market as an exclusive driving machine in June 2002, the MINI One D just a year later setting new standards in terms of all-round economy and efficiency as the first diesel in the history of the brand.

The desire to drive a MINI in the open air, finally, also came true much faster than in the classic model, with the MINI Convertible making its debut in spring 2004. In the four years to follow, various versions of the convertible with its electrohydraulically operated soft roof were produced at the MINI Plant Oxford in the guise of the MINI Cooper S Convertible, the MINI Cooper Convertible, and the MINI One Convertible.

From the original to the original: the new edition of the MINI follows in 2006.

Showing tremendous success in the market, the MINI outperformed even the wildest expectations. Indeed, it quickly motivated the consistent continuation of this concept, taking up and fulfilling additional potentials as a new edition that continued many successful features and even made improvements to some areas.

Further enhanced in an evolutionary design process and thoroughly renewed in technical terms, this new MINI entered the market in November 2006. Following the motto “From the Original to the Original”, the design of the MINI already receiving the greatest praise everywhere was further refined in numerous details highlighting even more imperiously the sporting virtues of this compact and agile performer. So that now the looks of the car really conveyed a clear signal confirmed from the start by the driving experience.

New, even more powerful and, at the same time, far more efficient engines, together with the further enhanced suspension technology, served in this new generation to offer even greater driving pleasure so typical of MINI. Both the MINI Cooper S with its 128 kW/175 hp power unit and the 88 kW/120 hp MINI Cooper introduced from the start thrilled aficionados everywhere through their enhanced driving performance combined with significantly greater fuel economy and emission values.

Modern versatility: the MINI Clubman and the new MINI Convertible.

Almost exactly one year to the day after the launch of the new model generation, the MINI model range was further enhanced by an innovative new concept in autumn 2007. The MINI Clubman offered a reinterpretation of the traditional shooting-brake concept with a body 24 centimetres longer, a streamlined, extended roof contour and a hatchback. The wheelbase extended by eight centimetres successfully expanded legroom in the front of the car. The driver’s and passenger’s doors in the MINI Clubman were supplemented by an additional entry on the right-hand side of the car and the two wings of the Splitdoor at the rear opening to the side. The two-part rear door takes up an authentic detail from the car’s classic predecessors – the Morris Mini-Traveller and the Austin Mini Countryman – back in the 1960s.

An even more sporty design, optimised active and passive safety, a wider range of functions and the latest generation of power units extended the model range by a new edition of the MINI Convertible in 2009. The opening and closing of the car’s fabric roof was now operated by an electrohydraulic mechanism – even while on the move at speeds up to 30 km/h – all within the space of just 15 seconds. The single-part rollbar also facilitated incorporation of a large through-loading space between the luggage compartment and the passenger compartment.

Advance into the premium compact segment.

On the brand’s 50th anniversary, preparations for the advance into another vehicle class were already well on the way. And in 2010, the MINI Countryman was launched with the aim of enthusing additional target groups with the brand’s driving fun and individual style – not simply on all the world’s roads but also beyond conventional carriageways. The new model for the premium compact segment was the first MINI ever to have a length of more than four metres, five seats, four doors plus a tailgate and optional all-wheel drive. The commanding front end and imposing new headlamp contours of the MINI Countryman defined individual accents. Thanks to the hexagonal radiator grille, the short overhangs, the high shoulder line and powerful stature, this vehicle was nevertheless immediately identifiable as absolute MINI.

The reinterpretation of classic features and virtues was continued in 2013 with the MINI Paceman. Dynamically extended coupé lines, two doors and a large tailgate provided the car with an extravagant appearance. The MINI Paceman was also supplied with optional ALL4 all-wheel drive.

The latest model generation: MINI reinvents itself anew.

The beginning of 2014 heralded the latest generation change in the MINI model range. The current offering in the small-car premium segment comprised the MINI 3 Door, the MINI 5 Door also presented in 2014 and the MINI Convertible, the latest edition of which lined up at the beginning of 2016. The new model generation continued its global success story with another evolutionary development of advanced design, optimised functionality, further enhanced driving fun and a variety of innovations in the areas of control, driver assistance systems and connectivity. New three and four-cylinder engines with MINI TwinPower Turbo technology and an output range between 55 kW/75 hp and 141 kW/192 hp deliver a further optimised relation between driving fun and fuel consumption.

In the premium compact segment, the latest model generation of MINI also has two strong vehicle characters. The new edition of the MINI Clubman has mastered the leap into the higher car class with a definitively refined and mature vehicle concept. A significantly more spacious interior, four doors and five seats give the new MINI Clubman enhanced variability and allow it to meet aspirations beyond the urban traffic environment. The vehicle can also be optionally fitted with the ALL4 all-wheel power unit.

The new edition of the MINI Countryman is even more generous, more modern, more versatile and yet more sporty. The exterior length has increased by 20 centimetres compared with the predecessor model and its powerful proportions give the new allrounder a particularly independent profile. The latest generation of the ALL4 all-wheel drive can also be optionally fitted in the new MINI Countryman to provide offroad driving fun away from conventional roads. Like the MINI Clubman, a choice of six modern engines is also available for the MINI Countryman.

In addition, it paves the way for driving fun typical of the MINI brand with electric drive. The MINI Cooper S E Countryman ALL4 is the first model of the brand with a plug-in hybrid drive. A three-cylinder petrol engine drives the front wheels and an electric motor powers the rear wheels to yield intelligently managed interaction for highly efficient driving fun with optimised traction and drive stability.

For sustainable driving fun: electromobility in the style of MINI.

The future of the MINI feeling is virtually noiseless, local zero emission, but astonishingly powerful. Starting in 2020, the new MINI Cooper SE will give the segment of electric vehicles new momentum. The 135 kW/184 hp electric motor will combine sustainable mobility with characteristic driving fun, high-impact design and premium quality.

Once again, the British brand defines pioneering benchmarks for urban mobility with the new MINI Cooper SE. 60 years ago, the revolutionary design principle of the classic Mini created the foundation for maximum interior space on a minimal footprint. The modern reinterpretation for creative use of space and unsurpassed driving fun made the MINI the original in the premium segment of small cars when it was launched in 2001. The new MINI Cooper SE now paves the way to a sustainable and yet highly emotional driving experience in urban traffic as the first premium small car powered by an all-electric drive unit.

2.   With traditional sporting spirit and british flair.
The MINI 60 years edition.

An original that constantly reinvents itself – firmly rooted in tradition yet always open to change: this is MINI, 60 years after the launch of the small British car that brought worldwide popularity to unique properties such as go-kart feeling and the creative use of space. To mark this round anniversary, the premium automobile manufacturer presents a design model that highlights both its British origins and the agile MINI character. With design and equipment features that are both high-quality and exclusive, the MINI 60 Years Edition expresses the brand's sporting spirit – something that is a constant presence even in everyday urban traffic. The special edition is supplied as a MINI 3 Door and MINI 5 Door, each with three engine variants.

Athletic talent is part and parcel of the MINI genes. Even before the launch of the classic Mini in the summer of 1959, it was clear that the design features of the new small car would benefit not just interior space but also the car's agile driving properties. Sports car designer John Cooper was an especially strong believer in the compact four-seater’s race track potential. In collaboration with Alec Issigonis, the creator of the classic Mini, he developed ideas for variants of the small car with a more powerful engine, thereby laying the foundations for an exceptional career on racing circuits and rally tracks, culminating in three outright victories at the Monte Carlo Rally in the 1960s.

With a paint finish in the classic colour of British racing cars, the MINI 60 Years Edition in particular evokes the brand’s sporty career, which it started at a very early stage and has maintained up until the recent past. The exterior paint finish in British Racing Green offers a particularly clear expression of the premium small car’s character and origins. The body finishes Midnight Black metallic, Moonwalk Grey metallic, Melting Silver metallic and MINI Yours Lapisluxury Blue non-metallic are also available as alternatives. The chosen body colour is combined with a paint finish in Pepper White or Black for the roof and exterior mirror caps. Bonnet stripes with a specific anniversary design and exclusive 17-inch light alloy wheels in the version 60 Years Spoke 2-tone round off the distinct look of the edition vehicles.

The design model's striking 60 Years logo appears not just on the left-hand bonnet stripe but also on the side scuttles of the turn indicators and on the door sill finishers at the driver and front passenger doors. Inside the car it can also be seen on the front headrests and the steering wheel. In addition, the exclusive design model has model-specific interior trim finishers. The anniversary design can also be seen in the LED logo projection which is visible when the driver's door is opened. The standard equipment of the edition vehicles includes a sports leather steering wheel along with sports seats in the leather finish MINI Yours Leather Lounge 60 Years and the exclusive colour Dark Maroon.

In conjunction with the equipment package 60 Years Trim, the edition vehicles also feature such items as LED headlights, LED fog lamps, white turn indicators and LED rear lights in Union Jack design, the lighting package for the interior and also the MINI Driving Modes and the MINI Excitement Package complete with ambient lighting. There is also an on¬board computer, automatic air conditioning, a rain sensor and a storage package on board.

Three petrol engines and two diesel engines with an output ranging from 75 kW/102 hp to 141 kW/192 hp provide the drive portfolio for the MINI 60 Years Edition. The range of anniversary models includes the MINI One 60 Years Edition 3 Door (combined fuel consumption: 5.4 – 5.0 l/100 km; combined CO₂ emissions: 123 – 114 g/km) the MINI Cooper 60 Years Edition 3 Door (combined fuel consumption: 5.3 – 5.0 l/100 km; combined CO₂ emissions: 122 – 115 g/km), and the MINI Cooper S 60 Years Edition 3 Door (combined fuel consumption: 6.4 – 6.1 l/100 km; combined CO₂ emissions: 147 – 139 g/km), and the MINI One 60 Years Edition 5 Door (combined fuel consumption: 5.4 – 5.0 l/100 km; combined CO₂ emissions: 124 – 115 g/km), the MINI Cooper 60 Years Edition 5 Door (combined fuel consumption: 5.4 – 5.1 l/100 km; combined CO₂ emissions: 122 – 115 g/km) and the MINI Cooper S 60 Years Edition 5 Door (combined fuel consumption: 6.5 – 6.2 l/100 km; combined CO₂ emissions: 149 – 141 g/km).

3.   Motor sport meets Lifestyle.
MINI and the success story of motor sport.

It is in the car’s DNA and it was obviously there right from the start: the sporting talent of the classic Mini. When Alec Issigonis was requested by British Motor Corporation (BMC) in late 1956 to develop an economical but nevertheless fully-fledged small car with four seats, it quickly became clear that this new model would be truly innovative and, indeed, revolutionary in every respect. Front-wheel drive, extremely short body overhangs, a wide track, a low centre of gravity, optimum use of space and low weight were defined right from the start as elementary features of the new model.

Looking at the first drawings of the new car by his business partner and friend Alec Issigonis, sports car wizard John Cooper noticed yet another significant quality right from the beginning: He recognised that this ingenious concept for an economical compact car also provided the ideal starting point for a most promising sports model, setting out on the process of tuning the Mini even before the car had entered the market. This set the starting point for an unprecedented story of success in motorsport, closely connecting the name John Cooper with the sporting myth of the MINI to this very day. Outstanding victories in the Monte Carlo Rally are just as much part of this common history as the successful production cars proudly bearing the name Cooper.

Now integrated within the MINI organisation, John Cooper Works represents the epitome of supreme driving pleasure based on both well-founded know-how in motorsport and successful cooperation going back years and even decades. Apart from accessories for the drivetrain, suspension, streamlining, and design, the most athletic models in the product range each bear the brand logo symbolising extreme driving fun.

Racing pioneer John Cooper teaches Mini how to win.

Born in Surrey in 1923, John Cooper was one of the most outstanding celebrities in international motorsport – both as a driver and, even more so, as a constructor. Together with his father he established the Cooper Car Company in 1946, the two enthusiasts starting out with the construction of racing cars first for Formula 3, later also for Formula 1. Through their concept of a mid-engined sports car Charles and John Cooper set a truly revolutionary trend in the entire world of motorsport in 1955, Cooper racing cars winning both the Constructor’s and Driver’s titles in the World Formula 1 Championship in 1959 and 1960, for the first time in the history of motorsport with the engine mounted in the middle. And with this concept proving its success so convincingly, it is no surprise that soon all cars in Formula 1 came with a mid-mounted engine.

John Cooper and Alec Issigonis became close friends in the course of time after meeting and competing against one another at numerous races. There were also professional ties between the two enthusiasts, with the Cooper Car Company buying engines from BMC.

When it came to the Mini, however, the sporting ambitions of the two constructors were very different: Issigonis was looking above all at the right car for everyday motoring, Cooper was thrilled by the sporting potential of this small and nimble performer. So back in 1959, the very first year of the Mini, he sent his driver Roy Salvadori to Monza in the very first Mini Cooper, a special one-off model built specifically for this purpose. And indeed, this new sports car immediately proved its qualities on the way to Monza, Salvadori covering the distance more than an hour faster than his colleague Reg Parnell – who just happened to be driving an Aston Martin DB4.

Motivated by initial success in the 1960 Monte Carlo Rally, Cooper suggested building a GT model based on the Mini. And despite Issigonis’ rather sceptical opinion at least to begin with, George Harriman, the Chief Executive Officer of BMC, ultimately decided to build a small series of 1,000 Mini Coopers featuring a 55-hp power unit, that is 21 extra horsepower made possible by far-reaching modifications of the engine. The Mini Cooper’s top speed was approximately 130 km/h or 80 mph. The car’s transmission ratios were adjusted to the sporting potential of the engine and disc brakes on the front wheels ensured adequate stopping power.

Soon Issigonis was also thrilled by the results of these efforts. So joining forces with John Cooper, he quickly started working on the next engine upgrade, increasing engine bore to the ultimate limit on the Mini Cooper S: At 1,071 cc, engine capacity remained below the mark of 1,100 cc applicable in the particular class of motorsport seen as the target, with the engine revving up to impressive speeds. Maximum output was 70 hp at 6,200 rpm, maximum engine speed was 7,200 rpm. This version was again equipped with new brakes, braking power being boosted by a brake servo.

1964–1967: the golden years in the Monte Carlo Rally.

This set the basis for sensational success in motorsport, the Mini Cooper S hitting the headlines in Monte Carlo for the first time in 1962. With Finnish driver Rauno Aaltonen at the wheel, this small but highly nimble performer successfully left behind a whole pack of far more powerful Goliaths. But just three kilometres away from home, Aaltonen, leading the race at the time, misjudged a bend and finished the Rally with a rollover. Only a year later, however, Aaltonen made up for this misfortune, bringing home class victory in the Mini Cooper S and finishing third overall. But even more – and even better – was still to come: Entering the 1963/1964 rally winter, the Mini Cooper S was simply oozing power in comparison with its predecessor. So in a spectacular race, Paddy Hopkirk brought home first place overall in the Monte Carlo Rally, the small performer becoming a legend in motor sport virtually overnight.  A year later Finnish racer Timo Mäkinen with his co-pilot Paul Easter repeated the same triumphant victory, reaching the finish line after thousands of kilometres as the only driver without one single penalty point – despite the worst weather imaginable. Indeed, only 35 out of 237 cars entered in the event were able to finish the Rally that year, among them no less than three Mini Cooper S.

The following year was the year of the hattrick, Timo Mäkinen, Rauno Aaltonen and Paddy Hopkirk scoring an absolutely incredible victory, finishing first, second, and third. But this was followed by bitter disappointment, the first three cars being disqualified because the rally commissioners came to the conclusion that the low beams on the Mini’s main headlights failed to comply in full with the homologation rules.

Even so, the public were completely thrilled by the three Mini drivers, despite this questionable decision, Hopkirk, Aaltonen and Mäkinen therefore entering the annals of the Monte Carlo Rally as the “Three Musketeers”. And indeed, just one year later Rauno Aaltonen received truly overwhelming applause and acknowledgement when bringing home the third overall victory of the Mini Cooper S in the Monte Carlo Rally. Especially because this time there were no complaints about his car.

Legendary racing careers started at the wheel of a Mini.

The Mini was however highly successful not only in rally racing, but also on road circuits, bringing home numerous wins in the 1960s. Indeed, through its long list of successes in motorsport, the Mini became the most outstanding racing car of the entire decade.  A particularly interesting point is that many spectacular racing careers started at the wheel of a Mini, a certain racing driver from Austria called Nikolaus Andreas Lauda entering his first hill-climb race at the wheel of a classic Mini near the Austrian town of Linz in April 1968, and immediately finishing second. Only two weeks later Lauda again confirmed his talent when scoring his first racing victory in a career which would take him on to three Formula 1 World Championships. And just like Niki Lauda, Formula 1 Champions Graham Hill, Jackie Stewart, John Surtees, Jochen Rindt, and James Hunt all gained their first racing experience in a classic Mini.

Just like the car’s sporting career, sales of the Mini Cooper with its special configuration developed by John Cooper Showed an exceptional story of success from 1961–1971, the name “Cooper” becoming a synonym worldwide for passionate driving pleasure in the Mini. The fact that this tiny car had inspired the two-time Formula 1 World Champion to build outstanding sports cars was sufficient proof of the Mini and its qualities. And indeed, the unique driving experience inducing John Cooper right from the start to continue the development of the Mini all the way to perfection was equally thrilling back then for every fan of sporting automobiles.

The world’s toughest rally: MINI with four back-to-back victories in the Dakar Rally.

MINI has now become firmly established in international rally sport. Spectacular performances by the MINI John Cooper Works WRC developed on the basis of the MINI Countryman in selected rounds of the FIA World Rally Championship (WRC) enabled the brand to continue its success story in rally sport during 2011 and 2012. The MINI ALL4 Racing was designed specifically for marathon rallies and this took up a further particularly special sporting challenge. In 2012, MINI and motor-sport partner X-raid entered the Dakar Rally, the ultimate endurance test for drivers, vehicles and teams. The performance and reliability of the MINI ALL4 Racing resulted in back-to-back Dakar victories in the years 2012, 2013, 2014 and 2015. In 2016, MINI won the category of All-wheel Drive Vehicles in this rally.

MINI also demonstrated in the FIA Cross-Country Rally World Cup how one success leads to another. The first win in the World Cup 2012 was repeated in three successive years (2013 – 2015). In 2017, the new MINI John Cooper Works Rally participated for the first time in this competition and in the Dakar Rally. In 2018, it won a further title in the FIA Cross Country Rally World Cup.

John Cooper Works – the epitome for extreme driving pleasure in the MINI.

John Cooper Works guarantee outstanding performance not only on the race track, but also on the road. Even back in the 1970s, John Cooper Works Tuning Kits for production versions of the Mini were very popular and even back then the classic Mini equipped with such special features and components was able to show its most outstanding virtues both visually and in technical terms. The same applies to the tuning kits for the MINI Cooper S and the MINI Cooper successfully introduced after the re-launch of the brand and available in the market under the label of John Cooper Works. The current range of John Cooper Works accessories comprises lightweight alloy wheels, ventilated brake disks, integrated tailpipes and other retrofit products for the exterior and the interior in the appropriate selection for each model.

Furthermore, the performance-oriented character of the brand is embodied by four extremely sporty MINI models. The most important common feature of the elite athletes is the power-unit and chassis engineering derived from motor sport which is combined with the aerodynamically optimised body attributes. The extreme athletes in the small-car segment, the MINI John Cooper Works and the MINI John Cooper Works Convertible, are powered by a 170 kW/231 hp four-cylinder turbo engine. A 225 kW/306 hp four-cylinder turbo power unit delivers superb performance attributes in the latest versions of the MINI John Cooper Works Clubman and the MINI John Cooper Works Countryman.

In the anniversary year, another guarantee for extreme driving fun and unalloyed motor-sport passion is on the way to the starting line. In the summer of 2019, a prototype of the new MINI John Cooper Works GP completed intensive test drives on numerous race tracks throughout the world. This vehicle will also be powered by a four-cylinder engine packing in excess of 220 kW/300 hp. Its appearance with large air scoops, an independent design for the front and rear aprons and a striking roof spoiler gives an inkling of the outstanding high-performance characteristics. During test drives round the legendary North Loop of the Nürburgring, it actually completed the lap in less than eight minutes.

4.     MINI all the way – always different.
      Customize to your personal taste.

Driving a MINI is not just a matter of getting from A to B, but rather an expression of your own personal style. And indeed, the many options to customise the MINI give the enthusiast a wide range of opportunities in bringing out his – or her – personal taste and preferences. Offering a wider range of features and highlights and going into greater detail than any other manufacturer of small and compact cars, MINI gives the customer the freedom to bring out his or her individual style and choice on the car, an exceptionally wide range of exterior and interior colours, seat upholstery and trim variants setting the foundation for a personal configuration tailored to the driver.

A further point is that all the current MINI models are available with numerous highly attractive and sophisticated options straight from the plant, again enhancing both driving pleasure and motoring comfort. The range of Original MINI Accessories offers further highlights, comprising classic motorsport technology in John Cooper Works components, comfort-oriented features such as an iPod interface, features highly practical in everyday use such as a roof rack made of ultra-strong, eloxy-plated aluminium bars, or exceptional components such as additional headlights and extravagant roof trim.

From something special to a one-off masterpiece: customisation straight from the factory.

The unusually wide range of equipment and accessory features offered on the MINI reflects the strong awareness and critical perspective of the customer in choosing such a small premium car. Opting for a MINI, the customer from the start expresses his or her sense of special values. He identifies with a car concept which, more than any other, offers pure harmony of emotional values and up-to-date qualities. The characteristic design and the unmistakable style of the brand, unparalleled driving pleasure, premium quality and modern, very efficient drive technology form a symbiosis quite unique in this segment of the market. This exceptional position of the MINI comes out even more clearly whenever each specific model stands out from the crowd through its sophisticated and stylish features. Hence, a typical MINI is not just an exceptional vehicle, but in nearly all cases a genuine one-off masterpiece.

The wide range of options in customising the car is reflected right from the start in the production process. Every MINI is built specifically to the customer’s order at the MINI Plant in Oxford or at the production partner VDL Nedcar in Born, Netherlands. Every customer is able to put together his or her MINI precisely to his or her personal wishes. All production and logistic processes are highly flexible, catering for this wide range of variants right from the start.

Considering the numerous options and items of equipment and, as a result, the almost infinite range of variants conceivable, it is extremely unlikely that two absolutely identical MINIs will leave the plant within one and the same year of production. Customisation of the classic Mini: special models for VIP customers, more power straight from the factory for all drivers.

In the days of the classic Mini, only particularly prominent or affluent customers had the option to choose similar customisation features of this calibre straight from the plant. Clearly, this small but revolutionary performer right from the start arose the fantasy of particularly trendy aficionados, actors, fashion designers, musicians and even members of the Royal Family regularly expressing their demand for customised versions of the Mini. Special paintwork and particularly sophisticated equipment features came right at the top of their list, British actor Peter Sellers, for example, placing several orders for particularly extravagant special versions of the Mini in the 1970s. And in 1988 a member of the Brunei Royal Family also asked for a Mini in Flower Power design tailored to his individual wishes and of course appropriately tuned.

In the first year of the classic Mini customers already had the choice of the Austin Seven and the Morris Mini-Minor, which however only differed in terms of their radiator grilles, their body colour and wheel caps. The Riley Elf and the Wolseley Hornet then made their appearance just two years later in 1961 as particularly stylish versions of this new compact car with minor modifications on the outside and upgraded, distinguished features inside. Plush carpets and a genuine wooden dashboard exuded a genuine feeling of luxury.

Further body versions joined the family a bit later, ranging from the Van to the Pick-Up.

The common wish for extra power was also fulfilled quickly, above all through the initiative of sports car constructor John Cooper who had already worked together closely with Alec Issigonis, the creator of the Mini, during the initial development process. The first Mini Cooper delivering 55 instead of 34 hp made its appearance in 1961, with the 70-hp Mini Cooper S entering the market another two years later. The Mini with automatic transmission likewise appeared at a relatively early point in 1965, taking on a leading role in terms of motoring comfort – especially as up to that time only cars higher up in the market, that is in completely different segments, had offered the option of an automatic transmission.

Very sporting, young and trendy, or unusually distinguished – in the mid-70s fans of the Mini had the opportunity for the first time to highlight particular characteristics of the classic Mini through carefully configured edition models. The first of these special models was the progressively designed Mini Limited Edition 1000 in 1976, with further variants taking up the trend to growing customisation time and again. In many cases these special cars were named after well-known parts of London or famous streets, such as Piccadilly, Chelsea, Knightsbridge or Park Lane.

In 1982 the Mini Mayfair conquered the streets for the first time as a particularly exclusive, top-end model. And following the re-launch of the brand in 2001, special versions of this small but dynamic performer attracted great attention time and again, the MINI Seven bringing back a traditional model designation well-known from the original Mini, the MINI Checkmate highlighting above all the sporting characteristics of this agile athlete.

Paintwork, roof trim, interior materials: typical MINI style with maximum diversity.

The sheer diversity of the current model range as well as a wide choice of options in combining standard and special features in the current MINI generation provide a degree of customisation setting the benchmark even today in the modern world of motoring. Apart from the different engine variants, the wide choice of body paintwork colours, roof trim and soft top options, wheels and seat upholstery, interior materials and trim elements offer even the most discerning customer everything he or she desires to turn the relevant car into his or her very personal one-off masterpiece. The specific equipment packages for each model permit personal individualisation. They incorporate selective facets inherent in the character of each model so that they are particularly clearly highlighted on the exterior of the vehicle and in the interior – for example sporting prowess, elegance or robustness. Additional features include stripes for the engine bonnet and mirror caps in different colours and patterns, the options of Chrome Line and Piano Black for the exterior and a lighting package, a roof liner coloured in anthracite and the Chrome Line for the interior.

The accessories range also includes a choice of additional exterior mirror caps, side direction indicator surrounds, wheel-valve caps and door handles in different designs, a tank cap in chrome, sport stripes, bonnet stripes and special MINI stickers for affixing to the doors. And last but not least, the line-up of individual light-alloy wheels rims available for specific models is once again expanded by a number of options included in the range of accessories.

The performance components from John Cooper Works are perfectly tailored to the characteristics and style of MINI. The parts are available as accessories and they proudly reveal the long track record of experience and glorious tradition of both brands in motor sport. The highlights include John Cooper Works light-alloy wheels, ventilated brake discs, bumper trims, spoiler attachments, integrated tailpipes, exterior mirror caps and side scuttles. Matching decor trims, hand-brake lever, sports gearshift lever, interior mirror caps and foot mats create an even more sporting ambience in the interior.

Individualisation at the highest level: MINI Yours.

The options from the MINI Yours range pave the way for the most exclusive route to selective individualisation. High-quality materials, stylish design and precise processing to the very highest standards characterise these factory-supplied items of special equipment for the exterior and interior of current MINI models. They are unique individual options and are available in equipment packages put together specifically for each model.

The items of special equipment from MINI Yours are especially ideal for defining clear accents expressing exclusivity and stylish image when creating an individual vehicle design. All the packages reflect the British origin and the premium character of the brand. The outstanding level of material selection and the quality of craftsmanship meld together to create design infused with a sense of heritage and creativity, forging highlights in the appearance of the vehicle. The MINI Yours emblem defines yet another additional inimitable accent. The production of MINI Yours options is carried out in special production processes inspired by classic artisan craftsmanship.

The current MINI Yours range for individualising the exterior comprises exceptionally sophisticated paintwork options and impactful, athletic, elegant light-alloy wheel rims in a model-specific selection. The MINI Convertible also features a MINI Yours roof with a woven Union Jack. Personal style and a connoisseur’s sense of superlative quality are achieved with the MINI Yours packages for the interior. The MINI Yours Leather Lounge sport seats are upholstered and handcrafted in luxury smooth leather. Perforation technology integrates the classic Union Jack motif in the headrests. The MINI Yours Interior Styles are tailored to match specific models and comprise backlit surfaces, with light spots varying the colour to suit the ambient light conditions. Visible and tangible exclusivity also characterise the MINI Yours sports leather steering wheel finished in luxury soft nappa leather, the anthracite seams and spokes in high-gloss Piano Black.

MINI Yours Customised: From original to personalised custom special.

The MINI Yours Customised range gives customers the opportunity to style selected retrofit products with a design they have selected themselves and transform their own vehicle into a personalised customer special. The innovative package has been supplied for numerous MINI models in Europe and other major markets since 2018. The product range of MINI Yours Customised comprises the familiar side scuttles for the side indicators, decor trims for the interior on the passenger side, LED entry sills and LED door projectors.

The retrofit parts supplied in the product range of MINI Yours Customised can be selected, styled and ordered by customers in an Online Shop dedicated to the new range. The individualised products are subsequently manufactured using innovative production procedures such as various 3D printing processes and laser inscription. The advanced production processes permit precise implementation of customers’ wishes. The individually styled products are supplied within a few weeks. They are designed so they can then be integrated in the vehicle by customers themselves or by participating MINI service partners. 

5.  Traditional values and modern diversity.
Concept and technology.

The economical compact car has a great future! Precisely this was the fundamental idea and philosophy in developing the classic Mini. The objective was to combine compact exterior dimensions and generous spaciousness within the interior, comfortable and sporting driving behaviour as well as fuel-efficient power units likewise characterising the new extra-small model from British Motor Corporation (BMC). It was the Suez Crisis in 1956 leading to severe cut-backs in oil supply that prompted BMC to assign automotive engineer and constructor Alec Issigonis with this challenging task. Today, on the other hand, the quest for efficiency has become a general need in public life, this compact car from Great Britain again offering the most convincing answer to this challenge. 60 years ago, the revolutionary design principle of the classic Mini created the foundation for maximum interior space on a minimal footprint. The modern reinterpretation for creative use of space and unsurpassed driving fun made the MINI the original in the premium segment of small cars when it was launched in 2001. Today, the MINI brand is the epitome of scintillating driving in the urban traffic environment and beyond. In future, the brand will combine electromobility and a unique emotional experience with the new MINI Cooper SE. It is based on the MINI 3 Door and combines local zero-emission driving with premium quality and striking design.

The classic Mini: an ingenious concept for efficient use of space, outstanding safety on the road, and supreme economy.

Engineering qualities of the highest calibre already served on the classic Mini to provide truly outstanding and technically superior solutions. The first point is that Alec Issigonis opted for a front-wheel-drive concept with the engine fitted crosswise at the front. This principle, now well-established as the standard solution for compact cars, was admittedly not completely new at the time, but had never before been used so consistently to promote driving behaviour and the efficient use of space as it was in the classic Mini. The specific arrangement of the ten-inch wheels right at the corners of the car likewise served to promote both driving behaviour and the efficient use of space. Wheelbase measured 2.03 metres or 79.9", overall length was 3.05 metres or 120.0", width measured 1.41 metres or 55.5", and the height of the classic Mini was 1.35 metres or 53.1". And the most important point was that 80 per cent of the space occupied by the car – its “footprint” on the road, as it were – was just for the passengers and their luggage.

The body-in-white of the classic Mini weighed a mere 140 kg or 309 lb. But at the same time the bodyshell offered a standard of torsional stiffness quite exceptional back then – stiffness ensured by the two sills extending from front to rear, a lightweight tunnel in the middle of the car taking up the exhaust system, and the wheel arches.

Extending crosswise from left to right, the robust bulkhead between the engine compartment and the passenger cell, a strong crossbar beneath the front seats, and the rear bulkhead leading to the luggage compartment all contributed to this torsional stiffness. With this kind of stability and stiffness built in from the start, Alec Issigonis and his team of engineers were able to give the classic Mini slender roof pillars and large windows around the passenger cell, helping to enhance both all-round visibility and the feeling of space. The decision which engine to use in this new small car was no problem, with BMC opting for an updated version of the Series A power unit already featured in the legendary Morris Minor.

This four-cylinder came with a crankshaft running in three bearings, overhead valves operated via tappets and a camshaft at the bottom running on the same side as the intake and exhaust ducts. The fuel/air mixture was supplied by semi-downdraught carburettors, with an electric fuel supply pump being fitted right from the start. Issigonis and his team therefore reduced engine capacity to 848 cc and cut back engine output to 34 hp at 5,500 rpm. Indeed, this kind of engine speed alone was quite unusual at the time, with only thoroughbred sports cars achieving continuous engine speed of this standard back in the late ‘50s. Yet a further innovation was the arrangement of the four-speed manual gearbox beneath the engine and directly between the wheels, giving the engine and transmission a shared oil circuit. This left enough space beneath the bonnet for the radiator at the side as well as the steering and ancillary units.

The birth of that go-kart experience.

Issigonis and his team also took a new approach in the transmission of power, that is on the drivetrain. Since the propeller shafts used up to that time tended to deflect out of line under major steering lock, Issigonis decided to use homokinetic joints for the first time in an automobile. These joints were made up of a ball bearing surrounded by three cages, two of which were connected, respectively, with the incoming and outgoing drive shafts. This, in turn, allowed a sufficient steering angle without distortion or undue articulation, significantly reducing the effect of drive forces on the steering. And this, in turn, set the foundation for the go-kart feeling of the legendary Mini to this very day.

To reduce the forces acting on the light and compact monocoque steel bodyshell, the engineers mounted the entire drivetrain, steering and suspension on a subframe. The independent wheels at the rear were also mounted on a subframe, giving the classic Mini absolutely excellent directional stability. The other components on the suspension likewise came with a wide range of technical highlights, Issigonis replacing the usual coil, torsion or leaf springs by rubber suspension. To be specific, this was a structure made up of two cones with a layer of rubber in between. The upper cone was bolted firmly to a subframe, the lower rested on the wheel mount. With rubber becoming increasingly hard under increasing pressure, this gave the classic Mini a progressive suspension set-up. Indeed, the properties of this spring system were so good that small telescopic dampers proved to be quite sufficient. And to give the dampers a smooth and fine response, they were fastened outside on upper wishbones at the front and longitudinal control arms at the rear.

Extra comfort: Hydrolastic suspension and automatic transmission.

In 1964 Issigonis placed the emphasis on greater comfort and motoring refinement, introducing an early type of self-levelling on the Mini. To be specific, this was the new Hydrolastic suspension carried over from BMC’s larger saloons and modified for the small car segment. This unique suspension came with cylinders roughly the size of a one-litre oil can on each wheel comprising the springs and dampers and using a frost-resistant water emulsion as the damper fluid. On the Hydrolastic system the hydraulic chambers on the front and rear wheel dampers were connected to one another by pressure hoses on each side of the car. So whenever the front wheel ran over a bump on the road, some of the hydraulic fluid was pressed into the “partner” chamber on the rear axle, lifting up the body slightly also at the rear (and, of course, also in the opposite direction).

While this innovative system provided the basic configuration for consistent self-levelling of the car’s body, it never became a lasting success and was taken out of production after seven years. Issigonis and his team followed the example of larger cars in upmarket segments also in other areas, seeking quite often to achieve an even higher standard in the Mini. A good example is the automatic transmission introduced as an option in 1965 and making the classic Mini one of only very few small cars available at the time with such a “luxury”. An even more significant factor was that the automatic transmission taking up hardly any more space than a conventional manual gearbox came with four forward gears, while most luxury cars at the time had only three gears.

Sales of the classic Mini exceeded the figure of one million units just six years after the car had made its debut. By this time the range comprised not only the two original models, the Morris Mini-Minor and the Austin Seven, but also a Mini Van, a Mini Pick-Up as well as the Morris Mini-Traveller and Austin Seven Countryman estate models serving consistently to offer even more space inside the car: While the Traveller and Countryman were only 25 centimetres or not quite 10" longer than their respective counterparts, they were unusually versatile transporters thanks to their wheelbase extended by 10 centimetres or 3.9" and their twin doors at the rear.

Small engine, significant potential for further development.

John Cooper, the sports car constructor who recognised the great potential of this revolutionary small car very early on, is the man we must thank for giving the engine of the Mini originally cut back intentionally to 34 hp a lot more power just two years after the car made its debut. Engine capacity of the GT model built in a small series at Cooper’s initiative was increased to 997 cc, with stroke up from 68.3 to 81.3 millimetres (2.69–3.20") and bore down from 62.9 to 62.4 millimetres (2.48–2.46"). The compression ratio was raised from 8.3 to 9.0, further features being the larger intake valves and dual carburettors.

The exhaust opening was likewise enlarged and the crankcase reinforced to take up the extra power of the engine.

Cooper also changed the transmission ratio of the individual gears in order to give the car a higher speed in each gear, the first Mini Cooper with its 55 hp power unit now reaching a top speed of 136 km/h or 84 mph as opposed to the “regular” 120 km/h or 75 mph. And being a conscientious man, Cooper also upgraded the car’s brakes, fitting seven-inch Lockheed disc brakes on the front wheels.

The Mini Cooper S introduced in 1963 soon proved that even with these modifications the four-cylinder had not yet reached its limit. This time engine capacity was increased to 1,071 cc, providing maximum output of 70 hp. Naturally, this extra power also meant higher speed, in this case with an increase to 160 km/h or 99 mph, which is why Cooper once again upgraded the brakes, increasing disc diameter to 7.5" and boosting the brake power of the Mini Cooper S by means of a brake servo.

The series version of the classic Mini was also upgraded for more power in 1967, an increase in capacity to 998 cc giving the engine an appropriate boost in maximum torque from 44 to 52 newton-metres (32–38 lb-ft) and an increase in maximum output by 4 hp to 38 horsepower. This version of the four-cylinder was introduced from the start on the sister model of the classic Mini launched in 1969, the new Clubman, as the car was called, being 11 cm or 4.3" longer and the Estate version measuring exactly 3.40 metres or 133.9" in length. Width, height and wheelbase, on the other hand, were exactly the same as on the classic Mini.

A further new model introduced at the time as the successor to the Mini Cooper was the Mini 1275 GT, the top model in the Clubman series powered by a 59-hp 1.3-litre four-cylinder. This engine was later also featured in the classic Mini and was soon upgraded to an even more significant 63 hp. The 1.0-litre nevertheless remained in the range until 1992, after which all models were equipped with the 1.3-litre fuel injection engine already featured since October 1991 in the Mini Cooper and as of August 1994 also in the Mini, above all due to growing requirements in emission management.

Making a new start with traditional values.

Considered simply on paper, the MINI Cooper and the MINI One bringing back the famous brand in 2001 had hardly any substantial features in common with the classic Mini. Much stricter safety standards, significantly greater demands in terms of motoring comfort, and brand-new technical potentials allowed and required solutions Alec Issigonis and his team would not even have dreamt of in their days.

The MINI and its forefather nevertheless share some fundamental highlights and features clearly borne out from the start in the new model and expressed by the car’s characteristic design. A further point is that the MINI was developed from the start as a revolutionary new small car. And like the classic Mini, the new model once again featured innovations in technology giving the MINI its unique qualities.

Re-interpretation of traditional values likewise gave the MINI its unmistakable character right from the start, building its status as a youthful car transcending all social classes and highly desirable the world over. The classic Mini in its day made a significant contribution in introducing the principle of front-wheel drive and the power unit fitted crosswise at the front, making this the standard solution for particularly compact cars. The MINI, in turn, likewise came with short body overhangs, a long wheelbase, the one-wheel-at-each-corner stance and a low centre of gravity as ideal ingredients for extremely agile handling. Once again, therefore, the MINI re-defined the standard of optimum efficiency in the use of space and maximum driving pleasure in such a small car.

The quantum leap into a new era of technology.

Implementing this concept, it was obviously essential to use the most advanced and sophisticated technology. And clearly, four-cylinder power units displacing 1.6 litres, with 16 valves and an aluminium cylinder head were exactly the right successors to the Series A engines originally featured in the classic Mini.

Where 34 hp was still sufficient in 1959, the right kind of power was now 66 kW/90 hp in the MINI One and 85 kW/115 hp in the MINI Cooper. And while the classic Mini with its homokinetic joints for conveying power to the wheels and rubber springs set new standards in suspension technology at its time, the MINI with its McPherson front axle featuring axle shafts equal in length and the multi-arm rear axle likewise absolutely unique in this segment also introduced a new benchmark.

Disc brakes on all four wheels, the anti-lock brake system including CBC Cornering Brake Control and EBD Electronic Brake Force Distribution featured as standard also marked this quantum leap into a new era. As an option the MINI was also available from the start with ASC+T Traction Control and DSC Dynamic Stability Control.

The MINI also took on the top position in its segment right from the beginning in terms of passive safety. Indeed, with its extremely stable passenger cell, frontal and side airbags as well as optional head airbags at the side, the level of safety provided was absolutely outstanding. And last but not least, the Tyre Defect Indicator likewise featured as standard was an innovation never seen before in
a small and compact car. As an alternative to its five-speed manual gearbox, the MINI was available with infinite CVT automatic transmission incorporating a Steptronic function. Using a steel drive belt running on dual-conical pulleys, this transmission fed engine power through continuously variable transmission ratios to the front wheels, while retaining six firm transmission ratios in the Steptronic mode.

A joint control unit for the engine and transmissions served both in the automatic and the Steptronic mode to give the driver the ideal transmission ratio under all conditions. As an option there were also Steptronic switches on the steering wheel enabling the driver to shift gears manually without taking his hands off the steering wheel.

It did not take MINI long – to be precise only until January 2002 – to move up to an even higher level of driving pleasure, the most powerful model in the range ensuring fascinating performance even faster than with the classic Mini and far superior to its 70-hp forerunner.

This new high-performance model was the MINI Cooper S powered by a 120 kW/163 hp four-cylinder compressor engine and featuring both a sports suspension and a six-speed manual gearbox as standard. The first-ever MINI powered by a diesel engine saw the light of day just one year later, the MINI One D providing the most advanced rendition of the highly efficient four-seater philosophy which originally led to the development of the classic Mini: Displacing 1.4 litres out of four cylinders, this all-aluminium power unit featuring common rail fuel injection and an exhaust gas turbocharger offered an ample
55 kW/75 hp.

The new edition of the MINI: From the original to the original.

The modern qualities of the world’s first premium small car were emphasised even more emphatically when the new edition of the MINI was launched in November 2006. Under the motto “From the original to the original”, numerous details shaping the visual appearance of the MINI were refined. The sporting virtues of the compact king of curves were a particular focus with even more intense highlighting. At the same time, protection for the occupants was further optimised.

New, even more powerful and, at the same time, far more efficient engines together with the further enhanced suspension technology, served to redefine driving fun so typical of MINI. The MINI Cooper S with its 124 kW/175 hp power unit and the 88 kW/120 hp MINI Cooper models available at market launch from the start thrilled aficionados everywhere through their enhanced driving performance combined with significantly greater fuel economy and emission values. Both engines had a capacity of 1.6 litres, and a twin-scroll turbocharger and direct petrol injection were responsible for delivering the high output of the MINI Cooper S. The power unit of the MINI Cooper was fitted with fully variable valve control. Later on, this was also installed in the 1.4 litre engine generating 70 kW/95 hp mounted in the MINI One. Turbocharging and common rail direct injection generated outstanding efficiency in the diesel engines. The MINI Cooper D powered by 82 kW/112 hp was followed in rapid succession by the MINI One D generating 66 kW/90 hp and the MINI Cooper SD with 105 kW/143 hp. Finally, the MINI One powered by a 55 kW/75 hp engine was added to the range as an entry-level model. The mantle of elite athlete was taken on for the first time by the MINI John Cooper Works with a turbo engine packing 155 kW/211 hp and specific suspension technology.

In an appropriate combination on each model, the technologies offered as standard included Brake Energy Recovery, Auto Start/Stop, a gearshift point indicator, Electric Power Steering, a volume-flow-controlled oil pump, as well as on-demand coolant pump. All variants of the MINI now come as standard with a six-speed manual gearbox, with optional six-speed automatic transmission enabling the driver to shift gears manually via paddles on the steering wheel.

The large choice in the engine portfolio was soon augmented by exceptional diversity in the MINI model range. Almost exactly one year to the day after the launch of the new model generation, the range was expanded by the MINI Clubman with a wheelbase extended by eight centimetres and a two-part rear door. In 2009, a new generation of the MINI Convertible came along. And as if this wasn’t enough, both the two-seaters MINI Coupé and MINI Roadster enabled the athletic prowess typical of the brand and open-top pleasure to be experienced in a particularly purist way from 2011 onwards. In parallel, the MINI Countryman presented in 2010 and the MINI Paceman available from 2013 conquered the premium compact segment. The ALL4 all-wheel drive developed specially for MINI was installed in these two models for the first time. The system is based on an electromagnetic centre differential and this enabled the power to be variably distributed between the front and rear axles.

The latest generation: Even more driving fun, efficiency and premium quality.

In 2014, the current generation of the MINI lined up at the start with a renewed evolutionary and advanced design, new drive technology and a large number of innovative equipment features. Engines with MINI TwinPower turbo technology and also a newly developed gearbox have since then increased the sprint capability of the MINI while at the same time resulting in reduced fuel consumption. Depending on the engine, the standard 6-speed gearbox can be replaced by a 7-speed Steptronic gearbox with twin clutch or an 8-speed Steptronic gearbox. An additional enhancement to efficiency is provided by the optimised weight and the improved aerodynamic characteristics. The option of an adaptive suspension is available for the first time. MINI Driving Modes is a choice available for the first time in the new MINI. Adaptive suspension influences the characteristic curves for the accelerator pedal and steering characteristics as well as the shifting characteristics of the automatic transmission and the damper tuning. The new operating concept comprises an instrument cluster on the steering column and optionally a MINI head-up display. The collision and pedestrian warning with city braking function, the driving assistant and parking assistant, and the reversing camera significantly expand the choice of driver assistance systems. Once again, the MINI also takes a leading role among competitors in the area of networking technology and digital services.

Already in the subsequent year, the model range was again expanded by a completely new body version for the MINI. For the first time, the British brand has a five-door version in the segment of small cars. With its wheelbase extended by 72 millimetres, the MINI 5 Door offers passengers in the front significantly more legroom alongside comfortable entry and exit. Since 2016, the range in the small-car segment has been completed by the new MINI Convertible.

The open-top four-seater is now equipped with an all-electric opening and closing mechanism for the fabric roof. An extremely athletic model version was also developed for the classic bodywork variant of the MINI 3 Door and for the MINI Convertible. The MINI John Cooper Works and the MINI John Cooper Works Convertible are each powered by a new, 170 kW/231 hp turbo engine.

The new MINI generation is represented by two models in the premium compact segment. A choice of three petrol and three diesel engines is supplied for the new MINI Countryman. The advanced ALL4 all-wheel drive system is also available as an option. Series equipment includes power transmission to all four wheels in the elite athletes MINI John Cooper Works Clubman and MINI John Cooper Works Countryman, which are powered by a 225 kW/306 hp turbo engine in the latest version. Furthermore, the MINI Cooper S E Countryman ALL4 (combined fuel consumption: 2.1 – 1.9 l/100 km; combined electricity consumption: 13.9 – 13.5 kWh/100 km; combined CO₂ emissions: 47 – 43 g/km) paves the way for zero-emission driving fun. The first plug-in hybrid model from MINI is powered by a three-cylinder petrol engine and an electric engine which together generate a combined system output of 165 kW/224 hp.

Electromobility in the MINI style: The new MINI Cooper SE.

 The MINI brand has now been the epitome of scintillating mobility in the urban traffic environment for the past 60 years. In future, the brand will incorporate local zero-emission driving in urban traffic with a unique emotional experience. The new MINI Cooper SE (combined power consumption: 0.0 l/100 km; combined electricity consumption: 16.8 – 14.8 kWh/100 km; combined CO₂ emissions: 0 g/km) will be manufactured in series production at the British plant in Oxford from November 2019. This is the brand’s first all-electric powered model and it is a genuine MINI through and through. The vehicle concept is based on the MINI 3 Door. The dimensions, design, available space and interior ambience of the new MINI Cooper SE are clearly derived from the conventionally powered vehicle. The expansion of the model range by an all-electric version was already reflected in the development of this vehicle.

Instead of a petrol or diesel engine, an electric motor is mounted under the bonnet of the new MINI Cooper SE. The spontaneous power development of the 135 kW/184 hp electric motor, the front-wheel drive typical of the brand and innovative Dynamic Stability Control with actuator-related wheel-slip limitation assist the new MINI Cooper SE in achieving the unmistakeable agility known as the go-kart feeling that is perceived here as a particularly intense experience. The motor’s model-specific lithium-ion battery permits a range of 235 to 270 kilometres. The high-voltage battery is configured low in the vehicle floor so that there are no restrictions on the volume of the baggage compartment compared with a conventionally powered MINI 3 Door.

6.   From the Original to the Original.
The MINI Design.

Innovativ, Innovative, unmistakable, stylish – and inspiring time and again. Just like the classic Mini, the MINI stands for unique design providing brand-new answers to the challenges of its time. Creating the classic Mini, constructor Alec Issigonis and his team had succeeded in re-defining the entire philosophy of the small and compact car in 1959. Developing the MINI, his successors, as it were, re-interpreted the concept of maximum interior space on minimum road surface in modern, up-to-date style.

The result, created almost four decades apart, was two cars of supreme character proudly presenting their unique qualities in a truly unmistakable manner. Both back then and today, thrilling driving characteristics and irresistible design create one complete unit as the sign of distinction of an entire brand. The starting point for the design of the classic Mini was a vision following clear targets: smaller than all models produced so far by British Motor Corporation, the new car was still to provide sufficient space for four occupants and their luggage. Clearly, therefore, Issigonis focused on economy of space as the fundamental consideration in the development process.

At the same time, he wished to offer an innovative answer to the small and compact cars already available on the market in Europe, following his principle that a good designer should never ever copy the competition.

A clear vision and the right concept: the foundation for the classic Mini.

To provide as much space as possible for the occupants on the car’s very small footprint, even the technical features and components of the classic Mini had to be moved together. The ideal concept making this possible from the start was of course the engine fitted at the front in conjunction with front-wheel drive. But that alone was not enough for Issigonis. For while there was enough space for a four-cylinder power unit beneath the short bonnet, this was only because Issigonis fitted the engine crosswise and placed the gearbox beneath the drive unit. Certainly, an innovative interpretation of the “form follows function” principle is still one of the decisive factors in the design of the MINI to this very day.

Issigonis set forth all these plans and configurations not in long documents and studies, but rather in a host of drawings and personal sketches. Indeed, he had already succeeded in compensating for his rather limited ambition for mathematics at school and university through his excellent drawings. And now these drawings became the characteristic trademark of this ingenious engineer and constructor.

With just a few strokes of his pencil he was able to create visions, illustrate solutions for complicated technical problems, and therefore develop greater power of conviction than even the most moving speaker in a detailed technical lecture. Issigonis’ almost contagious euphoria was also expressed by the fact that he often did his drawing on paper table-cloths or menu cards, because his notepad was already full.

One of the legends circulating around the classic Mini is the story of a design sketch done by Issigonis on the paper napkin of a hotel restaurant later used for the first “official” draft on the drawing board in Issigonis’ construction office. In the course of 1958 both the exterior and the interior of the Mini took on their final shape. Striking features later to become characteristic of the classic Mini were the body panel seams between the wings and the bodyshell facing to the outside.

The reason for this particular feature was quite simply money: welding seams facing to the outside were a lot cheaper in production. The second feature typical of cost-oriented production also clearly visible from outside was the door hinges on the outside of the doors themselves. And the driver who was not able to make do with the luggage compartment offering capacity of 195 litres or 6.8 cubic feet, was able to quite simply leave the boot lid open – since the lid was hinged at the bottom, it served conveniently as a “tray” even taking up bulky objects fastened more or less safely in position. Indeed, this was not even a secret tip, since high-gloss brochures presented this enlarged loading capacity in colourful pictures.

The interior naturally also followed the car’s minimalist philosophy: A simple cable served to open the doors and the usual dashboard in front of the driver and passenger was replaced in the classic Mini by a small shelf. Right in the middle was the centre instrument, the speedometer and mileage counter as well as the fuel gauge, with two toggle switches for the screen wipers and the lights right below.

Despite numerous detailed changes and modifications, the basic shape of the classic Mini remained unchanged for no less than 41 years. In the course of time this revolutionary small car became a classic in the history of the automobile, a timeless masterpiece chosen in 1995 by the readers of Autocar, the British car magazine, as the “Car of the Century”. Like its driving behaviour, the typical look of the classic Mini remained a perfect image of the car’s character over years and decades, ultimately providing the starting point for the design of the modern MINI.

Creating the MINI: brand-new, but with unmistakable roots.

Back in the mid-1990s, shortly after BMW had taken over Rover Group, the first plans were considered for a new version of this unique compact car. A study of the MINI Cooper was the presented at the 1997 Frankfurt Motor Show, making it quite clear from now on that this was not going to be merely a copy of the classic model, but rather a modern interpretation of the Mini concept so rich in tradition. Indeed, this concept car combined the classic values of the classic Mini with the demands made of a modern automobile on the threshold to the 21st century.

A spectacular sports car concept had already been presented at the beginning of the year on the occasion of the Monte Carlo Rally. Thirty years after the classic Mini had won the Monte Carlo Rally the last time, this two-seater, right-hand-drive mid-engined ACV 30 (Anniversary Concept Vehicle) study definitely hit the headlines not just on account of its truly powerful and muscular proportions. Rather, the study also made it quite clear how the design features so characteristic of the classic Mini – such as the hexagon radiator grille and the large round headlights – could be carried over into a modern vehicle concept.

So the question is obvious: What would the ideal small car look like when carrying forward the ideas and principles of Sir Alec Issigonis, that ingenious constructor, from the 1950s into the 21st century, with all the technical options and customer preferences of these modern times? Looking for an answer to this question was certainly a promising undertaking right from the start, particularly as neither the drive concept of the classic Mini nor its virtually unchanged look had lost any of their charm over a period of approximately four decades.

Precisely this is why the MINI Project Team run originally by Frank Stephenson and later by MINI Chief Design Gert Volker Hildebrand attached great significance to conveying not only design details, but also the fundamental idea from the early years of the classic Mini to these modern days of motoring. The MINI was also to be a unique car offering ample space for four with their luggage, featuring an economical drive concept, and boasting driving and handling qualities no other model in this segment was able to offer.

At the same time the development engineers naturally also considered the high standard of comfort now taken for granted as well as the most demanding safety requirements. The result, obviously, was once again a revolutionary new small car oriented in every respect to the needs of its times and at the same time developed and manufactured according to the quality standards of a leading premium brand.

Design features and design icons.

This harmony of the targets set by the development engineers and the fundamental values of the concept is reflected in a unique design authentically visualising the common character shared by the classic Mini and the MINI and borne out by a beautiful play on lines and joints, circles and ellipsoids.

With the car measuring 3.63 metres or 142.9" in length, the overall layout and proportions, including short overhangs front and rear expressing the agile handling of the MINI through its exterior, were all retained as a faithful rendition of the classic Mini. The classic subdivision of the car into three sections – the actual body, the window graphics surrounding the entire vehicle as a kind of band, and the roof seeming to hover in space – was taken up again in a modern rendition. The shoulder line extends from the headlights across the muscular shoulders all the way to the C-pillars, where the roof is closer to the body than upfront on the A-pillars. This creates side window graphics opening up to the front and clearly emphasising the forward-pushing motion and the sportiness of the car.

Features typical of the brand and already unmistakable on the classic Mini were also re-interpreted on the new model. As an example, a modern rendition of the hexagon radiator grille and the round headlights now no longer surrounded by the wings, but rather integrated in the engine compartment lid, help to give the MINI its typical face so characteristic of the brand.

The side direction indicator surrounds serving on the MINI to distinguish the individual model variants, are also acknowledged as genuine icons in design. In particular, the side indicators guide the eyes of the beholder to the joint on the engine compartment lid of the MINI sweeping back at an angle like the joint on the side panels of the classic Mini. The rear light clusters standing upright also serve once again as a powerful sign of distinction now featuring a sophisticated chrome frame on the MINI. Indeed, this is once again a clear reminiscence to the classic Mini which always boasted its chrome look, consistently rejecting the inundation of plastic in automobile design of the ’70 and ’80s.

Last but not least, the very concave, three-dimensional and powerful design of the rims again takes up and reflects the style of the classic Mini, even if the wheels are now larger, wider, and come on runflat tyres.

The interior of the MINI is likewise unmistakable in its design, the Centre Speedo in the middle of the dashboard bringing back a characteristic feature of the classic Mini and enhancing this look to create a truly unique design element. Up to 1968 the speedometer on the classic Mini was also a central instrument which, through its looks alone, provided decisive inspiration for designing the surrounds on the MINI’s control units and switches.

Further, unique highlights come from the round air vents and the elliptic main elements on the door linings reflecting the design language of “circular elements” so typical of the MINI and also to be admired on the exterior. More than ever before, the current fortes of the MINI come out on the design of the latest model generation introduced in the autumn of 2013. Again following the philosophy of “From the Original to the Original”, both the basic design and the unique details of the car were revised and upgraded in the second generation in a painstaking, evolutionary process.

The powerful stance of the car on its big and muscular wheels now emphasises the sporting character of the MINI even more convincingly. The Centre Speedo is even larger than before even, now framed by a lighting band, and offers space for the display of a navigation system, again providing those unmistakable highlights so typical of the brand. Like the classic Mini, the MINI, thanks to its harmonious and perfectly balanced overall concept, arouses a feeling of affection and almost love at very first sight. To a large extent this is attributable to the cleverly integrated codes of “human body archetype” design language: Through its proportions and friendly mimicry, the MINI arouses the protector’s instincts. The powerful shoulders of the car, in turn, exude a sense of safety and security, and the body itself is characterised through its softly flowing shapes.

New opportunities: the MINI Concept.

Through its design philosophy alone, the MINI allows up-to-date, ongoing development of all features so typical of the brand while retaining its own, unique character. This starting point also provides a wonderful opportunity to carry over the design language so typical of MINI to innovative vehicle concepts extending the range and wealth of the MINI model family. The idea to present MINI in a new context was demonstrated for the first time in a fascinating study in 2005, when the MINI Concept made its world debut at the Frankfurt Motor Show.

Presenting this unique study, MINI paved the way to a brand-new category of cars re-interpreting the classic shooting brake concept in modern style. The MINI Concept therefore took up traditional design philosophies already borne out in the 1960s in the guise of the Morris Mini-Traveller and the Austin Mini Countryman, applying these philosophies to modern-day requirements and therefore presenting new options in the body design and functionality of the MINI. Following the motto “Travel the World”, the MINI Concept was presented in a total of four renditions, each highlighting specific facets of the MINI brand and focusing on the place where the cars were being presented: In Frankfurt the emphasis was on elegance, at the 2005 Tokyo Motor Show the concept model highlighted the British origins of MINI. At the 2006 North American International Auto Show in Detroit the emphasis was on wintersport, and at the 2006 Geneva Motor Show the MINI Concept paid tribute to the legendary success of the brand in motorsport.

In all cases the concept car boasted a truly innovative door arrangement revolutionising the use of and access to the car’s interior: At the rear the designers introduced a Splitdoor configuration based on the classic door arrangement of the Morris Mini-Traveller and the Austin Mini Countryman. This two-piece rear door with each door element hinged far to the outside and opening outwards offered particularly generous access to the luggage compartment of the MINI Concept – a principle shortly thereafter presented for the first time in a production version of the MINI.

The MINI family grows: introduction of the MINI Clubman.

The 2007 Frankfurt Motor Show marked the world debut of the MINI Clubman which has been enriching the model family ever since. Compared directly with the MINI, the MINI Clubman offers 24 centimetres or 9.45" more body length and 8 centimetres or 3.15" longer wheelbase serving entirely to enhance legroom at the rear.

On the MINI Clubman the driver’s and front passenger’s doors are supplemented not just by the Splitdoor at the rear, but also by an additional opening on the right side of the car. This additional door on the right, the Clubdoor opening against the direction of travel like a coach door, offers passengers sitting on the rear seats of the MINI Clubman comfortable and convenient access to the rear passenger area. In its side view the MINI Clubman is characterised by a dynamic wedge shape created through the interplay of the shoulder line rising up slightly to the rear and the horizontal roofline.

Up the A-pillars, the MINI Clubman is identical to the “regular” MINI. It then gains its unique look through its longer wheelbase and longer roofline extending straight back to the steep rear end.

Yet a further special feature is the slight increase in the roof flanks extending on both sides from the A- all the way to the C-pillars along the entire length of the roof and referred to as the Dune Line. This gives the roofline a truly exciting, eye-catching “sweep” and raises the height of the car’s flank by approximately two centimetres. As a result, the proportions of the MINI Clubman are particularly smooth and well-balanced also from the side.

Like the classic Mini, the MINI is also available with contrasting colours on the roof – and indeed, this particular sign of distinction is of great significance on the MINI Clubman, where, apart from the roof, the C-pillars also come in the contrasting colour ordered by the customer to give the Splitdoor at the rear an additional optical effect. Ultimately this gives the car a very compact look at the rear and adds to its individual, unique appearance on the road.

MINI Convertible: consistently open, MINI all the way.

The open-air model of the brand is a genuine MINI but at the same time a truly unique character. The first new MINI Convertible was presented at the 2004 Geneva Motor Show three years after the closed MINI, but naturally with the same unmistakable design features. Apart from the soft roof combining the proportions typical of MINI when closed with a unique silhouette, the four-seater boasted a number of other features typical of a genuine Convertible. The waistline rising towards the end of the car, for example, was accentuated from the start by a chrome bar all round the vehicle, the steep windscreen was just as characteristic as the chrome-plated rollbar. And at the rear the boot lid opening downwards as well as the hinges at the outside offered further features reminiscent in their design of the classic Mini. The latest edition of the MINI Convertible experienced its first summer in 2016. 18 seconds suffice to combine the further enhanced driving fun in a MINI with the intense open-air feeling. This is facilitated in the new MINI by a fully-automated mechanism for opening the roof that is all-electric for the first time making it particularly low noise. There is now also a fully integrated rollbar.

Typically MINI – also in the premium compact segment.

Just as classical design features were transferred to a modern vehicle concept tailored to the requirements of the 21st century, the design so typical of the brand was also mapped onto the models of the premium compact segment. In 2010, the first MINI was presented with an exterior length of more than four metres, five doors and five seats. The MINI Countryman conquered new target groups across the world – with its unambiguous augmentation of versatility and the inimitable style of its design, making it a typical representative of the heritage British brand at first glance.

In the latest model generation, the MINI Clubman and the new edition of the MINI Countryman bring style typical of the brand into the premium compact segment. Reinterpreted and carefully enhanced, they also include typical MINI proportions, the characteristic three-way split between bodywork, window graphics and roof, the powerful stature underpinned by the wheels, and the unique details including the side scuttles, a large number of chrome elements, the hexagonal radiator grille and the large headlamps.

Dawn of a new era: The MINI Cooper SE.

As the first premium small car with all-electric drive, the new MINI Cooper SE also defines benchmarks for driving fun geared to the future in its design. It is based on the MINI 3 Door and differs from this with selective modifications and subtle differentiations from the conventionally powered models of the brand.

Powerful proportions, the horizontal vehicle structure, short overhangs and wheels positioned at the corners of the car characterise the appearance of the MINI Cooper SE. Precisely defined accents point to its future-proof drive system. The charging connection is positioned above the right-hand rear wheel and this is precisely where the tank nozzle is situated in the conventionally powered MINI 3 Door. An embossed MINI Electric Logo points to the difference in energy supply. Yellow versions of this logo also embellish the familiar side scuttles for the side indicators, the tailgate and the radiator grille. The central element of the vehicle’s front profile highlights the brand-typical hexagonal contour in the MINI Cooper SE, although it is shrouded owing to the low requirement of the electric motor for cooling air. A yellow trim bar on the grille and the wing-mirror caps finished in the same colour complete the model-specific design.

In the same way as the model-specific front grille, the essentially closed floorpan and the independent design of the rear apron contribute to the reduction of air resistance. The fact that the electrically powered MINI does not require an exhaust system, favours airflow in the floorpan and at the rear. An aerodynamically optimised surface is also highlighted by the optional 17-inch alloy wheels with an asymmetric design in the version MINI Electric Corona Spoke 2 Tone.

7.  The Revolutionary with the Drawing Pad.
Sir Alec Issigonis, the father of the classic mini.

He had already been successful with his own sports cars and he had been commissioned on a number of occasions to develop large saloons. But his favourite project, as Alec Issigonis made it quite clear, was the construction of a simple, extremely functional and very affordable small car. So when Issigonis, the Deputy Technical Director of the Austin Plant in Longbridge, was requested in late 1965 by Leonard Lord, the Chairman of British Motor Corporation (BMC), to develop a brand-new and truly innovative car, he was absolutely thrilled and knew exactly what he wanted.

The new car was to be smaller than all models built by BMC so far, but nevertheless offer sufficient space for four occupants and their luggage. A four-cylinder already built by the company was to provide the necessary power, while the driving characteristics and the all-round economy of the new small car were to set new standards. Considering this brief and the demanding requirements to be fulfilled, what Issigonis needed was no more and no less than an absolutely revolutionary new design – exactly the right job for him and his team.

Back then Alec Issigonis was 51 years old, a seasoned constructor and automotive engineer with an unconventional career and an exceptional approach to his work. At the time his contemporaries described him as an almost pedantic tinkerer and a passionate technician simply bursting with enthusiasm. Issigonis did not always do his designs on the drawing board in the construction office, but rather opted for paper napkins or the little drawing pad he always kept handy to present his ideas to his colleagues and staff members during lunch. Mathematics he regarded as the “enemy of every creative human being”, and with his wealth of ideas, his enthusiasm and his distaste for compromises he pushed his team forward to top performance time and again.

After just seven months: test drive in the prototype Mini.
Opting for front-wheel drive and the engine fitted crosswise at the front with the gearbox directly below, Issigonis right from the start created ideal conditions for excellent efficiency in the use of space. No less than 80 per cent of the space taken up by the Mini, what one might call the car’s “footprint” on the road, was exclusively for the passengers and their luggage. Overall length of the new car was 3.05 metres or 120.0", and the Mini might indeed have been even shorter. But Issigonis had exact ideas and intentions, which he presented to his team in a rather unusual manner: He had them cut through a model of the Mini right down the middle, then moving the two halves apart centimetre by centimetre. And when he finally cried out “stop!”, the Mini had reached its ideal length.

Just seven months after the official go-ahead, two prototypes of the new small car were ready to go. So Issigonis invited his boss Leonard Lord to a test drive he still recalled full of amusement years later: “We drove round the Plant, and I was really going like hell. I’m certain he was scared, but he was very impressed by the car’s roadholding. So when we stopped outside his office, he got out and simply said: ‘All right, build this car.’ ”

From this moment on the ongoing development of the Mini in becoming a genuine legend was unstoppable. And Issigonis had secured his position on the podium as one of the world’s most ingenious and influential automobile constructors. The master himself was a bit more reserved, making it quite clear that “I didn’t invent the Mini, I built it.”

Alec Issigonis: straight from a family thrilled by technology.

Alexander Arnold Constantine Issigonis was born in the Turkish town of Smyrna, today’s Izmir, as the son of a Briton of Greek origin and a mother from Bavaria, on 18 November 1906. He inherited his great interest in technology and machines from his father who, shortly after the turn of the century, ran a company for marine engine technology.

In 1922 the family was forced to flee to Malta when the Turkish state was established in very hectic turmoil. His father died on the island and his mother took him to England where, two years later, young Alec was finally able to drive his first car: a Weymann-bodied Singer in which he chauffeured his mother through Europe in 1925 in a “never-ending series of breakdowns”, as Issigonis recalled later. But it was precisely this unforgettable experience which, immediately upon returning back home, encouraged him to start a three-year course in mechanical engineering at Battersea Polytechnic in London.

Issigonis’ great talent for craftsmanship and his passion for designing and drawing new technical concepts proved barely sufficient at the time to set off his strong distaste of mathematical theory. So he just about managed his final exam, but did not qualify for ongoing studies at the college in Battersea. His obvious conclusion was to enter professional life as a technical draughtsman and salesman in a design office for automotive technology in London. Buying an Austin Seven from his first salary, he prepared the car for racing and entered his first event in March 1929. In the years to follow Issigonis developed his own monoposto in his spare time with design and construction features destined to later make him famous: the Lightweight Special was absolutely tiny, extremely light, but technically progressive – and successful. In 1934 Issigonis joined the design and construction team of Humber Ltd., the Coventry-based car maker, where he worked on the introduction of independent suspension. He proved so good at the job that Morris Motors recruited him themselves just two years later on account
of his skill in suspension development.

During the war Issigonis had no choice but to work on various military vehicles, which he nevertheless used as “guinea pigs” for technical innovations.

In 1941 Morris launched the Mosquito Project, a compact four-seater for the post-war era. And indeed, despite the most challenging conditions, Issigonis, reputed to be an all-out workaholic, and his the team had the first road-going prototype ready within three years. Precisely this model introduced as the Morris Minor in 1948 became the most successful car built by the brand in the post-war years.

When Morris and Austin Motor Company merged four years later to form British Motor Corporation, Issigonis no longer saw any perspectives for his creativity in future. So he started working for Alvis, with the intention to develop a luxury saloon. But with the project ultimately failing for financial reasons, BMC took Issigonis on again in 1955 as their Deputy Technical Director at the Austin Plant in Longbridge. Here Issigonis was to develop a number of new model series for the small, medium-sized and upmarket segments to secure the future of what was then Europe’s largest car maker. Since particularly the small car project was acknowledged as very urgent due to the Suez Crisis, the new model made its debut in 1959 as the Morris Mini-Minor and the Austin Seven. Large models only came later, with the four-door Morris 1100 midrange model entering the market three years later and the very spacious Austin 1800 in 1964.

Career and knighthood: honoured for his lifetime achievement.

The success of the classic Mini also gave worldwide fame to the car’s “father”. In 1961 Alec Issgonis, in his position as Technical Director, became a Board Member of Austin Motor Company, and two years later he was appointed to the Board of BMC. In 1967 he became a member of the Royal Society, the most renowned research society in Britain, and two years later the Queen knighted the father of the Mini. Sir Alec Issigonis retired in 1971, but remained an advisor to the company until 1987. One year later he died on 2 October, shortly before his 82nd birthday.

To this day this outstanding automotive engineer and constructor lives on in countless memories. And the market launch of the second generation of the Mini was indeed held exactly on 18 November 2006, the 100th birthday of the father of the classic Mini, in the honour of this great man.

8.   Made in England – then and now.
MINI Production between past And future.

The first Mini was an Austin Seven coming off the production line in Austin’s Longbridge Plant in Birmingham on 4 April 1959. The team of twins was subsequently completed five weeks later, the first Morris Mini-Minor leaving the Morris Plant in Oxford on 8 May. The two models were presented to the public together for the first time on 26 August 1959. Despite their different origin, the Austin Seven and the Morris Mini-Minor were virtually identical, the only distinctions on the outside being their radiator grilles, the wheel caps and body colours: The Austin Seven was available in Tartan Red, Speedwell Blue, and Farina Grey, the Morris Mini-Minor came in Cherry Red, Clipper Blue, and Old English White.

Production at the two plants continued for ten years with the model built in Longbridge bearing the name Austin Mini as of 1962. Plant Oxford, which had been building cars since 1913, built exactly 602, 817 units during this period, all of them the basic version of the four-seater. All other model variants ranging from the Mini Van through the Mini Pick-Up all the way to the Morris Mini-Traveller and Austin Seven Countryman were built in Longbridge. In 1969 all production activities were concentrated at the Longbridge Plant, with the model range being streamlined and Mini becoming the brand name for this revolutionary compact car. So the days of the twin brothers (or sisters?) were over once and for all.

A million cars in six years: the MINI repeats the rapid start of the classic Mini.

With the brand being re-positioned in 2001 under the guidance of the
BMW Group and production of the modern MINI starting as planned, it was only obvious that MINI had to move back to Oxford, the plant so rich in tradition thus once again becoming the starting point for a genuine revolution in the small car market. And like the classic Mini, the MINI made a remarkable start into the market exceeding all expectations: within just six years, Plant Oxford built no less than a million units of the MINI. This was indeed just as long as the classic Mini had taken to exceed the one-million mark, but back then production was still at two plants.

After 41 years and a production volume of more than 5.3 million units, the last classic Mini left Plant Longbridge on 4 October 2000. Since the decision to build the modern MINI in Oxford had already been taken half a year before, only nine months remained from then on to the start of MINI pre-production and just 13 months to the start of actual series production. Clearly, therefore, the roughly 2,500 employees in Oxford at the time and their colleagues from BMW Plant Regensburg supporting the modernisation process faced a great challenge and a truly tight timetable in making this new start into the market.

MINI production in Oxford according to the strict quality standards of the BMW Group.

The BMW Group had already invested some £ 280 million in the Rover Plant in Oxford back in 1996/1997, thoroughly modernising the Bodyshop and Final Assembly. Another project also completed back then was a state-of-the-art Paintshop, at the time the second-largest construction project in Great Britain following the Millennium Dome. And now this was followed by further investments amounting to some £ 230 million serving to modernise and re-structure the plant.

All this made Oxford one of the most modern car production plants in the world, boasting cutting-edge technology specifically for the production of the MINI. No less than 229 production robots were installed at the time to build the body-in-white, with a laser measuring system serving to check the body of the MINI down to a precision of no less than 0.05 millimetres. The Paintshop was likewise custom-built for the requirements of MINI production, not only allowing very precise and environmentally friendly application of the paint, but also providing the contrasting paint finish on the roof so typical of the MINI Cooper.

Oxford also became the first European car production plant to make exclusive use of electrical tools in final assembly, while the KISS (Core Production Integrating Management System) serves to fully automate communication in the production process by using the most advanced information technology. In this process the complete production of each individual model is electronically documented from the body-in-white all the way to final assembly, again ensuring that every MINI complies with the supreme quality standards of the BMW Group.

Team work for premium quality: The MINI Production Triangle.
When production of the new edition of the MINI was launched in autumn of 2006, the production facilities in Oxford (Bodyshop, Paintshop and Assembly), Swindon (Pressings) and Hams Hall (Engine Production) were integrated in the MINI Production Triangle for the first time. Body panels have been produced in Swindon, some 70 kilometres west of Oxford, since 1954. Today, pre-assembled body components such as lids and doors for the MINI Bodyshop are manufactured at Plant Oxford. Since 2001, the plant at Hams Hall near Birmingham has been the BMW Group’s Competence Centre for the production of four-cylinder petrol engines with a capacity of up to 2.0 litres. The plant delivers petrol engines directly to Oxford – just in time and just in sequence, that is at exactly the right time and in the right sequence for final assembly.

After 60 years: Ten million MINIs produced.

Capacity that started in 2001 as 300 vehicles manufactured each day has now increased to production output of around 1 000 units per day. Every 67 seconds, a workforce of 4 500 employees manufactures a MINI – each one of them is an ambassador for its idea, its country and its zest for life. In 2019, 60 years of the brand’s existence was celebrated in Oxford alongside a landmark production anniversary. The ten millionth vehicle of the brand rolled off the assembly line at the traditional site with an illustrious heritage: a MINI 3 Door from the 60 Years Edition.

Since 2000, the BMW Group has invested more than two billion pounds sterling in its production facilities in the United Kingdom. Recently, final assembly was expanded at the MINI Plant Oxford and a new paintshop was built. The latest investments have been channelled into the MINI Cooper SE. From November 2019, the first all-electric powered model manufactured by the brand will be produced at the MINI Plant Oxford.

Global growth strategy: Expansion of production capacities.

The models MINI 3 Door, MINI 5 Door and MINI Clubman are currently being produced at the MINI Plant Oxford. In order to take account of the continuous increase in demand, the BMW Group reached a decision in 2014 on contracted-out production of MINI models at the contract producer VDL Nedcar based in Born, Netherlands. MINI is therefore the only automaker to have series vehicles produced under contract manufacture in the Netherlands. The BMW Group benefits from the logistically advantageous location of the VDL Nedcar plant in the Born and its proximity to the British production triangle with locations in Oxford, Swindon and Hams Hall. The MINI Convertible and MINI Countryman models currently roll off the assembly line in Born.

In addition, the BMW Group and Chinese automobile manufacturer Great Wall concluded a joint-venture agreement in 2018. This covers a number of areas including the production of all-electric powered MINI vehicles for the Chinese market. A joint manufacturing facility is also scheduled for construction in the Chinese province of Jiangsu.

9.   Individualists united!
MINI fans are networked worldwide.

An active and truly versatile fan community all around the classic Mini was already established in the United Kingdom Great Britain, the home country of the classic Mini, way back in the 1960s. Right from the start, fans expressed their common interest in the car and the brand by exchanging knowledge and experience all about the Mini and its technical features. Due to the charming character of this small compact car, owners of a classic Mini strongly identified right from the start with both their car and the brand, sharing this enthusiasm in joint drive-aways and regular Mini meetings, with clubs originally organised on a local basis spreading wider and wider to bring together large regions.

A dynamic club scene also developed quite early on in Germany, gaining additional momentum through the re-launch of the brand and the introduction of the MINI. In the meantime, thousands of members are organised throughout Germany in more than 100 classic Mini communities and more than 50 MINI Clubs. Through their wide range of activities, these enthusiasts act as authentic ambassadors of the brand and competent partners for new fans of both the classic Mini and the MINI. Furthermore, MINI enthusiasts joined together to share activities in lots of other countries. The international MINI Community is a phenomenon without parallel in the world of the automobile. MINI owners are individualists and this is reflected in the styling and equipment of their vehicles geared to personal style. At the same time, they have much in common and this is expressed in exceptionally communicative engagement with each other and in enthusiasm for technology, motor sport, lifestyle and design.

MINI enthusiasts come together – online and in the street.

The Community became increasingly international with the general spread of modern means of communication. Upon the introduction of the MINI into the market in 2001, the brand was positioned with the same standard philosophy and spirit for the first time worldwide in all relevant markets. Above all, use of the internet had enhanced the options to interact across national borders and continents. Members of national MINI online communities foster contact with similar clubs throughout the world on the World Wide Web.

As in the past, real-life meetings which, thanks to the use of many communication channels and the support of MINI have taken on impressive dimensions, are naturally still among the highlights of all activities. In 2005, for example, MINI Germany, together with the national classic Mini and MINI Clubs, organised the first national meeting in Germany for fans of the brand. Back then more than 2,500 participants travelled to the National Meeting, heading for the Loreley Plateau on the River Rhine, where they enjoyed a highly entertaining programme with MINI Driver Training, a Design Workshop, meetings with Mike Cooper and rally legend Rauno Aaltonen, as well as the presentation of new versions of the MINI. A second meeting at the Hildesheim Aerodrome in 2008 proved even more successful, at least in terms of participation, with twice as many MINI enthusiasts from all over Germany attending the event.

The national and international activities in the British club scene are even more spectacular. In 1999, for example, more than 50,000 visitors attended the International Meeting in Goodwood celebrating the 40th birthday of the brand. In 2007 269 cars driving through Blackpool formed the longest MINI convoy the world has ever seen. Indeed, this unique parade was promptly entered in the Guinness Book of Records, breaking the former record set up by the MINI Club in Vancouver, Canada, when 195 cars had formed a similar convoy. The brand’s 50th birthday was celebrated at the MINI United Festival on the Formula 1 race track at Silverstone in Britain in 2009. Tens of thousands of fans enjoyed a varied mix somewhere between a lifestyle party and music festival, show programme and motor-sport action.

International Mini Meeting: Meeting point for fans of the British original for more than 40 years.

As a supplement to the market-specific activities in a large number of countries, the International Mini Meeting (IMM) has been held for the past 41 years. The IMM was launched on an initiative by German fans of the classic Mini. It was held for the first time in 1978 and since then it has developed into the world’s biggest annual event for the owners and friends of the classic Mini. Meanwhile, Mini Clubs in various European countries have taken on the role of host. At intervals of five years, the British homeland of the classic Mini and the MINI is the showplace for the IMM.

The focus of attention is always enthusiasm for the classic Mini and its exceptional history since 1959. The event is one of the highlights in the calendar of the international Mini Club scene. The participants undertake journeys over hundreds or even thousands of kilometres in order to present their lovingly maintained classic Mini or individually styled MINI to other enthusiasts, and to enjoy the togetherness experience of an exceptionally active community.

Happy invasion: MINI Takes The States.

Since 2006, MINI has been conquering the USA every two years. The rally MINI Takes The States is a happy invasion by thousands of MINI fans with their vehicles. They take part in a fun-loving and exciting tour over some 4 000 kilometres across the United States with lots of stops at famous sights and in major cities where MINI drivers present their vehicles, meet up at informal get-togethers and the massive convoy of varied classic Minis and MINIs continues to grow. The journey takes drivers along carefully selected routes and through some beautiful scenic countryside.

Apart from pure driving fun and the community event, the rally is also all about social engagement. A substantial portion of the starting fee is transferred to the aid organisation Feeding America, which provides meals free of charge for needy Americans. At the MINI Takes The States rally, which travelled from Portland in the far North West and Orlando in the South East to the meeting point at
Keystone / Colorado in the Rocky Mountains during the summer of 2018, donations for around 1.1 million meals were collected. The next MINI Takes The States Event will be held in 2020.

10. The car for all classes with
the qualities of a star.
MINI as a member of society.

Alec Issigonis saw the Mini from the start as a car for everybody – for all kinds of drivers and all social classes. He therefore sought, through the car he had created, to solve the everyday problems of individual mobility. With this in mind, the compact and economical Mini was exactly the right answer for increasingly dense traffic in the inner city and for the concerns at the time about the reduction of oil supplies following the Suez Crisis.

But soon it became clear that the Mini was much, much more. Its concept alone was so convincing that the car was seen and acknowledged as a trendsetter. Its sporting qualities made the Mini a genuine winner, its charming design made it incredibly popular throughout the population. So suddenly the Mini had become
a genuine cult, its innovative and non-conformist character perfectly reflecting the spirit of the 1960s, at a time when progressive concepts, the thrill of adventure, and even a certain lack of respect versus conventional values dominated the world. This was a car quite different from others but nevertheless offering more and providing even more fun – exactly the right car at the right time. Very quickly, therefore, fashion creators, musicians and other artists were captivated by the unique style of the Mini, stars discovering the qualities of the car and the world recognising the qualities of the Mini as a star itself.

Launched in 2001, the new MINI, a truly unique car just as popular and charming right from the beginning, quickly established a large, and, in particular, widespread fan community. All over the world, numerous celebrities now enjoy the agile driving pleasure offered by this modern and nimble performer. No surprise, therefore, that the MINI has already starred as the “leading car” in many Hollywood films. And it is also no surprise that the MINI is to be found in the private fleets of many famous actors, musicians, fashion designers and other stars in show business, society and sport.

Supported by the Queen herself.

The classic Mini quickly gained the reputation of a car for everybody on all levels of society. While Issigonis still regarded practical and economically-minded families seeking sensible mobility at low cost as his target group, he was also aiming at all levels of society as potential drivers of the Mini. Lord Snowdon, a good friend of Alec Issigonis, deserves the honour to have introduced the classic Mini into the society in London. One of the first owners of this small classic and completely thrilled by the car’s compact dimensions and excellent handling, Lord Snowdon soon became a common sight driving speedily through the British capital. As the husband of Princess Margaret, he obviously used his muscle, making sure that in 1960 Issigonis had the opportunity to present his small car to nobody else but his sister-in-law, Queen Elizabeth herself. So when the Queen took her seat next to Issigonis in the Mini, enjoying a lap through the big park of Windsor Castle, the classic Mini had really made a Royal breakthrough.

In the years to come the classic Mini became a genuine scene car particularly in Great Britain, gaining growing popularity throughout all levels of society, in all age groups, and with all nationalities. Time and again, prominent artists gave further momentum to the great reputation of this small performer. Fashion designers Paul Smith and Mary Quant discovered their love for the Mini, stars in the pop and rock scene such as The Beatles, Eric Clapton and David Bowie expressed a clear pledge to this small athlete from Britain.

Trends destined to soon influence not only the fashion, art or music scene worldwide, but also the world of politics and society, came out in full power from Swinging London in the 1960s. Paul Smith, who, among other achievements, became Britain’s most famous designer of men’s fashion by combining classic designs with modern, in many cases very bright and almost screaming colours, even created a limited Special Edition of the Mini in the 1990s. A unique, one-off Mini boasting paintwork created by Smith in his typical multi-colour stripe livery became at least as popular as this special series, even though it was built only once.

Mary Quant, the style icon of British women’s fashion and the inventor of the mini-skirt, was also inspired by the classic Mini. Shortly after she received her driver’s licence, she ordered a black Mini and later created her own Special Edition characterised by features such as the seat upholstery in black-and-white stripes. And she was just as thrilled by the new MINI: “A really fashionable, happy and smiling car”.

“Keep on Running!” – the Mini and rock’n’roll.

The British music scene in the 1960s had the same broad impact as the British world of fashion, musicians from Britain presenting that unique and unmistakable British style in truly revolutionary songs. And with the Mini offering very similar style and character, the stars were obviously thrilled by the new car. So bands like The Beatles, The Who or The Spencer Davis Group as ambassadors of a new British culture gaining growing popularity the world over also helped to promote the Mini and its unique image.

The legends and stories all about the Mini and its role as a means of transport for the stars remain fascinating to this very day. In 1964, for example, John Lennon ordered a Mini although at the time he did not even have a driver’s licence. His colleague George Harrison lent his Mini to Eric Clapton in 1967 and only got it back three years later. And the story about Spencer Davis is that he wrote the biggest hit his band ever had while driving through the night in the rainy Scottish Highlands on an almost empty tank. That was when, looking at the fuel gauge, only one thought went through his mind: “Keep on Running!”

In 1966, the Beach Boys from California in the US took their surfer sound on an international tour and posed in front of a Mini Moke in the United Kingdom. The picture of the Californian musicians and the beach buggy emblazoned with the name of the band went all over the world. At around the same time, American band The Monkees reached the peak of its popularity. A photo from this era shows guitarist and singer Michael Nesmith together with his wife Phyllis looking out through the folding roof of a Mini into the camera directed towards the couple from above.

Roll the film: the classic Mini takes care of the “Italian Job” and is later followed by the MINI.

Nobody knows how often the classic Mini served in films and television as a means of transport or as the star in the background. It is to be admired, at any rate, in the 1966 cult classic “Blow Up” and of course in countless TV and cinema appearances by comedian Rowan Atkinson better known as Mr Bean. A Mini Moke even starred in the James Bond thriller “Live and Let Die”. In 1973, Roger Moore embarked on a wild car chase in the beach buggy during his first appearance as agent 007. The classic Mini is also one of the very few British small cars ever to play a leading role in the cinema, for example in the 1969 classic “The Italian Job” starring Michael Caine. The whole film virtually revolves around only one subject, a wild pursuit through Torino with three Mini Coopers. No surprise, therefore, that immediately after the film had premiered Rover launched a special series of classic Minis finished like the film stars themselves and proudly bearing the title of the film. “The Italian Job” came back to the silver screen no less than 34 years later, this time starring Charlize Theron and Mark Wahlberg in the new version from Hollywood, presenting the story of a spectacular gold robbery in even more powerful and dramatic style. When “casting” the four-wheeled stars in the film the producer’s and director’s choice – obviously! – was to go for the new MINI Cooper S now able to present its agility and sporting performance not only on the streets of Los Angeles, but even below the streets of the city.

A year earlier the MINI Cooper had already shown its qualities as the ideal car for wild pursuits in the agents’ comedy “Goldmember”. In choosing the stars for his production, script writer and leading actor Mike Myers had picked not only an unusual line-up of Hollywood stars – ranging from Steven Spielberg to Tom Cruise, Michael Caine, Robert Wagner, Gwyneth Paltrow, Kevin Spacey, John Travolta and all the way to Beyoncé Knowles and Ozzy Osborne – but also six MINI Coopers in Union Jack livery. In the meantime, the MINI Convertible has also made its way to Hollywood, winning over the hearts of movie-goers once and for all in the year 2007. This was in the comedy “The Heartbreak Kid”, in which Malin Akerman and Ben Stiller went on their honeymoon journey in a MINI Convertible. Obviously, on the way this open four-seater became the scene for all kinds of wonderful debates and amusing stories involving the newly-wed on their trip together. A Hollywood career is also being pursued by the latest MINI generation. Four MINI Cooper S 3 Door models appeared in the science fiction comedy “PIXELS” driven by the main protagonists Adam Sandler, Peter Dinklage, Denis Akiyama and Josh Gad, with the aim of protecting the world against invaders from outer space in the form of video-game characters.

11. Small car, great show.
MINI Marketing.

The MINI always hits the headlines wherever it appears – even before a new model is introduced into the market. Innovative marketing campaigns always good for a surprise and generating great appeal present both the MINI brand and the individual models with their full impact.

MINI marketing uses an exceptionally wide range of communication channels to establish close contacts with potential target groups. Supplementing classic activities in print media, on the radio and television, MINI’s marketing experts developed innovative online activities right from the start tailored precisely to the modern, trend-minded and technology-oriented user of the world wide web and taking the options of interactive communication with the public into account. This approach empowers MINI to continuously generate new momentum in automobile construction and in the world of marketing.

The classic Mini – the “Most Exciting Car in the World”.

Innovative, self-confident, charming: right from the start the classic Mini clearly presented its exceptional character not only on the road, but also in a close dialogue with the public. From the early years classic marketing concepts were used consistently to present the special features of this revolutionary small car in truly convincing style. With a twinkle in the eye, even the very first sales brochures emphasised that the whole world had been waiting for the “Incredible Austin Seven”, the letter “v” in “Seven” being replaced by the number “7”. And the Austin’s sister model, the Morris Mini-Minor, was presented just as proudly as the “Most Exciting Car in the World”.

The Mini marketing experts also kept a close eye on the worldwide success of television, carefully using this new media also for the Mini. Special TV commercials were therefore produced for various purposes in the market, in all cases emphasising selected facets of the Mini’s character and naturally considering the cultural context of the local public. Whether as the perfect solution for congested traffic in downtown Paris or as the ideal means of transport to the beach in Australia – the Mini was always presented as the right car at the right place. Even in a cartoon it proudly presented its superiority, full of humour and again with that famous tongue-in-cheek style.

Making a new start with innovative ideas.

The re-launch of the brand in 2001 also marked a new beginning in marketing carefully prepared in parallel to the development of the car as such. The main challenge was to establish MINI as the first premium brand in the small car segment, with MINI to be positioned worldwide as a unique and fully independent brand in its own right – a brand revolving around the concept of enthusiasm and thrilling lifestyle.

These principles of brand management remain unchanged to this day, with the MINI characterised by its outstanding product substance and progressive technology, emotional design and agile driving behaviour as well as almost unlimited options in customising the car. A further significant point is finding the right balance of continuity of a brand now going back 60 years and its innovative capacities. Introducing the MINI, customers the world over for the first time had the opportunity to experience premium qualities in a small car. These outstanding qualities and features are indeed to be found in every model made by the brand, at the same time distinguishing MINI clearly from the competition. The same applies to the brand’s appearance in public, where all marketing tools follow a unique, consistently recognisable style. Graphic elements, colours, the language of pictures and the MINI concept conveyed in words and pictures are clearly defined. MINI is refreshingly different. Through its openness and self-confidence, the brand gains great acceptance, through its appearance it arouses curiosity
and appeal.

To arouse the attention of the target group in mind right from the start prior to the market launch of the MINI, the responsible marketing experts have been taking a new approach in communication from the beginning. The magazine “MINI international”, for example, regularly portrays selected cities around the globe, focusing on their particularly creative inhabitants. Apart from classic communication, other innovative forms of communication such as “guerrilla marketing” have always been implemented right from the start. In 2000, MINI
was the first car brand to use the internet not only as an information source, but also as a positioning medium.

Always good for a surprise: Creative campaigns with powerful impact.

In 2013, the brand continued the tradition of unconventional and humorous promotions in a broad range of communication channels with the campaign to promote the market launch of the new MINI. The launch campaign kicks off centred around elaborately produced TV commercials. Tongue-in-cheek stories showcase the unique driving fun offered by the brand as well as the powerful emotional bond established between drivers and their MINI. A familiar co-star with the fans of the brand will appear alongside the brand new MINI: the English Bulldog Spike. Individual lifestyle, enthusiasm for driving fun, innovative technology and a sense of quirkiness are highlighted in the TV commercial, which is shot with various endings. On his first trip in the new MINI, bulldog Spike gets to know and appreciate all the main strengths of the newest member of the British small car family.

The MINI Design Team also created a sensation with some exceptional happenings at Milan’s Salone del Mobile in 2013. Das MINI Design Team staged the MINI Paceman as a dynamic sculpture. The MINI KAPOOOW! installation was conceived in two parts in which the MINI Paceman broke through spatial boundaries and experienced a transformation of materials and forms. Athletic agility empowered the MINI Paceman to make the leap into a universe where colours and materials undergo transformation and open up unimaginable experiential spaces. The first phase showed the rear end of the MINI Paceman as a highly dynamic sculpture. It was presented as a chrome-plated authentic vehicle and then began to undergo metamorphosis. The individual parts of the vehicle appeared to fly apart. In the second phase, the MINI Paceman broke through a boundary in the middle of the space. In this new dimension, the vehicle changed its original form and the front end became an idea made of paper. The material of paper was presented as a metaphor for “prototyping” in the creative process.

Powered by a sustainable drivetrain through North, Central and South America: With the MINI Cooper S E Countryman ALL4 on the Panamericana.

The Panamericana is one of the last big automobile adventures. In 2018, three models of the MINI Cooper S E Countryman ALL4$ with plug-in hybrid drives took on an intercontinental road trip along the world’s longest north-south road route in order to prove just how tough sustainability can be. The journey along the historic dream route – 17 000 kilometres from Dallas in the US State of Texas to Tierra del Fuego, Argentina – took them through different climate zones, across dense jungle and over challenging high-altitude mountain passes. Along with well-built highways, the three plug-in-hybrid models also had to contend with parts of the route network comprising dirt tracks and narrow mountain passes.

In 2018, the spectacular feat showcased MINI and the qualities of the electric power unit in those countries where awareness of sustainable mobility is only coming slowly to the fore. At the same time, these countries are being particularly affected by the consequences of climate change.

12. Inspiring Character.
MINI lifestyle and special editions.

Creating something very special on the basis of a car already very special – this is the hallmark of the special editions, limited editions and one-off showpieces built time and again in the last sixty years first on the basis of the classic Mini and then on the basis of the new MINI. This is not surprising, considering that this unique small car has fascinated and inspired artists in all disciplines time and again, fashion designers and painters as well as actors and musicians showing their creativity in designing and creating very special versions of the brand.

No other car has become the object of art and fashion as often and in the same diversity as the classic Mini and the MINI. Indeed, specialists discovered the potential of the classic Mini very early on, adorning the car both outside and inside with exclusive special features tailored to individual customer requests.
On behalf of affluent and prominent customers, they therefore created spectacular special models enhancing the cult status of the Mini to an even higher level.

Mini in noble style: the Wickerwork Look.

British actor Peter Sellers was one of the first celebrities thrilled by the Mini and seeking to live out their sense for exclusive style. So giving the originally rather spartan small car particular sophisticated features within the interior and finishing the body in wickerwork design, Sellers promptly started a new trend. Indeed, this design later thrilled Rainier of Monaco to such an extent that he also had a classic Mini built in wickerwork trim as his own very special toy.

Other special versions of the classic Mini likewise remained unique, one-off models being built for many years to the individual taste of their future owners. In fact, it was only in the 1970s that Mini had the idea to offer Special Editions straight from the factory in response to frequent requests for a truly exclusive model. The first car of this kind, the Mini Limited Edition 1000, immediately proved a success in 1976. On its 25th birthday in 1984, the Mini for the first time appeared as an Anniversary Model, with further Anniversary Models then following every five years until production of the classic Mini finally ceased in
the year 2000.

Silver and gold on the car’s 40th birthday.

In the last few years of its production life, the classic Mini again attracted great attention on the part of creative artists. In 1997, for example, British fashion designer Paul Smith created a one-off model boasting unmistakable stripe livery.

A year later Smith designed a Special Edition Mini standing out both through its brilliant blue paintwork and straightforward elegance within the interior.

Celebrating its 40th birthday, the Mini became the subject of passion among an illustrious group of artists, each giving this forever-young small performer their very own, truly unique design look. Super-model Kate Moss, for example, who had already been driving a classic Mini in London for a long time, opted for a cobweb motif, while pop icon Davie Bowie had a Mini manufactured all in chrome and
with reflecting glass surfaces. On the road, however, Bowie decided to stick to his regular production model he had bought only recently: “When it comes to parking the Mini is like a sandwich when you feel hungry – it is a perfectly designed classic”. Actor Michael Caine, to quote another example, gave his black Mini a
gold bar look alluding to the successful film “The Italian Job” in which Caine was involved in three Mini Coopers used to transport gold in one of the most spectacular pursuits in the history of the cinema.

A hit right from the start: the new MINI inspires pop musicians.

After the re-launch of the brand, the MINI again attracted the attention of fashion designers and many other artists almost over night. Celebrating the market launch of the MINI, the musicians of Jamiroquai created a one-off showpiece of the new MINI, Jay Kay, the group’s singer and a thrilled fan of stylish cars, adorning the MINI, among other features, with the group’s logo on its doors and bonnet as well as the name “Jamiromini”.

In one of her music videos, Madonna had a MINI Cooper converted for offroad use, the car giving up its doors but instead receiving offroad tyres and camouflage paintwork. Highlighting the start of sales of the first-generation MINI Convertible in 2004, designers at Bisazza, the Italian lifestyle label, had the idea to present this open four-seater in a dress made of tiny mosaic stones. Indeed, no less than three MINI Cooper S Convertibles as well as two fixed-roof models received this magnificent look in individual style and colours, with more than 30,000 glass stones used on each car.

MINI, fashion, and charity: showing social commitment at the Life Ball.

Joining forces with renowned artists, MINI has been committed for twelve years to the largest charity event in Europe, the Life Ball held annually in Vienna and generating revenues for national and international aids care projects. The event thus serves to support projects committed to enlightenment, medical research, and the treatment of HIV patients. Contributing to these projects, every year MINI has presented a special one-off model from the current portfolio finished in unique style by fashion designers.

The succession of Life Ball cars started just a few months after the official market launch of the new MINI with a car covered entirely by red fabric. A year later a MINI One proudly bearing the autographs of numerous celebrities made its appearance at the Life Ball. Since 2003, major fashion designers have given the MINI their special touch. The first of these designers was Angelo Missoni adorning a MINI Cooper with countless flower motifs. In 2004 Gianfranco Ferré gave a red MINI Convertible a truly impressive crocodile look, with a MINI Cooper Convertible in Donatella Versace’s exclusive blossom look following in 2005, its interior also highlighting that typical Versace style, with gold-coloured seams on the black leather seats and Swarovski crystals on the gearshift lever.

In 2006 another MINI Cooper Convertible made its appearance on stage at the Life Ball Gala in Vienna, this time in the trendy jeans look of the Diesel fashion label. And the 2008 Life Ball MINI, finally, proudly came in the provocative pin-up look of lingerie label Agent Provocateur. In 2013, Roberto and Eva Cavalli unveiled the Life Ball MINI 2013 refined by fashion designer Cavalli. Since 2002 the cars provided by MINI have been auctioned after the Life Ball Gala, with proceeds going to aids projects.

Architectural solutions for urban worlds of living: MINI defines life in the city.

“Creative Use of Space” lies at the core of the MINI brand. As early as 1959, the classic Mini offered an ingenious solution for one of the most pressing problems of that era – urban mobility at an affordable price. The solution was a vehicle that made the most of its potential and provided maximum driving fun on a minimal traffic footprint. The classic Mini demonstrated that even a small car can be exceptionally exciting and it went on to influence urban mobility for generations to come. Today, one of the biggest challenges in major cities is finding attractive and affordable living space. Once again, the solution here is: “Creative Use of Space”. Since 2016, the brand has used its initiative MINI LIVING to demonstrate how this principle can be transferred to urban living space. MINI LIVING adopts
a creative approach to the challenge in large cities – and presents architectural solutions for urban living worlds of the future.

MINI has joined forces with Chinese property developer NOVA Property Investment Co. to create the world’s first MINI LIVING building in Shanghai. The project is based on an innovative co-living concept. MINI is creating a vibrant urban neighbourhood out of a group of six buildings right at the centre of the city. This was previously a disused industrial complex in an upcoming part of the city’s famous Jing’An district. An urban hotspot is rising out of a former paint factory with lots of space for working, networking and living. The project is developing apartments of different sizes for singles, flat shares or families to rent on a short, medium or long-term basis. Anything that does not fit into the apartments themselves, whether this relates to activities or facilities, can take place or be accommodated in the community spaces. Generous lobbies, exhibition areas and a food court are an invitation to linger and spend time relaxing. The package is completed by gardens, play areas, shops and restaurants that will also be accessible to the general public. The idea of MINI LIVING is that sharers will get more out of life – to the advantage of the residents and the entire city. Digital booking of services complements the package. For example, the residents can make restaurant reservations, order food, or call up room cleaning and service, and book vehicles for shared use. MINI LIVING is demonstrating an intelligent approach to space and is also developing new opportunities for individual and at the same time communal life in the city.

13. A Question of Style.
THE MINI Lifestyle collection.

Driving fun in the MINI is fascinating. But the unique feeling so typical of the MINI goes much, much further. And to express his or her passion for unmistakable style also off the road, the genuine enthusiast will find lots of options in the MINI Lifestyle Collection. This unique Collection comprises fashion, jewellery, accessories and lots of lifestyle products which make it easier not only for the MINI driver to clearly express his or her individual style. Technology, innovation, fun and quality are the primary features offered by the MINI Lifestyle Collection. And like the MINI model range, the MINI Lifestyle Collection is constantly growing and becoming increasingly versatile. New models and new lifestyle products, therefore, enable the connoisseur to enjoy the typical feeling of MINI in a growing number of situations.

On its route in becoming an international best seller in all classes and on all levels of society, the classic Mini in its day already inspired the world of fashion time and again. Renowned designers created individual, one-off models with exceptional body paintwork and interior features. In the 1970s the Mini finally proceeded from the garage to the houses of its fans everywhere – as a miniature model for the children’s room or as a collector’s item for the display cabinet.

Introducing the MINI, the Company also decided to start the unique MINI Lifestyle Collection. And from the beginning, this exclusive line-up of outstanding products was characterised by stylish, cosmopolitan and highly appealing as well as truly surprising details. The MINI Lifestyle Collection takes up the latest exciting trends time and again, continuing and enhancing these trends in the typical style of the brand.

MINI all the way: imaginative, versatile, unmistakable.

In their drafts for the MINI Lifestyle Collection, the most outstanding designers focus not only on the latest fashion trends, but also on the design language and lines of the various MINI models. Indeed, the cars also set the foundation for the various products through their colours and materials, helping to create a product portfolio typical of the brand and truly versatile in every respect, and constantly introducing new ideas to remain absolutely unique. Yet a further highlight in
the current range is the John Cooper Works Collection comprising both fashion products and accessories as an expression of the brand’s sporting spirit also beyond the race track.

The MINI Lifestyle Collection: starring at fashion events and on the cinema screen.

The MINI Lifestyle Collection has already become a highlight in the fashion scene and is to be admired regularly at the most outstanding fashion events. One of these events is the renowned BREAD & BUTTER fashion show in Barcelona, where the MINI Lifestyle Collection has already been presented on various occasions. Other, comparable events likewise provide the ideal setting time and again for the MINI brand. Like the MINI itself, the products in the MINI Lifestyle Collection have also made it to the cinema screen, with numerous performances in many productions. The MINI Cuckoo Clock and the MINI Baby Racer, for example, played important roles in the Disney production Lily the Witch – the Dragon and the Magical Book. Together with the leading female star Alina Freund, the animated dragon Hector showed his great interest in the MINI Lifestyle Collection in this cinema production of the famous children’s book. In particular he loved the MINI Baby Racer that enabled him to get around in fast and furious style.

MINI Feeling everywhere – the current MINI Lifestyle Collection.

A clearly defined language of form, inimitable design and high-quality materials are the hallmark of the current MINI Lifestyle Collection 2018–2020. It offers a diverse selection of products that make the complex everyday routine simpler, more enriched or enhanced, and they embody the essence of the MINI brand – even beyond the vehicles themselves. The collection includes more than 100 items and encompasses clothing through accessories, bags and luggage to articles for children and mobility products.

The visual profile of the MINI Lifestyle Collection 2018-2020 features two new impressive accent colours “Island” and “Coral”. The contemporary shade of blue “Island” melds with the exterior colour of “Island Blue” from the current MINI Countryman. The bright shade of red “Coral” provides the ideal hue to complement this livery and defines a fresh accent. The two accent colours are a perfect foil in interplay with the basic colours of Black, White and Grey.

The product selection of the current MINI Lifestyle Collection ranges from the popular logo T-shirts, polo shirts and sweatshirts, through the MINI Logo Patch Sweatshirt Kids with practical kangaroo pocket and caps, to bags and suitcases of different sizes. Then there are also stylish accessories such as umbrellas, Bluetooth Speakers, watches, sunglasses and travel mugs, the MINI Cloth-Bound Notebook, the MINI Fountain Pen and the MINI Tea Maker. The range for younger MINI fans includes the MINI Bulldog and the MINI Puzzle Set. Juniors can experience different versions of driving fun with the MINI Pull Toy Car, the remote-controlled MINI Countryman RC and the MINI Tricycle. In addition, the MINI 60 Years Lifestyle Collection was created in celebration of the landmark anniversary, including special designer items in the style of the British brand.

All products in the MINI Lifestyle Collection are marketed worldwide through the MINI dealer network.

^{Die Angaben zu Kraftstoffverbrauch, CO2-Emissionen, Stromverbrauch und Reichweite werden nach dem vorgeschriebenen Messverfahren VO (EU) 2007/715 in der jeweils geltenden Fassung ermittelt. Die Angaben beziehen sich auf ein Fahrzeug in Basisausstattung in Deutschland, die Spannbreiten berücksichtigen Unterschiede in der gewählten Rad- und Reifengröße und der optionalen Sonderausstattung und können sich während der Konfiguration verändern.}

^{Die Angaben sind bereits auf Basis des neuen WLTP-Testzyklus ermittelt und zur Vergleichbarkeit auf NEFZ zurückgerechnet. Bei diesen Fahrzeugen können für die Bemessung von Steuern und anderen fahrzeugbezogenen Abgaben, die (auch) auf den CO2-Ausstoß abstellen, andere als die hier angegebenen Werte gelten.}

^{Weitere Informationen zum offiziellen Kraftstoffverbrauch und den offiziellen spezifischen CO2-Emissionen neuer Personenkraftwagen können dem 'Leitfaden über den Kraftstoffverbrauch, die CO2-Emissionen und den Stromverbrauch neuer Personenkraftwagen' entnommen werden, der an allen Verkaufsstellen, bei der Deutschen Automobil Treuhand GmbH (DAT), Hellmuth-Hirth-Str. 1, 73760 Ostfildern-Scharnhausen, und unter https://www.dat.de/co2/ unentgeltlich erhältlich ist.}

Bitte wenden Sie sich bei Rückfragen an:
Presse- und Öffentlichkeitsarbeit

Matthias Bode, Pressesprecher Produktkommunikation MINI
Telefon: +49-89-382-61742, Fax: +49-89-382-28567
E-Mail: matthias.bode@mini.com

Andreas Lampka, Leiter Kommunikation MINI
Telefon: +49- 89-382-23662, Fax: +49 89-382-28567
E-Mail: andreas.lampka@mini.com

^{Die BMW Group
Die BMW Group ist mit ihren Marken BMW, MINI, Rolls-Royce und BMW Motorrad der weltweit führende Premium-Hersteller von Automobilen und Motorrädern und Anbieter von Premium-Finanz- und Mobilitätsdienstleistungen. Das BMW Group Produktionsnetzwerk umfasst 30 Produktions- und Montagestätten in 14 Ländern; das Unternehmen verfügt über ein globales Vertriebsnetzwerk mit Vertretungen in über 140 Ländern.
Im Jahr 2018 erzielte die BMW Group einen weltweiten Absatz von mehr als 2.490.000 Automobilen und über 165.000 Motorrädern. Das Ergebnis vor Steuern im Geschäftsjahr 2018 belief sich auf 9,815 Mrd. €, der Umsatz auf 97,480 Mrd. €. Zum 31. Dezember 2018 beschäftigte das Unternehmen weltweit 134.682 Mitarbeiterinnen und Mitarbeiter.
Seit jeher sind langfristiges Denken und verantwortungsvolles Handeln die Grundlage des wirtschaftlichen Erfolges der BMW Group. Das Unternehmen hat ökologische und soziale Nachhaltigkeit entlang der gesamten Wertschöpfungskette, umfassende Produktverantwortung sowie ein klares Bekenntnis zur Schonung von Ressourcen fest in seiner Strategie verankert.
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Munich. “I love this car. It’s more successful than the artwork,” was the opinion of Andy Warhol after his sweeping brush strokes had transformed the BMW M1. It took him less than half an hour to create the fourth exhibit in the BMW Art Car Collection. 40 years later, enthusiasm for the mid-engined sports car remains unabated. Already world-famous at that time, the US icon of Pop Art shared the same passion with many automobile fans of that bygone era. And the fascination of the unique special created by Warhol has indeed increased. Many fans regard his Art Car as the highlight of the entire collection. It’s therefore hardly surprising that Munich-based automobile photographer Stephan Bauer spontaneously opted for the BMW M1 finished in the Warhol design when he was selecting his dream subject on four wheels. Last year, Bauer (29) emerged as the victor in the Social Media Contest “Shootout 2018” organised by BMW Group Classic and he was given the opportunity for an exclusive photo shoot with BMW Art Car Number Four. A series of photos was created to mark the 40th birthday of the BMW M1 designed by Andy Warhol. They provide a completely new perspective on one of the most legendary vehicles from the history of BMW.

Five photographic artists entered their best shots from the world of BMW classic cars in the “Shootout 2018” competition held on the Instagram social media platform. BMW Group Classic joined forces with BMW Culture, BMW Motorsport, BMW M GmbH and BMW subsidiary companies in several international markets for the joint project. It focused the attention of young target groups on the numerous motor-sport successes and record chases with vehicles and engines from BMW over the past 100 years. The prize for the winner was an enthralling photo shoot with a vehicle of their choice from the comprehensive collection of BMW Group Classic. The choice of the winner fell on the BMW M1 in the powerful 470 hp racing version produced in conformity with Group 4 regulations. 40 years ago, this automobile both celebrated its sporting debut in the Procar Series and entered the annals of Pop Art history.

Against the backdrop of an old factory building in Cologne, Stephan Butler choreographed a spectacular contrast between the brightly coloured Art Car and the dour grey of the abandoned industrial structure. At a subsequent outdoor session, laser search lights shrouded the BMW M1 in a positively mystical atmosphere. In both settings, the Art Car kept emerging from a completely new perspective – and always to perfection. The results of the photo shoot are posted on the Facebook page of BMW Group Classic and on the Instagram Account of BMW Group Classic.

Andy Warhol’s Art Car proved to be a dream subject for the recent photo shoot in Cologne. The artist himself made things much more difficult for the photographers. 40 years ago, the cameras had hardly been set up when Warhol had already finished painting the bodywork in all the colours of the rainbow. As the artist explained later, his speed was a reflection of the statement made by his work of art: “I attempted to show speed as a visual image. When an automobile is really travelling fast, all the lines and colours are transformed into a blur.”

Very soon after the last brush stroke had been applied, the BMW M1 styled by Warhol demonstrated just how fast an artwork can be. In June 1979, the BMW M1 emblazoned with start number 76 competed in the 24 Hour Race of Le Mans. German driver Manfred Winkelhock, and Frenchmen Hervé Poulain and Marcel Mignot drove the Art Car to second place in its class and achieved a ranking of six in the overall standings.

Munich. 40 years after the start of the Procar Series launched specially for the BMW M1, the Procar will once again be captivating motor-sport fans. As part of the races for the German Touring Car Championship (DTM) on the Norisring (5 to 7 July 2019), 14 BMW M1s will be making a spectacular comeback on the track. This racing car was produced in conformity with the Group 4 regulations prevailing at the time and Formula 1 drivers and international privateer drivers then competed against each other. BMW Group Classic has also been able to rekindle the enthusiasm of famous drivers for a return to the cockpit of the BMW M1 for the Procar Revival at the Nuremberg city racing circuit. Former Formula 1 drivers Jan Lammers from the Netherlands and Marc Surer from Switzerland are two motor-sport legends who will be lining up at the start. They were already darlings of the public in the original Procar races four decades ago.

BMW Group Classic is recalling many different memories of the extraordinary race-track debut of the BMW M1 with historic motor sport in the warm-up programme for the German Touring Car Masters. The mid-engined sports car was developed for racing competitions and road registration, and launched in autumn 1978. Since delays in the production process prevented homologation by the deadline, the Managing Director of BMW Motorsport GmbH at the time, Jochen Neerpasch, worked together with the Formula 1 managers Max Moseley and Bernie Ecclestone to create a completely new race series. A total of 19 races were carried in the Procar Series in the years 1979 and 1980 and this developed into an ideal forum for the subsequent success of the BMW M1 in other international competitions.

The Procar races carried out as part of the warm-up programme for the European Grand Prix rounds gave privateer drivers and talented juniors the opportunity to race against the top stars of motor sport in BMW M1 cars with technically identical engineering. The five fastest drivers out of the Formula 1 drivers at the Friday training session qualified in each case to race in the BMW M1. Celebrity drivers like Niki Lauda, Nelson Piquet, Alan Jones, Jacques Laffite and Emerson Fittipaldi loved driving round the thrilling curves with the fast and agile mid-engined racer. The BMW M1 generated 470 hp and the driver’s skill was the sole factor in determining who was victorious at the end of the race – this was instrumental in generating maximum excitement at every venue and it helped to make the Procar Series extremely popular.

The overall winner of the first Procar season was Niki Lauda. In the following year, Nelson Piquet took first place in the overall standings with three wins in succession. The BMW M1 continued its motor-sport career in other competitions such as the German Automobile Racing Championship and in the American IMSA GTO Championship. As a Group 5 racing car with turbocharger for its inline six-cylinder engine, an output of up to 1000 hp and imposing spoilers, the car also ranked there as one of the most spectacular and successful representatives of its era.

The Procar Series remains the most important chapter in the racing history of the BMW M1 to this day. 30 years after the debut of the mid-engined sports car, a Procar Revival in 2008 attracted fans of historic motor sport to the Hockenheimring. This circuit was the showplace for a Procar Series race in 1979 and 1980 and a lot of former drivers took the opportunity to try their luck competing in the BMW M1 once again. Another Procar Revival took place before the race for the “Austrian Grand Prix” at the Red Bull Ring in Spielberg two years ago. The Austrian Formula 1 circuit is also among those circuits where races in the legendary Procar Series were held.

Procar racers are also not being hosted for the first time at the Norisring. In the second season of the previous race series, one of the Procar races started on the city circuit. At that time, the German racing driver Hans-Joachim Stuck won the race ahead of Jan Lammers and Marc Surer.

Munich. For the past twenty years, fans of historic motorsports have anticipated and even longed for an event held in the south of England in late summer. Memories of the spectacular car and motorcycle races that were regularly held on the local circuit between 1948 and 1966 will be revived in the grounds of Goodwood House, the estate of the Duke of Richmond. The Goodwood Revival is regarded as a particularly stylish classic event at which historic racing cars, often piloted by well-known drivers, are put to the test once again. Historic backdrops and an authentic ambience − from the starting grid to the outfits of the drivers and teams − await visitors at the Goodwood Revival 2018. BMW Group Classic’s appearance is wholly in keeping with the 1950s and 1960s. Outstanding classics from the BMW, MINI, Rolls-Royce and BMW Motorrad brands will be presented in exhibition halls designed in the style of the time on the weekend of 7 to 9 September 2018. In addition, BMW Group Classic will roll out a flotilla of racing cars to the starting grid, including two supercharged motorcycles based on the BMW R 57.

Goodwood House is also a great venue and always worth a visit for Maria Costello. Just a couple of months ago in July, the successful British motorcycle racer appeared at the Festival of Speed, which was also organised by the Duke of Richmond. Together with her compatriot Mark Wilkes, who is currently leading the Sidecar World Championship ranking as a passenger, she piloted a BMW racing combo at the legendary Goodwood Hill Climb. However, Maria Costello will be racing alone at the Goodwood Revival 2018, as she has been doing on racetracks around the world since the 1990s.

From the Isle of Man to Goodwood: Maria Costello and the supercharged BMW.

Maria Costello rose to prominence in 1998 as the fastest rider in the Manx Grand Prix on the Isle of Man. This competition for newcomers is run on the same circuit as the legendary Tourist Trophy, at which the Brit already appeared for the first time the following year. In 2004 Maria Costello entered the Guinness Book of Records with a new track record for women on the Isle of Man. And at the Manx Grand Prix the following year she was the first woman to secure a place on the winner’s podium.

Maria Costello has regularly ridden a BMW S 1000 RR in endurance races since 2015. At the Goodwood Revival, she will switch to a legendary superbike of yore. The supercharged motorcycle based on the BMW R 57 marked a milestone in the racing history of BMW Motorrad. Its history is as firmly linked to the long-distance races on the Isle of Man as is the career of Maria Costello. In 1939, Georg “Schorsch” Meier won the Senior TT at the Tourist Trophy on a supercharged BMW.

The winning streak of the charged Boxer engine continued into the post-war period and only ended with a change in regulations that banned the use of the supercharger in racing. At the Goodwood Revival, Maria Costello will be accompanied on her journey through time on the racetrack by top Australian racer Troy Corser. The two-time Superbike World Champion will be riding the second supercharged BMW on the Goodwood House circuit.

Success on the racetrack: the classic Mini and the “New Class”.

Among the four-wheeled classics starring at the Goodwood Revival are two successful machines from the 1960s. Dating back to 1964, the Austin Mini Cooper S Competition reminds us that the stellar racing career of the classic Mini is not limited to its three overall victories in the Monte Carlo Rally. Later Formula 1 champions such Niki Lauda, James Hunt and Jackie Stewart garnered their first competition experience at road races in the classic Mini.

The classic Mini is joined by a particularly sporty representative of BMW’s “New Class”. With the BMW 1800 TI / SA, the series presented in 1961 also caused a sensation in touring car racing. The special version (SA) of the four-door model is powered by a four-cylinder engine that generates a maximum output of 130 HP thanks to twin carburettors and increased compression. Only 200 units of the exclusive racing variant of this successful model were ever built.

Rarities from the 1950s: Elvis Presley’s BMW 507 and a Hollywood-style Rolls-Royce.

BMW Group Classic is presenting fascinating rarities not only on the racetrack. The exhibition halls in the style of the traditional London car dealership Kevill-Davies & March, visitors will experience the glamorous atmosphere that characterised the show and film business of the 1950s. The main protagonist of the scene is the BMW 507 that Elvis Presley drove during his military service in Germany. The roadster of the “King of Rock’n’Roll” was believed lost for decades. After its rediscovery it was painstakingly restored and presented to the public for the first time in 2016 at the Concours d’Elegance in Pebble Beach.

Another emblem representing the new enthusiasm for luxurious locomotion that was ignited in the 1950s is the BMW 503 Convertible that will be shown at Goodwood. The four-seater appeared just a few months after the two-seater BMW 507 and, like its stablemate, was powered by an eight-cylinder engine. The exhibited motorcycles were developed by BMW Motorrad for much larger target groups and helped the brand to build quickly on old successes in the young Federal Republic of Germany as well as in many other countries.

The classic Rolls-Royce and Mini brands also recall the importance of British cars for the film industry. For example, visitors will be able to see an open Rolls-Royce Silver Cloud. The fashionable four-seater played a central role in numerous convertible rides through the streets of London in the 1966 British film classic Blow-Up. And the classic Mini, which will be shown at the Goodwood Revival 2008, also has close ties to British film history. The special-edition Mini that was custom-made to the highest standards both inside and out by London coachbuilder Harold Radford & Co. testifies to the high esteem the revolutionary compact car enjoyed among film stars and many others. Actor Peter Sellers, for example, once gave his fellow actor and partner Britt Ekland a Radford-modified classic Mini.

Munich/Spielberg. When the anticipation of the next Formula 1 race mingles with the memory of magic motor-sport moments from the past, this is the starting gun for the Legends Parade. On Sunday 1 July 2018, the pageant of historic racing cars and celebrity drivers will once again unfold at the Red Bull Ring in Spielberg, Austria. Just before the race to decide the “Austrian Grand Prix”, eleven touring-car classics from the 1970s and 1980s will re-live the glory days of the German Racing Championship (DRM – “Deutsche Rennsport Meisterschaft”) at the Red Bull Ring. BMW Group Classic is represented by two exceptional vehicles from its collection at this year’s Legends Parade. A mid-engine BMW M1 sports car from 40 years ago will be presented alongside a BMW 3.0 CSL, which gained sporting fame and fortune as the successful touring car that established the brand’s big coupé series launched 50 years ago.

The “Deutsche Rennsport Meisterschaft” was held from 1972 to 1985. It quickly developed into Europe’s most important and popular touring-car series. Numerous works teams and private racing stables provided some spectacular competitions for many years. Although the vehicles competing in the races were derived from series models, they were strategically tuned for high performance with comprehensive and advanced modifications. The race series was also closely associated with the names of legendary racing drivers such as Rolf Stommelen, Klaus Ludwig, Harald Ertl, Bob Wollek, Jochen Mass, Manfred Winkelhock, Markus Höttinger and Hans-Joachim Stuck. For Stuck, the years of the German Racing Championship were “quite simply a fantastic period”.

In the initial years, touring cars competed in accordance with Group 2 regulations, including the BMW 3.0 CSL, which had been specifically designed for motor sport. The designation of the two-door coupé was a reference to “Coupé, Sport, Lightweight”. The coupé was the top model of BMW’s great coupé series launched in 1968 and it was an exceptionally successful touring car. A total of six titles were won in the European Touring Car Championship with the BMW 3.0 CSL, the first being in the debut year 1973. The European Champion at the time was the Dutch racing driver Toine Hezemans and this year he will be part of the Legends Parade in Spielberg, once again behind the steering wheel of the BMW 3.0 CSL.

From 1977, Group 5 vehicles were also represented in the DRM. Four years later, this paved the way for the BMW M1 to compete in the popular national race series. Impressive spoilers and engine outputs of up to 1000 hp made this touring car one of the most spectacular phenomena at the German Racing Championship. Prior to this, the mid-engine sports car presented in 1978 had generated a sensation in the Procar Series created especially for this car. The Procar races were held in the warm-up programme before the European Formula 1 races in the years 1979 and 1980, with Formula 1 racing drivers of that era competing against national sports-car professionals and junior racing drivers.

The BMW M1 from the collection of BMW Group Classic will join the ranks of the Legends Parade in Spielberg. Formula 1 driver Christian Danner will be behind the steering wheel. During the course of his career, Danner also enjoyed success in touring-car motor racing and furthermore was one of the drivers who had already become familiar with the BMW M1 in the Procar Series. The array of erstwhile race cars from the German Racing championship also includes three additional BMW motor cars from private ownership, including a BMW 3.6 CSL Alpina. Three-times Formula 1 Champion Niki Lauda from Austria will line up at the start behind the wheel of this automobile.

Westport Co. Mayo is set to see an invasion of MINI’s old and new later this month, as the 2017 International Mini Meeting gets underway from the 25^th May to 28^th May. Described as a ‘MINI’ Electric Picnic, this event is expected to attract close to 3,000 fans and 1,200 MINI cars of all shapes and sizes, new and old which will be proudly presented by their loving owners.

Event highlights include a MINI treasure hunt along the Wild Atlantic Way, A Puc Fada Competition, MINI owners Club Olympic Games, slalom races and awards for the most beautiful, extraordinary and fastest versions of the classic MINI. Guests of honour who will open IMM 2017 include Irish motor racing legend Mervyn Johnson and Paddy Hopkirk who won the Monte Carlo Rally in a classic Mini in 1964.

But it is not just about the old generation MINI’s. One of MINI Ireland retail centres’ Colm Quinn MINI, is also partnering at this event. “It’s not every day a festival like this comes to Ireland and we are delighted to get the opportunity to be involved. Congratulations to the Irish MINI Owners Club for securing Ireland as the host country for the established International Mini Meeting, it is a great honour for us to be involved” said Colm Quinn.

The event grounds are located on the famous Westport House which was chosen as the venue for this event because of its breath-taking setting and the fantastic facilities. The beautiful estate is steeped in History and beauty however the energy, enthusiasm and passion shown by the team will ensure a very memorable event.

A fantastic experience awaits families and MINI enthusiasts with a broad range of activities organised for the weekend. Enjoy vintage MINI car shows, music entertainment and many family activities while soaking up the atmosphere of Westport House. The Colm Quinn MINI team will be on site showcasing their new generation range of models with fun interactive activities up their sleeves to enhance the extensive and exciting events programme. 

The event is open to all fans and the general public, tickets can be found on the IMM 2017 website and is being organised by the Irish MINI Owners Club. Weekend tickets are priced at €95 (includes camping), meanwhile on Sunday the 28^th gate tickets will be available for guests who would like to soak up the atmosphere, tickets are €10 per person (Children are free) and car & driver is €20.

The International Mini Meeting is one of the highlights of the calendar year for all MINI Clubs. The meeting has become a generation-spanning event in several respects and many visitors see the IMM as an opportunity for everyone to enjoy as a family outing.

MINI too has spanned many generations and this event offers you the opportunity to see how MINI has evolved during this time. Starting with the Mini Cooper, which was first made by the British Motor Corporation in 1961 to the latest model generation, MINI has a lot of fun and driving history to show. Old or new, past or present, the MINI has always been more than a car, it’s a statement as well. 

Of course this is not the first International Mini Meeting, established more than five decades ago, enthusiasts from all over the world have been sharing their passion for the classic Mini since 1978, when it started as a small three day camp event in Germany over Whitsun weekend. After several years its popularity has grown over the German borders and this has resulted in an international event which takes place every year in a different country.

Whether you are a MINI lover looking for a weekend away or simply looking for a day out, Westport House is the place to be from 25^th – 28^th May.

Munich. 2016 marks the 30th anniversary of a motoring icon, one which revolutionised the mid-size sports car segment when its production started in 1986. The very first BMW M3 set a new standard by which other carmakers would be measured – and, five model generations later, are still judged today. BMW Motorsport Division, the precursor to BMW M Division, was incredibly rigorous in its deployment of undiluted motor racing technology in the development of the first-generation BMW M3. Its endeavours produced a thoroughbred high-performance sports car – based on the series-produced BMW 3 Series – that was perfectly suited to daily use. Over the three decades that have followed, BMW M has gently refined its trailblazing and highly successful creation from one generation to the next, while always taking great care to preserve the original character of the M3. The upshot is that there is arguably still no other car that blends such prominently honed motor sport genes and uncompromised everyday practicality into such an emotionally stirring overall package.

The 30th anniversary of the BMW M3 provides an ideal opportunity to look back at four highly intriguing model variants that, for various reasons, never made it past the prototype stage. Four surprise guests will therefore be attending their progenitor’s birthday party: the BMW M3 Pickup from 1986, the BMW M3 Compact from 1996, the BMW M3 Touring from 2000 and the second incarnation of the BMW M3 Pickup unveiled in 2011.

Use in touring car racing was the overriding development objective for the first-generation BMW M3.
The BMW M3 was not an attempt to produce a sporting flagship for a volume-produced model range; instead it originated from the idea of developing a racing car for motor sport that would also be available in a road-going version. The selected category of racing was Group A production touring cars – as seen in the German Touring Car Championship (DTM) that had succeeded the German Racing Championship (DRM). The Group A regulations stated that for a racing car to be homologated, at least 5,000 road-legal units had to be sold within 12 months.

Having the chance to develop the production and race versions of the car alongside one another presented the development team with a tremendous opportunity, which they duly capitalised on. The axle kinematics, suspension and damping were all perfectly tailored to the future demands of motor racing, as was the braking system, which combined the standard ABS with inner-vented brake discs at the front and an engine-driven high-pressure pump. Details such as the transmission’s shift pattern with first gear at the bottom left also gave a clear indication of the vehicle’s singular focus on racing.

On top of this came extensive weight-saving measures. While the body with broad wheel arches was manufactured from sheet metal in the traditional manner, the front and rear bumpers along with the side skirts, boot lid and spoiler were made of plastic, reflecting the engineers’ commitment to intelligent lightweight construction. The BMW Motorsport experts tweaked the car’s aerodynamics too, with the C-pillar of the BMW M3 following a slightly shallower angle than the standard body and having a broader base. This allowed the airflow to be directed towards the distinctive rear spoiler more effectively.

Extensive use of high tech in the powertrain, too.
The experts at the Motorsport department used the two-litre four-cylinder engine fitted in series-production models as the basis for the M3’s unit, as the low weight of its construction and its high-revving capabilities meant it had exactly the right ingredients for a racing engine. To transform the well-mannered everyday engine into an athletic performer with sports car credentials, however, they had to subject it to some intensive power therapy.

First, they increased its displacement to 2.3 litres and converted it to a four-valve arrangement. For this purpose, the team employed a suitably modified cylinder head taken from the six-cylinder engine featured in the BMW M1, whose combustion chambers were – conveniently enough – spaced exactly the same distance apart as the four-cylinder unit’s. The crank drive on the BMW M3 was designed to be so rigid that it could handle 10,000 revolutions per minute and more. The standard production car’s rated engine speed of 6,750 rpm therefore left plenty of margin for further evolutions of the motor sport off-shoot.

From sporting machine to heavy-duty transporter: the BMW M3 Pickup (1986).
When the first generation of the BMW M3 was brought out, it wasn’t just customers who were enthralled by its exceptional dynamic abilities. It also caused quite a stir within the BMW Motorsport department responsible for its development, who saw it as the perfect means of transporting work equipment and parts around the premises of what is now BMW M Division in Garching near Munich. The only problem was that goods transport didn’t figure very highly on the list of the first BMW M3’s many talents.

It didn’t take long to remedy the situation, the body of a BMW 3 Series Convertible being transformed into a BMW M3 Pickup. “The convertible bodyshell was chosen as the basis for two reasons,” recalls Jakob Polschak, head of vehicle prototype building and workshops at BMW M Division and an employee at the company for more than 40 years. “Firstly, we happened to have such a model at our disposal and in perfect condition. And secondly, the convertible’s built-in bracing made it the ideal choice for a pickup conversion.”

The first BMW M3 Pickup did not sport the original’s boldly flared wings, as it was equipped with the narrower body of its regular, volume-produced sibling. At first it was powered by the engine fitted in the so-called “Italian M3”, which had a reduced two-litre displacement due to tax regulations there and an output of 192 hp. “Later we switched to the original 2.3-litre four-cylinder engine with 200 horsepower,” reveals Polschak. The BMW M3 Pickup went about its work around the factory premises reliably for over 26 years before finally being retired four years ago.

The BMW M3 Pickup’s long service life alone is clear evidence that the one-off versions being presented here are not mere gimmicks or engineering exercises. On the contrary, they are high-performance cars that have been optimised to perfectly match their intended task or field of use. As such, they epitomise the philosophy of BMW M. Plus, they also fulfilled another important purpose: “Our apprentices, graduate trainees and placement students assisted in the construction of all of these prototypes,” explains Polschak. “This allowed them to gain invaluable hands-on experience at the same time as freeing up resources for us – a classic win-win situation.”

A starter model for young target groups: the BMW M3 Compact (1996).
The same was also true of the 1996 BMW M3 Compact, of course. The idea behind this model was to present younger customers, in particular, with an entry point into the world of BMW M cars. “To a certain extent, the M3 Compact can be regarded as the forefather of today’s BMW M2,” remarks the BMW M workshop chief with a twinkle in the eye, and it’s easy to see why he draws the comparison. If it had gone into production, the M3 engine’s power would in all likelihood have been lowered somewhat. In the prototype, however, it was allowed to unleash its full 321 hp, which made easy work of propelling a lightweight car (it tipped the scales at just 1.3 tonnes). “It is 150 kilograms lighter, more agile, firmer and even more uncompromising,” enthused German motoring magazine “auto motor und sport” (issue no. 13/1996) after testing it.

A feasibility study under real-world conditions: the BMW M3 Touring (2000).
The BMW M3 Touring prototype likewise materialised because a production model was under consideration. The M3 Compact was made available to journalists for testing in order to both project an image and sound out customer interest. But the M3 Touring served entirely in-house purposes. “This prototype allowed us to show that, from a purely technical standpoint at least, it was possible to integrate an M3 Touring into the ongoing production of the standard BMW 3 Series Touring with very little difficulty,” explains Jakob Polschak. “One important thing we needed to demonstrate was that the rear doors of the standard production model could be reworked to adapt them to the rear wheel arches without the need for new and expensive tools.” Once it had passed through the assembly line, the M3 Touring required only minimal manual follow-up work to fit the M-specific add-on parts and interior details, for example.

History repeats itself: the BMW M3 Pickup (2011).
Once the first-generation BMW M3 Pickup described above eventually started to show the first serious signs of wear after around a quarter of a century of service, it was time for a successor. As with the original, those responsible for its creation again opted for a convertible body due to the existing strengthening elements. “The conversion work had initially proceeded in the usual, largely unspectacular manner during the spring of 2011. But then someone came up with the idea of marketing the vehicle as an April Fools’ joke, as April 1 was just around the corner,” recounts Polschak. To prime the public, spy shots of calibration runs on the Nürburgring’s Nordschleife circuit emerged in the run-up to the day, which served to fuel speculation about plans to build a production model.

And it worked. Reports from the time show that a good many journalists and bloggers took the bait and believed the rumours. Even the official press release published on 1 April 2011 did not immediately set matters straight, first presenting the BMW M3 Pickup as the “fourth body variant” following the Sedan, Coupe and Convertible, before going on to say: “309 kW/420 hp under the bonnet and a payload capacity of 450 kilograms over the rear axle take the BMW M models’ hallmark blend of racing-style driving pleasure and everyday practicality to a whole new level.” It also pointed out that the Cd was only marginally higher than that of the BMW M3 Coupe, the car was 50 kilograms lighter than the Convertible and the 20-kilogram targa roof could be removed to further lower the centre of gravity and therefore deliver even sharper handling dynamics.

It wasn’t until the final paragraph that the press release discreetly revealed the model in question was actually a one-off built for use as a workshop transport vehicle. Unlike its predecessor, however, it had also been licensed for road use.

The BMW M3: a sporting icon and dynamic benchmark for five generations.
30 years ago almost to the day production began of the first series-produced BMW M3s. This represented the opening chapter in a story of success which has no equal in the automotive world. The 2.3-litre four-cylinder unit with four-valve technology produced 147 kW/200 hp and accelerated the M3, which weighed just 1,200 kilograms, from 0 to 100 km/h (62 mph) in just 6.7 seconds. Top speed was 235 km/h (146 mph). In 1988 the Evo version was unveiled, with power increased once again to 220 hp and its top speed to 243 km/h (151 mph). And this was followed in 1990 by the final development stage of the first-generation M3: the BMW M3 Sport Evolution with 238 hp 2.5-litre engine, produced in a limited run of 600 examples.

The second generation of the BMW M3 – not developed specifically for use in motor sport this time – was a much more understated affair. Unveiled in 1992, its six-cylinder engine developed 210 kW/286 hp from three-litre displacement and peak torque of 320 Newton metres (236 lb-ft). It also featured the innovative new camshaft control system VANOS. The new model set two world records – for the highest output per litre (97 hp/l) and the highest specific torque (108 Nm (80 lb-ft)/l) produced by a volume-produced naturally-aspirated engine.

An extensive facelift in 1995 saw the displacement of the six-cylinder in-line engine increased from 2,990 to 3,201cc, with output rising to 236 kW/321 hp. Added to which, the new engine also employed Double-VANOS, which brings fully variable camshaft control on both the intake and exhaust sides. In summer 1996 the BMW M3 became the first series-produced car to be offered with the option of an SMG automated manual gearbox.

Featuring an aluminium bonnet with powerdome, prominently flared wheel arches, an aerodynamically optimised boot lid with rear spoiler lip and four tailpipes exiting the dual-flow exhaust system, the third-generation BMW M3 unveiled in 2000 cut an extremely eye-catching figure once more. Power again came courtesy of a naturally-aspirated six-cylinder in-line engine. The completely newly developed unit developed output of 252 kW/343 hp from its 3,246 cc and peak torque of 365 Newton metres (269 lb-ft).

Instead of being equipped with a straight-six engine, like the two previous generations of the car, the fourth incarnation of the BMW M3 presented in 2007 was powered by a high-revving, naturally-aspirated V8 developing 309 kW/420 hp. Among the extensive intelligent lightweight design measures employed were the carbon fibre-reinforced plastic (CFRP) roof fitted as standard and a front axle made almost entirely from aluminium.

The current (fifth) generation of the BMW M3 was introduced in spring 2014. In keeping with the change in nomenclature for BMW’s series-produced models, only the four-door sedan is badged “M3”, while the coupe and the convertible variants were given the model designation M4. In all three body variants, a free-revving straight-six engine with M TwinPower Turbo technology and 317 kW/431 hp provides the power. Rigorously applied intelligent lightweight design elements include the extensive use of lightweight materials such as CFRP and aluminium for many chassis and body components. All of which has shaved around 80 kilograms off the weight of its predecessor.

This summer, BMW M Division released an exclusive special-edition model – limited to 500 units worldwide – as a special tribute to the successful 30-year history of the BMW M3. With its Macao Blue metallic exterior paint finish, the BMW M3 “30 Jahre M3” harks back to the first generation of car, for which this colour shade was first offered. The Competition Package, which is included as standard and comprises extensive powertrain and suspension modifications, pushes the engine output of the anniversary model up by 14 kW/19 hp to 331 kW/450 hp.

München. Einer der spektakulärsten Oldtimer-Entdeckungen der jüngsten Zeit folgt jetzt das glanzvolle Comeback. Der BMW 507, den der schon damals als „King of Rock’n’Roll“ bekannte US-Musiker Elvis Presley während seiner Militärdienstzeit in Deutschland fuhr und der anschließend fast 50 Jahre lang als verschollen galt, kehrt ins Rampenlicht zurück. Die BMW Group Classic stellt den nach fast zweijähriger intensiver Arbeit in seinen Originalzustand zurückversetzten Roadster am 21. August 2016 im Rahmen des Concours d’Elegance im kalifornischen Pebble Beach erstmals der Öffentlichkeit vor. Den Besuchern der populären Klassiker-Show wird der BMW 507 mit der Fahrgestellnummer 70079 exakt so präsentiert, wie ihn der Soldat Elvis Presley am 20. Dezember 1958 in Empfang nahm: mit einer Lackierung in Federweiß, dem 150 PS starken V8-Aluminium-Triebwerk unter der Motorhaube, Zentralverschluss-Felgen, schwarz-weißem Interieur und einem Radio vom Typ Becker Mexico.

„Mit der Möglichkeit, den BMW 507 des King of Rock’n’Roll zu uns nach München zurückzuholen und ihn hier nach den Wünschen des Vorbesitzers Jack Castors zu restaurieren, ging für alle Beteiligten ein Traum in Erfüllung“, sagt Ulrich Knieps, Leiter der BMW Group Classic. „Dies war ein außergewöhnlich faszinierendes Projekt, dessen Ergebnis nicht nur uns mit großem Stolz erfüllt sondern auch sicherlich Jack begeistern würde“. Schon die Ausstellung des unrestaurierten Fundstücks im BMW Museum hatte im Sommer 2014 unter Oldtimer-Enthusiasten für Aufsehen gesorgt, aber auch Fragen aufgeworfen: War das wirklich einmal Elvis‘ BMW 507? Und wird es überhaupt möglich sein, den Roadster tatsächlich wieder in ein Schmuckstück der 1950er-Jahre zu verwandeln?

Von „Return to Sender“ zu „It’s Now or Never“.

Tatsächlich bot der Zustand des Zweisitzers Anlass zu Bedenken. Zwar waren die ursprünglichen Karosserie- und Anbauteile nahezu vollständig vorhanden, doch hatte der Roadster Motor und Getriebe eingebüßt. Die Hinterachse war ein „Ersatzteil“ unbekannter Herkunft, an der Bodengruppe nagte der Rost, die Sitze waren verschlissen und das Armaturenbrett fehlte. Doch über allen Unzulänglichkeiten standen die Faszination eines seltenen und betörend schönen Automobils sowie die Erinnerung an Elvis Presley und seine größten Hits. Hatte die Rückkehr des Roadsters nach München noch unter dem Motto „Return to Sender“ gestanden, galt nun die Losung „It’s Now or Never“. Unter der Federführung der BMW Group Classic gelang ein Wiederaufbau, für den neben den hauseigenen Experten auch externe Spezialisten zurate gezogen wurden und dessen Resultat neue Maßstäbe für die Restaurierung eines BMW 507 setzt.

Im Rückblick betrachtet ist sowohl die Geschichte von Elvis‘ BMW 507 als auch die seiner Restaurierung purer Rock’n’Roll: so mitreißend wie einst der Hüftschwung des „King“, kräftezehrend, emotional aufwühlend und voller überraschender Wendungen. Sie erzählt nicht nur vom jungen GI Elvis Presley, sondern auch vom erfahrenen „Bergmeister“ Hans Stuck, von Kussmündern auf weißem Lack, von einem pensionierten Raumfahrt-Ingenieur und einer Kürbis-Lagerhalle, von einem viel zu großen Chevy-Motor, von Gummikokos-Matten und im 3D-Druck-Verfahren hergestellten Türöffnern und Fensterkurbeln. Und sie beginnt bereits drei Jahre vor dem Dienstantritt des „King“ bei der US Army in Hessen.

Mythos unter Raritäten: Der BMW 507 des „King“.

Mit nur 254 zwischen 1955 und 1959 gebauten Fahrzeugen gehörte der BMW 507 seit jeher zu den exklusivsten und begehrtesten Raritäten in der Modellgeschichte der Marke. Bereits unmittelbar nach seiner Weltpremiere auf der Internationalen Automobil-Ausstellung 1955 in Frankfurt wurde der von dem Designer Albrecht Graf Goertz gestaltete Zweisitzer in der Presse als „Traum von der Isar“ gefeiert. Prominente Besitzer wie Alain Delon, Ursula Andress und John Surtees trugen zum Image des Roadsters als Statussymbol bei, doch um kein anderes Exemplar dieses Modells ranken sich so viele Mythen wie um den BMW 507 von Elvis Presley. Er galt fast fünf Jahrzehnte lang als verschollen, zwischenzeitlich schien nicht einmal klar, welche Fahrgestellnummer der vom „King“ gesteuerte Wagen trug, ob Elvis Presley ihn nach Abschluss seiner Stationierung in Deutschland überhaupt in die USA überführen ließ und in wessen Besitz er später wechselte.

All diese Rätsel sind nun gelöst, dank der Experten des BMW Group Classic Archivs und der US-amerikanischen Journalistin Jackie Jouret, die für das Magazin „Bimmer“ in Kalifornien arbeitet. Sie durchforstete schon 2006 zeitgenössische Berichte über Elvis‘ BMW 507 sowie einschlägige Literatur über die Historie dieses Modells und stieß dabei auf ein wesentliches Detail. Diverse Quellen wiesen darauf hin, dass der an Elvis Presley in Deutschland ausgelieferte BMW 507 kein Neuwagen war, sondern zuvor von dem Rennfahrer Hans Stuck genutzt worden war. Der als „Bergmeister“ bekannte Motorsportler gewann zwischen Mai und August 1958 in Deutschland, Österreich und der Schweiz mehrere Bergrennen – in einem weißen BMW 507 mit der Fahrgestellnummer 70079 und dem Kennzeichen M–JX 800. Ebenso ist bekannt und durch Fotoaufnahmen belegt, dass dieser, am 13. September 1957 vom Band gerollte und wenige Tage später auf der Frankfurter IAA ausgestellte Roadster mehrfach für Presse-Testfahrten eingesetzt wurde. Bereits im Oktober 1957 präsentierte Hans Stuck den Wagen auf der London Motorshow und reiste anschließend über Belgien, wo er den Roadster König Baudouin vorstellte, zur Automobilausstellung nach Turin. Und damit nicht genug: Im Sommer 1958 gewann Stucks BMW 507 den automobilen Schönheitswettbewerb in Wiesbaden und stand in den Bavaria Filmstudios für den Kinostreifen „Hula-Hopp Conny“ mit Cornelia Froboess und Rudolf Vogel vor der Kamera.

Eben dieses Fahrzeug – nach jedem Einsatz sorgfältig bei BMW gewartet und zwischenzeitlich einer Motorrevision und einem Getriebeaustausch unterzogen – gelangte im Herbst 1958 an einen Händler in Frankfurt, der es dem damals 23 Jahre alten US-Soldaten Presley zur Probefahrt überließ. Der „King“ war spontan begeistert und entschloss sich zum Kauf des Wagens. Auf Fotos, die während der Fahrzeugübergabe entstanden, ist zu sehen, dass der BMW 507 zu diesem Zeitpunkt bereits ein Überführungskennzeichen trug. Später erhielt er eine jährlich wechselnde Registrierung des US-Militärs. Nicht zuletzt deshalb sollte sich die Identifizierung des Fahrzeugs Jahrzehnte später als kompliziert erweisen. Absolute Gewissheit erlangten die Experten des BMW Group Classic Archivs erst, als sie auf den Versicherungsantrag aus dem Dezember 1958 stießen, in dem neben dem Halter Elvis Aaron Presley auch die Fahrgestellnummer 70079 verzeichnet war.

In Deutschland liebkost, in den USA radikal modifiziert.

Elvis Presley nutzte den BMW 507 für die Fahrten zwischen seinem Wohnort Bad Nauheim und der US Army Base in Friedberg, stets beobachtet und oft geradezu belagert von weiblichen Fans, die auf dem weißen Lack des Roadsters ihre mit Lippenstift verzierten Liebesbotschaften hinterließen. Für einen Rockstar waren diese Zeichen der Zuneigung nicht unüblich, dem US-Soldaten Presley waren sie dagegen unangenehm. Mit einer Neulackierung des Fahrzeugs in Rot wurde das Problem gelöst.

Im März 1960 beendete Elvis Presley seinen Militärdienst in Deutschland. Auf den heimischen Highways muss ihn die Freude am Fahren im offenen BMW verlassen haben. Denn schon wenige Monate später tauchte der nun rote Roadster mit der Fahrgestellnummer 70079 bei einem Chrysler-Händler in New York auf, der ihn für den aus heutiger Sicht lächerlich niedrigen Preis von 4 500 Dollar an den Radiomoderator Tommy Charles verkaufte. Charles überführte den Wagen in seine Heimatstadt Birmingham im Bundesstaat Alabama, wo eine zwar sportlich durchaus erfolgreiche, in Sachen Authentizität jedoch eher fragwürdige Karriere begann. Zur Vorbereitung auf Renneinsätze erhielt der BMW 507 einen Chevrolet-Motor, der so viel Platz beanspruchte, dass Teile des vorderen Rahmenträgers herausgeschnitten werden mussten. Auch das Getriebe und die Hinterachse sowie die Instrumente im Cockpit wurden ersetzt. In Daytona Beach/Florida gewann Charles mit dem derart radikal modifizierten Roadster ein Rennen, anschließend startete er noch bei mehreren weiteren Wettkämpfen, bevor er das Fahrzeug im Laufe des Jahres 1963 verkaufte.

Zwei weitere Besitzerwechsel folgten und führten den BMW 507 schließlich nach Kalifornien. Der Raumfahrt-Ingenieur Jack Castor erwarb den Wagen 1968, fuhr ihn zunächst sporadisch im Alltagsverkehr und fasste dann den Entschluss, ihn für eine spätere Restaurierung einzulagern. In Half Moon Bay südlich von San Francisco häufte Castor, ein passionierter Sammler historischer Fahrräder, im Laufe der Jahre auch eine ansehnliche Schar klassischer Automobile an. Er engagierte sich in mehreren Oldtimer-Vereinigungen und beschäftigte sich intensiv mit der Geschichte der von ihm erworbenen Fahrzeuge.

Der „Heilige Gral“ in der Kürbis-Lagerhalle.

Auch über seinen BMW 507 stellte Castor ein umfangreiches Dossier zusammen. So stieß der inzwischen pensionierte Ingenieur eines Tages auch auf den Artikel im Magazin „Bimmer“. Castor schrieb die Autorin an, berichtete ihr von dem in seinem Besitz befindlichen BMW 507 mit der Fahrgestellnummer 70079 und lud sie zu einer Besichtigung des Fahrzeugs ein. Ihm war bewusst, dass er den ehemaligen Rennwagen des „Bergmeisters“ Hans Stuck besaß, über eine Verbindung zu Elvis konnte jedoch auch er bis dato nur spekulieren. Für Jackie Jouret war die Sache hingegen klar. Sie begleitete Jack Castor zu einer Lagerhalle für Kürbisse, in der neben weiteren betagten Fahrzeugen auch der rote BMW 507 untergebracht war. „Jack hatte seine Motorhaube mit Seilen festgezurrt“, erinnert sich die Journalistin an den Moment der Entdeckung. „Es dauerte noch eine Weile, bis wir an den Motorraum herankamen und die eingeschlagene Rahmennummer entdeckten: 70079, der Heilige Gral unter den BMW Seriennummern.“

Für die geplante Zurückversetzung des Roadsters in seinen Urzustand hatte Jack Castor bereits eine Vielzahl von sorgsam in Kisten verstauten Teilen zusammengetragen. Was fehlte, war ein passender Motor und die Zeit, das Projekt konsequent anzupacken. Doch jetzt kam Bewegung in das Geschehen. Jackie Jouret knüpfte den Kontakt zur BMW Group Classic, wo neue Erkenntnisse über die Identität des von Elvis Presley in Deutschland genutzten BMW 507 gesammelt wurden, mit denen sich die in den USA recherchierten Indizien bestätigen ließen.

Jack Castor war nicht daran interessiert, den unverhofften zusätzlichen Ruhm seines BMW 507 in schnelles Geld umzumünzen. Doch der Kontakt zur BMW Group Classic wurde vertieft. Nach mehreren Jahren und vielen Gesprächen mit den Experten für Oldtimerrestaurierungen bei der BMW Group Classic, Klaus Kutscher und Axel Klinger-Köhnlein, kam eine Vereinbarung zustande. Sie beinhaltete neben dem Erwerb des Fahrzeugs durch die BMW Group Classic auch den authentischen Wiederaufbau des Fahrzeugs nach den Vorstellungen Castors.

Vom Container ins Museum – und von dort in die Werkstatt.

Im Frühjahr 2014 war es soweit. In einem Container wurde der BMW 507 gemeinsam mit den von Castor gesammelten Ersatzteilen nach Deutschland gebracht. Erste Station in München war das BMW Museum, wo der Roadster im Rahmen der Sonderausstellung „Elvis‘ BMW 507 – lost and found“ dem staunenden Publikum präsentiert wurde. Anschließend begannen die Restaurierungsarbeiten in der Werkstatt der BMW Group Classic.

Phase eins war – wie bei derartigen Projekten üblich – vor allem destruktiver Natur. Das Fahrzeug wurde komplett zerlegt, was in diesem speziellen Fall eine komplette Woche statt der ursprünglich angesetzten zwei Tage beanspruchte. Dabei wurde zunächst die Aluminiumkarosserie von der Bodengruppe aus Stahlblech getrennt. Nur so gelang es, die Originalsubstanz in größtmöglichem Umfang zu bewahren. Die Bodengruppe wurde danach in einem Säure-, die Karosserie in einem Laugenbad entlackt. Zuvor waren bereits das Fahrwerk und das gesamte, nur noch bruchstückhaft vorhandene Interieur demontiert worden.

Weil selbst bei der BMW Group Classic die Bestände an Originalteilen für den BMW 507 begrenzt sind, mussten viele Komponenten komplett neu gefertigt werden. Dabei traf traditionelle Handarbeit im Stil der 1950er-Jahre auf High-Tech-Produktionsverfahren von heute. Das Armaturenbrett wurde nach ursprünglichem Muster neu gegossen. Die Lederausstattung entstand exakt nach dem Vorbild alter Fotos und Kataloge. Beim Neuaufbau der Sitze konnte das originale Stahluntergerüst nach sorgsamer Entrostung wiederverwendet werden. Über die Stahlfedern wurde anschließend eine Gummikokosmatte gezogen. Dieses Naturmaterial wurde auch in den 1950er-Jahren bereits serienmäßig beim BMW 507 verwendet, ebenso wie die zur Optimierung des Sitzkomforts darübergelegten Filz- und Leinenschichten. Fensterkurbeln und Türöffner wurden in einem hochmodernen 3D-Druckverfahren nach Originalmaßen nachgefertigt. Dabei wurde ein noch vorhandenes Originalbauteil zunächst dreidimensional gescannt und aus dem Scan druckbare 3D-Daten erzeugt. Anschließend wurden die originalgetreuen Replikate additiv gefertigt und auf Hochglanz poliert.

Das Dichtgummi des Tankdecks entstand dagegen in konventioneller Herstellungsweise. Da dieses Bauteil auch bei vielen weiteren BMW 507 dem Zahn der Zeit zum Opfer gefallen ist, wurde gleich eine Kleinserie aufgelegt. Im Teileshop der BMW Group Classic finden Roadster-Besitzer nun Ersatz.

Der BMW 507 kehrt zurück – so wie Hans Stuck ihn fuhr, wie Elvis ihn kaufte und wie Jack Castor ihn sich wünschte.

Der Motor für Elvis‘ BMW 507 wurde aus Einzelteilen komplett neu aufgebaut. Das 3,2 Liter große V8-Triebwerk entstand dabei exakt nach den Originalspezifikationen des BMW 507, erhielt jedoch aufgrund der unvermeidlichen, aber ansonsten unüblichen Mischung aus Alt- und Neuteilen keine Motornummer. Der einst herausgeschnittene vordere Rahmenträger musste ebenfalls in seiner ursprünglichen Geometrie nachgefertigt und in die Bodengruppe integriert werden. In Material und Verarbeitung entspricht auch die Holznagelleiste zur Befestigung des Verdecks ganz dem Stil der 1950er-Jahre.

Maximale Authentizität stand auch bei der Lackierung des Fahrzeugs im Vordergrund. Der BMW 507 erstrahlt nun wieder in Federweiß. Das Auftragen von Grundierung, Füller und Decklack erfolgte dabei nicht nach den heute üblichen Methoden, sondern in einem Verfahren, das der vor rund 60 Jahren eingesetzten Technologie entspricht. So wurde das heutzutage erwünschte, für Oldtimer jedoch unpassende Übermaß an Farbbrillanz vermieden.

Ebenso wie der Neuaufbau des V8-Motors und die Verwendung originalgetreuer Teile und Fertigungsverfahren entspricht auch die Auswahl der Lackierung exakt den Vorgaben Jack Castors. Er hatte von Beginn an den Wiederaufbau des Roadsters im Original-Auslieferungszustand des Jahres 1958 im Sinn gehabt. Sein Wunsch, den BMW 507 mit den Augen des „Kings“ sehen zu können, blieb dennoch unerfüllt. Jack Castor verstarb im November 2014 im Alter von 77 Jahren. In Pebble Beach wird deshalb auch seiner gedacht. Der dort erstmals gezeigte BMW 507 ist nicht nur das Auto des „King“, sondern auch das Vermächtnis Jack Castors und obendrein ein Meisterstück der BMW Group Classic.

The history of the BMW Group:

100 years of fascination for mobility.

Table of contents.

1. The history of the BMW Group: 100 years of fascination for mobilty
   (Summary) ............................. ..............................................................................................................2
2. Choosing independent pathways:
   Creativity and courage for innovative solutions. ............................................................................................................ 10
3. Taking responsibility, mastering challenges:
   Powering through highs and lows. ........................................................................................................... 16
4. Benchmarking with the best:
   Sports competition as motivation to peak performance. ........................................................................................................... 21
5. The right product at the right time:
   Ahead of the trend and into the future. ............................................................................................................26
6. Timeline:
   100 facts from 100 years. ............................................................... 30

BMW, one of the world’s most successful premium carmakers, also boasts an excellent position in the all-wheel-drive market, a segment it first entered 30 years ago. Around one in three BMW cars sold around the world is now equipped with the intelligent BMW xDrive all-wheel-drive system. BMW’s success in this segment has been driven not only by the ever-popular BMW X models but also by all-wheel-drive models based on the other model series, from the BMW 1 Series to the BMW 7 Series. Across these model series, a large choice of AWD models is offered in a wide range of engine versions. At the same time, BMW continues to refine this technology and take it in new directions. By offering BMW xDrive in combination with a hybrid drive and with a front-wheel-drive platform, the company has repeatedly demonstrated its proficiency in the all-wheel-drive field, proficiency that will secure BMW’s position at the forefront of this sector well into the future. Today, BMW offers more than 110 models – of either transmission type – with BMW xDrive in 12 different model series, as well as the plug-in hybrid BMW i8 sports car and the compact BMW 225xe with electrified all-wheel drive.

The focus from day one: traction and dynamics.
BMW’s first foray into the all-wheel-drive market came with the unveiling of the BMW 325i “Allrad” at the Frankfurt Motor Show (IAA) in 1985. From the outside, the newcomer didn’t immediately reveal its inner qualities, so its performance when the journalists took it out on the test track was even more of an eye-opener. This very first BMW all-wheel-drive system not only improved traction away from surfaced roads and in adverse weather conditions, but also made for more dynamic handling through corners. “The new BMW is the new champion when it comes to handling,” was the verdict of the testers from German car magazine Auto Zeitung not long after the first unveiling.

Today, the intelligent BMW xDrive all-wheel-drive system takes typical BMW driving dynamics to new levels. The current generation of this system is controlled by the Integrated Chassis Management (ICM) system, which ensures that xDrive always responds appropriately at the earliest possible moment, based on reliable sensing and monitoring of the current driving situation. The interventions may be performed either entirely by BMW xDrive, or by xDrive in combination with Dynamic Stability Control (DSC) or Dynamic Performance Control (DPC). The resulting fast and precise control of drive power distribution ensures typical BMW handling characteristics even under extremely dynamic cornering.

The all-wheel-drive system is biased towards the typical BMW rear-wheel-drive characteristics. That is to say, on the all-wheel-drive models a greater share of the drive power is sent to the rear wheels, even under normal driving conditions. This maintains the typical BMW precise steering response, with virtually no torque steer. For crisp turn-in and high tracking stability, the latest-generation BMW xDrive system starts increasing the amount of power sent to the rear wheels as soon as the vehicle enters a corner, further enhancing the driving pleasure for which BMW is a byword.

BMW all-wheel-drive technology: continuous evolution since 1985.
The full-time all-wheel-drive system featured on the BMW 325i “Allrad” of 1985 split the drive power in a ratio of 37 to 63 per cent between the front and rear wheels. In response to wheel speed differences, visco locks in the transfer case and rear differential were capable of providing a virtually rigid connection between the front and rear wheels, in order to improve traction and stability. This model’s name was soon changed to BMW 325iX, and from 1988 it was offered in a “touring” version as well (lower-case spelling up to and including the E46 series).

1991: BMW 525iX.
Three years on, BMW introduced an all-wheel-drive model in the BMW 5 Series too. For the first time, the power split was now electronically controlled. The newly developed system featured multi-plate clutches that allowed the default 36:64 front-to-rear power split to be varied seamlessly and automatically in line with driving conditions. Initially a hydraulically controlled multi-plate clutch was used at the rear axle, but this was later replaced by electronically controlled selective braking intervention. The system monitored the driving situation using wheel speed signals from the Anti-lock Braking System, supplemented by further information about brake status, engine speed and throttle valve position.

From the outset the all-wheel-drive system of the BMW 525iX was a class apart. The electronic control system delivered a very fast and precise response, resulting in safe, neutral handling characteristics even in difficult driving conditions, such as on wet roads or snow. In the BMW 5 Series, too, the first all-wheel-drive models were offered in both Sedan and touring versions.

1999: The Sports Activity Vehicle (SAV) opens a new chapter.
In the run-up to the new millennium, a highly innovative vehicle concept from BMW made its sensational debut. The BMW X5, the first Sports Activity Vehicle (SAV), impressed customers with driving dynamics that were unmatched among other all-terrain vehicles of the time. The outstanding all-wheel-drive system played a big part in this. A planetary gear system split the drive power in a ratio of 38:62 per cent between the front and rear wheels, while electronic control systems such as DSC (Dynamic Stability Control), ADB-X (Automatic Differential Brake) and HDC (Hill Descent Control) ensured the new BMW X5 was both sporty on the road and equipped to handle challenging conditions off the beaten track.

In the years following the successful launch of the SAV concept, there was no let-up in the fast pace of all-wheel-drive development at BMW. The next year, 2000, a model-specific version of the BMW X5’s all-wheel drive technology became available for the fourth generation of the BMW 3 Series.

2003: BMW xDrive makes its debut in the BMW X3 and BMW X5.
Four years on from the debut of the BMW X5 in 1999, BMW kept up the momentum by launching the SAV concept in a further vehicle segment. The new BMW X3 was more compact than the BMW X5 and offered even more agile handling. It set new benchmarks and remained the only premium model in its class for years to come.

The newly developed BMW xDrive all-wheel-drive system, which was introduced in the same year in both the BMW X3 and the BMW X5, soon extended BMW’s lead in the AWD segment. Based on an extremely fast-acting electronic multi-plate clutch in the transfer case, xDrive worked in tandem with the Dynamic Stability Control system (DSC) to continuously adapt the drive power split to the current driving situation. In addition to wheel speed, for the first time the electronic control system also took into account Dynamic Stability Control data, for example about steering angle, accelerator position and lateral acceleration. This is what makes BMW xDrive the world’s first, and still only, “intelligent” all-wheel-drive system. Unlike conventional all-wheel-drive systems, which only react when at least one wheel is already spinning, xDrive is able to detect a risk of oversteer or understeer at the very first signs, and proactively corrects this by redirecting the flow of drive power.

In the years that followed, the BMW xDrive intelligent all-wheel-drive system was fitted not only on the X models but also on the xDrive versions of the BMW 3 and 5 Series Sedan and Touring models. By the time the second generation of the BMW X3 was introduced in 2010, more than 600,000 units of this series had already been sold worldwide. A little earlier, sales of the BMW X5 – which entered its second generation in 2006 – had topped the one million mark.

2008: SAC with Dynamic Performance Control and hybrid drive.
With the two Sports Activity Vehicles now firmly established in their respective segments, in 2007 BMW went on to present the world’s first Sports Activity Coupe. Unveiled at the Frankfurt Motor Show (IAA), the brand-new BMW X6 elevated the typical dynamic character of the BMW X models to a new level of intensity. For the first time, the intelligent all-wheel-drive system was combined with Dynamic Performance Control (DPC), which varies the drive power split between the rear wheels when cornering to ensure unrivalled agility and stability, even under sudden throttle changes or on overrun. In 2009, the BMW Active Hybrid X6 demonstrated a further perfect pairing – between BMW xDrive and hybrid propulsion. Meanwhile, in the same year, BMW M GmbH added two very special models to its range of high-performance sports cars. With an M-tuned BMW xDrive system, including Dynamic Performance Control, the BMW X5 M and BMW X6 M boasted performance that was previously unknown in the all-wheel-drive market.

2009 also saw the arrival of a new X model, the BMW X1. For many years to come, the BMW X1 was destined to remain the only vehicle of its kind in the premium compact segment. Its intelligent BMW xDrive all-wheel-drive system, like that of the new BMW X3 (2010), was also combinable with Performance Control. This system selectively brakes the wheel on the inside of a turn while simultaneously increasing engine power, resulting in quick and precise turn-in to corners and taking the agile handling of both models to new levels.

BMW xDrive also available for other model series.
The steady advance of the BMW X models has been accompanied by an increase in the number of xDrive versions offered in the other BMW model series too. Designed to improve cornering agility and precision, BMW xDrive provides an enhanced driving experience and an optimal combination of dynamics and comfort. So it was only a matter of time before this intelligent drive technology made its debut in the BMW 7 Series as well, in 2009. In spring 2012, the first all-wheel-drive Coupe and Convertible models were then offered in the sporty BMW 6 Series. BMW xDrive can also be specified on the current BMW 3 and 5 Series and, since 2013, on the Convertible, Coupe and Gran Coupe models of the new BMW 4 Series.

Driving progress ever forward.
BMW took things forward in the premium mid-sized segment with the launch of the BMW X4 in 2014. The new Sports Activity Coupe offers a unique blend of driving enjoyment, sophisticated style and contemporary practicality. It comes with BMW xDrive as standard and is available in a wide range of engine versions. In the same year, BMW also presented the third generation of the BMW X5, the second generation of the BMW X6, and M Sport versions of both models. BMW xDrive also made its debut in the new BMW 2 Series Active Tourer. This was a debut with a difference, being the first time BMW had combined its intelligent all-wheel-drive system with an all-new front-wheel-drive format.

With the BMW i8, unveiled in 2014, the BMW Group took a bold new step in new directions – which also extended to the all-wheel-drive system. This 2+2-seater sports model is powered by a highly advanced plug-in hybrid drive system that pairs an internal combustion engine driving the rear wheels with a high-performance electric motor driving the front wheels.

Focused on the future: BMW xDrive meets BMW eDrive.
BMW’s latest all-wheel-drive models bring technology advances that are firmly focused on the future of mobility. The BMW i8 was followed by the international launch of the first production plug-in hybrid model from the BMW core brand: the BMW X5 xDrive40e. Thanks to full-time BMW xDrive all-wheel-drive and eDrive BMW EfficientDynamics technology, this Sports Activity Vehicle mates thrilling and effortless sporty performance with outstanding efficiency. Intelligent hybrid power management synchronises the operation of the internal combustion engine and the electric motor to maximise efficiency at all times, while also responding perfectly to the driver’s demands. The drive from the two power units is transferred to the road via the full-time BMW xDrive intelligent all-wheel-drive system.

BMW 7 Series: Integral Active Steering combinable with BMW xDrive.
In September 2015, the sixth generation of the BMW 7 Series makes its world debut at the Frankfurt Motor Show (IAA). This high-end BMW luxury model pioneers groundbreaking innovations on all fronts, and will be available with BMW xDrive from its market launch in October. The new luxury sedan will also be the first model to allow intelligent all-wheel-drive to be combined with Integral Active Steering – that is to say with passively steering rear wheels.

Please find attached the complete press kit for download.

Munich. The BMW i3 represents a milestone in personal mobility. The world’s first premium model designed from the outset to be powered by an all-electric drive system can be assured of a place in the automotive history books. And it seems the readers of German motoring magazine Auto Bild Klassik agree, having anointed the BMW i3 a “Classic of the Future”. Another groundbreaking BMW model also came out on top in the voting for the 2013 “Goldenes Klassik-Lenkrad” (Golden Classic Steering Wheel) awards after Auto Bild Klassik readers named a flawlessly maintained BMW 323i first registered in 1979 as their “Find of the Year”. The winners of the Golden Classic Steering Wheel awards – which span five categories – will be presented with their accolades on 24 October 2013. This BMW Museum in Munich provides the backdrop for this year’s prize-giving ceremony.

Racing driver of many years and current BMW brand ambassador Prince Leopold of Bavaria will be the recipient of a special Golden Classic Steering Wheel award. The motor sport enthusiast made his name with more than 120 victories in touring car, sports car and vintage car racing. But as well as his success on the track, the award also recognises his many years of service on the jury for Auto Bild’s Golden Steering Wheel awards. Indeed, his expert contribution played a key role in establishing this award in the motor industry. Prince Leopold of Bavaria will receive his Golden Classic Steering Wheel from another legend of the motor racing world – ex-Formula One driver Hans-Joachim Stuck.

The annual Golden Classic Steering Wheel awards see Auto Bild Klassik honouring vehicles and personalities judged to have made a distinctive mark on automotive culture and history. Singled out alongside the “Classic Car of the Year” and “Classic of the Future” will be the “Find of the Year”, “Restoration of the Year” and “Personality of the Year”. This year marked the fourth occasion that this public vote has been held, with almost 27,000 readers of the German vintage and classic car magazine taking part in the 2013 poll.

With 7,493 votes, the BMW i3 rose head and shoulders above its nine rivals in the “Classic of the Future” category. The result represented a vote of confidence from Auto Bild Klassik readers in the considerable potential of the BMW Group’s first volume-produced all-electric model – not only as a zero-emission purveyor of BMW’s hallmark driving pleasure but also as a future collector’s item for automotive aficionados. The BMW i3 is built around a passenger cell made from carbon-fibre-reinforced plastic (CFRP) and an aluminium chassis, which means that rust – the bane of so many vintage and classic car fans – is destined not to be an issue.

The voting for the “Find of the Year” award was even clearer, a BMW 323i proposed by Auto Bild Klassik garnering 9,984 votes. 34 years after its initial registration and with under 60,000 kilometres (approx. 37,000 miles) on the clock, this example of the first-generation BMW 3 Series could barely have been in better condition when it rolled off the assembly line. The Golden Classic Steering Wheel award therefore also represents special recognition for its owner, who has cared for the two-door model so attentively over the decades and has it regularly serviced at a specialist workshop.

One of the reasons her BMW 323i is deemed by connoisseurs to be particularly worthy of preservation is because this was the model variant which saw BMW first introduce a six-cylinder in-line engine with fuel injection into its “small” model series. From the moment it was launched, the 105 kW/143 hp BMW 323i was seen as the standard-bearer for driving pleasure in its class and was not only the fastest but also the most economical member of the BMW 3 Series at the time. The motoring press lavished enthusiastic praise on “the small BMW with the greatest sprinting ability”. “Six of the best” was one of the headlines at the time, while another publication led with “Six cylinders and not a drop thirstier”. In keeping with its elevated engine output, the BMW 323i was also the first member of its model series to gain disc brakes on all four wheels and a new five-speed gearbox. The strapline accompanying the presentation of the flagship 3 Series model captured the mood: “Better one gear more than two cylinders less.”

An example of the BMW 3 Series’ ability to consistently set new benchmarks for driving pleasure and economy over the years that followed is provided by another model under the spotlight at the 2013 Golden Classic Steering Wheel awards. All participants in the Auto Bild Klassik readers’ survey were entered into a prize draw, with the winner once again taking delivery of a very special – and rare – piece of automotive history. This year’s main prize is a BMW 325e from the BMW Group Classic collection. The BMW 325e is a member of the second-generation BMW 3 Series, which was presented for the first time 30 years ago and has therefore reached the minimum age to qualify for classic car registration in Germany.

The BMW 325e provides evidence that the minimisation of fuel consumption and emissions in BMW engine development played a pivotal role well before the introduction of BMW EfficientDynamics. The “e” in the model designation represents the Greek letter eta, used in physics as the symbol of efficiency. The 2.7-litre straight-six engine with 90 kW/122 hp delivered its performance – headlined by impressive torque at low revs – while burning remarkably little fuel. The BMW 325e was also the brand’s first model of which every example was fitted with a three-way catalytic converter with electronically controlled oxygen sensor.

When the first production version of the BMW i3 rolls off the assembly line in Leipzig in late 2013, it will mark the provisional culmination of 40 years of development work at BMW. It all began at the 1972 Olympic Games in Munich, where the BMW starting line-up included two electrically powered test vehicles. The converted BMW 1602 models served as a means of transport for the members of the organising committee, and were also deployed as support and camera cars in various long-distance events. However, there could be no questioning that lead batteries weighing 350 kilograms and with a range of around 60 kilometres (37 miles) were hardly ideal for a production car. BMW therefore launched a series of research and development projects with the aim of bringing an improved and, above all, more efficient technology for electric drive systems onto the road.

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“A company is like a human being. As long as it goes in for sports, it is fit, well-trained, full of enthusiasm and performance.” These were the words of Robert A. Lutz, BMW AG Board Member Sales, back in 1972. They were the words christening the youngest subsidiary of BMW AG at the time, BMW Motorsport GmbH. Today the company is called BMW M GmbH. But it is just as fit, well-trained, full of enthusiasm and performance as it was 40 years ago.

The early 1970s were the dawn of a new age for BMW: A new, young Board of Management under Eberhard von Kuenheim had set out to strategically power and pursue the ongoing success of the Company. This included the construction of a new head office – the legendary BMW Four-Cylinder – as well as the establishment of BMW’s own in-house Sports Division. Quoting Robert A. Lutz once again: “With sports always being a driving force at BMW, also while the Company was developing dynamically in the business world, it was only obvious at this point that we should concentrate and consolidate our activities in motor sport.”

Indeed, demand and untapped opportunities exceeded the potentials and capacities of the former Sports Department by far. The BMW 1800 TI and 2000 TI, as well as the entire 02 Series, were the most popular competition cars winning one race after the other. But BMW itself was able to meet only a fragment of the overall demand, the vast majority of cars being prepared, run and sold by tuning companies. Since the mid-1960s, BMW had also been involved in Formula 2 – and in the years to come hardly a team anywhere was able to enter this Formula successfully without BMW’s high-performance power units. Countless racing wins and European Championships by BMW dominated the scene.

1972: A team highly experienced in racing forms BMW Motorsport GmbH.

BMW Motorsport GmbH, facing the challenges described, took over on 1 May 1972. The Managing Director of this team of specialists originally made up of 35 employees was Jochen Neerpasch, an ex-Porsche works driver and Ford’s Racing Manager in Cologne before moving to Munich.

He immediately attracted a whole group of racing drivers destined to leave their stamp on BMW Motorsport for decades to come: Chris Amon, Toine Hezemans, Hans-Joachim Stuck and Dieter Quester. Björn Waldegaard and Achim Warmbold were hired by the Company as rally drivers.

The new company was able to move into its own building after just a few months, with the racing workshop and racing engine production shop, toolmaking and the engine dynamometer all being installed in the immediate vicinity of BMW’s Munich Plant on a site measuring more than 8,000 square metres in Preussenstrasse. This is where the sports machines for 1973 saw the light of day: A 950-kilo 2002 powered by a two-litre four-valve four-cylinder for rally racing, with maximum output of 240 hp, as well as a new touring coupé described by Jochen Neerpasch in the early days in very clear words: “Since we saw 1973 as our kick-off year, we didn’t expect to win this European Championship right away.” The model designation of the new car was 3.0 CSL. The doors and lids were made of aluminium, the five-speed gearbox featured a magnesium housing. Overall weight was 1,092 kg or 2,408 lb. But the real highlight was hidden beneath the hood, a 3,340 cc straight-six with 12 valves, fuel injection and a compression ratio of 11:1. Maximum output: 360 hp. This was the last two-valve engine that BMW built for racing.

BMW’s traditional philosophy: The human focus.

BMW Motorsport GmbH entered the 1973 season perfectly prepared not only in technical terms. The drivers were also top-fit, with Jochen Neerpasch taking the entire team of drivers to a “driver tuning” season in St. Moritz. Here, in this Swiss skiers’ paradise, the entire team received the final touch from a sports instructor and a sports psychologist. Even back then, in the very early years, BMW attached the utmost importance to optimisation of the man/machine interface. And there were even plans back then for similar courses to be offered to “non-professionals”. Since 1977 these courses have been called BMW Driver Training.

This was the team BMW Motorsport GmbH took to the race track in the 1973 season. And it was not only the 3.0 CSL coupé that hit the headlines from the very beginning: For the first time a complete racing team from the car transport vehicle to the key tag came in the same design.

 These were the three blue, violet and red colour stripes on a brilliant white background characterising the look of BMW Motorsport to this very day.

The CSL coupés in these colours soon known to everybody in the world of motor racing were unbeatable. Hans-Joachim Stuck and Chris Amon brought home the Touring Car Grand Prix at the Nürburgring in their very first attempt. BMW was the overall winner of the Touring Car Category in the 24 Hour Race at Le Mans.

The most successful touring car of its day: The BMW 3.0 CSL .

The 3.0 CSL dream coupé in its spectacular racing livery subsequently became the most successful touring car of its time, winning the European Championship six times between 1973 and 1979 and dominating the international touring car scene for almost a decade. But the BMW 3.0 CSL was a pioneer not only in its colour design, but also through a whole range of significant technical innovations: First, it was powered from 1973 by BMW’s first-ever four-valve six-cylinder. Second, it featured a prototype anti-lock braking system from 1974, long before this innovation became standard technology in the BMW 7 Series. And at the end of its career, in the guise of the turbo coupé, the 3.0 CSL developed maximum output of up to 800 hp. In 1976, BMW Motorsport GmbH sent BMW’s most powerful touring car out on to the track with Ronnie Peterson at the wheel, this supreme version of the CSL featuring a 3.2-litre biturbo engine with output intentionally reduced to 750 hp.

BMW Motorsport GmbH maintained its successful process of development also in Formula 2: Fifty of BMW’s two-litre four-valve engines went to March, subsequently winning 11 out of 16 races. In 1973 Jean Pierre Jarier, powered by a BMW engine, brought home the European Formula 2 Championship at the wheel of his March and the engine dominated the two-litre category consistently for nearly ten years, with Patrick Depailler (1974), Bruno Giacomelli (1978), Marc Surer (1979) and Corrado Fabi (1982) winning the European title in their BMW-powered March Formula 2 racing cars. Other teams were equally thrilled by this two-litre four-cylinder built in a production run of more than 500 units, most of which developing over 300 hp.

In 1975, BMW Motorsport GmbH shifted its focus to the other side of the Atlantic: Now the Company concentrated on the US IMSA Series, seeking in the process to present the letters “BMW” to a larger US market. When the year came to an end, the number of US citizens who knew that BMW stood for “Bavarian Motor Works” had increased considerably – and this was no surprise with BMW winning the Manufacturer’s Category in the IMSA Championship.

1976: The “driver’s school” becomes BMW Driver Training.

On 3 February 1976, BMW’s Board of Management decided to entrust BMW Motorsport GmbH with yet another task: to professionalise an activity still referred to at the time as a “driver’s school”. The original brief given to the Management of the Company was to organise 15 courses a year with 20 participants each at BMW’s test facilities, as well as five additional courses with 100 participants in each case on race tracks – that is a total of 800 participants a year. “As the Company responsible throughout BMW for all motor sport activities, BMW Motorsport GmbH wishes to promote the driver in his performance as part of the man/machine system.” This was the key statement in the initial publication of BMW Driver Training – and it remains valid to this very day.

From the very beginning one of the main features of BMW Driver Training was to provide the cars for the participants to use – and this philosophy remains unchanged to this very day. This means that all participants have the same cars in technical terms and need not worry about tyre wear and their own cars. To implement this philosophy in practice, the Company established its own small fleet of BMW 320i’s, at the time the ideal car for training with its maximum output of 125 hp. All of these cars featured a specially tuned suspension, a limited-slip differential with 40 per cent locking action, and a bucket seat for the driver. So BMW’s first “team” in Driver Training was certainly well prepared.

The BMW Driver Training curriculum was all set and ready to go following the first test courses at the Manching Military Airfield near Ingolstadt, Rauno Aaltonen officially signing up as BMW’s first chief instructor on 13 January 1977. In fact, Aaltonen applied his experience not only on the track, but also through the only book on driver training published at the time: “Revolution at the Wheel” – a unique book clearly describing the course and its curriculum, and therefore sold out almost overnight. To this very day, the “Flying Finn” passes on his unique skills to BMW drivers, although the focus has now for a long time been on greater safety.

Soon making their appearance: The first “extra-hot” road-going BMW.

Well into the second half of the 1970s, BMW Motorsport GmbH focused almost exclusively on the construction of racing cars. The new BMW 320 entered in Group 5, for example, continued the outstanding success of the 02 Series. But many a good customer – not just racing drivers, but also BMW enthusiasts in everyday life – were also looking for M Power on regular roads and this is how the first “hot” 5 Series came into being from 1974: the 530, 533i, 535i. Indeed, these cars were superior to their production counterparts not only in terms of their engines, but also in their suspension and brake technology receiving the special attention of the engineers at BMW Motorsport GmbH. “Regular” saloons almost “normal” at first sight thus became the first high-performance four-seaters revolutionising the world of the sports car through their sophisticated technology. Initially these were built and sold only in very small numbers, but soon the performance philosophy became increasingly popular. By 1980, 895 units based on the first 5 Series had been purchased.

The big sensation in the world of sports cars in 1978: The BMW M1.

The next project to come along was geared towards producing Motorsport GmbH’s first competition car not based on a regular production model: the BMW M1. While BMW built the technical components, Lamborghini was supposed to supply the body and the chassis. However, financial problems at Lamborghini resulted in significant delays. Ultimately, a new production chain had to be found and the manufacture of the BMW M1 turned into something of a patchwork puzzle. The spaceframe was manufactured at Marchesi, the glass-fibre reinforced plastic bodyshell was produced at T.I.R., both companies were based in Modena. Giorgio Giugiaro’s company ItalDesign assembled them and provided the interiors fittings. The cars were then transported to Stuttgart where Baur installed all the mechanical assemblies.

Jochen Neerpasch, the Managing Director of Motorsport GmbH, joined forces with Bernie Ecclestone and Max Mosley to create the ProCar Series as the opening race leading into most European Formula 1 Grand Prix during the 1979/80 season.

Since the minimum production requirement for homologation in FIA Group 4 was 400 units, the ultra-low mid-engined M1 measuring a mere 1.14 metres in height also came as a road-going model. The first car with the famous letter “M” made its debut in the market. The price of the 277 hp M1 back in 1978 was exactly DM 100,000, but demand exceeded supply by far. When 130 cars had been completed after one year, there were still more than 300 firm orders waiting to be fulfilled. Right from the start the M1 was the fastest road-going sports car built in Germany, as timed by a leading car journal: In a test conducted in 1979, the M1 reached a top speed of 264.7 km/h or 164.1 mph. “You only have to shift up from fourth to fifth at 213 km/h or 132 mph, and then keep on accelerating all-out up to the top speed of the car,” according to the testers. Lots of customers appreciated this, as did the subsequent Formula 1 World Champion Alan Jones.

Even this was very little compared with the racing version: Developing 470 hp, the ProCar racing version had a top speed well over 300 km/h or 190 mph. And it was in one of these cars that Niki Lauda, already two-time winner of the Formula 1 World Championship, made his big appearance in 1979, winning three out of 8 M1 ProCar races and finishing second on another occasion. In the USA the Red Lobster Team Ml’s quickly became genuine cult cars wiping out the competition in the IMSA GTO Class.

Motivated by the outstanding success of the M1 and its great image, Motorsport GmbH decided to build another model: Proceeding from the regular 5 Series, the engineers developed and built the M535i in 1980, carrying over the two-valve six-cylinder from the 635CSi. With engine output of 218 hp, this 5 Series quickly became the king of the fast lane.

Formula 1 sensation in 1980: BMW creates the World Championship turbo engine.

Jochen Neerpasch left Motorsport GmbH in 1980 and was succeeded by Dieter Stappert taking over as the Racing Director. Paul Rosche, in turn, who had been responsible for BMW racing engines since 1969, was appointed Technical Director. And it was indeed Paul Rosche who became the key player when BMW decided in the early 1980s to prove its competence also in the highest realms of motor sport: In April 1980, BMW officially announced its entry into Formula 1, giving the engineers at Motorsport GmbH the green light to develop BMW’s first Formula 1 power unit:

Taking a four-cylinder displacing only 1.5 litres and based on a standard production block, the team of specialists around engine “wizard” Paul Rosche created a Formula 1 power unit developing staggering output of 800 hp. The secret behind this mind-boggling performance was the combination of 16-valve technology and a turbocharger masterminded for the first time in Formula 1 by Digital Motor Electronics.

The first training car was put through its paces in practice just a year later and in 1982 Brabham entered the first Grand Prix with a BMW engine. Right from the start, this turbocharged power unit proved its supremacy on the track, with the greatest triumph following in 1983: Just 630 days after BMW’s Formula 1 engine had made its first appearance, Brazilian driver Nelson Piquet won the World Championship in a Brabham BMW. And up to 1987 BMW brought home a total 9 Grand Prix wins with this successful machine.

BMW M turbo engines did not only go to the Brabham Team. Arrows also used the M power machine from 1984 to 1986, just like ATS in 1983/84 and Ligier in 1987. In 1986, Gerhard Berger won the race in Mexico in a Benetton car, marking the last triumph of this turbocharged power unit. A year later Road and Track, the US car journal, demonstrated the supreme performance of the Benetton B 186 with Teo Fabi at the wheel: Powered by 900 hp, Fabi’s monoposto accelerated to 100 mph (160 km/h) in exactly 4.8 seconds. And Paul Rosche was confident that this four-cylinder was able to develop a lot more power in practice: “It must have been about 1,400 hp, but we don’t know the exact figure since the engine dynamometer didn’t go beyond 1280 hp.”

Another important event in 1983 went almost unnoticed: BMW Motorsport GmbH took on additional functions and responsibilities when it was transformed into a performance-oriented development company. Accordingly, the headcount at BMW’s highly successful subsidiary was now increased to 380, further important responsibilities such as motor-sport organisation, administration and workshops being added to the development, design and testing of outstanding BMW products. This saw the creation of individual development centres for engines and suspension technology providing the input for these activities. And in its customer relations Motorsport GmbH had already been offering far more than “just” sophisticated automotive technology for a long time already, sales of accessories and the growing wish of discerning customers for custom-built and individually equipped cars already accounting for a significant share in sales. 

BMW M1 six-cylinder also featured in production cars: The M5 and M635CSi.

In 1984, Motorsport GmbH hit the headlines once again, especially among all aficionados of high-performance sports cars: The fast-revving four-valve straight-six originally featured in the M1 now made its appearance in the M635CSi Coupé and in the M5. Particularly the M5 hand-built in Preussenstrasse quickly became a legend in the world of motoring: The M5 was a genuine “wolf in sheep’s clothing”, with output of 286 hp exceeding the engine power of the 518i almost three times. While at first sight the M5 could hardly be distinguished from its regular production counterpart, its top speed of 245 km/h or 152 mph caught many drivers of big saloons and sports cars thoroughly by surprise when the M5 simply left them standing no matter how hard they tried. The term “Executive Express” was born.

1986: The debut of the M3, the most successful touring car ever.

After completing its activities in Formula 1, Motorsport GmbH focused all its energy on touring car racing. And in 1986 this resulted in the birth of the BMW M3, a compact two-door sports saloon representing BMW’s first parallel development in series production and motor sport: The road version requiring a production run of 5,000 units within one year for recognition as a touring car was conceived for racing right from the start and tailored in virtually every respect to the regulations in Group A. Since the facilities in Preussenstrasse were unable to handle the sheer magnitude of the tasks involved, Motorsport GmbH moved to its second home in the Munich suburb of Garching in 1986.

The result was an outstanding success for BMW in every respect. Right from the start, this brilliant white racing car in BMW Motorsport livery brought home one racing win, trophy and title after the other: In 1987, Italian driver Roberto Ravaglia won the World Touring Car Championship at the wheel of a BMW M3.

Developing maximum output of 195 hp from its four-cylinder 16-valve power unit and featuring a catalytic converter as standard, this high-performance saloon became the benchmark in motor sport from now on.

In the five years to follow, the M3 was the uncontested leader in the international touring car scene, bringing home two European Touring Car Championships, winning the German Touring Car Championship (DTM) twice as well as a large number of other international events and championships, and thus becoming the most successful touring car.

The M3 was equally successful as a road-going car for customers, reaching a sales volume nobody would have expected: Sales of the first BMW M3 amounted to more than 17,970 units, including 600 2.5-litre M3 Sportevolution models as well as 765 M3 convertibles built by hand. The M3 also proved that sporting performance and environmental protection need not necessarily be a contradiction in terms, with the M3 offering a standard of fuel economy quite unparalleled in relation to its power and performance.

A new market: The second M5 also built as a touring car.

The M5 entered its second generation in 1988, the straight-six power unit originally displacing 3.6 and subsequently 3.8 litres, with output increasing first to 315 and then to 340 hp. Another change was that the engines no longer bore the “M” in their internal production code, but rather an “S” designating the origin of BMW Motorsport GmbH power units from now on. The customer is able to determine the difference at a glance, the letters “BMW” now being replaced by “M Power” on the valve cover, just as on the M3 four-cylinder. The M5 was initially introduced as a saloon and then at the beginning of 1992 as a touring to create ­a unique synthesis of a thoroughbred sports car and a sophisticated transport vehicle.

When the next 3 Series was set to make its appearance in 1990, Motorsport GmbH was already working on the new BMW M3 which was launched on the market in 1992. But the new car was no longer adorned by striking spoilers and widely flared wheel arches, like its predecessor. Instead, the new M3 – reflecting the signs of the times – came in a more discreet look and was recognisable to the connoisseur only through specific details – one of which, of course, being the unmistakable sound generated by the three-litre six-cylinder four-valve power unit developing maximum output of 286 hp. This M3 six-cylinder was also BMW’s first engine with VANOS variable valve timing, an infinitely adjustable system varying the intake camshaft as required. This system patented by BMW M boosts torque above all at low and medium engine speeds.

Another unique feature on this car seen for the first time was the introduction of engine management developed by BMW and with a capacity of 20 million instructions per second.

The Car of the Century: The second BMW M3.

Customers and the media alike simply loved this M3 right from the start. The order books were full immediately and the first titles and awards were just around the corner. The readers of sport auto, the German motor magazine, made this most agile of all BMW 3 Series their “Car of the Year” no less than twice in a row, Auto Plus in France even chose the M3 following a comparison with other upmarket models as the “Car of the Century”. And immediately after the M3 had been launched in the USA, the editors of Automobile Magazine gave the new star their “Car of the Year” award, the first time ever that this prize went to an import.

This time both a convertible and a somewhat more comfort-oriented saloon were included in the planning process right from the outset. Developing maximum output of 295 hp, the M3 GT produced in a small, special series moved up the performance benchmark right to the top. Between 1992 and 1996 Motorsport GmbH built more than 85 four-door racing 3 Series based on this M3, with Johnny Cecotto at the wheel winning the ADAC GT Championship in 1993 and setting out to conquer the US motor-sport market next. So it was no surprise that the 400 hp PTG M3 subsequently won the IMSA title in 1996.

The really discerning purchaser was able to have his M3 – just like every other BMW – built to his personal wishes, since BMW Individual had been established by Motorsport GmbH in 1992, supplementing the Company’s existing activities. Covering the entire range of BMW models, this specialist company fulfils the most individual wishes and preferences tailor-made to the customer and exceeding the range of “regular” options by far. Demand is particularly great for unusual paintwork or interior equipment, as well as individual features and professional communication electronics. Establishing BMW Individual, Motorsport GmbH once again became a pioneer in the market, also opening up the door to more individual style in the automotive world, one might say as the supreme standard of customer orientation.

With this new line of business developing and expanding at a breath-taking pace, the Company had to be adjusted once again: It required a new name covering the entire scope of operations, since a customer wishing to have his car individualised by BMW Individual or taking part in BMW Driver Training did not find what he was looking for under the existing name “Motorsport GmbH”. So what could have been better than that legendary letter M, defined within the Company as the “most powerful letter in the world”? Since 1 August 1993, therefore, the former Motorsport GmbH has been BMW M GmbH.

In 1995, the best-selling BMW M3 received even more power in a far-reaching process of evolution. And this extra power – 321 hp from 3.2 litres, more than 100 hp per litre – set a new benchmark for the competition and ­was also accompanied by extra torque. Double VANOS variable timing was also used for the first time, the advanced system with continuously variable timing of the intake and exhaust camshafts. Another feature was the introduction of a six-speed manual gearbox as the standard for conveying drive power to the rear wheels.

A world-first achievement in transmission technology: SMG.

As far as transmission was concerned, BMW M GmbH became the first car maker in the world to introduce the Sequential M Gearbox (SMG), offering this unique technology in the M3. Based on the conventional M3 gearbox, SMG activates the clutch electrohydraulically when changing gears. So from now on the driver of the M3 no longer had to press down the clutch pedal, but was able to shift gears instantaneously simply by pulling or pushing the gear lever up and down one level. While some drivers were a bit sceptical about this new technology at the beginning, SMG soon boomed in the market, almost every other BMW M3 being fitted with this type of SMG gearbox by the time production came to an end.

Also in 1995, another engine with M Power scored an outstanding triumph: This was the big six-litre 12-cylinder based on the 750i engine powering the closed-top McLaren sports car to victory in the 24 Hour Race at Le Mans. Four-valve technology, a titanium crankshaft and an aluminium clutch helped to give the V12 maximum output of more than 600 hp. Once again it was an engine designed and built by Paul Rosche, who created the FI together with McLaren director Gordon Murray as the ultimate road-going sports car.

A few years later in 1999, BMW celebrated the greatest success with this power unit, the BMW V12 bringing home overall victory at the legendary 24 Hour Race in Le Mans.

By this time, however, the engine was no longer a product of M GmbH. BMW Motorsport Ltd was established in the United Kingdom in late 1995, taking over all of BMW’s motor-sport activities. Since then M GmbH has concentrated on the three areas of BMW M Cars, BMW Individual and BMW Driver Training.

The muscle twins: M roadster and M coupé.

The next sports car boasting that symbolic M at the rear entered the market soon after in 1997: The M roadster starring as the Ultimate Driving Machine in every respect is more than “just” a thrilling combination of the Z3 roadster with the 321 hp power unit of the M3. For at the time this unique muscle machine was also the highlight within the BMW roadster line-up. And the M coupé following shortly after the M roadster is a thoroughbred sports car of the highest standard, again featuring the M3 power unit and based on the M roadster, but with its own very special character. Indeed, the M coupé combines supreme agility and dynamic driving performance in a body offering not only driving pleasure, but also practical advantages in everyday motoring. Two golf bags, for example, fit easily into the attractively styled rear compartment.

1998: The M5 with its 400 hp 8-cylinder.

In 1998 the engineers of BMW M GmbH introduced the third generation of the BMW M5, opening up an entirely new dimension of driving dynamics in this part of the market. Naturally, understatement was once again the name of the game in creating this high-performance top model within the successful 5 Series. This is precisely why only the connoisseur can tell the new M5 from outside, focusing on the redesigned front skirt with its extra-large air scoop, the wide light-alloy wheels and the four tailpipes already well-known from the M roadster and M coupé.

For the first time the heart of the M5 is an all-new 8-cylinder offering the ultimate in power and torque: Maximum output is around 300 kW (400 hp) and torque peaks at around 500 Nm (369 lb-ft). And like its predecessor, the new M5 again features an ultra-precise and smooth six-speed manual gearbox.

2000: Entry of the third M3 in exciting new design.

Over the years the engineers at BMW M have set the standard not only in engine technology, but also with the chassis and suspension, for example on the third-generation M3. Making its debut in the year 2000, the M3 featured the compound brakes, with floating brake disks combining the advantages of better heat dissipation and a longer service life than regular systems. This new BMW M3 offered a bit more of everything: more power, more performance, more unique style. In simple facts and figures, this means 343 hp, 365 Nm (269 lb-ft) and acceleration from 0-100 km/h in 5.2 seconds. And contrary to its predecessor, the new M3 once again expressed its outstanding performance and driving qualities more clearly through truly exciting design. Nothing had changed about the M3’s ability to cope with everyday road-going situations. It remained a high-performance automobile which once again took on the lead role in its class thanks to the combination of outstanding characteristics.

One year later, the M3 took off its road-going suit and donned racing overalls. The M3 GTR lined up on the starting grid of the American Le Mans Series with a four-litre eight-cylinder under the bonnet for the first time. The racing car with the characteristic air scoops in the bonnet and the powerful rear aerofoil proved superior on the race tracks of the USA and won the Championship in the GT Class – an appropriate prize to celebrate the 30th birthday of M GmbH in 2002.

2003: The resurrection of the CSL.

Celebration in true BMW style: With the development of a very special car, the M3 CSL. The three letters represented “Coupé Sport Lightweight” and this essentially said it all. Roof, centre console and door panels were made of carbon-fibre reinforced plastic, the rear window was lighter, and numerous features providing creature comforts were simply eliminated. Powered by the engine tuned to 360 hp, the CSL was a superb performer on the tightest corners and provided impressive testimony to this ability. On test runs, the car went round the North Loop of the Nürburgring in 7:50 minutes, which was an outstanding time for a vehicle in this class. In 2003, the CSL was launched on the marketplace and all 1,383 cars had been sold within the space of a few months.  

Meanwhile, the M3 GTR was consigned to the pits and no longer permitted to race – the US regulations had been changed.

Yet the 3 Series powered by an eight-cylinder engine was far too young and competitive to be put out to grass. It was modified and made ready for endurance races on the Nürburgring. And the success was impressive. In 2004, the M3 GTR celebrated a spectacular one-two victory in the 24 Hour Race at the Eifel – and repeated the feat a second time in the following year.

2004: The ten-cylinder M5 and M6.

At the latest since the turn of the millennium, not a year has passed without an M automobile making headlines. In autumn 2004, the new M5 was making waves after its predecessor broke through the barrier of 20,000 vehicles manufactured. This most aristocratic 5 Series car was the most powerful ever built: five litres displacement, ten cylinders, 507 hp power, 520 Nm (384 lb-ft) torque, and engine revs beyond the 8,000 barrier. These statistics highlighted the separation between the car for road-going use and the car for ambitious racing in a way that had never before been witnessed.

The performance values of the fourth-generation M5 once again defined the benchmark in the segment for powerful sports saloons. Power was increased by more than 25 percent compared with its eight-cylinder predecessor – the M5 exceeded the magic mark of 100 hp per litre. Its specific power was therefore at the level of motor sport. The interplay of the V10 engine and the seven-speed SMG permitted performances that far exceeded those of other series saloons. The sprint from 0 to 100 km/h took just 4.7 seconds and the speedo needle hit the 200 km/h (124 mph) mark after around 15 seconds. The electronic limiter generally cut out at a speed of 250 km/h (155 mph).

The M6 followed just months later with the same power unit. The chassis could be adjusted at the touch of a button, and like the M3 CSL the big coupé had a roof made of carbon fibre. Naturally, the M6 could also race faster than the factory-limited 250 km/h (155 mph). BMW therefore offered an increase in top speed accompanied by driver training on a closed track.

In 2006, M GmbH expanded its portfolio to include the new sports-car generation – the BMW Z4. The Z4 M roadster and the Z4 M coupé were fitted with the formidable 343 hp six-cylinder engine from the M3, which powered the two-seater up to 250 km/h (155 mph).

A dozen works racing cars were created on the basis of the coupé. They were powered by a six-cylinder tuned to 430 hp and they generally drove the competition into the ground. Eleven out of the 16 races in the VLN Endurance Racing Championship Nürburgring went to the Z4 coupés in 2009 and 2010. Since 2010, the successor has been known as the Z4 GT3, a racing version of the current Z4 Roadster with a 4.4-litre eight-cylinder for motor-sport customers.

2007: The first BMW M3 with eight cylinders.

After 15 years, in 2007 a new engine in the new M3 generation replaced the outstanding straight six-cylinder engine that had won the “Engine of the Year” award several times. An eight-cylinder engine was fitted for the first time in the coupé and the saloon launched shortly afterwards. The new V8 engine generated power of 420 hp from a displacement of 3,999 cubic centimetres. Around 85 percent of the maximum torque of 400 Nm (295 lb-ft) could be called up over the enormous rev range of 6,500 rpm. Power was transferred to the rear wheels through a six-speed manual gearbox and a completely new rear-axle differential. Particularly in the coupé, the design engineers once again used lightweight construction. The positive experiences with other M models led to the roof also being made of carbon-fibre reinforced plastic and the engine bonnet was made of aluminium. 

Three decades after production of the first series model was launched, BMW M GmbH supplied the 300,000th vehicle in 2008. The vehicle portfolio of BMW M GmbH had meanwhile expanded to nine models. The automobiles were powered by engines that derived their unique characteristics from the high-revving concept: straight six-cylinders with 343 hp in the BMW Z4 M roadster and in the BMW Z4 M coupé, V10 engines with 507 hp in the BMW M5 and the new BMW M5 Touring and in the BMW M6 Coupé and BMW M6 Convertible. M GmbH also posted significant growth in the sale of sports packages which were meanwhile available for the models of the BMW 1 Series, BMW 3 Series, BMW 5 Series and BMW 6 Series, as well as for the BMW X3 and the BMW X5.

2009: The turbo returns with muscle as the power unit of the future.

This naturally meant that expansion now really started to take off. The high-performance character of automobiles produced by BMW M GmbH was first transferred to the segment of BMW X models with the BMW X5 M and the BMW X6 M in 2009. The development yielded a new V8 high-performance engine whose performance characteristics were precisely tailored to the character of the two models. The 555 hp M TwinPower Turbo was the world’s first power unit featuring an exhaust manifold overarching the cylinder bank and Twin Scroll Twin Turbo technology. The turbocharger and catalytic converters are positioned in the V space between the cylinder banks. This configuration produces the spontaneous response typical of M and delivers linear development as well as permitting uniform torque development.  

That same year, BMW M GmbH developed an extreme athlete based on the BMW M3 Coupé for customers who had particularly demanding requirements for the performance characteristics of their vehicles. This model was also suitable for racing in club sport events. The BMW M3 GTS was produced at the manufacturing facilities of BMW M GmbH exclusively on customer request. The modifications geared to deployment in motor sport comprise the drive and chassis technology, the bodywork and the interior. Design principles and technical details derived directly from motor sport defined the eight-cylinder engine with a displacement expanded to 4.4 litres and power increased to around 450 hp.

Today: Highly charged company for high performances.

At the end of 2010, BMW M GmbH again expanded its product range and presented the 1 Series M Coupé, a 340 hp car in the compact class. The straight six-cylinder with M TwinPower Turbo and petrol direct injection had an easy time with the muscular lightweight vehicle. This is obvious with a power-to-weight ratio of just 4.4 kilograms per hp. A few months later, the new M5 came along with a newly developed eight-cylinder turbo packing 560 hp and a top speed of up to 305 km/h (190 mph).

M goes Diesel.

40 years after the foundation stone of today’s BMW M GmbH was laid, the experts in athletic driving turned their minds to a new project – the BMW M Performance Automobile as an expansion of the model range with a clear focus on athletic performance and unrestricted road-going capability as well as outstanding efficiency. The new product category was launched with four models: BMW M550d xDrive Saloon, BMW M550d xDrive Touring, BMW X5 M50d and BMW X6 M50d. The heart of these cars was a new straight six-cylinder diesel engine developed with three turbochargers and power of 381 hp exclusively for BMW M Performance Automobiles.

Munich. In August 1985, a rumour surfaced in motor magazine Auto-Deutschland which emanated from a new sports car. An A Group Car from BMW that was a thoroughbred racing car according to the rules but was also to be produced in a version licensed to drive on open roads for everyday use. Speculation about this dream car that could take to normal roads and was intended for the “Most dynamic among BMW 3 Series drivers” was right on target. But the pundits missed the mark about the motor-sport car by a mile on one prediction: They were convinced that anyone who “wants to be a key player in the A Team needs to be turbocharged under the bonnet”. Not true. The BMW M3 had a naturally aspirated engine. And it became the most successful touring car in the history of BMW.

The M3 project was launched just a few months earlier. Production of the M1 mid-engine sports car had already been discontinued for some time and BMW CEO Eberhard Kuenheim commissioned a design for a successor, almost as an aside, according to legend. After one of his regular visits to Motorsport GmbH in Munich’s Preußenstraße he said, almost as he was leaving: “Mr. Rosche, we need a sporty engine for the 3 Series.” His aspiration was in good hands. Motorsport GmbH with its managing director of technical development Paul Rosche had demonstrated its expertise with the legendary 5 Series saloons driven by M engines as well as developing the Formula 1 turbo engine that powered Brazilian Nelson Piquet to win the World Championship in the Brabham BMW in 1983.

Power source: a four-cylinder engine with 2.3 litres displacement and four-valve engineering.

The new 3 Series engine had something in common with this: the crankcase. It originated from volume production and actually formed the basis for the two-litre engine with four cylinders. Four cylinders meant less weight and high torque, an ideal platform for a sports engine in the projected displacement class.  Naturally enough, the series four-cylinder engine was much too tame for a sports engine. A comprehensive power boost was called for in order to turn the plucky daily workhorse into an athletic and sporty power unit. The BMW design engineers increased the displacement to 2.3 litres and applied a formulation that had already achieved significant successes over a period of many years: four-valve engineering. There was also another reason for the decision to opt for a four-cylinder engine and not adopt the six-cylinder engine introduced in the BMW 3 Series. The longer crankshaft in the big engine started to vibrate much earlier than the shorter four-cylinder shaft. The design engineers therefore designed the crankshaft drive of the BMW M3 with sufficient torsional stability to achieve 10,000 revolutions a minute and more. By comparison with the four-cylinder engine installed in the series vehicles, this represented an increase of more than 60 percent.

Paul Rosche recalls: “We started work immediately. One advantage was that the big six-cylinder engine originally had the same cylinder gap as the four-cylinder engine. We therefore cut two combustion chambers off the four-cylinder head of the M88 and bolted a panel over the hole on the rear side.” This meant that the new four-cylinder engine had a second forebear. The six-cylinder engine that had initially created a sensation in the M1 and had meanwhile transformed the M635CSi into one of the fastest coupés in the world. Paul Rosche: “Whether you believe it or not – we had created an outstanding four-cylinder engine for the 3 Series within the space of two weeks. Under the development name S14, this engine was to generate headlines in sport and in volume production over the years to come. One Sunday, I drove to von Kuenheim’s flat and gave him the car for a test drive. When he came back he said: ‘Good, I like it.’ And that’s how the M3 came into being.”

Contrary to the situation with the mid-engine sports car, the BMW M3 was not going to be crafted by hand in small batches. This car was to be produced as a mass-production automobile on an assembly line. It was destined to compete in near-production touring car motor sport, or more precisely as a Group A racing car, defined as a “production car”, of which at least 5,000 units have to be built within the space of twelve consecutive months in accordance with Annex J of the international automobile sport regulations.

300 hp for competitive racing.

However, many of them immediately disappeared again into garages and workshops to be given a new outfit. After all, the M3 had been designed as a racing car, and this was the time to prove that it really could “race”. A World Touring Car Championship was held for the first time in 1987. And that was exactly what the M3 had been built for. But not quite in the guise in which it was seen on the streets. Instead of 200 hp, the 2.3 litre engine delivered up to 300 hp at 8,200 rpm in the racing version. This put it on a par with the BMW M635CSi. BMW didn’t line up on the starting grid with its own team but supported a number of famous racing outfits like Schnitzer, Linder, Zackspeed and Bigazzi. Drivers like Markus Oestreich, Christian Danner, Roberto Ravaglia and Wilfried Vogt took the wheel, and Annette Meeuvissen and Mercedes Stermitz were the first women drivers.

Roberto Ravaglia in the M3: first World Touring Car Champion.

The first race for the 1987 World Touring Car Championship started in Monza on 22 March 1987 – and ended with a sensation. All the M3 cars were excluded from the placings. The vehicles were checked under chaotic conditions and disqualified because of sheet-metal thicknesses that were allegedly contrary to the regulations. BMW appealed but the sports tribunal decided that the appeal had been lodged too late. There was no longer any talk of infringements of the rules. All the brouhaha naturally didn’t have any effect on the result of the championship. At the end of the season, Roberto Ravaglia was standing on the podium as the first World Touring Car Champion. But that was only the pinnacle of the success list. Wilfried Vogt took the title of European Champion. Altfried Heger came in second – both driving a BMW M3. In 1987, the German Touring Car Championship (DTM) also went to the new BMW M3, with Eric van de Poele behind the wheel. Moreover, the most sporty 3 Series car was also winning competitions off the race track. An M3 crossed the finishing line in first place in the Corsica Rally and secured a victory for BMW after a gap of 14 years in a race for the World Rally Championship.

24 Hour Race: M3 one-two victory on the Nürburgring.

In 1988, the BMW M3 continued the success story and took the national titles in France, England and Spain. In the following year came another victory in the German Touring Car Championship (DTM), this time with Roberto Ravaglia in the driver’s seat, alongside wins at the national championships in Belgium, Holland, France, Italy, Finland, Spain, Sweden and Yugoslavia. Meanwhile, the displacement had been increased to 320 hp and the BMW M3 drove the competition into the ground. Belgian driver Marc Duez battled his way through the Monte Carlo Rally with an M3 and took eighth place as best driver in a car without a four-wheel drive.  The sensational one-two victory in the 24-hour classic on the Nürburgring crowned this series of successes in 1989 with the driver combinations Pirro/Ravaglia/Giroix and Heger/Grohs/Manthey.

Playing with displacement: the right engine for each race.

The M3 had a commanding presence on the international touring car racing scene for five years. It became the most successful touring car of all times by winning the two champion’s titles in the European Touring Car Championship and twice in the German Touring Car Championship. There were also numerous further victories and championship wins at international level. Depending on the competition rules, the four-valve engine had to be adapted to national regulations. For example, the capacity for England was limited to 2 litres while for Germany and France it was raised to 2.5 litres with effect from 1990. This enabled the four-cylinder to deliver up to 355 hp. In the version with the biggest capacity, the engineers of BMW M GmbH went up against the limits of what was feasible. In order to make full use of the 2.5 litre limit, they not only increased the stroke of the 2.3 litre unit from 84 to 87 millimetres, but also increased the cylinder bore from 94 millimetres to 95.5 millimetres. This reduced the width between the cylinders to just 4.5 millimetres. But success proved the development engineers right. The engines withstood the stresses and strains of touring-car racing even at maximum output without any problem.

1992: the first BMW M3 with a six-cylinder engine.

The year 1992 saw the birth of a completely new M3, this time with an advanced six-cylinder engine. Once again, Motorsport GmbH developed a version for competition in record time.  In April 1993, the new M3 was due to line up at the start of the first race for the German Touring Car Championship (DTM). But due to discrepancies in the new regulations, BMW changed its strategy and instead set up a BMW M3 GTR in the striking design of a starting flag and entered the Warsteiner ADAC GT Cup organised by the German Automobile Association. The six-cylinder now generated 325 hp, the car weighed 1300 kilos in accordance with the regulations. A strong BMW team lined up at the start with Johnny Cecotto and Kris Nissen, and Cecotto ended up taking the championship at the end of the season. However, this was the end of the motor-sport chapter for this M3 GTR for the time being. Changes in the regulations meant that the potent 3 Series had no realistic changes of victory any more.

The BMW M3 GTR: the most powerful M3 ever.

BMW only returned to motor sport as a works team with a BMW M3 seven years later. In 2001, the first starting flag came down for the new BMW M3 GTR powered by a 450 hp V8 engine. The most powerful M3 ever set benchmarks in the GT class of the American Le Mans Series (ALMS) with its four-litre engine and raced in a quartet: Team BMW Motorsport entered two cars under the management of Charly Lamm and two other cars were raced by the American BMW Team PTG run by Tom Milner, who hailed originally from Germany. The coupé took seven victories in ten races, six of them were from pole positions. BMW works driver Jörg Müller won the driver’s championship in the GT Class, BMW Motorsport won the team placings, and BMW became constructors’ champion in the company’s most important export market.

But the advanced BMW M3 GTR also caused a sensation in Europe. Two each of these eight-cylinder racing cars lined up at the start of the 24 Hour Race at Spa-Francorchamps in Belgium and on the Nürburgring in 2004 and 2005.The result: In both years, BWM took a one-two victory on the Nürburgring, and class victory went to BMW in Spa in 2004.

In 2009, the next generation of the M3 started in the American Le Mans Series. The V8 engine was beefed up to 485 hp and entered the Twelve Hour Race at Sebring for the first time.  The successes meant that the M3 was also raced in Europe in the following year. It lined up at the start of the 24 Hour Race on the Nürburgring, in Le Mans and in Spa-Francorchamps. The result: outright victory on the Nürburgring – for the 19th time – and class victory in Spa.

And the next winner will soon be on the starting line in 2012. BMW will be back at the German Touring Car Masters (DTM) with three teams and the new BMW M3 DTM.

The anticipation began in August 1985. That summer Germany’s automobile magazines built up their readers’ expectations for the fastest 3 Series BMW of all times. The key data revealed a sports car that would punch way above its class: 200 hp, top speed in excess of 230 km/h, sprint from a standing start to 100 km/h inside 6.7 seconds. However, the story was that “the most dynamic BMW 3 Series drivers” would have to wait until mid-1986. The pundits were right on that count. But one prediction missed the mark by a mile: anyone who “wants to be in the A Team needs to be turbocharged under the bonnet”. Not true.

The BMW M3 became the most successful touring car in motor-sport history. The M3 project was launched just a few months earlier. Production of the M1 mid-engine sports car had already been discontinued for some time and BMW CEO Eberhard Kuenheim commissioned a design for a successor, almost as an aside, according to legend. After one of his regular visits to Motorsport GmbH in Munich’s Preußenstraße he said, almost as he was leaving: “Mr. Rosche, we need a sporty engine for the 3 Series.” His aspiration was in good hands. Motorsport GmbH with its managing director of technical development Paul Rosche had demonstrated its expertise with the legendary 5 Series saloons driven by M engines as well as developing the Formula 1 turbo engine that powered Brazilian Nelson Piquet to win the World Championship in the Brabham BMW in 1983.

The new 3 Series engine had something in common with this: the crankcase. It originated from volume production and actually formed the basis for the two-litre engine with four cylinders. Four cylinders meant less weight and high torque, an ideal platform for a sports engine in the projected displacement class. Naturally enough, the series four-cylinder engine was much too tame for a sports engine. A comprehensive power boost was called for in order to turn the plucky daily workhorse into an athletic and sporty power unit. The BMW design engineers increased the displacement to 2.3 litres and applied a formulation that had already achieved significant successes over a period of many years: four-valve engineering. There was also another reason for the decision to opt for a four-cylinder engine and not adopt the six-cylinder engine introduced in the BMW 3 Series. The longer crankshaft in the big engine started to vibrate much earlier than the shorter four-cylinder shaft. The design engineers therefore designed the crankshaft drive of the BMW M3 with sufficient torsional stability to achieve 10,000 revolutions a minute and more. By comparison with the four-cylinder engine installed in the series vehicles, this represented an increase of more than 60 percent. The rated speed for the road version of the BMW M3 was still significantly below the critical range at 6,750/min and therefore offered sufficient scope for further developments.

Paul Rosche recalls: “We started work immediately. One advantage was that the big six-cylinder engine originally had the same cylinder gap as the four-cylinder engine. We therefore cut two combustion chambers off the four-cylinder head of the M88 and bolted a panel over the hole on the rear side.” This meant that the new four-cylinder engine had a second forebear. The six-cylinder engine that had initially created a sensation in the M1 and had meanwhile transformed the M635CSi into one of the fastest coupés in the world. Paul Rosche: “Whether you believe it or not – we had created an outstanding four-cylinder engine for the 3 Series within the space of two weeks. Under the development name S14, this engine was to generate headlines in sport and in volume production over the years to come. One Sunday, I drove to von Kuenheim’s flat and gave him the car for a test drive. When he came back he said: ‘Good, I like it.’ And that’s how the M3 came into being." 

Munich. BMW Group Classic is expanding its mission: from the beginning of this year the newly established Motorsport division is offering assistance in everything to do with classic competition vehicles that carry the BMW and Mini badges. The activities of the motorsport specialists extend from advice on servicing and repair, through parts procurement, right up to complete restoration – drawing on the definitive skills of the manufacturer.

Oldtimer Grand Prix, Festival of Speed, Mille Miglia, Le Mans Classic – motor racing with historic cars is experiencing an unstoppable boom. More and more competitions are exerting a magnetic pull on participants and spectators alike. And almost always there are one or more BMWs on the starting grid. To ensure that these vehicles remain raceworthy, as from January 2010 BMW Classic has set up a dedicated Motorsport division whose aim is to provide the same comprehensive service for classic racing cars as BMW Classic does for road vehicles. 

The experts expect to find their main customers among the owners of racers from the 1960s, 70s and 80s. “Anyone who owns a high-performance car like that will also want to drive it,” says Friedrich Nohl, who heads up the Motorsport division of BMW Group Classic. And he should know: Nohl was previously head of sports and touring car technology at BMW Motorsport. Whatever the event, the drivers are scarcely less ambitious to win than those who drove the classics in their heyday. And just as in those days, the mechanical stresses of racing can sometimes cause something to drop off or blow up. “Even in historic motor sport we are pushing men and materials to their limits,” Nohl adds. With these thoroughbred race cars, procuring replacement parts of a commensurate quality is not so easy. In future, the specialists at BMW Group Classic Motorsport intend to offer their help, even to the extent of replicating special components. Where damage or wear to a vehicle is more extensive, BMW Group Classic will in future also offer maintenance, repair or rebuilding.

Mini Cooper and BMW 1602 as demonstration models.

As demonstration models, the specialists are building two competition vehicles in the course of this year. One is a Mini Cooper S Mark 1 dating from 1964, which can be entered for circuit races. The other is a 1970s BMW 1602 Touring.  “Both will be rebuilt from the ground up, in other words starting from the bodyshell,” says Friedrich Nohl. Whereas the Mini is being converted to a competition car, the 1602 already has a racing history.

BMW Group Classic has set up the Motorsport division to meet the growing demand for skilled servicing of racing classics while remaining faithful to the originals. “We are getting more and more frequent enquiries of this kind,” says Friedrich Nohl. That is no surprise, since many of the one-time circuit and rally cars have survived and are still being raced today. They originate predominantly from the period from 1960 to 1990 – three decades in which BMW and Mini were helping to make a decisive mark on motor sports.

1960-1990: the heyday of the classics.

In the summer of 1961, BMW launched the 700 Sport as the first postwar car intended for motor racing. With its 40 hp this 640 kg flyweight outstripped the competition in its sports class right from the start. In the very first year the German Circuit Championship and the Rally and Touring Car Championship went to the “Little Fury”, as the public christened it. In the same era, the Mini made an indelible mark on the history of rallying: its overall victory in the 1964 Monte Carlo Rally is the stuff of legend. 

The 1970s were dominated by the 3.0 CSL dream coupé, which became the most successful tourer of its era. Between 1973 and 1979 it won the European Championship six times and dominated the international touring car racing scene for the best part of a decade. At the end of its career, as a turbo coupé, it had an impressive power output of up to 800 hp and, on account of its extravagant set of spoilers, went down in history as the “Batmobile”. 

The 1980s are symbolised by the BMW M3, born in 1986. Right from the start the racer made a clean sweep of victories, trophies and titles: in 1987 it won the World Touring Car Championship – the first and only world title ever awarded in this vehicle category. In the following five years the M3 was undisputed leader of the touring car racing scene. With several European touring car championships, a second win in the German Touring Car Championship (DTM) as well as a fistful of other victories and championships at international level, it became the most successful tourer of all. 

“We want to make it possible for the owners of our successful classics to get involved in events and competitions without having to sacrifice the driving fun which these cars offer to this day,” Friedrich Nohl stresses.

Munich. The star came in pure white: When the 64th Paris Motor Show opened its
gates in autumn 1978, sports car fans and lovers had only one destination - the
stand of BMW Motorsport GmbH. There they were able to admire a super-low,
extremely dynamic new model making it quite clear at very first sight that this
was Germany's fastest road-going sports car: the BMW M1, 1,140 millimetres
(44.9'' ) high, 204 kW (277 bhp) strong, and well over
260 km/h (160 mph) fast. "Everybody was crowding around BMW's new mid-engined
sports car", wrote the press. And: "The list of orders coming in exceeds even
the wildest expectations - an American fan of BMW, just to mention one example,
has already put in an order for three M1s." That was indeed quite something,
considering that BMW's super-sports car had a price-tag back then in 1978 of
exactly DM 100,000, enough for four BMW 323is plus
a couple of optional extras.
It is indeed fair to say that few cars have ever been expected with such
excitement and anticipation as the BMW M1 representing all of BMW's know-how in
motor racing. Project E 26, as the then still nameless M1 was initially called
within the Company, had started in 1976. This was to be the first really unique
car built by BMW Motorsport GmbH, BMW's motor racing subsidiary established in
1972. Having already made a great name for itself in the international racing
scene with the fast BMW 2002 and the truly superior BMW 3.0 CSI, the racing
company now planned to lift this success to an even higher level with a
competition car specially built and prepared for the Group four and five racing
series.
According to Group four regulations at the time, a car qualifying for entry
required a production run of at least 400 units in 24 successive months, it had
to have two seats and bear a distinct resemblance from outside with its
production counterpart. And that made it quite clear that the E26 h ad to be
not only a thoroughbred racing car, but also a street-legal sports car.

A Bavarian with Italian blood.
The problem was that BMW Motorsport GmbH totally lacked the capacity to develop
and build such a car all by itself. After all, this team of specialists had
concentrated so far on "simply" turning series-production cars into racing
cars, making the chassis and suspension tauter and the engine more powerful.
In its lines and design, the new coupé was intended to clearly boast that
special Italian style. It was modelled around the gull-wing turbo, a
turbocharged concept car created in 1972 by BMW designer Paul Bracq. Proceeding
from this design study with its rounder lines, Giorgio Giugiaro created the
sharp profile of the M1 with its distinct, almost jagged edges and corners.
Indeed, Bracq and Giugiaro had already cooperated in the past in creating the
BMW 6 Series coupé.

First choice in the engine department: a straight-six power unit.
Choosing the engine, BMW Motorsport GmbH initially focused on two concepts:
Advance studies of Formula engines had led, inter alia, to a ten-cylinder
code-named the M81, a V-engine with its cylinders at an angle of 144°. Suitably
modified, this engine was also examined for its possible use in a sports car.
But then the team around BMW's Motorsport Director Jochen Neerpasch quickly
opted in favour of a new straight-six, an engine concept supported by the
excellent experience BMW had gained in the CSI races. After all kinds of
rumours with the grapevine running wild, BMW unveiled the secret in spring
1977, officially confirming the development of the new super-sports car. Then,
in autumn of the same year, BMW published the first photos of the M1 in
production trim, the car then making its first public appearance again half a
year later: Together with TV presenter Dieter Kürten, Jochen Neerpasch proudly
introduced the Group four version in the colours of Motorsport GmbH in a
prime-time Saturday evening sports programme on Channel Two of German
Television. And although this racing machine bearing starter number eleven was
not yet ready to go, the first test drives were scheduled for April 1978.

277 bhp in a purebred sports car.
The big day finally came in autumn of the same year, the public being able to
admire the first E26 at the Paris Motor Show. By that time the car bore the
model designation M1 standing for the first car developed and built by BMW
Motorsport GmbH.
Measuring 4,360 millimetres (171.7'' ) in length, 1,824 millimetres (71.8'' )
in width and 1,140 millimetres (44.9'' ) in "height", the M1 exuded a genuine
flair of power. And indeed, this mid-engined sports car was driven by a
3.5-litre straight-six fitted lengthwise in front of the rear axle and
developing maximum output of 277 bhp. Code-named the M88, this engine was based
on the volume-production six-cylinder combined with the four-valve cylinder
head carried over from BMW's CSI racing engines. Within this two-piece cylinder
head, the lower section formed the combustion and coolant chamber, the upper
half comprised the camshaft bearings and cup tappets.
The fuel/air mixture was delivered through three double throttle butterfly
manifolds featuring six 46-millimetre individual throttle butterflies to the
cylinders through two intake ducts per cylinder measuring 26 millimetres
(1.02'' ) in diameter. The all-electronic digital ignition system also
reflected the latest state of the art.
Dry sump lubrication bore clear testimony to the sporting genes of the M1, the
car being able to achieve a very high level of lateral acceleration. Fuel was
supplied to the engine from two tanks right and left in front of the rear axle,
each with a capacity of 58 litres (12.8 Imp gals). From the engine power was
transmitted through a ZF five-speed gearbox connected to the engine by a
two-plate dry clutch. The final drive differential came as standard with 40 per
cent locking action.

264.7 km/h (164.1 mph): Germany's fastest sports car.
The six-cylinder power unit was smooth and free of vibrations throughout its
entire range of engine speed, even remaining quite docile at lower speeds. But
this changed instantaneously once the rev counter hit 5,000 rpm, the M88
pushing the M1 forwards up to its top engine speed of 7,000 rpm with power and
energy making even the most jaded car testers wax lyrical: "Once the throttle
butterflies are fully open you feel a tremendous kick from behind continuing
well beyond the 200 km/h-mark. There is no need to shift to fifth gear, for
example, until you reach a speed of 213 km/h (132 mph) and from there you
continue to accelerate up and up to the car's top speed." Which, as recorded by
Germany's leading car magazine in autumn 1979, was 264.7 km/h (164.1 mph).
Acceleration from 0-100 km/h in 5.6 seconds also looked very good, which is not
surprising considering the power-to-weight ratio of 4,7 kg/PS, making things
relatively easy for the 204 kW (277 bhp) engine.
The M1 was conceived and built for racing right from the start, the elaborate
suspension with double wishbones on each wheel, gas-pressure dampers and two
anti-roll bars remaining in command throughout the car's entire speed range.
With the exception of the more comfort-oriented response of the moving parts
and the modified spring/damper setting, the road suspension was identical to
the chassis and suspension on the Group four racing version. Four inner-vented
brake discs ensured phenomenal stopping power from any speed and the front axle
came with 30 per cent anti-dive minimising body movement even when applying the
brakes all-out. Tyres measuring 205/50 VR 16 at the front and 225/50 VR 16 at
the rear, finally, were certainly very big and muscular in those days.
A low centre of gravity of just 460 millimetres (18.5'' ) above the road, track
measuring 1,550 mm (61.02'' ) at the front and 1,576 mm (62.04'' ) at the rear,
together with the mid-engined concept providing weight distribution of
44.1:55.9, made the M1 a genuine performer in bends, even though the car called
for an experienced driver when pushed to the limit. Typical of a mid-engined
performance car with a low level of inertia around its vertical axis, the M1
required quick and forceful counter steering as soon as lateral acceleration
exceeded a reasonable limit and the rear threatened to break away. But the
rack-and-pinion steering without power assistance and with a direct
transmission ratio was simply perfect for this kind of control. Displaced
castor and a small steering roll radius served at the same time to combine ease
of control with supreme road contact absolutely essential for the active
driver. The twin-joint safety steering column, in turn, was adjustable for
reach.

A racing car with crash-proven passive safety.
Although the M1 was a sports car par excellence, both the driver and passenger
enjoyed a certain standard of comfort. For whilst the suspension was firm and
taut, it nevertheless absorbed bumps on the road without requiring the
occupants to take any heavy jolts. Indeed, the driver and passenger were safely
cocooned in a rectangular steel-profile space-frame complete with a bonded and
riveted plastic skin free of distortion. The luggage compartment beneath the
front lid was sufficient for a weekend for two, and even air conditioning was
available. And the BMW M1 was safe: Since the new sports car received general
homologation for the entire production series (as opposed to individual
approval of each single model one-by-one), BMW was required to substantiate the
passive safety of the M1 in a series of crash tests - a precaution which later
benefitted many a racing driver.
But whilst the public was admiring the new super-sports car from Munich, with
orders coming in one after the other, production of the M1 suffered a nasty
setback: Lamborghini was unable to assemble the new car as planned and the
order instead had to go to Baur, the coach-building specialist in Stuttgart.
This made the M1 a genuine challenge in the production process with the
space-frame being built by Marchesi, the glass-fibre-reinforced plastic body
shell by T.I.R., both in the Italian town of Modena, and Giorgio Giugiaro's
company ItalDesign assembling these two basic units and adding the interior
trim and equipment. From there the car went to Stuttgart, where Baur fitted all
the mechanical systems and components.

A big attraction in Formula 1: the Procar Series.
Facing these delays and re-planning requirements, BMW suddenly became hard
pressed for time. After all, 400 units of the new car had to be built within 24
months for homologation as a Group four competition car. And other companies
were also pressing forward. So to get the M1 on to the race track faster,
Motorsport GmbH Director Jochen Neerpasch, teaming up with Bernie Ecclestone
and Max Mosley, launched the Procar Series, with races held just before most of
the European Formula 1 Grand Prix events in the 1979/80 season.
The big difference versus the road going car was the engine of the Procar
racing version: The first step for motor racing was to tune the M88
six-cylinder the classic, conventional way, with new camshafts, larger valves,
forged pistons, optimised flow ducts, slides instead of throttle butterflies
and a modified exhaust system boosting output to 470-490 bhp. With this kind of
power, the Procar version weighing just 1,020 kilos and fitted with the longest
transmission ratio had a top speed of approximately 310 km/h (192 mph).
Goodyear racing tyres measuring 10.0/23.5 x 16 at the front and 12.5/25.0 x 16
at the rear, together with a mighty rear wing, served to provide the right kind
of grip on the road. Driving one of these Group four BMW M1s, Marc Surer lapped
the Northern Circuit of Nurburgring in just 7,55.9 minutes.
Built to Group four regulations, the M1 was not only placed at the disposal of
five Formula 1 drivers in each race for the Procar Trophy, but was also sold
straight from the factory as BMW Motorsport GmbH's first ready-to-go racing car
at a price of DM 150,000. And indeed, some of the most renowned racing teams
quickly took up this offer, Schnitzer and Heidegger racing their own M1s on the
track, just like Osella in Italy and Ron Dennis in Great Britain.

Putting up a unique show for the crowd:
Driving skill was the decisive factor.
Benefitting from this combination of BMW M1s prepared for racing by Motorsport
GmbH and those entered by private teams, and with the cars driven by the big
names in Formula 1 as well as ambitious racing drivers in other categories, the
Procar Series gained unique popularity. This is where the world's best drivers
faced the old hands and newcomers in the scene, comparing their skills with
cars virtually identical in every respect. The crucial factor, therefore, was
driving skill - and this really caught the attention of the crowd: The Procar
races proved just as popular as the ensuing races for the Formula 1 World
Championship.
The recipe for success was perfectly prepared. The fastest five Formula 1
drivers in the Friday practice sessions were placed against 15 touring car
specialists. With the Procar races being held on the Saturday, the first five
places on the grid went to the stars, the remaining places were shared by the
touring car cracks lined up according to their practice times. And they all
joined in: Drivers and racing teams were happy to participate in the Procar
Series, provided they were not barred from doing so by their contracts.

"Maybe I was so fast because I just wanted to drive a BMW."
This is why on 12 May 1979, the Saturday before the Belgian Grand Prix in
Zolder, the two fastest drivers in practice were unable to take their seats in
the M1: Gilles Villeneuve and Jean-Pierre Jabouille had exclusive contracts
with other car manufacturers. But Jacques Laffite, the third-fastest driver in
the practice sessions, was just as happy to start his engine in BMW's
mid-engined Gran Tourisme as Clay Regazzoni, the reigning World Champion Mario
Andretti, as well as Niki Lauda and Nelson Piquet.
Nelson, later to become Formula 1 World Champion with Brabham BMW and at the
time No. 2 in the Brabham Team after Niki Lauda, was unable to anticipate his
great career back then when he said, grinning: "Maybe I was so fast because I
just wanted to drive a BMW."
But Nelson's competitors also had great names and a great reputation:
Hans-Joachim Stuck, who a day later came eighth in the Grand Prix racing for
the German ATS Team, the then reigning Formula 2 European Champion Bruno
Giacomelli, BMW Motorsport drivers Toine Hezemans and Dieter Quester, as well
as Elio de Angelis, another star in Formula 1. And when the lights switched to
green in this truly outstanding line-up of Procar drivers, Hans-Joachim Stuck
and young Austrian star Markus Höttinger pulled away from the rest of the grid
after just a few laps. But in lap twelve the two of them got a little too close
for comfort and ended up in the fences. So to quote a report on the race
summing up the 20 laps, "Italian driver Elio de Angelis proved to be the
superman in the first M1 race, not only winning the event, but also completing
the fastest lap. And this was after starting from 15th place and ploughing his
way through the entire field." Second place went to Toine Hezemans, Clay
Regazzoni finished third.

The Procar Champions: Niki Lauda and Nelson Piquet.
Ultimately, however, the initial results started to change in the course of the
Procar season, Niki Lauda, already two-times Formula 1 World Champion back
then, scoring the largest number of points by the end of the season: In eight
races in the M1 Procar Series, Niki scored three wins and finished second in
one race. So whilst Hans-Joachim Stuck was able to bring home victory in the
last two races, he ended up five points behind Lauda when the season finished.
Only Clay Regazzoni held on to his third place until the end of the season.
Winning the last three races in the 1980 series, Nelson Piquet brought home
overall victory in Procar racing a year later, followed by Alan Jones and
Hans-Joachim Stuck. And maybe this was no coincidence, since Alan Jones, later
to become Formula 1 World Champion, was a dedicated fan of the M1, anyway,
being one of the first customers to buy this sports car for private use.
These spectacular events more or less marked the end of the M1 in Group four
racing for a simple reason: The M1 was only homologated for racing on 1 April
1981 and the regulations were changed just nine months later, making it
virtually impossible for the M1 to compete any more.

Boosted by up to 1,000 horsepower:
Group five M1 with biturbo power unit.
Even the success of the M1 in Group five was unable to match the overwhelming
Procar Series. Group five was for special production cars derived from cars
homologated in other racing categories - and that was virtually the only
restriction. The first M1s to enter Group five were powered by
normal-aspiration engines developing maximum output of almost 500 bhp. To cope
with engine torque of up to 800 Newton-meters or not quite 600 lb-ft, these
cars featured a Hewland FG 400 five-speed gearbox, with locking action on the
final drive ranging from 75-100 per cent, depending on the racetrack. Later,
the engines of the Group five M1 were boosted up to 1,000 bhp by two
turbochargers. And to get as much of this huge power on to the road as
possible, the body of the car was modified by all kinds of spoilers turning the
M1 into real "wing monsters". This was also when Team Schnitzer, the leading
BMW tuning specialist, turned a Group five M1 into the then most powerful
racing car in the German Motor Racing Championship, using a kevlar body on a
specially reinforced chassis. With this kind of power, Hans-Joachim Stuck came
home first on both Nürburgring and Salzburgring.

The IMSA GTO Champion in the USA: BMW M1.
1981 was a spectacular year of success for the M1 in the USA. Any driver
wishing to play an important role at the time in the popular IMSA GTO
Championship simply had to drive BMW's mid-engined coupé. After forming the Red
Lobster Team, Dave Cowart and Kenper Miller finished the season first and
second, naturally both at the wheel of a BMW M1. Indeed, the white M1 with
starter number 25 won twelve out of 16 races in the Championship. Only one
driver among the top ten in the 1981 Championship drove another car, not BMW's
mid-engined coupé. And the driver finishing seventh, incidentally, was US
racing legend Al Unser jr.,
naturally at the wheel of an M1.

Presenting art on fast wheels: M1 Art Car in the 24 Hours of Le Mans.
The M1 was not only an outstanding racing and sports car, but also an equally
unique work of art. In 1979 world-famous pop art idol Andy Warhol tried his
hand on a ready-to-race M1 coupé, using his brush and paint to turn the M1 into
one of the fastest works of art in the world.
This was BMW's fourth Art Car, a series of artistic achievements based on
various BMW models. Warhol was the first artist to paint the body of the car
directly with powerful swipes of his brush: "But the car is better than the
art", Warhol said himself afterwards in a rather dry comment.
Boasting starter number 76, the BMW M1 Art Car subsequently struggled for the
title in Le Mans throughout the whole 24 hours, ultimately finishing the race
sixth.

Transplanting the M1 six-cylinder into production cars:
the M5 and M 635 CSi.
Production of the M1 ended in 1981 after a production run of 445 units, 399 for
the road and 46 in Procar trim. But the heart of the M1, the M88 six-cylinder
24-valve power unit, was far too good to retire from the scene. In particular,
it was much too progressive, powerful and superior. So in 1984 Motorsport GmbH
once again hit the headlines, making aficionados of high-performance cars wax
lyrical once again when the 255 km/h (158 mph) M 635 CSi coupé and the M5
brought back the M1's fast-revving power machine.
Particularly the hand-built M5 quickly became a real legend: This was truly a
wolf in sheep's clothing, with maximum output of 286 bhp almost three times as
powerful as the 518i. And whilst at first sight it almost looked the same as
its large-volume counterpart, top speed of 245 km/h (152 mph) quickly captured
the attention and admiration of countless owners of large saloons and sports
cars having to give way to the M5 on the Autobahn even with the gas pedal
pushed right down to the floor. Not surprisingly, therefore, this marked the
birth of the "Businessman's Express".

Specifications BMW M1 - production model.

Engine Water-cooled straight-six in mid-engine
arrangement Four
valves per cylinder, two
overhead cam-shaft with double roller chain drive
Capacity (cc) 3,453
Stroke (mm/in) 84/3.31
Bore (mm/in) 93.4/3.68
Max output (kW/bhp) 204/277 at 6,500 at rpm
Max torque (Nm/lb-ft) 330/243 at 5,000 at rpm
Max engine speed (rpm) 7,000
Mean piston speed at max output (m/sec) 17.4
Compression ratio 9:1
Fuel supply Kugelfischer system mechanical fuel injection
three double
throttle butterfly manifolds
with six throttle butterflies, dia 46
mm
Fuel grade (RON) 98
Fuel tank capacity (ltr.) (2 x 58) 116
Lubrication Pressure-circuit lubrication with
dry sump oil system Triple
suction pump next to crankcase,
pressure pump in the oil
sump

Electrical system.

Battery voltage (V) 12
Battery output (Ah) 55
Alternator 14 V/65 A
Ignition Magneti-Marelli contact-free,
all-electronic digital ignition
system controlled by the
flywheel
Spark plugs Bosch x 4 CS

Chassis and suspension.

Frame Spaceframe with plastic body
Front axle Double track control arm (wishbone)
with light-alloy wheel
mounts Independent suspension
Rear axle Double track control arm (trapezoid
arm at the bottom) with
light-alloy wheel mounts
Independent suspension
Dampers/springs Bilstein gas pressure dampers Concentric coil
springs
adjustable for height
Anti-roll bar dia (mm/in) front 23/0.91
rear 19/0.75
Brakes Inner-vented fixed-calliper disc brakes
in two-circuit system
with brake servo pressure
reducer on the rear axle
Brake disc dia(mm/in) front 300/11 rear 297/11.69
Brake disc width (mm/in) front 32/1.26 rear 26/1.02
Swept brake area (cm²) front 96/wheel rear 69/wheel
Parking brake Operated mechanically, acting on separate brake
callipers
on the rear axle
Steering Rack-and-pinion steering, two-joint
safety steering column
adjustable for reach
Steering wheel dia (mm/in) 360/14.2
Wheels Cast light-alloy wheels
front 7'' x 16''
rear 8'' x 16''
Tyres Pirelli P7
front 205/55 VR 16
rear 225/50 VR 16

Power transmission.

Clutch F + S hydraulically operated,
double-disc dry clutch
Gearbox ZF five-speed manual gearbox
with integrated final drive
Transmission ratios,
manual gearbox:
1st 2.42
2nd 1.61
3rd 1.14
4th 0.846
5th 0.704
Reverse 2.86
Final drive 4.22

Dimensions (mm/in).

Wheelbase 2,560/100.8
Track, front 1,550/61.0
Track, rear 1,576/62.0
Length 4,360/171.7
Width 1,824/71.8
Height, unladen 1,140/44.9
Ground clearance, laden 125/4.9
Turning circle 13,000/512

Technical Description BMW M1 Group four.
Grand Tourisme based on international motorsport regulations.
Grand Tourisme cars are built in a small series and must have at least two
seats. They may be improved and modified in the interest of enhanced
performance. The modifications allowed for this purpose are specified in detail
in the International Motorsport Regulations.
In their looks and appearance, Group four cars bear a close resemblance to the
production model.

Engine.
Six-cylinder in-line power unit, water-cooled, four valves per cylinder,
mechanical fuel injection, dry sump lubrication, oil cooler at the front end of
the car, 94 mm/3.70'' bore, 84 mm/3.31'' stroke, 3,500 cc capacity, max output
345 kW (470 bhp) at 9,000 rpm, max torque 390 Nm (287 lb-ft) at 7,000 rpm.

Power transmission.
Hydraulically operated double-plate clutch, ZF five-speed gearbox,
differential and gearbox cooling system.

Chassis and suspension.
Double track control arms on the front and rear axles, magnesium wheel mounts,
aluminium wheel hubs with central bolt, Bilstein dampers with bolted spring
plates, anti-roll bars front and rear, exchangeable and adjustable,
ATE brake system, swing callipers and vented discs front and rear, twin master
brake cylinders, brake forces adjustable while driving, rims 11.0 x 16 at the
front, 12.5 x 16 at the rear, tyres 10.0/23.5 x 16 at the front, 12.5/25.0 x 16
at the rear, rack-and-pinion steering with direct transmission ratio.

Technical Description BMW M1 Group five.
Special production car based on international motorsport regulations.
Special production cars do not require a minimum production volume, but must be
derived from cars homologated in Groups one, two, three or four. All
modifications allowed on Group one to four cars as well as additional Group
five modifications are admissible, as specified by the International Motorsport
Regulations.
Greater freedom in the shape and dimensions of the flared wheel arches as well
as the use of aerodynamic improvements front and rear significantly change the
looks of the body.
Beneath the body shell the manufacturer is able to choose and configure the
various systems (engine, transmission, suspension, brakes) with hardly any
restrictions.
The Group five BMW M1 features a 3.2-litre six-cylinder 24-valve power unit
with an exhaust gas turbocharger developing up to 850 bhp at 9,000 rpm. Boost
pressure is between 1.2 and 1.4 atmosphere.
The Group five version benefits from technical optimisation of all units and
systems. The car's final specifications will be published at a later date.

Pictures of BMW M1 you will find under https://newsroom.bmwgroup.com/global/en

1. Twenty Years of the BMW M3 - a Legend in Sports. (Short Version) 2 2. The Birth of a Sports Legend. 5 3. The Successor: Six Cylinders for Ongoing Success. 13 4. Continuing the Success Story: The Third-Generation BMW M3. 19 5. The BMW M3 - a Spearhead in Innovation. 28 6. The BMW M3 Models. 32

It is one of the most successful chapters in the history of the automobile and
in international motorsport alike: the story of the BMW M3 - and to this day,
the end of this unique success story is not even in sight.
In 2006 BMW and BMW M GmbH celebrated the 20th birthday of the most successful
touring car of all times. Within two decades, three generations of the BMW M3
have successfully entered and conquered both the market and the race track,
each of these models quite unique and legendary in its own right. Dominating
the racing scene and paving the way on the road for a new species of
particularly sporting, but nevertheless highly practical series-production cars
fully suited for everyday use, the BMW M3 to this day thrills a loyal and
constantly growing group of enthusiasts and aficionados the world over.

This unique story of success started back in 1986 with the launch of the first
BMW M3 based on the E30 version of the BMW 3 Series. From the start, this
thoroughbred sports car thrilled not only the motorsport enthusiast and the
racing expert, but also car fans the world over. Boasting powerful-looking
spoilers and strikingly flared wheel arches all round, the very first BMW M3
was a sensation to behold even at a standstill. And although the road-going
version offered all the everyday driving qualities required of a modern car,
the real home of the BMW M3 was the race track. Powered by a four-cylinder
featuring avantgarde four-valve technology, the BMW M3 brought home one victory
after the other.

Originally conceived for just 5,000 units for the purpose of homologation, this
very first BMW M3 gained growing popularity right from the start.
And apart from the car's convincing concept, an ongoing increase in engine
power from 195 hp all the way to 238 hp added to the car's fascinating thrill.
Total production up to the end of the car's production cycle in 1991 amounted
to almost 18,000 units including the BMW M3 Convertible. Subsequently, the two
following generations significantly exceeded even this remarkable sales figure,
the second generation of the BMW M3 based on the E36 model series accounting
for a sales volume of almost 72,000 units, and the third generation based on
the E46 model series achieving an even more impressive production run of over
85,000 units.

Precisely this success confirms the strategy of BMW M GmbH to convey the
qualities of superior motorsport machines right through to series production.
After three generations and more than 174, 000 units sold, production of the
E46-based BMW M3 ended in 2006 - only to be continued in 2007 with the fourth
generation carrying on this exceptional story of success.
The successor to a legend.
Based on the coupé version of the E36 model series, the second generation of
the BMW M3 made its appearance in 1992. At first sight this model looked quite
"normal", without any large spoilers or striking wheel arches - but just one
glimpse into the engine bay told another story, with this being the first BMW
M3 to feature a six-cylinder power unit.

Developing maximum torque of 320 Newton-metres or 236 lb-ft all the way from 3,
600 to 6, 000 rpm, together with maximum output of 286 hp, this outstanding
sports car offered the driver superior acceleration at all times and in every
situation. Indeed, BMW's engineers were able to achieve these performance
figures quite unusual at the time through painstaking attention to detail and
with a number of innovative solutions: Apart from VANOS variable camshaft
management and the upgraded single throttle butterfly control unit, newly
developed engine electronics able to process more than 20 million instructions
per second helped to give the engine its enormous power and performance.

Catering for growing demand for a four-door model, the second generation of the
BMW M3 was also built in saloon guise, in addition to the coupé and convertible
versions. And the success of all three models was overwhelming, almost 72, 000
units of all three body variants leaving BMW's Regensburg Plant throughout
seven years of production. These were joined by another 700 units built as
completely knocked down (CKD) kits at BMW's Rosslyn Plant in South Africa.

The BMW M3 saga goes on.
Towards the end of the year 2000, the latest and still current version of the
BMW M3 entered the market as the next generation. Based on the E46 model series
coupé, this version of the BMW M3 again combines supreme performance,
exceptional driving qualities and unique design, clearly distinguishing the car
from other models in the BMW 3 Series.
Particularly the front section of the current BMW M3 supporting the engine
compartment lid made of aluminium looks flatter and more aggressive than on
every other regular production BMW 3 Series. And beneath the engine compartment
lid with its striking powerdome lurks one of the most significant innovations
introduced in this model - the new, even more powerful six-cylinder engine
developing maximum output of 252 kW/343 hp and applying the high-speed engine
concept carried over from Formula 1 and now so characteristic of all cars built
by BMW M GmbH: When revving at a speed of 8,000 rpm, the pistons in the new M3
power unit move up and down at a velocity of more than 20 metres or 66 feet a
second, thus reaching a new dimension for a car of this class.

The BMW M3 CSL was also based on this model. Boasting an even more powerful
engine, developing 265 kW/360 hp and featuring radical lightweight technology
using the most advanced materials such as carbonfibre-reinforced plastics and
carbon, the BMW M3 CSL has a power-to-weight ratio of 3.85 kg/hp - a truly
outstanding figure which raises this BMW M3 to an entirely new dimension of
dynamic performance.

Still, the fact remains that yet another model stands out as the fastest and
most expensive of all BMW M3s built so far - the BMW M3 GTR presented to the
public in 2001 for the American Le Mans Series (ALMS). Indeed, this truly
unique car was a genuine eye-catcher from the start not only through its
muscular look, but also and in particular through its 4.0-litre
V8 high-performance power unit developing 330 kW/460 hp in racing trim and,
respectively, 258 kW/350 hp in the road-going version.

This supreme sports car set the standard also in another respect, its price
of approximately Euro 250,000 making it a truly exclusive offer.