Comeback of the Legends. BMW Group Mobile Tradition at the Le Mans Classic.
Munich/Le Mans. From 07th to 9th July 2006 the BMW Group Mobile Tradition is
entering the Le Mans Classic for the first time this year. This spectacular
event in the honour of this legendary highlight in motorsport is for all cars
entered in the race between 1923 and 1979, inviting them back to the north of
France this year for the third time. BMW Group Mobile Tradition, in response to
the invitation, is sending three outstanding racing cars with equally
outstanding drivers to this unique parade of manufacturers and clubs.
Particularly the BMW 328 Touring Coupé will make a comback, this legendary car
returning to the venue of its first triumph after no less than 67 years: On 17
June 1939 this racing version of the BMW 328 made its world debut in Le Mans.
Built by Touring, the Italian coachwork specialist, the BMW 328 Touring Coupé
was the sensation right from the beginning in the 24 Hours of Le Mans. In the
car weighing just 780 kg or 1720 lb and with engine output of 136 bhp, the two
drivers Max Prince of Schaumburg-Lippe and Hans Wencher clearly dominated the
two-litre class, finishing a sensa¬tional fifth in the overall ranking, ahead
of much larger and more powerful competitors. This time the Touring Coupé is
being driven by the Director of BMW Mobile Tradition, Holger Lapp.
The legendary BMW M1 Group 4 "Munich Car" is also making its comeback in Le
Mans: When this BMW M1 entered the classic 24 Hours in 1981, it stood out in
particular through its exceptional paintwork: Where other cars were covered by
the large logos and the names of major sponsors, the BMW M1 beautifully styled
by paintwork artist Walter Maurer boasted hand-painted motifs of old and
traditional Munich inns and landmarks, creating a link unique to this day
between a car manufacturer, on the one hand, and local sponsors, on the
other.
Like in 1981, this year's driver will be Leopold Prince of Bavaria, a legendary
racing expert and the representative of Bayerische Motoren Werke, taking his
seat in the cockpit of this exceptional car. He himself refers to his years
with the BMW M1 as one of the greatest times he ever experienced in motorsport.
With the exception of Formula 1 and Formula 2, the Prince of Bavaria, truly an
old hand in motorsport, was active in all disciplines and competitions. And
contributing all his experience, he has also been an active driver for BMW in
historical motorsport since 1993.
Recruiting Marc Surer for the event, BMW has been able to win over yet another
driver with lots of experience in Le Mans. Apart from numerous touring car
races, this Swiss driver, at the wheel of a BMW, won the 1979 European Formula
2 Championship and various other events before moving on to Formula 1 in the
'80s. And now, in the Le Mans Classic, Marc will once again be driving a BMW
320 Group 5, like in 1977.
Upon entering the motorsport scene in 1977, the BMW 320 made its appearance in
the striped livery of the BMW 3.0 CSL Coupés raced by BMW Motorsport GmbH
founded in 1972, that is the legendary Coupés which truly hit the headlines on
international race tracks in the early '70s. As a Group 5 racing car, the BMW
320 stands out in particular through its extra-large wheel arches, the big
front spoiler and rear wing. And beneath the engine compartment lid the car
boasts a thoroughbred BMW Formula 2 racing engine, a two-litre straight-four
developing maximum output of 300 bhp. Obviously, only a real racing suspension
and numerous aerodynamic improvements are able to get this kind of power on to
the track.
In the large pavilion in the pitlane, BMW Group Mobile Tradition will be
presenting not only motorcycles and racing cars of the 1950s, but also the
history of BMW's success in 24-hour events. And near the pavilion BMW Club de
France will be proudly showing some selected classic BMWs.