|
|
| Barretts Kent Latest News |
|
BMW 635d Sport Coupe Offer
BMW 6 Series Contract Hire Offers
BMW 6 Series 635d Sport Coupe
24 month Contract Hire and Leasing Deal from £570 + VAT per month
For personal and business users
New BMW 6 Series Coupe
BMW 6 Series contract hire
BMW 6 Series for sale
BMW 6 Series leasing
BMW 6 Series deals
Buy Used BMW
BMW Business Partnership
VISIT THIS PAGE BY CLICKING HERE>>>
NEW BMW 6 SERIES 635d SPORT COUPE
FROM ONLY £570 PER MONTH+VAT
- OFFER NOW OPEN TO PRIVATE AND BUSINESS CUSTOMERS.
- NATIONWIDE DELIVERY AVAILABLE^.
- 5 YEARS 60,000 MILES SERVICING INCLUDED.
- PART EXCHANGE WELCOMED.
- OTHER PAYMENT PROFILES AVAILABLE CONTACT FOR DETAILS.
Labels: BMW 6 Series contract hire, BMW 6 Series deals, BMW 6 Series for sale, BMW 6 Series leasing, Broad Oak Canterbury BMW, Buy Used BMW, New BMW 6 Series Coupe
Barretts Kent
You can keep up with news, stories and events by following Barretts Kent on Twitter: @BarrettsKent or join in the discussion on our Facebook page.
Apple iPhone in your BMW
KentBMW News: Apple iPhone in your BMW.
Apple iPhone in your BMW.
BMW iPhone Compatibility
BMW iPhone Cradle
It's the kind of innovative approach you would expect from BMW.
In 2004, BMW was the first to integrate the iPod into BMW vehicles and have customers take full control of their music on the road. So it seemed only logical that BMW be among the first to ensure iPhone owners have the same ability to enjoy their music, plus the added benefits of Bluetooth® hands-free calling across our model line, from day one of its release. Using a newly-available optional USB connection port, both iPods and iPhones can be seamlessly integrated into any BMW model.
Check Apple iPhone compatibility for your BMW here>>>
--- To view the Kent BMW latest sales offers please follow this link>>>
The South East's best selection of Approved Used BMW can be seen here>>>
For more information on the BMW range and new BMW Technology please contact our Ashford BMW or Canterbury BMW dealerships.
Broad Oak Ashford BMW
01233 500555
Twitter: AshfordBMW
Broad Oak Canterbury BMW
01227 828888
Twitter: CanterburyBMW
www.kentbmw.co.uk Labels: Apple iPhone, Bluetooth, BMW iPhone Compatibility, BMW iPhone Cradle, iPod
Barretts Kent
You can keep up with news, stories and events by following Barretts Kent on Twitter: @BarrettsKent or join in the discussion on our Facebook page.
BMW Golf Championship 2009
BMW Golf Championship 2010
BMW GolfSport
BMW Golf Society
The World Final of the BMW Golf Cup International 2009 takes place in Fancourt Golf Resort in George - South Africa. The 99 top players from 34 countries in the largest international tournament series for amateurs determine the winners in three classes. The finalists were also honoured by one of the most legendary professional golfers in the world: Gary Player
For more information on BMW Golfsport and the involvement that the BMW Group have in Golf Worldwide please visit the BMW Golf website: http://bmw-golfsport.com/gs/en/index.html
--- To view the Kent BMW latest sales offers please follow this link>>>
The South East's best selection of Approved Used BMW can be seen here>>>
For more information on the BMW range and new BMW Technology please contact our Ashford BMW or Canterbury BMW dealerships.
Broad Oak Ashford BMW
01233 500555
Twitter: AshfordBMW
Broad Oak Canterbury BMW
01227 828888
Twitter: CanterburyBMW
www.kentbmw.co.uk Labels: Barretts Motor Group, BMW Driver Training, BMW Golf Cup International, Broad Oak Ashford BMW, Broad Oak Canterbury BMW, Fancourt Golf Resort, Gary Player, golf amateur series, Golf Clinic, Twitter
Barretts Kent
You can keep up with news, stories and events by following Barretts Kent on Twitter: @BarrettsKent or join in the discussion on our Facebook page.
Honda Solar Hydrogen Station
Honda Solar Hydrogen Station Honda R&D's own Ryan Harty, explains how Honda's next generation Solar Hydrogen Station (using Honda's own thin film solar panels) works and fuels hydrogen vehicles. The Solar Hydrogen Station is designed to provide about 30-miles of driving range through an 8-hour slow-fill or enough to meet most daily commuting needs.
To be kept up to date on news, new products, offers and events at Barretts Honda you can now follow us on Twitter:
BarrettsHonda: http://twitter.com/BarrettsHonda
A part of the Barretts Motor Group www.barrettskent.co.ukLabels: alternative power, Barretts Honda, electric vehicle, energy, fuel, fueling, Honda, hydrogen, refuel station, Torrance California, Twitter
Barretts Kent
You can keep up with news, stories and events by following Barretts Kent on Twitter: @BarrettsKent or join in the discussion on our Facebook page.
Barretts Supports Demelza Hospice
Dear Customer,
Barretts has supported Demelza House for many years, in many ways, and we are very keen for this relationship to continue and flourish for many more years to come.
The Demelza Childrens hospices are vitally important in providing support and hospice care for over 600 children and their families. They are the only children’s residential hospices covering Kent, East Sussex, and South East London. Their specialist teams make the most of every moment that the children spend in their care, offering a wide variety of services for them and their families. If you are interested in learning more about Demelza House please log on to www.demelza.org.uk
WIN A MINI !!!
Over the years our customers have helped us greatly to support this vitally important charity, and their generosity in the last prize draw resulted in £10,000 raised for Demelza House! I am sure you will agree what an amazing achievement this was. As a continuation of support, we would like to offer you the opportunity to do 2 great things:
- Make a donation to Demelza House
- Win a brand new MINI First!
Simply click www.demelza.org.uk and go to “Events” and “Car Competition” to enter the competition directly through Demelza’s web-site. Alternatively, you can stop in at any of our showrooms or service departments and pick up a raffle ticket. Please log on to our web-site www.barrettskent.co.uk for full details of all of our sites across Canterbury & Ashford, or simply call our Head Office on 01227 864444 to find the site nearest to you. All monies received by Barretts on behalf of this prize draw will be sent on to Demelza House.
This offer is only valid until 13th May so please act quickly if you wish to be included.
If you are not interested in participating in the prize draw, but would like to make a donation to the Demelza Hospice for Children, please log onto their web-site www.demelza.org.uk where you can make your donation on line.
Thank you.
Paul Barrett
Managing Director
Barretts of Canterbury LtdLabels: Barretts, Car Competition, Demelza Hospice, MINI First, Paul Barrett
Barretts Kent
You can keep up with news, stories and events by following Barretts Kent on Twitter: @BarrettsKent or join in the discussion on our Facebook page.
Broad Oak BMW Group News
Broad Oak BMW Group News
BMW Concept Gran Coupe Unveiled
Elegance and dynamic performance at the first BMW Design Night in Beijing
Autocar.co.uk Latest News.
With an exclusive Design Night on the evening of the first press day at Auto China in Beijing (April 23rd to May 2nd 2010), BMW provides an in-depth insight into its design philosophy and development strategy. The program of the BMW Design Night is modular in structure and presents extensive background information on the premium automobile manufacturer’s innovative design culture. In addition to highlighting the long versions of the BMW 5 Series developed specially for the Chinese market, the main focus is on an elegant 4-door vehicle with striking dynamic proportions: the BMW Concept Gran Coupé.
The concept study on display symbolises the outstanding design expertise of BMW. The BMW Concept Gran Coupé concentrates the fundamental values of the brand. Its body design authentically captures a sense of superior dynamic performance and high-quality elegance. The shaping style, which follows a coherent pattern down to the last detail, convincingly visualises BMW’s philosophy as an automobile manufacturer. As with the Concept CS 2007, BMW once again sets new benchmarks in the design of 4-door coupes with a distinctive sporty character.
Based on a powerful tradition in this segment, the BMW Concept Gran Coupé carries the essence of brand values and the genes of BMW design into the future. The concept shows the classic features of all BMW coupes: the long wheelbase, the vaulted bonnet with forward-pointing lines, the set-back greenhouse, the flat silhouette, the coupe-style roof line and the short front overhang reflect the dynamic potential of the vehicle. The surface structures and the fact that the design quality is geared towards perfection illustrate the aspiration of the brand BMW to build 4-door high-performance coupes with the sportiest proportions and the most elegant design.
In the BMW Concept Gran Coupé, BMW presents the vision of a 4-door vehicle which combines the exclusivity of a Gran Turismo with the fascination of a high-performance sports car. The design of the concept study underscores the expertise of the brand BMW in the development of vehicles with a distinctive sporty character which offer space for more than two occupants. This reflects the particular quality of the BMW Group design philosophy, which consists in precisely and authentically translating the specific values of product substance into an aesthetically convincing shaping style. The design process is set through with a passion for aesthetic appeal and dynamic performance, precision and perfection. This is how the uncompromising premium aspiration of a BMW Group product, the unmistakable style of the brand BMW and the precisely defined character of each model are given concrete form.
 The body design of the BMW Concept Gran Coupé expresses sporty flair in its ultimate form. The 4-door vehicle clearly signals the very highest level of dynamic performance with its extremely elegant, flat and coupe-like proportions. Stretching the entire length of the vehicle and therefore measuring almost 5 metres, flowing lines dominate the design, giving rise to outstanding aerodynamic levels, just as the low centre of gravity reflects an agile driving response.
The front section is defined by the BMW kidney grille characteristic of the brand - an icon of body design which is not just central but also a dominating element of front design. The kidney grille of the BMW Concept Gran Coupé has a flat appearance, with an asymmetrical side view which emphasises the close attention to detail. The central section with the kidney grille is formally separated from other BMW icons such as the headlights and air inlets. The clarity of the LED front lights highlights the vehicle’s precision and premium aspirations. The air inlet runs back an extremely long way into the side section, making the front section appear particularly wide. All elements of the front section appear to merge to form a single, elegantly curved movement.
The sporty, flat silhouette provides an impressive body height of just under 1.40 metres. This makes the BMW Concept Gran Coupé up to 100 millimetres flatter than the BMW 5 Series or the BMW 7 Series Sedan. The roof line tapers off gently into the rear, thereby elongating the vehicle's proportions. The forward-tilted shark nose visually extends the bonnet and creates characteristic BMW proportions with its forward-pointing dynamism. This stretched character is also highlighted by the side lines, where there is a deliberate avoidance of the typical sill line. The flat proportions make the window graphics appear extremely narrow and dynamic at the same time. Another BMW design icon, the Hofmeister kink, is especially strikingly formed - additionally emphasising the exclusive character of the vehicle. The frameless doors give the BMW Concept Gran Coupé a modern character since the glass surfaces appear to merge seamlessly without being interrupted by columns.
At the rear, only design elements such as the lights and tailpipe trim appear to be visible at first sight. The entire rear section appears slimmer and lighter at the centre, though still exuding power and dynamic performance since the volume is reinforced towards the sides. The L-shaped light banks feature a slight, almost subtle curve and the entire design of the lines and surfaces highlights the vehicle’s elegant overall appearance. The third brake light, positioned in the rear window, is also fitted with LED technology. It takes up the kink in the roof and illuminates the entire width of the rear window. The powerfully flared wheel arches above the rear axle highlight the particularly sporty character of the BMW Concept Gran Coupé.
Another highly sporty and also elegant feature is the rim concept in which the individual spokes extend deep into the centre of the rim towards the hub, giving the rim a striking three-dimensional quality. The spokes themselves are not solid but relief-milled, giving them a visual lightness.
The sculptural shaping style characteristic of the entire body design of the BMW Concept Gran Coupé permits a unique interaction between concave and convex surfaces. It also enables the light to be selectively reflected and channelled. Thus the exterior mirrors integrated in the window shaft appear very light, blending harmoniously into the side view since their shape assimilates the entire line styling. The BMW Concept Gran Coupé is a further development of the classic design of a notchback sedan in which the individual body sections merge harmoniously into a flat, elongated and at the same time dynamic overall image. The effect of this 4-door vehicle derives not just from specific highlights but from its overall appearance, which authentically reflects its character. The car’s dynamic potential is embodied in its proportions and lines, signalling power but also elegance and forward thrust.
Autocar.co.uk: BMW has stolen the headlines at the Beijing show by unveiling its Gran Coupe coupe, a five-metre, four-door, coupe-like saloon that’s rumoured to be headed into production as a new 8-series flagship. Read More>>
---- To view the Kent BMW latest sales offers please follow this link>>>
The South East's best selection of Approved Used BMW can be seen here>>>
For more information on the BMW range and new BMW Technology please contact our Ashford BMW or Canterbury BMW dealerships.
Broad Oak Ashford BMW
01233 500555
Twitter: AshfordBMW
Broad Oak Canterbury BMW
01227 828888
Twitter: CanterburyBMW
www.kentbmw.co.uk Labels: Barretts Kent, BMW 8 Series, BMW Concept Cars, BMW Design, BMW Gran Coupe, Broad Oak Ashford BMW, Broad Oak BMW Group, Broad Oak Canterbury BMW
Barretts Kent
You can keep up with news, stories and events by following Barretts Kent on Twitter: @BarrettsKent or join in the discussion on our Facebook page.
This blog is now located at http://blog.barrettskent.co.uk/. You will be automatically redirected in 30 seconds or you may click here. For feed subscribers, please update your feed subscriptions to http://blog.barrettskent.co.uk/feeds/posts/default.
Barretts Kent
You can keep up with news, stories and events by following Barretts Kent on Twitter: @BarrettsKent or join in the discussion on our Facebook page.
The BMW 1 Series Success Story
The BMW 1 Series Success Story: First Million Units Built. Efficiency and Driving Pleasure Made in Leipzig and Regensburg. Anniversary Model of the BMW 1 Series Handed Over at the Leipzig Motor Show on 12 April 2010.
Five years of production, four body variants and one million times Sheer Driving Pleasure in the compact class. The BMW 1 Series has already reached a seven-digit production volume in its first model generation, clearly confirming its status as a genuine best seller in the international car market.
Accounting for one million units sold since its debut in 2004, the BMW 1 Series is also one of the driving forces for the outstanding success of the world’s leading manufacturer of premium cars.
The anniversary model was delivered to its proud owner on Monday, 12 April, on the occasion of the Leipzig Motor Show, the Auto Mobil International (AMI). The car, a three-door BMW 118d built at BMW Plant Leipzig, was handed over jointly by Frank-Peter Arndt, Member of the Board of BMW AG for Production, and Stanislaw Tillich, the Prime Minister of the Free State of Saxony, to a customer from Leipzig.
The BMW 1 Series offers an incomparable combination of sporting driving pleasure and outstanding efficiency. Now available as a three-door Sedan, a five-door Sedan, a Coupé and Convertible, the BMW 1 Series stands out clearly as the only car in the compact segment with rear-wheel drive. High-tech suspension technology unparalleled in this class to this very day also serves to guarantee characteristic driving pleasure in the BMW 1 Series.
As yet a further essential feature, the BMW 1 Series is available with Active Steering varying not only steering assistance, but also the steering angle as a function of speed.
Germany’s leading premium manufacturer also proves the unique position of the BMW 1 Series versus its competitors through new concepts and philosophies in communication. Young, fresh, unconventional – this is how BMW’s highly successful compact model has been presented from the start. Highlights unforgotten to this day are the launch campaign starring Kermit, the frog from the Muppets Show, sitting at the wheel, or the highly dynamic launch campaign introducing the BMW 1 Series in the USA, where at an imaginary place in Bavaria the BMW 1 Series is to be “shot” straight to the USA on a gigantic ramp. And last but certainly not least in this context, the launch campaign for the BMW 1 Series Coupé was lauded as the best advertising by Auto Trophy, the German car magazine, under the title “Condensed Intensity”.
BMW 1 Series as the pacemaker in reducing both fuel consumption and CO2 emissions.
From the start, the BMW 1 Series played a significant role in giving BMW EfficientDynamics a broad impact in the market. The wide range of BMW EfficientDynamics technologies including Auto Start Stop, a Gearshift Point Indicator, Brake Energy Regeneration, Electric Power Steering as well as other ancillary units activated and operated on-demand – naturally all this featured as standard – highlights the four-cylinder models in the BMW 1 Series introduced in the 2007 model year for the first time.
Ever since, the ongoing popularity of the BMW 1 Series has helped to consistently reduce both fleet consumption and average CO2 emissions. In 2009, for example, the average CO2 emissions of all BMW Group cars registered in Europe was 150 grams per kilometre, equal to fuel consumption of just 5.9 litres/100 km (47.9 mpg imp). This once again makes BMW far superior to the most important competitors in the premium segment in terms of CO2 management and emission control.
Boasting a model range larger than ever before, the BMW 1 Series once again emphasises its unique position in 2010 as the pacemaker for efficient mobility combined with supreme driving pleasure in the compact class. In all, the four body versions of BMW 1 Series now come with a choice of six petrol and, respectively, four diesel engines. The power range extends from 85 kW/ 115 hp in the entry-level BMW 116d all the way to 225 kW / 306 hp in the two top athletes in the segment, the BMW 135i Coupé and the BMW 135i Convertible.
Currently no less than five models in the BMW 1 Series already come with a CO2 emission rating of less than 120 grams per kilometre. The absolute leader in terms of fuel efficiency and emission management in the series is the BMW 116d, its 2.0-litre four-cylinder diesel delivering maximum output of 85 kW / 115 hp, peak torque of 260 Newton-metres/192 lb-ft, and, in combination with various BMW EfficientDynamics technologies also featured as standard on this model, average fuel consumption in the EU test cycle of just 4.4 litres/100 kilometres – equal to 64.2 mpg imp – and a CO2 rating of 118 grams per kilometre.
The unusually good balance of driving pleasure and fuel economy makes the BMW 116d particularly attractive also for the operator and owner of company and commercial car fleets. Immediately after its launch into the market, BMW’s entry-level diesel scored a class victory in the campaign for the “Company Car of the Year 2009”. In this contest organised jointly by the German motor journal “Firmenauto” and the DEKRA Technical Inspection Company, the BMW 116d came first in the category of compact cars.
This award proves once again that fleet managers appreciate efficient driving pleasure in two respects as a feature helping to motivate a company’s employees and at the same time keep the company’s budget as low and economical as possible.
Internationally, the BMW 1 Series has likewise gained an outstanding reputation through its supreme efficiency: As early as in 2008, the three-door BMW 118d was chosen as the “World Green Car of the Year”. This special award presented by an international jury of motor journalists honours vehicles and technologies making a specific contribution to the reduction of emissions and in this way symbolising the outstanding environmental awareness of the respective manufacturer.
The BMW 118d powered likewise by a 2.0-litre 105 kW / 143 hp diesel is now available in all body variants of the BMW 1 Series.
Premium quality and innovative model features for even greater driving pleasure in the compact class.
The BMW 1 Series is made even more appealing by its uncompromising premium quality and a wide range of model features quite unique in the compact segment. One example is the latest generation of BMW’s trendsetting iDrive control system also available in the BMW 1 Series. Originally conceived and developed for the luxury class, BMW iDrive ensures particularly easy and intuitive management of entertainment, communication, navigation, and comfort functions.
Another highlight again unique in the compact segment is the extremely wide range of driver assistance systems and mobility services offered by BMW ConnectedDrive. Hence, the BMW 1 Series may be fitted with features either not available at all from the competition or only in their top class and luxury models. These include a High-Beam Assistant, Adaptive Headlights or the Park Assistant, as well as unrestricted use of the internet in the car.
The services offered through BMW Assist and BMW Online may be used throughout Europe in the language of the car’s respective owner. Additional safety and comfort is ensured by the Enhanced Emergency Call function informing rescuers in the event of an accident of the type of damage and the likelihood of injury and thus ensuring appropriate medical services from the start, the Driver’s Profile function for convenient application of personal settings, or the Mobile Office / Online Office enabling the driver to use various office functions in his mobile phone, for example presenting and processing mails received in the car’s display.
Further highlights are the enhanced integration of Smartphones and external entertainment devices.
When going on a journey, the owner of a BMW 1 Series may download his route planned in advance through BMW Online into the car’s navigation system, putting together destinations and sights on the way or going to special destinations directly through Google Local Search.
The latest weather information, to present yet another example, may be shown in the navigation map and the Enquiry Service is able to provide data on automatic cash machines, local pharmacies as well as cultural events, flights, restaurants or hotels, specialists at the BMW Call Center making bookings or reservations on request for the driver and his passengers.
Particularly attractive, sophisticated and carefully matched features are available in the 2010 model year in both the Lifestyle and Sport Edition models of the three-door and five-door BMW 1 Series.
Production of the BMW 1 Series at BMW’s ultra-modern Leipzig Plant stands for maximum efficiency, flexibility, and quality. The outstanding level of quality is also borne out by the lasting value of the car and its superior reliability confirmed time and again in non-partisan tests. Currently, for example, the BMW 130i holds the top position in the ranking of endurance car tests carried out by the German car magazine “Auto Bild”: Covering a distance of 100,000 kilometres or 62,000 miles, this sporting version of BMW’s most compact model scored the best result of all cars tested in 2009. Giving the BMW 130i a 1+ mark, the journal’s professional testers lauded it clearly as the “Best Auto Bild Endurance Test Car of All Times”.
BMW Plant Leipzig plays an important role in the current and future plans of Germany’s leading premium car maker. Currently both the BMW 1 Series and the BMW X1 are built in Leipzig. At the same time, however, BMW Plant Leipzig is being prepared for production of an all-electric production model currently being developed by the BMW Group. The plan is to establish an integrated production network with two sites in Bavaria, important components being built in Wackersdorf and Landshut and the car itself, the Megacity Vehicle planned as part of BMW project i, coming off the production line in Leipzig.
BMW Plant Leipzig was built in the north-east of the city at an investment of more than Euro 1 billion and is conceived as a production plant with an integrated Delivery Centre for external suppliers. Some 5,000 employees work throughout the entire premises on the production of premium cars for the BMW brand, making BMW the biggest employer in Leipzig.
Applying flexible working time concepts and shift systems, BMW Plant Leipzig currently builds up to 700 cars a day and more, depending on demand in the market.
Ever since the Plant started production in 2005, no less than 662,000 cars have come off the line here. In Germany alone, sales of the BMW 1 Series amount to 336.017 units since the introduction of this model.
---- To view the Kent BMW latest sales offers please follow this link>>>
The South East's best selection of Approved Used BMW can be seen here>>>
For more information on the BMW range and new BMW Technology please contact our Ashford BMW or Canterbury BMW dealerships.
Broad Oak Ashford BMW
01233 500555
Twitter: AshfordBMW
Broad Oak Canterbury BMW
01227 828888
Twitter: CanterburyBMW
www.kentbmw.co.uk Labels: Active Steering, Approved Used BMW, Barretts Motor Group, BMW 1 Series, BMW EfficientDynamics, Broad Oak Ashford BMW, Broad Oak Canterbury BMW, DEKRA, Kent BMW, Leipzig Motor Show, Twitter
Barretts Kent
You can keep up with news, stories and events by following Barretts Kent on Twitter: @BarrettsKent or join in the discussion on our Facebook page.
New Jaguar XJ at Barretts
Classic Division for BMW
BMW Group Classic sets up Motorsport Division
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.
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.
---- To view the Kent BMW latest sales offers please follow this link>>>
The South East's best selection of Approved Used BMW can be seen here>>>
For more information on the BMW range and new BMW Technology please contact our Ashford BMW or Canterbury BMW dealerships.
Broad Oak Ashford BMW
01233 500555
Twitter: AshfordBMW
Broad Oak Canterbury BMW
01227 828888
Twitter: CanterburyBMW
www.kentbmw.co.uk Labels: BMW 1602, BMW Group Classic, BMW M3, BMW Motorsport, Broad Oak Ashford BMW, Broad Oak Canterbury BMW, Goodwood Festival of Speed, Grand Prix, Kent BMW, Le Mans Classic, Mille Miglia, Twitter
Barretts Kent
You can keep up with news, stories and events by following Barretts Kent on Twitter: @BarrettsKent or join in the discussion on our Facebook page.
|
|
|
|
|
