1 June 2020

BMW and coupé, this beautiful relationship stretches back almost 90 years. It goes right back to the beginnings of automobile production in the company. There were many different ways of interpreting the multi-faceted concept but three aspects were always the focus of attention at BMW: sporting impact, elegance, exclusivity. Naturally, this also holds true for the new BMW 4 Series coupé that is celebrating its world premiere tomorrow (available from 18.00 on livestream at  https://www.live.bmwgroup.com/en/live-streaming/text/WORLD-PREMIERE-OF-THE-ALL-NEW-BMW-4-SERIES-COUP-14765.html and on the social media channels of the BMW Group). The illustrious heritage of forebears includes milestones like the BMW 503 coupé, the BMW 3.0 CSL, the BMW 6 Series and in the most prominent position the BMW 327 coupé. This model dates from the year 1937 and in some respects it constituted the origin of the modern idea of “coupé” – but there was nothing “cut off” about this model (as the French word would seem to indicate). Quite the contrary, everything was tailored to dynamic performance and aesthetics. 

The official BMW Z8 Club from Munich describes the object of its passion like this: “Breathtakingly beautiful, classic proportions, with innovative technologies and equipped with a robust, high-performance power unit”. This statement includes a huge amount of passion for the roadster, which was presented in 1999 and continued the great tradition of BMW sports cars with a total of 5703 units built during the production run until 2003. That’s why there were no puckered foreheads of amazement when the dedicated club was formed as early as 2005 – the BMW Z8 already had the attribute of “classic” engineering designed into it ex works (more appropriately “ex workshop” – after all, this was artisanal craftsmanship). The BMW Z8 Club promotes communication and exchange of experiences, organises exhibition appearances and stages outings, with some fantastic videos capturing wonderful memories. The best clip of all showcases the anniversary tour held last year. 20 years after the first presentation of the BMW Z8, more than 50 of the roadsters met up in the Bavarian Alpine village of Reit im Winkl. Their owners started out together from there on a tour along picturesque Alpine roads. Another highlight of the meeting was provided by the presentations given by designers who were involved in the development of the BMW Z8. Their memories took the visitors back to the creation of the timeless, ageless classic car and brought its story to life.

BMW Group Classic is gradually able to move back to offering its usual service. This includes issuing certificates for models that are older than 20 years. These documents are rather like a “Birth Certificate” for the specific vehicle and this makes them a valuable addition to the Registration Document and the Service Handbook. They offer a precise record of the individual story of each vintage car and modern classic. The certificate from BMW Group Classic confirms the production and delivery dates and this makes it easier for owners to precisely document the origin of their classic car. 

This week the International Mini Meeting (IMM) 2020 should have taken place in Geiselwind near Bamberg in northern Bavaria. The organisers have found an impressive solution to compensate for the postponement. The next meeting will take place as planned in Italy (20 to 23 May 2021 in Florence), and Bamberg’s Mini friends will then be the hosts in 2022. A great idea as a balm for the disappointment: There’s a call for a virtual IMM on Instagram. All Mini fans have been encouraged to post images under the hashtag #IMMfromhome and these will be assembled into a collage.