Magazine of the BMW Club Queensland Inc.

accountable for its accuracy.<br><br> Readers are invited to contribute material or articles for c The Bimmer d Inclusions may encompass stories about club events , holiday trips, members 9 cars, products, humorous anecdotes and the like. Contributions may be edited for style , length or other reasons. Contributions may be sent either by email to: editor@bmwclubqld.asn.au OR by post to: BMW Club QLD Inc Attn: Editor PO BOX 184 Everton park QLD 4053 cTHE BIMMER d The official voice of BMW Club Queensland Inc A member of BMW Clubs Australia Spring Edition Sep 4Nov 2008 Contents: From the President 9s Desk Q & A interview with Guenther Seemann Membership Report Motorsport 9s Director 9s Report Social Report Members Spotlight BMW Clubs Australia Nationals Program A trip to Germany Part 1 A Birthday ode to Bob & Bimmers Speed on the Tweed Border ranges Run Trip to Bowden's car collection Variety bash 4Motorline BMW BMW News Motorsport- WATT DAY 11 Sep Spare Parts Bin Calendar of Events Information page Club Merchandise Membership Application Front Cover Picture: David Heydon 9s 2007 E63 M6 Coupe Story 4members Spotlight Committee Members President Ian Solomon 0403 173 235 ians@bmwclubqld.asn.au Vice President/ National Delegate Leanne Tymms AH: 3263 4003 leannet@bmwclubqld.asn.au Secretary Don Neibling donn@bmwclubqld.asn.au Treasurer Leanne Tymms leannet@bmwclubqld.asn.au Motorsport Director Angus Chapel angusc@bmwclubqld.asn.au Assistant Motorsport Roland Porst rolandp@bmwclubqld.asn.au Social Director Greg Tymms gregt@bmwclubqld.asn.au Membership Officer Bernie Figge bernief@bmwclubqld.asn.au Club Captain/ Merchandise Vic Brennan Editor Ruthie Farrar editor@bmwclubqld.asn.au 0409 923 895 Librarian Howdie Farrar 0438 883 201 6 Series Register Greg Tymms gregt@bmwclubqld.asn.au E30 Register Howdie Farrar e30@bmwclubqld.asn.au 0438 883 201 Committee Members cont Webmaster Ian Solomon ians@bmwclubqld.asn.au Club Photographer Andrew Martinez Committee member Rod Dawney Club Meetings - *6:30 for a 7pm start (snacks provided) ****2nd Friday of the month Our meetings are held alternately at four rotat- ing locations which are: Brisbane BMW Showroom 800 Ann and Bridge Streets, Fortitude Valley Shannons Insurance Clubroom Unit 3/11 Ross street, Newstead Motorline BMW 1 Old Chatswood Road, Daisy Hill Westside BMW 275 Monier Road, Darra Committee meetings 6:30 for 6:45 start held on the 1st Friday every second month, at Brisbane BMW Boardroom , 800 Ann Street, Fortitude Valley.<br><br> Website bmwclubqld.asn.au Please check the website for the latest updates and all event information Also all events and membership can be paid by credit card on the website. From the President 9s Desk From the President 9s Desk From the President 9s Desk Ian Solomon What is it about BMWs? Why do we drive them?<br><br> I found myself asking this question of myself re- cently. My E36 328i is now just over 10 years old (Build date September 1998) with some 212,000 kilometres on the clock. I personally have put 117,000 of those there in just under 6 years, and yet I still do not want to part with it.<br><br> It has been like this with every BMW I have owned over the last 20 years, as much trouble as the cars give, I still love them. For me, I think it is in the way they drive, and how they make you feel when you drive them. My first BMW was a round-light 1971 2002, which I kept for four years, and since then I have driven so many different iterations of the mar- que that I have lost count.<br><br> What grabbed me about the 2002 was the handling, and once I was hooked on a car that turns, straight- line performance seemed to become unimportant. I can still feel the roots of that 2002 in every BMW I have driven, there is just 8something 9 about the steering response, the throttle response, the braking feel. When you drive a BMW, it always feels like a BMW, and I still can 9t quite work out what it is.<br><br> But back to the question. My 328i has been let slide for a couple of years, with some much required maintenance being put on the back-burner due to rising interest rates, and other factors. I never really noticed how bad it was getting, just little things were left, and then they turned into bigger things, and the car was starting to feel 8old 9.<br><br> I have just had the opportunity to address some of these issues, and make some worthwhile improve- ments. The work done included new slotted brake rotors and competition brake pads all round, the ad- justable coil-over suspension was rebuilt, an X- brace was fitted, and the major change was the in- stallation of a six-speed M3 gearbox and clutch. To say the car was transformed would be a gross understatement, and I am very pleased with the re- sults.<br><br> While this work was being carried out, I was given the opportunity to drive a new X3 3.0L Turbo Diesel for a week by our friends at Westside BMW. Now I have driven a couple of X5s before, but have never tried an X3, or the fantastic 3.0L diesel that powers it. And this is where the question comes back.<br><br> What is it about a BMW? I 9m not really into SUVs, SAVs, or (s)off(t)-roaders, but this car is definitely a BMW. It turned in better than many 8normal 9 cars, its road-holding was great, the ride had just the right amount of firmness, and all the expected luxuries were there.<br><br> But most of all it WENT like a rocket-ship, and I found myself totally enjoying the experience of driv- ing this little brother to the X5. I was a little sad that I had to return it, but I 9m now back in the 328i and looking forward to using it again at the track, as well as on the road. So there you have it, I still don 9t know what that 8something 9 is, but I think every BMW has it, and that is what keeps me staying with the marque.<br><br> As this is our last issue for the year, I 9d like to take this opportunity to wish all of our members a very Merry Christmas, and a Happy New Year. We have a great events coming up, the Xmas Party at New Farm Park (which is free to all members), so I hope to see some of you there. Our first event for next year is the Australia Day Breakfast at Rydges Southbank, not to be missed.<br><br> Also don 9t forget to send your expression of interest for the 2009 BMW Clubs Australia Nationals , which are being held at Bowral NSW . Lots of fun and en- joyment , I be there and so are few more from Club Queensland . Until then, keep the shiny side up.<br><br> Ian Solomon #257 Important Bricks HOW TO PROPERLY PLACE NEW EMPLOYEES 1. Put 400 bricks in a closed room. 2.<br><br> Put your new employees in the room and close the door. 3. Leave them alone and come back after 6 hours.<br><br> 4. Then analyse the situation: a. If they are counting the bricks, put them in the Accounting Department.<br><br> b. If they are recounting them, put them in Auditing. c.<br><br> If they have messed up the whole place with the bricks, put them in Engineering. d. If they are arranging the bricks in some strange order, put them in Planning.<br><br> e. If they are throwing the bricks at each other, put them in Operations. f.<br><br> If they are sleeping, put them in Security. g. If they have broken the bricks into pieces, put them in Information Technology.<br><br> h. If they are sitting idle, put them in Human Resources. i.<br><br> If they say they have tried different combinations, they are looking for more, yet not a brick has been moved, put them in Sales. j. If they have already left for the day, put them in Marketing.<br><br> k. If they are staring out of the window, put them in Strategic Planning. l.<br><br> If they are talking to each other, and not a single brick has been moved, congratulate them and put them in Top Management .. Finally, if they have surrounded themselves with bricks in such a way that they can neither be seen nor heard from, put them in Government.   Hello Readers , I received this email from Toni Andreevski PR & Corporate Communications Manager BMW Group Australia Ed Dear Ruth, Very soon BMW will begin sales of two exciting new models: the BMW M3 Sedan and BMW X6 xDrive50i.<br><br> The former is the first sedan variant of the legendary M3 ever offered by BMW in Australia, whilst the latter is the first Twin Turbo V8 powered BMW. Both are priced from $145,000. In order to give readers of your club newsletter a unique insight into these new BMW offerings, we have prepared a brief Q&A style interview with the managing director of BMW Group Australia.<br><br> Feel free to reproduce this interview in an upcoming edition. The interview is exclusive to BMW Club magazines. Best regards Toni Andreevski Interview with Guenther Seemann, Managing Director of BMW Group Australia BMW has begun selling two exciting new cars, the M3 Sedan and X6 xDrive50i.<br><br> Both feature advanced V8 en- gines and are priced from $145,000. We ask BMW Group Australia 9s managing director, Guenther Seemann, to shed some light on these new models. Why is the M3 Sedan being launched here?<br><br> We know the M3 is one of the all-time favourites not only of BMW fans, but motoring enthusiasts across Australia. The number of awards the current and previous M3 Coupés have won reinforces this view. But we know that with five seats and four doors the M3 Sedan will allow even more M enthusiasts to park one of these fantastic cars in their ga- rage.<br><br> Have Aussies really taken to the V8 after the success of the straight six M3s? Australians love V8 engines. No doubt.<br><br> But they have never seen a V8 that revs to 8,400 rpm and produces 309 kW from just 4.0-litres before. Our sales of the new M3 Coupé topped 500 units in the first year. Unheard of.<br><br> As a result of the awards the M3 Coupé picked up last year, Australian buyers have been keen to experience for them- selves the brutal majesty of this new engine. Why isn 9t there an M version of every vehicle you make, like some rivals? BMW M GmbH is a very specialised division within BMW and it is not just a case of adding a badge and some fancy wheels to create an M car.<br><br> There has to be a strong business case, as strong in fact as the engineering case. There is also the issue of exclusivity to consider. But I think you will see BMW maximising the benefits of the M GmbH division 9s capabilities soon enough.<br><br> Why has the X6 xDrive50i been so long in com- ing? The success of the global launch of the X6 has been such that 19,000 cars have been delivered worldwide already, and many of them were sold in the US which put pressure on supplies of this exciting new Twin Turbo engine. We were able to acquire supplies of the Twin Turbo petrol and diesel six-cylinder engines ahead of the V8, so it made sense to introduce these first.<br><br> The performance of these frugal and clean pow- erful engines is beyond doubt. Who will want a V8 SUV today? BMW has never made a Twin Turbo V8 before, so that in itself is a reason to own one.<br><br> Plus, the engine is far more frugal, powerful and cleaner than many of the perceived rivals for the X6 on the market. So anyone who chooses to buy a fair dinkum high- performance V8 - and as we have seen with the M3, there are still many of them in Australia - will want to experience the BMW of Twin Turbo V8s. How powerful is this engine?<br><br> The X6 xDrive50i engine produces 300 kW of power and 600 Nm of torque from its 4.4-litre capacity. It can accelerate from 0-100 km/h in just 5.4 seconds, M3 Coupé style performance from just a couple of years ago. The engine uses only13.8-litres of petrol per 100 km and emits just 299 g/km.<br><br> The X6 xDrive50i 9s performance sits head and shoulders above its closest rivals. So how do you choose how to spend $145,000? The two cars are both extremely powerful with pinnacle performance on tap.<br><br> Each has a V8 engine but puts its power down in very different ways. I would expect the exhilaration levels to be similar though, allowing for the different concepts of each vehicle. I guess with $290,000, you could create just about the most perfect two car garage available.<br><br> Interview with Guenther Seemann, Managing Director of BMW Group Australia cont MEMBERSHIP report September 3 November 08 Bernie Figge Membership Report for September/October 08 At as the 11 th Nov the club has 188 members and 39 additional cardholders . Over the last two months the club has welcomed 13 new members. The membership printer faces a busy month in November with the Gold Coast club requesting our services to print their card renewals for 2009.<br><br> They have elected a portrait design with a very colourful BMW Art Car for their photo. If you are a new member and yet to pickup your card clip you may do so by attending any of our club meet- ings. Don 9t be shy, just say hello and ask me for one.<br><br> Are you going to move, or have you moved recently? To ensure that we can advise you of your renewal or to post your club magazine, please email me with any change of address details. The club membership database contains records of your vehicle details, usually advised when you joined.<br><br> If the membership report does not show your vehicle or has incorrect vehicle information, then please email me: c membershipofficer@bmwclubqld.asn.au d with your correct vehicle details. New Members Welcome 964 Marcia-Grace Byriel E90 320i 965 Scott Wilmot E39 M5 966 Simon Binny 967 Brad Summerson E30 323i JPS 968 David Jesser E86 Z4M Roadster 969 Ross Fulcher E85 Z4M Coupe 970 Andrew Schroder E92 M3 971 Andrew Lyon 972 John Tran E85 Z4 973 Philip Johnson E92 M3 974 William Ouston E92 M3 975 Peter Burley E36 M3 976 Michael St Clair E30 325i Convertible We look forward to meeting you at future events , again welcome. MEMBERSHIP report September 3 November 08 cont Bernie Figge Membership Report for September/October 08 cont This month I include the members due for renewal in Dec08/Jan09.<br><br> If you would like to help save the club some money and time in sending your renewal notifications then please renew your membership before December using the form at the end of this magazine. Renewals can be paid via cheque, online or direct deposit. Email me if you require the direct deposit bank details.<br><br> Bernie Figge Renewals December 08 January 09 28 John O'Reilly 608 Peter Endacott 128 Ken Gilberd 662 Andrew Miles 130 Bruce Wilson 677 David Phillips 210 Richard Gresham 733 Myles Dawson 231 Tim Harlock 734 Angus Chapel 257 Ian Solomon 735 Graeme Williamson 270 Andrew West 943 David Staal 284 Alan Kerr 287 Simon Harrex 331 John Lamb 335 Thomas Overland 364 Chris Sloane 399 Warren Lang 400 Julian Seeger 417 Robert Christiansen 429 Luke Knight 433 Malcolm Allen 450 Bob Hamilton 452 Greg Shepherd 463 Rod Dawney 465 Russell McGuire 469 Don Neibling 472 Greg Tymms 479 Phil Purnell-Webb 495 Bruce Lilly 513 Simon Leigh 522 Ian Fulton 535 Vic Crennan 542 Aidan Martin 544 Bruce Riddel 551 Rick Poppleston 552 Marcus Stevenson 556 Greg Lee 674 David Palmer 694 David Nielsen 883 Mike Taylor 930 Gary Eaton 931 Janet Pritchard December 08 January 09 28 John O'Reilly 608 Peter Endacott 128 Ken Gilberd 662 Andrew Miles 130 Bruce Wilson 677 David Phillips 210 Richard Gresham 733 Myles Dawson 231 Tim Harlock 734 Angus Chapel 257 Ian Solomon 735 Graeme Williamson 270 Andrew West 943 David Staal 284 Alan Kerr 287 Simon Harrex 331 John Lamb 335 Thomas Overland 364 Chris Sloane 399 Warren Lang 400 Julian Seeger 417 Robert Christiansen 429 Luke Knight 433 Malcolm Allen 450 Bob Hamilton 452 Greg Shepherd 463 Rod Dawney 465 Russell McGuire 469 Don Neibling 472 Greg Tymms 479 Phil Purnell-Webb 495 Bruce Lilly 513 Simon Leigh 522 Ian Fulton 535 Vic Crennan 542 Aidan Martin 544 Bruce Riddel 551 Rick Poppleston 552 Marcus Stevenson 556 Greg Lee 674 David Palmer 694 David Nielsen 883 Mike Taylor 930 Gary Eaton 931 Janet Pritchard MOTORSPORT DIRECTOR 9S REPORT By Angus Chapel aka 8The Gus Bus 9 While all things Motorsport have been forging ahead during the past couple of months, our own Clubsport has had a well deserved breather while it prepares for the months ahead. Plans have been laid for next year 9s track day events with all of our chosen dates met by QR and Lakeside, with Morgan Park still in negotia- tion. I have confirmed Friday 13 th March at QR, Friday 17 th July at Lakeside and the final round is on the 4 th September at QR, unless I get a call early in the year from Keith telling me that he has room for us on Saturday 19 th where we will join the sprint group.<br><br> Next year sees a minor tweaking of track days whereby all rounds will be timed events with places awarded at the end of year for the fastest overall times in 3 categories to give everyone a chance to be competitive. Of course if you are not interested in competing and just want to come on out for a fun drive or some skills im- provement that 9s great too as these facilities have not changed. Categories are yet to be finalized however they will be along the lines of separating 8M 9 cars due to their obvious advantage, and possibly forced induction vehicles also due to their obvious advantage.<br><br> Stay tuned for more details as they unfold. On a more personal note, I had the immense pleasure a month ago to do hot laps at Germany 9s infamous Nur- burgring with RSR Nurburgring. Those who have done it already have just smiled in loving memory of this ex- perience and for those who haven 9t I very highly recommend this as one of those 8Bucket List 9 activities that one must squeeze into their busy lifetimes.<br><br> With excellent expert tuition from guys that do countless laps on a daily basis and know the place like their own driveways, passing race cars and bikers like they are car park traffic, on the outside of double apex corners and between Ferrari 9s and ripple strips at 130km/h, it doesn 9t get any better. Although I didn 9t end up needing them, I did have a pair of back up duds on stand-by. What was I driving?<br><br> Well sadly, the E39 M5 that I had booked was destroyed a couple of weeks prior, the E46 M3 CSL had only just been delivered and wasn 9t on the list when I made my booking, however I was almost allowed out in it but I was told that it had not yet been out and that due to insurance reasons they couldn 9t let me out in it (I reckon they were just worried that they would lose two M cars in one month). I also had the great pleasure of attending the Noosa Hill Climb, staged by the Historic Car Club last weekend. If you like race cars, homologations, open wheelers, Mustangs, Fiats, Escorts, Datsun 1600 9s, Minis, and even a couple of Ferraris and a hint of humidity then you would have thoroughly enjoyed this classic event.<br><br> Walking around the pits was awe inspiring as long term enthusiasts brought their beloved hill climbers to duel it out on this perilous bit of road near Eumundi. It all became too much for one Torana driver who, after a throttle on tank slapper, casually backed his over the edge, only to be faced with a 200m drop behind him. He escaped unharmed as did his pride and joy, together they are lucky to be able race another day.<br><br> Take care and enjoy your cars in a safe and responsible manner. Gus 8the bus 9 Chapel Motorsport Director Here are some enlightening sites to get your blood pumping !!!!! http://thehill.noosacarclub.com.au Websites http://www.sincitybmwcarclub.com/0805NurburgringFAQ.pdf - BMW driver training at 8the ring 9 http://www.heiser.net/documents/nurburgring - this is the best site for first timers and quite a chuckle.<br><br> http://www.rsrnurburg.com 3 this is where I hired a car and received excellent tuition 3 highly recommended http://au.youtube.com/watch?v=MxI2JlNPWJ0 3 BMW Z4M vs PORSCHE 997 Upcoming events http://coothaclassic.com.au - stay tuned for tickets and entry forms coming soon http://www.drivertraining.com.au 3 Book now for Feb to secure your spot at this rewarding event Hi folks, Merry Christmas The 2008 year is coming to a close but don 9t miss out on the Christmas Party at New Farm Park.. Date: Sunday 7 Dec 2008 Venue: cRiverview d area of New Farm Park. Time: From 11am to 2:30pm Cost: Gratis; Zilch; Zero Bring your own hard drinks and nibbles but the Club is supplying the food and soft drinks.<br><br> The lunch will be served from 12.30pm and the function will officially end by say 2.30pm. Please enter the park from Brunswick St and follow the ring road around till you get to the front of the park area that overlooks the river. Park where you can and follow your eyes until you see the BMW Marquee.<br><br> PLEASE bring your own chair and maybe a blanket if you think you would like to use one. This will be our last official social function for 2008. 2009 Australia Day Breakfast 26 Jan 2009 Rydges Hotel, South Bank Hot and Cold buffet breakfast.<br><br> I will be sending out an email to the discussion list by mid January 09 asking for numbers. Please look out for it and help me out by responding to let me know if you are attending. I will let you know all the details of that function when I email the discussion list.<br><br> Thanks for your support throughout 2008 and I look forward to seeing you at another social function very soon. From the social desk Greg Tymms Social Report MEMBERS SPOTLIGHT 2007 E63 M6 Coupe 3 by David Heydon In 1973 my first car at school was a 1962 Vauxhall Cresta with board racks and pretzel 8wide 9 retread tyres and it just didn 9t cut it against the classier EH Holden surfing wagons of the same vintage. I promised myself cone day I 9ll get a car that can whip my mates d.<br><br> Well it only took 34 years but it was worth the wait to move on from the 1998 MGF 1.8ltr 4 cylinder convertible and sit behind the wheel of a brand new E63 M6. I knew I really had my hands on a beast when I noticed on the wind- screen in front of me a sticker that said cfor the first 5,000km do not exceed 220 kph for any sustained period d. So as soon as 5,000km clicked over I was back at Motor- line BMW asking cok so where can I go to exceed 220kph for sustained period? d Well to date I have enjoyed trying Lakeside and Willowbank, but I am hanging out for a good long autobahn to stretch its legs.<br><br> For those not familiar with the model its 9 specs speak for what it represents 3 it 9s a good old gas guzzling 5 litre, 500hp V10 (22lt/100km around town!) and the rego cBM6-V10 d just reinforces it. It 9s Indianapolis Red 3 why red? No not just because red cars go faster it was simply that I had no showroom car to look at and all the good photos in the brochures were of a car of this colour.<br><br> I understand about 20 were brought in to Australia in 2007, and I had the privilege of touring the Dingolfing factory about 100km north of Munich to watch them build the 5, 6 and 7 Series. Whilst waiting for delivery I drove an M3 around Phillip Island and Eastern Creek behind Geoff Brabham and the BMW driver training team and on the way home phoned my wife saying cI don 9t know why I bought the M6, as the M3 goes as fast as I need d, but hey its nice to have those extra horses and to drive in a real GT Coupe after waiting 34 years. I am looking forward to club outings and track days and share good times and good motoring with fellow BMW enthusiasts.<br><br> ""BMW Club Qld" * School formal 3 days away * family friends "chauffeured" car falls through * no money for a limo * but can't disappoint my date - what to do? Strategy - call a car club. I called two and got voicemail then BMW Car Club Qld answered by a real person - President Ian Solomon - who put out the distress call.<br><br> What a surprise to see a stunning BMW M6 come up the driveway and then watch the looks on school friends faces as we are dropped off at the Convention Centre. A big thank you to the BMW Club Qld for making our night. Daniel Glen (paraphrased) Situation Critical - Who you Gonna Call?" Daniel and Mia and David Heydon 9s M6 At Easter every two years, BMW enthusiasts from all round Australia and overseas gather together in one place to celebrate their friendship, sheer driving pleasure and all things BMW.<br><br> The Nationals includes a general partying atmosphere of friendship and camaraderie at events that include MotorSport, Show of Excellence, Tourist Drives, Dinners and did I mention partying with a group of very friendly people. In 2009, this BMW Clubs Australia event will be hosted by BMW Drivers Club NSW and will be at Craigieburn Resort, Bowral, in the Beautiful Southern Highlands of NSW. CONTACT INFORMATION: Chair of NOC: Carolyn Williams Website: www.bmwclubnsw.asn.au/nationals Email: events@bmwclubnsw.asn.au or carolw@bigpond.net.au Phone/Fax: 02 8915 1545 Mail: BMW Drivers Club NSW, PO Box 323, Crows Nest NSW 1585 PROGRAM: Day 1 Good Friday 10th April 2009 2PM to 5PM - Arrive at Craigieburn, Resort and Register for the Event.<br><br> Full event details and Nationals 2009 kits are handed out. 2009 Nationals merchandise pre-ordered is delivered and additional items will be on sale. Orders will be taken for merchandise from December 2008.<br><br> Our Nationals Merchandise will include the brand new Nationals Logo that is being designed now to the new BMW Corporate Identity (CI). The logo at the top of this page is a preliminary logo designed to the previous CI. The rest of the day is yours to meet up with friends from Nationals past, explore the area, have a round of golf or just relax in beautiful Craigieburn.<br><br> There are lounges, bars, a billiards room and even tennis for those who need exercise after the long drive. 7PM to 10PM - Welcome Dinner at the Craigieburn Resort. Meet the organising committee, get to know other attendees and discuss the program for the rest of the event.<br><br> Day 2 Saturday 11 th April BMW Show of Excellence 10 AM - depart in convoy for Show of Excellence at Sir Donald Bradman Park Bowral. All BMWs from the very best show cars, Historic BMWs, Modified and enhanced BMWs, Club Track Prepared BMWs and BMW Race Cars are welcome and will be judged for fabulous trophies. The rules and judging criteria will be released in February.<br><br> 11 AM 3 2:30 - Judging 12 NOON - Lunch 3:30 PM 3 Show of Excellence concludes with a short drive back to Nationals Headquarters at Craigie- burn Resort. 6.30 PM 3 Depart by bus from Craigieburn to the cHighland Fling d exciting informal Dining experi- ence. There will be prizes for the best dressed and especially for those who combine the Highland Fling theme with the BMW Marque.<br><br> 10:30 PM - return to Accommodation at Craigieburn by bus. OR Day 2 alternative Self guided Southern Highlands Tour: Museums, Art Galleries, Antique Shops or maybe even a round of golf at Craigieburn or one of the other local courses. 4 PM - return to Craigieburn 6.30 PM - Depart by bus from Craigieburn to the cHighland Fling d exciting informal Dining experi- ence.<br><br> There will be prizes for the best dressed and especially for those who combine the Highland Fling theme with the BMW Marque. 10:30 PM - return to Accommodation at Craigieburn by bus. 2009 BMW CLUBS AUSTRAILA NATIONALS PROGRAMME Day 3 Motorsport Sunday 12 th April 7AM Off to Oran Park for a day of High Speed Fun.<br><br> Fun events plus Driver Training and Supersprints on the Grand Prix circuit. Oran Park is less than an hour 9s easy drive north of Bowral up the Hume Highway. This Motorsport facility will close so this might be your last chance to enjoy this track.<br><br> 7:30 Scrutineering from . 9:00AM Driver Briefing Fun events and driver Training ses- sions in the morning and Supersprints in the afternoon. See the Motorsport section of the NSW Drivers Club website for all motorsport requirements.<br><br> 5 PM - return to Accommodation 7 PM - the Presentation Evening with Dinner in Craigieburn Wentworth Function Room Show of Excel- lence winners, MotorSport Champions and tourist drive stars receive their trophies. OR Day 3 alternative 10AM - Leisurely tourist drive in the Southern Highlands Area. See the sights with tour leaders from the ACT BMW Drivers Club or maybe tour with instructions and easy questions to keep your interest along the way.<br><br> The Southern Highlands of NSW is a beautiful area to explore. There will be a stop for lunch along the way. As it will be autumn the colours of Autumn will be out in abun- dance.<br><br> 5 PM - return to Accommodation 7 PM - the Grand Presentation Evening with Dinner. Day 4 Monday 13 th April 11AM 3 Book out of Resort and Depart for a relatively short leisurely Country Drive to our Lunch venue BBQ Lunch with Stories to tell and goodbyes to be said then It 9s on the road to home. Book Early Full preliminary costing of all sections of this event are available and will be confirmed soon.<br><br> We are ne- gotiating with a group of sponsors who will assist with the costs of the event as a whole. That will reduce the individual costs for sections of the event. The prices quoted are the maximum without any sponsor- ship.<br><br> Bookings are: f Events bookings and payment for events is to be directly to the NOC via the website or mail as soon as final prices are advised. . We need you to complete your pre-registration (expression of interest) form to assist us in booking venues.<br><br> Without your expressions of interest it is impossible to finalise the booking of venues. f Accommodation on the attached Craigieburn Accommodation booking form is to be completed and returned to the Craigieburn Resort. Please book early at Craigieburn.<br><br> This venue is a prime prop- erty in a very popular tourist area, especially at Easter. We have reserved 30 rooms but if we do not take up the bookings by January 2009 they will be returned to open bookings. When we fill the 30 rooms we can continue to book up to the full 62 rooms if there are any rooms available.<br><br> First in best dressed. f If you don 9t book at Craigieburn, there will be some alternative accommodation in the area but you will have to find this for yourself and it will also fill fast at Easter. You 9re Invitation We look forward to having your company for Easter 2009 at Craigieburn Resort, Bowral, in the Beautiful Southern Highlands of NSW, to celebrate, our friendship, enjoyment of the marque and all things BMW.<br><br> At Easter every two years, BMW enthusiasts from all round Australia and overseas gather together in one place to celebrate their friendship, sheer driving pleasure and all things BMW. The Nationals includes a general partying atmosphere of friendship and camaraderie at events that include MotorSport, Show of Excellence, Tourist Drives, Dinners and did I mention partying with a group of very friendly people. In 2009, this BMW Clubs Australia event will be hosted by BMW Drivers Club NSW and will be at Craigieburn Resort, Bowral, in the Beautiful Southern Highlands of NSW.<br><br> 2009 BMW CLUBS AUSTRAILA NATIONALS PROGRAMME German Trip by Greg Tymms Part One There 9s nothing like a holiday to a far off land to get you excited about going overseas, than a trip to Germany that 9s taken 3 years in the planning. And eventually that day arrived - August 15, 2008. A party of 7 out of a total of 13 arrived at Brisbane International Airport at 5pm in preparation for our departure at 8pm on Emirates Airlines Boeing 777- 300ER through to Munich.<br><br> The other party of 4 was coming out of Melbourne and Don & Judi had al- ready left the week before and would be meeting us in Munich at the hotel. There was much excitement as we finished check- ing in and running the gauntlet of Australian Immi- gration and security before we were then able to settle down and relax with a few alcoholic bever- ages. As you can appreciate, a toast was made for all of us to ensure that we had a most enjoyable and adventurous time in Germany.<br><br> The trip was to last 14 days and there was something planned every day. Leanne & I were unexpectedly cast as Tour leaders, so we were a little apprehensive about the whole outcome but were quietly positive. Our trip to Munich took 21 hours and we met up with the Melbourne contingent in Dubai and introduced ourselves and made sure we broke the ice as best as possible.<br><br> We arrived in Munich at 1pm on Satur- day, cleared Customs, collected our baggage and then proceeded to the arrival area hoping we would be greeted by that welcome sign; cQld BMW Club d. And yes &&.. there it was!!!!<br><br> Our tour guide Re- gina was there to meet us and after all the neces- sary introductions, we were on the bus to the Hotel Eden Wolff. Regina made us feel most welcome and started to explain a little about Germany. When she asked if we had been to Munich before and we said no, she then stated that we were Munich virgins!<br><br> We said yes we were, but that we hoped she would still re- spect us in the morning!!!! Can you believe this? We had just endured a 21 hour trip from Australia and we had organized a 2 hour walking trip of Munich starting at 4.30pm from the Hotel.<br><br> Were we daft or what?? As it turned out, the walking tour went very well. It was just the right tonic and even though we were tired, we all enjoyed the tour.<br><br> Munich was celebrating its 850 th year. Yes, that 9s right 3 850 th . There was a lot of history to be told by Margrit (our tour guide) and it was most in- teresting.<br><br> We were taken to a central square where we saw a picture of Adolf Hitler addressing a crowd in the very same square back in the 30 9s. Quite amazing. We were shown other historic buildings during the tour and then towards the end of the tour, you could see that we were wilting a little.<br><br> So Margrit gra- ciously allowed us to finish a little early and we made our way on foot back to the hotel. After all, we had a dinner at the Hofbrauhaus to get ready for. This was scheduled for 7.30.<br><br> We were picked up at 7.15 and bused into the cen- tre of Munich to this Hofbrauhaus and set down to make our way to dinner. Now 3 what 9s not men- tioned on any of the literature 3 is how BIG this Hof- brauhaus is. We all went in the main entrance 3 or what we thought was the main entrance 3 and saw hundreds of people sitting down at tables drinking beer and eating local cuisine.<br><br> There appeared to be no one to talk to as to where we should be, but eventually I stopped someone who I thought would know where we should be. And he said we needed to go up- stairs. So we did.<br><br> And then we found ourselves in another hall just as big, with just as many people doing the same thing. There didn 9t seem to be any place spare that we should go to. After all, we had pre booked and pre paid for this meal.<br><br> Eventually, we found out that we needed to go upstairs again and there would be a place for us up there. So we started to think, how many levels are there in this place?? But they were right, and low and behold we found where we should be.<br><br> We were taken to our table and we sat down and duly ordered the appro- priate drinks. I was most impressed with Leanne; she ordered a BIG stein of beer and lemonade and duly drank it. I have the pictures to prove it.<br><br> German Trip by Greg Tymms Part One Our meal tonight was a buffet meal but because the crowd was huge, you should have seen the queue to line up for your meal. It was LONG. Never mind, we all enjoyed the local food and there was plenty of it.<br><br> The band up the front was very entertaining and loud, so we spent the night watching them and laughing quite often. Folks, there is no doubt, this place is HUGE. There would have to have been in excess of 3000 people there that night and they were all spending up big.<br><br> Each of the BIG beers was 7.50 Euros each and many of the people there proba- bly had 3 or more. But not us, we were very tem- pered in our conduct, after all we had an early start the next morning. The bus picked us up at 22.00 hours and we were all in bed very quickly because we were tired and not only that, we were being picked up the next morning at 7.30am for our day trip to Neuschwanstein and Linderhof.<br><br> DAY 2 Today was going to be a lovely day as we were being transported by bus down to the Fussen area where we were to visit Neuschwanstein cas- tle and Linderhof castle. Both castles were built by King Ludwig and are renowned icons of the area. Neuschwanstein is in fact the castle that Walt Disney modeled his fairyland castle at Dis- neyland on.<br><br> It is a very popular castle with many people visiting it every day. Our coach trip took 2 hours down there and we got to experience what it is like to be on the Auto- bahn. The bus had to stay in the slow lane but you got to see how fast some of the cars were going in the fast lane.<br><br> The bus was travelling at 100 kph, yet some of the cars that went past in the fast lane would have to have been travelling at 160/180/200 kph. Neuschwanstein is located in the foothills of the Bavarian Alps and as a result, the temperature was quite mild even though it was their summer. Our tour of the castle was scheduled at 10.45am and we arrived at 9.45am.<br><br> So we thought, we had plenty of time to get to the castle. You see, to purchase or collect your prepaid tickets from the ticket office, you are still 1.5klms from the castle entrance and you have 3 ways to get there. You can walk up the hill at a gradient of 1 in 12; you can pay 5 Euros each for a one way ticket in a horse and carriage (probably the best solution) or you can catch another bus.<br><br> Either way, you are still dropped off 300 metres from the castle en- trance. When you collect your tickets, your tour number is printed on the ticket and you must be there and ready to enter the castle when your tour number is displayed on the LED sign at the entrance. If you 9re not there, you forfeit your place.<br><br> So it is very regimented and probably has to be when you consider how many people are there on a daily basis. The castle is magnificent. The opulence is grand, the rooms are huge, the views are amazing and it is very hard not to be impressed by the whole experience.<br><br> The tour lasts for 40 minutes. There are 173 steps up and 207 steps down. The build- ing of Neuschwanstein castle was commenced in 1869 and never completed whilst King Ludwig was alive.<br><br> He died in mysterious circumstances in June 1886 and the castle was open to the public from August 1, 1886. It was only named Neuschwanstein after his death and is one of the best known and photographed buildings in the world. We couldn 9t leave the gift shop without making a sizeable contribution.<br><br> Our next castle was Linderhof but before we got there, we had lunch in the nearby village of Oberammergau. What a lovely place it was. The setting was most picturesque.<br><br> Postcard stuff German Trip by Greg Tymms Part One . Linderhof was the castle that Ludwig wanted to model on the Palace of Versailles in Paris. But alas, he was- n 9t able to match the opulence or size.<br><br> But he gave it a good try. Even though Linderhof is a lot smaller than Neuschwanstein, it is grander on the inside. Our tour lasted 25 minutes and then after that we were able to visit what 9s called the Venus grotto, which is a spe- cially built cave where Ludwig entertained his guests.<br><br> The whole day was a most memorable experience and one worth doing if you have not been there before and particularly when you are based so close in Mu- nich. Our bus trip home was rather interesting yet again as some of us watched with interest the goings on the Autobahn. We arrived back at our hotel at 7pm.<br><br> It was still light and we were free to do what we wanted for dinner. Another successful day and by then our group was getting along very well. We chose to have dinner at the hotel restaurant.<br><br> DAY 3 Day 3 was the much anticipated tour of BMW Group Classic (formerly Mobile Tradition). This tour is not available to the public and needs to be arranged from Australia prior to visiting Munich. Thanks to Leanne (our National Delegate) we were able to plan this and we were looking forward to it very much.<br><br> We were dropped off by coach at BMW Welt and then found out that BMW Group Classic is not at the same loca- tion and we had to arrange to catch 3 cabs to get us all there to the proper location. But once there, WOW!!!!! And I mean WOW!!!!<br><br> This place houses the biggest collection of BMW vehicles anywhere in the world. It is 4 floors high. You are allowed to take pictures on the bottom 2 floors but not the top 2 floors.<br><br> And yes, you 9re right; the top 2 floors have the most stunning and astonishing vehicles in the collection. Our tour guide 9s name was Klaus. He is a volunteer and this is another reason why this sort of visit needs to be pre arranged.<br><br> He started by mentioning the rules of the tour and then away we went. The ground floor houses a classic 328 that raced in the Millie Miglia; 2 Formula 1 cars 3 1 from the 80 9s and a current one as driven by Robert Kubica; 2 x M1 9s; a 507; 2 historic motor- bikes; an aircraft engine; a rally version of the 2002; a pristine 327 soft top tourer. Not bad for the start!!!<br><br> I had trouble just getting past the souvenir shop!! The 1 st floor had a special collection of vehicles there. Most were unrestored.<br><br> But they had a significant story attached to them. Then we went up to the 3 rd floor. Here was an array of vehicles from the past.<br><br> Motor cars and motor bikes. I remember seeing the 3.0 litre CSL; more 507 9s; the early Dixie 315/7 and many many other notable cars. Such as the Art cars and the cBond d cars.<br><br> ( Z3; Z8 and the remote controlled E38 750il) Once we finished the BMW Group Classic tour we headed back by cab to the new BMW Welt. This is a brand new building which houses all things BMW. It has current cars and new cars on display.<br><br> It has the biggest lifestyle shop you 9ve ever seen. German Trip by Greg Tymms Part One A Café and restaurant and a well stocked shop for BMW books and other merchandise. This building also houses the pre delivery service and by that we mean once your car is ready for delivery, you can for a fee, have it available from this site where you can arrive, be escorted to the delivery centre and after being taken around your car to familiarize yourself with your new car, then drive to down the internal ramp and out on to the street.<br><br> And be on your way to wherever you want to go. How special is that??? And now for the piece de resistance that we hadn 9t planned for.<br><br> We were all able to participate in a 2.5 hour guided walking tour of the BMW Plant to see the cars being made. Unfortunately we had to choose the German speaking tour as the English speaking tour would finish too late for us to be ready for the bus back to the hotel but as well, there was a waiting list to even make it on the tour. Well, even though the tour was in German, our guide found out that we were from Australia and did not un- derstand German all that well and after finishing each dialogue in German, made the effort to briefly explain what he had just said in English.<br><br> But never mind, you didn 9t have to have the English translation to under- stand what you were seeing. This tour was undeniably fascinating. You got to see the robots building the pan- els and joining them together.<br><br> This part was mesmeriz- ing. You could stand there all day watching it. You were taken through almost all of the build process from start to finish.<br><br> You saw how the panels were shaped, put together, welded, glued etc. You were then shown through the dipping process where the chassis is coated in a rust proofing process. Then you were shown the painting process.<br><br> Again by robots. There is the primer, overcoat and then the clear coat. Then the chassis is joined to the drive train by both ro- bots and people.<br><br> Followed by the wiring, then the car- pets, upholstery, glass etc. You name it, we saw it. At the end of the tour, you see the cars come off the as- sembly line and are driven straight around to the testing area where they are put through a computerized testing process to make sure that every thing works.<br><br> The cars we saw being made were 3 series sedans and wagons. They churn out 900 cars here at this plant per day. They also make 1400 engines here per day.<br><br> By the end of the tour we were knackered and we had time to walk back to the BMW Welt and enjoy a much needed drink. Our bus was ready to pick us up at 5pm and return us to our hotel. DAY 4 Today saw us back on our coach for a day tour to Salz- burg in Austria.<br><br> Which is not far away, only an hour and a half? Once there we were dropped off at the local coach parking area and told that this was where we had to be to get back on the bus to go back to Munich. Once we had orientated our- selves, we set off to walk to- wards the river; over the bridge and then we found our- selves in the city centre.<br><br> Salzburg is an old city and the buildings re- flect this. It is of course the birth place of Mo- zart. And the city is dedi- cated to the composers of the region.<br><br> Mozart, Schubert, Beethoven and others. Parts of the film cSound of Mu- sic d was also shot in this city and when we were on our city walking tour, these scenes were pointed out to us. Once we had finished our 3 course lunch, potato and mushroom soup, roast pheasant and crème brulee 9 we met our Guide outside the restaurant and commenced our walking tour of Salzburg.<br><br> I must mention that the temperature for that day was 30*. The first building we were shown through was the magnificent cathedral. The inter- nal scenes on the wall and the ceiling were just magnificent.<br><br> We had never seen anything like it. We continued our walking tour and towards the end of the tour we made our way through a cen- tral park area that was most picturesque and where part of the film Sound of Music was shot many years ago. Once finished, we boarded our Bus and were on our way back to Munich for our last night at the Hotel Eden Wolff.<br><br> DAY 5 We knew we had to start early today as we had to have breakfast, check out, go to the Europcar Office and hire cars and then drive to Stuttgart and supposedly be there by 11am. It is 232 klms from Munich to Stuttgart. The hiring of the cars was our first challenge for the day.<br><br> We had pre-arranged from Australia to hire BMW cars or something similar. When we get to the depot, we find that the only cars avail- able were all Audi 9s and there were no BMW 9s to be found. Now to be fair, these Audi 9s were pretty good.<br><br> There were 4 A6 9s and 2 A5 9s. They were all diesel and a couple of them were brand new. Don and Judi 9s car had 6 klms on the odometer, ours had 16klms.<br><br> Once we had worked out how to start the cars!! And then change the sat nav from German to English, we were then on our way to Stuttgart. Once there we were booked in to see the Por- sche Museum and then the Mercedes Museum before driving further on to Heidelberg to say the night.<br><br> The Porsche Museum is only small and there are approx 20 cars on display. It is housed in a sepa- rate location to the Porsche factory and after some small hiccups, we all found it and enjoyed the opportunity to view these most magnificent cars. How 9s this for a list of Porsche cars??<br><br> Car- rera GT; Le Mans winning GT1 from 1998; Por- sche 959; Porsche 911 GT3; Porsche 911 Car- rera RS from 1973; a 904; the Porsche engined McLaren F1 from 1984; the Paris to Dakar win- ning 959 Porsche and a couple of 356 9s. Not bad fro a small display. Once we had finished brows- ing the gift shop and helping the local economy we made our way to the Mercedes Museum.<br><br> This building is immense. We had pre booked our tour and it was an audio guided tour which meant that we were all issued with audio guides (in Eng- lish) to assist us in doing the tour. The building is 8 storey 9s high and you start at the top and work your way down.<br><br> The top represents the start of the motoring industry and each floor thereafter is a chronological display of the evolution of the cars from Mercedes. One particular floor of inter- est is the display of the 300SLR from 1955 which was involved in the Le Mans race of that year and which triggered the massive accident that re- sulted in the deaths of 82 people. A sad day in- deed for motor racing What a fantastic tour!!!<br><br> There was so much to see and not enough time to see it all at your leisure. You see, by the time we had finished it was around 5pm and we still had some 130 klms to go before we reached Heidelberg. The trip from Stuttgart to Heidelberg went smoothly and we all arrived at the Crown Plaza Hotel and checked in.<br><br> It had been a long day, so we went straight to the bar. German Trip by Greg Tymms Part One German Trip by Greg Tymms Part One DAY 6 Today was our visit to Sinsheim Museum. It is an Auto Technik Museum and houses amongst other things the biggest display of F1 cars in Europe.<br><br> There are 2 halls and there is plenty to see. You could literally spend hours and hours here. We had all day but we were never going to be spend- ing that sort of time here.<br><br> To see what 9s on show at Sinsheim museum, go to their website www.technik-museum.de you 9ll like what you see. On the way back from Sinsheim museum, we paid a visit to Hockenheim racing circuit. It was open to the public and we parked the car and went up into the grandstand to over look the track at the final turn into the main straight.<br><br> At the time, there were many motor bikes on track doing a general practice session. DAY 7 Today was the day that we were going to the hal- lowed turf of the Nurburgring. The day was slightly overcast when we left Heidelberg but by the time we arrived at the Nurburgring, it as driz- zling with rain.<br><br> Not a good start to be honest but we were hoping that it might clear before we are scheduled to be on the track. We arrived at the Ring at midday and we were not scheduled to be on track till 2.15pm. Our window of opportunity was from 2.15pm till 7.30pm.<br><br> Whilst we were waiting for the 2.15pm opening time, we just acquainted ourselves with the glori- ous machinery in the car park!! Such as 2 Audi R8 9s; a Porsche GT3; BMW M3 9s etc etc. Also, whilst we were waiting for the public open- ing times, there were 6 cars on the track circulat- ing in the wet and from where we were standing on the main straight, they were going past us at approx 250 kph.<br><br> There was 2 E92 BMW M 3 9s; an Audi R8, an Aston Martin DB9 and a couple of Porsche 9s. Man, were they flying. Now that 9s when I thought to myself, I wouldn 9t mind trying to get a passenger ride with those guys!!!<br><br> That would be sensational. 2 race cars had been hired for the day. 1 by David and Tony from Victoria and 1 by our very own Vic Crennan and from Club Vic, Rod Smith.<br><br> Tony and David had hired the E90 325 whereas Vic & Rod hired the E46 325ci Both cars were 2 seaters. They had been light- ened and were fitted with roll cages. By the way, they weren 9t cheap.<br><br> Something like 450 Euro for the half day plus the cost of each lap of the 8Ring 9 plus petrol plus there was an excess of 6000 Eu- ros if there was an accident. And then, if you damaged the Armco, the 8Ring d would have asked you to pay for that damage as well. So as you can see, it is not a cheap exercise to indulge oneself.<br><br> But nevertheless, how often do you get to do it??? What the heck!! You only live once and you can 9t take it with you so you might as well spend it while you 9re here.<br><br> Those of us who hadn 9t hired a vehicle were lucky enough to have the wonderful opportunity to have a passenger ride with these guys on the circuit. And even though the speeds weren 9t anywhere near what they could have been, you were still delighted just to be there and to have the oppor- tunity to soak up the experience. Next time, I 9m definitely going to hire a race car and go for broke.<br><br> And for that matter, next time were there, we 9ll be spending a lot more time there to make sure we get as much track time as we can get. I can 9t speak highly enough of the experience and it is one that I can recommend you put on your wish list. The drive back to Heidelberg was somewhat of an anti climax after that but never- theless, we all had experienced a special moment in our lives and that night in the bar of the Crowne Plaza Hotel, many stories were exchanged over a few beers.<br><br> By the way, on the way up to the 8Ring 9 from Hei- delberg, both Greg & I were able to reach a speed of 230 kph on the Autobahn. Even if it was just for a moment. I 9m sure I 9m allowed to say that!!!!!!<br><br> Until next edition ,From the touring desk Greg Tymms A BIRTHDAY ODE TO BOB & BIMMERS The Porsche man was a boaster and boasted everywhere Of cars that he had conquered that no-one else would dare Of races that he 9d won, of glories he 9d accrued Of trophy-laden shelves, the legend that ensued. Bob and his mates endured all this but soon his boasting grew So idle and so empty they wondered what to do And so they held a meeting and settled on a plan To stop the idle chatter of Mr Porsche man. They met down at Tingalpa and set up in the shed With sidchromes, hoists and welding guns a masterpiece was bred.<br><br> 6-point full harness and a 6-inch pipe, extractors set to roar 400 teutonic neddies, a bimmer to the core. Its tyres were enormous, intakes huge and round And every time it revved, it seemed to shake the ground. Now the Porsche man loved a track day with the emotion that it heralds The thought of losing to a bimmer would clearly turn him feral.<br><br> The clans both gathered at the Lake for the ultimate show-down Who would win, who 9d take it out, who would gain the crown? Down at Stuttgart they like to think for them there is no match Had they only known what Bavaria from Bob 9s shed that night would hatch. The green flag dropped and off they tore in a roar and a cloud of smoke The kink and turn one saw no-one undone, the pace was just no joke.<br><br> Under the bridge and down the hill, anchors on for the leftie The pace all arush, o 9er the crowd fell a hush, the toll on the cars was heftie. Neck and neck, lap after lap, neither would surrender Paint swapped on corners, in for the kill, an automotive bender. Down through Shell like a bat out of hell, three-wheeling most of the way Tachos red-lining, transmissions whining, who 9d have the final say?<br><br> But what was that, a puff of smoke, out of the Porsche 9s fat pipe Any who say a Porsche won 9t blow are talking a lot of tripe. Brake fluid boiled, disc pads melted, the oil turned to water For the arm and a leg you pay for a Porsche, hold together it certainly orta. How can you win with a car that is built with the engine in the wrong end All it takes is one tiny slip and you 9ll see the rear in a bend.<br><br> The cams were shafted, the box fell out, cogs were strewn afar A pan-tech arrived and began to pick up what was left of the Porsche man 9s car. The bimmer roared on as the sun sank low o 9er the lake and behind the hills For precision machinery driven with skill, you don 9t expect to have spills. The Porsche man limped home, an audible groan and resides in his trophy room For him there 9s no roar of the crowd anymore, the room 9s as quiet as a tomb.<br><br> He remembers the day they came to the fray to see the duel to end all The day the Germans went head to head When Bob and his bimmer stood tall. Phil L 24/8/08 SPEED on the TWEED BY GREG TYMMS O ur visit to this year 9s Speed on Tweed was a fantastic success, and one that we all can be very proud of. We had a total of 45 cars on display at the show grounds in Murwillumbah and the BMW marque was the most dominant European marque at the show.<br><br> The cars came from BMW Club QLD and BMW Club Gold Coast. There were cars from the 2002 right through to the latest M3 9s and M6 9s. What a sight!!<br><br> We assembled at Motorline BMW (and thanks must go to them for opening their facility and mak- ing the coffee shop available and toilet facilities) before heading off to Murwillumbah via the M1 Mo- torway. (No pun intended) We arrived at the show grounds at 9.40am and duly parked our cars in era order as best we could and then made our way to the event. This year 9s event was supposed to be the last but me thinks we were conned a little.<br><br> It is still a great event and one worth attending but as it happens, this year 9s event was to be the last one being run under the current committee. As it turns out, the size of the event is gathering pace and it now requires a full time committee to make sure it is run successfully. The event is run along similar lines to the Good- wood festival of Speed in the UK and it is our op- portunity to view historic cars from yesteryear and veteran drivers from the past.<br><br> Drivers such as Vern Schuppan; Frank Gardner; Kevin Bartlett; John Goss; John French; John Bowe; Jim Richards; Harry Firth; Denis Geary; Spencer Martin; Greg Cusack; Warwick Brown and Ron Tau- ranac. WOW!! What a list The event is a hill climb through the streets of Mur- willumbah and the array of historic cars is signifi- cant.<br><br> Cars from as far back as the early 20 9s until the 70 9s were there. There was plenty of action and the odd incident on the track as some of the cars were pushed too hard. It was quite a hot day and we all did our best to find the shady bits and stay there.<br><br> After the parade lap (for the competitors) was held at 12.30pm some of us started to make our way back home. It was certainly a great day and to see so many BMW 9s all in the one place was definitely a special moment. Well done to all who made the effort to be there.<br><br> It was much ap- preciated and we thank you for making the day a special one to remember. Until next time we attend From the social desk Greg Tymms Border Rangers Run by Mark Mcilroy W ell , the day probably wasn 9t as ideal as it could have been with a bit of a cloudy , threatening sky above as we all gathered at the Calamvale Hotel car park at Sunnybank Hills but it was keeping the tem- perature down making the air that little bit cooler & denser which (as most motorheads know) makes combustion that little bit better and also helped to keep engine temps down too. It was an impressive turnout of about 15 nice shiny BMW 9s ready to roll on the approximately 300klm run.<br><br> Club social director Greg Tymms was a bit taken back and impressed with how many participants had turned up for the event making the day even better (as the saying goes cThe More , The Merrier!). Un- fortunately two important people missing from the rollercade were Howdie & Ruthie Farrar with Ruthie being laid-up at home with a touch of whip-lash after a 5series decided to modify the backend of their E30 convertible and we wish her a speedy recovery. We headed off at 8:30am on the dot down the Mt Lindsey Highway in one long beautiful string of beem- ers attracting looks from all the other Sunday drivers as the procession rolled along at a leisurely pace.<br><br> We invaded the Beaudesert township just after 9am for our first rest stop just past the Ford dealership on the Beaudesert-Rathdowney Rd. After a 10min stop we were off again , the lush green countryside a relaxing contrast to the hustle & bustle of city driving. About 15-20mins outside of Rath- downy we took a left turn onto the Lions Rd (a private road funded by the local Lions Community) which , as lovely a drive it is through the country with boundless rolling hills , it is a rather spirited drive and is a good road for testing your skills on as almost all of it is sin- gle lane road with dozens of narrow wooden bridges to cross .<br><br> Most of us stopped at a rest stop along this road (with the exception of a couple M cars running on ahead) for our second break for the day where Greg enter- tained us with his recording of a sub 2ltr V16 engine ripping it around a UK racetrack , quite a sound to listen to. From there it was a 2hr stretch onto our lunch destination at Uki (which we managed in about one an a half hours). It was around here that we en- countered our first sprinkles.<br><br> Nothing heavy! Just enough to add a bit of spice to the drive . I certainly found it somewhat challenging as the poor little wheels on my 318is were dishing me out a lot of un- dersteer/oversteer on some of the corners trying to keep up with Greg & David in their 6seriesbut I loved every minute of it!<br><br> Border Rangers Run by Mark Mcilroy continued About 11:45am we arrived at the Mt Warning Hotel for lunch. We weren 9t alone by any means , THE PLACE WAS PUMPING!. There was at least one motorcycle group there for lunch as well as the locals.<br><br> It was a great relaxing rainforest atmosphere with a symphony of birds singing in the background to complete the setting. The food was great with huge portions for a good price. After filling up our tummies we were ready to continue emptying our fuel tanks as we headed off to Murwillumbah and onward to the M1 Highway via theNuminbah Valley Rd.<br><br> A lovely rainforest type drive with a few sprinkles of rain to enhance the ambience of the surroundings. While still a twisting turning road , it was a two lane carriageway so there was a bit more room to move compared to what we 9d been traversing earlier. Before we knew it we were cruising up the M1 and rolling into the BP Coomera Travel stop for a spot of afternoon tea (though I think most of us had coffee!<br><br> J). It was a bit of a task to find a parking spot. The place was packed!<br><br> But we all found a place , got our drinks and sat down to chat about th

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