A few weeks ago, we shared an adventure with you that Mark and I had around BMW Welt.
F1 engines, a bunch of BMW history and the best racing car of all time: the E30 M3. After I’d written the story, Paddy decided it would be a good idea to make you wait for Mark’s photographs of BMW Group Classic.
The good news?
Those photos are now in this post for you to enjoy.
Good news always comes with bad news, right?
Actually, there is none. For the next few minutes, you’re in Munich. Which is the best place in the world. Well, it is if you like old school cars of the Bavarian persuasion, geeking out on James Bond’s 750iL and, if you’re like Mark, getting excited at the prospect of driving your (perpetually broken) E61 M5 to Munich for an oil change.
What else was good?
Everything. Absolutely everything is brilliant. The historic vehicle collection is obviously exciting, but as well as this, there’s BMW Group’s archive, a Classic Center that takes care of car sales and a Historic Workshop which provides anything from a service to a full restoration. These all sit together in a building a short drive from BMW’s main headquarters.
So they know a thing or two about BMW?
Damn straight, the people that work in these buildings are properly switched on. Looking at these photos, and reliving the moment, it’s like I’ve just had a terrible accident in this pathetic smattering of snow we’re having right now in the UK, and I’ve died and gone to BMW heaven. In fact, everyone who works in these departments is a fan of classics and also an expert when it comes to complete restorations, repairs and servicing. The focus is on authenticity and originality. As you can see, though, there are customers who definitely like to tune their cars.
Isn’t this the part where you tell me stuff about BMW?
Ha. Well, I could tell you about the McLaren F1 which featured a simply brilliant 6.1-litre V12 BMW S70/2 designed by the even more brilliant German engineer Mr Paul Rosche. But you’ve probably scrolled past my words to look the photographs, haven’t you? If not, then feel free to share your favourite BMW stories in the comments section below.
Oh, and take Paddy’s advice and view the following gallery on desktop. You can click the presentation mode thing at the top for that cinema effect and you’ll feel like you’ve gone back in time.
Ben Chandler
Instagram: ben_scenemedia
ben@speedhunters.com
Photos by Mark Riccioni
Instagram: mark_scenemedia
OFFICIAL SPEEDHUNTERS SUPPLIERS
The 2002 is one of my all-time favorite cars, hands down! Such a sick collection guys
It's a beautiful machine.
The BMW Turbo is also such a beautiful car to look at, its cool to see such a rare beast like that
what's the story on the silver roadster?
The McLaren F1? Check out the words above the photos.
i think he means the unusual looking vehicle on the 2nd level (beside the motorbike), with BMWCleanEnergy written on the side of it.
No, he's talking about the 700 RS above the Mcclaren - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BMW_700
A classic example (of what I am talking about below) - a beautiful, little know, but lovely car, that isn't on display in the BMW Museum open to the public.
1) I won't lie, I actually do not like Munich much at all. I find it crowded, cramped, with terrible infrastructure.
2) BMW Welt isn't all that great for the average (i.e., non-press badge holding) enthusiast - because all of the best cars aren't actually on display, but hidden away from public view. Meanwhile, in Stuttgart, one can stand inches from a Mercedes 300SLR and truly admire it. Or go for a train ride and see a (admitted replica) of the converted greenhouse where the car was born (still on its original foundation). Or head over to Porsche Platz and see historic cars from the winningest marque to ever exist.
3) Bottomline Stuttgart > Munich. If you're planning a trip to Germany, go to Stuttgart. Take a day trip to Hockenheim and don't forget to spend some time touring the historic town and sampling wine from Stuttgart's vinyards. In-between enjoying what is truly the best motoring city in German.
100%. The BMW Museum isn't bad, but Mercedes is next-level
Ah yes... the James Bond 750Li... that's the very first Bond car that I watched on screen. Always fancied the "drive with phone" technology. Makes you wonder how long more it will be before we see that become a reality...
definitely Bavarian madness
Stunning. I would want to run them all. I can't help wonder what is under the sheets?!?!? If it is in that building it is significant, off marque or not. What and why?
Seeing that isetta makes me wonder, isn't time for a new generation? the i3 is future but the near future is a small ICE with astonishing fuel saving techs like KEI-cars and their #1 rivals MB Smart. Even they can do an Isetta M to compete with Miata and and S660.
Isetta design and toolings were from Iso Rivolta in Italy. BMW was in trouble in the '50s because their medium/big cars were too expensive in post-WWII Germany. Hence they sought a small and cheap car to produce under licence to meet the mass market. So it was a bit odd and peculiar situation. I don't know if a XXIth century Isetta or a KEI car is in their chords for a question of German Zeitgeist. IMHO even SMart, without Swatch, would have never been produced.
I know the design is Italian and it was produced under a brand different than BMW in first place but never knew the reason, it sounds logical now for me.
Regarding our current time, they tried to reach the "average low budget" people by owning the cooper and starting the 1-series, so maybe they are trying to hit this kind of market or maybe they reached their limit. We'll wait and see what happens in future.
Anyone who geeks out on a past-his-prime-Bond car, when a naked BT52 is there to be examined is more poser than speedhunter.