As I've never seen documentation of the BMW Group Classic Collection, I wasn't really sure what to expect. It's hard to imagine what a warehouse of 400 cars and motorcycles is going to look like, but we sure weren't disappointed... It anything, it was a bit overwhelming to have open access to such a big collection of priceless machinery.
We got to tour three of the floors in the building. One is for all the race machines, the next houses all the production cars & bikes and the last is a reception area, banquet hall and restoration shop.
So let's start the tour! I don't have enough space here to show you all the cars, but instead will feature the ones which I think you'll be interested in... and the one's which caught my eye.
Andy Priaulx hasn't been driving for BMW that long, but he certainly has helped create some valuable chassis since he started! Here we have two ETCC and WTCC winning cars lined up together.
Every era of touring car is present in the collection including this old DTM Schnitzer racer from the time when the series was based on production cars.
Here's the reason we have the M3 --it was originally designed to be a homologation special for Group A touring car racing around the world. Race car first, production car second!
I've previously shown you a picture of the original CSL race car prototype, but there's no hurt in showing another is there?
This picture shows just how low and wide ALMS M3 GTR is.
BMW also have their own street McLaren F1 in the collection...
... as well as my personal favourite version of the car...
.. The F1 GTR Long Tail. For me this is perfection on wheels, especially when you factor in the wailing sound which bellows from its powerful V12 engine.
Speaking of wailing V12s here's the winner of the 1999 Le Mans 24 Hours.... complete with mini-me edition.
Close by we also have a large scale model of the 1998 V12 LM
I was curious about this model as it looks like a late Group C 3.5L mockup. Obviously this race program was still-born. Does anyone know what this it? Our host at the BMW Group Classic wasn't sure.
