6 January 2020

What do Martin Stolle, “Bobby” Kohlrausch, Fritz Huschke von Hanstein and Nicholas Upton have in common? Their names are indelibly linked with fascinating events from the history of the BMW Group. Lots of anniversaries in 2020 also provide BMW Group Classic with an opportunity to tell stirring stories. They include the birth of the Boxer engine 100 years ago and launching the tradition of the BMW Roadster 90 years ago, the victory in the Mille Miglia 80 years ago and the launch of a wide range of models for the classic Mini 60 years ago. An article in the BMW Group Press Club gives the backstory to the tales behind these anniversaries, and BMW Group Classic will elaborate on these stories in its reporting from the world of historic automobiles and motorcycles in 2020.

How do you actually define luxury – 30 years ago, today and in the future? Two Swiss celebrities – starred chef Nenad Mlinarevic and luxury hotelier Daniel Mani – took off into the glitzy world of high Alpine altitudes in order to gain an insight into this topic, driving two genuinely luxurious automobile icons: the latest BMW 8 Series Gran Coupé and a classic predecessor of the luxury sports car, the BMW 850i, now 30 years old. This trip yielded a conceptual vision for luxury in words and images on the BMW.com website. Their reflections will be of interest to anybody who appreciates that luxury encompasses more than simply “expensive”.

The concept of the classic Mini was revolutionary – and it was suitable for more than just one car. As early as 1960, just one year after the debut of the original, two estate versions with virtually the same design were launched on the market: the Austin Seven Countryman and the Morris Mini-Traveller. Special features: The two side-hinged doors at the rear and the half-timbered wooden frames in the rear section of the body supplied on request. This was the beginning of the fascinating model diversity in the range of the classic Mini. The wide variety of versions continues to be a feature of the MINI brand to this day. And the “split doors” at the rear are now the inimitable feature of the MINI Clubman. The full history of the first versions of the classic Mini and the “Woodies” that are popular collectibles today is told in the classic#heart blog.