27 May 2019    

Lombardy, Lake Como, the Grand Hotel Villa d’Este – it’s difficult to imagine a more beautiful setting for the reincarnation of a German-Italian liaison. At the launch of the Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este 2019 last weekend, the BMW Group presented the reconstruction of a concept car from the Italian design studio Bertone. The vehicle was originally presented in 1970 and then disappeared without trace. Marcello Gandini was involved in the new edition of the BMW Garmisch. He was the designer who led the team that created the original nearly 50 years ago.

Classic design features come together with the most advanced drive technology and a unique character. BMW Motorrad created a bridge between tradition, present and future with a world premiere at the launch of the Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este 2019. The BMW Motorrad Concept R18 is a study and at the same time an enthralling conceptual development. What would a purist Custom Bike with a particularly large Boxer engine have looked like if it had been created on the basis of a classic of the 1950s or 1960s at that time?

Today, you can’t help still envying these two British journalists dressed in their smart suits. The test drivers from the magazine “Autocar” spent 30 days driving the classic Mini around the Mediterranean shortly after the sales launch in 1959. An impressive 13 000 kilometres of sun, mountains and deserts – this trip left absolutely no doubts about the endurance qualities of the new British small car.

The BMW Motorrad Days in Garmisch-Partenkirchen – this year from 5 to 7 July 2019 – provide everything possible for the heart’s desire of any biker. A taster of what’s on offer: restored classic motorcycles in a Wall of Death from 1928, Enduro Park, test rides with new innovations, and live music during the evening. BMW Group Classic draws the attention of visitors to two golden anniversaries. For 50 years, BMW motorcycles have been rolling off the assembly line in Berlin-Spandau. Production of motorcycles has just exceeded the three million mark. And a marvellous stage has been provided beneath the Zugspitze mountain for the classic bikes from the legendary /5 Series where the story began in Berlin five decades ago. 

Its turbocharger system enabled the BMW 2002 turbo from 1973 to provide superb power delivery. But the replacement part was not available for a long time. The experts at BMW Group Classic not only produced a replica of the turbocharger, they also undertook testing and travelled thousands of kilometres in a BMW 2002 turbo from their vehicle collection. Conclusion: Overtaking is still a sensational experience with this vehicle.