Following the success of the 2012 Welsh Tour, we have scheduled a return visit to the Metropole in Llandrindod Wells. Call the Club Office to reserve one of the remaining places - 01225 709 009.

The National BMW Festival returns to the Heritage Motor Centre in GAYDON in August 2013.

2013 sees the Festival return to a two day event on 17th and 18th August. The programme is currently being worked on. More details to follow.

Trade enquiries welcome.

Book the dates in your diary now! - 17th and 18th August 2013

The new BMW M5.

Fifth generation of the world’s most successful high-performance sedan in the premium segment of the executive class; new BMW M5 is an exceptionally dynamic high-performance sports car with four doors and five seats; consistent further development of the vehicle concept initiated in 1984 with the first-generation BMW M5; compelling track potential combines with the comprehensive practicality of a luxurious business sedan; groundbreaking character headlined by significantly improved efficiency, supreme long-distance comfort, and innovative driver assistance systems and infotainment functions.

World premiere of a newly developed BMW M high-performance engine: high-revving 4.4-litre V8 engine with M TwinPower Turbo package – consisting of Twin Scroll Twin Turbo technology, cross-bank exhaust manifold, High Precision Direct Petrol Injection and VALVETRONIC fully variable valve control; 412 kW/560 hp at 6,000 – 7,000 rpm, maximum torque: 680 Newton metres (502 lb-ft) from 1,500 rpm; maximum speed: 7,200 rpm; wet sump lubrication optimised for high lateral loads, lag-free power delivery, typical M car thrust.

Significantly improved balance between performance and fuel consumption: acceleration 0–100 km/h (62 mph) in 4.4 seconds, 0–200 km/h (124 mph) in 13.0 seconds, top speed: 250 km/h / 155 mph (305 km/h / 190 mph with M Driver’s Package); average fuel consumption in EU test cycle: 9.9 litres/100 km (28.5 mpg imp); engine output 10 per cent up on predecessor model, maximum torque increased by 30 per cent, fuel consumption cut by more than 30 per cent; extensive Efficient Dynamics technology, including Auto Start-Stop function and Brake Energy Regeneration.

Power transfer to the rear wheels via the seven-speed M Double Clutch Transmission Drivelogic; traction-optimised automatic gear selection; Launch Control; Low Speed Assistance; automatically activated parking mode; M-specific gear selector; M leather steering wheel with shift paddles.
Hallmark M conceptual harmony produces superior performance characteristics with precise interplay of drive and chassis technology, aerodynamics and weight balance; power-to-weight ratio: 3.3 kg (approx. 7 lb)/hp; M-specific suspension (front and rear axle kinematics), M Servotronic steering, Dynamic Damper Control, DSC stability control system including M Dynamic Mode; bodyshell mounting using special panels; lightweight compound high-performance braking system.

Outstandingly agile handling thanks to innovative rear axle differential with Active M Differential; electronically controlled multi-plate limited-slip differential enables fully variable distribution of drive between the rear wheels to optimise traction and stability in dynamic lane change manoeuvres and acceleration out of corners; degree of lock can be varied between 0 and 100 per cent according to the situation; fast, precise and pre-emptive responses thanks to constant data cross-checking between the Active M Differential and DSC stability control system, and monitoring of the accelerator pedal position, wheel speed and yaw rate.

Two individually configured set-ups for the car can be called up using the new M Drive buttons on the steering wheel; range of programmable parameters unique in the segment: engine response, M Servotronic responses, Drivelogic shift program, DSC mode, Dynamic Damper Control and information in the Head-Up Display.
Characteristic body design with familiar M aesthetics reflecting the car’s extremely dynamic yet precisely controllable nature; specific design features contributing to performance characteristics; front apron with extremely large air intakes for the engine and brakes; athletically flared wheel arches to emphasise wide track; hallmark M “gills” with integrated indicator bars; aerodynamically optimised rear apron with diffuser between the right and left-hand pair of twin exhaust tailpipes; gurney-style rear spoiler on the boot lid; 19-inch M light-alloy wheels in exclusive double-spoke design.

Unique combination of sports car cockpit and luxurious ambience for the interior; M-specific instrument cluster in black-panel technology; newly designed, leather-covered centre console; M sports seats; standard specification also includes: Merino leather upholstery with extended features, exclusive aluminium Trace interior trim strips, BMW Individual roof liner in anthracite, electrically operated steering column adjustment, four-zone automatic climate control and ambient light.

BMW has launched a specialist winter tyre programme designed to help drivers get the best on-road performance from their car throughout the winter months – regardless of weather conditions.

Changing tyres to suit different seasons is already part of mainstream motoring in most of Europe. Now for the first time in the UK a BMW winter wheel and tyre package will be available. Summer tyres fitted as standard equipment by all car manufacturers operate best at temperatures above 7°C. This means summer tyres fitted by BMW provide excellent levels of grip, acceleration, braking, comfort and fuel economy in normal road conditions. However, once the outside air temperature gets nearer to freezing the rubber in summer tyres hardens, which detracts from their performance. In true wintry conditions of snow and ice, as blighted all of the UK earlier this year, tyre performance is even worse.

The new winter wheel and tyre packages developed by BMW have been specially engineered to operate much better than summer tyres at temperatures below 7°C. The tyre is made from a different mix of rubber / silica compound which enables them to operate efficiently at much lower temperatures, generating heat and reaching their optimum operating temperature much more easily.

The benefits of such a package are two-fold. It is the best way to a BMW performing to the best of its abilities during severe weather, yet if the winter is mild, winter tyre users will still benefit from significantly reduced tyre wear and increased wet weather grip and performance.

There is a potential cost benefit too. The new BMW winter wheel and tyres can result in as much as 40 per cent* better wear characteristics than summer tyres when the outside temperature is below 7°C – meaning the tyres will last a lot longer.

Winter tyres also feature bigger tread blocks with larger open channels which ensure they dissipate standing water more effectively, helping them to reduce the risk of skidding on wet surfaces. This sophisticated tyre technology ensures maximum levels of grip over winter, significantly reducing the chances of an accident, whatever the conditions. Braking distances improve by up to 20 per cent on icy roads and up to 10 per cent in the wet.

A number of different wheel styles and sizes, including alloy and steel rims are available. Prices vary by model but start at £600 for a complete set of four winter wheels and tyres on a BMW 1 or 3 Series.** Interested customers should contact their local dealer for more information.

Note:
*Depending on driving style and annual mileage.

**Complete wheel and tyre packages are delivered with the tyres already fitted and balanced, vehicle fitment charges may apply.

After being on sale on the global automotive market for five successful years, the BMW M5 has ended its production lifespan with a new record high. The BMW M GmbH produced a total of 20,548 of the charismatic high-performance sports car featuring a V 10-cylinder power unit. The BMW M5 Saloon is accountable for 19,523 of these, with the BMW M5 Touring, which was first launched in 2007, contributing a further 1025 units towards the overall result. This means that even the production figures of the predecessor model, which was manufactured for a period of six years, have been surpassed. The BMW M GmbH sees this record result as a further chapter in the success story of a remarkable automobile, which reaches back as far as the year 1984. 26 years ago we saw the launch of the first BMW M5 – this also marking the birth of the high-performance saloon segment.

Drive and suspension technology inspired by motor sports combined with the spaciousness and travelling comfort of a midrange saloon car: When the first BMW M5 was launched, this concept brought about an entirely new vehicle category. With M-specific aesthetics and thanks to uncompromising premium quality, the new model was at the same time the first high-performance sports car designed for use in everyday traffic conditions. With the fifth generation of the BMW M5, this combination achieved a level of fascination it had never reached before. A V10 high-revving 373 kW/507 bhp engine, sequential M transmission Drivelogic with seven gears and Launch Control for maximum acceleration from a standstill, variable, engine speed-dependent M differential lock as well as model-specific suspension technology, including Electronic Damper Control (EDC) and a compound brake unit, guarantee the BMW M5’s outstanding performance characteristics. High-quality equipment features, which include innovative driver assistance systems such as Adaptive Headlights and M-specific Head-up Display, underline its premium character.

A distinctive feature of both models is the 5-litre, ten-cylinder engine with a high-revving concept. The power unit, which was conceived using comprehensive expertise derived from motor sports, develops maximum output at an engine speed of 7,750 rpm, disclosing its unique character in particular through enormous pulling power that remains available across a remarkably broad speed range. Its exceptional position has been underlined by numerous awards. For example, in the years 2005 and 2006, the V10 engine seized overall victory twice in succession at the “Engine of the Year Awards” as well as first place during each of the two following years in the engine category exceeding a cubic capacity of 4 litres. Even after completion of the BMW M5’s production lifespan, the 10-cylinder engine continues to fascinate in a very special way. The exceptional power unit with identical power output and performance characteristics is currently featured in both the BMW M6 Coupe and the BMW M6 Convertible. The limited BMW M6 Competition Edition offers a particularly elegant way of expressing the high-performance coupe’s superior dynamics. A unique BMW Individual Frozen Grey paint finish and an individual interior design provide the coupe with an exclusive high-quality ambience. The BMW Individual full Merino leather trim is available either in black with light grey contrast seams or in the bi-colour version Silverstone/Black with light grey and black contrast seams. In both cases, the coupe’s individual character is underlined by doorsill trims boasting the “M6 Competition” logo.

The coupe’s high performance oriented profile is additionally enhanced by modifications to the suspension. Revised tuning of springs, dampers and stabilisers, lowering of the suspension by 12 mm at the front and 10 mm at the rear in conjunction with M forged alloy wheels featuring a double spoke design and a special combination of tyres, result in noticeably optimised lateral and longitudinal dynamics. Management of the suspension systems, the EDC Electronic Damper Control, the track and camber values as well as the characteristic map of the variable M differential lock have been perfectly adapted to match the suspension modifications.