Comeback of the Legends. BMW Group Mobile Tradition at the Le Mans Classic.

Munich/Le Mans. From 07th to 9th July 2006 the BMW Group Mobile
Tradition is entering the Le Mans Classic for the first time this year.
This spectacular event in the honour of this legendary highlight in
motorsport is for all cars entered in the race between 1923 and 1979,
inviting them back to the north of France this year for the third time.
BMW Group Mobile Tradition, in response to the invitation, is sending
three outstanding racing cars with equally outstanding drivers to this
unique parade of manufacturers and clubs. Particularly the BMW 328
Touring Coupé will make a comback, this legendary car returning
to the venue of its first triumph after no less than 67 years: On 17
June 1939 this racing version of the BMW 328 made its world debut in Le
Mans. Built by Touring, the Italian coachwork specialist, the BMW 328
Touring Coupé was the sensation right from the beginning in the
24 Hours of Le Mans. In the car weighing just 780 kg or 1720 lb and
with engine output of 136 bhp, the two drivers Max Prince of
Schaumburg-Lippe and Hans Wencher clearly dominated the two-litre
class, finishing a sensa¬tional fifth in the overall ranking, ahead
of much larger and more powerful competitors. This time the Touring
Coupé is being driven by the Director of BMW Mobile Tradition,
Holger Lapp. The legendary BMW M1 Group 4 "Munich Car" is
also making its comeback in Le Mans: When this BMW M1 entered the
classic 24 Hours in 1981, it stood out in particular through its
exceptional paintwork: Where other cars were covered by the large logos
and the names of major sponsors, the BMW M1 beautifully styled by
paintwork artist Walter Maurer boasted hand-painted motifs of old and
traditional Munich inns and landmarks, creating a link unique to this
day between a car manufacturer, on the one hand, and local sponsors, on
the other. Like in 1981, this year's driver will be
Leopold Prince of Bavaria, a legendary racing expert and the
representative of Bayerische Motoren Werke, taking his seat in the
cockpit of this exceptional car. He himself refers to his years with
the BMW M1 as one of the greatest times he ever experienced in
motorsport. With the exception of Formula 1 and Formula 2, the Prince
of Bavaria, truly an old hand in motorsport, was active in all
disciplines and competitions. And contributing all his experience, he
has also been an active driver for BMW in historical motorsport since
1993. Recruiting Marc Surer for the event, BMW has been able to win
over yet another driver with lots of experience in Le Mans. Apart from
numerous touring car races, this Swiss driver, at the wheel of a BMW,
won the 1979 European Formula 2 Championship and various other events
before moving on to Formula 1 in the '80s. And now, in the Le Mans
Classic, Marc will once again be driving a BMW 320 Group 5, like in
1977. Upon entering the motorsport scene in 1977, the BMW 320 made its
appearance in the striped livery of the BMW 3.0 CSL Coupés raced
by BMW Motorsport GmbH founded in 1972, that is the legendary
Coupés which truly hit the headlines on international race
tracks in the early '70s. As a Group 5 racing car, the BMW 320 stands
out in particular through its extra-large wheel arches, the big front
spoiler and rear wing. And beneath the engine compartment lid the car
boasts a thoroughbred BMW Formula 2 racing engine, a two-litre
straight-four developing maximum output of 300 bhp. Obviously, only a
real racing suspension and numerous aerodynamic improvements are able
to get this kind of power on to the track. In the large pavilion in
the pitlane, BMW Group Mobile Tradition will be presenting not only
motorcycles and racing cars of the 1950s, but also the history of BMW's
success in 24-hour events. And near the pavilion BMW Club de France
will be proudly showing some selected classic BMWs.