BMW brings racing legends to Kuala Lumpur

BMW Malaysia will showcase its racing heritage over the Formula 1 weekend, with seven vintage BMW racing cars which are being flown in from Munich especially for the KL GP Fest. BMW Malaysia’s Press & Corporate Affairs Manager Vijayaratnam Tharumartnam said the vintage cars will be driven by former BMW motorsports greats such as four-time European Touring Car Champion Dieter Quester and former F1 driver Marc Surer.

These cars comprise a selection of some of the greatest and most well known vehicles in motorsports and are today considered legends. They date back almost to the beginning of BMW’s history and were integral in defining the Marque’s strong racing heritage. They include the BMW 328 which first won the Millie Miglia in 1937 right up to the BMW 320i which won the 2004/2005 European Touring Car Championship.

“The BMW brand has been greatly influenced by its commitment to motorsports. BMW’s reputation was strongly shaped by this involvement, which continues until today. In conjunction with the Malaysian Grand Prix, we would like to celebrate BMW’s historical spirit in motorsports with the people of Malaysia,” Vijayaratnam said at a news conference to announce the KL GP fest, held in conjunction with the Petronas Formula One Grand Prix at the Sepang International Circuit.

The vintage cars featured are:

* BMW V12 LMR, driven by 4 Time European Touring Car Champion – Dieter Quester
* BMW M1 Pro Car, driven by former Formula 1 Driver - Marc Surer
* McLaren BMW F1 GTR Le Mans, driven by Le Mans 24 Hours Driver - Harald Grohs
* BMW 328 Mille Miglia, driven by European Touring Car Driver – Prinz Leopold von Bayern
* BMW 320 td (24 hours NBGRG), driven by Marc Hessel
* BMW 320i ETCC, driven by Duncan Huismann
* BMW M3 GTR, driven by Hans-Joachim Stuck

“From its inaugural year of car production in 1929, BMW has been participating and achieving great successes in the field of motorsports. This year marks our 77th year,” Vijayaratnam said.

In celebration of BMW’s history in motorsports, BMW Malaysia is organising the BMW Racing Cars demonstration, which will be held at 6.00pm on March 18 along Jalan Pinang and Jalan P. Ramlee.

“We want to share some of the magic and excitement of our racing heritage as we know there are many enthusiasts and fans of BMW here. This is a once in a lifetime opportunity to watch some of the greatest racing legends right here on the streets of Kuala Lumpur,” Vijayaratnam said.