22 Apr

BMW of Darien Signs on as Presenting Sponsor of the New England Auto Museum Father’s Day Car Show June 17th in Norwalk

 

BMW of Darien, part of the Callari Auto Group was founded in 1967 by Felix Callari

BMW of Darien, part of the Callari Auto Group was founded in 1967 by Felix Callari

Norwalk, Conn. – New England Auto Museum has announced that BMW of Darien has signed on as the Presenting Sponsor of the 4th Annual Father’s Day Car Show to be held Sunday June 17th from 10AM to 3PM at Mathews Park in Norwalk.

Felix Callari had a passion for cars, beautiful, powerful automobiles He opened his BMW dealership in 1967 with the dream to blend that love of cars with the solid relationships he developed with fellow car enthusiasts in the hopes of creating a car business based on trust and knowledge. He did just that when he opened his first dealership with Saab, Triumph and Sunbeam in 1966, later adding BMW in 1967.

Felix Callari passed away in 2008, but his legacy lives on through his two daughters, Paula Callari (President) and Flavia Callari (Vice President). Currently, Callari Auto Group is comprised of BMW of Darien, MINI of Fairfield County and Volvo Cars Westport. Each dealership maintains the standards that Mr. Callari instilled in his employees through the many decades prior. Customer satisfaction, product knowledge, honesty and transparency are the hallmarks of Callari Auto Group.

Mr. Callari was a true pioneer in the automotive industry making the customer the number one priority. Because of his efforts, the three dealerships that make up Callari Cars are now poised to celebrate a combined 100 years of excellence. Last year, BMW of Darien celebrated its 50th year in the car business and while it continues to grow and evolve, its roots are still the constant mantra of 1967, honesty, integrity; product knowledge and service are the cornerstones of its success.

In its 4rd year, the NEAM Father’s Day Car Show takes advantage of its surroundings on the spacious lawns of the Lockwood Mathews Mansion Museum which provide a scenic backdrop for a spectacular collection of classic cars. The show provides a wide variety of attractions for car owners and spectators alike including tours of the Mansion and the neighboring Stepping Stones Children’s Museum as well as great BBQ food, ice cream and games.

The addition of BMW of Darien as Presenting Sponsor highlights the selection of the BMW 2002, which is celebrating its 50th Anniversary this year, as featured European marque.

The 2002 series was probably the most important model in BMW’s history. In the early 60’s,

BMW 2002 introduced in 1968 (Photo BMW Blog)

BMW 2002 introduced in 1968 (Photo BMW Blog)

although small cars like Isetta, 600 and 700 kept the Munich company alive, its image was mushy and the financial outlook was still poor. It was the 2002 series that changed its fate. This little 2-door sedan redefined the image of BMW. It combined a powerful engine and agile handling with solid German build quality and practical 4-people accommodation into a reasonably priced package. No one else had ever done that before. From 1966 to 1977, BMW produced 850,000 units of the 2002 series. That’s more than 4 times the number of the Isetta series and each car enjoyed a much higher profit margin. The car not only brought BMW a big fortune but also established the winning formula for the subsequent 3-Series to follow and sales success that continues to this day.

Anyone interested in showing a car at the Father’s Day Car Show may pre-register online at the New England Auto Museum website at only $15/per car or at the gate on the day of the show for $20/per car. All show cars will be welcome with no cut-off year. Spectator admission is free. Prizes will include awards for the Peoples’ Choice, the Mayor’s Choice, Favorite in Show and many more. Dash plaques will be available for the first 100 cars to register.

New England Auto Museum
The New England Auto Museum will be an exciting new attraction for the state of Connecticut and throughout the Northeast. This non-profit organization will build a first class facility dedicated to preserving, interpreting and exhibiting historic automobiles and automobile artifacts. It will serve as both an educational learning center as well as a display center to highlight an ever changing evolution of car history and its impact on society. Find more information at www.neautomuseum.org

14 Nov

Fall Attractions: 75 Years of BMW Motorsport at South Carolina CCA Museum

bmw1

Greer, South Carolina – In June, the BMW Car Club of America Foundation opened its first big public exhibition at the Museum & Archive near the BMW factory in Spartanburg County, South Carolina. The exhibition is entitled Heroes of Bavaria: 75 Years of BMW Motorsport and consists of 22 historic (and iconic) BMW race machines in the building – From the BMW 328 roadster than won at Zandvoort in 1939, to the Z4 GTLM car that raced in 2014.

And of course, most things in between, including the racing CSL’s, a TI/SA, the LeMans winning V12 LMR, M1 ProCar, David Hobbs’ ridiculous M1-C Prototype, Formula 1, Formula 2, Formula BMW, the first BMW to ever win a sanctioned race in North America (a Miller-Norburn 2002), and the list goes on. Opening day for the exhibition was sold out, with 400+ in attendance.

bmw2

This particular exhibition will be in place through at January 5, 2018. For 2018 – to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the 2002’s launch in the United States- BMW CCA will have a blow-out exhibition on all things 2002.

The BMW Performance Center is directly next door and the plant for the X-vehicles is directly across the street, so visitors can spend some time at those locations as well. BMW enthusiasts and motor racing fans in general on their way south this fall will find a visit to this exhibition well worth the trip.

The BMW CCA Foundation is a nonprofit organization, and exists only through the generosity of its donors. Donations are welcome and will help to sustain the CCA Foundation Museum & Archive. CCAF donors also help fund Tire Rack Street Survival, a national car-control training program for teenage drivers.

The Museum & Archive currently preserves about 45,000 BMW-related items, from rare cars to engines to art. It’s the largest such collection in the Americas. And if you’re a member of the BMW Car Club of America, it’s being collected and maintained on your behalf. Come see it!

Public Hours
No registration required, just drop in!

Monday – Friday
9:00 am – 5:00 pm

Weekday Admission Prices
$10.00 – Adults
$5.00 – BMW CCA Members (with proof of membership)
$5.00 – BMW Employees (with id)
FREE – Children 12 and under

Courtesy BMW Blog
Article by Horatiu Boeriu
Article photos by Jon van Woerden Photography

More Photos from Heroes of Bavaria: 75 Years of BMW Motorsport

1973 E9 3.0 CSL, winner of the 1976 Daytona 24 Hour race with drivers Peter Gregg, Brian Redman & John Fitzpatrick

1973 E9 3.0 CSL, winner of the 1976 Daytona 24 Hour race with drivers
Peter Gregg, Brian Redman & John Fitzpatrick

1975 E9 3.5 CSL Grp 5 and 1977 E21 320i Turbo

1975 E9 3.5 CSL Grp 5 and 1977 E21 320i Turbo

1936 328 Roadster, overall winner of 1939 GP of Amsterdam later hidden in Holland during WW II

1936 328 Roadster, overall winner of 1939 GP of Amsterdam later hidden in
Holland during WW II

Radical 1981 M1/C driven by David Hobbs and Marc Surer

Radical 1981 M1/C driven by David Hobbs and Marc Surer

1994 E34 M5 IMSA Supercar Champion with driver David Donahue

1994 E34 M5 IMSA Supercar Champion with driver David Donahue

2000 Formula 1 BMW-Williams FW22-02 piloted by Ralf Schumacher to 5th place in the championship

2000 Formula 1 BMW-Williams FW22-02 piloted by
Ralf Schumacher to 5th place in the championship

1999 V-12 LMR overall victor at LeMans 24 Hour with drivers Yannick Dalmas. Pier Luigi Martini and Joachim Winklehock

1999 V-12 LMR overall victor at LeMans 24 Hour with drivers
Yannick Dalmas. Pier Luigi Martini and Joachim Winklehock

1996 McLaren F1 GTR finished in 8th place at LeMans 24 Hour driven by Nelson Piquet, Danny Sullivan and Johnny Cecotto

1996 McLaren F1 GTR finished in 8th place at LeMans 24 Hour driven by
Nelson Piquet, Danny Sullivan and Johnny Cecotto

Photos by Nick Ord

25 Nov

Amelia Concours Will Honor BMW’s Immortal 328 March 13 – 15, 2015

bmw

Jacksonville, FL – The 20th annual Amelia Island Concours d’Elegance will showcase the legend and legacy of the car that set BMW on its path to become known as the “ultimate driving machine.”

Experts, enthusiasts and fans of the Bavarian marque consider the BMW 328 the first sports car worthy of the title.

Eight decades ago BMW responded to a national call that Germany should build not only the world’s fastest and greatest pure racing cars, but the world’s best sports cars as well. While Mercedes-Benz and Auto-Union carried Germany’s racing colors on the grand prix circuit, BMW became Germany’s primary flag carrier in international sports car competition.

The BMW 328 struck just the right balance with elegant and aerodynamic styling, impeccable road manners plus advanced and inspired engineering. Even BMW’s signature split grill that survives to this day as a BMW styling hallmark remains an important component of the 328 design package. So was real world open road performance.

 

 

“The 328 is the car that set BMW on its current course,” said Bill Warner, Founder and Chairman of the Amelia Island Concours d’Elegance. “The poise, speed and stamina of the 328 and its descendants are the roots of BMW’s reputation and give genuine credibility to BMW’s ‘Ultimate Driving Machine’ label.”

Competition was at the heart of the 328’s genesis. It debuted on the 14-mile Nurburgring’s 154-turn Nordschleife, winning the sports car class of the 1936 Eifel Race. That first BMW 328 prototype not only won the two-liter class (without supercharging), but also achieved the best time of all sports cars. The BMW 328 then won the Belgian Grand Prix des Frontieres in Chimay and the Bucharest Grand Prix.

“The star of the BMW 328 class for our 20th anniversary is the unique 328 Buegelfalte (‘trouser crease,’ for the razor edge fender styling) roadster,” said Warner, “It finished sixth in the 1940 Mille Miglia and is the only 328 special roadster built at the BMW factory. We’re honored to have it on the field for our 20th anniversary concours.”

The 2015 Amelia Island Concours d’Elegance will be held March 13-15th on the 10th and 18th fairways of The Golf Club of Amelia Island at The Ritz-Carlton, Amelia Island. The show’s Foundation has donated over $2.5 million to Community Hospice of Northeast Florida, Inc. and other charities on Florida’s First Coast since its inception in 1996. In 2013 the Amelia Island Concours d’Elegance won Octane Magazine’s EFG International Historic Motoring Event of the Year award.

(Source: Vintage Motorsport)