ombe die flüsternde · Yes, the Portola Valley Garage is now a Dinan Authorized BMW-Mini Performance Center—but knowledgeable clients are probably more impressed with our history

ombedie flüsternde Volume 36 Number 5

June 2007

Inside:Get Involved!Autocross ResultsDinan Day AfternoonCar-Control ClinicHPDS At Thunderhill

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2 ombeBdie flüsterndeJune 2007 3June 2007 ombeBdie flüsternde 3ombeBdie flüsternde

Newsmagazine of the Golden Gate Chapter,

BMW CCA

Die Die Flüsternde Bombe

On the cover

feat

ures

depa

rtm

ents

Your input is encouraged! Submissions deadline is the 1st of each month prior to publication.

Volume 36, No. 5June, 2007

Chapter Email List Disclosure:The Golden Gate Chapter has created an

email list from the National BMW CCA data-base to send out event announcements that don’t make it into print. We promise to respect your time and limit the frequency of these mes-sages to one or two a month.

This email list is sent to all Golden Gate chapter members who chose to provide an email address to the BMW CCA when they joined or renewed their membership. You have the option to add or remove your address from this list at any time. To add your email address visit http://lists.ggcbmwcca.org/mailman/listinfo/announce and follow the directions. To remove your address go to http://lists.ggcb-mwcca.org/mailman/options/announce, enter your email address and click on the unsub-scribe button. There is no password.

Chapter Website:www.ggcBMWcca.org

~1971~Golden Gate Chapter

Celebrating 36 years of BMW enthusiasm in the

Golden Gate region.

~2007~Yes, the Portola Valley Garage is now a Dinan Authorized BMW-

Mini Performance Center—but knowledgeable clients are probably more impressed with our history of diagnostics expertise. After all, every BMW driver shares a passion for perfection. But whether it’s a supercharged Dinan M5 or the family sedan, you can't properly tune today's cars without the right equipment... like our BMW GT1 and Progman SSS diagnostic machines, or our alphabet soup of test equipment for other marques: Porsche Systems II... Volvo Diagnos-tic Platform... Saab/General Motors Tech II... Mercedes-Benz DAS (STAR) and WIS... well, you get the idea.

Tom Ramies and his staff of ASE-certified master techs can diagnose, analyze, service, and tune your car, foreign or domestic—and do it right.

Now, about that Dinan supercharger....

Classified Advertising Submissions:Our online Classified Ads are free to all current

BMW CCA members. To submit an ad, please visit Golden Gate chapter’s website: www.ggcb-mwcca.org. This magazine no longer accepts classified ads for print.

PublishingDie Flüsternde Bombe is produced monthly

(except for combined issues Nov/Dec and Jan/Feb). Article/photo submission deadline is the first day of each month prior to publication.

C o m m e r c i a l A d v e r t i s i n g : This publication is read monthly by over

4,900 BMW enthusiasts in Northern California. Deadline for new ad artwork is the fifth day of each month prior to publication. Please submit artwork to the Advertising Manager.

Commercial advertisers are responsible for supplying their own ad copy. All commercial advertising must be paid in advance. Contact the Advertising Manager for further details: [email protected]. Please note, this publication is sent Bulk Rate USPS.

For Web or Email-blast advertising rates, please contact the Advertising Manager.

MAGAZINE AD RATES PER MONTH :

Commit to: 1 issue 2-3 issues 4-7 issues 8-10 issuesInside black and white ads:

Full page $344 $327 $310 $275

1/2 page $188 $179 $169 $150

1/4 page $135 $125 $113 $105

Bus. card $ 88 $ 84 $ 79 $ 70

Inside color ads:

Full page $500 $475 $450 $400

1/2 page $263 $250 $237 $210

Specified Placement fee: 25% of ad cost/mo.

Inside front/back cover (color):

Full page $513 $488 $462 $410

Back Cover: $775 $737 $698 $620

Across The Board ......................................5Calendar of Events ......................................6Announcements ........................................7Minutes .......................................................9Bimmerphile ............................................10New Members .........................................20Rumble Strip ............................................23CCA Discounts ........................................25Factory Authorized BMW Dealers ......25Chapter Contacts ....................................26

It’s Time To Get Involved! By Kyle Breton Photos by D.R. Unks ...............12

Autocross #1 Results Photos by Ovidiu Predescu ......15

Dinan Day Afternoon By D.R. Unks ...........................16

Car-Control Clinic ......................21News From National..................24HPDS at Thunderhill ................28

The old stalwart stands proud among its descendants.

Photo by Donovan R. Unks

4 ombeBdie flüsterndeJune 2007 5June 2007 ombeBdie flüsternde

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By Mike Mills, President

Hello again. It has been quite a while since I’ve done a column. So much has taken place since the last one!

The chapter is doing quite well. Event participation is exceptional!—the April autocross had over 120 participants! If you’re interested in pushing yourself and your car in a controlled environment at lower speeds than a high-perfor-mance driving school, you should check this out. Hundreds of others have!

Our past car-control clinics have all filled very quickly, so we added additional clinics and they filled, too—with wait-ing lists! We believe these clinics offer one of the best values to our members. Understanding how your car behaves and how much more it can perform when necessary is truly a service the Club should be providing to our community.

But, social events aren’t taking a back seat to the driv-ing events. We have a bevy of tours on the calendar and, of course, Festorics at the Monterey Historics in August—our premier social event each year.

Tammi Hull and I attended the 2007 Chapter Congress in April. It was a day and a half of meetings and discussions with a focus on how to get volunteer participation. Sound familiar? Seems this is the lament of just about every BMW CCA chapter in the country. If you have enough time to help at one event, contact that event chair. If you can do a little more, contact an activity leader. And if you want to manage a program, contact that board liaison. The Golden Gate chapter is what we make it!

Our financials continue to be okay—perhaps not as much in reserve as I would like, but enough to ensure we have de-posits for events and room for operational costs. The chapter-magazine advertising is on a rise after sinking to a low when we announced a new policy that requires full payment in advance. We had over $18,000 in receivables last year —due,

in part, to our own lack of follow up and follow through. The pay-in-advance policy for 2007 caught our advertisers off guard, but they have come back, and our cash flow has improved significantly. Please show your support of our ad-vertisers by using their services. They provide us with means to make this a better chapter for you.

Next time you’re on the Internet, take a look at our GGC website. We have freshened it up; I think you’ll see that the topics you’re interested in are easier to find now. Oh, yes, we have added advertising to the site as well. Again, please sup-port our advertisers.

A good reason to visit the site is to see the second retail store that has been added. You can now order merchandise online directly from Lands End with the chapter logo (or not), with no minimum quantities.

Speaking of updated websites, have you looked at the BMW CCA national website lately? It has really changed, with frequent news articles and press releases associated with the BMW community. Over the next several months (and longer), more changes will enhance its value to attract new members, as well as provide you with support and services.

Until next time, cheers,Mills

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To add an event to the calendar, email your information to: [email protected]

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gVolunteer Incentive Program Now Active!

The GGC Board understands that none of our events, website, and chapter magazine would be possible without our many valuable volunteers. Your hard work and dedication is what makes the club so great, and we want to give something back to you!

The Volunteer-Incentive Program (VIP) will reward members with points based on the type of volunteer work they do within the chapter. These points can be redeemed for cash rebates on chapter events and GGC logoed clothing. The full VIP guidelines and forms will be posted to our website soon.

Contact Jonathan Bensen ([email protected]) with your questions, or to receive the rules and forms. Thank you, volunteers!

We Need More Car-Control Clinicians!Golden Gate’s car-control clinics have become so popular—

they sell out far in advance, with waiting lists and disappointed members—that we’re trying to expand the program. We want to be able to schedule more than three or four of these fun and educational schools a year—but we are dedicated to maintaining our high stan-dard for instruction and overall effectiveness. So if we increase the number of clinics, we must add more high-quality enthusiasts to our organizing team. We want you!

Remember, the BMW CCA car-control clinic is probably the most important, useful contribution we make to the community around us. We want to put on more of these clinics in order to reach as many people as possible, teaching them greater awareness of driving phys-ics and honing their car-handling skills.

If you have good communication skills and a flair for organiza-tion, and you’d like to be a part of this highly rewarding program as a clinic co-coordinator, please contact Bob Goebel at [email protected].

Donna Seeley has a simple reason for instructing at these clinics: “Because I have to share the road with you people!” Won’t you join in and make a difference, too?

Last Chance For Helmet DiscountWine Country Motorsport at Infineon Raceway has ex-

tended its BMW CCA member discount program to the end of this month—June 30, 2007. This is your last chance to get a 10% discount off of any helmet they sell—and get a free helmet bag! Wine Country will happily ship if you know brand and size. If you are not replacing an existing helmet, you should visit their store in person. Fit is critical for safety when it comes to helmets . Wine Country Motorsports, 28001 Arnold Dr., Sonoma, CA; 707 935-7223; www.winecountrymotorsports.com

7th Annual Tour Of The Lost CoastJoin us for a tour of majestic redwoods, over the coastal moun-

tains, and down into the Mathole River Valley. We will reach the Lost Coast at Point Mendocino and then head back up over the hills to the Victorian village of Ferndale.

The group will gather at the Weott Post Office at 10:30 a.m. Brief stops will be made in Honeydew at the General Store and in Petrolia for deli sandwiches. Lunch is on a no-host basis. Tour ends in Ferndale.

There is no charge for the tour, and it is open to all things BMW: cars, bikes, and Minis. Please RSVP to David Simmons with a head-count and include the year and model of vehicle.

If you wish to investigate accommodations in the area, contact the Fortuna Chamber of Commerce at 707 725-3959.

When: June 9, 2007Where: Weott, CaliforniaContact: David Simmons, [email protected],

707 268-8074

Santa Cruz Mountains Tour And Wine TastingSet your sights for June 23, when our driving tour features a

spirited drive through the Santa Cruz Mountains and Big Basin. We’ll have a mid-day stop at Burrell School Vineyards & Winery—situated in an old schoolhouse in the Los Gatos mountains that dates back to 1854—where we’ll sit down for a catered Italian lunch buffet and wine tasting as we overlook the estate vines and spectacular views of the canyons and ridges of the Santa Cruz Mountains.

We’ll taste a selection of Chardonnay, Syrah, Merlot, and Zin-fandel, chosen to pair specifically with our lunch menu. The Italian buffet will include vegetarian antipasto, crostini tray, classic Caesar salad, chicken entrée, Mediterranean lasagna, vegetable medley, gar-lic bread, and tiramisu. Soda and bottled water will also be provided.

As part of this event, Burrell School Vineyards & Winery is of-fering a 10% discount to GGC members on any wine purchases now through September 30—simply show your BMW CCA card. Burrell School estate vines yield Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and Merlot—dis-tinctive, concentrated wines reflective of their mountain home.

This event will be limited to a maximum of twenty cars (40 attend-ees). Price is $42 per person. Watch the website for registration details.

When: June 23Where: Santa CruzEvent Contact: David Crum, [email protected]

Car Show For A Great CauseThe Golden Gate Chapter of the BMW CCA and Valley Chris-

tian Center present Valley Speed Auto Show 2007, a barbecue meet and gathering of domestic and import cars in Dublin to benefit New Orleans residents still affected by Hurricane Katrina.

Admission is free, and the barbecued hot dogs, hamburg-ers, and sodas are all only $1! All proceeds and donations will go directly to these two local churches in New Orleans to aid the victims of Hurricane Katrina:

House of Prayer: An Assembly of God church on Canal Street in New Orleans. This church was leveled and is now back reaching out to their community to help families in need. Another church is con-sidering helping them with an afternoon computer lab and tutoring program which will help the kids in their community get back into school. Many of the kids have yet to return to school and are getting behind quickly.

St Luke’s: Also an Assembly of God Church in the 9th Ward of New Orleans. St Luke’s serves their members who have returned to try and rebuild. I’m sure there are ongoing needs within the church and its memberships, so any donations would go a long way.

Parking is limited to 200 cars. We could use some volunteers to help direct traffic and to cook. If you’d like to give us a hand, please contact Percy Chow.

When: June 30, 11:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.Where: Valley Christian Center, 7500 Inspiration Dr., Dublin

(Right off 580/680 interchange.)Directions: http://www.dublinvcc.org/?tabid=174Contact: Percy Chow, [email protected], 925 323-4844

More GGC Summer Fun!Join us for a driving tour of coastal hills, lush redwood forests, gold-

en-brown hills, and Pacific Ocean views. After a spirited drive through the hills, a BBQ lunch around a refreshing pool and hot tub awaits you!

Starting in the town of Woodside, we’ll meander over the twisty roads to the coast and then finish in Los Altos for our BBQ at the residence of Dave and Bonnie Bell. Park your Bimmer and stuff your face with some great grub: ribs, grilled chicken, potato salad, mixed green salad, and—a Bell-family tradition—ice cream sundaes with all of the toppings! After feasting, you can cool off in their pool or relax in the hot tub.

This event is open to all members and is a great introductory event for first-time club participants. All you need is your car (and it

Dates Event/ Location Organization/ ContactJune

Jun 2 Tech Session: Exterior Detailing Clinic GG Chpt TBD Jeff Cowan www.ggcbmwcca.org [email protected] 2-3 Willow Springs Driving School LA Chpt Willow Springs Int’l Raceway, Rosamond, CA Delight Lucas www.bmwclubla.org [email protected] 9 7th Annual Tour of the Lost Coast GG Chpt Weott, CA David Simmons www.ggcbmwcca.org [email protected] 9 Board Meeting GG Chpt Stevens Creek BMW, Santa Clara, CA Kelly Collins www.ggcbmwcca.org [email protected] 9-10 Club Race - Buttonwillow GG Chpt Buttonwillow Raceway, Buttonwillow, CA Steve Walsh www.ggcbmwcca.org [email protected] 16 Autocross GG Chpt Marina Municipal Airport, Marina, CA Kris Linquist & Matt Visser www.ggcbmwcca.org [email protected] 23 Santa Cruz Mountain Tour & Wine Tasting GG Chpt Santa Cruz, CA David Crum www.ggcbmwcca.org [email protected] 23-24 Spokane Raceway Driving School Inland Empire Spokane Raceway Park, Spokane, WA Scott Adare www.iebmw.org [email protected] 30 GGC Summer Drive & Picnic GG Chpt Los Altos Hills, CA Edgar Chen www.ggcbmwcca.org [email protected]

JulyJul 7-8 Club Race - Willow Springs GG Chpt Willow Springs Int’l Raceway, Rosamond, CA Steve Walsh www.ggcbmwcca.org [email protected] 13 Pacific Raceways Driving School Puget Sound Pacific Raceways, Kent, WA Eric Bitte www.bmwpugetsound.com [email protected] 14 Sierra Tour & Wine Tasting GG Chpt Gold Country Jeff Cowan www.ggcbmwcca.org [email protected] 21 Board Meeting GG Chpt TBD Kelly Collins www.ggcbmwcca.org [email protected]

AugustAug 4 Car Control Clinic GG Chpt Marina Municipal Airport, Marina, CA Bob Goebel & Grant Low www.ggcbmwcca.org [email protected] 5 Autocross GG Chpt Marina Municipal Airport, Marina, CA Kris Linquist & Matt Visser www.ggcbmwcca.org [email protected] 11 Board Meeting GG Chpt East Bay BMW, Pleasanton, CA Kelly Collins www.ggcbmwcca.org [email protected] 11 Bay Area 02 9th Anniversary Bay Area 02 San Francisco, CA JP Collins www.bayarea02.com [email protected] 11-12 Club Racing School Willow Springs Int’l Raceway, Rosamond, CA Scott Hughes www.bmwccaclubracing.com Aug 17 Ultimate Clean Car Contest CC Chpt Black Horse Golf Course, Monterey, CA Wayne Wundram www.cccbmwcca.org [email protected] 17-19 BMW Festorics 2007 GG Chpt Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca, Salinas, CA Team Festorics www.festorics.org [email protected] 17 Backroads to Big Sur GG Chpt Big Sur, CA David Crum www.ggcbmwcca.org [email protected] Aug 25-26 Thunderhill Driving School GG Chpt Thunderhill Raceway Park, Willows, CA Bruce Nesbit & Billy Maher www.ggcbmwcca.org [email protected]

SeptemberSep 7 Buttonwillow Driving School Central CA Buttonwillow Raceway, Buttonwillow, CA Peter Kwan www.cccbmwcca.org [email protected] 8 Board Meeting GG Chpt BMW of Mountain View, Mountain View, CA Kelly Collins www.ggcbmwcca.org [email protected] 8 Pacific Raceways Driving School Puget Sound Pacific Raceways, Kent, WA Eric Bitte www.bmwpugetsound.com [email protected] 15 Autocross GG Chpt Marina Municipal Airport, Marina, CA Kris Linquist & Matt Visser www.ggcbmwcca.org [email protected] 22 Fall Tour GG Chpt Mt. Hamilton - Mt. Diablo David Crum www.ggcbmwcca.org [email protected] 30-Oct 5 Oktoberfest BMW CCA Fort Worth, TX National Office www.bmwcca.org [email protected] 864 250-0022

OctoberOct 6-7 California Speedway Driving School LA Chpt California Speedway, Fontana, CA Delight Lucas www.bmwclubla.org [email protected] 6-7 Spokane Raceway Driving School Inland Empire Spokane Raceway Park, Spokane, WA Scott Adare www.iebmw.org [email protected] 13 Board Meeting GG Chpt BMW of San Francisco Kelly Collins www.ggcbmwcca.org [email protected] 13-14 Club Racing School Buttonwillow Raceway, Buttonwillow, CA Scott Hughes www.bmwccaclubracing.com Oct 20 Car-Control Clinic GG Chpt Marina Municipal Airport, Marina, CA Bob Goebel & Grant Low www.ggcbmwcca.org [email protected] 21 Autocross GG Chpt Marina Municipal Airport, Marina, CA Kris Linquist & Matt Visser www.ggcbmwcca.org [email protected] 27 Pumpkin Tour GG Chpt Half Moon Bay, CA David Crum www.ggcbmwcca.org [email protected] 27-28 Club Race - Thunderhill GG Chpt Thunderhill Raceway Park, Willows, CA Steve Walsh www.ggcbmwcca.org [email protected]

NovemberNov 3-4 Infineon Driving School GG Chpt Infineon Raceway, Sonoma, CA Bruce Nesbit & Billy Maher www.ggcbmwcca.org [email protected] 10 Board Meeting GG Chpt TBD Kelly Collins www.ggcbmwcca.org [email protected] 10-11 Club Race - Buttonwillow GG Chpt Buttonwillow Raceway, Buttonwillow, CA Steve Walsh www.ggcbmwcca.org [email protected] 11 Top Driver Shootout GG Chpt Marina Municipal Airport, Marina, CA Kris Linquist & Matt Visser www.ggcbmwcca.org [email protected]

DecemberDec 8 Not the 49 Mile Scenic Drive Bay Area 02 Ocean Beach, San Francisco, CA JP Collins www.bayarea02.com [email protected] 15 Board Meeting GG Chpt Stevens Creek BMW, Santa Clara, CA Kelly Collins www.ggcbmwcca.org [email protected]

Bolded events are Regional or National CCA events

Continued on page 8


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Golden Gate Chapter - BMW CCA Board Meeting MinutesBy Chris WebberSecretary, GGC BMW CCAdoesn’t even need to be a BMW), a full tank of gas, and a swimsuit.

The driving tour will take place on public roads and will be driven at a “spirited” pace—please leave your race-car ambitions on the track.

To register, send an email or phone Edgar Chen. The driving tour is free. However, if you plan to attend the BBQ, the cost is $15 per person. You may participate in one, the other, or both!

If you plan to attend the BBQ, please send cash payment via PayPal to [email protected] or mail a check to:

Edgar Chen307 Cutty CourtPacifica, CA 94044

When: June 30, 10:00 a.m. to ??Where: Tour starts at Woodside Elementary School, 3195

Woodside Rd., Woodside. BBQ is in Los Altos, details will be sent upon registration.

Contact/Register: Edgar Chen, [email protected], 650 400-1671

Sierra Foothills Wine Tasting And TourJoin us on Saturday, July 14, in Sonora for some high-altitude fun!

Grape growing in Calaveras County is as old as the Gold Rush itself; by the 1880s, the area was noted as one of the top grape growing re-gions in California. Today, dozens of wineries carry on that tradition, producing outstanding Zinfandels, classic red and white wines in the French tradition, and a growing number of varietals in the Spanish, Portuguese, and Italian traditions.

Our tour will start in the town of Sonora and twist its way around Murphys and Angels Camp. If you care to drive up on Friday, we have reserved a block of rooms at the INNS of California-

April 14, 2007 - Conference Call

The meeting called to order 1:06 p.m.

Board in Attendance: Jonathan Bensen, Vice President; Tamara Hull, Treasurer; Jeff Cowan, Membership Chair; Kelly Collins, Member-at-Large/Communications Manager

Board Not in Attendance: Mike Mills, President; Chris Webber, Secre-tary; Mark Dadgar, Member-at-Large/Driving Events Coordinator

Guests in Attendance: Percy Chow, Eddy Pintacsi, Grant Low

Opening comments: Dadgar typically drives like a granny, Hull vir-tually arrived on time, Bensen has called in from Bed Bath & Beyond. It’s the “Beyond” that scares us.

Membership Report:Area reps report: 8 Percy Chow 5 Involving GGC in an all-marque car show and barbecue spon-sored at east bay church with 800 car capacity. No BMWs will be barbecued. 5 Trying to host in Dublin, third Saturday in June. 5 Can we have a corral? Members will be invited to display cars. 5 Proposed time conflicts with autocross, but it’s okay to have two events. 5 Percy owns task of sending details for June Bombe.8 Rob Torres 5 Cowan still trying to connect with Torres in San Luis Obispo to help him with area events. Go, Mustangs! (The mascot, not the Ford.)8 Kyle Breton 5 Breton suggests second karting day in Fremont. 5 Can work with Percy who is the regional area rep.Bensen has moved from Bed Bath & Beyond into a makeup store. He says he is with his girlfriend. We think he just needs a little rouge for the apples of his cheeks. Webber would have suggested calling him Car-mandy for the remainder of the meeting, had Webber been in attendance. Dealer presentation:8 Dadgar still needs to deliver the new Dealer Presentation to Ste-vens Creek BMW, as discussed last month.8 Hull suggests Dadgar present in a pink tutu.8 Cowan enthusiastically seconds, and admits he is currently in a pink tutu.8 Webber really liked “Africa” by Toto, but that’s not that same as tutu.8 Bensen browses for concealer.Social events:8 Collins, Cowan, and David Crum are planning an event at Burrell School Winery in Santa Cruz on June 23. 5 Morning driving tour followed by tasting and catered lunch at Burrell. 5 Burrell is offering a 10% discount on wine purchases to all BMW CCA members through September 30. 5 Collins to include on website and Bombe. 5 Cowan to confirm cost/risk/deposit details from caterer. No risk is expected. Small deposit of $250 may be requested. 5 Cowan to follow up by email.

Treasurer Report:8 We have money. No specific financials available.8 Tax filling due May 15, will start end of April.8 Approximately $20,000 worth of deposits out for all major events in 2007.8 Insurance paid for major events.8 We have tentative commitments to Club races, need Mills to report further.8 Mills and Hull to attend Chapter Congress April 20-21.8 Truck sale to be finalized in the next week.8 Much discussion ensued about the RVP screw-up at National and other candid comments about the National Board. You just had to be there.8 Hull to follow up with Webber this week on truck insurance and adding Nate to the insurance.

Communications Report:8 Chapter Magazine: 5 Managing editor status: 4 Lost our second managing editor. Barbara has disappeared without any communication so we assume she’s moved on. 4 We have no candidates at the moment. Kelly Kirkland and Collins have chatted and would like to change the title to Assignment Editor. They think this might be more specific as it relates to gather-ing content for the Bombe. 4 Collins has too much to do and that’s why we need a solid vol-unteer to step up for this role. Role will be posted in eblast and Bombe. 4 Percy Chow and Hull volunteer to help with content assign-ment and tracking until Chow can take over officially in August. 4 Need help getting members to write articles to have consistent amount of content each month. 4 Collins to give Hull and Chow some guidelines for content acquisition. 5 Pending Articles 4 Next month we have two feature articles on tap from Kris Linquist and Kyle Breton. 4 Chow volunteers Sven Schindler to write about Festorics. 5 Discussion continues over the categorization of our “newsletter.” 4 Is it some kind of a “magazine” or is it a fancy newsletter? 4 Collins and Cowan feel that “newsletter” doesn’t capture the quality of the publication we are putting out. 4 Hull feels it is a newsletter, albeit a fancy one. 4 No decision. 5 Advertiser status 4 Percy Chow is retraining old advertisers to pay on time. 4 New advertisers are paying on time. 4 Anyone who brings an advertiser to GGC, working with Chow, will share the commissions. This means YOU out there read-ing could make some money!New Website update:8 The web team has the new site in staging.8 We’re maintaining content updates on two sites, Percy to confirm new site has all current info.8 Site is ready to launch, Chow and Collins to synch on correct con-tent.8 Percy to send final preview link to board for final approval in the next week. When board approves, we can go live Friday April 20 or sooner.8 Chow will train Collins on content maintenance. Chow will be responsible for architecture maintenance near-term.8 Photo Gallery: 5 Dadgar to explain functionality of gallery on GGC site so we can go forward.

Board would like a motion to adjourn, but with only three board members (Bensen dropped off somewhere between Sephora and Nine West) there is no quorum. Apparently this meeting will go on forever!

Remaining board members semi-adjourn at 3:00 p.m.

Sonora for the evening of July 13. Mention BMW CCA and get a 10% discount on the room rate if reserved by June 13. Call the hotel directly to reserve your spot today:

INNS of California-Sonora350 South Washington StreetSonora, CA 95370800 251-1538 or 209 532-3633

Hotel Pricing: Single King or two doubles: $76.50 + tax, Two queens: $86.50 + tax.

Don’t miss the spectacular mountain roads and private tastings at some of the region’s most notable wineries. A casual Mexican dinner will follow near the hotel in Sonora. More details will be posted soon to our website.

When: July 14, start time is 10:00 a.m. at the hotelWhere: Sonora, CAContact: Jeff Cowan, [email protected]

Announcements Continued


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Bimmerphile Editor: Bob Vitkus

You Can Just Feel The Tension… We first saw this car at the Frankfurt auto show in 2005, and—being Rides, read: “pimp daddies”—we loved it. Now, thanks to CEC Wheels, the official importer, it is available in a limited edi-tion of 50 cars.

The styling concept of AC Schnitzer’s Tension 6 Series from Frankfurt was so well received that AC Schnitzer decided to make a production version. The car shown here is called the AC Schnitzer Tension Street Version, to distinguish it from that show car.

The concept claimed 544 hp with intake, exhaust, and chip massaging. The Street Version makes do with a small improvement in output because of the dual-sports rear silencer with tailpipes. CEC didn’t have the exact figure for horsepower improvement, but these pipes do give it that howlin’ cruiser sound. Besides, the stock 500hp is some-thing we have found more than adequate whenever we drove an M6 (AW, May 16, 2005). The package can be applied to any new 6 Series sold in the States, not just the M6 trim of our test car.

Handling upgrades consist of the AC Schnitzer sports suspen-sion spring kit and a strut tower brace. Eibach springs drop the ride about an inch.

The aerodynamic add-ons set this car apart, with eleven different pieces, including front, side, and rear skirts; front fender; and trunk lid. Detail pieces really stand out, such as the chrome-lined air-duct bonnet at the rear of the hood and various chrome parts all over the car.

The loudest exterior upgrade is the two-color paint job. Ours was black on silver. The concept car was even louder, black on orange. You could hear it with the engine off.

After you buy the $100,000 M6, the Tension costs $53,000 more, which includes installation and painting by CEC. You can’t buy bits and pieces of a Tension; it’s the whole enchilada or nada.

Of the 50 planned, only 25 will be sold in the States. So liquidate that $153,000 and release your Tension. It seems our test car is avail-able for sale at www.cecwheels.com. AutoWeek.com

Not Your Father’s M1… BMW is about to do to the 1 Series what it did to the 3 Series years ago: stretch it every which way, filling existing niches and creating new, exciting ones, too—headed by a red-hot M version. The M1 badge would be resurrected on a

very different beast to the landmark 1970s supercar though; this time it’ll feature on the rump of the new 1 Series coupe, standard versions of which will arrive next year.

To give the 1 Series a badly needed image boost, BMW is reconsidering the M1. This project was originally scheduled to arrive at this year’s Detroit Motor Show back in January. Under Ulrich Bruhnke, who recently left the company, the M division had proposed four different M1 spin-offs: a coupe, a lightweight GTR, a cabriolet, and the E82 M1 touring. The latter model died altogether, the GTR was deemed too expensive despite its motorsport potential,

and the fate of the drop-top was, of course, linked to that of the coupe. Both have now been confirmed.

Since the 1 Series will remain in production until 2011, it still makes commercial sense to launch the M1 late next year. The most obvious powertrain choice is the 343-bhp 3.2-liter six as fitted to the outgoing M3. It’s an expensive engine, and it needs work to trim its CO2 and fuel consumption, but it is the most likely motor, our sources say. According to an internal document seen by CAR Online, the M1 would accelerate from 0-62 mph in 5.2 sec and would reach a

top speed of 175 mph if derestricted. Next year, BMW will launch the regular two-door versions of the

1 Series. Aimed with high hopes at the North American market are the coupe and convertible.

More intriguing than the design are the new engines earmarked for the entry-level BMWs. Economical and kind to the environment, BMW is readying three new 2.0-liter diesels rated at 143, 177, and 204-bhp. Also waiting in the wings are a direct-injection petrol 170-bhp 2.0-liter four and a 272-bhp 3.0-liter six.

Next in the evolution process is turbocharging for both units. In addition to the soft-charge application as seen in the 306-bhp 335i, work is in progress on a high-pressure cascade-charge concept, which should satisfy the most power-hungry customers.

The 1 Series replacement is likely to feature a significantly dif-ferent model line-up. Expect the new range to arrive in 2011 with different models introduced over a spread of three-and-a-half years to keep up the sales momentum. Under discussion are the following additional alternative body styles:

• A Z1 no-frills lightweight two-seater roadster powered exclu-sively by four-cylinder engines

• A shark-nose reincarnation of the tii: two doors, four-seater, three-box design

• Touring four-door, estate/coupé crossover to replace today’s hatchback

• Four-door coupe with large wrap-around tailgate, possibly with mild hybrid powertrain

Since the first-generation 1 Series has not hit the bull’s eye with customers, BMW plans to tweak the line-up significantly. The 1 Series Touring and four-door coupe would make today’s hatchbacks ob-solete. And an X1 crossover is under discussion; rather than merely being a downsized X3, they are working on a new vehicle concept which combines a shark-nose look, a shallow, sporty window line, and the flared wheel arches from the Schnitzer/Alpina/Koepchen 02 racers from the ‘70s.

Perhaps the most interesting new 1 Series variant is the tii. Ac-cording to those in the know, this iconic flagship model for young buyers aims to combine the genes of the 130-bhp tii with those of the 195-bhp first-generation M3. Key ingredients include light weight, compact dimensions, a charismatic design, and the usual BMW rear-wheel-drive dynamics.

Chairman of the Board of Management of BMW AG, Dr. Norbert Reithofer:

I suppose you agree with me when I say: Tomorrow, this vehicle will be one of the highlights at the Auto Shanghai 2007.

What can I already tell you about this vehicle?1. The BMW Concept CS is a clear symbol for the BMW brand’s

desirability. It is a vehicle that inspires people. It stands for “sheer driv-ing pleasure” in its purest form. And it shows our characteristic BMW interpretation of a Gran Turismo that combines driving pleasure and travel comfort.

2. This BMW Concept CS also stands for a further development of our design language. Design is a very distinguishing feature for BMW, and this is not going to change. Our customers want a face that stands out in a crowd. Our expertise in this field is further underlined by this concept car. With our last leap in design a few years ago, we clearly broke away from competitors. We frequently see that other manufactur-ers follow our design language more closely. Now, we are starting the next round. This is how the next step in the evolutionary development of our design language could look like.

3. With this concept car, we also show that generally there is still a lot of expansion potential at the BMW brand. Many things are pos-sible. We will not necessarily launch all the products people speculate about. But our competitors should not feel too safe. We still have a lot in the pipeline. BMW Press

Time Changes Our Concept… Back from the Shanghai show with a head full of fresh thoughts. Chief among them is admiration for BMW, whose CS concept for a huge, ultra-sporting saloon was every bit the new design direction they promised us. It’s the elegance of this car’s sculpture that is new: designer Adrian van Hooydonk has brought a higher level of sophistication to BMW without ditching modernity, and I think it works. But I’m also pleased for Chris Bangle—who remains keeper of the BMW flame—because this success rubs off on him, too. BMW design would never have reached this new level without the evo-lution he started. Autocar.co.uk’s Steve Cropley blogging on myautocar.com (Interesting. In an August 6, 2003 Autocar feature, the same author opined that Bangle’s current design direction had put BMW into “crisis.” ~bv)

It’ll be a two-door notchback and could also serve as the basis for the follow-up to the cabriolet. Unlike next year’s Baur soft-top, the 2012 edition would do without prominent rollover protection. Promi-nent styling features are said to include slim pillars, a cab-backward greenhouse, and frameless windows as well as round head- and tail lights. The much larger CS concept shown at April’s Shanghai Motor Show points to BMW’s future styling direction.

With new turbocharged direct-injection four-cylinder petrol en-gines delivering up to 275 bhp, there’s no need to install a nose-heavy and comparatively thirsty six. Instead of four-wheel drive to tame such lofty power outputs in one so small, BMW is working on an evolution of Dynamic Performance Control. DPC II is said to feature a new energy-saving central hydraulic system, lightweight hollow driveshafts, low-friction differentials, and hydraulically actuated rear-wheel steering for superior high-speed stability. CAR Online

BMW’s Aviation Ties...Imagine you’re a Russian magnate with a globetrot-ting lifestyle. What could be more perfect than your very own Boeing 787? BMW Designworks USA was ap-parently picturing a cross between a James Bond villain and a successful Gen-Xer when they dreamed up a custom interior, converting the sky-dwelling bus into a monster executive jet. The interior is ultra-chic with lots of clean white expanses. A window in the floor lets you check on the status of your four-wheeled executive transport—a BMW, natch.

The jet probably has more square footage than most commoner’s homes, and though the entire thing is a flight of fancy, study-ing the images for details reveals a mobile command post we’d never want to

leave. There’s hardwood floors, a multi-level foyer, a bar that looks like it came out of some trendy Euro nightclub, a conference room, and a several chic living suites. Approached by Boeing Business Jets, the interior was created for the Hamburg Aircraft Interior Expo, to showcase BMW Designworks’ abilities. A separate entity from the car side of BMW, Designworks has had their hands in the design of tons of cool stuff, from cellphones to John Deere tractors. autoblog.com (… to trash receptacles? - kk)

Recycling More Than Just Cars… Ecopod and BMW Design-works worked together to determine how to “Change the Way the World Recycles.” Together, Designworks and ecopod met with leading public and private groups to research opportunities to determine the best ways to raise eco-awareness and reduce the amount of recyclable materials sent to landfills. The result was the ecopod… and another International Forum (IF) Product Design award for Designworks.

The first ecopod e1 (Hmm, they even used E codes! – kk) was built to test its effective-ness in compacting and storing a wide variety of beverage containers, ranging from small Starbucks shot cans to large Monster Energy drinks along with tall Propel water bottles and smaller kid size Arrowhead wa-ter. The ecopod e1 compacted and stored all of these containers with ease. A new

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ations? Preparedness. That’s where another GGC event comes to the rescue: the car-control clinic. These clinics are held in a controlled area with only cones as hazardous crunch zones—it’s truly a safe way to explore your limits in your car.

I say “your limits” because the first thing you learn at the clinic is that your car’s abilities far exceed your own—that’s okay, we’re all in the same boat. Come out to the clinic happening August 4 (sign up EARLY, these sell out almost immediately), and change that situation. Learn how to drive—really drive—your car.

Everyone thinks they know how to drive, but sadly, most will not realize that they are woefully unprepared until the worst comes to pass. Prepare yourself instead. Find out how to save your own lives and the lives of your passengers. These courses will save your life. I know that they have saved mine (and mine! – kk), but that’s another story. Come out to an event and ask me about it sometime.

There’s a lot to see, a lot to experience, and some great people to meet along the way. Put those windows and soft-tops down, and let that warm California breeze in. Come out to an event, find me, and introduce yourself. I know I’ll be there, because I’m a BMW-aholic—but I’ve found my twelve step program:

Step one: turn key. Step two: notch that shifter into first. Step three: who cares about step three? When you don’t have a

destination, any road will take you there.

Since I’m being honest here, I have a confession to make. I was nervous my about my first club event. I showed up for an early-morning Golden Gate chapter tour in my freshly washed, barely-out-of break-in silver Z4. By the time I arrived, there were two rows of Bimmers already parked. A good number of them had that notorious three-colored-stripe M logo on the deck lids—it made me think, “Maybe I’m out of my league? Maybe joining the club wasn’t such a great idea. Maybe the rumors of BMW snobbery were true. Maybe—“ And then I met David Crum, the tour organizer. An unassuming, pleasant guy, David volunteered his time to plan and lead this tour for those of us who chose to show up. From the first turn of the key to the final handshakes at the end of the day, that tour was one of the best days I had experi-enced with my car!

Fast-forward to today. I’ve become a regular GGC attendee: I’m now an avid autocrosser, have attended a number of car-con-trol clinics, and even have some high-performance driving-school time under my belt. I’ve met some of the nicest, most dedicated people in my life. Additionally, I’ve become an area representa-tive for the Club. This entails planning a couple of social events per year to try to give new members a chance to meet their fellow Bimmer buddies. It’s a position I really enjoy because it gives me a chance give back what I’ve gotten from the club. I get to meet people who, like me at my first tour, haven’t been out to any of our other events. It gives me an opportunity to introduce

them to the things I’ve found in this club: the sense of the enthu-siasm, the fun I’ve had, the friends I’ve made, and the things I’ve learned about my car… and myself.

Now I get a chance to share my enthusiasm with you, the reader. It’s easy to go through the calendar and see all of the events that the club has planned. However, the calendar doesn’t provide much of a personal touch, so I’m going to tell you about some of my favorite events and which would make great first-timer events. You know, we are waiting to see you!

If you’re reading The Bombe, then this is your club. I personally guarantee you’ll have a great time at these events—I know I will.

The driving tours are very possibly my favorite club event. As the weather returns to our fabulous Bay Area sunshine, it’s time for you to try a driving tour. (For all of you who have tin-tops and don’t get to experience the weather firsthand every morning, it’s beautiful out there these days!) The next tour coming up is the Sonoma tour on May 26, followed on June 23 with the Santa Cruz Mountains tour and tasting—I can’t recom-mend these tours highly enough!

David Crum is the event organizer on both tours and his routes are some of the best routes I’ve ever driven. If “Cal-ifornia Roads” was offered as a college course, David’s tours would be the final exam. With just the right mix of twisties, cruising, and stops for local color, these tours are a guaranteed great time. They are also perfect club events to bring your spouse, siblings, and friends on. Or, if you show up alone, you’ll be sure to have some new friends by the end of the first stop!

After those drives whet your appetite, you’ll be all set for the June 30 Summer Drive and Picnic. This is THE event to show up for. With a great drive to kick the day off, a BBQ lunch and swimming, this is definitely a bring-the-family kind of event. Last year it seemed that this was a “what happens in the club, stays in the club” kind of day. Come check it out, and collect some great memories for yourself.

The summer months continue with more tours in a couple more of the Bay Area’s famous regions, Calaveras County and Monterey. The frogs will have already jumped, but the July 14 wine-tasting tour will leap you through the beauty of the Gold Country to wineries that will have you drinking some non-froggy wines. Head south for the August 17 Backroads to Big Sur drive during the Monterey Historics weekend and tour through some lesser known of California’s historic mission roads. After the kids head back to school, it’s time for the wonderful twisty drive up to the Mt. Hamilton observatory on September 22—where you can learn more about the interesting history of the Bay Area. And who could miss the October 27 Pumpkin Tour? If you’re lucky, maybe we’ll all get a chance to see the Great Pumpkin with our new club friends. (Good grief, Charlie Brown!)

If you can’t tell, I love driving. However, I know that those roads out there are dangerous. The best answer to dangerous situ-


By Kyle BretonPhotos by Donovan R. Unks

June 2007

My name is Kyle and I am a BMW-aholic. (Hello, Kyle. --prd, -kk)

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Place Driver # Name Car Best TimePoints Earned

1 93 Richard Vijeh 2001 M Coupe 56.781 20

2 501 Eric Cheung 2001 M Coupe 57.251 15

3 89 Gordon White 1992 325is 57.671 11

4 191 Sean Trapp 1996 328i 4 Dr 58.240 8

5 240 Raza Uddin 1998 M3 4 Dr 58.782 6

6 26 Steve Kupper 1970 2002 59.535 5

7 189 Brenda Barnes 1992 325is 59.757 4

8 207 Stuart Scollay 1998 M3 60.186 3

9 195 Erik Lind 1995 M3 60.827 2

10 32 Ivan Petrov 1997 M3 4 Dr 61.517 1

11 78 Darrel Lunge 1975 2002 62.112 0

12 117 Kyle Sanchez 1989 325i 65.214 0

13 287 Joseph Gaffey 2003 M3 65.659 0

2007 Autocross #1 Results

AAA


1 13 Ken Garcia 1987 325is 57.864 20

2 87 Anthony Zwain 1987 325i 57.978 15

3 5 Jeff Cowan 1989 M3 58.483 11

4 10 Gerry Hatcher 2005 Cooper S JWP 58.800 8

5 211 Eric Lam 1987 325is 59.704 6

6 12 Jeff Conner 1995 M3 60.018 5

7 15 Brian Cheung 1991 M3 60.225 4

8 168 Matt Medeiros 1998 M3 60.617 3

9 161 Mario Shen 1999 M3 62.559 2

10 4 Scott Miller 1990 325i 64.084 1

11 184 Vishal Shah 1997 M3 65.210 0

12 116 Daniel Lunge 1975 2002 68.998 0

AA


1 500 Henry Young 1999 M3 60.323 20

2 106 Aleks Tan 1995 M3 60.851 15

3 9 Chris Webber 1997 328i 4 Dr 60.967 11

4 21 Rodger Ball 2003 M3 61.916 8

5 831 Brenden Selvig 1988 325e 62.249 6

6 64 Adam Lazur 1995 M3 62.449 5

7 75 John Orbon 1996 318ic 62.708 4

8 130 Kelly Collins 2005 M3 62.772 3

9 362 Steve McCrory 1992 325is 62.836 2

10 316 Kevict Yen 1997 328i 4 Dr 62.944 1

11 402 Edward Pintacsi 1988 M3 63.254 0

12 62 Barbara McCrory 1992 325is 63.261 0

13 14 Matthew Visser 1996 328ic 63.550 0

14 33 Gwee Poh 1989 M3 63.848 0

15 90 Megan Webber 1997 328i 4 Dr 65.572 0

16 45 Garrett Nakamura 1995 M3 67.220 0

17 23 Scottie Sharpe 1969 2002 67.759 0

18 288 Alex Au 1969 2002 69.042 0

19 302 Gary Slack 1995 318ti Sport 69.925 0

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1 145 Paul Berton 2007 335i Sdn Sport 61.055 20

2 91 Russ Bowlus 1998 328i 4 Dr 61.321 15

3 261 Grant Low 1990 325i 62.360 11

4 3 Michael Do Couto 2004 M3 62.541 8

5 137 Kris Linquist 2003 330i PP 63.109 6

6 8 Jonathan Bensen 2007 M Coupe 63.751 5

7 141 Geri Gorski 2002 330xiT 64.804 4

8 135 Sasha Mestetsky 1988 M5 65.368 3

9 63 Tom Escover 1999 M3 65.615 2

10 903 McCrone Tim 2002 M3 65.668 1

11 6 Guillermo Guadron 2001 325Ci Sport 65.874 0

12 11 Matthew Knoot 1987 535is 65.894 0

13 2 Michael Moorman 1998 M3 65.919 0

14 66 Helmut Meisl 1995 M3 65.998 0

15 171 Brandon Wehman 1998 M3 4 Dr 66.482 0

16 618 Frederick Pickel 2001 M Rdstr 66.588 0

17 110 Robert Monge 1995 M3 66.982 0

18 723 Ryan Schader 2002 M3 67.173 0

19 88 Chris Goelkel 1988 535is 67.200 0

20 169 Elena Osterreicher 1991 325i 67.583 0

21 555 Randy Tsang 1996 328i 4 Dr 67.784 0

22 337 Calvin Chau 1996 328i 4 Dr 68.219 0

23 56 Cliff Oates 2006 M Coupe 68.395 0

24 321John-Paul Nguyen 1998 M3 68.776 0

25 901 Fomenko Andrei 1987 325is 68.831 0

26 904 McCrone Billy 2002 M3 69.672 0

27 350 Kash Mohammed 2002 540i Sport 71.470 0

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1 314 Mark Young 2005 Cooper S 61.975 20

2 19 Jeff McCormick 2004 M3 Conv 62.392 15

3 18 Ramon LeFrancois 2001 330i 4 Dr 62.705 11

4 743 Jon-Mark Schneider 2006 330i 63.581 8

5 25 Joe Mercado 1994 325is M Technik 64.838 6

6 276 Michael Kolesar 1991 325i 64.915 5

7 77 Philip Shirvani 2004 330Ci Sport 64.919 4

8 96 Douglas Shirachi 2004 330Ci Sport 65.760 3

9 289 Bowden Dan 2006 330i 65.868 2

10 237 Ovidiu Predescu 2006 M3 Conv 65.943 1

11 125 Bill Cook 2001 330Ci Sport 67.601 0

12 601 Hernan Pelassini 1988 325i 67.624 0

13 119 Joshua Baker 1990 M3 67.636 0

14 701 Linda Hiebert 1999 M3 Conv 68.860 0

15 138 Steven Ho 2002 M3 Conv 68.914 0

16 52 Chu Chang 2002 330Ci 68.983 0

17 118 Nicholas Li 1998 318ti 70.298 0

18 210 Ryan Laroux 1999 M3 Conv 70.649 0

19 609 Marcus Yee 2001 530i Sport 70.899 0

20 99 Dan McCormick 2004 M3 Conv 74.227 0

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1 47 Harold Dorton 1998 Z3 2.8 65.256 20

2 902 McCauley Mike 2006 Cooper S 65.995 15

3 29 David Wagoner 2002 330Ci 66.353 11

4 115 Brock Parsons 2003 330xi Sport 66.474 8

5 280 Stephen Kolesar 1986 325es 67.744 6

6 60 Martin McDonald 1994 318i 4 Dr 68.050 5

7 166 Tony Wong2001 540iAT Sport 68.110 4

8 729 Ryan Rich 1985 535i 68.743 3

9 94 Bob Sanchez2002 Z3 Rdster 2.5i 69.356 2

10 631 Greg Robinson2007 335i Cpe Sport 70.410 1

11 76 Dave Rich 1985 535i 70.692 0

12 389 Al Kaehler 1998 328i 4 Dr 73.173 0

13 74 Diane Dorton 1998 Z3 2.8 73.185 0

Photos by Ovidiu Predescu

X

Place Driver # Name Car Best Time

1 71 Jason Sams 2005 Lotus Elise 57.047

2 165 Ben Martinez 1985 Ford XR4ti 58.219

3 208 Alexei Sakhartochuk 2004 Honda Civic Si 59.016

4 711 Russell Heywood 2002 Subaru WRX 59.877

5 232 Salah Uddin 1990 Nissan 300ZX T. Turbo 60.372

6 46 Peter Chow 2003 Subaru WRX 61.728

7 777 Karl Gumerlock 2006 Ariel Atom 2 61.972

8 104 Yukon Maruyama 2005 Mazda 3s 62.733

9 870 Sarah Scherzi 2004 Honda S2000 63.063

10 111 Michael Sundy 2004 Volkswagen R32 63.625

11 86 Jack Clayton 1994 Mazda Miata 64.020

12 204 Matthew Mitchell Porsche C4S 64.535

13 51 Kelvin Leung 1994 Mazda MX-5 Miata 64.791

14 213 Kurt Oehlschlaeger 1992 Mazda Miata 64.868

15 101 Tony Lin 2007 Lexus GS Hybrid 65.323

16 30 Gavin Douglas 2001 VW GTI VR6 66.323

17 84 James Clayton 2005 Honda S2000 66.664

18 311 Jan Koum 2003 Porsche 911 Cabrio 67.000

19 905 Walton Nate 1995 Audi 90 Quattro 69.174

16 ombeBdie flüsterndeJune 2007 17June 2007 ombeBdie flüsterndeombeB

Along with the food, the shop’s staff took some time to explain the expansion plans and to discuss some common technical prob-lems they have seen with BMWs coming into Bavarian Profession-als. According to Michael, the shop expansion will double their size. In constructing this second facility in a neighboring lot, the shop will grow by another five service bays, complementing the already existing five bays. The increased room will allow for the addition of an alignment rack. To accommodate the extra custom-er cars that are anticipated, a rooftop parking area will be created atop the existing facility which will utilize two car elevators. A bonus of this rooftop parking is added safety for customer cars. Unfortunately, it did not appear that a paella café was part of the expansion plans.

With the physical expansion also comes an expansion in service; in this case it takes the form of a program similar to BMW’s own Certified Pre-Owned service. Through Bavarian Professionals, a customer can now locate a used BMW at a competitive price and purchase it through the shop, with the benefit being a special Bavarian Professionals warranty plan. After the expansion plans were revealed, Bavarian Professionals service advisors Nat Sears and Marta Horevay-ova talked about some common reasons for an illuminated “Service Engine Soon” light, such as a loose gas cap, bad cam sensor or thermostat, or valve-cover

seals. They also answered a question regarding the controversial 15,000-mile oil-service interval, believing that a change closer to 7,000-8,000 miles with synthetic oil would be better. Also, they inspected some guests’ cars to provide suggestions and ideas on modifications or repairs.

While Eduardo’s paella was the star of the show inside the shop, outside, the star was the Imola Red supercharged Dinan

M3. Behind the wheel of the car, and giving some spirited test drives on the nearby freeway, was Dinan’s west-coast field specialist who went only by the name of Izzy. If he were dressed in an all-white racing suit, he could have eas-ily passed as The Stig. (The anonymous race driver in the British motoring show Top Gear. – kk)

A ride in the 423-hp Dinan S3 M3 with its 3.91 limited-slip differential will bring a smile to anyone’s face—if not from pleasure, then from the hard pull of the car’s acceleration as it buries your head into the headrest and yanks back on the corner of your lips, while push-ing down the paella. It was very much “like a jet fighter,” according to Aleksey Kadukin, one of the many lucky guests who was treated to a ride in the Dinan M3. When Izzy and the car encounter a sweeping overpass, the upgraded

Dinan Day AfternoonBavarian Professionals invites the chapter to look into the future.

By Donovan Unks

The Dinan name can be a polarizing one among BMW owners. Most enjoy the streetable nature of their performance tuning, as well as their war-ranty and support on their modified BMW parts,

while some others see the company’s products tainted by their high prices and message-board grumblings regarding ques-tionable Dinan M5 horsepower claims and Dinan Z8 subframe issues. Regardless of one’s stance on the tuning company, one cannot deny that they put on a great show when it comes to demonstrating their products.

The setting for this particular afternoon in April was Berke-ley’s Bavarian Professionals, an independent BMW repair shop and authorized Dinan dealer. To celebrate the shop’s recent ap-proval for expansion by the city, Michael Dennison, Bavarian Pro-fessionals’ owner, decided to throw what can only be described as a paella party. With Bavarian Professionals employee and chef Eduardo Balaguer helming the service-bay-turned-kitchen, guests were treated to two amazing and colorful seafood paella dishes—one with meat, and one without, but both equally tasty.

The Izzy

The Bav Pro Crew

The Chef

The Shop

The Paella Story continues on page 19


suspension and big brakes quickly make their presence known. However, as stiff as the Dinan suspension is on lightweight nineteen-inch wheels, it still provides a degree of comfort that won’t shake out your fillings or draw words of annoyance from your Significant Other or children. The impressive Jekyll-and-Hyde nature of the suspension impressed Mr. Kadukin so much that he has decided to save money to purchase a Dinan suspension for his own 325 to “experience a similar balance of a sporty ride and comfort.”

Another representative from Dinan provided some insight into Dinan’s future plans with the M5. With the E46 M3 and E39 M5, Dinan went the supercharger route to provide extra power. However, with the new E60 M5, Dinan has decided to avoid the forced-induction route, instead opting to bore the engine to produce an estimated 620 hp. Additionally, the representative confirmed that Dinan had tuned the prototype version Fisker Coachbuild Latigo CS based on the M6, and that there was a strong possibility that they would be the tuner of choice for the customer versions of the car.

At the end of the day, there was something for everyone at the Bavarian Professionals tech day. Guests walked away with a stomach full of delicious paella, a tour of a great service facility, a look at other members’ great BMWs, some information about Dinan’s products, and a smile on their faces from a ride in the Dinan M3.

Bavarian Professionals’ Dinan Day - continued


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e!Last First City Model Year Refered ByAdams Rick Oakland 330i 2003 Aldajani Nabil Hercules 525 1993 Alvarez Nancy Cathedral City 330 cic 2004 Alzar Ernest Sunnyvale 325i 2003 Arabian Khashayar Daly City 335i 2007 Baran Mark Cupertino M Rdster 2007 Barlindal Steven San Francisco 635 1987 Bergtholdt Daniel Novato 740i 1998 Black David Sunnyvale 335i 2007 Brown Les San Leandro 2002 1970 Cabral Kevin Fremont 325is 1994 Cadagan Brent San Jose 2002 1976 Carolan Pete Santa Clara 323ci 2000 Chan Cathy Fairfield 328i 2007 Michael ChanChan Michael San Jose 328i 2007 Cheung Desmond Oakland 330i 2006 Kevin LiClayton James Sunnyvale Eric LamDjavaherian Amir San Francisco M Coupe 2000 Duvivier Christian San Jose Z3 1999 Jason SamsEidson Brady Sunnyvale Esker Robert San Jose Guitarte Andrew Concord 328i 2007 Guthrie William San Rafael 635csi 1986 Haparnas Ziv San Francisco M3 2003 Henderson Jeff Berkeley M5 2000 Herron Alex Palo Alto 540i 1997 W. W. Bruner, IVHinrichs Chris Santa Cruz M3 1997 Ho Steven San Francisco M3 2002 Brian CheungHunter Jeremy Concord 318ti 1995 Ingerman- Behbahani Carol Santa Rosa 335i 2007 Jarvis Ken Santa Cruz 325i 1988 Nancy HumphreysJones Seth Vandenberg Afb 325ic 1988 Alex KaufmanKahn Philip Sonoma M3 1999 Kayser Russel Half Moon Bay Kenney Bob Mill Valley Kilates Manuel Vallejo 528i 1999

Kim Hyun Danville 528i 1999 Kloosterman John Oakland M3 2005 Koenig Michael Pleasanton 530i 2007 Lazich Jason San Francisco 325i 1990 Leswal Veejay Brisbane 325i 1989 Lew Terry San Francisco 3.0cs 1974 Lipari John Santa Clara 330i 2003 Lipner Drew San Francisco M3 1988 Mahbod Aurash Saratoga 540i 1995 Mankin William S. San Francisco M3 1997 Massoudi Mo Carmel McCullough Thomas Hollister 328i 2007 Melamed Abigail Oakland Miller Kara Oakland Robert CellucciMoll Laurent San Jose Newhouse Jerry Vallejo 525 2007 Nusser Jeremy Santa Clara 540i 1997 Thien DinhPatel Shailen Gilroy 540i 2003 Piazza Mark Campbell 530i 2007 Richey Gregory San Rafael Schrum Robert Lompoc Z4 2003 Stadtmueller Jeremy Burlingame 530i 2004 Todd WildmanSun Howard Los Altos M3 1998 Taylor Michael Greenbrae 650i 2007 Thomas Don Danville M5 2000 Tsang Randy Oakland 328i 1996 Van Der Wal Cornelis Menlo Park Vanco Michael Atherton 325ci 2003 Vanden Beukel Jeffrey San Jose 330i 2006 Vipatapat Naris Buellton Jonathan SpiraWeeman Ken Saint Helena Wilson Anthony Nipomo M3 1995 Wisniewski Kyna Paso Robles 330ci 2001 Womack Lawrence Arroyo Grande M5 2006 Woodman Dean Sausalito 840ci 1995 Yen Kevict San Carlos Yoshihara Ted San Mateo Kris Linquist

Last First City Model Year Refered By



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Email your thoughts to: [email protected]

By Mark Dadgar

Some Things I ThinkI think that high school driver’s ed is for people who >

don’t know how to drive and that car-control clinics, auto-crosses, and driving schools are for people who know that they don’t know how to drive.

I think that fast cars are cool, but that fast drivers get the >chicks (or dudes, as the case may be).

I think that if you want to get really, really good at driv- >ing on the track, you should go spend some time autocross-ing with your car set up for oversteer.

I think that reinventing the wheel when modifying your >car makes no sense at all. Find someone who’s done what you want to do and learn from (copy) them.

I think that every time I think I’m starting to really get a >handle on this driving thing, I go for a ride with someone who really does have a handle on this driving thing, and I realize how much I still have to learn.

I think that there are few people you will meet in >your adult life who can truly have a bigger impact on your safety than a talented car-control or driving-school instructor. (Fortunately, we have a lot of those in our driving-events program.)

I think that not mentioning the Street Survival School >to teen-agers you know is a real disservice to them and to the community. There is no better way to keep kids safe behind the wheel.

I think that as a student of driving, there’s little you >can do to impede your progress more than by having a car that’s too far above your skill level—you have to crawl before you can walk.

I think it’s much more fun to drive a slow car fast than a >fast car slow.

I think I’d take handling over power any day. >I think there’s a lot to be said for Dynamic Stability Con- >

trol (DSC), but I think there’s a lot to be said for learning not to need it, too.

I think that there are no shortcuts in learning to drive at >a GGC driving event, but there is sometimes a free lunch.

I think the car really does go where you’re looking. >I think that you should generally use the berms. You >

paid for the whole track, after all.I think the fact that our driving-school instructors are >

willing to put themselves in harm’s way each time we call for help is an amazing thing.

I think our driving-events programs rest on the >shoulders of the giants who came before, and that we forget that sometimes.

I think that the guy who invented Dramamine “Less >Drowsy Formula” is both a scholar and a gentleman.

I think that, in the immortal words Peter Egan, “Racing >makes heroin addiction look like a vague wish for some-thing salty.”

I think that racing is a little more intense than open >track driving in the same way that having lunch at The French Laundry is a little more intense than having lunch at Quiznos.

I think that the camaraderie I see among racers at each >and every BMW CCA Club Racing event defies description.

I think that cheating in Club Racing makes no sense at all. >

I think that there is no bigger rush than going three or >four wide into the first turn when the green flag drops.

I think that if you are a fan of motorsports, you owe it >to yourself to attend a pro race at one of our local tracks. The unbelievable, incredible, heart-stopping sound of those racing engines just does not translate on TV, no mat-ter how good your home theater system.

I think that if you have not crewed for a team at the >25 Hours of Thunderhill, you have missed out on a truly magical (and tiring and smelly) experience. Now’s the time that teams are being pulled together.

I think that Formula 1 should be about the cutting edge >of motorsports technology, not just another spec series like what’s left of Champ Car.

I think that it’s really tough to beat a twisty mountain >road, a BMW, and a little early Van Halen on the stereo.

I think that if you can’t drive the car you love, drive the >one you’re with.

I think that I can’t wait for BMW AG to start sending us >those wonderful diesels.

I think that a diesel M car is just a matter of time. >I think that the Mini crowd is really missing out by not >

spending more time with the BMW CCA. You guys are always welcome at our events.

I think that there are few things more precious than a >trusted independent BMW mechanic.

I think that safety is more important than speed every >single time.

I think that they’re all “real M3s.” >I think wagons are much cooler than minivans. >I think that if you have never attended a chapter board >

meeting, you’re missing a fascinating experience. We don’t put the “fun” in “dysfunctional” for nothin’!

I think Festorics has to been seen to be believed. >I think the amount of work our chapter volunteers put >

in is truly staggering.I think I’ll see you all at Thunderhill! >

Mark Dadgar is a life-long car fanatic who thinks too much. He is the founder of JustRacing.com and currently serves on the board of the Golden Gate Chapter and as the Driving Events Coordina-tor. As punishment for that, they make him instruct at driving schools and write a column for the Bombe. You can reach him at [email protected]

24 ombeBdie flüsterndeJune 2007 25June 2007 ombeBdie flüsternde 25June 2007 ombeBdie flüsterndeJune 2007

Fact

ory

Aut

hori

zed

BMW

Dea

lers

CC

A D

isco

unts BMW Concord

1945 Market Street Concord, CA 94520 925 682‑3577BMW of Humboldt Bay 1795 Central Ave. McKinleyville, CA 95519 707 839‑4BMW (4269)BMW of Monterey One Geary Plaza Seaside, CA 93955 831 899‑5555BMW of Mountain View 150 E. EI Camino Real Mountain View, CA 94040 650 943‑1000BMW of San Francisco 1675 Howard St San Francisco, CA 94103 415 863‑9000BMW of Santa Maria 2150 South College Drive Santa Maria, CA 93455 805 614‑0306Claridge’s BMW 4421 5 Auto Mall Circle Fremont, CA 94538 510 360‑5900Coast BMW 1484 Auto Park Way San Luis Obispo, CA 93405 805 543‑4423East Bay BMW 4355 Rosewood Drive Pleasanton, CA 94566 925 463‑2555Peter Pan BMW 2695 S. El Camino Real San Mateo, CA 94403 650 349‑9077Prestige BMW 2800 Corby Avenue Santa Rosa, CA 95407 707 545‑6602Sonnen BMW 1599 E. Francisco Blvd San Rafael, CA 94901 415 482‑2000Stevens Creek BMW 3737 Stevens Creek Santa Clara, CA 95050 408 249‑9070Weatherford Motors 735 Ashby Avenue Berkeley, CA 94710 510 654‑8280

One of the many member benefits of BMW CCA is a members-only discount at various participating services and dealers.

Below you can find the businesses in our area who offer our members a discount. Please note that businesses often require you to show your current CCA membership card in order to receive the discount.

Please contact us with any deletions to the list due to a compa-ny being out of business. We ask that additions, changes, or dele-tions (no longer participating in discount program) are requested by the business owner directly. Updates should be directed to: [email protected].

Independent Service & Supply Discounts

2002 Haus San Luis Obispo 805 541-2002 5% Parts

Bavarian Enterprises Sunnyvale 408 737-6100 Various Parts

Bavarian Motorsport Milpitas 408 956-1662 10% Parts

Bavarian Professionals Berkeley 510 524-6000 10% Labor

Berkeley Motor Works El Cerrito 510 528-1214 5% Parts/Svc

Bimmers BMW Service San Carlos 650 591-2474 Various

Burrel School Winery Los Gatos www.burrellschool.com 10% on Wine (thru 9/30/07)

Catalpa Street Garage Santa Cruz 831 464-2269 10% Parts

Classic Euro-Asian Oroville 530 534-6887 10% Parts

Conversion Techniques Oakland 510 639-0911 Various

Dinan Engineering Mountain View 650 962-9401 10% Labor

Dinan Engineering Morgan Hill 408 779-8584 10% Labor

Double 02 Salvage Hayward 510 782-2002 10% Used Parts

Edge Motorworks Dublin 925 479-0797 10% off Labor

evosport www.evosport.com 888 520-9971 10% Parts, $1000svc=free dyno

Extreme Performance San Jose 408 923-6404 10% Parts/Labor

German Auto Santa Maria 805 922-1262 10% Parts

GS Tuning Santa Rosa 707 284-2680 10% Sales/Service

Heynnemann European San Rafael 415 400-1234 $50 off Service

Jam Engineering Monterey 831 372-1787 Various Parts

John Gardiner Automotive San Francisco 415 777-2697 10% Labor

Nate Smith’s Optimal Auto Santa Cruz 831 476-1332 10% Parts

Patelco Credit Union www.patelco.org 415 442-6200 Special Offer

Phaedrus San Francisco 415 567-8000 10% Parts

Portola Valley Garage Portola Valley 650 851-7442 10% Labor

RennWerks Campbell 408 370-7480 20% Labor

Rossi’s Tire & Auto Svc Salinas 831 424-0011 Various

SAS German Auto Pleasanton 925 846-4886 10% Parts

Schulba BMW Service Belmont 650 592-7352 10% parts orders

Sound Innovations Hayward 510 471-9062 10% Parts

Valley Motorwerks Rancho Cordova 916 636-9526 10% Parts/Labor

West Bay Bavarian San Rafael 415 457-0820 10% Parts/Labor/Dinan work

Dealership Discounts

BMW of Fremont Fremont 510 360-5900 10% Parts/Labor

BMW of Mountain View Mountain View 650 943-1000 10% Parts

BMW of San Francisco San Francisco 415 863-9000 10% Parts

East Bay BMW Pleasanton 925 463-2555 10% Parts

MY BMW Seaside 831 899-5555 10% Parts

Peter Pan BMW San Mateo 650 349-9077 10% Parts

Roseville BMW Roseville 916 782-9434 10% Parts

Sonnen BMW San Rafael 415 482-2000 10% Parts

Stevens Creek BMW Santa Clara 408 249-9070 Various/20% Parts/Labor

Weatherford BMW Berkeley 510 654-8280 Various

revolution in home and office appliances was born.The ecopod is the world’s first home recycling center with valu-

able functionality and outstanding design in mind for everyday use in the home and office.

This is aimed at people who don’t have the space (or aesthetic) for bulky bins, the sleek ecopod offers a clean, ultra-compact recy-cling system. Simply insert a can or plastic bottle into the top and step on the pedal. Your flattened recyclable drops into a removable pod that holds up to 60 crushed containers. Two top-lid portable pods store other recyclables such as newspapers, glass, or plastic bags. Award-winning design features brushed stainless steel and plastic. www.ecopod.org

F1 Returns To Der Nürburgring-Nordschleife…Well, Sorta… On April 28, BMW Motorsport held a special event at the Ring and brought out several race cars including an M3 GTR and and one of last years F1 cars. BMW-Sauber driver Nick Heidfeld did three laps in the F1.06 which was stock aside from having the ground clearance maximized to survive the bumpy surface of the old course. He managed a best lap of 8:34 and a top speed of 275 km/h on the long straight. (He had to slow down on some sections for photo calls. ~bv) “I’ll never forget today as long as I live.” Said Heidfeld. F1 Live via autoblog.com

Lost And Found Dept.…You may recall last year David Beck-ham’s intimate experiences with Grand Theft Auto. His armor-plated BMW X5 was boosted from a shopping mall parking garage in Ma-drid, Spain despite the high-tech anti-theft security system onboard that the criminals may have used a laptop PC to bypass. Nearly one year later, the stolen X5 may have been found, though not up on cinder blocks in a dark alley. No, it appears that Beckham’s Bimmer found its way into the hands of a Macedonian government official, Interior Minister Gordana Jankulovska.

Snaps of Jankulovska entering a BMW X5 thought to be Beckham’s were published in Macedonian newspapers. Macedonian police claim that before it reached their homeland, the SAV had changed hands some twenty times in Spain, before it was shipped to Greece and then driven to Macedonia. Once there, it was seized in the raid of a people-smuggling ring and placed in government custody. After no one claimed it, the government of Macedonia took the keys and it wound up with Jankulovska. The Interior Minister, who obviously counts her-self a member of the Beckham Nation, stated, “If Beckham asks for the vehicle back, then I will hand him the keys myself.” Classy way to get an autograph, Madam Interior Minister. The Sun via autoblog.com

Potential Of BMW’s Efficient Dynamics Program… Green engine technology that can improve fuel economy and carbon dioxide emissions by over fifteen percent is coming to Britain’s favorite sports saloon, the BMW 3 Series, this autumn.

All the four-cylinder diesel and petrol engines sold by BMW are due to be fitted with BMW’s Efficient Dynamics technology, a suite of engine add-ons and equipment upgrades that some car-makers refer to as “mild hybrids.”

The important feature is that these technologies further improve the internal-combustion engine without the drawbacks suffered by other green technologies.

Four of the Efficient Dynamics technologies—an integrated starter motor/alternator, computerized alternator control, auto stop/start, and electronic power steering—have had stunning effects on BMW’s 1.8-liter diesel, just launched in the new 118d.

The most fuel-efficient BMW-ever makes seventeen percent more power (143 bhp) than the old 1.8d, but with combined fuel economy improved to an astonishing 60 mpg from 50 mpg (Imperial gallons. ~bv), while CO2 drops to a near-hybrid level of 123 g/km.

That’s better than many petrol-engined super minis and not far behind those with diesel engines. This technology is also available on the 2.0d, the key engine in the 3 Series range.

If the fifteen percent cut in CO2 and sixteen percent reduction in fuel economy in the 1 Series are carried over to the 320d, it will rate 57 mpg in the combined cycle (up from 50 mpg) and just 132 g/km of CO2. autocar

FROM: Wynne Smith, Executive DirectorDATE: April 24, 2007

Oktoberfest 2007: Calling all E30 M3s! Oktoberfest 2007 will celebrate one of the finest BMWs ever built. Join us in Fort Worth, Texas September 30 – October 6th for a week-long festival of E30 M3 mania. There is a slew of goodies to be given to every registrant who drives an E30 M3 to Oktoberfest.

Our very special guest from BMW will be Steve Soper! Soper ran in the German Touring Car Championship in 1988 with BMW during the reign of the E30 M3, and stayed with them for the next eleven years. Soper will be with us most of the week.

Watch www.bmwcca.org for updates—and register today!BMW CCA Membership Drive : We’ve had 599 members refer 888 new members to the club since the Membership Drive began. Good news: our numbers are still going in the right direction, even though the actual net gain this month was three members.

Need apps? Send an email to [email protected]. Have questions? Want an electronic version of the rules? Email me at [email protected].

Our renewal rate dipped again this month. The ongoing mem-ber satisfaction survey can be viewed by visiting www.survey-monkey.com/Report.asp?U=257778731205

Chapter Congress April 20 – 22, 2007: Over 160 participants enjoyed a sunny weekend in Valley Forge, Pennsylvania. 54 of the club’s chapters were represented, many by all three designated representatives—presidents, treasurers, and membership chairs. Feedback about the event can be viewed at www.surveymonkey.com/Report.asp?U=370133651321

Materials are available by emailing [email protected]. We will be launching the online Chapter Toolbox within the next few weeks—which will contain all of the materials provided at the Chapter Congress along with some extras.

Special thanks goes to Darlene Doran of the Rocky Mountain Chapter for her outstanding presentation; Steven Schlossman of the National Capital Chapter (soon to be of the Sandlapper Chapter) for taking time away from packing to present; John Sullivan for his insight to the Dealer/Drive Program and Susan G. Komen Drive for the Cure; Louis Goldsman and Tamara Hull for their presentations in the treasurers’ meeting; and the BMW CCA board of directors for supporting this outstanding event.

Two National Office Personnel Changes: Gavin Hoffman has decided to end his employment with the Club. The news of his de-cision to leave surprised us all and he will be missed, but we realize that exciting opportunities and challenges await him. Gavin will continue with us long enough to help to tie up loose ends and will work with Bill Howard and me on finding his replacement.

It is with personal regret, but warm wishes, that I announce the departure of Brenda Sarvis, who is off to greener professional pastures. We are indebted to her vision and commitment to mak-ing each national event the best it could be.

If you have questions regarding Oktoberfest, please email them to either me or [email protected]. Tricia will be filling in for Brenda until a new national events manager is hired. I know you will all help to support the club during this time of transition.

News From NationalBimmerphile - continued from page 11


Board MembersGGC BoarD [email protected]

PrESIDEnt Mike Mills 510 537-8960 [email protected]

VICE PrESIDEnt Jonathan Bensen [email protected]

SECrEtary Chris Webber [email protected]

trEaSurEr Tamara Hull [email protected]

MEMBErShIP ChaIr Jeff Cowan 650 322-4938 x2 [email protected]

MEMBErS-at-LarGE Mark Dadgar [email protected] Kelly Collins [email protected]

Event StaffChIEf DrIVInG InStruCtorS Billy Maher 707 546-5572

Bruce Nesbit 415 461-1811 [email protected]

ChIEf StEwarD Peter Guagenti [email protected]

traCk SChooL ProjECt ManaGEr Bruce Nesbit 415 461-1811 (9am-8pm) [email protected]

DrIVInG EVEntS CoorDInator Mark Dadgar [email protected]

ChIEf SCrutInEEr Ramon Le Francois 408 956-1662

Car ControL CLInIC CoorDInator Bob Goebel / Grant Low [email protected]

autoCroSS CoorDInator Kris Linquist / Matt Visser [email protected]

autoCroSS Car CLaSSIfICatIonS Rodger Ball [email protected] 415 566-1239

tEChnICaL SESSIon CoorDInator Grant Low [email protected]

CLuB raCInG Steve Walsh [email protected] www.bmwccaclubracing.com

BMw fEStorICS CoorDInatorS David Crum / Percy Chow [email protected]

SoCIaL EVEntS DIrECtor Open [email protected]

CharIty EVEntS CoorDInator Joe Fant [email protected]

26 ombeBdie flüsterndeJune 2007

Golden Gate Chapter, BMW CCA, Inc. is a non-profit California corporation, it is a chapter of the BMW Car Club of America, and is not connected with Bayerische Motoren Werke AG or BMW of North America. Die Flüsternde Bombe is a publication of the Golden Gate Chapter, all ideas, opinions, and suggestions expressed in regard to technical or other matters are solely those of the authors, and no authentication, endorsement, or guarantee is expressed or implied. Golden Gate Chapter BMW CCA, Inc. assumes no liability for any of the information contained herein. No fac-tory approval is implied unless so indicated. Modi-fication of your BMW within the warranty period may void the warranty, and some modifications may violate federal or state laws or regulations. All contents remain the property of the chapter, but BMW CCA and BMW ACA chapters may quote or copy from the publication, provided full credit is given to the author and the Golden Gate Chapter, unless otherwise noted or specifically prohibited.

Chapter Mailing Address: Golden Gate Chapter BMW CCA909 Marina Village Parkway, PMB #189Alameda, CA 94501

The BMW Car Club of America, lnc. is a not-for-profit national association of over 70,000 members, dedicated to the enjoyment of driving BMWs. Membership is not limited to BMW own-ers and aimes to provide access to driving and social events, maintenance and technical informa-tion, parts discounts, and more. Dues are $40 per year, with an associate member added for $5 more. Members receive the monthly Roundel magazine and a newsletter from their local chap-ter, or from a chapter of their choice. The Golden Gate Chapter is one of the largest chapters in the BMW CCA with over 4,500 members.

For a new membership or to renew an existing one, please call toll free 1800 878-9292 or visit www.bmwcca.org. Visa and Mastercard accepted.

BMW CCA mailing address:640 South Main St., Suite 201Greenville, SC 29601 Phone: 864 250-0022Fax: 864 250-0038www.bmwcca.org

BMW CCA

GGC, BMW CCA Chapter Contacts

Membership address corrections are only accepted at the BMW CCA na-tional office. Changes must be made at www.bmwcca.org or in writing via email, fax, or USPS.

Member Updates

By joining the BMW Car Club of America (BMW CCA), you provided personal information that allows us to contact you. BMW CCA provides this information to the Golden Gate Chapter of the BMW Car Club of America (GGC BMW CCA) for the following purposes:

To send the GGC magazine (• Die Flüsternde Bombe) by U.S. Mail.To help us create content and events most • relevant to you. To alert you to updated information and • other new services from ggcbmwcca.org using an email announcement list.

GGC BMW CCA does not distribute personal information to any third parties. The information you provide to BMW CCA to be used by the GGC will not be used for any other purpose—we promise.

Privacy Statement

Chapter Magazine teamEDItor-In-ChIEf Kelly Kirkland 650 400-9300 [email protected]

aSSIGnMEntS EDItor Open

aSSIStant EDItor/CoPy EDItor Patrick R. Demorais [email protected]

BIMMErPhILE EDItor Bob Vitkus [email protected]

aDVErtISInG ManaGEr Percy Chow 925 323-4844 Cell 925 215-3547 Office [email protected]

aD BILLInG ManaGEr Tamara Hull [email protected]

rEGuLar ContrIButorS Jonathan Bush, Jeff Cowan,Mark Dadgar, Kris Linquist, and Donovan R. Unks

PrIntInG Commerce Printing (Please don’t call with membership questions.)

rEquEStS for rEPLaCEMEnt or Extra CoPIES of the GGC newsletter should be directed to the Membership Chair.

Communications teamCoMMunICatIonS ManaGEr Kelly Collins [email protected]

wEBMaStEr Brian Ghidinelli [email protected]

GraPhIC DESIGn Percy Chow www.percydesign.com

area representativesnorth Bay Donna Seeley [email protected] 707 938-3525

San franCISCo Ken Glidewell [email protected] 415 345-3128

EaSt Bay Percy Chow [email protected] 925 323-4844

PEnInSuLa Kyle Breton [email protected] 650 380-7116

South Bay Kris Linquist [email protected] 408 392-0890

MontErEy Bay arEa Ken Whitson [email protected] 831 625-5133

San LuIS oBISPo arEa Rob Torres Jr. [email protected] 805 541-2002

BMw CCa Pacific region V.P.StEVE johnSon 858 451-8906 [email protected]


How would YOU like to be in the glamorous, exciting world of automotive journalism?!

... or at least the glamorous, exciting world of chapter newsletters?

Kris Linquist - www.linquist.net

28 ombeBdie flüsterndeJune 2007

Thunderhill GGC Driving School August 25 & 26, 2007

Important Event Details:

• A and B groups feature new advanced passing rules!

• $399 for BMW CCA members, $439 for non-members (includes a 1-year BMW CCA membership)

• Optional $25 dinner ticket for the Saturday night BBQ banquet

• Online application and payment due by 8/19/07

• Cancellations assessed a $50 fee before 8/6/07

• No refunds issued after 8/6/07

Track Location

Thunderhill Raceway is located 7 miles west of I-5 on Highway 162 in lovely Willows, CA.

More Information and How To Register

Information about this school, including complete event documentation and registration information, is available on the Golden Gate Chapter web site at:

! ! http://www.ggcbmwcca.org

We look forward to seeing you at Thunderhill!

WWW.GGCBMWCCA.ORG

Ready To Drive?Join the Golden Gate Chapter

of the BMW Car Club of

America for its summer driv-

ing school at Thunderhill

Raceway in Willows, CA.

Thunderhill is a beautiful and

challenging race track in Cali-

forniaÕ s Central Valley, mak-

ing it a great place to learn

the art of high performance

driving from the dedicated

team of experienced GGC

instructors.

If you are an ad-

vanced (A or B

group) student,

youÕ ll enjoy our

new, more lib-

eral passing

rules at this event!

Please visit the GGC web site

for all of the information youÕ ll

need to apply and prepare for

this school.

We look forward to seeing you

at Thunderhill!

! Bruce Nesbit & Bi"y Maher

forniaÕ s Central Valley, mak-

ing it a great place to learn

the art of high performance

driving from the dedicated

team of experienced GGC

HPDS at Thunderhill

CPS_Addy Ad.indd 1 4/17/07 10:16:54 AM

Golden Gate ChapterBMW Car Club of America909 Marina Village Parkway, #189Alameda, CA 94501www.ggcbmwcca.org

Presort Standard US Postage

PAID Sacramento, CA

Permit 185

HAVE YOU MOVED? Please send address changes directly to the BMW CCA National Office at:BMW CCA, Inc., 640 South Main St. , Ste. 201, Greenville, SC 29601, or to: [email protected],

or go to: www.bmwcca.org to sign in to your account and update your membership record.

Want to join the club? Call 800 878-9292 or go to www.bmwcca.org and sign up for only $40.

POSTMASTER PLEASE NOTE: MATERIAL IS DATED, Thanks.

w w w . s c b m w . c o m

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Come Visit And See OurCommitment For The Future Today!

BMW Club Members Receive 20% Discount OnParts & Labor. Just Ask For Scott Fuller,

Service Manager, And Show Your Club Membership Card.

Stevens Creek BMW is anauthorized DINAN BMW

Performance Center

ombe die flüsternde · Yes, the Portola Valley Garage is now a Dinan Authorized BMW-Mini Performance Center—but knowledgeable clients are probably more impressed with our history

Documents