Join The M 50th Anniversary Celebration @ BMW Performance Center (New M2 on Display!)

Updated with press release announcement October 6, 2022

BMW Performance Center and Ultimate Driving Museum Present The M Anniversary Celebration

• VIP reception at the BMW Zentrum and panel discussion with BMW racing legends
• Driving events on a closed course with pro instructors
• Special M Celebration display at the Ultimate Driving Museum
• Meet IMSA champion and BMW Motorsports icon Bill Auberlen
• All-new BMW M2 and first-ever BMW XM on public display for the first time

Spartanburg, SC – October 6, 2022…BMW’s celebration of 50 Years of BMW M comes home to Spartanburg, South Carolina, with The M Anniversary Celebration: three days of very special events at the BMW Zentrum, The Ultimate Driving Museum, and the BMW Performance Center. Exhibits and displays celebrating five decades of BMW M, M track driving experiences with professional instruction, charity rides in historic BMW M race cars, and BMW celebrity guests and speakers are lined up to make the weekend something to remember when the tire smoke clears.

Friday, October 14: The Ultimate Driving Museum and BMW Zentrum.
The weekend kicks off Friday, October 14, at the BMW CCA Foundation – home of The Ultimate Driving Museum. From 9:00 AM to 3:00 PM ticket holders receive admission to the museum’s “The Power of M: Celebrating 50 Years” exhibit featuring over 25 vehicles spanning the history of BMW M including the 1972 3.0 CSL Batmobile, the mythical 2012 M3 CRT, and the 2018 M8 GTE race car. While there, visitors can pre-purchase Jackie Jouret’s soft-cover exhibit book and have it signed by the author from 11:00-11:30 AM and 1:00-1:30 PM.

Guests will check-in at the museum and collect a registration badge that will gain them access to an evening event featuring cocktails and appetizers at the BMW Zentrum from 6:00-9:00 PM. The event will honor Jochen Neerpasch, BMW’s first Director of Motorsport and the creator of BMW M who, sadly, is unable to attend. Head of BMW Product Communications Tom Plucinsky will moderate a discussion with Eddie Cheever, star of Neerpasch’s first BMW Junior Team driver development program, and IMSA legend Bill Auberlen. Door prizes include a set of tires from Continental, driving experiences at the BMW Performance Center, and memorabilia signed by Eddie Cheever and Bill Auberlen.

Tickets for the VIP Reception cost $195 per person. Information and registration available here.

Saturday, October 15: The BMW Performance Center
The history of BMW M roars to life on Saturday, October 15, when the BMW Performance Center opens its doors for a full day of track experiences and displays. Guests will get behind the wheel of BMW M’s latest products for some track time with instruction by the Performance Center’s pro drivers. Two 2-hour sessions will be offered from 8:00 AM – 12:00 PM. Rare and distinctive street and race cars spanning five decades of BMW Motorsport will be on display throughout the day, and visitors can even purchase a spot in the passenger’s seat of a classic BMW M race car for the ride of a lifetime, with the proceeds benefitting the BMW CCA Foundation.

The all-new 2023 BMW M2 and the first-ever BMW XM will break cover at the BMW Performance Center during the day, marking the first time fans in the US can see and hear the two newest vehicles from BMW M in the light of day.

A Bavarian Mittagessen (lunch!) of brats, pretzels, and beer will be available for purchase from 12:00-2:00 PM. Bill Auberlen and other BMW celebrities will be there for questions, conversation, and photo ops. The Ultimate Driving Museum will be open from 2:00-5:00 PM, where Bill will be among the featured guest speakers.

Tickets for the driving event are $135 per person and include the afternoon activities, or $35 for the afternoon events alone. Tickets and more information are available here.

Sunday, October 16: Cars and Coffee with the BMW M Chapter
The weekend winds up at the BMW CCA headquarters with a Cars and Coffee car show hosted by the BMW M Chapter. The show is expected to attract dozens of new and classic M vehicles, plus a few very special vehicles from BMWUSA Classic Collection. Also, for those who missed them on Saturday, the all-new 2023 BMW M2 and the first-ever BMW XM will also be on display in the BMW CCA headquarters garage.

The Cars and Coffee will run from 8:00-11:00 AM. Starting at noon, the M Chapter will host an exclusive drive along some of South Carolina’s best backroads.

Guests wishing to go on the drive must register here. Admission to the Cars and Coffee is free.

Original Post September 9, 2022

Join us to celebrate the 50th Anniversary of M!

Many of you know I am the BMW CCA M Chapter President, I would like to invite everyone to an amazing weekend that will be full of great activities celebrating the 50th Anniversary of BMW M. The main event will be by our partners from the BMW Performance Center.

Event details here: https://bimmerlife.com/2022/09/07/yo…ry-celebration

Join an amazing weekend full of activities in Celebration of 50 Years of M.

M Chapter President will be leading a Caravan from Florida to SC on Thursday October 13th. If you’ll be traveling from Florida or along that route be sure to check our M Chapter Caravan.

Register for the Caravan here: http://msreg.com/MChapterCaravan50thAnniversaryM

Friday October 14th: Foundation Event

The BMW CCA Foundation, home of The Ultimate Driving Museum invites you to join us for an evening honoring the Legacy of M created by Jochen Neerpasch, the first Director of M Motorsport, and Eddie Cheever, star of Neerpasch’s revolutionary BMW Junior Team campaign. Wheelman Bill Auberlen will also join, with the evening’s event moderated by Tom Plucinski, VP of BMW Product Communications. Hear stories on how the M brand was developed, brought to market, and the challenges they faced as well as the incredible cars that came from their dreams. Pre-purchase a soft cover exhibit book, “The Power of M: Celebrating 50 Years” by Jackie Jouret with your ticket to get it signed by Jackie Jouret. Limited edition, pre-signed copies of the hard cover book are available at the Gift Shop.

For Foundation event tickets: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/m-anniv…s-400824355437

Saturday October 15th: Performance Center Event

Join us for a celebration of M Power. You can experience the latest M models on our track with pro instructors guiding you through exhilarating exercises. We’ll have pro BMW driver Bill Auberlen in attendance, along with a rare opportunity to purchase rides in BMW Classic Race Cars. There will also be a collection of M vehicles and racecars on display, with vehicles doing exhibition laps on our track. Food trucks will be open for on-site purchase during our afternoon Festival. Space is limited, so be sure to book your seat quickly for what promises to be a very M-ventful day.

For BMW Performance event tickets: https://www.bmwperformancecenter.com…n=MAnniversary

Sunday October 16th: M Chapter Event

Cars and Coffee at BMW CCA Headquarters 8am-11am

Come join us at BMW CCA Headquarters for an M Chapter Cars and Coffee from 8am-11am. We will have many M cars on display including some surprises from BMW NA and the BMW Performance Center.

M Chapter – Carolinas Mountain Drive Event 12pm-4pm

After our Cars and Coffee we will have an M Chapter exclusive drive (registration required) through some amazing back roads from 12-4pm.

Register here for the M Chapter driving tour: http://msreg.com/MChapterMountainDrive