Page 18 - AAA Magazine – AAA Ohio Auto Club – November 2018

Heroes of Bavaria BFeatured at America’s Car Museum
By Scot M. Keller
honor of Bill Auberlen, the winningest driver in BMW history with 400 race victories.
and rally victories before World War II. Automobile historian Rainer Simons wrote of the 328: “The BMW 328 is legendary. It is acknowledged by car enthusiasts the world over as having a special pedigree, presence and uniqueness. It is definitely among the most attractive, successful and influential sports cars ever built.”
In 1999 the BMW 328 was named one of 25 finalists for car of the century by a worldwide panel of leading automotive journalists. And the Heroes of Bavaria exhibit has a brilliant example on display.
Following its recovery from the devastation of World War II and a financial crisis in the 1950s, BMW developed the Neue Klasse (New Class) cars that delivered a new level of handling and sportiness that foreshadowed what would become known as the Ultimate Driving Machine.
avarian Motor Works’ reputation for engineering
excellence dates to the inception of the company
in 1916. Underpinning that notion has been the “Bill Power” M6 GTLM named in
company’s serious investment and ultimate success in motorsports.
The Munich manufacturer persevered over the past 100 years, including the Second World War’s devastation and its survival during a deep financial crisis of the 1950s. At each turn, the company tackled challenges, met adversity and built on its core technical strength.
It is this story that America’s Car Museum tells in the new exhibit “Heroes of Bavaria – 75 Years of BMW Motorsports.” Interpreted from the hugely popular exhibit created by the BMW Car Club of America Foundation Museum in South Carolina, Heroes of Bavaria at America’s Car Museum is presenting 18 superb race cars spanning the past 75 years.
The world’s fascination with BMW motorcar racing began in earnest in 1936 when Ernst Henne piloted a BMW 328 prototype in its premiere competition outing at the Eifelrennen race (1922-2003) on the famed Nürburgring in Germany’s Eifel Mountain region.
Considered by racing enthusiasts as the M3 of its day, the 328 went on to hundreds of road racing
16 | AAA MAGAZINE
Another standout “hero” ... is the