M TOWN @ BMW WELT.

BMW M Magazine: To mark BMW M's 50th anniversary, BMW Welt is getting a flatmate. From September 30 to October 16, 2022, M Town will move in and redecorate. BMW Welt will shine in the colors of the most powerful letter in the world. “M Town @ BMW Welt” will be the new name on the doorbell during this time. Can you briefly outline what visitors can expect?

Tatjana Bister: Visitors can expect a lot of power, motor sports and of course the latest BMW M models. And, as stated on the door, the BMW Welt will be decorated in BMW M colors and it will sport a whole new design.

BMW M is not a quiet flatmate. On the weekends, the brand really lets it rip. Not with loud parties, of course, but with special program items. What kind of events can we expect?

Tatjana Bister: On the first weekend, from Saturday, October 1, to Monday, October 3, visitors can expect an xDrive course where everyone can experience the M xDrive models for themselves. What’s more, the entire MotoGP safety car fleet will be there. On October 8 and 9, the BMW SIM Racing Trailer will be there. Here, you can test your racetrack feeling and the winner of each hour can expect a cab ride with the Red Bull Driftbrothers! On the third and, unfortunately, last weekend of the takeover of our beloved flatmate, the BMW M Motorsport teams will be waiting for visitors with their trucks and vehicles.

First, M GmbH is moving in with a whole fleet of M models. What highlights can visitors look forward to?

Timo Resch: Almost the entire range of our high-performance cars will be on display at BMW Welt. In fact, even the BMW M3 Touring and the BMW M4 CSL will be there, and both were only presented a few weeks ago. So visitors can also see our latest models too. Of course, our electrified models are also not to be missed: Visitors can look forward to seeing the BMW i4 M50, the BMW iX M60 and the BMW M760e. Not to forget our motorsport highlights. With the BMW M Hybrid V8, we are returning to prototype racing and to the start of iconic races such as the 24 Hours of Le Mans. And with the new BMW M4 GT3, we have just unveiled a new race car for the BMW M Motorsport teams in DTM, NLS and IMSA. Both are on site. We also have two world premieres during the friendly takeover - these models will then, of course, also be on display at BMW Welt.

So, at the friendly takeover, BMW M is really making its presence felt at BMW Welt. Along with the current models, the brand also has exciting treasures in store with exclusive prototypes from the secret garage of BMW M. Is it true that this is the last opportunity to see the vehicles before BMW Welt throws M Town out again?

Timo Resch: M Town @ BMW Welt offers - after the BMW M exhibition in the BMW Museum - the last chance to see these special prototypes, which have rarely been seen before, live. But that's really it, because after their appearance at BMW Welt, the prototypes will go back into our secret treasure trove. It's unlikely that we'll be bringing them back into the light of day in the near future.

Visually, BMW M really turns BMW Welt upside down during this time and will decorate everything in the brand's favorite colors – the M colors. Special attention will also be paid to the little details like floor mats at the entrance in the M colors. What is your favorite little detail?

Timo Resch: The attention to detail can indeed be felt by everyone involved. In addition to the aforementioned floor mats, I find another detail particularly beautiful: the M stripes on the bridge between the BMW Museum and BMW Welt, which connects the two buildings in a visual way. But these lines don't just connect them visually, but also symbolically, because there is a permanent exhibition with BMW M in the BMW Museum, which means that a visit to M Town makes total sense.

Tatjana Bister: I agree with Timo, the details can be felt with every step into the BMW Welt and the BMW Museum. My personal highlight is the M Town sign in front of the door.

You can already tell that moving M Town and his entire household into BMW Welt was a big project that required a lot of careful planning. How long did the organization take and what challenges were there?

Timo Resch: That's right, it took us about half a year to get M Town @ BMW Welt up and running. As before, the pandemic kept us busy during the planning. We were faced with the task of assessing possible restrictions, while still being able to present our 50-year history in a big and appealing way. Apart from that, however, everything actually went quite smoothly.

Tatjana Bister: It's great to see our different teams working together to deliver a project that will give visitors a unique experience for the 50th anniversary of BMW M GmbH.

BMW M comes to BMW Welt with its own luggage and will celebrate its birthday over several weeks, which is already an extraordinary event. Who had the idea for this "friendly takeover" of BMW Welt?

Timo Resch: BMW M GmbH approached BMW Welt with this idea. Our colleagues were enthusiastic about it right away and actively supported us in the implementation.

Tatjana Bister: We are honored to bring M Town to life for our visitors and fans at BMW Welt for three weeks.

M Town is bringing a new and exciting element to BMW Welt, it sounds like a birthday party that will go down in history. What is your personal highlight?

Timo Resch: There are many, but I'm especially excited that visitors can get involved too. We have two offers that are aimed specifically at families – they can use an app to go on a kind of scavenger hunt through BMW Welt, and they can have an interactive tour of both BMW Welt and the Campus workshop. Participants can learn how to become real motorsportsportsman, check out safety equipment and train their reaction times. Not to mention our course on the first weekend, where thex can experience our models with xDrive. All in all, I think it's great that we can offer a wide variety of events on the weekends and that the Red Bull Driftbrothers, and the M Motorsport teams can be there, among others. And as part of BMW M, I am, of course, particularly excited that the entire BMW Welt will be decorated in the M colors. That has never happened before.

Tatjana Bister: There are many highlights, which makes the decision to choose just one really hard. One of them is definitely seeing BMW Welt in a completely new look and having almost the entire BMW M GmbH fleet with us. The weekends are, of course, a special highlight for our visitors and us, and will bring lots of action that visitors can take part in. On the second weekend, the dream of taking a cab ride with the Red Bull Driftbrothers will come true for our visitors with the BMW SIM Racing Trailer which offers this exclusive prize to the winners of the fastest lap on an hourly basis. Whether its the fastest lap or the fastest time down the slide, fun and excitement are guaranteed.

The Friendly Takeover M TOWN @ BMW WELT will take place from September 30 to October 16, 2022. Admission to BMW Welt is free of charge. Here’s the action-packed weekend program at a glance:

1 - 3 October 2022

BMW M xDrive course & exhibition of the BMW MotoGP Safety Car fleet.

8 and 9 October 2022

Red Bull Driftbrothers & SIM Racing

DTM live broadcast from Hockenheim

15 and 16 October 2022

BMW Motorsport Driver Camp with autograph sessions (2 to 4 p.m.)

BMW Welt slide: every Saturday, Sunday and public holiday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

BMW M3 Competition Sedan with M xDrive: Fuel consumption in l/100 km (combined): 10.1-10.0 (WLTP); CO2 emissions in g/km (combined): 230-228 (WLTP)

BMW M4 Competition Coupé: Fuel consumption in l/100 km (combined): 9.8 (WLTP); CO2 emissions in g/km (combined): 224-223 (WLTP)

BMW X3 M Competition: Fuel consumption in l/100 km (combined): 11.0-10.6 (WLTP); CO2 emissions in g/km (combined): 251-241 (WLTP)

BMW M850i xDrive Gran Coupé: Fuel consumption in l/100 km (combined): 11.0-10.7 (WLTP); CO2 emissions in g/km (combined): 251-243 (WLTP)

BMW M8 Coupé: Fuel consumption in l/100 km (combined): 11.4-11.0 (WLTP);CO2 emissions in g/km (combined): 260-251 (WLTP)