Warehouse of dreams: Visiting BMW Group Classic

If you’ve been following our story since Wheels & Weisswürscht, I have to confess, that wasn’t the only reason we stopped by BMW Group Classic. Because now, we’re about to step inside its legendary halls and come face-to-face with rows upon rows of machines few ever get to see. One-off prototypes, limited-edition builds, historic race cars, they’re all here.

For me, this was a truly special moment. After years of visiting Munich and never getting the chance to go inside, it was finally happening, and I couldn’t wait to take it all in.

Now, the halls of BMW Group Classic aren’t exactly closed to the public, but getting in isn’t as simple as walking through the door. Unless you’re visiting with a group of friends, it can be quite an expensive experience, as entry is only possible through a pre-booked group tour.

The group tour begins in the workshop, a living, breathing space where a myriad of cars are constantly being worked on. Some belong to customers, while others are prized pieces from BMW’s own collection. And with the new Neue Klasse having been unveiled just the day before, it only made sense to bring out the original NK for everyone to admire once again.

With the brief introduction of Group Classic done, it was time to head into the main hall.

I’m not sure I can fully describe how excited I was. With only a limited amount of time inside, I found myself darting up and down the aisles as fast as my forty-something-year-old legs would allow. Let’s begin…

I’m pretty sure this particular E46 needs no introduction to most of us. The E46 M3 GTR “Strassenversion”. Built to homologate BMW’s entry into the American Le Mans Series in the early 2000s, this was BMW’s no-compromise answer to Porsche’s racing supremacy. Under the hood sat a purpose-built 4.0-litre V8 engine, a far cry from the already screaming straight-six found in the regular M3, and wrapped around it was a lightweight, wide-bodied shell that screamed motorsport (and not too long later, video game and pop culture) pedigree.

Only ten pre-production development cars were ever built, and of those, just three were fully finished, production-ready display cars. Unfortunately, when the American Le Mans Series changed its homologation rules at the end of the 2001 season, the E46 M3 GTR Strassenversion project was abruptly halted. The seven development prototypes were subsequently destroyed, leaving only the three display cars in existence, all of which remain under BMW’s careful stewardship today.

Another car I was especially thrilled to see was this, the BMW 2K2. At first glance, you might assume it was simply the concept that paved the way for the 1 Series, and you wouldn’t be entirely wrong. But there’s actually a lot more to its story.

As the year 2002 approached in the late ’90s, BMW designers set out to create a modern equivalent of the iconic 1960s 2002, and thus the 2K2 was born. Designed as a two-door, three-box coupe, it was based on a pared-down, composite-bodied version of the still-under-development E46 chassis. The goal was a lightweight, 1,000 kg, fun-to-drive machine. And this silver prototype certainly delivered: even with a modest 4-cylinder engine, testing showed it could outgun a 330d all the way up to 180 km/h.

Unfortunately for this plucky little coupe, BMW’s then-ownership of Rover shifted priorities. Development funds were pulled to support a mass-market Rover entry-level hatchback, a car that, ironically, never saw the light of day either, as BMW eventually sold Rover without releasing a single vehicle. Many years later, the spirit and design cues of the 2K2 would finally make their way into production, shaping the E8x generation of the BMW 1 Series.

Sitting alongside the 2K2 was an almost equally curious E36, the E36 Karmann K2. Commissioned by BMW and built by the legendary German coachbuilder Karmann, the K2 is a wild experiment in versatility: a pillarless coupe, a Targa-style droptop, and even a flatbed pickup, all rolled into a single car. Absolutely wild.

And I think “wild” is the perfect word to describe each of these three BMWs, all equipped with outrageously glorious power plants. The M-tuned V12 in the legendary X5 LeMans, an equally insane V12 tucked into a Z3, and the monstrous V16 in the E32 7-Series Goldfisch, each one a masterpiece of engineering audacity!

But when it comes to sheer audacity, nothing quite tops this: the mighty McLaren F1. I was floored.

The last time I laid my eyes on one of these, I was 11 or 12! Which was certainly how it made me feel once again. What a machine.

And of course, right next to the mighty F1 is BMW M’s latest limited edition beauty, the very rare and very exclusive 3.0CSL, built to celebrate M’s 50th anniversary and limited to only (you guessed it), 50 units.

For those wondering, there were plenty of iconic Motorsports cars as well.

Where does one start?

From classic specials to very recently retired racers, they were all here.

If your taste in M machinery leans more toward street than track, there was no shortage of cars to sate your appetite.

Underneath this very beautiful Frua bodywork, lies the humble underpinnings of a 2002tii. I wish I had one.

This Alpina spec Z8 was equally gorgeous. I do love that decal on the side too, perhaps I should remake it for my 2002.

There were also a couple of Minis stashed away and this Superleggera Concept was stunning. Pictures don’t quite show how well proportioned it is and I wish they built it.

I’m sure this Mini needs no introduction for many of us, but this particular unit isn’t just a replica, it’s one of the actual cars used in filming. If you look closely, you can spot the driver’s seat and steering wheel positioned below the beltline, just where a real driver sat during its iconic scene.

This Mk1 was really pretty and immaculate!

Even an Art car was sitting here all quiet and pretty.

Hopefully, I’ve given you a taste of what awaits inside Group Classic’s halls. But with the cars constantly rotating, moving in and out of the museum and traveling on tours around the world, there’s a very good chance you’ll discover many other treasures if you ever get the chance to visit.

For me, though, as the tour wrapped up and I took one last look around, it was time to head out, albeit with one more BMW otaku bucket-list item officially checked off.

Until next time! Hopefully not too many years later.