Published in Monterey Car Week (Bimmerfest)
By D. Brian Smith
Photography: D. Brian Smith
As you might have guessed by its name, Bimmerfest is an automotive enthusiast event that caters to the multitude of BMW fans across the United States, Canada and the World at Large via the cyberspace of the Internet. For 15 years now, West Coast Bimmerphiles and East Coast BMW owners and enthusiasts have celebrated their love of these Teutonic Wonders by attending or participating in the shows’ twice-annual celebration of all manner of BMW automobiles, both new and old. We say twice annual since a show is held in May at the famous Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California for all the West Coast BMW enthusiasts. There’s also an upcoming East Coast event in Aberdeen, MD on August 2nd.
Bimmerfest
The Classic Car Corral section of Bimmerfest was a huge hit among BMW fans both young and old. Within the Classic Car Corral was an amazing collection of some mightily nice vintage BMWs ranging from the early 1960s up through 1982, which represents a time in BMW’s history when the German car company was really starting to make an impact as an automotive company to be reckoned with around the globe. These are the years when BMW was really starting to build a great reputation and on its way to creating and living up to its tagline of The Ultimate Driving Machine.
Mind you, there weren’t just classic Bimmers at this year’s West Coast fest. There were no less than 2,000+ BMWs and Minis on display. Some were factory fresh 2014 models, brought by BMW North America, like the all-electric and 70-percent carbon fiber comprised 2015 BMW i3, the soon-to-be available 2015 hybrid BMW i8 supercar and the scintillating BMW M4. Other Bimmers were fresh from BMW in terms of being 2014 models, but also right out of the talented hands of the many BMW tuner shops, vendors and BMW aftermarket parts suppliers. In other words, some of these spanking new BMWs and Minis on exhibit had been hopped up and customized to the Nines, with turbos, aero kits and all manner of go-fast goodies professionally installed to make for some perfectly personalized high performance and otherworldly Ultimate Driving Machines never before seen by even the most erudite of a BMW enthusiast.
We kid you not. There was horsepower, torque, pristine paint jobs, suspension mods and lavish interior appointments all for the BMW lovers to see at Pasadena’s Rose Bowl.
What was so impressive about this year’s fest was the amount of Minis and BMWs in the Rose Bowl’s lawn covered parking area just adjacent to Bimmerfest. There were even more BMWs and Minis in the parking areas than there were in the actual show. We could have spent the entire day photographing the spectators’ automobiles. There were several that could be Battle of the Bimmers contenders had they participated in Bimmerfest.
While we were snapping photos of the fest, we became acquainted with Jackie Jouret and her adorable Rottweiler rescue. Jackie’s the longstanding editor of Bimmer magazine, which is published by Ross Periodicals up in one of beautiful Marin County California town’s called Novato.
Getting back to Bimmerfest, where there was a veritable abundance of customer and vendor modified and restored BMWs on exhibit, there’s nothing like a perfect Spring day in May at the Rose Bowl to bring out some of the most scrumptious Minis and BMWs on the West Coast. As with many a car show, it’s hard to select the best of the bunch. The show judges are to be commended for their selections.
The winners for Bimmerfest 2014 included:
Battle of the Bimmers sponsored by Nitto Tire –
Best of Show Overall
Joseph Liu, 2006 Mini Cooper S
Best Rising Star (Only owners 25 years old or younger are eligible.)
Charles Palella, 1996 BMW 328iC
Best Shop/Sponsor/Vendor Ride
Constantine Sotos, 2013 BMW M6
Best Stock
Jane Santos, 2008 BMW M3
Best Mini
Memo Santoyo, 2013 John Cooper Works
Classic Category Winners
First – Ron Perry 1979 520i/6
Second – Kevin Kolosvani 1972 E9 Cp 3.0CSi
Third – Mishel Keshashin 1989 E30 M3
Modified Category Winners
First – Patrick Estudillo, 2006 BMW M3
Second – Marco Svizzero, 2008 BMW 135i
Third – Norman Manchen, 1973 BMW 2002 tii
Furthest Driven
Rhode Island
Furthest Traveled
Japan
For a very long time the automobile company known as Bavarian Motoren Werke, what the initials BMW signify in German, has produced some of the best vehicles ever manufactured. Bimmerfest celebrates all those fans of the BMW and Mini brands that either take their BMWs several notches higher with customizing and performance mods or who bring their vintage Bimmers back to life with a full rotisserie restoration. If you’re a big fan of the BMW and Mini marques and you haven’t yet been to Bimmerfest West Coast or East Coast, you owe it to yourself to check it out in person. Until then, please enjoy our gallery of photos of some of the BMWs and Minis at Bimmerfest Rose Bowl 2014 that captured the attention and appreciation of the Monterey Car Week crew. We hope to see you at next year’s Bimmerfest. Enjoy!
