BMW CAR CLUB (GB)
SOUTH EAST REGION
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Launch of NEW BMW 3 series (E90)
BMW Dealership Chandlers, Hailsham invited club members to
Launch of NEW BMW 3 series (E90), Michelham Priory. 12th March 2005
2.30pm soon arrived and Rob Parkin sat in the back on my test drive , He reported plenty of legroom for him. Our E 90 was in Sparkling Graphite paintwork, which looked great on this model. Now that the shape and size of the 3 series nearing the outline of the 5 series. The E90 is longer by (49mm) wider (6mm) and taller (78mm) than the outgoing E46, from a distance it’s hard to tell the difference. It seems the 1 series is taking over from the 3 series as being the “different” shape BMW model. Our 325 being fully loaded, and the 6.5” wide screen Navigation system that operated via the iDrive control did take away the flat and straight line of the modern BMW dashboard. As we set of my passenger from the Dealership gave the directions for the route of our test drive. We were soon travelling along the country lane, and as one expects the handling on the bends was up to BMW standard; we joined the A22 dual carriageway and the agile 6-cylinder 218bhp 325i engine delivered superb pulling power. We flashed by our hosts BMW Dealership before turning off back on the country roads to make our way back to the Priory. As I reversed the car in the car park the colour Park Distance Control viewed on the screen display showed Red in the area where pedestrians were walking behind the vehicle. All to soon the drive was over and with the 3 series being of crucial importance to BMW in the UK as the E46 accounted for nearly half of BMW sales, lets hope the E90 is as popular.
After booking our test drives, we not only had plenty of time to look around the Gardens and The Priory, our group took on refreshments where we met up with club members Anthony Howells with his father and Tim Cullis who had arrived after us.
On arrival Mr David Reidy greeted us and then directed our group to the dealership girls, who would check our names on the list, then issue us with our passes. As we entered Michelham Priory by the bridge, in front of the Priory was a fine display of BMW models, we made our way pass and followed the path to the new 3 series parked outside one of the barns, after looking over the E90, we booked our test drives. As they were busy I took the 2.30pm time slot for the 325i automatic. There were four models to choose from.330i, 325i, 320i and 320D.
A group of club members attended on the Saturday afternoon session and then travelled up to Dorking for our regions AGM and Pub meeting. So making the event an exciting day out. Other club members attended on the Sunday. On the Saturday we attended there were around 300 people who took up the Chandlers invitation. So the dealership personnel were kept very busy on the test drive desk, which was situated in an old priory barn, which was used for events and on this weekend was also the dining area, as food and drinks (non alcoholic) were served all day.
The launch was held at Michelham Priory & Gardens, upper Dicker, nr Hailsham, East Sussex, over the weekend of 12/13th March 2005. Michelham Priory is a beautiful historic property nestling deep in the Sussex countryside and offers much to interest visitors – history, exhibits, superbly kept gardens, art exhibitions, wildlife, working watermill and on this weekend BMW Displays were arranged around the grounds, with all of the current models on view and with the sunny weather on the Saturday our group attended, the Priory made a perfect back drop for photographs.
Mr David Reidy from BMW Dealership, Chandlers, Hailsham , through SE committee member David Brentnall invited South East Region BMW Car Club members to their dealership launch of the fifth generation BMW 3 series (E90). It was a late VIP invitation to the launch, so only club members on the SE E-Newsletter were informed, as it was to late to put the invitation in the club publications, another reason for club members to register for the S.E e-newsletter. Unfortunately David Brentnall could not make the event as he came down with what he called Flu, a cold for the rest of us.
Our thanks go to Mr David Reidy and all the staff of Chandlers, Hailsham BMW dealership, who not only making BMW Car Club members most welcome at the event, but also for nourishing us !
