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The 1977 DRM BMW 320 Group 5 race car from the driver's perspective

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Created on April 30, 2012

Reading time 5min

Written by:

Marc Surer

Photos:

Daniel Reinhard

Bruno von Rotz

Archiv

Daniel Reinhard

Bruno von Rotz

Archiv

BMW 320 Grp 5 (1977) auf Demofahrt auf dem Hockenheimring

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BMW 320 E21 Gruppe 5 (1977) - am Start beim BMW M Jubiläumsrennen anlässlich des AvD Oldtimer Grand Prix 2012

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BMW 320 Grp 5 (1977) - Surer vor einem Porsche 934 und einem Ford Escort am Nürburgring

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BMW 320 Grp 5 (1977) - Surer vor Winkelhock auf dem Nürburgring im Jahr 1977

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BMW 320 Grp 5 (1977) - das kann nicht gutgehen - Nürburgring 1977

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BMW 320 Grp 5 (1977) - Surers Heck zeigt deutliche Unfallspuren - Nürburgring

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BMW 320 Grp 5 (1977) - Nach der Feinberührung ist Surers BMW nicht mehr richtig fahrbar

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BMW 320 Grp 5 (1977) - Surers Auto ist nicht mehr fahrtüchtig nach den Kollisionen - Nürburgring 1977

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BMW 320 Grp 5 (1977) - Surer am Norisring im Jahr 1977

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BMW 320 Grp 5 (1977) - Surer führt eine Meute BMW und Ford an

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BMW 320 E21 Gruppe 5 (1977) - am Start beim Revival Deutsche Rennsportmeisterschaft anlässlich des AvD Oldtimer Grand Prix 2012

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Summary

In 1977, the BMW Juniors were shaking up the small division of the German Racing Championship with their new BMW 320 Group 5. Established stars had to fight tooth and nail to keep the fast young drivers in check. In this article, Marc Surer tells us how things went back then, illustrated with pictures of a demonstration drive on the 320 Group 5 in 1977 and historical racing pictures from the time.

This article contains the following chapters

The first test
The first race
Off to the Nürburgring
Norisring crime scene

Estimated reading time: 5min

Preview (beginning of the article)

We three new juniors, the German Joachim Winkelhock, the American Eddie Cheever and I, drove from Munich in our 320i to Le Castellet for the first test of the new 320 Group 5. Despite heavy snowfall in Germany, we were on the road without winter tires. On the slightly higher Swabian Alps, there was also a lot of snow on the highway. To avoid getting stuck, we flew past the shocked everyday drivers in formation with plenty of momentum across the hard shoulder. When we arrived in the south of France, Eddie Cheever was the first to climb into the BMW 320 racing car, which naturally annoyed Manfred and me, but as an F2 driver he was already a bit further ahead than us. Then it was finally my turn. What a shock for a Formula 3 driver who was used to a sensitive car. Such a touring car, although relatively light for this category at 960 kg, behaved like a stubborn donkey, first it didn't want to enter the bend and then when it was finally in, the rear end wanted to get out again first. You were forced to really beat the car around the track!

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