Tag: bmw

Gallery: Heaven on Wheels XX Belgium 2024

Belgium is renowned for its chocolate, beers, and potholes. Because goodness gracious, the roads are abysmal. As soon as you cross the border from the Netherlands, it’s like hitting a minefield, zigzagging to dodge the craters. But i digress, because Belgium is also known for its plethora of car meetings. In the Netherlands, we have a few events, all organized by the same outfit. So most of the times you see the same cars over and over again.

But in Belgium, it’s a different story. Small organizations which attracts different cars and people run the events with a slew of volunteers. One such event is Heaven on Wheels. They take over a parking garage at the shopping center Cora in Anderlecht, near Brussels, transforming it into a scene straight out of the Fast and Furious films.

What sets Heaven on Wheels apart from other events is that they don’t do any pre-selection. Anyone can roll up with their car. This means there’s a wide mix of cars, but to be honest, it also means there are quite a few cars I wouldn’t normally spend 2.5 hours in the car to see.

Continue reading

BMW 2002 Turbo at Gallery Aaldering

Every car enthusiast in the Netherlands knows about Gallery Aaldering, whether from TV or their showroom in Brummen. Since its establishment in 1975, Gallery Aaldering has grown into one of the largest classic car dealerships in Europe. They’ve kept their garage in Brummen all this time, and funnily enough, that happens to be the town I grew up in. Nowadays, I live just a stone’s throw away.

So, whenever something new comes in that piques my interest, I know the way to their showroom. In this case, I spotted an original BMW 2002 Turbo had arrived, time to get up close and personal. This particular model is from 1975, coincidentally the same year Gallery Aaldering was founded.

continue reading

BMW M3 Touring but make it CSL by Evolve

The most exciting new car in recent years has got to be the G81 BMW M3 Touring. A car that enthusiasts have been clamoring for finally became a reality in 2022 and has been a big hit for BMW ever since. If Instagram is to be believed, they’re flying off the shelves like hotcakes. One of the customers who got their hands on it last year was Evolve Automotive from England.

Now, as is customary with Evolve, they’re not leaving anything stock. Their plan is to turn it into a BMW M3 Touring CSL version. It’s not just about looks; they’re incorporating genuine CSL components. You can follow the build on Evolve’s own YouTube channel.

rear quarter BMW M3 Touring

Does the perfect BMW 3-series E30 excist?

When is something perfect? Only the one who claims something is perfect can answer that. If you ask me, it’s a car where I can’t find a single thing I’d do differently. That’s exactly how I feel about this BMW E30. If I say that this one car alone was reason enough to attend the Risenation Hall of Fame show, well, that says it all, I reckon. Years in the making, getting cleaner, lower, and after who knows how many new sets of wheels later, this is the end result.

Built by Damiano Di Viesti over many years. The car was bought brand new by his father back in 1990. Back then, Damiano was just a little 11-year-old lad. The car is still owned by his father, but Damiano has taken over control and made it his own. I bet not many folks can say a particular car has been in the family for that long. What I love most about this project is that it keeps the original lines of the E30 intact, no widebody or other alterations, just the way BMW intended it.

The car rolled off the production line as a BMW 316, but now it’s got a 1.8 liter engine under the hood. And it’s got a little boost from a compressor out of a newer model Mini Cooper S. Don’t expect earth-shattering numbers from the engine, but with a weight of 1065kg, it’s an absolute joy to drive. Plus, the entire engine bay has been cleaned up, with all the unnecessary bits removed or tucked away.

continue reading