BMW Car Club of America - AbsoluteAstronomy.com

The BMW Car Club of America (BMW CCA) is an U.S.-based organization of enthusiasts and owners of BMW

BMW

Bayerische Motoren Werke AG is a German automobile, motorcycle and engine manufacturing company founded in 1916. It also owns and produces the Mini marque, and is the parent company of Rolls-Royce Motor Cars. BMW produces motorcycles under BMW Motorrad and Husqvarna brands...

-made automobiles (including the MINI

MINI (BMW)

Mini is a British automotive marque owned by BMW which specialises in small cars.Mini originated as a specific vehicle, a small car originally known as the Morris Mini-Minor and the Austin Seven, launched by the British Motor Corporation in 1959, and developed into a brand encompassing a range of...

). Organized into five regions and 67 chapters, the club boasts more than 75,000 active members within the United States, making it the largest BMW owner/enthusiast organization in the world. the BMW CCA arranges a wide variety of social, technical and driving events, including autocross

Autocross

Autocross is a form of motorsports that emphasizes safe competition and active participation. An autocross is a timed competition where drivers navigate one at a time through a defined course on either sealed or unsealed surfaces...

, high-performance driver's education

High Performance Drivers Education

The High Performance Drivers Education refers to driving schools held on dedicated race tracks designed to teach drivers proper high speed driving techniques. HPDE events are held by various automobile enthusiasts' clubs at some of the most renowned road-course tracks around the world....

, rallies

Rallying

Rallying, also known as rally racing, is a form of auto racing that takes place on public or private roads with modified production or specially built road-legal cars...

, club racing and owner education on topics such as mechanical repair, automotive maintenance and collecting vintage vehicles.

History and structure

Founded in Boston

Boston

Boston is the capital of and largest city in Massachusetts, and is one of the oldest cities in the United States. The largest city in New England, Boston is regarded as the unofficial "Capital of New England" for its economic and cultural impact on the entire New England region. The city proper had...

in 1969, the organization began as an owner-support network, the club exists as a separate entity from BMW AG

BMW

and its North American subsidiary, although there is a close working relationship, such as discounts on vehicles and parts provided to club members by the company. Currently headquartered in Greenville

Greenville, South Carolina

-Law and government:The city of Greenville adopted the Council-Manager form of municipal government in 1976.-History:The area was part of the Cherokee Nation's protected grounds after the Treaty of 1763, which ended the French and Indian War. No White man was allowed to enter, though some families...

, SC

South Carolina

South Carolina is a state in the Deep South of the United States that borders Georgia to the south, North Carolina to the north, and the Atlantic Ocean to the east. Originally part of the Province of Carolina, the Province of South Carolina was one of the 13 colonies that declared independence...

, the BMW CCA is a not-for-profit corporation, governed by an elected board of directors that meets quarterly. Five Regional Vice Presidents, who serve on the board, represent the interests of the chapters. Each chapter is an independent corporation chartered by BMW CCA and operates within with minimum standards of service to the membership.

BMW CCA Foundation

In March 2002, the BMW CCA formed the 501(c)(3) BMW CCA Foundation

BMW CCA Foundation

In March, 2002, the BMW Car Club of America, an organization of over 79,000 members, formed the non-profit, tax-exempt charitable BMW CCA Foundation, Inc., to provide benefits to the motoring public community and owners of BMW automobiles. Its charter under Section 501 enables the Foundation to...

, a charity aimed at preserving the history of the BMW marque in the U.S., the club's history and to fund and operate what it terms the Driver Safety School Program, known more commonly as Street Survival
Street Survival
Tire Rack Street Survival is a teen driving program governed by the BMW CCA Foundation. Through the volunteer efforts of members of the BMW Car Club of America, the Sports Car Club of America, the Mercedes-Benz Club of America and the Porsche Club of America as well as other automotive enthusiasts...

, aimed at teaching young American drivers, age 16-21 the importance of safe driving through emergency and accident avoidance training conducted in their own cars by qualified volunteers and professionals. In 2007, 56 Street Survival schools were held across the United States, up from 34 in 2006.

Roundel

Roundel
Roundel (magazine)
Roundel is a monthly periodical that serves as the newsletter of the BMW Car Club of America. Their mission is to inform, entertain, and promote a sense of community for their 75,000 members. They review new cars as well as perform comparison tests...

is the club's national, monthly magazine. More akin to mainstream automotive periodicals than a newsletter, Roundel covers the history of the BMW marque, reviews current models and trends, offers articles on vehicle modification and maintenance, coverage of the organization's club races and columns by notable authors, racing drivers and club officials. Local BMW CCA chapters publish newsletters to inform members about upcoming events.

Oktoberfest

Each year the club hosts a week-long event, Oktoberfest, a national club gathering, that includes non-speed competitive driving events, a wide variety of technical sessions, vendor displays and presentations, as well as plenty of socializing with fellow BMW enthusiasts.

Techfest

The BMW CCA also plays host to one of the largest gatherings of BMW experts during its annual Techfest, a 3-4 day long series of lectures, panels and technical instruction workshops aimed at informing BMW owners on advanced repair and maintenance techniques, as well as a forum for BMW Motorsport

BMW Motorsport

BMW Motorsport is the division of BMW responsible for motorsport-related activities, including works-run competition programmes in touring car racing, sportscar racing and Formula One.-See also:* BMW M* BMW in motorsport* BMW Sauber* Schnitzer Motorsport...

, independent service providers and aftermarket vendors to show off their wares and services.

BMW CCA Club Racing

The BMW CCA organizes and oversees the BMW CCA Club Racing series, one of the largest single-marque amateur racing series in the United States. Begun in 1995, BMW CCA Club Racing has grown to nearly 50 races annually, organized by region, with more than a dozen classes for different models and levels of modification.

External links

Chapters

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