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MIDRAND, Gauteng – In celebration of a classic and iconic BMW, a trio of car enthusiasts calling themselves the ‘Back My Wheels’ team, recently undertook an epic journey from Cape Town to Munich in Germany, the spiritual home and head office of BMW.
The name ‘Back My Wheels’ came about after a quest to find a name that personified the lengthy journey. With more than 16 000km travelled, the three participants: Max Cromarly (26), Rowan Jelley (27) and Ian Scrimgeour (26) completed the trip in ‘Percy’, a 24-year-old BMW 318i.
In his quest to show gratitude to BMW, the car's original owner, Mike Lomberg, a former air force pilot but now a paraplegic, wanted to return the car to BMW to display in their prestigious automobile museum.
DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVE
The trio saw this as an opportunity to see Africa from a different perspective, meet new people and create a legacy while ultimately fulfilling Lomberg’s dream of thanking BMW for a “fantastic piece of engineering”.
The team met with entrepreneurs, social innovators and NGO’s along the route. Their goal – feature Africa by Africans.
Scrimgeour said: “The trip was a life-changing experience and we have new-found respect for Africa and its people. Our perspective on the accessibility of Africa altered after travelling thousands of kilometres through so many countries.”
After months of planning, the team left Cape Town in April 2014 and arrived in Munich on July 13 to be met by Lomberg – a perfectly fitting way to end their journey of endurance.
Some of the countries that the team travelled through in their epic journey included: Botswana, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Tanzania, Sudan and Egypt. Despite unrest and unfavourable conditions encountered along the way, the ‘Back My Wheels’ team was determined to return the car to its maker and now have a kaleidoscope of amazing human stories, cultural interactions and travel experiences.
Scrimgeour continued: “This story is a testament of our commitment to building a vehicle brand that lives in the heart and minds of our customers forever. Unique in every sense of the word, the brave journey taken by the team has added a lasting chapter to our BMW story.”
‘Percy the Belligerent Beemer' is now going to be immortalised in the BMW Museum, at the BMW Group Headquarters in Munich, Germany, one of the most visited tourist attractions in the German state of Bavaria.
Edward Makwana, group automotive communications manager at BMW South Africa said: “We are really proud of these young men and their brave journey.”
“If there is such a thing as a quintessential BMW, it is without doubt the BMW 3 Series. The 3 Series is everything a sports sedan should be, and for years it has stood undisputed at the summit of the premium mid-size segment.
“Since its debut in 1975 more than 12-million customers around the world – such as Mike Lomberg – have taken ownership of a BMW 3 Series and this model still retains its traditional appeal across an incredibly diverse customer base.”
