When Peter Brock’s famous split with Holden and General Motors occurred in early-1987, BMW soon emerged as a suitor for the racing legend later in the year to back a campaign in 1988.
Brock’s downfall was building for sometime through some questionable decisions headlined by fitting of the Polariser and the launch of the luxurious Director.
Having sent a letter to Brock prior to the Director’s reveal stating its withdrawal if the launch occurred, Holden did just that.
The 1987 season was done on a shoestring by the former Holden Dealer Team including a trip to Belgium for the Spa 24 Hour and culminated in a Bathurst 1000 victory in controversial circumstances.
By the time of the season-ending Australian Grand Prix support race, Brock was already BMW’s local knight in shining armour and the deal was done.
Long-time team manager Frank Gardner had introduced BMW to touring car racing in 1981, but the manufacturer didn’t enjoy early success during the Group C era.
From the 1985 season, the international Group A regulations were implemented by CAMS and BMW in the now iconic JPS livery went onto dominate.
Jim Richards was BMW’s leader as he delivered Australian Touring Car Championships in 1985 and 1987 using the 635csi first, then the M3.
For 1988, Richards came across to team alongside Brock in a reunion of a successful partnership taking a hat-trick of Bathurst 1000 wins during 1978-1980 driving for the Holden Dealer Team.
To say the season was unsuccessful is an understatement.
Outgunned by the Ford Sierra RS500 Cosworth, the little M3s struggled as Richards finished a distant fourth and Brock sixth.
Neil Crompton also ran a third M3 at selected events.
Brock’s switched also aligned with the rise of Dick Johnson Racing through its massive power and big gains in reliability as the team won all but one round of the ATCC.
Richards and Brock took just one podium for the season.
After a dismal Bathurst campaign, Brock left the BMW fold and at the insistence of major partner Mobil went to Europe to investigate a Sierra move, which was decided in favour of obtaining Andy Rouse equipment for 1989.
BMW didn’t have a factory presence until Gardner returned in 1991 and this continued through the Super Touring years until 1997.
Brock raced Sierras for two seasons before reuniting with another of his Bathurst winning drivers, Larry Perkins in a twin-Holden Commodore attack.
Going out on his own in 1992 using of these VN Commodores, Brock returned to the factory fold for 1994 until his first retirement in 1997.