E9 coupe group starts 2012 with a fine run
The BMW E9 coupe is a natural star in the Southern California BMW firmament, and the star of stars has to be Murray Fowler’s 2800CS coupe, which carries its name on its license plate: BLUMAX. Already lauded in a BMW video for carefully stewarding the coupe through its first 400,000 miles, Fowler was also honored recently by fellow members who arranged a drive through the Los Angeles hills. In his 80s, Fowler generally turns over the wheel to others these days, so for the early March run, he was chauffeured by Mike Burger.
Starting at Cars and Coffee, a regular Saturday-morning LA gathering, the coupe group—plus a few other not-quite-a-coupe BMWs—drove a route that included the Pacific Coast Highway and the Malibu hills, as well as a run up famous Mulholland Drive.
Organized by Chris Macha—he owns a concours-winning Malaga 3.0CS—the Murray Fowler Celebration featured no fewer than thirteen of the iconic E9 coupes. “Murray’s a stalwart of the coupe community,” says BMW CCA Executive Vice President Steve Johnson, “so Macha decided to organize a tribute drive to honor him and BLUEMAX"!
That goal was easily reached; when Fowler wrote to the E9 coupe forum to thank his friends for the honor, he added his thanks to “Mike Burger for his smooth driving skills that once again kept BLUMAX ‘out of the weeds’—and to all my old (and some new) coupe friends for making Saturday such a very special occasion—and finally, to the weatherman for sending us such a magnificent day. It really warmed this old sailor’s heart!”
Now that BLUMAX has over 420,000 miles, we expect to see it and its hearty owner for another drive at the 425,000-mile mark. And his won’t be the only warm heart.—Satch Carlson
