JPS BMW 635CSI Group A

1984 Ex-Jim Richards | JPS BMW 635CSI Group A | Owner: Peter Sturgeon, Christchurch

Peter Sturgeon’s 1984 BMW 635CSi Group A car is one of those built by Frank Gardner’s JPS-backed team for the Australian Group A Touring Car Championships. The car was driven in 1984 by Denny Hulme and Prince Leopold von Bayern in the famed Bathurst 1000 endurance race. Additionally, Jim Richards said he drove the car in one weekend of racing of the 1985 Australian Touring Car Championship — which Jim won in 1985 driving JPS BMW 635CSi cars.

Jim said of the 635CSis: ‘Things have changed a lot over the years and cars have got better, but at the time I remember the 635 being absolutely brilliant. It was one of the best cars I’ve ever driven. It just did everything so well. At the time we had just gone to Group A regulations and the BMW 635CSi was a ready made car for that series, whereas a lot of other guys had to homologate or build Holdens, old Mustangs, Alfas and others we had at the time in Australia. The 635 was a brilliant car to have at the time. I last drove this very car at the rebirth of the Dunedin Street race about five years ago. I was also able to drive another 635 at the Gold Coast last year in a demonstration
of old Group A cars. It still feels great to drive a 635 as the cars go so well.’