The series was attributed to the German automobile firm BMW, implying that they provided some of its key financial backing. The series also included a three-part set of episodes entitled The History of BMW Motorsport.
Approximately 200 half-hour episodes were made and aired between the years 1996 and 2000, all based around vintage automobile (and motorcycle) footage.
The majority of the episodes consisted of an apparently complete old documentary film (sometimes with scratches) produced by an automotive vendor. Castrol, Girling, Triumph, BRSCC[1] and many others were the producers of those original publicity films. Although wrapped with a modern introduction and interspersed with occasional clarifying breaks, the original narration from the film was used, several of them done by Graham Walker (Murray Walker's motorcycle-racing father). Most of the films focussed on racing. Others focussed on chronicling a firm's history or showing their production methods. Most, if not all, were introduced and elucidated by one of David Hobbs or Alain de Cadenet.
For a few episodes, Alain de Cadenet provided narration in addition to introduction and elucidation. In at least one case, Death and Games, Le Mans 1963, this was because the film had been produced in German. In other cases, the film coverage of the topic was probably extracted from several archival sources. In particular, the multi-part set of Legends of Motorsport episodes, entitled "Racing in the Fifties" had one episode for each year of the 1950s, with footage for each coming from multiple unattributed archival sources.
Approximately 200 half-hour episodes were made and aired between the years 1996 and 2000, all based around vintage automobile (and motorcycle) footage.
The majority of the episodes consisted of an apparently complete old documentary film (sometimes with scratches) produced by an automotive vendor. Castrol, Girling, Triumph, BRSCC[1] and many others were the producers of those original publicity films. Although wrapped with a modern introduction and interspersed with occasional clarifying breaks, the original narration from the film was used, several of them done by Graham Walker (Murray Walker's motorcycle-racing father). Most of the films focussed on racing. Others focussed on chronicling a firm's history or showing their production methods. Most, if not all, were introduced and elucidated by one of David Hobbs or Alain de Cadenet.
For a few episodes, Alain de Cadenet provided narration in addition to introduction and elucidation. In at least one case, Death and Games, Le Mans 1963, this was because the film had been produced in German. In other cases, the film coverage of the topic was probably extracted from several archival sources. In particular, the multi-part set of Legends of Motorsport episodes, entitled "Racing in the Fifties" had one episode for each year of the 1950s, with footage for each coming from multiple unattributed archival sources.
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