bmw "ultimate drive"

[Dan Simoes <dans@ans.net>]

Running around trying to get things square for my trip on 
Tues (off to Portugal for 2 weeks, 1 night in Brussels
unles I can extend it), but I had to write in about the BMW
event.

On Wed eve, my father in law and I arrived at the Meadowlands/
Giants Stadium in NJ about 5:30PM.  The parking lot had 
been transformed into a mini-BMW campus with tents (a/c'd too!)
all over, and three separate "tracks" of cones.
Inside and outside the tents were the current line of BMW cars
and bikes, including the funky M roadster hardtop coupe.

The participants parking area had everything from Audis to Subarus
right up to a new 911 and a Viper GTS.

There was also a line of cars (all the new BMW models) which you
could test drive for free.  One genius managed to stuff a new
328i into a fence while testing the ABS at 80mph.  He now owns
a brand new "customized" 328i...
We were too late for the test drives.  Damn, wanted to try that
M roadster.

We went inside, signed up, had a digital photo taken for our 
certificates (given out at the end) and had some free munchies.
 
At 6:30 it was off to the chalk talk tent, where several professional
drivers (they really were) taught us about contact patches, over
and understeer, in language that everyone could understand.

Off to the 3 tracks, one group on each one, where we were presented with
the brand-spanking new 323i and 328i.  These are gorgeous cars.
3 "students" to a car, we went around the track doing a 40mph ABS
stop, then the same stop but going around a curve.  Then the instructor
drove a slow lap with us in the car, then a fast one, then we each got
to do 2 laps with the instructor critiquing us.  The cars were autos,
and were put in the lowest gear, but it was still plenty fast.

After that, each track split into two teams and we had a "race"
where you run a lap, then have to run out of the car and tag the
next team member.  They add the times, fastest team wins, 2pt penalty
for hitting cones.  The instructor was the last driver for each team.

All in all, it was a blast.  Everyone came away impressed with the cars,
impressed with BMW as a company, for helping people learn to be 
better drivers.

So Audi, BMW's going "nyah nyah" to you.  Keep sitting on your
proverbial asses, thinking your cars are so great that you don't
need to do jack, since you can sell every one.  BMW's got your
number, and it's the 3 series.

Would I buy one?  Probably not.  But I hope they make a big dent in 
A4 sales, so we can all have one :)

| Dan |
-- 
Dan Simoes                                dans@ans.net
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