Re: bmw "ultimate drive"

[John Courtney <dendrite@sbt.infi.net>]

As the proud owner of a 1997 M3,  I can vouch for having had a great
experience of BMW North America as a car company and twice as good an
experience with the M3.  It's simply the finest car I have ever driven (in
its class).  Period! (IMHO)

John Courtney

Dan Simoes wrote:

> 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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