All posts by Mitchell Weitzman

BMW at Monterey Car Week

Photos by Mitchell Weitzman and Daniel Blodgett.

There’s nothing quite like vintage, historic motor racing where one can see such storied, beautiful, and valuable machinery be used the way they were meant to. Having BMW as the featured marque at the Motorsports Reunion only added to the appeal.

Where else can you see so many amazing, rare BMW’s in one place? Fortunately for Bavarian aficionados, BMW was a featured marque at several major events at Monterey Car Week, celebrating the centenary of the storied brand. As a result, BMW’s by the hundreds flocked to the Monterey Peninsula to commemorate the week and their cars.  There’s always been a large attraction of BMW’s here every year, but never like this. DSC_2457

The Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca shows that nostalgia is not a shameful condition. It’s only natural to yearn for days past and to live in another era, especially when it has to do with cars. There’s nothing quite like vintage, historic motor racing where one can see such storied, beautiful, and valuable machinery be used the way they were meant to.  Having BMW as the featured marque at the Motorsports Reunion only added to the appeal.

DSC_0466With 3.0 CSL ‘Batmobile’s’ tangling on track with M1 Procars and 2002s, it’s a marvelous sensation. If you’ve never had the chance to hear a Procar in person, wringing out the M88, it’s pure majesty. If I could, I’d have the sound played at my wedding. BMW brought numerous racing cars from their past on display in the paddock as well, including a F1 GTR, V12 LMR, M3 GTR, and a Williams F1 car featuring a BMW V10.DSC_2273

Also on track throughout the week with the BMW’s were Ferrari GTOs, Porsche 911s, Group C madness, Can-Am, Trans Am, and also now in its second year at Laguna Seca, classic Formula 1 cars. With the price of admission comes unparalleled access to the paddock, where all the racing cars are on display for the fans between races. The drivers, crew members, and owners are all incredibly nice too, offering conversation to admiring spectators.

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Of course, the other, unofficial show are the parking lots. Anywhere you go, there’s exotic machinery. At Laguna, it was the BMW car corral inside the track. Elsewhere, be it on the streets in Carmel, or at the Embassy Suites, BMW’s were out in full force.

DSC_2467At the headline event, the Pebble Beach Concours D’elegance, classics ranging from original Mille Miglia-spec 328s to the exquisite Alexander Calder 3.0 CSL ‘art car’ were on display celebrating the brand along the coastal cliffs of scenic Pebble Beach. Seeing an old 328 in person, it’s every bit as elegant as a period Delahaye or Bugatti.

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For anyone who hasn’t gone, put it on your car-bucket list. You won’t regret it. Here are some photographic highlights of BMW’s through the week.

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Boris Said, along with Jonathan Edwards and Bill Auberlen, greeting fans.

DSC_0315 DSC_0318Anyone know the name of this color? It works brilliantly.

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A rare BMW M3 Lightweight. Stock on these are rising fast.

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Alpina stripes should be brought back on current offerings.

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Who needs an M4 GTS? Absolutely menacing.

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George Miller should use BMWs in the next Mad Max perhaps

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Just. Look. At. It.

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Once owned by the King, Elvis Presley, this 507 just finished a complete restoration by BMW in Munich.

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M3ntal. The attention to detail is astounding.

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A BMW Buffet

How often are there several fast BMWs lined up for your pleasure on a racetrack? Not often I must say, so how could I say no? There are far worse problems in the world.

Last month I was sent to the smoldering La Quinta, a small resort city near Palm Springs, in the midst of July. For those that are unfamiliar with the region, I can sum it up in two words: it’s hot. And I mean hot; Everyday was upwards of 110 degrees Fahrenheit. This was all part of a training program to be a BMW Genius. A Genius is a new(ish) role in the BMW retail world with goals to bring the cars and BMW experience closer to the customer. While most of the week was spent in a ice-cold conference room of a hotel (who thought I would have been cold this week?), one afternoon we were shepherded to the Thermal Club. For those unfamiliar, the Thermal Club is a private racetrack nearby that also plays home to the BMW Performance Center. Here, BMW enthusiasts and owners sample cars in a fast, controlled environment, whilst perfecting their driving skills. We would be given the chance to see just how well modern BMWs excel on the track and to provide us with some fun.

The victims? M235i’s, M6, M4, X5M, and a 340i.

My first rendezvous was with a soaked, concrete skidpad and an M235i. And it was downright marvelous. I had never driven on a skidpad, let alone one with sprinklers, but the natural balance of the small Bimmer turned it into an arcade. In the halfway-traction control setting ‘sport +,’ the M235i couldn’t stop spinning the rear tires even up to 3rd gear at 30 MPH (8 speed ZF auto), such was the slickness of the surface. But use the throttle to steer and it became just epic fun, holding long slides circle after circle. Sure, it required lots of steering input, not in terms of angle, but constantly changing from turn-in and countersteering. The 320 horses made by the Gillette-smooth 6 were more than plenty, and anything more would’ve surely resulted in some serious spins. The strangled steering feel also didn’t make for any issues here. Great seats too help prevent you from flailing around the cabin when sideways as well.

Next was a permanent autocross circuit, not even a half mile in length to sample a few of the M’s (and half-M’s). The M6 Compeition was first and starting off slowly to get a feel for the car and circuit, I can’t go on enough about how nice of the car the big 6 is. The cabin is such a lovely place to be, though the buttons and controls that are shared with lesser BMWs slightly cheapen the feel, the overall aroma of it all put the thought into the back of your mind. The demonic sounding V8 also is a nice touch. But soon it becomes clear that, even with the competition package, the M6 is not at home here. The power is incredible and the brakes do a remarkable job hauling the yacht back down, but the weight shows itself in corner transitions through the quick couple esses for us to play with. I’m sure on the large, real Thermal Club it would be sublime, being able to use the wider tarmac of an actual race track, but the thin confines of the autocross don’t encourage the all-out attack that the next car begs for.

Which brings us to the M4. And no, it’s not even the new-for-2016 Competition, just a standard M4. Immediately it’s such a more focused car here. Blasting down the short straightaway it doesn’t even feel any slower than the M6, which was barely clearing it’s breath by 70 MPH. Everything else, the braking, the turn-in with ferocious front bite, and the rotation the Active M diff provides is sublime. I’m not terribly fond of the M4 as a road car, but here in a closed and controlled environment, it really makes its case known. I found it best to turn in with a trailing throttle to help keep the back end rotating slightly to help hit each apex and propel down to the next braking zone. The standard steel brakes seize forward momentum rapidly, with no fade encountered either. The S55 up front never needed full revs, being more than happy to live right in the midrange at 4-5k. The DCT also gave snappy changes up and down on command. Track driving is what the M4 yearns for. If you have one and are yet to unleash it on a track, please do so before the years out.

And then came the oddball of the group: the X5M. Now, I’m still not quite sure why this ‘thing’ exists. But when talking about defying physics, it’s the first-prize at the science fair. Quite how it’s able to go around corners so quickly is beyond me. Braking points are much earlier too than the M4, with the car leaning on its outside tires as the 4WD system figures out how to help you around the bend. Sure, it’s somewhat satisfying charging down sports cars in a 2.5 ton SUV, but the experience is rather muted, more interesting than fun. If you can afford the price of one, why not buy a diesel X5 and an M4 for this sort of work? Though if you want one to do it all, then it’s perfect for that niche. It is blazingly fast, and impressive, but it’s no sports car.

The last on this section was an M235i again, but now in a totally new environment. Here, compared to the others, it shows it’s lack of real M-credentials. Not to say it wasn’t fun, in fact it was the most playful of the bunch from its lack of focus. Power is mundane after the M’s, but it’s still plenty for this tight track. Under braking and cornering there is much less composure and more body roll, going into understeer when pushed too hard, but still maintains great control and adjustability to play with the chassis. While not as fast in any direction, it becomes more involving as it requires more work, and I rather like that. Conclusions from this section came to be that while the M4 was the best on the autocross, the M235i was a close second for its irreverent brand of fun.

And lastly we moved again to another autocross, being longer and more technical, and with the least dynamically capable car here: the 340i. The new 340i replaces the 335i with a host of small suspension tweaks and a new power plant compared the now defunct 335i. It also makes 20 more BHP. The overall feel of the car is very akin to the M235i but with a chassis that’s prone to even more roll and a differential that can’t quite put all the power down through corners. Having driven the 340i on the road it’s a fantastic piece of kit for daily driving, but it’s less at home here. However, like the M235i, the waywardness of the chassis made for a highly involving experience. Though it showed understeer in the tight hairpin of the circuit, fighting that force and driving the car out using the power made for a satisfying time. In the two higher speed sweepers it was oversteer that had to be fought, and again it was fun despite the lack of balance. If the car were perfect, it wouldn’t be a challenge.

As the engines, tires, and brakes cooled, I reflected on an incredible experience at the BMW Performance Center. Driving a BMW on the road is one thing, but having the time on a track in one is leagues better than one could hope for. It wasn’t my first track day in my life, or my first at Thermal, but the adrenaline never gets old. The three instructors on hand for the day, Dave McMillan, Emile Bouret, and Adam Seaman, were astounding as well, giving great guidance and keeping us in check safety wise. After we were done, they took us out for drift laps in M3s, showing us how capable the cars are in the right hands. Mission accomplished guys. If you’re considering one of the programs at Thermal I highly encourage giving it a go, for the great facilities and instructors, let alone the cars. Now to browse parts catalogs to see about making my old ZHP ready for an autocross…

Germany Banning Gasoline and Diesel by 2030?

Electricity is coming.

Say what? Yes, unfortunately it seems that time is running out for our beloved fossil-fueled machines from not only Munich, but the rest of the world. News has recently reported that German legislation is seeking to ban all new cars not capable of producing zero emissions. Though I can go further into questioning where and how electricity is produced (looking at you especially, China), the sad truth is we must prepare for a world of electricity. Tesla is showing that their surprisingly successful Model S can be a mainstream device with gobs of real world performance. However, this comes at a both a serious cost and weight penalty.

Furthermore, their incredulous straight line performance can’t be replicated on a circuit, falling easily to hot hatches even. BMW has made their own strides already into this market, with the I3 city and I8 sportscars. They’re even adding in so-called ‘I Performance’ models in the shape of the X5 40E and now 330e, both capable of limited electric-only range. The I3 has not been exactly the sales success BMW hoped, but having spent some seat time in a few, they’re a surprisingly a fun steer. With fantastic response from the 22kwh battery pack with the down-low power that only electrons provide, it’s truly not terrible. The steering and handling aren’t bad either, actually maintaining the feel of a (modern) BMW. The strikes against it though come in the way of range, or lack thereof, and the looks which are too polarizing. While I’ve seen some owners who regularly achieve 90+ miles of electric-only driving, it’s just not enough.

The updated 2017 promises about 120 of electric driving, but with Chevy’s Bolt coming at the turn of the New Year and promising 200 miles for less dosh, BMW will have to go further. It is, however, the most efficient vehicle on the planet per EPA ratings, thanks to a lightweight construction. Also, as with all electric vehicles, they take too long to charge. It’s not range anxiety by way of how many miles are available, but how long it’ll take to charge those miles back. Even with DC fast chargers, 30 minutes is a lot longer than popping in for gas for 5 minutes. But this can be expected, as the technology is still very new.

Can it improve though to the tune of 300 miles and quick charging in 15 minutes? Most batteries are lithium-ion based and I’m no scientist here, but if a battery uses a reaction with an element to produce energy, can the labcoats coax more energy out of the same amount of lithium without just increasing its mass? It seems that with electric cars, the only way to increase the range is to make a bigger battery, not a more efficient one. For now it seems batteries are not becoming more capable, but only larger. And yes, batteries are heavy, monolithic chunks of granite. Seriously, ever look up the curb weight of a Model S?

But this is all insubstantial to the real issue here. Can BMWs still be BMWs when every model is electric? Since they helped invent the sports saloon, BMW has always been the driver’s choice when it comes to luxury saloons. The 2002 and resultant 3-series threw the world on its face with their patented combinations of driver interaction and practicality. And then came the others. The M-cars. What will the world be like with electric M cars? Would they still be Ms? I honestly have no idea.

Part of what makes an E46 M3 so special is the emotion of revving the S54 to oblivion as it floods your senses with inertia and noise. The torque-heavy shove of atoms in an I3 is fun at lower speeds, but there’s no soundtrack to make it a thing of beauty and the acceleration drops off quickly. You could argue that I  overrate how important sound is in a sports car, but I don’t think I can. A true petrolhead quivers and gets sexually aroused at the sound of a beautiful engine. Ever hear the M88 in an M1 Procar in person? Or what about an E60 M5 with an Eisenmann exhaust fitted? They’re pure theatre, a proper symphony worthy of being preserved in the Library of Congress. That’s how much I love and, frankly, need a sound. And back to weight again, how on earth would an all-electric M3 weigh 3500 pounds? Carbon can only do so much.

I think though, depending how electric road cars develop, there is one route I hope BMW follows in pursuing an exciting sound for an electric M: that of an LMP1 Hybrid. Watching Le Mans this past weekend, I did thoroughly enjoy the sound the Audi R18 and Porsche 919 made when riding onboard. During acceleration, it’s the not the  internal combustion engine that provides the majority of sound, but the whine of electric motors powering the Rohirrim. I mean, seriously, it sounds like a TIE Fighter straight out of Star Wars. And more substantial, it’s bloody well cool and makes an LMP1-H one of the fastest accelerating things on the planet when coupled with the ICE. At lower speeds, an I3 makes a slight hum, but it’s mostly irrelevant. If a future M3 can pull off the sound of science fiction, then maybe, and this is a big maybe, it could somewhat replace the howl of individual throttle bodies and quad exhausts.

Perhaps the first step is to move all models into the realm of these sports hybrids. With the carbon and battery know-how that BMW has learned from the I8 and I3, this can be directly instigated into the next generation of M’s. I’m not against a hybrid M car, as long as the philosophy is to  use electricity to supplement performance, like a Mclaren P1, rather than make an eco-minded car that also possesses speed.

Could a law  define a zero emissions vehicle by its  ability to go as long  on electrons as what an engine/onboard range extender can take it? Say BMW makes the 2030 M3 capable of 200 miles electric driving, but then  has an angry turbocharged 4 or even 3 cylinder that activates at full throttle or when put in a dedicated track mode. Maybe this could be a loophole for BMW and others to create wild hybrid sports cars. I’m sure some carmakers will get their lawyers going on a similar idea. The truth though is that we will just have wait and see what BMW and the rest of the car world comes up with to satisfy our petrol cravings.