E92 M3 at Nordschleife 10/2007

"Ring Taxi" ride in the new E92 M3.

BMW invited me to fly to Germany in early October, at my own expense, to participate (again, at my own expense) in an "Ultimate Driving Experience" with the all-new 2008 BMW M3.

What made this invitation especially compelling was not only the fact that the new car will not be seen outside of Europe by the rest of the world until next May, but that the driving experience was to take place at The Nurburgring in Nurburg, Germany, site of the fabled "Nordschleife" racetrack, which is to driving what St. Andrew's is to golf.

Not surprisingly, I came away from the experience completely sold not only on the new M3, but on the BMW brand in general; I had an epiphanic moment during one of our brainwashing sessions where I concluded (again, and once and for all, with permanent finality) that BMW's machines are worth every penny of premium over everything else on the planet.

This realization arrived at the moment they revealed to us that every single car BMW makes ("Ultimate Driving Machines" in the US) must pass what must be the Ultimate Torture Test: 4000km of at-the-limit driving by one of BMW's test engineers around the Nordschleife, a mountain racetrack of 22km in length, with some 72 turns, and some of the most punishing tarmac in the world. BMW believes that, if a car can take 4000km of this sort of punishment, then it will be good for 250,000km in the real world (3 times longer than the car's warranty coverage).

But besides durability and reliability, in order to get around the Nordschleife safely at speed, you MUST build a car with extraordinary handling characteristics, and the car must be able to communicate those characteristics to the driver.

BMW does this better than any other maker.

Category:

Autos & Vehicles

Tags:

• BMW
• M3
• Nurburgring
• Nordschleife
• V8
• E92

[PencilGeek99]

I own one of these beasts (red also) with many mods already. This guy was short shifting and always seemed in the wrong gear at every corner. I wonder what a "good" driver could have done.

[abmwc]

He was actually a pretty decent driver, "good" even. The guy who passes us midway through the lap, however, is EXCELLENT-- a VERY experienced Nurburgringer whom all the other drivers regard as "The Best". You have to remember that we had three people in the car, ostensibly "on holiday", and the last thing they want to do is embarrass themselves or the marque by screwing up. Our driver was good, but not exceptional; certainly "good enough" !

[borde049]

This guy is an excellent driver, those who say he isn't are plain wrong.

[vipeme1]

3:19 is amazing

[4RINGSS5]

beautiful to see the m3 at home. thanks for sharing!

[sunjaydaman242]

i can recognize the turns from gran turismo 5 hahaha

[philritter21]

I have a Melbourne Red e90!

[2zorro3]

OK ur mans lines aren't that of a professional driver....but so what, if u guys enjoyed it, still talk about ur lap of the Ring...that's success, I am VERY impressed with ur lack of swearing !!!! LOL...I can never manage that!!!

[Nation010]

Good stuff and driving, I imagine driving very fast and running a tour guide commentary without making people sick and cracking jokes whilst also planning different styles of skids is out of this world, anyone who says he can't drive should go there and do the same or better and we'll see if they make it round in one piece.

[corvettekro]

Hmm.... not bad at all...but...

I am about 30 seconds slower, and that is in a BMW 325 diesel, with 197 hp automatic, and two persons.

And if I drive alone I am 15 sec slower.

This guy is driving an M3 with some 420 hp and as a "proff" and He has a longer acceleration run in the beginning before the brigde.

[MrMichyo]

That part of the track is the spot where many people make a mistake because of understeer from lifted-up whole body which loses traction to steer. But ring taxi driver intentionally put more gas to turn the ass out to gain more oversteer...anyway these drivers are pro..nice drifting

[mikeb1444]

Screw it, gun it down that Straight and run another lap.

[SpeedKlz]

Superb! Lots of fun watching it!