BMW Ultimate Drive Event, April 19 10am-5pm

[Redwood]

BMW Ultimate Drive Event, April 19 10am-5pm

Join BMW & Susan G. Komen for the Cure during the annual BMW Ultimate Drive Event. Try out the new 1-series, M3 and new X-6 and other BMW models during this great event. BMW will donate $1 to the Susan G. Komen for the Cure for ever mile you drive!

BMW Assist Center
8550 Freeport Pkwy
Irving, TX

[Redwood]

Re: BMW Ultimate Drive Event, April 19 10am-5pm

My parents delayed their visit a couple of weeks, so Deena and I are definitely going now. If anybody else would like to join us, let me know. Maybe we could go get breakfast before.

[McCall]

Re: BMW Ultimate Drive Event, April 19 10am-5pm

I'd go but Paul and I will be at the Divisional in Baton Rouge.

[Redwood]

Re: BMW Ultimate Drive Event, April 19 10am-5pm

Went this this event...here is what I put in an email this weekend...

Deena and I drove 3 cars each for a total of 6 trips and 4 different cars. We hadn't even registered for a particular car (by the time we signed up, it wasn't available). They weren't really concerned with car reservation times or anything like that. They didn't even ask if we pre-registered. All we had to do was fill out the waiver and go drive. The 5 series and up required drives to be at least 25. All cars required drivers to be at least 21 and the M3/Alpina B7 required drivers to be 30yo+ (for once, it's good to be old). We just went up to the 3 people in charge of certain cars and got our names on the list (no waiting for our first car). They had 2 135is, 128i convertible, 528xi, 535i, 550i, 335i coupe, 328xi sedan (x is for all wheel drive), Z4 convertible, Z4 coupe, X5, 750i, 750Li, 760, Alpina B7 (rare, supercharged 7 series BMW made by Alpina in Germany), X3, M3 coupe, 328 convertible, 335i convertible, 650i coupe, 650i convertible, 535xi wagon, and probably some others I'm forgetting. There were approximately 25 or so cars. The drive was pretty long for us. I never once looked at my watch, but I'd say approximately 15-20 minutes for each. The X6 was on display only, no driving. I would ride when Deena would drive and vice versa. Here is what we drove:

Deena (in order):
135i
M3 coupe
650i convertible

Me:
M3 coupe
Alpina B7
135i

Here is what the Alpina B7 adds to the 7 series:

ALPINA sport-tuned suspension with Active Roll Stabilization
21'' ALPINA wheels
Special aerokit, including rear spoiler, to improve stability, handling and performance at high speeds
ALPINA blue exterior paint
ALPINA wood interior trim
Alcantara headliner
Larger Brakes
500horsepower, 516lb-ft torque supercharged 4.4L V-8
0-60mph in 4.4 seconds, 1/4 mile time of 12.8 seconds
4684lbs weight (hey hey hey)
6spd automatic with manual shift buttons on the back of the steering wheel
~$118,000

Alpina B7 test

The new M3 has 414hp, 295lb-ft of torque, and weighs <3700lbs.
0-60 in 4.1 seconds, 1/4mile in 12.6 seconds.
Base of $57K, but most dealers have them optioned to $69K. The sedan is $2K cheaper due to a sunroof instead of carbon fiber roof.

Deena's thoughts:

135i: She REALLY liked this car and had NO complaints. She said it looks small on the outside, but doesn't feel small inside. She also likes the looks. She also likes the looks.
M3: She enjoyed this car quite a bit, but afterward said "I hate myself for saying this, but I think I prefer the 135i to the M3." My wallet sighed in relief. When we got in it, the guy said "We provide the insurance, you pay the tickets." Heh. He also mentioned that they'll shortly have the dual-clutch version of the M3, which Deena responded with "I know" (because I had just told her about it over breakfast).
650i Convertible: "Granny car", "not as tight", and that her infatuation with the 6 was officially over.

Sean's thoughts:
M3 coupe: It doesn't feel as heavy as it is, comfortable, easy to drive and even start from a stop (hard to stall), steering wheel is just the right size/perfectly comfortable, and the steering ratio is dead on. Plenty of headroom since there is not a sunroof. I like the small cupholder inside the console that can be heated or cooled (it's the little things). The door side pockets are practically useless however, and I use those on my car (the 135i doesn't have this problem). Taking the engine to 8200rpm is unbelievable. The car is very quiet at 75mph and even when getting on the throttle. People outside the car get more thrill from the excellent exhaust sound. Also, 120 while merging into traffic is fun. This is a GREAT grand tourer, but not the M3 of old.

Alpina B7: The 7's interior is way too complicated. It would take me weeks to learn all the features fully. As for driving, wow! It's extremely fast, brakes well, and the car stays pretty flat with the active roll stabilization. The meaty rubber underneath really grips. Who knew 21" wheels with such low sidewalls could ride comfortably AND handle? The back end can get a bit floaty over small hills in the road when pushed hard. That was the only time it felt like a big car. It's definitely better than the A8 I drove a couple of years ago (and more expensive).

135i: Wow! This is the 2nd time for me to drive this car and I liked it even better the 2nd time around! It feels about 200lbs lighter than it is, heck even lighter than my car and that IS 200lbs lighter. The car stays pretty flat, yet doesn't ride harsly. The chassis is so stiff and insulated that harsh road spots are not transmitted into the cabin like in my car. I hear the M3's base suspension can be fairly harsh, but the electronically adjustable suspension on the M3 we drove handled harsh drops/rises slightly better than the 135i. It only costs $25,000 more than a 135 to get that though. *cough* The M3 braked really well, but the feel of the 135's brakes is superb compared to the M3's. The steering is about the same weight as my car, which is a good thing. The size of the car makes placing it exactly where you want on the asphalt as easy as breathing, something a bit more difficult in the M3. The interior is very comfortable. Electronically adjustable side bolsters are a nice feature, even though this wide body had to leave them at their widest. It's got more legroom than my old E36 M3 and the side bolsters do not dig into my leg slightly like on the M3. There is plenty of shoulder room and we really could not find anything to complain about other than wishing the cupholders were slightly deeper. However, that is a flaw in every BMW with which I've come into contact. This particular car had HD radio and the premium sound system. It was definitely up to snuff and I've certainly never heard regular FM sound that good. The side pockets on the door are better than in the bigger 3 (usable vs. non-usable). Overall, I'd say it feels like a slightly better handling, faster, nicer interior version of an E36 M3.

It is ironic that both of us liked the cheapest car best, but that is a very good thing sinc the 135i is the only one of those cars that we could potentially afford. Just more justification for me to get my PMP certification this year and get a raise.

We could have driven more cars, but we were getting a bit weary after nearly 3 hours.