So I finally was able to pick up my new ride. This is why I have not been buying any gun stuff. BatteryOaksBilly almost got me with that Colt Python but I was too slow convincing the wife to get it. The wife is good to me and asking for a $2500 Python after she just bought me a new car was probably too much. It might take me a bit of time to get back on the gun buying horse but in the meantime at least I'm enjoying the ride!
I was able to have it sent to the BMW Performance Center in Greenville-Spartansburg. We did what is called Performance Center Deilvery. If you have ordered a BMW directly from the factory you can pick it up at the Performance Center vs the dealer for no additional charge. They put you up in a hotel and feed you. In addition to picking up your car they treat you to some track driving and a factory tour. If you are ordering a BMW I highly recommend it. The car arrived with 1 mile on the odometer.
We got to drive a M550ix on the track. They put you in the car you are buying. People in our group were mainly picking up SUVs. One X7, one X4 and a X5. We were the only ones picking up a car. The M550ix was definitely the fastest of the cars being picked up. We did high speed braking starting at 35 miles and hour up to 65 mph into a turn. It was amazing to see how the distance needed to stop went up by about 3X for each 10 MPH increase. We were basically standing on the brake with the ABS activated and steering into a turn.
We then went to a short track loop where we did maybe 10 laps starting at moderate speed moving up to throwing the car into turns aggressively with tire screeching. They had marker cones to help you see pick out your best line. It was awesome to be able to push the car without worrying about other cars or going off the track slightly. The car is big. Bigger than the wifes M3 and you could feel the weight. The 456 HP engine with the rear wheel biased xDrive is impressive off the line. It gets to 60 MPH in about 3.9 seconds which is close to what the M3 can do but in the corners it is just not as tight but its tight enough. As I drove I "felt" like I was pushing it but I later learned I was no where near the limits of what the M version of this car can do.
We then went to the wet skid pad and they demonstrated how well the BMW traction control works. Wt got into the car and turned off all the traction control. The instructor was in the car with you and told you to drive in the circle. They had already turned the water on and you where instructed to drive 20 miles an hour around the circle. You then got to a spot where the instructor told us to floor it. From there oversteer kicked in and you would do a 360. They then turn the traction control back on and you do the same thing and the car will not lose the back end. The wife did awesome at this and really got the car spinning when it was her turn. Did much better than I did.
From there we went on a tour of the Plant. We got to see the line where they assemble the X3 and X4. We drove X3s over to the plant and on our return they put us right on an off road course. We go to put the X3s on 2 wheels scrambling over rocks. Not my pics but this is part of the course. They are basically showing you some of what the X3 is capable of. I am not offroad expert but it seems like they have come a long way since their original introduction.
The last part of the driving experience was a hot lap with and instructor. They did this before lunch for a reason. They drove M5 Competitions which are 617 HP cars with 550+lb-ft of torque. This is the driver we drove with. He basically did this lap with and extended run drifting on the skid pad. He did almost 2 laps in an full on drift. As he came off the skid pad he gave the crowd a little "flick" with the back end of the car. It was the most amazing drive I have ever experienced in a car. It was sick. The wife loved it and is already looking to do the 2 day M school.
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