BMW Expands High Performance Driving School Curriculum

Spring is in the air at the BMW Performance Center and Performance Driving School with updates to existing courses and exciting new driving school offerings. Additions include a track extension adding a different dimension to the high-performance M School that rivals popular race tracks, an "other-roads" course to showcase the capabilities of the X-5 Sports Activity Vehicle, and the return of BMW on Location. A totally new complement of motorcycle courses will also debut later this summer.

"The updates and improvements we've made to our numerous offerings this year will captivate the customer. There's something for everyone - BMW owner or not," says David Trimble, manager of driving programs and events for the BMW Performance Center. "High performance courses like the M School simulate race track driving while teaching advanced car control and safety skills. Our other-roads track enhancements are phenomenal with gravity-defying angles that will dispel the myth that a luxury brand like BMW isn't made to get dirty."

In with the New: Exciting Upgrades for 2007

The ultimate driving experience has gotten even better with the extension of the track at the BMW Performance Driving School, already known for its course that can be configured 35 different ways. The new 1.5 mile long track offers a half-dozen more configurations with a true racetrack feel that allows for more high-speed approaches and slower technical turns simulating a multitude of driving conditions.

The newly revamped other-roads course will be included as part of the two- day school offerings this spring. At 1.4 miles long with more aggressive sections at 34 degrees and higher, the new course teaches drivers the safest approaches to difficult-to-navigate terrain and shows off the extensive capabilities of the X5 vehicle.

Based on its popularity in 2006, BMW on Location, the traveling program that brings the BMW Performance Driving School to the backyards of enthusiasts has plans to go back to the California Speedway this fall. In addition to California, dates are being scheduled for early September in Chicago. The "On Location" driving school teaches exercises ranging from accident avoidance maneuvers and car control skills to more advanced exercises including skid pad, autocross, and high speed lane change and slalom courses.

In addition to the new driving school updates, programs such as the Performance Center Delivery will continue throughout 2007. The complete experience provides an introduction to the BMW brand and heritage. During a one-on-one session with a knowledgeable BMW delivery specialist, owners receive a personalized and thorough introduction to their vehicle. Every aspect of the BMW ownership experience is reviewed, from vehicle warranties and maintenance to safety features and controls. Following an in-depth overview of their BMW, owners receive a hands-on driving session. The package is complete with a visit to the BMW museum (subject to availability), overnight accommodations at a local first class hotel and dinner for two.

Gift certificates are available for each driving program. For more information, pricing and to reserve your seat behind the wheel at BMW Performance Center Driving Schools, call 888-345-4BMW (4269) or visit http://www.bmwusa.com/bmwexperience/performancecenter.

enthusiastx11 - 4/12/2007 11:05:27 AM

+2 Boost

driving a lexus often puts people to sleep...better keep the cofffee and no-doz nearby.

enthusiastx11 - 4/12/2007 11:06:21 AM

+2 Boost

so true about lexus...."How bout just teach people to drive? Not this "high performance" crap. These are freakin RWD luxury cars and bloated SUVs!! Who the hell they tryin to fool?"

d1sinfo - 4/12/2007 11:47:07 AM

+2 Boost

I see you didn't read my long list of rants regarding your posts and continue to spat off whatever nonsense you consider to be true.

Get some seat time in cars before bashing them. This high performance school from what I have heard is fantastic experience. Manufacturers don't often promote this kind of thing, and if you are anything of an enthusiast I am sure you can agree getting people on the track, and pushing cars is a great way to improve a driver.

Josh

p.s. Cut the shit with your bloated talk, its getting OLD.
2006 EVO 3274lbs
2006 325i(4door)3285lbs
2007 328i(4Door) 3340 lbs
2007 G35(4door)3508lbs
2007 G35(Coupe)3524lbs
2007 IS350 3527lbs
2007 335i(4 door)3571lbs
2007 ES350 3580lbs
______________________
2007 BMW 530i 3472lbs
2007 Lexus GS430 3748lbs.
2007 BMW 550i 3803 lbs
2007 Infiniti M35 3916lbs
2007 Infiniti M45 4005lbs
2007 Lexus GS450h 4134lbs

I am not the guy who wanted to argue about how BLOATED these cars are. You were, I don't believe weight alone is a great judge in sedans, especially on the higher end segment.

AMGC55 - 4/12/2007 11:02:26 AM

+2 Boost

i wanna go

enthusiastx11 - 4/12/2007 11:04:03 AM

+3 Boost

i've done the M school recently and i highly recommend it. the instructors were fantastic and the cars were amazing to drive...M3, M5, M6, Z4M, 650i and 335i. they don't waste time and you get hours of time behind the wheel.

absolutely a blast!

BMW4me4ever - 4/12/2007 11:18:38 AM

+2 Boost

i have done it to. I understand why the lexus " people" wouldnt want or care about a performance driving school. Have you ever driven a lexus in a driving school or in a competitive driving experience? Wow .. we just did the lexus RX and the thing that amazes me is that the power steering shuts down after too much input when do a 20 to 30mph slalom. To top it off it beeps at you to let you know you are beyond its range. I dont need a car to beep at me when I am losing control .... I have done driving events in texas motor speedway and a few others. As a factory based driving school the BMW is hard to beat ..

d1sinfo - 4/12/2007 2:16:14 PM

+2 Boost

"What U don't seem to understand is that heavyazz LUXURY cars are not the same as EVO, eventho some of the models U posted may look to have similar weight to EVO. All BMW/LEXUS and INFINITI with the exception of M3/G35coupe are all tuned for luxury first and foremost. That is their market and why people buy them. People buy them for their luxury and logo, not because they want to out handle an EVO. Only confused internet nutswingers who can't afford a BMW seem to think BMWs are made for canyon carving. There are many weak and gullible minds out there, BMW should show more responsibility by not encouraging stupidity."


I should ignore your response simply on your wording and composition but I will take a stab at it. It seems we are in a pissing match. It seems you have what I would consider to be a strange outlook on the sports sedan market. You also feel for some reason that because you see something one way, that everyone else should.

I guess I am a 'nutswinger' which although I have no idea what that is I think I know where you are going. I think you still believe that fans of BMW can't possibly be interested in driving because in your experience they are all douchebags. I won't argue there is a huge amount of people who appear to be douchebags driving BMW's (as with many other Q brands). I also found that after talking to a 'typical' 325i or 530i driver they truly were attracted to the athletic nature of the BMW brand. They enjoyed the arguably driver focused nature of the brand which I think is fully supported through not only my personal testement, but that of thousands of others.

You can chose to ignore all of these other opinions, but at some point you are going to have to admit that your perspective is only that. With maturity comes the ability to accept other perspectives as valid despite there opposite nature.

I will continue to say what I have said all along. I enjoy driving my BMW, and many other BMW's more than my faster, tighter, more responsive, better braking, more aggressive, quicker lapping, cheaper, Japanese counterpart. This isn't always the truth, and it won't be the truth for everyone. It is for me. The FD layout, in combination with great weight bias make for great turn in, precise apex clipping ability, and great smile factor. This is not an 'only' BMW thing. I know for a fact that many other Japanese, German, and even American cars have similar qualities.

Buy supporting what I believe about one brand does not mean I don't believe the same of another brand. This is called rational thinking. It removes or attempts to remove paradigms, illogical passionate views, and add a touch of common sense to form opinions. It's not hard.

"And another thing. U didn't read my response to your post last time either. However, I agree manufacturers should promote and offer more safe driving events. But don't call it a high performance thing. People will get the wrong idea, if U teach them how to do high

d1sinfo - 4/12/2007 3:31:35 PM

+2 Boost

Antagonize.

d1sinfo - 4/12/2007 5:24:33 PM

0 Boost

Ohhh ok now I get it, you are all the same people. Crap I have been wasting my time thinking I could somehow promote logical thinking.

WTF was I thinking.

cktoo - 4/12/2007 6:00:01 PM

+2 Boost

Apparently, you haven't driven an X3. I'm a BMW fan, among other makes, but the X3 has none of the magic feel you get from other Bimmers. That thing was/is awful. Then again, I'm not much of an SUV guy...much prefer an M3.

d1sinfo - 4/12/2007 4:55:25 PM

0 Boost

I was not suggesting that your sentence structure means I am 'better'. 'Better' at what I don't know.

I am not elevating my maturity status by any means. I am surprised that more people on here don't bash me for my poor spelling, improper structure, and horrible use of the words their and there.

I am also not trying to flame. You will notice that when responding to others I go out of my way to ensure no flameage. It is simple respecting other peopls opinions, and discussing things with a cool head.

No one should be giving anyone awards.

"Lets get back to Ur points. U seem to think I'm not open to others opinions or brands or whatever and that everyone should try to follow my way(which ain't a bad thing since Rice does not encourage stupidity like performance does)"

So you are open to opinions, and other brands or 'whatever', and if people follow your opinions its not a bad thing because you don't "encourage stupidity", but others do. So by default other people are stupid but you are not. I may have interpreted that wrong, and as an afterthought you might correct my interpretation, but it stands to reason your intent is clear, and should be taken at face value.

I do not consider myself a BMW fanboy per se. I have said it over and over again and will continue to say that certain brands align with certain peoples needs. Will for example seems to favor Lexus's current lineup, and I have noticed that certain Lexus concepts he didn't automatically favor (although I judged him earlier on this, I should have withheld and felt him out more) everything Lexus. I find my needs aligned by a few different companies, Subaru, BMW, Mitsu, and Infinity. I chose to go with a Subaru because I wasn't so hot on the Mitsu warranty and I was very familiar with the WRX platform. For a daily driver I went with a BMW because I could afford an older BMW. I didn't find any other brands making older affordable RWD, manual, LSD, sedans.

I hate to have to explain my logic because I think it is pretty obvious. I don't owe brands any loyalty no matter what they have done for me in the way of reliability, performance, or anything. So I don't defend them as if they were a child. They serve me with there products, and being the consumer I am I loo k at all of them critically and whatever what aligns best with my needs, is the one I buy.

Most of the time these end up being completely objective things like AWD, or 6 speed box, or turbo.

Ok so now maybe you can see that I don't 'run with the herd'. Do you? I can only assume with your brash statements and generalizations about brands, the drivers that chose those brands, and the product they make that you don't look at things with any form of open perspective. You have said otherwise, but I have yet to see an example in your posts.
You consistently dismiss others opinions as nonsense because you place them in some 'nutswinger' category without ever assuming they might have made an educ

d1sinfo - 4/12/2007 5:06:05 PM

0 Boost

cated decision.

I used to let the paradigms I had for certain brands cloud my opinions of certain cars. For example, I used to dislike Lexus. It was based upon the idea that they were useless because most all were automatics, and that old people drove them. I disliked them because they didn't fit my needs. I now see they fit the needs of tons of people, and hell sometimes on my long commute I can't help but think a GS would rule. I realize now that others needs are not the same as mine and that they don't have to be. I can appreciate all makes and all models for the needs they fill to the consumer. In some segments multiple brands can compete against the same need, but there brand identity in the customers eyes might end up the decision maker. Which I think is the gist of your comments regarding nutswingers buying BMW's or whatever.

Get over it, your stereotyping certain motorists is tainting your image of certain brands. Creating paradigms which are clouding your logic and reason. I thought they taught basic psych and social skills in high school.

I am now of the opinion that it should be a required course.

Josh

d1sinfo - 4/13/2007 9:41:11 AM

+1 Boost

This is almost to funny.