- 3,626
- Sydney
- Gai-Gun
Dreaming realistically
I am giddy, flooded with anxiety and excitement. My photographer, Sam, is just anxious. We have been invited down to BMWs test facility to test drive their much talked about M3 CSL. The test facility is located at none other than the Nurburgring Nordschleife track in Germany. Two birds with one stone? Sure, why not? We have been itching to get a look at the M3 CSL (or Cecil as my photographer has dubbed it) for some time now. Has BMW improved vastly on their M3 model? Were going to let the Ring decide.
We are to be at the Nurburgring for two days. The first day is for us to get to know the track a little bit. BMW is being extra cautious by making sure we have some seat time in this car, on this track, before testing its limits. Although, I think anyway, the fact that theyre letting us do this at all means they are pretty confident in the CSLs abilities. Unfortunately, the first day (our seat time) comes on a public track day. Alas, not everything is perfect, but you wont hear us complaining.
The M3 CSL comes with the BMW inline 6 powerplant. 3246 cubic centimeters of inline 6 that puts out 360 horsepower and 273 ft-lbs of torque. The redline? A blustery 8000 rpm. At 1385 kilograms the CSL weighs almost 200 kg less than its older brother, the M3. Did I mention I am giddy?
After talking numbers with the BMW boys at their base camp we are shown to our new best friend. Love at first sight! Sure the M3 isnt a supercar. It doesnt ooze speed. It does, however, ooze confidence. It looks more composed than I do. Sam climbs into the passenger seat and loads his camera equipment into the back seat while I slide behind the steering wheel. Yes, I like this car. The interior is well done. Outside and in this car is no raucous extrovert and everything seems as it should be. I am ready.
We roll out onto the fabled Nurburgring and I hit the gas. Supercar or not, this car is a rocket. I need to remind myself to slow down and not overdue it. Fortunately, Sam is reminding me of this also. We take it easy along the Hatzenbach and even easier up to Flugplatz. Shwedenkreuz, Fuchsrohre, Adenauer-Forst, everything glides by effortlessly. And then, after the Bergwerk, we encounter the traffic. Damn public days! I cant sit still in this car on this track. I hit the gas and pass some poor man in his Audi TT just before the Karussell. After that, through to Galgenkopf is smooth sailing. Even so, I cant take my eyes off the road to check out the scenery. Sam assured me later it was breathtaking. Maybe I will have to be a passenger next time out. Ya, right.
After a number of laps, equaling however much gas was in the tank we reluctantly hand the car back to the BMW boys and Sam takes a few more shots before we head to our hotel. Tomorrow is the day that counts.
The next day is beautiful, just like the previous. We arrive early at BMW headquarters and our car is waiting for us. All cleaned and ready to go. This car does look beautiful. But is it beautiful where it counts? That is on the Nurburgring and that is where I am going. I tell Sam that he and his camera gear can stay behind today and he makes no sign of disappointment. I am told I get three tries. Three laps to see what this car can do. I am hoping for a sub 8 minute lap. Crazy? I have been called worse.
I dont remember the first lap. Sorry, but it was a blur as I threw that beast around that track. The Cecil is very forgiving. That being said, one should be very careful with this car. At these speeds, breaking the rear end loose is relatively easy. Thankfully, getting it back isnt terribly difficult.
Lap 2 and I have more confidence. I am improving my time significantly. No public days, no traffic, all concentration. I miss a couple, (well, more than a couple) braking points along the way but nothing serious. I am hoping to take the car, and myself, through this episode unscathed. Hoping. The Karussell is a treat. It is everything I hoped it would be, which is nothing like I expected it to be. I love this track, and, of course Ill say it again, this car.
I hit the start line for lap 3 and brake hard for turn one, Slight braking for the Hatzenback. Hard braking at the crest of Flugplatz. (I may be crazy, but not that crazy). Flat out and still accelerating up to the sharp right after Shwedenkreuz before applying heavy braking. Tires squealing delightfully I am fast, with no mistakes, or no significant mistakes I should say, through to the Bergwerk. Then flat out, more or less, again until the Karussell. Drop in and accelerate out. Hohe Acht, The Wippermann and Brunnchen see me ride my share of run offs but no significant time is lost. Then, hard on the brakes, tires screeching, around to Galgenkopf. I hit the straight and the CSL does not give up. Gaining speed up the incline and plummeting down the other side I reach a top speed of 276 km/h. Very hard on the brakes through the last few turns and over the start/finish line the CSL bends but never breaks. I have done it! My final time is 757.530. Two and a half seconds shy of 8 minutes. What a rush!
I bring the CSL into the BMW grounds and turn it off. The BMW crew chief looks at the readouts on his computers, and gives me a nod. Thats enough congratulations for me.
So, the BMW CSL shows its stuff by conquering the Nurburgring in under 8 minutes. Sam tells me this is all the more impressive because I was behind the wheel. Thank you very much, Sam. Thank you very much.
I am giddy, flooded with anxiety and excitement. My photographer, Sam, is just anxious. We have been invited down to BMWs test facility to test drive their much talked about M3 CSL. The test facility is located at none other than the Nurburgring Nordschleife track in Germany. Two birds with one stone? Sure, why not? We have been itching to get a look at the M3 CSL (or Cecil as my photographer has dubbed it) for some time now. Has BMW improved vastly on their M3 model? Were going to let the Ring decide.
We are to be at the Nurburgring for two days. The first day is for us to get to know the track a little bit. BMW is being extra cautious by making sure we have some seat time in this car, on this track, before testing its limits. Although, I think anyway, the fact that theyre letting us do this at all means they are pretty confident in the CSLs abilities. Unfortunately, the first day (our seat time) comes on a public track day. Alas, not everything is perfect, but you wont hear us complaining.
The M3 CSL comes with the BMW inline 6 powerplant. 3246 cubic centimeters of inline 6 that puts out 360 horsepower and 273 ft-lbs of torque. The redline? A blustery 8000 rpm. At 1385 kilograms the CSL weighs almost 200 kg less than its older brother, the M3. Did I mention I am giddy?
After talking numbers with the BMW boys at their base camp we are shown to our new best friend. Love at first sight! Sure the M3 isnt a supercar. It doesnt ooze speed. It does, however, ooze confidence. It looks more composed than I do. Sam climbs into the passenger seat and loads his camera equipment into the back seat while I slide behind the steering wheel. Yes, I like this car. The interior is well done. Outside and in this car is no raucous extrovert and everything seems as it should be. I am ready.
We roll out onto the fabled Nurburgring and I hit the gas. Supercar or not, this car is a rocket. I need to remind myself to slow down and not overdue it. Fortunately, Sam is reminding me of this also. We take it easy along the Hatzenbach and even easier up to Flugplatz. Shwedenkreuz, Fuchsrohre, Adenauer-Forst, everything glides by effortlessly. And then, after the Bergwerk, we encounter the traffic. Damn public days! I cant sit still in this car on this track. I hit the gas and pass some poor man in his Audi TT just before the Karussell. After that, through to Galgenkopf is smooth sailing. Even so, I cant take my eyes off the road to check out the scenery. Sam assured me later it was breathtaking. Maybe I will have to be a passenger next time out. Ya, right.
After a number of laps, equaling however much gas was in the tank we reluctantly hand the car back to the BMW boys and Sam takes a few more shots before we head to our hotel. Tomorrow is the day that counts.
The next day is beautiful, just like the previous. We arrive early at BMW headquarters and our car is waiting for us. All cleaned and ready to go. This car does look beautiful. But is it beautiful where it counts? That is on the Nurburgring and that is where I am going. I tell Sam that he and his camera gear can stay behind today and he makes no sign of disappointment. I am told I get three tries. Three laps to see what this car can do. I am hoping for a sub 8 minute lap. Crazy? I have been called worse.
I dont remember the first lap. Sorry, but it was a blur as I threw that beast around that track. The Cecil is very forgiving. That being said, one should be very careful with this car. At these speeds, breaking the rear end loose is relatively easy. Thankfully, getting it back isnt terribly difficult.
Lap 2 and I have more confidence. I am improving my time significantly. No public days, no traffic, all concentration. I miss a couple, (well, more than a couple) braking points along the way but nothing serious. I am hoping to take the car, and myself, through this episode unscathed. Hoping. The Karussell is a treat. It is everything I hoped it would be, which is nothing like I expected it to be. I love this track, and, of course Ill say it again, this car.
I hit the start line for lap 3 and brake hard for turn one, Slight braking for the Hatzenback. Hard braking at the crest of Flugplatz. (I may be crazy, but not that crazy). Flat out and still accelerating up to the sharp right after Shwedenkreuz before applying heavy braking. Tires squealing delightfully I am fast, with no mistakes, or no significant mistakes I should say, through to the Bergwerk. Then flat out, more or less, again until the Karussell. Drop in and accelerate out. Hohe Acht, The Wippermann and Brunnchen see me ride my share of run offs but no significant time is lost. Then, hard on the brakes, tires screeching, around to Galgenkopf. I hit the straight and the CSL does not give up. Gaining speed up the incline and plummeting down the other side I reach a top speed of 276 km/h. Very hard on the brakes through the last few turns and over the start/finish line the CSL bends but never breaks. I have done it! My final time is 757.530. Two and a half seconds shy of 8 minutes. What a rush!
I bring the CSL into the BMW grounds and turn it off. The BMW crew chief looks at the readouts on his computers, and gives me a nod. Thats enough congratulations for me.
So, the BMW CSL shows its stuff by conquering the Nurburgring in under 8 minutes. Sam tells me this is all the more impressive because I was behind the wheel. Thank you very much, Sam. Thank you very much.
