test track at BMW

[Raldel@domain.elided]

   Yesterday I was at the BMW plant in Greenville SC for the "homecoming" 
deal for the owners of Z3's. I got the opportunity to really, I mean REALLY 
ring out two Z's. One was a 3 liter and the other was one of the M series. 
They are very forgiving cars, with the M roadster putting out about 325 
horses. They put us on 3 different test tracks. The first was a really nice 
autocross set up with rises and dips, the second was a skid pad, and the 
third was a slalom course. Part of the excitement of sports car driving is 
the testing of your skill level. These cars are so loaded with electronic 
wizardry that it is almost impossible to get into serious trouble. With the 
traction control computer engaged, when you start to get a bit too radical, 
it automatically brakes the proper wheel and cuts power at the proper time. I 
felt as if I should just be riding while the computer did the work. Even on 
the wet skid pad, with traction control on, you could not spin out. We 
flipped it off anyway and had much more fun, even managed to break completely 
loose a few times. The owner of the car I was with insisted on turning on the 
air conditioner and putting up the top so we were isolated even more from the 
environment. 
     It was a fun day, witnessed some incredible technology........ but all I 
could think of was I wish I had my spider out here to see how it was. I know 
it couldn't keep up with a M series roadster, or even the small engine BMW, 
but geez I have so much more fun in my real, nuts and bolts, road feeling 
Alfa. I dunno, maybe I could have given a few of them a run! I know that the 
Alfa would have been much more fun on the test tracks........  and I know 
damn well it would have sounded better with those twin Webers sounding off 
with that nice Alfa music.    
       randy long
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