I did the Performance Center delivery of my M240i last Monday April 11th. It was a great experience and highly recommend it. BMW should be applauded for providing this no cost delivery option. Including transportation, hotel, dinner and breakfast included. The Performance Center facilities are first class with awesome enthusiastic instructors. I will try not to repeat what others have written up about PCD, so I will hit up on the highlights.
First off, what most people here have been asking: do they have the new G42 M240i to drive? Yes, as of last Monday April 11th. I was the first person to drive it on the track. Most of the instructors have said, they have not had a chance to drive it yet. The one I drove was Brooklyn Grey with the performance package and had less than 1,300 miles on it. Before a car is put into service for track use, they beg an instructor to take the car home for a while and drive the 1,200-mile break in period. Then it goes into the track car fleet. The instructors I spoke with were very excited to have this car and have been waiting a while for it. They think it is a great addition to the M3/4s and ultimately, they will get the new M2. Another instructor was given a Portimao Blue M240i to drive off the required 1,200 miles, so there will be two in the track car fleet soon.
We were assigned to the lead instructor with a M3 comp and a M8 comp. The M240i was with favorable company for sure. The venue for the on-track driving was: 1) Laps on a road circuit while the instructor observes from his car the students driving then critiques using in car walkie-talkies. 2) Panic stopping from 30-55 mph. 3) On a wet circular skid pad, laps with no stability control which resulted in a 360 degree spin out and then with stability control on and no spin out. 4) Opportunity to take to the track with an instructor driving showing the full potential of the M3/4s. 5) Driving the X5 through the off-road course; rock crawling, water fording, steep climb and use of auto descent control on steep downhill.
There was a brief factory tour that lasted about an hour and hit major talking points of the factory assembly line process. Then a great lunch with many food choices. Then a BMW Genius expert talks you through all the fine details of the new car. The Performance Center has a nice store with all sorts of items to purchase with a 10% discount. We then made our way to the Zentrum BMW visitor center and museum. When we left the BMW facilities it was a short drive to the national BMW Car Club of Americas office. Got to meet some of the people there and bought some shirts and other items from their store.
Was a fun trip and a great culmination to the long wait of a specially ordered M240i. A nice after trip present showed up in the mail yesterday; $500 rebate check for my car purchase from being a BMWCCA member. Now what mods should I spend it on?
