Bimmerpost and 1Addict Brethren: I’ve been off the boards over the last few weeks (which I dearly missed and will catch up no doubt on old threads) all for a good cause – I took delivery of my baby 1///M, a.k.a “Arabella” (named after a pretty ferry from a famous foreign children's mini-series, which had magical powers, and 'Bella' meaning 'white' in many languages, and of course ‘beautiful’ in others ;-o). I will probably write a long review about it’s overall traights, performance, handling et all, but let me just say it left me absolutely speechless and once again scratching my head with admiration how the wizards from the ///M Division were able to spray so much magic dust (hence the ferry reference
) and turn this into the best ///M cars I have ever driven or owned. It is a big statement indeed, but as a current (heavily modded at that) 135i owner, and a former Dinan E39 M5, I can tell you this pocket rocket is just amazing, no confusing this is a true ///M specimen. It is really that good and now I understand the raves in all the press!
The European Delivery was simply amazing. Talk about a ‘bucket list experience’! Started of course with the reception and subsequent pick up of the AW 1///M at The Welt, followed by the ‘mandatory’ factory tour, and once done, a spirited 550+km drive North to Cologne, where for all 3 days I was hosted by the Scuderia Ferrari team in the Formula 1 Paddock during the German F1 Grand Prix at the Nurburgring. As a side note, I am on a life-long dream to visit every single active F1 circuit in the world, and happy to say at this stage I’m close to the half-way mark. My subsequent trip through Central and Eastern Europe was timed such that I was in Budapest a week later for the Hungarian Grand Prix (and on the way I passed the entire Vodafone McLaren team which couldn’t stop beeping, thumbs upping, high fiving ‘Arabella’ in sign of deep respect and appreciation – something that was a hallmark of the trip, it was insane how much attention, interest and approval the car was getting, no joke!) So without further ado, here is what seems like a fairytale of a story…
And the journey begins on one muggy afternoon at Newark Airport… Little did I know this would be considered a nice day over the next dozen or so days in Central Europe!
Only place to rent your sweet ride – Sixt FTW! This M3 can be had easily, but what is even better for those ever going to Munich (ED or no ED), is to rent from the BMW Welt directly. The M3 is 40 Euros an hour, but for a great opportunity: if you rent by 6pm and return by 9am, it is only 80 Euros. Totally worth renting it the day before your car’s pickup and driving for hours at unrestricted speeds around Munich.
This was the site right outside (if not part of) the Munich airport – the formal introduction of the Q3 and A6 Avant at the Audi Forum:
And off to the first night’s meal, at Hoffbrau Haus. What else can a man have in Munich other than a nice brew and a juicy pork knuckle!
While enjoying Germany’ ‘finest’ music:
‘Feasting’ on sexy (and perhaps some not so) German barmaids and traditional folk costumes
Rainy, rainy, rainy…
But I wake up at the King’s hotel (per BMW’s recommendation BTW) very next day and see the sun, right on the BIG day of my baby’s delivery! Great sign of splendid times to come!
Hello BMW Welt (the eye of a hurricane)!
Hello BMW Headquarters
And Hello Gorgeous (first look of many)!
Inside the Welt:
This guy performed live shows going through the building on the motorcycle, up and down the stairs, super cool:
Can you spot Arabella? (was told a very rare day to have all 3 colors at a time, I was only US delivery)
Nicely tucked and hidden
With her cousins awaiting their happy new respective owners:
Inside the Welt BMW Company store (to buy a few goodies with the supplied credit voucher and collect the personally engraved key change):
Other cars on exhibit at the atrium floor of the Welt:
Another lucky customer getting his 1///M
And another happy camper waiting for her Alpine White 335i Coupe
Great rear! (all 3 of them!)
BMW Exterior and Interior colors:
BMW Motorad:
Champagne to be served before actual delivery (yeah, try that in our litigious USA!):
Time has finally arrived (3:10PM, and if you think I am kidding, think again – that was the time I was assigned 2 months prior to the date and in typical German accuracy and pedanticism – was met to the last second!)
Seeing 0000000000000s all the way!
Last time seen clean!
License plate starting with an “M 1”, hmmmm, a coincidence or…
Tricolor magic!
In the wild at last!
Perfect backdrop:
In the eye of the hurricane
And before her maiden journey (a longish 550km to Cologne and the Nurburgring Formula 1 weekend), an hour (or three) to spend at the BMW Museum near the 4-cyl building
The promising future…
And the glorious past:
Any why it couldn’t be called the “M1”:
///M powerplant glory hall of fame:
6-series concept
Art cars and such (Warhol and Frank Stella M1, etc.):
Why don’t we get this gorgeous F10 535i M-Sport Wagon escapes me (in Frozen gray with BMW individual extras):
And off on the road she goes. DT///Mmmmmmm
Where among our first encounters were these two Asian girls driving in style (but didn’t wanna play, perhaps for the better as I had less than 100km on my baby)
More of the RS 3 (which of I have to be honest, I didn’t really care for aesthetically, especially with these red accented wheels which are a factory option):
And more RS encounters we don’t get States-side:
And she is thirsty… First pit stop, and throughout the entire trip (1,800+ miles), only the best food for Arabella:
And after refueling and nearly 600km, her first night in Cologne, and off to the Nurburgring F1 following day where she was in the nice company of cars in the Paddock parking lot:
First day after Friday F1 practice at the Nordscheife (had I known it was open to the public, Arabella would have had her legs stretched, but alas, as it turned out that was only afternoon open prior to me leaving :-((((
You can rent this:
And some other hotness:
Well whatta ya know, another fellow 1///M-er;
And the only RS 4 I spotted on this trip (I frankly expected to have more than one encounter with my dearly missed but safely tucked at home Sprint Blue Beast, which is anxiously awaiting Arabella to join the stable ;-o):
Word travels fast: shortly after Arabella took the grandstand watching what could have been, a 1-series fan club emerged out of nowhere:
No mistaking 1///M for a ‘less wider’ brother:
Some rentals:
And some brand new beasts:
Here are just a few F1 pics from the Nurburgring to get a taste, I have a ton more which I will post in the OT section as I know there are a big amount of junkies here, so stay tuned. Was indeed a unique opportunity to see it all form the Ferrari paddock and get a peek of what goes on in, and behind, the garages of F1 teams.
So after getting my F1 fix in a 4 day stint in Germany (staying below the 4,500 RPM ‘limit’ but enough to take me well into the 200+ kmph territory), off we went to the Czech Republic, followed by Hungary, Slovakia, and Austria, for her eventual drop-off in Vienna. Here are the ones from friendly CZ:
First night ever sleeping under stars:
It all started with a much needed hand wash (by myself naturally) and a plethora of Sonax products. Hard to convince the folks around me why spending over 150 Euro on shampoos, bug removers, wax, wheel and cockpit cleaner, towels, sponges, microfibers, deerskin (for windows), etc. etc. was not insanity! LOL Here is an absolutely fabulous Sonax product that did wonders to a car that had already 2K kilometers and no wash (over 4 days when it was mostly raining though things got really baked up front)
And she’s clean at last (only 4 days, but over 2000km on the clock)!
You know you are in the Czech Republic when you see this:
Now that she has a bath and is presentable, time to get educated in European culture and see Prague:
And she rules the night:
The following day, off she went for some nice twisties and exploring the many castles of CZ. This is in a place called Hluboka nad Vltavu (where the river Valtava that runs through Prague originates). This ‘little’ (as there is a much bigger castle behind it) you see is actually our hotel. And it used to be the slave quarters back in the days. Looks like slaves didn’t have it that bad after all, at least in Czech!
Hard to be contained even by medieval gates:
Her wide hips barely get her through (hence why a friend tagged her the name of ‘Marilyn’ given her white voluptuous nature :-):
Another night neatly tucked away in the farthest spot in the covered parking lot:
And the castle itself:
A friendly town of Czeske Budiovitze (also known for the formal birthplace of Budwar/Budweiser):
Safest spot with Euro parking light feature enabled ;-):
And off to Marianbad and Karlsbad (Karlovi Vari, one of the most famous spa centers in Europe, though nowadays given its ownership and predominant clientele, you’d think you’re somewhere in Russia). Another great old school hotel:
And morning thereafter, off for some more exploration:
And Karlovi Vari itself:
And off to Budapest for some more spirited driving. First night’s meal (after the mandatory goulash, which was desperately needed given it was a brisk 13C, par for the course of the times in Germany, Hungary, and Vienna).
Pretty Buda and Pesht by night:
And did I mention, it was F1 weekend again! A week ago in Nurburging, and now the Hungaroring. In front of the Kempinski hotel in downtown Budapest where the McLaren team stayed:
A quick rest stop at the irresistable Mozart chocolate shop:
Buda-Pesht in the AM:
And after a couple more days, off to Vienna for her formal drop-off. Gotta start with some snitzel and spatzle:
How you can get around in Vienna when all else fails:
The famous Prater:
Final day: fill her up for the last time with Europe’s finest Shell V-Power 100 Octane. Also got to get her clean for her long voyage on the Asian Emperor vessel (despite an absolute downpour). Ended up paying 45 Euro (yikes!) so they wash her by hand and not through these scary looking OMV bristles! (then again that was the price the Radisson Blue charged in Vienna for overnight parking, ouch, but relatively smll price for piece of mind ;-)
At the Vienna drop-off spot and a loooong 6 weeks before she hits SC for the upcoming PCD, where I will look forward to getting not only Arabella back, but the one day of ///M schooling!
She is de-plated in the front, one of the many mementos Igot to keep (along with the mandatory-for-Europe warning triangle, first aid kit, and neon yellow safety vest – gotta take ‘em in your luggage as allegedly US Customs will throw them out!)
Plaque I left in the front, hopefully someone will read it! LOL
Final tally:
All in all, what can I say. This truly has been one of the best vacations and experiences I have ever had. Collecting your new ///M car + Scuderia Ferrari F1 hosting during the Nurburgring GP + 2 F1 venues checked + 5 beautiful Central and Western European countries (counting a quick trip through Slovakia), + + + … indeed a huge bucket list item crossed off!
European Delivery (ED) is the only way to go IMO when purchasing a new BMW, and if afforded the chance, everyone should do it. I tell you, if the upcoming F10 M5 is indeed offered in a 6-spd manual variant (as is rumored), you may have to check the threads this time next year for a summary of yet another great ED experience!
