1m eating up some NC mountain roads

[willwin2day]

Many of you read with great excitement our reviews of the 1m on our recent trip to Willow Springs, CA for the press launch of this vehicle. After coming down of from another "M High" while driving what is labeled, "The fastest road in the west!", I knew exactly where my first trip would be once I was handed the keys to BMW's new addition to its M fleet....the 1 Series M.

As one of the instructors of 10 years at BMW's Performance Driving School, one of our many tasks at the Performance Center is to mileage their new cars for the 1,200 mile break-in. Well, today after returning from outside our facility, I found on my desk the keys to a new 1m with only 67 miles on the odometer. Having had many laps around Willow Springs a couple of weeks ago, I think we all concluded that this extremely fast track just did not showcase the huge amount of torque that this 6 cylinder is capable of producing. Having spent most of my life on the roads of western North Carolina, I knew just the route that would be this M's maiden voyage. My wife has seen this same gleam in my eyes when I told her after dinner with the 1m's keys in my hand....let's take off for a 2 hour trip. I have the kyes to an M car...we have some of the best roads in all of North America within 30 mintues of our house....let's go! This is like handing a 16 year old a Playboy and tell him not to look at the pictures...yeah right! I am going driving! Now keep in mind, I drive these cars at the Performance Center everyday and sometimes become de-sensitized to the excitement that these cars produce; however, I could not wait to return to the car for what was about to come as evidenced from the following photo:

My wife & I left southwest out of Asheville, NC toward Brevard and then up Hwy. 276. This snakes up thru the Pisgah National Forest with a final destination on the Blue Ridge Parkway of over 5,000 ft. with temperatures dropping from the low 80's while in Asheville to 67 degrees at the top. On this stretch, you can find just about any kind of corner you could be looking for from a slow hairpen to some fast sweepers. I cannot hold my excitement for this car! I cannot remember about being anymore excited about a car as I am with the new 1 Series M!! WOW! Thinking it was fast at Willow Springs just did not do this car justice!! This car is nothing less than a rocket! Forget about anything else...this car represents what the BMW brand is all about!! For those of us that think it is more than just going from point A to point B, this car bring enjoyment to the seat of your pants!

These roads allowed me to unleash the torque & h.p. and were designed for this car! Fortunately for us, in the middle of the week and late in the evening gave us a run to the top of the mountain without ever seeing another car....just about unheard of on this popular stretch of NC mountain roads. With a few straights allowing the car to approach triple digits to the tight hairpins at 30mph, now I understand the passion that the owners will soon experience. As are all BMWs, the brakes on the 1m are awesome! Very little pedal travel and very sensitive which allows the driver to peel off 40mph in an instant!

Several times I looked over at my wife as the car was loaded to one side as we negotiated a long sweeping corner to see the same excitement on her face which gave her a small hint of why I love doing what I get to do everyday with BMW. WOW...this car has some grip and quickly encourages the driver with more confidence to give it more!! At about 4,000 rpms and full throttle...you had better hang on as the torque pushes you to the back of your seat!


As mentioned in my earlier post, if you are on the list for one of these then you are lucky....if not, then you should be!

Donnie Isley
BMW Driving Instructor

[Tuned1M]

Well then, is this how the 1200 mile break-in should really be handled?

[Gtrain]

I guess all that do PCD will need to go this route to break in their cars =)

[21450]

Nice review Donnie. I am looking foward to be driving one of those 1Ms in July for my ED redelivery at the Performance Center

[1mGator]

Hi Donnie,

Best regards from Pennsylvania to you and Rich - you did our delivery in October of my wife's X5 (awesome ride and experience at PC) ..... great review and like one of the other posters said it would be incredible to have you all give "suggested touring routes" for those of us leaving the delivery center and heading north. I am #1 on my dealers list waiting for July allocation August build so I hope to see you again late summer ...... so glad to see your energy for the new "M"

Steve

[Lexington]

Thanks for sharing Donnie. Hwy 276 is a blast especially from Brevard up to the Blue Ridge Parkway. Pretty good going down toward Waynesville too.

[achtungE30]

Ughhhh I was just in NC and didn't know about this road...instead I just drove 500 boring highway miles!

[kumar911]

Originally Posted by willwin2day

At about 4,000 rpms and full throttle...you had better hang on as the torque pushes you to the back of your seat!

Can't wait to have this feeling

[///1M]

One of the most compelling reviews I've read on the 1M. Thanks to Donnie!

[willwin2day]

Thanks guys!!! If you are ever in this area....I know many roads just like this and I can send you in the right direction. We all know about the Tail of the Dragon...I can send you on many roads just like this....just not as well known! And by the way, this is the perfect way to break in a BMW per the owner's manual...below 105mph, below 5,500 and vary the rpms. Life is good!

Hey....let's plan a 1 Addicts meet in western NC.... I will map out the roads for you guys. Who is in?

[dwildone]

Originally Posted by willwin2day

Thanks guys!!! If you are ever in this area....I know many roads just like this and I can send you in the right direction. We all know about the Tail of the Dragon...I can send you on many roads just like this....just not as well known! And by the way, this is the perfect way to break in a BMW per the owner's manual...below 105mph, below 5,500 and vary the rpms. Life is good!

Hey....let's plan a 1 Addicts meet in western NC.... I will map out the roads for you guys. Who is in?

Donnie,

I just confirmed PCD on my 1M today for early September. I'm driving back to St. Louis via Nashville over a few days and would love some help planing that drive.

D

[tjm129]

Donnie,

I'm in for a NC meet up. You did our 135 delivery in 2009, and we still talk about what a great time we had.

TJ

[rad doc]

That would awesome. I just moved from western NC to Houston but would love to make the trip for some spirited driving in the beautiful scenery. Now I just need to get the 1M. Waiting is killing me!

[J-9]

Excellent review, Donnie!

Brings back great memories of my PCD, just clocked one year on the M3 and I still remember you walking me all around the car and thinking to myself, "I just want to get in and floor it!" Glad you had fun with the 1M, you've got one of the best jobs in the world.

[merlinbk]

Thanks for sharing Donnie! It was an exciting pleasure reading it!


I'm game!!

Originally Posted by willwin2day

Thanks guys!!! If you are ever in this area....I know many roads just like this and I can send you in the right direction. We all know about the Tail of the Dragon...I can send you on many roads just like this....just not as well known! And by the way, this is the perfect way to break in a BMW per the owner's manual...below 105mph, below 5,500 and vary the rpms. Life is good!

Hey....let's plan a 1 Addicts meet in western NC.... I will map out the roads for you guys. Who is in?

[mtechnik3]

Great read, thanks Donnie! I really enjoy the Western NC driving roads - especially the Diamondback Route.

[ESC OFF]

Great review!!! Unfortunatley it's reviews like this that are making the waiting painful!

[novablackm3]

if you don't mind could you map the route out in google maps? would love to drive the same route next time i'm down in NC

[N55_NOLE]

First off, thanks for the review and post, I'm so happy to see you posting over here!

Last May I took delivery of my 135i with you and I can tell you it was one of the all time best days of my entire life! It was in no small part because of you, your knowledge and graciousness that I feel this way. Every time I take a call on my bluetooth, listen to a station on my satellite radio or see an M5 I think of you and that amazing day! I'm so glad you were able to take the time to go have some fun with your wife on some of the very same roads I used to break in my 1er! You are truly an asset to the whole BMW community and I thank you from the bottom of my heart!

Originally Posted by willwin2day

Hey....let's plan a 1 Addicts meet in western NC.... I will map out the roads for you guys. Who is in?

I might just have to drive up from Orlando for this! North Carolina has some of the best driving roads in the country, add to this the chance to hang out with you again and meet fellow 1addicts while driving on said roads and I think it would be worth the 8 hour drive!

Thanks again for everything and good luck with the SCCA this year!

Tommy Drage
May 15, 2010 Performance Delivery

[tlav17]

thanks for the review. you definitely have one of the coolest jobs there is!!

[1&done]

Originally Posted by willwin2day

Thanks guys!!! If you are ever in this area....I know many roads just like this and I can send you in the right direction. We all know about the Tail of the Dragon...I can send you on many roads just like this....just not as well known! And by the way, this is the perfect way to break in a BMW per the owner's manual...below 105mph, below 5,500 and vary the rpms. Life is good!

Hey....let's plan a 1 Addicts meet in western NC.... I will map out the roads for you guys. Who is in?

Count me in fo sho!!!!

[emm3tt]

I rode with Donnie for a hot lap in the M5 for my PCD back in '08. Had a blast!