derBayerische January/February 2023 - 15

A " C E L E B R A T I O N O F M " W E E K E N D
After a one-hour tour of the factory across the street, we were back to take
the X5's over the off-road course. Wading through 22-inch deep water, driving
over a hill with one rear wheel three feet in the air, leaning the vehicle at 30
degrees on two wheels and driving down the steep grade with no brakes and
no hands on the wheel, allowed us to experience the extraordinary capabilities
of the BMW xDrive vehicles in a true offroad
environment. It was clear that the
instructors wanted us to understand and
experience the safety features of these
vehicles during the track portion of the
delivery process.
After a great lunch in the
Performance Center cafe, we were ready
for the personalized delivery of my new
car. One of just 1,000 made for the
world and around 250 coming to the
U.S., the 2023 M4 CSL is only the
third car in BMW history to carry the
CSL (Competition Sport Lightweight)
moniker. This is a very special car and
I'm honored to be its original owner.
Special thanks for that opportunity goes
to fellow club members Mike Wah and Chris Nahill and all the great people at
Wyoming Valley BMW in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania. For a car this special,
the unique experience of Performance Center delivery was the only way for me
to pick up this car!
Our delivery specialist, Hope Mangiafico, greeted me and Steve and
This evening celebrated the 50th anniversary and legacy of the M brand,
created by the first Director of M Motorsport, Jochen Neerpasch.
Unfortunately, Jochen was unable to attend, but he sent a video message that
was played for the attendees. The evening featured notable BMW enthusiasts
and included an interview session, moderated by Tom Plucinsky, VP of BMW
Product Communications, with BMW
racing legends Bill Auberlen and Eddie
Cheevers of the BMW Junior Team.
Their stories about Jochen and the
BMW racing team were funny and
interesting. Finally, Jackie Jouret drew
names for door prizes and Steve Tenney
won a BMW driving school! The
evening concluded with the Bill
Auberlen appreciation video made by
BMW. Lots of friends, good food
and great conversation made for an
entertaining evening.
As an added bonus to the
■ (Above) Doug's new M4 CSL in its personal delivery bay at the
BMW Performance Center East.
Performance Center delivery day, Mike
Renner drove the M4 CSL into the
Zentrum where it was displayed during
the evening reception. Mike was instrumental in getting the M4 CSL through
the vehicle processing center and delivered to the Performance Center in time
for delivery on Friday and the M celebration weekend. This was a great
opportunity for the newest M car to join the celebration of 50 years of the brand.
escorted us to the private delivery bay where my beautiful new M4 CSL was
parked. The personal delivery process lasted about two hours. Hope reviewed
the major aspects of the car with me and then went through every knob, dial,
screen and detail applicable to this particular model. She was both
knowledgeable and patient as we set up each feature just the way I wanted.
Full disclosure - this is the second car Hope has delivered to me and she's just
fantastic to work with! By the time we finished, I was able to drive the car out
of the delivery bay and onto the street just as I wanted. Steve took plenty
of pictures to memorialize the event, and as he said, it was a very special
experience.
Friday Evening
The next event of the weekend celebration was a VIP reception at the BMW
Zentrum, hosted by the BMW Foundation and the Ultimate Driving Museum.
Saturday
The M Celebration Festival began early Saturday morning with almost 200
participants driving Performance Center cars on the closed track. The twohour
sessions allowed drivers to use the center's BMWs to improve their
driving skills with the assistance of professional instructors. Various exercises
on the closed track and off-road course provided a non-threatening
environment designed to sharpen skills and learn new ones. What a way to
start the day!
The BMW Foundation sponsored rides in three RLL race cars, driven by
Bill Auberlen in the E46 M3 GTR, Mike Renner in the Z4 GTLM, and Tom
Plucinsky in the E92 M3 GT2. As you might expect, seats were highly sought
after. Where else are you going to be able to ride in one of these cars driven
by an experienced race car driver on a closed track? It was great fun for the
participants and an excellent fundraiser for the Foundation.
■ (From the Left) Doug Verner and BMW Delivery Specialist Hope Mangiafico in the M4 CSL. This new M4 CSL sports the new BMW roundel.
January I February
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derBayerische January/February 2023

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