TOFU had the opportunity to be invited by BMW to be flown down to Clark@Philippines couple weeks ago to test out their cars.
It was truly an awesome experience, considering I gave up receiving a networking award in Singapore to test drive the best cars BMW can give.
It was divided into several components.
1. Technical presentation
2. The Cone Wars
3. Braking into corner
4. Technical track: Taking the lines
5. Special: Braking power of the X4
6. High Speed: Whacking the M4
7. Trail Drive
8. Scenic Drive
It was extreme fun considering how much they squeeze into just 1.5 days for us. Everything was well planned and well thought out.
And the best thing? They provided bananas to this monkey. woot!
So here’s the run down of the 3D2N Trip.
Technical Presentation
It’s all for the pure car geeks and for those who enjoys the details. We were educated on the difference between the old and the new series
It’s technical, technical, technical… Those who want details, visit our super threads for the specs and images. lol…
View attachment 64478View attachment 64479View attachment 64480
The Cone Wars
Alright, we didn’t fight any wars per say, but it sure was fun whacking the car in the 320d.
To be honest, it was my first time in a BMW and trying to push to the limits of my puny driving skills and that of the BMW. I must say that I took back whatever I said about 320 being not powerful enough. lol… How often do we get to experience the acceleration power of 0-100 in 4 seconds in Singapore? Well, not as often as we want. That’s why the torque of the 320d gave me all the fun, and none of the lethal white summon ticket.
Enuf of the talk, check out the photos…
View attachment 64481View attachment 64482View attachment 64483View attachment 64484View attachment 64485
Braking Into The Corner
Pssst, heard someone ate gravel by braking too much into the corner.
Prior to the exercise, we were told to go into the corner at 90 km/h and hit the brakes.
Then I heard some one hit 120 km/h, went into the corner, braked, panic and locked the tires. So hor… must practice safe driving no matter what.
Now the photos, sorry I don’t have the photo of the car going into the gravel. and NO! it isn’t me hor… lol
View attachment 64486View attachment 64487View attachment 64488View attachment 64489View attachment 64490View attachment 64491
[video=youtube_share;5EHIv75AC30]http://youtu.be/5EHIv75AC30[/video]
Technical Track: Taking the lines
We took the 320d on this track also. The whole idea was to go as fast as we can. knowing when to brake and when to turn into the apex. Some of us tried to push the lead car (instructor), bcos he said, he will go as fast as we can go…
#ChallengeAccepted
View attachment 64492
Okay, I’m a slow driver, so I didn’t manage to push as hard. With the cones to guide us, it was pretty okay to know when to brake and turn.
I reckon if taking away all the cones, I would be doing what I always do on GT5 on my PlayStation… Eat Gravel. lol.
Now the pictures
View attachment 64493View attachment 64494
Urm... totally forgot to take a lot of photos... anyways... Just visualise a bunch of fast BMWs whacking the track gao-gao...
SPECIAL: BRAKING POWER OF THE X4
Yes you heard right. They brought in the X4.
The media was given a quick demo of the braking power. The best part? It started pouring heavily during this exercise. So we got to see the full power of the brakes
When I test drove it, I recall hitting the speed of about 95 km/h, before I jammed the brakes HARD. Can see the entire ABS and other electronics going into hyperdrive and fighting to get me to a stop.
Zai.. super zai
View attachment 64495View attachment 64496View attachment 64497
[video=youtube_share;rYqMLlGpgk4]http://youtu.be/rYqMLlGpgk4[/video]
High Speed: Whacking the M4 and ALMOST eating Gravel.
Next up was the high speed chase. The line up was the M4, 650, X5M and X6M.
Disclaimer: It is my first time driving a M-car. I have no idea how the predecessor drive like, but I had fun. It is a very forgiving car as I really felt that the car’s technology made me feel like a super racer. How do I know that? Stay tuned in a while.
The 650 was a lot of fun. Big engine that allowed me to catch up with the M4 with ease and more importantly comfort. To be honest, I felt so comfortable that I didn’t really wanted to go high speed in it. lol.. But I had too, all for the convoy.
Next up, the X5M. It’s like driving a reeeeally fast bus. Now this is where I felt the difference between the M4 and this car. As I was trying to catch up with the 2 other fast car, I realised that I didn’t have enough braking distance for one of the corners, and I ran out of road and went into the grass…
Thankfully, the speed of the car was slow enough and missed the gravel! HA! I was still able to continue the tracking. After the event, I was talking to one of the BMW execs, they saw my car go off the track and they were all chanting no no no no.. shit shit shit shit..
Thankfully, all the panic and no danger… phew!
Last was the X6M, by this time, I was driving fast but held back a whole load bit. What can I say? Ball shrunk and decided to take it easy. The other boys must have thought me whipped! haha…
X-Drive: Trial on the quarry
The last event for the day was the trail drive in the X5 and X6.
It was pretty decent and non-eventful. Enjoying the power of the X-cars and going over river streams and volcanic ash quarry. Yeap, volcanic ash. There was a volcanic eruption long time ago and engulfed the entire area. so a lot of places are now in grey ash.
enuf talk. now the pictures
View attachment 64498View attachment 64499View attachment 64500View attachment 64501View attachment 64502View attachment 64503View attachment 64504View attachment 64505View attachment 64506
Last Day: Scenic Drive
Before we head to the airport in the afternoon, the mornings were spent on a 200KM journey to cruise along the countryside
My back injury came back after the previous day on the track and I wasn’t that keen to driving another couple hours.
And so I picked the most comfortable car there is: 520d and the 3 series GT.
I eased myself into the seat of the 520d and was welcomed by the lush leather seats caressing my back giving the much-needed support.
The drive was pretty soul-soothing. At first I thought the drive would be like driving up north. Instead of the palm tree plantations that you would usually see, we were greeted by the lush forest and mountains. As the rain fell in the far horizon, it was picturesque and calm.
Of course, since we weren’t pushing the car at all and we only occasionally were cruising a little over 110 km/h. So it was a nice drive.
On the return leg, we took the 3 series GT. Let me tell you something… LEGROOM! and plenty of it.
It’s like buying a $250,000 7 series car! There is just sooooo much space!
In all, even with a low-powered engine BMW, there was plenty of oomph to push the car to a “decent” cruising speed when driving up north.
View attachment 64507View attachment 64508View attachment 64509View attachment 64510View attachment 64511View attachment 64512View attachment 64513View attachment 64514View attachment 64515View attachment 64516View attachment 64517
Event Afterthoughts
Yeap, it was fun to be invited to drive at the race track and with a scenic drive. The food was decent and with plenty of beer to go around.
Can’t wait for the next invite. woot.
tofumonkey, signing off...
View attachment 64518
It was truly an awesome experience, considering I gave up receiving a networking award in Singapore to test drive the best cars BMW can give.
It was divided into several components.
1. Technical presentation
2. The Cone Wars
3. Braking into corner
4. Technical track: Taking the lines
5. Special: Braking power of the X4
6. High Speed: Whacking the M4
7. Trail Drive
8. Scenic Drive
It was extreme fun considering how much they squeeze into just 1.5 days for us. Everything was well planned and well thought out.
And the best thing? They provided bananas to this monkey. woot!
So here’s the run down of the 3D2N Trip.
Technical Presentation
It’s all for the pure car geeks and for those who enjoys the details. We were educated on the difference between the old and the new series
It’s technical, technical, technical… Those who want details, visit our super threads for the specs and images. lol…
View attachment 64478View attachment 64479View attachment 64480
The Cone Wars
Alright, we didn’t fight any wars per say, but it sure was fun whacking the car in the 320d.
To be honest, it was my first time in a BMW and trying to push to the limits of my puny driving skills and that of the BMW. I must say that I took back whatever I said about 320 being not powerful enough. lol… How often do we get to experience the acceleration power of 0-100 in 4 seconds in Singapore? Well, not as often as we want. That’s why the torque of the 320d gave me all the fun, and none of the lethal white summon ticket.
Enuf of the talk, check out the photos…
View attachment 64481View attachment 64482View attachment 64483View attachment 64484View attachment 64485
Braking Into The Corner
Pssst, heard someone ate gravel by braking too much into the corner.
Prior to the exercise, we were told to go into the corner at 90 km/h and hit the brakes.
Then I heard some one hit 120 km/h, went into the corner, braked, panic and locked the tires. So hor… must practice safe driving no matter what.
Now the photos, sorry I don’t have the photo of the car going into the gravel. and NO! it isn’t me hor… lol
View attachment 64486View attachment 64487View attachment 64488View attachment 64489View attachment 64490View attachment 64491
[video=youtube_share;5EHIv75AC30]http://youtu.be/5EHIv75AC30[/video]
Technical Track: Taking the lines
We took the 320d on this track also. The whole idea was to go as fast as we can. knowing when to brake and when to turn into the apex. Some of us tried to push the lead car (instructor), bcos he said, he will go as fast as we can go…
#ChallengeAccepted
View attachment 64492
Okay, I’m a slow driver, so I didn’t manage to push as hard. With the cones to guide us, it was pretty okay to know when to brake and turn.
I reckon if taking away all the cones, I would be doing what I always do on GT5 on my PlayStation… Eat Gravel. lol.
Now the pictures
View attachment 64493View attachment 64494
Urm... totally forgot to take a lot of photos... anyways... Just visualise a bunch of fast BMWs whacking the track gao-gao...
SPECIAL: BRAKING POWER OF THE X4
Yes you heard right. They brought in the X4.
The media was given a quick demo of the braking power. The best part? It started pouring heavily during this exercise. So we got to see the full power of the brakes
When I test drove it, I recall hitting the speed of about 95 km/h, before I jammed the brakes HARD. Can see the entire ABS and other electronics going into hyperdrive and fighting to get me to a stop.
Zai.. super zai
View attachment 64495View attachment 64496View attachment 64497
[video=youtube_share;rYqMLlGpgk4]http://youtu.be/rYqMLlGpgk4[/video]
High Speed: Whacking the M4 and ALMOST eating Gravel.
Next up was the high speed chase. The line up was the M4, 650, X5M and X6M.
Disclaimer: It is my first time driving a M-car. I have no idea how the predecessor drive like, but I had fun. It is a very forgiving car as I really felt that the car’s technology made me feel like a super racer. How do I know that? Stay tuned in a while.
The 650 was a lot of fun. Big engine that allowed me to catch up with the M4 with ease and more importantly comfort. To be honest, I felt so comfortable that I didn’t really wanted to go high speed in it. lol.. But I had too, all for the convoy.
Next up, the X5M. It’s like driving a reeeeally fast bus. Now this is where I felt the difference between the M4 and this car. As I was trying to catch up with the 2 other fast car, I realised that I didn’t have enough braking distance for one of the corners, and I ran out of road and went into the grass…
Thankfully, the speed of the car was slow enough and missed the gravel! HA! I was still able to continue the tracking. After the event, I was talking to one of the BMW execs, they saw my car go off the track and they were all chanting no no no no.. shit shit shit shit..
Thankfully, all the panic and no danger… phew!
Last was the X6M, by this time, I was driving fast but held back a whole load bit. What can I say? Ball shrunk and decided to take it easy. The other boys must have thought me whipped! haha…
X-Drive: Trial on the quarry
The last event for the day was the trail drive in the X5 and X6.
It was pretty decent and non-eventful. Enjoying the power of the X-cars and going over river streams and volcanic ash quarry. Yeap, volcanic ash. There was a volcanic eruption long time ago and engulfed the entire area. so a lot of places are now in grey ash.
enuf talk. now the pictures
View attachment 64498View attachment 64499View attachment 64500View attachment 64501View attachment 64502View attachment 64503View attachment 64504View attachment 64505View attachment 64506
Last Day: Scenic Drive
Before we head to the airport in the afternoon, the mornings were spent on a 200KM journey to cruise along the countryside
My back injury came back after the previous day on the track and I wasn’t that keen to driving another couple hours.
And so I picked the most comfortable car there is: 520d and the 3 series GT.
I eased myself into the seat of the 520d and was welcomed by the lush leather seats caressing my back giving the much-needed support.
The drive was pretty soul-soothing. At first I thought the drive would be like driving up north. Instead of the palm tree plantations that you would usually see, we were greeted by the lush forest and mountains. As the rain fell in the far horizon, it was picturesque and calm.
Of course, since we weren’t pushing the car at all and we only occasionally were cruising a little over 110 km/h. So it was a nice drive.
On the return leg, we took the 3 series GT. Let me tell you something… LEGROOM! and plenty of it.
It’s like buying a $250,000 7 series car! There is just sooooo much space!
In all, even with a low-powered engine BMW, there was plenty of oomph to push the car to a “decent” cruising speed when driving up north.
View attachment 64507View attachment 64508View attachment 64509View attachment 64510View attachment 64511View attachment 64512View attachment 64513View attachment 64514View attachment 64515View attachment 64516View attachment 64517
Event Afterthoughts
Yeap, it was fun to be invited to drive at the race track and with a scenic drive. The food was decent and with plenty of beer to go around.
Can’t wait for the next invite. woot.
tofumonkey, signing off...
View attachment 64518
Last edited by a moderator:
