So a few days ago I headed back to the BMW Driving Academy for the Advanced -Dynamic program.
Lucky for me it was a nice wet day, making the skid pads even better.
2 instructors, 3 students.. that's a good ratio!! (normal is 6 students 1 instructor for the record, I just got lucky)
How things went:
About a half hour of classroom, lots of basics, crossed arm steering technique, driving position, understeer/oversteer, safety ect.
The new BMW's are all nice, i picked the same (well it looked the same) touring wagon that I had before, a 220d sounds pretty boring- right?.. WRONG!! (and the HUD is cool)
Side question, --Im not a BMW guy, but will an auto 220d in Sport mode usually fire the traction control in first and second gear?.. and with the TC off just spin uncontrolled on damp pavement? (first and second).. it seemed way more powerful than I expected (I had it in the most 'sporty' mode) and the TC was sometimes on and sometimes off. the car did have a little M on the front fenders but no M on the back.
Anyway, first exercise was emergency braking and slalom
with speeds gradually building from 30, 50, 60, and "unlimited" (in reality it was pretty short run in so unlimited was just floored until you had to stand on the brakes). not sure if all new cars do this but if you stopped hard enough the 4 way flashers came on .. nice feature..
Then we did a bunch of "target braking" where you would pick you brake point and speed and the objective was to emergency stop with your front bumper kissing the cone.. funny enough, my first 2 runs were bang on.. from about 70 kph or so, within 10 cms of the cone ... the next bunch were not as impressive, but it was starting to rain more and some runs, even with the TC on, it was still spinning and "nannying" at the time I had to start braking.. (more standard driving excuses to come)
Next exercise was using the "kick plate", skid pad, and water curtains.
The course is a run in (up to about 80 kph) drive over the "kick plate" which moves the back wheels of the car over about 2 feet (either way) and you are on a water sprayed skid pad...... THEN the water curtain goes up with a lane sized hole in it and you try to get through.... as you get thru that water curtain, you are presented with another water curtain with a lane sized hole in it... BEST GAME EVER!!! the position of the open lanes changes, and Im not sure, but it seemed the operator could adjust the force/speed/throw of the kick plate as well,,, this exercise we spent lots of time on with Dynamic stability /TC on and fully off. I had a distinct advantage here over the other two folks, (both from korea), who were struggling with just countersteering .
Next was a break (as apposed to a brake) then off to the circular skid pad.
Lots of under steer/oversteer practice again on a sprinkled skid pad.. At this point I have to say how totally impressed I am with the stability control on the BMW's... I could (or more correctly the car could) circle the skid pad with my foot planted on the floor at incredible speed and G force, and other than some whirring and uneven throttle noise, was totally uneventful. There was NO WAY I could get close to the same speed with the stability off, usually ending in a 2 or 3 loop spin..
Drifting with the tc off was pretty good, im glad it was not my tires taking the punishment, but I have to admit I did not complete a full big circle in a drift... it's WAY easier on ice in a standard than on wet pavement with an auto (even if you didnt buy the tires).
Next was track time, TC on mandatory, (while we were on break one of the other groups stuffed a car so that calmed every body down a notch)
This was a follow the instructor exercise, using the full track, and even though it was a follow exercise, frequently my foot was planted on the floor looking to maintain the gap .. (I did hear "
please close the gap Mr Joe" only twice) (in true driver excuse mode--he wanted me closer than I was comfy, Im just not calibrated for track following gaps)
even on the damp track there was some tail wagging and tire howling.. all the apexes were marked with cones and the instructor did a great job "showing" every one the right way.. the students took turns following the instructor, with the others trailing close behind -- I wonder how many laps the instructors do a week?...
Anyway that was it, over three hours of driving... I was actually a little tired (brain and shoulders) & gained small bruise on my left leg from bracing against the door.(HEY BMW that door design needs work
)
now just sign up for the next one!!... that's an all day thing... with more intensive training.. perfect!!
go down a couple posts for pics
