German Car Zone

cawimmer430 · 04-08-2009, 02:51 PM

I returned last night from the 'Ring but I was too exhausted to switch on my computer and go online. I left Munich at 5:30 AM and only arrived in Nürburg at 11:30 AM. Part of it was due to my using the Autobahn A8 from Munich to Stuttgart which is mostly limited to 120 km/h. So I settled into an economical 130 km/h cruising speed and drove along. After I passed Stuttgart, I was routed to another Autobahn going north to Cologne which was not derestricted. Here I speeded up my journey by traveling at high speeds to the small city of Nürburg. To my great delight I only had to refuel the 118i once on the way there. My original plan was to stay for two days by sleeping inside the car, but that changed at the end.

I was at first very disappointed when I arrived. The roads leading directly to the ‘Ring were all under construction. I had a little run-in with a construction crew that got mad that I had not followed the go-around roads. A great start to my arrival here. Thankfully they shut up after awhile and allowed me to pass. Then, as I approached the ‘Ring, I saw that to my great dismay the Norschleife Center was being renovated. Nowhere on their website was there any mention of this. There were enough parking opportunities but no access to the track from the Norschleife Center. It was empty. Only the sound of engines being pushed to their limit told me that something was happening here.

There is really only one great spot from which to photograph without the annoying safety fences getting in your way: a gathering point / parking lot called Brünnchen. During my stay at the ‘Ring I spent 99% of my time there. I felt that if I took off and drove somewhere else I might miss a few cars since it would turn out that some cars only did a lap and then disappeared forever.

But before getting there, I had to first find the place. For those of you who’ve never been there, this area is quite confusing given the many roads and lack of friendlier road signs. So I stopped at the infamous gas station which refuels all the cars here in order to ask for directions and perhaps a map. I got the directions verbally and as I left the building, a heavily camouflaged W212 E-Class pulled in to gas up. I could tell from the awesome engine growl that this was no other car than the new E63 AMG undergoing some further testing on the track! Holy crap! Luckily (and I stress luckily), I had my Nikon D90 around my neck and I quickly snapped a couple of photos of this baby without the knowledge of the two drivers who had exited the vehicle. Then I waited for them to be done with their task of fueling up the car and leaving because I wanted to take a video of them passing me. On the way out in the car they saw me and only gave it a light push, but I hope you guys can hear the bubbling V8 sound in the video.

Aside from the usual exotics that race here, there were some funny moments too. There was one guy in a Mercedes B-Class doing some seriously aggressive driving. He got my respect because I’ve driven the B-Class on numerous occasions and this FWD compact car is more comfortable than sporty. Its handling qualities can only be described as flimsy and soft – and yet this guy was really controlling the car quite professionally. It was hard to tell if this was a professional Mercedes factory driver or simply some guy who took his (or a rental) B-Class unto the track.

On this day there happened to be (to my delight!) many Mercedes-Benz products on the track. It all started with a few sighting of various W204 C-Classes being driven to their limits. Most of the were in sport trim but two of the W204s were actually of the softer Elegance trims. I got the impression that the sport models were definitely better on the track but clearly not meant for this kind of driving. One C-Class even trailed a white Toyota Supra (he couldn’t shake it, admit it!).

Luckily there was also a C63 AMG showing off its stuff – and a red BMW M3 (US-spec too). Both of these cars demonstrated what a real track car is all about. The sound screeching of tires and smell of burned rubber was also in the air. There was also a blue Lexus IS-F with a Japanese driver behind the wheel doing a few laps. I guess Lexus is looking for ways to improve that thing.

Two W221 S-Classes were also doing laps. One was a normal W221 S-Class while the other was the facelifted model. Both drivers were hammering them and it was fun to see them screech around the corners at high speed. For a sedan of that size and weight, the S-Class seemed to handle pretty nicely on the track.

Audi seemed to be resting their new RS5. I got that impression because one of the older spectators behind me told me that he had worked for Porsche and they used to cover-up the public testing of their 944 model by fitting the body of an Opel Diplomat unto its chassis. He suspected that this “Audi S5” is actually an Audi RS5. Let me tell you, this guy could be right since the engine sound of that blue “S5” was brutal, just brutal. And the driver was really abusing this car. It was doing laps the whole day – literally. From the time I arrived to the time I left, this “S5” didn’t stop (maybe only to refuel somewhere…).

Two Nissan GT-Rs were doing laps. One was registered in France, the other had a temporary German license plate and RHD steering with a Caucasian driver behind the wheel. Great engine sounds and handling. Next to me was a German my age from near Düsseldorf also photographing the cars passing by and he especially liked the GT-R.

BMW was also represented by an X6 and an X5 undergoing some strenuous testing. There was another heavily clad BMW SUV undergoing testing. It was difficult to see its dimensions with all that black camouflage but I suspect it could have been an X1.

Various Porsches were driving on the track. A red 997 GT3 and a green 997 Turbo caught my eye. The Porsches were in my opinion some of the most composed cars driving on the track that day. There was also a Porsche Panamera which I only sighted on two laps. It was heavily covered with black camo.

At some point during the day, there was an accident somewhere. A Ford Mondeo Medic Vehicle and a Mercedes Atego towing truck followed by a Chevrolet S-10 Pickup appeared out of nowhere and sped towards to scene. Man, I would have wanted that Mercedes Atego truck to do some serious drifting around tight corners!

Some other interesting cars were the Audi TTS and TTS Cabrio and Aston Martin Vantage.

Less interesting cars on the track that day included two Skoda Fabias which Czech license plates, a BMW 1-Series that throughout the day was tracked by a Saab 9-3 with Luxembourg plates, a W203 Mercedes C200 Kompressor, the new Ford Fiesta (a green one and a Fiesta RS from the UK), a modified Ford Focus RS. And before I forget, two dudes doing laps in a regular facelifted Mercedes ML and a GLK. There was also a black ML63 AMG doing some serious track driving, very impressive.

One of the highlights of this trip was definitely the W212 E63 AMG. But it doesn’t end here. Oh no! I was blessed with luck! There is a god after all! I spotted among others some sort of 4-door MINI Cooper (can’t fool me!) sedan, the Mercedes SLS Gullwing prototype, the Lexus LF-A and some sort of Porsche Carrera with heavy camouflage to its engine section, which made me think that perhaps Porsche is testing a new engine. There was also a lightly camouflaged pickup doing a lap. I am not sure which brand it is from but my gut instinct tells me it’s some sort of Toyota. The Lexus LF-A had a Japanese testdriver behind the wheel. I couldn’t see through the windows of the Mercedes SLS. Both the SLS and LF-A had pretty good engine sounds. I only took a video of the LF-A engine sound because I waited for the SLS to pass again but it seems that they’d done enough testing for the time. I also spotted the new W212 E-Class doing laps. Was Mercedes testing out a sport suspension? We’ll soon find out I guess. I also spotted the S212 E-Class Estate in both regular and AMG form doing laps on the track.

Around 17:00, I was getting tired and both my cameras were critically low on battery power (though my second D90 battery still had about 25% of power left). I brought along my Nikon D40 with the 18-105mm lens and used it to spread the battery usage out evenly. I mainly used the D40 for the slower, less interesting cars where speed and clear sharpness didn’t mean that much to me. For the good stuff I switched over to the D90. I must have looked like a professional standing near the track with two cameras!

Anyway, I hoped into the BMW and made my way towards the Autobahn. I took a different route home though. On the way here I had driven towards Stuttgart and then turned north. I figured that heading towards Frankfurt (east) would bring me unto the Autobahn A9 – an Autobahn famed for its lack of speed limits. Almost 90% of that Autobahn is not derestricted and I wanted to get home as fast as possible. What stood between me and Munich was a distance of 650 km+.

Once on the A9 I was virtually driving 170-180 km/h the whole way: speeding home. On some sections I had the car up to 210 km/h but not any faster because the winter tires are only rated at 210 km/h. This type of driving naturally uses up gas and I had to refuel three (3) (!!!) times the small gas tank of the 118i. I love this car, but the one thing that really makes me mad about it are the seats. They simply suck. They’re too thin and lack a proper lumber support. My back hurt like hell and I was forced to stop on two occasions and walk around for 10 minutes in order to feel better. If anyone at BMW is reading this, IMPROVE YOUR GOD DAMN 1-SERIES SEATS! !! Argh!!! Your little 1-Series is a great car but you can forgot long-distance driving with it! It’s impossible with such uncomfortable seats!

Anyway, I arrived back in Munich at literally record time: 21:30 (9:30 PM) thanks to the Autobahn A9. I parked the car and felt its tires – they were so hot! No sh*t, I had been driving at high velocity the whole time, stopping only to refuel and rest.

I was dead tired, I just ate some fruits, showered and went straight to bed. And this morning I woke up at around 11:00 and went to work on the pictures.

Here they are! :cheers:

The BMW 118i was in good company...

Audi TTS

Lexus IS-F

Porsche GT3

Audi S5

Audi S3

Audi TTS

The BMW in good company again!

BMW 1-Series being trailed by a Saab 9-3

Nissan GT-R

Porsche 997 GT3

VW Scirocco

Duel of the Porshces

Looks like these underpowered Porsches have trouble passing a Mercedes B-Class!

Taking the ML unto the track, sans the family and dog...

W204 C-Class being driven hard...

Audi TTS speeding along...

BMW 1-Series having fun...

Ford Focus C-Max and a BMW X5 undergoing testing...

VW GTI and Audi TTS Cabrio

Toyota Supra having trouble shaking the W204 C-Class on his tail...

W204 C-Classes showing off what they can do...

Nissan GT-R rounding the curve...

End of Part 1

Centurion · 04-08-2009, 02:59 PM

It's crazy how much testing takes place at the ring. I would love to see the S-class wobble around the circuit. Did you let the 118i test the waters?

Sayyaaf · 04-08-2009, 03:06 PM

Chrisitan, some of those pics are acutally spy shots or some exclusive thing , GT3 ? TT-RS ? they are still not out the market yet. Great

DaSilva · 04-08-2009, 03:14 PM

oh my...

You spotted the TT-RS

how was the sound?
Also the RS5

And you call them S models ?

First of April is over...

VroomVroom · 04-08-2009, 07:42 PM

Arghh!!

Soo many spy cars in there!

RS5 and I think that blue S3 sport back is the testing car for the Rs3

You even saw a TTRs

cawimmer430 · 04-09-2009, 05:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Centurion

Did you let the 118i test the waters?

Nope. My sister would skin me alive if she ever found out that I did take her car unto the track. Furthermore the 118i had winter tires on and I also had too much "junk" inside the car - my laptop, bottled water, food, a blanket etc. because I was planning on spending the night there. In order to drive properly on the track you need summer tires and an empty car.

cawimmer430 · 04-09-2009, 05:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sayyaaf

Chrisitan, some of those pics are acutally spy shots or some exclusive thing , GT3 ? TT-RS ? they are still not out the market yet. Great

I'm just waiting for Brenda to contact me.

cawimmer430 · 04-09-2009, 05:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DaSilva

oh my...

You spotted the TT-RS

how was the sound?
Also the RS5

And you call them S models ?

First of April is over...

Quote:

Originally Posted by VroomVroom

Arghh!!

Soo many spy cars in there!

RS5 and I think that blue S3 sport back is the testing car for the Rs3

You even saw a TTRs

I saw a TT-RS? Where?

Tarek · 04-09-2009, 08:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cawimmer430

I saw a TT-RS? Where?

Lol,it's just a TT-S

And damn it man,i wish i was there..great work as usual

cawimmer430 · 04-09-2009, 08:42 AM

Hey Tarek, when you become president of Egypt, make it your mission to build the Gizaring - the track of tracks in Africa!

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German Car Zone

***Wimmer's Nürburgring Trip Part (1)***

Wimmer's Nürburgring Trip Part (1)