Project: 2014 328i xDrive Wagon F31

[Steve85]

WEEEEEEEEE! As if couldn't love this thing more. Finally got out to one of the monthly MBCA autox here in town (where the older son now goes to high school   ). 

We had weather threats so instead of 3 runs in the morning and afternoon we did 4 in the morning and hoped for the best. First run was a 45 something and worked it down to a 41.xx. For reference a good driver in a what seemed to be a nice E36 M3 had FTD at a 38.xx. I ran in Sport+ with no further adjustments to traction control. Sport+ puts it into a dynamic handling mode which delays and seems to minimize the save your ass help. I was bummed we didn't get the afternoon runs in because I wanted to turn it all off (as much as it allows) and see how it felt. Something for another day.

One thing that definitely hurt the times a smidgen was that it just doesn't launch well, this is where a clutch would come in handy.

Sport+ kept it in the right gear, no upshifting to save fuel just because I lifted through s turns, or through a couple longish 180* right/left handers. Roll was handled pretty well too and inspired a lot of confidence. You could tell the dynamic shocks would chip in to reduce roll at the limit. It's a nearly 4K lb wagon that doesn't drive anything like you would expect on paper. It's never going to be an E36 M3 but I gotta hand to BMW, I can't imagine there is a better driving wagon out there.

Pics courtesy of Harry Newman, the MBCA tech guy

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Then I went in for the kill – if I bring my son to pick up the BMW, can he get a ride in a Lambo? Without hesitation, he said, “Absolutely, always looking for a reason to take one out”. And then he volunteered Super Trofeo VIP tickets that include food and beverage all weekend in the tent for the 2018 VIR race.

We usually only go for Friday since Michael always has a soccer tournament the same weekend. This year, the tourney and race are different weekends so I reached out to Chase a couple weeks before the race and we didn't really connect. He seemed pretty overwhelmed with the dealership being moved from Greensboro to Charlotte and it seemed to be growing. He eventually responded and said he wasn't sure he could get the VIP tickets since they were trying to lock it down to owners and their guests only. He instead offered to score the tickets to the event and invited us to the Villa to watch the race. I didn't hear from him again before we left for the race Thursday night and didn't really want to bug him again. I know he offered them up but I wasn't going to nag them out of him. I woke up Saturday morning to a VM telling me to go to will call for the tix and VIP passes (he sent a message Thursday that didn't go through so he called since he didn't hear from me). Dude, you're the best...because I bought a used car six months ago and clearly not in the market for a Lambo - he's nothing to gain doing this for us.

How we lived:


How we lounged:



Typical camping meals..




View from the trailer top seating: (we were camped left of the top turn)

 
This was an incredible weekend to share with my boy. It would have been great without the Lambo tent, but his love for the brand made it a huge bonus. This will be a special memory for us...