BMW Driving Center offers 'sheer driving pleasure'
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The BMW Driving Center in Incheon / Courtesy of BMW Korea
By Jhoo Dong-chan
BMW Korea has long led the nation’s motorsports through various auto events with the German carmaker’s sporty vehicle models, and the Incheon BMW Driving Center symbolizes its efforts on introducing driving pleasure to the public.
BMW Korea offered The Korea Times an opportunity to experience one of its driving programs at the BMW Driving Center in Incheon, Nov. 10. The reporter joined the three-hour BMW Advanced Program.
The program is the BMW Driving Center’s entry level program generally for those with more than three years of driving experiences. Those who complete the Advanced Program are allowed to take upper level programs such as the BMW Intensive Program.
The reporter was given the BMW 330i M Sports Package sedan during the program.
The BMW Advanced Program started with the 40-minute in-class lecture where a BMW instructor gave a basic safety instruction and how to response to possible slip situation. He also taught about the basic concept of over- and under-steering situation as well as the counter-steering maneuver to avoid possible accidents.
After the in-class lecture, 12 participants finally hopped in behind the wheel to enter the BMW Multiple Course where participants learned about slalom, emergency brake and maneuver skills.
“Most of drivers failed to stomp the brake pedal in 100 percent before accident,” the course’s instructor said.
“A number of accidents could’ve been avoidable if a vehicle performs its 100 percent brake. A driver should learn how to stop the car as fast as they can before learning how to accelerate.”
After the 30-minute Multiple Course session, the participants entered the Dynamic Course where they could experience possible over-steering situation and learn how to stabilize their vehicles in slip situation.
Thank to the center’s kick plate, a device that lets the rear wheels slip on damp road, participants were able to feel how the car slipped on the road and learn counter-steering maneuver.
The Dynamic Course was also 30-minute session, and participants then joined the Circular Course that simulates possible under-steering situation.
“Under-steering situation generally takes place where the front wheels lose their traction on the road,” the instructor said. “When under-steering, a driver could avoid possible accidents with decelerating the vehicle’s speed. If necessary, a driver should stomp the brake pedal to stop the car.”
The BMW 330i M Sports Package sedan’s Dynamic Stability Control (DSC) continuously intervened the vehicle’s torque to prevent over-steering slip during the course session. With turning the DSC off, however, the vehicle performed over-steering slip so the driver had to perform courter-steering maneuver.
After the 30-minute Circular Course, participants finally entered the BMW Driving Center’s 2.6-kilomter circuit.
The instruction took the lead and taught the ideal racing line with participants. Due to rain on the day, participants were not allowed to touch the outside edge, the “apex,” during the session. Each participant took two laps on the circuit.
The BMW Advanced Program was concluded with the circuit session, and each participant expressed their satisfaction with the program, saying “It not only suggests the so-called BMW’s ‘sheer driving pleasure’ but also contributes on-road safety by lecturing how to response to possible slip situation.”
BMW Driving Center also provides the high-performance M division machine, luxury Rolls Royce and i8 electric vehicle as well as Mini brand vehicles for its programs.
Invested a total of 77 billion won (62 million Euro), BMW Korea built the BMW Driving Center in Incheon, August 2014. BMW Korea said it created about 100 jobs while has since received more than 500,000 visitors until August 2017.
It is also the German premium automaker’s third driving center in the world, and first one in Asian region.
Under its concept of “Experience, Joy and Green,” the BMW Driving Center provides 15 different driving programs to fulfill BMW’s motto of “Sheer Driving Pleasure.”
Along with its track circuit and courses, the center also features a showroom for the German automaker’s luxury brand Rolls Royce and hatchback brand Mini.