Z4 Drive Debuts at BMW Performance Center; New Driving Program Features Twisty Back Road Drive
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SPARTANBURG, S.C., Jan. 31 -- In the BMW tradition of open-air driving pleasure comes the spring debut of a sophisticated, new driving experience: The Z4 Drive. The first BMW Performance Center driving course to feature roadsters exclusively, the Z4 Drive curriculum offers a variety of driving experiences behind the wheel of this sleek, new class of sports car. "This program showcases the athleticism and agility of the new Z4 roadster," says Tom Strahs, driving school manager at the BMW Performance Center. "Participants will learn car control techniques such as braking, cornering and accelerating on our challenging course, followed by a top-down drive on the twisty Carolina back roads." The Z4 Drive is open to all licensed drivers, not just Z4 owners. The Z4 Drive begins in spring 2003 -- May 7-9, June 26-28, July 30-August 1, and September 21-23. The cost is $2,385 for two drivers sharing a Z4 supplied by the Performance Center, and includes several meals and accommodations for two nights. Solo drivers deduct $100. To enroll, call the BMW Performance Center at 888-345-4BMW (4269). The Z4 Drive begins with a half-day driving program on the BMW Performance Center's paved course, including a driving exercise in which water walls appear without warning for drivers to maneuver around, creating lessons in accident avoidance skills. Participants then take on the winding curves of Southern back roads that afternoon en route to an historic bed and breakfast, followed by dinner hosted by a BMW driving instructor. After dinner, participants will compete in a timed event that requires drivers to maneuver their Z4 into a very tight area, developing skills on how to quickly change direction in a short space while competing against others for the lowest times. The next day, participants will drive back on winding roads to the BMW Performance Center for lunch and an afternoon of more challenging driving exercises. BMW Group In America BMW of North America has been present in the United States since 1975. Since then, the BMW Group in the United States has grown to include marketing, sales and financial service organizations for the BMW, MINI and Roll-Royce brands; DesignworksUSA, an industrial design firm in California; a technology office in Silicon Valley and various other operations throughout the country, including BMW Manufacturing Corp. in South Carolina. The BMW Group sales organization is represented in the U.S. through networks of 340 BMW car, 327 BMW Sports Activity Vehicle, 148 BMW Motorcycle retailers, 70 MINI car dealers and 27 Rolls-Royce motorcar dealers. BMW US Holding Corp., the Group's sales headquarters for North, Central and South America, is located in Woodcliff Lake, New Jersey. Information about BMW Group products is available to consumers via the Internet at http://www.bmwusa.com http://www.bmwmotorcycles.com and http://www.miniusa.com .