MEETING
IN THE
GREEN
HELL.
Loved, hated, feared – the Nürburgring Nordschleife never
fails to elicit a response. We joined touring car champion
Andy Priaulx for a drive on this legendary track in the
BMW Series Coupé.
Despite his three world championship titles (WTCC), Andy Priaulx
approaches the Nordschleife with a lot of respect. Jackie Stewart
once referred to it as “Green Hell”, the trees along its track coalescing
to form a continuous green blur. In Priaulx won the -hour
race in the BMW M GTR, as part of a team of four. “Each time I am
here, the Nordschleife presents a different aspect: hot, wet, foggy or
snowy – but never boring. Winning here really means something.”
Not having any racing experience, sitting next to Andy Priaulx in a
i Coupé feels like sitting in a real race car. During the twisting
Hatzenbach descent, the British driver speaks of the special virtues
that each BMW possesses. “Driving any BMW is a very special
feeling. The balanced weight distribution makes the vehicle very poised,
and the steering tells me exactly what the car is doing at any given
time.” Even sitting on the passenger seat you can tell that Andy
Priaulx and the BMW Series Coupé feel very at home here. The
vehicle has the Nürburgring in its genes, so to speak. Since the mid-
s, BMW engineers have tested every new model here prior to
the start of production.
The challenging race track reveals both the sporting prowess and the
durability of many parts. BMW was the fi rst manufacturer to establish
its own test centre here in .
Although Andy Priaulx usually drives a touring car powered by a
high-revving four-cylinder racing engine, he clearly enjoys the
BMW TwinPower Turbo six-cylinder in-line petrol unit in the i Coupé.
“On the long ascent to the ‘Bergwerk’ section and the ‘Hohe Acht’,
you need every one of the hp. No matter which BMW engine
you prefer, its combination of power and effi ciency guarantees driving
pleasure without a bad conscience.” Although the supercharged
six-cylinder in-line engine has the same power output as its predecessor,
BMW engineers have managed to lower its average fuel consumption
by up to .litres per km. In the twisting bends around the famous
“Karussell”, Priaulx praises the feeling of safety and confi dence that
the BMW Series Coupé inspires in the driver. “This applies to the
slower, technical passages as much as to the top-speed sections, such
as the long fi nishing straight at ‘Döttinger Höhe’.”
The BMW Series Coupé and its driver would clearly like to add
another lap, but as a passenger, you quickly reach your limit at this kind of
speed. Of course, Priaulx’s enthusiasm for the BMW Series Coupé and
the Nordschleife is infectious. For a small fee, anyone can do a lap here.
