First-Class Delivery
So extraordinary was this gift that, from the time the phone lines opened at noon, all 50 M6 Convertibles were reserved within 92 seconds. What could cause such a surge of desire? This special-edition BMW Individual M6 Convertible delivers luxury, exclusivity – and heart-pounding performance.
With its 500-horsepower, V-10 engine and 7-speed SMG drivelogic transmission, it accelerates from 0–60 mph in 4.1 seconds. A product of BMW Individual, the M6 offers unique paint and upholstery colors and a full complement of luxuries that make it as indulgent as it is powerful.
Just as intriguing, each M6 Convertible included another unique feature: a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for each new owner and their guest not only to take delivery at BMW Headquarters in Munich, but to visit with the designers and engineers at the Inner Sanctum: BMW M.
The lucky M6 owners arrived on a perfect May day to find downtown Munich alive with music and festivities. After a warm welcome from BMW at a party on the roof garden of Hotel Bayerischer Hof, which overlooks the city skyline, the excited Americans mingled and introduced themselves.
Nisha Guram recalled, “I was a little apprehensive walking into this crowd of people I didn’t know, but within minutes, we were all talking.” David Woker noted, “Everybody’s eyes lit up when we started talking about our various experiences getting through on the Neiman Marcus phone line. It was a common thread among us. That was the ice breaker.”
The travelers soon discovered that they had more in common than just the M6, and found themselves enjoying the remainder of the evening out on the town. The following day, they were treated to an exclusive tour of BMW’s massive 568-acre Dingolfing facility in southern Bavaria, where 22,000 workers produce 270,000 BMWs every year.
The flexibility of the plant’s high-tech robotics astonished the visitors, as they witnessed the same production line churn out different models. Recalling his wife’s reaction, Jack Gulati said, “While Mr. Ford may have invented the automobile production line with its one model, BMW revolutionized it.”
The tour was followed by an elegant dinner. Toasted by their BMW hosts with futes of Veuve Clicquot, the guests reciprocated, with heartfelt thanks. The next day, after a delightful lunch at the picturesque Seehaus beer garden, the group boarded a chartered bus for a quick ride to the FIZ, BMW’s massive Research and Development Center in Munich, to finally see their cars.
As the bus approached the entrance, the group’s anticipation built to a crescendo as their vehicles, laid out beautifully on a red carpet, came into view. Recounting the experience, Paul Bucavalas said, “The most eye-opening part of the trip was pulling into the FIZ for the first time and seeing those identical black M6 Convertibles laid out on the red carpet.
We just stood there with our mouths open. It really felt like Christmas.” Under a cloudless Bavarian sky, the excited customers entered their cars and slowly pulled out of the FIZ for their very first drive, a brief maiden voyage. Upon their return, the guests enjoyed cocktails and hors d’oeuvres at the Mobile Tradition museum before embarking on a tour of BMW’s extensive collection of Art Cars, racecars and even the cars featured in the Bond movies.
After watching a short film by SPEED Channel, the guests were entertained by racecar driver Hans Stuck, who sported a black eye from an accident at the Nürburgring racetrack only days before.
On the final day of their Bavarian adventure, the cars were lined up in front of Hotel Bayerischer Hof. Passersby stopped in awe on their way to work; taxis and passing cars slowed to take in this stunning sight.
The guests got into their cars and began their first major drive on the Autobahn. “Driving the M6 on the Autobahn was phenomenal. 500 horsepower is a lot of horses!” said Vincent Cestone.
Their destination: Castle Neuschwanstein, nicknamed “the castle of the fairytales.” The motorists were received at Neuschwanstein by Prince Leopold, a fellow BMW enthusiast, who hosted a gourmet luncheon overlooking the castle as he shared anecdotes from his life.
As Buzz Busbee noted, “BMW treated us like royalty. In fact, they even managed to get royalty to give us a tour!” Later that magical evening, the guests strolled to Lenbach, a stunning restaurant with a white and blue entrance lit from below. Sitting at a long mahogany table in a private area, they shared numerous toasts and enjoyed the spectacle of the waitstaff twirling handfuls of long-stemmed sparklers.
At midnight, the owners gathered for drinks in the grand lobby of the Hotel Bayerischer Hof, unwilling to part just yet. Many couples pledged to reunite in Spartanburg, SC for the M6 Driving Experience, an advanced driving program included with the M6. At the close of the tour, Ellen from Arizona leaned over to a new friend to say, “I think we didn’t pay enough for these cars!”
Source: BMW Magazine