Skip to main content

BMW sets two Guinness World Records, drifting sideways for 232.5 miles

bmw sets two guinness world records drifting sideways for 2325 miles record  longest drift with 2018 m5 9
BMW USA
BMWs are known to be quite the drift-mobiles, thanks to their loyalty to the rear-wheel drive tradition. To uphold this reputation even more, BMW and its coveted M Performance Division just set two new Guinness World Records with the latest 2018 BMW M5 sedan.

On December 11, 2017, an all-new BMW M5 sedan set off with driving instructor Johan Schwartz behind the wheel. Schwartz then drifted the M4 around BMW’s Performance Center in Greer, South Carolina, setting a record for the “Greatest Distance Vehicle Drift,” traveling sideways for a total of 232.5 miles over eight hours around a skid pad. Not only did Schwartz set his record of 232.5 miles, he smashed his previous record attempt by 143 miles. But it doesn’t stop there.

BMW USA

During the same attempt, BMW also set the first record for the “Longest Twin Vehicle Drift (Water Assisted)” where the firm had a second car drift alongside the primary attempt car. The second car, a previous generation F10 M5 with BMW Performance Center Chief Drifting Instructor Matt Mullins at the wheel, went sideways alongside the first car for a total of 49.25 miles over the course of one hour, out of the total attempt’s eight-hour period.

And to make sure the first car kept going, the second car also acted as a mobile supply car, and refueled the primary car during the drift attempt.

Yes, you read that correctly. They refueled the primary car with a second car, while it was drifting sideways, around a skid pad, to make sure it could keep going during its record-setting attempt. They accomplished this by equipping the first car with a jet fighter-derived “dry break fuel” system, a completely custom setup just for this record attempt. The supply car refilled the first M5 a total of five separate times over the eight-hour drift.

BMW USA

“We knew going in that if we were going to recapture the world record for longest sustained drift and set the bar as high as possible, we would need to find a way to keep the M5 going without stopping to refuel,” said Schwartz. “In the end, the refueling system worked flawlessly and the M5 performed as expected. It was a big win all around.”

Editors' Recommendations

Chris Chin
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Since picking up his first MicroMachine, Chris Chin knew his passion for automobiles was embedded into his soul. Based in…
The Apple Car was reportedly dubbed ‘the Bread Loaf’
A man checks his phone in an Apple retail store in Grand Central Terminal.

A 2020 prototype of the so-called "Apple Car" was dubbed "the Bread Loaf" for its looks, according to a Bloomberg report on Wednesday.

In a deep dive into the costly project, which Apple canceled last month, the report described the vehicle as “a white minivan with rounded sides, an all-glass roof, sliding doors, and whitewall tires [that] was designed to comfortably seat four people and inspired by the classic flower-power Volkswagen microbus.”

Read more
The Rivian R2 SUV is up for preorder for only $45,000
Rivian R2

You can now get a Rivian without spending more than $70,000. After months of rumors and leaks, Rivian has finally taken the wraps off of the Rivian R2, its newest SUV, and the first to be built on the new Rivian R2 platform. The R2 is built to be Rivian's "Model 3 moment," or its attempt to build a car that's more accessible to the general public and thus could be sold at a much higher volume than the R1S or R1T ever were.

The R2 certainly cuts some corners to achieve the lower price point, but it actually still has a lot going for it -- especially as an electric SUV in this price range. It goes up against the likes of the Tesla Model Y, Hyundai Ioniq 5, Mustang Mach-E, and Kia EV6, but it's much more of an SUV than a crossover-sized car and should appeal to those who want something larger and with Rivian's design sensibility.

Read more
The R3 is Rivian’s surprise electric crossover
Rivian R3

Rivian didn't just announce the R2 platform at its latest launch event -- in a surprise twist, it also announced the R3 crossover. The R3 is Rivian's smallest car yet, offering a size much closer to the likes of the Hyundai Ioniq 5 and Kia EV6 than the SUVs that came before it.

Of course, not only is the Rivian R3 smaller, but presumably, it's also cheaper. Rivian didn't reveal actual pricing for the car, but it did say that it would be less than the R2's $45,000 price. Also, it may be some time before we start seeing the R3 on the road -- the car will follow the R2, which isn't set to be available until the first half of 2026.

Read more