Wednesday 4th December 2013

Chris Harris video: BMW M3 DTM

If the McLaren 12C GT3 was a gentleman racer's car the M3 DTM is for the real pros, as Chris discovers

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There is always a danger in this job that the writer will produce stories of great interest to him or herself, but not many other people. In the days of print it was easy to hide the odd indulgent foray, but within the constantly measurable soup that is the internet, nipping off to test racing cars is becoming hard to justify. Because people tend not to read stories and watch videos about them.

'Just don't press this one, alright?'

Well, luckily for me, I run my own budget, so when BMW asked if I fancied a go in its new DTM car, I didn't think too much about the 47 people who might watch the video, I thought "I desperately want to drive a DTM car" and I drove to Heathrow.

This was the most obsessively organised event of its type I've attended. The briefing seemed exhaustive, but the moment I was sitting in the car and the motor was fired, I really did understand why BMW Motorsport wanted to take very few risks with us hacks. Working hard on familiarisation before turning a wheel means you spend that first lap thinking about the lines and the way the car performs rather than peering at the demi-wheel and trying to recall if it's the green or the blue button that causes the motor to self-destruct.

So here's the vid of the DTM car. Enjoy.

 

 

 

 

 

[cerb4.5lee]

That is such an awesome looking machine & I would love to have a go in one!

[PowerfullyBuilt]

You lucky boy, Monkey!
(302 views and counting...)

[Mermaid]

The E30 M3 DTM cars & that genre look awesome.

[anonymous-user]

Pedants corner:

1) When talking about brake pedal loads, it's Newtons, not Newton Meters (that's a measure of torque)

and

2) Notice you were right foot braking, surely there's 0.5sec a lap alone in moving to left foot braking, even in this N/A engined car!


Looks like a lot of fun though ;-)

[fieldmau5]

If these are a unique carbon chassis, share nothing with the road going car and drive like single seaters... what's the point in shaping the body to look like an M3?

[Luca Brasi]

Did you also have a go in that gorgeous GT3 / GTE Z4?

[pimpin gimp]

I know it's not the done thing to say you liked one of CHs films, but I really enjoyed that.

[ColinM]

"...nipping off to test racing cars is becoming hard to justify. Because people tend not to read stories and watch videos about them"

Are you KIDDING !?!

I could watch/read one of these articles for every single car on the GT/DTM/LE MANS grids.

[Rich_W]

Max_Torque said:

2) Notice you were right foot braking, surely there's 0.5sec a lap alone in moving to left foot braking, even in this N/A engined car!

I've noticed the same on other videos. I'm surprised he doesn't LFB but I guess if he's more comfy that way it's up to him. Personally, in anything with 2 pedals, I instinctively LFB. So it can't be that difficult to learn if I can do it

[foxworth]

fieldmau5 said:

If these are a unique carbon chassis, share nothing with the road going car and drive like single seaters... what's the point in shaping the body to look like an M3?

So everyone who sees it thinks "what do i need to sell to drive an M3 to work each day" !!

[vescaegg]

I hate that Chris gets to just live my fantasies every week

[robm3]

I always seem to read CH's writing in his voice now. I guess I've watched too many of his videos....

[famfarrow]

robm3 said:

I always seem to read CH's writing in his voice now. I guess I've watched too many of his videos....

Glad I'm not the only one!

[g3org3y]

Superb.

[devnull]

"Nice pair of daps, those!" - Epic ending!

[bashful]

foxworth said:

So everyone who sees it thinks "what do i need to sell to drive an M3 to work each day" !!

Photocopiers? "Marketing and Distribution Solutions"?

[Shipper]

ColinM said:

"...nipping off to test racing cars is becoming hard to justify. Because people tend not to read stories and watch videos about them"

Are you KIDDING !?!

I could watch/read one of these articles for every single car on the GT/DTM/LE MANS grids.

agreed, do you think we would prefer to read about the next piece of family car crap with 2.0 litres and 170hp????!!!!! Of course we all read and watch. Last time I looked this place was called PistonHeads and not daddy-day-care-family-mover-review.

Love the vid. always enjoy it when you live some poor sod's fantasy, would love to see you drive a 1970's racing CSL! Find one and I'll chip in for the fuel!

[Nurburgsingh]

You Jammy jammy jammy jammy jammy bd.

Keep up the good work!

[V8 FOU]

Amazing. DTM racing = boring. Chris Harris drives DTM = incredible...

[dtrump]

quick, to the point

enjoyed that nice work