Thursday 10th March 2011

BMW Switches 'Ring Taxi From M5 To M3

The 'Ring taxi is dead, long live the 'Ring taxi - but Sabine is out

---

Goodbye E60 M5...

Recent reports that the famous BMW 'Ring Taxi was to die in 2011 have mercifully proved to be wide of the mark, after BMW announced that it is merely switching to the E90 BMW M3 - But the legendary Sabine Schmitz won't be behind the wheel.

Still, while the retirement of the old E60 M5 will mean the fastest taxi in the Eifel Mountains might be a little less spacious, the current M3 is probably a more appropriate tool for track work.

And even the official 'loss' of Sabine Schmitz isn't as bad as you think - the 'Ring taxis have always been piloted by a whole team of BMW instructors, so your chances of landing a ride with the 'Queen of the 'Ring' were pretty slim anyway.

...Hello, M3

BMW's official line is that "the BMW 'Ring-Taxi will continue in 2011 and use the BMW M3 this year. It will be driven by the instructors from the BMW Driving Experience program - much like it used to be in past years."

The legendary Sabine is still plying her track-taxi trade, however. She's doing the rounds (and has been for a little while now) in a Porsche 997 GT3 RS. At 449 euros (£385), it's a little more expensive than a ride in the BMW, but it will definitely be quicker...

[White-Noise]

Do they still make the E60? That would probably explain the change

[Garlick]

They don't, Riggers mentions it has been retired in the article

[GravelBen]

How much size difference is there between the E90 and the E39 they used before the E60?

[jon-]

£385 for a ride with Sabine... That's a bit more than London rates, but none the less reasonable value

[Insight]

Queen Elisabeth II earns £608 every 8 minutes (£40mill a year) and the Queen of the ring earns £385 for 8 minutes.
My Goodness, the Queen of the Ring earns more than 2/3rd what our Queen Elisabeth II earns!

[Sea Demon]

What is it that Sabine is charging £385 for? Surely not a lap?

There used to a bloke called Heinz that offered to take people round in his 996 GT3 RS for 50 euro's - well worth the money!

[ewenm]

It's a bit less "taxi" now. Part of the appeal for me was that it was a "barge" being expertly piloted around the Ring. A new M3 is less surprising for me.

[goron59]

jon- said:

£385 for a ride with Sabine... That's a bit more than London rates, but none the less reasonable value

LOL

[g3org3y]

I can deal with the switch to an M3. Any idea whether it'll be coupe or saloon?

When BMW change it to a hybrid FWD 1 series I will cry.

Regarding the Ring Taxi, anyone have any idea how often the brakes/tyres need to be changed?

[ccr32]

g3org3y said:

I can deal with the switch to an M3. Any idea whether it'll be coupe or saloon?

When BMW change it to a hybrid FWD 1 series I will cry.

Regarding the Ring Taxi, anyone have any idea how often the brakes/tyres need to be changed?

I remember reading somewhere before it was something like every 10 laps...!

[CampDavid]

ccr32 said:

I remember reading somewhere before it was something like every 10 laps...!

Tyres 10, brakes 20, suspension 50

Car gets cubed each year

[Mermaid]

Sea Demon said:

What is it that Sabine is charging £385 for? Surely not a lap?

!

Only one passenger at a time though, unlike the BMW's.

[Mr Trophy]

CampDavid said:

Tyres 10, brakes 20, suspension 50

Car gets cubed each year

This man speaks the truth. Truely is amazing!

[jon-]

Mr Trophy said:

CampDavid said:

Tyres 10, brakes 20, suspension 50

Car gets cubed each year

This man speaks the truth. Truely is amazing!

Any idea what tyres they run?

[va1o]

Hope its a saloon M3!

[Cassius81]

Fuel bill would be interesting too...

Does anyone know if the M5 taxi have uprated brakes, as I'd read that the M5's standard stoppers were its weak point?

[Frimley111R]

Mermaid said:

Sea Demon said:

What is it that Sabine is charging £385 for? Surely not a lap?

!

Only one passenger at a time though, unlike the BMW's.

That's stupid money but if people are willing to pay for it....

[ALY77]

Wouldn't pay the money for the Porker but we did the M5 finally on last years trip. Got Jurgen who was quite capable of some great lines/speed and also at sticking the rear bumper miles out of line at speed too.

Does this news make my Sabine autographed M5 model from the Fan Stop Shop worth more now?!?

[Godzilla]

I wonder if Lindner and co had a say in Sabine being dropped from the BMW team? That is the real story here...

She was always doing the Porsche thing on the side, not instead of Ring Taxi duty.

[Mr Trophy]

jon- said:

Any idea what tyres they run?

Not sure, but I remember when the M5 came to pick us up after it's morning laps - you could smell the rubber