On December 11, 2017, BMW driving instructor Johan Schwartz drifted an all-new BMW M5 sedan 232.5 miles around a skid pad at the BMW Performance Center in Greer, SC, setting a new GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS title for the Greatest distance vehicle drift in 8 hours. Schwartz shattered the previous record by 143 miles. A second GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS title for the Longest twin vehicle drift (water assisted) was also set on the same day.
In order to accomplish these feats and set new GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS titles, BMW partnered with North Carolina based automotive fabricators Detroit Speed to develop a custom dry break fuel system capable of refueling the BMW M5 mid-drift in the same way that fighter jets can refuel mid-flight. The resulting fueling system allowed Schwartz to drift continuously for the entire eight hours allocated by GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS.
“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.”
About the All-New 2018 BMW M5
The 6th generation BMW M5 is the fastest most technologically advanced M-vehicle to date. For the first time ever, BMW M provides drivers the opportunity to switch between 2WD to 4WD while also offering M x-Drive, BMW’s intelligent all-wheel drive system specifically tuned for the BMW M5 specifications.
Under the hood of the all-new BMW M5 is the latest and most advanced version of the renowned 4.4-liter V8 engine featuring M TwinPower Turbo technology with an output increase from the previous generation of 40 hp and 53 lb-ft, this new engine develops 600 hp and 553 lb-ft of peak torque to promise explosive acceleration and formidable performance. The twin-turbo V8 unit propels the M5 via the new 8-speed M Steptronic transmission with Drivelogic and teams up with the M xDrive system to transfer all of the high-revving turbocharged engine’s might to the road, and allows a 0–60 mph acceleration run in a mere 3.2 seconds, making it the quickest and most agile to date.
The all-new 2018 BMW M5 will be arriving in U.S. showrooms in spring 2018.