BMW Performance Driving School: Cars and Coffee Sideways

BMW Performance Driving School located in Thermal California

Coffee and donuts. The car community's Sunday morning fuel of choice that’s become a combo as iconic as peanut butter and jelly. One of them just doesn’t hit the same without the other. But on a Sunday morning in Thermal, California the donuts look a little different and appetizing, in a “I’ll take more oversteer, please.” kind of way. 

Cars gridding up and collecting passengers

The BMW Performance Driving School of Thermal was the bakery of choice on this Sunday morning, giving those who registered for ride alongs a slice of more than just glazed dough. Just outside the very exclusive Thermal Club is BMW’s school of oversteer and vehicle dynamics and they just so happened to be giving some free lessons today. 

The rolling classroom was the G80 M3 Competition loaded with carbon fiber bucket seats and all the bits you needed for fun. The teacher was a BMW Performance Driving School instructor, all of which are former pro drivers who range from the days of Grand-Am to current GT3 IMSA drivers. I struggled to buckle my seatbelt out of pure excitement. Move over Ms. Frizzle, class is in session.

Much better than a glazed donut

Even from the back seat of the G80 you can feel how easy the S58 breaks those 275 Continental loose and locks in slides. Obviously (and for good reason) BMW wouldn’t lend the keys to some average joe for a slide session and the BMW driving instructors showed why. The tight, narrow course required a lot of work at the wheel but this makes sense coming from seasoned professionals. At times you could feel the car lift up on three wheels, all while the drivers tamed these steeds with one hand and a car full of passengers.

After the car stops and I put my eyes back in their sockets, I hopped out and explored the driving schools grounds. The Thermal facility (the other Performance School is located in Greenville, South Carolina) is impressive with a two story building that holds the classrooms on the bottom floor and a lunch room on the top floor with a view that could make some Hollywood homeowners jealous. There’s even a boutique to buy officially licensed BMW gear from. And this is just the door step of the Thermal Club. The Thermal Circuit is exclusive and members only but if this facility is just the front door than I am eager to see what the rest of the Thermal community has to offer. Maybe one day.

The M Performance All-stars lineup

Alongside the course was a line-up of M-Performance vehicles ranging from the new G87 M2 all the way to the X5M open for all the folks to open up and take a look at. 

BMW GT4 Cars

Being steps away from a racetrack BMW also brought some racecars out as well. The G82 and F82 M4 GT4 cars were present in all their race prepped glory. Carbon fiber wings, dive planes, and racing slicks were the requirements for front row parking. BMW was kind enough to let spectators hop in the cars. This would potentially be my only chance to fulfill my racecar driver fantasies so I dare not say no and hopped in the Recaro bucket seat. 

The sim looks weird today

The interior is surprisingly similar to the road car, just very barebones. The stripped interior has been filled with a factory roll cage and factory part number can be see all throughout the cars electronics. The Recaro buckets seats felt rather comfortable. I felt rather comfortable in the cockpit especially considering I see the interior of the GT4 in the racing simulator. The brake balance adjuster is in the same place. The control panel for the cars accessories and adjustments are labeled in the exact same location. The icing on the cake was the Fanatec wheel being the exact same one that you, yes you, could purchase. Not sure if it will work on your GT4 car but if it does please report back to me. The quick release for the wheel works the same way too. Don't ask me how I know.

Ahh yes. We could use more cars and coffees like this. Don’t get me wrong, your local cars and coffee are great. I love hanging out and catching up with local friends, chatting it up about car builds and seeing others with the same passion as myself. But if it were my choice you can keep the coffee and I’ll take my donuts with a bit of tire smoke. Summer compound please.