The announcement of renovation work at BMW Welt Munich sparked an idea that was initially intended more as a joke. The delivery area of the glass building, a platform on the upper floor with a maximum lane width of 4.5 metres, as a location for a drift stunt with the BMW M5? It would certainly be spectacular. Promising? Probably not. But the idea was born. And the time had come with the upcoming renewal of the tarmac at BMW Welt. Now, a driver with suitable qualifications had to be found.

In the back of my mind I knew right off that we were going to face a couple of challenges.


Eli, drifting at BMW Welt? What was your first thought when you heard the idea?
I found the idea immediately exciting. It’s a unique opportunity! At the same time, in the back of my mind I knew right off that we were going to face a couple of challenges.
What was your preparation like? Did you have to do a full rehearsal for the stunt?
In the beginning, there were two variables for me. The car – the new BMW M5 – and the track layout. On the BMW M Driving Experience’s outdoor range, we marked out the track with pylons in advance and also took the opportunity to test drive the M5.
One variable remained, though: the track’s surface we’d find at BMW Welt. During an on-site visit, I quickly realised that it was a floor that I had never seen before in my career. So, the tension was enormous and stayed that way right up to the day of filming.


Were special tyres required for the floor in the building?
We brought a range of standard tyres. Thanks to a bit of experience our first choice matched nicely with the floor covering.
What was the biggest challenge in this project?
After the surface proved driftable following the first warm-up laps at BMW Welt, the biggest challenge was to maintain maximum precision with every drift. There was very little space to move the M5 in a drift, and there were countless obstacles on the inside and outside, some of which left only a few inches of clearance for the drift.
It was big fun. Only the rear tyres didn’t have a good time during filming.



Luxury sedan or supercar in a business suit: what can you tell us about the driving experience of the new BMW M5?
The driving experience with the BMW M5 is exceptional. From the response of the powerful, hybrid-assisted V8 to the steering feel and the direct execution of all driver inputs to the fact that you have almost countless options when choosing the set-up. If necessary, you can even unleash all the power to the rear wheels only - it's simply great fun.
Did the curb weight present any obstacle to the stunt?
Not at all. The BMW M5 is super-balanced, it moves directly and precisely. Only the rear tyres didn’t have a good time – could have been my heavy foot on the gas.

Any damages? No. The following day we were just notified of some burning smell at BMW Welt.