Alex Zanardi Gets Another Fast Ride

Alessandro Zanardi was already a hero driver, with two popular CART championships to his name, when he lost both legs to a horrific crash at Germany’s Lausitzring circuit in 2001. His recovery moved him beyond superstar status, to the realm of any legendary motorsports icon you’d care to name: Carracciola, Nuvolari, Fangio—men with something extra, something special, some inner drive to go beyond the limits of ordinary mortals.

 

Zanardi returned to racing at the wheel of a BMW in World Touring Car competition less than two years later, eventually winning four races between 2003 and 2009. He also drove the Mille Miglia Historica, in a BMW 507 fitted with hand controls.

 

But Zanardi’s legend took on unique proportions at the 2012 London Paralympic games, where he won two gold medals and one silver in handcycle competition.

 

To honor Zanardi’s historic achievement, BMW prepared a special M3 DTM for him to drive on the Nürburgring Formula 1 circuit during a recent two-day celebration of all things M. In this case, that M was definitely for Motorsport: After a twenty-year hiatus, BMW had returned to German DTM competition and swept the table, winning the team, manufacturers’ and drivers’ championships in a dramatic finale at Hockenheim.

 

Zanardi’s M3 DTM was gold, of course—what else could it be?!—with Olympic medals in gold and silver on its roof, the image of a handcycle on the hood. The car had been prepared in less than three weeks, including all the modifications necessary to make it drivable by an amputee. And while there are no plans to enter the car in DTM competition, Zinardi—and every observer on hand as he thundered onto the chilly, overcast track—was thrilled by BMW M’s laudatory gesture.

 

In a gesture of another sort, BMW honored their winning driver, Canadian Bruno Spengler, by handing him the key—okay, the fob—to a new special-edition M3. It’s the Bruno Spengler Signature Edition, in frozen black with Motorsport stripes on the roof, similar to his M3 DTM ride, and there will be exactly 54 made—one for every DTM race ever won by BMW.

 

The Spengler edition is a tasty flat-black ride indeed—but at this event, there was nothing to hold a candle to Zanardi’s gold car, or to BMW M’s golden moment.—Satch Carlson

 

BMW Motorsport director Jens Marquardt welcomes Alex Zinardi to the Nürburgring.

 

The special Zanardi M3 DTM features matte-gold paint and a Paralympics theme.