Club News

    BMW ‘TOURING POTPOURRI’ 

    by Vince Balzano of the Conneticut Valley Chapter

    I came late to the BMW bandwagon, waiting until retirement to renew my interest in and research about high-performance cars that are also fun to drive. This began with the purchase of a Cooper Mini S, which, while entertaining to drive, was too small for our needs, and the extremely firm ride became an issue for my back. The Mini was followed by the purchase of a CPO 135i, which we drove and enjoyed for nearly 5 years.

    About one year ago, the M235i was introduced and my research told me that this was a near perfect car for us due to its larger size, increased power, better miles per gallon, adaptive suspension which improves the ride, and all of the latest technology features of this model. The advanced 8-speed automatic transmission was especially appealing to me. An M is the desire of many BMW owners, and I feel the M235i satisfies all of my “M car” aspirations.

    I was finally able to make my dream of a European delivery a reality by convincing my wife that there are substantial savings including 7% discount from the USA MSR, plus additional savings versus the European MSR. In addition, BMW provides 2 weeks of car insurance, allowing us to experience scenic roads in Bavaria, the Black Forest and Switzerland as well as the thrill of high speed driving on the German autobahn.  Finally, my BMW CCA membership rewards me with a $500 rebate on my purchase.

    After spending a week visiting family in Lisbon, and exploring Munich for several days, the big day finally arrives for our long awaited European delivery. 

    DAY 1

    We arrive at the BMW Welt quite early since our delivery appointment is scheduled for 10:00. After a delicious breakfast in the customer lounge, we meet our BMW delivery representative for an interactive video about various features of our new 235i sedan. It is then time to ‘meet’ our car in the Welt showroom and have our picture taken standing proudly beside it. The color combination of Mineral Grey Metallic and Coral leather interior looks just as we had hoped. Sadly the BMW museum is closed for the day but we enjoy the 2 ½ hour factory tour. After a great lunch in the lounge again, it’s time to drive off and begin our two week tour of a potpourri of destinations through Germany, Switzerland and France. 

    Getting out onto the E54 autobahn is a thrill even though I’m trying to hold down the speed in order to break in the motor properly. About 1 ½ hours later, we catch our first glimpse of Neuschwanstein, overlooking the picturesque valley and tiny hamlet of Hohenschwangau, where tours of the castle begin.

    Amid beautiful weather we arrive with time to climb the fairly gradual path up to Schloss Hohenschwangau, mad King Ludwig’s home while he built his more famous fairytale castle across the valley. We enjoy the lovely courtyards and fountains, as well as wonderful views of Alpsee bei Schwangau, a deep blue mountain lake on one side, and the wide valley stretching out below from the other side.

    Tip #1: If you stay at the Hotel Alpenstuben next to the ticket office, you can easily climb to both castles or take a buggy ride up for a tour of Neuschwanstein. The hotel room includes breakfast and there’s a full restaurant and bier garden as well. Our room even boasted a balcony with views of Neuschwanstein. 

    DAY 2: 

    Although we had planned to take the Neuschwanstein tour, the bus isn’t running due to road repairs, and Lynn’ knee injury precludes hiking straight up hill to the castle. We reluctantly leave and drive past the town of Fusen, which features a gabled castle of white stone and bright red roofs set against distant mountains. Also on our agenda is a brief stop in Vaduz, capital of and probably only town in Liechtenstein, which is overlooked by an impressive stone palace dating from the 1200’s and still inhabited by the Royals. It’s good to be prince!

    On to Lucerne, with its Altstadt (Old Town), 14th-century Museggmauer city walls, covered bridges including the iconic Kapellbrücke, and spired, turreted buildings; a storybook image of a Swiss town. Sadly, just as we begin to explore, it starts to rain. Although our pictures aren’t prize-winning, we enjoy the old-world ambiance of winding pedestrian-only streets and buildings colorfully painted with medieval scenes and emblems.  

    Tip #2: Our BMW came with a tax sticker good for driving in Germany, but Switzerland requires its own sticker, costing 40 Euros. Their rational is that it’s good for 1 year, but of course, that is no help for folks with European delivery. We got ours at the first gas station we found coming out of the tunnel into Bregenz.

    Tip #3: We stayed at the Touristenhotel Luzern overlooking the Reuss River and a covered wooden bridge. While the hotel doesn’t look impressive from the outside, the reasonable price includes full breakfast buffet, wi-fi, and spacious bedroom and bath. We found safe parking nearby in the garage across the Geissmattbrucke Bridge.

    DAY 3:

    We awake to glorious weather. I’m apprehensive about driving my new car into a tiny alley in order to snap a few pictures of the Dying Lion sculpture carved in a cliffside and representing Swiss Guards who were massacred in 1792 during the French Revolution. Caution: before opting for European delivery, recognize you may be victim of daily paranoia prompted by driving on narrow roadways clogged by busloads of tourists. 

    On our way to Interlaken, we hit tourist gold at the Ballenberg Swiss Open-Air Museum. It has a dozen mini-villages composed of beautiful, historic buildings brought from all over Switzerland to preserve them and show visitors how the Swiss people lived in the past. Picturesque houses, barns, outbuildings and stores are scattered over acres of varied terrain, along with a children's farm animal area and horse-drawn carts. Traditional crafts are performed in many of the buildings and add to the ambiance.

    After hiking the grounds for 2 ½ hours, we’re ready to enjoy steins of beer and traditional rosti and wurst at the restaurant with outdoor seating. Our delicious meal is followed by a stop at the candy factory at the entrance for a dessert of freshly made Swiss chocolate. Incongruously, we spot a Dodge Charger from the late 1960’s in the parking lot – guess the Swiss preserve more than old buildings.

    The short ride to Interlaken hugs the coast of Brienzersee, one of the two lakes Interlaken sits between in a valley beneath the majestic Bernese Oberland. Interlaken itself is easily explored on foot from our hotel.  We find that the Hohematte, or Town square, is the landing zone for a very popular adventure here – paragliding. Dozens of paragliders who fearlessly jump off Interlaken’s ‘local mountain’ called Harder Kulm and drift in the warm updrafts for an hour or more and then precisely land in the square. Even though the sport can be experienced solo or in tandem with a pilot, we still conclude that this is one thrill we’ll pass up.

    Tip #4: The Ballenberg admission price of 22 CHF each is quite reasonable, and if you have more time, you could stay a full day exploring this attraction. We found the restaurant prices reasonable as well.

    DAY 4:

    Today’s weather needed to be ‘perfect’ because we’re heading for the ‘Top of Europe’. Happily, there isn’t a cloud and we set out to drive to the highest parking lot in Europe - Grindelwald Grund, just 12 miles but 30 minutes from Interlaken. This gives me an opportunity to put the car into sport mode to fully experience the twisting, climbing Swiss roads. The BMW handles the windy road easily and we arrive just in time to board the first train up to the station at Kleine Scheidegg, a mountain pass at an elevation of 6,762’ situated below and between the Eiger and Lauberhorn peaks. Passing spectacular scenery, our eyes are glued to the domed windows of the train.

    Once at the pass, we need to change to a train with even smaller gauge rails for the last leg of our journey. The 1 ½ hour trip to Jungfraujoch (or U-shaped valley below the Jungfrau peak) tunnels through the rock of the Eiger and Mönch peaks and is an incredible experience. On the way, we enjoy stunning views from two intermediate stations, Eigerwand (Eiger Wall) and Eismeer (Sea of Ice). Our cog-wheel train finally reaches the remarkable observation building situated at 11,333’ which contains indoor and outdoor viewing platforms overlooking the Aletsch Glacier and the magnificence of the Swiss Alps.

    Beyond taking in the mesmerizing alpine and glacier views, we wander through Ice Caves, walk out onto the snow field, watch kids snowboarding far below us, and enjoy a platter of cheeses, meats, and pickled vegetables. What a special experience. The descent is just as lovely and memorable, and we give thanks to the weather gods for our continuing terrific weather.

    Since it’s is such a beautiful day and Mother’s Day as well, we decide to ride the funicular up Harder Kulm mountain to the castle-like Panorama restaurant perched on the edge at 4337‘ for dinner. The viewing platforms provide wonderful vistas of the town nestled between Lakes Brienz and Thun, as well as the Oberland glowing in the sunset.

    Tip #5: The round trip from Grindelwald Grund costs about $200/person and would not be worthwhile if the weather is rainy, so be sure to check on visibility at the top before setting out.

    DAY 5:

    Just an hour away is Switzerland’s capital, Bern, and we arrive in plenty of time to leave our luggage at the AirBnB where we’re staying, and set out to explore the Altstadt/Old Town with its famous mechanical clock tower from 1220, Swiss parliament, Bundeshaus, and Cathedral or Munster, filled with stained glass from the 1400’s and a Gothic portal featuring Medieval views of heaven and hell, still boasting their vivid colorations. This delightful city is small enough to see the main tourist attractions at a leisurely pace. A series of public fountains, many dating from the 16th century, still dot key squares and streets, and we go on a quest to take photos of each one. These brightly painted allegorical cast-metal figures each feature at least one black bear worked into the design, in honor of the city’s symbol. There’s also a bear pit usually occupied by 1 or more black bear, but empty now for a renovation.

    Tip #6: In an effort to economize on lodging, we tried 3 AirBnB rentals during our month away. The 1885 home we stayed in in Bern was built in the beautiful, historic Obstberg neighborhood, overlooking Grosser Muristalden and the Nydeggbrucke or new bridge into the Altstadt at a huge bend in the Aare River. It‘s a perfect location, with safe off-street parking for the car, a large bedroom and a kitchen and bath shared by 2 other tenants. We also used the owners’ washing machine to do a much needed load of laundry. This lodging cost less than half what we would have paid at a hotel, to say nothing of not having to drive the Bimmer in dreaded tiny, one-way pedestrian-clogged streets again.

    Tip #7: For a memorable meal close to our AirBnB, we chose the Altes Tramdepot, a former train station, perched next to the Nydeggbrucke and over-looking the Aare. Expect everything in Switzerland to be expensive and food is no exception. Just say to yourself, I’m only going to be here for 5 days, so I’m not going to stress over prices.

    DAY 6:

    Today’s agenda calls for more walking, and visiting two museums;  the Kunst or Fine Arts Museum in Altstadt, and a short bus trip to the Zentrum Paul Klee devoted to this beloved Swiss artist. This beautiful new space became a landmark in 2005 and is a bold masterpiece in steel and glass designed by leading Italian architect Renzo Piano. The building is worth a visit in itself. Three huge Quonset hut-shaped spaces house art, while the roofs themselves are planted in wild flowers and grasses. Paths lead to an outdoor sculpture garden where we’re delighted to find the Bernese Oberland is still visible in the distance.

    Back near town in late afternoon we wander up a public park’s steep hill dotted with rose bushes to the Rosengarten, where the terrace below the restaurant affords wonderful views of Bern Altstadt, as well as a scenic place to enjoy tea and pastries. Next to the restaurant are more formal gardens to appreciate.

    Tip #8:  We were given free bus pass tickets by several of our hotels and AirBnB hosts. These really help out if you can figure out the correct schedules. We even used them as Hop On Hop Off tickets, riding around to see the main sites when our legs began to give out.

    DAY 7:

    Our route today takes us on autobahn A5/E35, where I determine that the motor has been broken in enough to take it up to 105 MPH. We hardly realize that we were going this speed because the ride is quiet, stable, and effortless. On our way to Strasbourg, we take a side trip to Freiberg, Germany to see the famous Freiburg Minster on Münsterplatz. This Romanesque and Gothic style church dates from the early 1200’s and its spire is reportedly the most beautiful in Germany, but we’ll have to take others’ word for that since its swathed in scaffolding for repairs. The nave windows donated by guilds owe their deep red color to a suspension of solid gold nano-particles. At the morning street market held daily we buy lunch items after wandering the quaint old streets radiating from the square. We also note Munsterplatz’s dark red stone store building dating from 1500 and ornamented with a carved stone burgher and a knight looking down from the eaves.

    Since we are touring through the upper Rhine region, we stay on B31 along back roads of the Baden Weinstrasse to explore several tiny wine towns; Botzingen, Eichstetten, Bahlingen, and Riegel Am Kaiserstuhl. In Eichstetten we discover Weingut Friedrich Kiefer, where we taste several crisp whites and a couple of light reds before deciding on 2 bottles of a refreshing white wine. In Riegel, we finally see some of the local white storks, including one sitting on its huge nest built on the roof of St Martin’s, Riegel’s beautifully decorated Catholic Baroque church. These nests can weigh as much as one ton! Throughout Alsace-Lorraine, you’ll find stuffed animals, T shirts, cookies, and posters, etc. shaped like or decorated with storks, and since they’re endangered and have been successfully re-introduced, we’re glad to see they are celebrated here.

    Once we rejoin the A5, we reach the outskirts of Strasbourg in 40 minutes. However, at this point our drive from hell begins because we’re staying in the historic center of the town in an area called La Petite France. Unfortunately, the car’s GPS doesn’t register all of the one-way and pedestrian-only streets and keeps directing us to make impossible turns or drive in circles. We finally find an underground parking lot and just park on general principles and drag our luggage to the mercifully close hotel. We feel somewhat traumatized and know we won’t go near the car again until we leave town.

    Strasbourg is a delight and the weather is perfect for wandering around the large central ‘islands’ created by the river Ill and canals. Everywhere we look are half-timbered buildings lovingly maintained since the late 1400-1500’s. It almost looks Disney-esque, but these are real people with real homes, restaurants, and shops. Just a few of the sites that bask in the ‘magic light’ of late afternoon are the Ponts Couvert or covered bridges across the Ill, 3 Medieval watch towers guarding the western edge of the old town, lovely churches, squares, houses and the immense façade of Cathédrale Notre Dame de Strasbourg, which unexpectedly appears before us at the end of an unassuming side street off Place Gutenburg. We’re enchanted by the lovely canals, edged by flowering shrubs and chestnut trees, and a variety of half-timbered buildings painted in reds, oranges, yellows, or white. We dine in the huge Place Kleber square beneath an umbrella, choosing a favorite local beer paired with tartes flambees au l’onions for entrée and apple tarts for dessert. These look similar to very thin crusted pizzas but the dough is different and the toppings are quite spare but delicious.

    Our west-facing room gives us a view of storks circling above and a spectacular sunset.

    DAY 8:

    We were unaware that today is Ascension Day, a French holiday, until we’re ambling toward the cathedral. It’s a remarkable experience to hear the joyously pealing church bells throughout town. All the streets and churches seem mobbed, and we’re once more forbidden to take pictures inside the cathedral, but we enjoy the beauty of sound and spirit around us.

    The Batorama boats are nearby and although the weather is cloudy, our hour+ tour of the canals and river is very interesting, as are views of the newer European Parliament buildings. We visit the cathedral again to see the astronomical clock scheduled to perform at 12:30 daily, but we fail to figure in daylight savings so miss the apostles parading past Jesus in the top section. At least this time we can take a few photos of the interior, which is enormous yet light in feeling due to the high Gothic groins and vaults on thin columns. Next, is a tour of the 3 museums (Architecture, Decorative Arts and Fine Arts) housed in the Palais Rohan, built for the Prince-Bishop of Strasbourg in the 1730’s.

    We decide on dinner at a typical tourist restaurant, Le Lohkäs, in La Petite France, and are surprised to find German-style food not French dishes being served. This reflects Strasbourg’s changing allegiances over the centuries depending on the politics of the time. It must have been very disconcerting for residents to have others trading their region back and forth. However, they’ve adapted well because now all signs are in two languages, and those around us seem to speak, or at least understand, both French and German.

    Tip #9: The Citadines Kleber Strasbourg is an ‘apartment-hotel’ with small kitchen wall for quick breakfasts and chilling our wine. A full breakfast is also available for 10 Euros. This is a newer property with up-to-date plumbing, appliances, and nice finishes.

    Tip #10: Be sure to check local holidays in places you’ll visit to be sure key attractions will be open.

    DAY 9:

    Although the weather is drizzly, we make our way along Rue d’Or to the Cave Des Hospices De Strasbourg. Founded in 1395, this brick-vaulted wine cellar lies beneath Strasbourg’s hospital and was a hospice back when wine was considered a cure-all, with doctors and patients apparently drinking almost two gallons a day! One of the historic barrels is filled with a 1472 vintage making it possibly the oldest wine in the world. These cellars pre-date the first hospital pharmacy built here in 1537. Today the cellar bottles and sells Alsatian wines from dry Rieslings to sweet muscats, but as its only 10:00 AM, we pass up wine tasting.

    Nearby is the fascinating and informative Musee Alsacien, a merging of several Renaissance timber framed houses on the Quai Saint-Nicolas, and containing clothing, furniture, crafts and costumes from past centuries. Visitors are able to wander through each room taking in Alsatian culture through reconstructed rooms and exhibits.

    DAY 10:

    The Schwartzwaldhochstrasse, or Black Forest High Road, (Route 500 via B28 and B500) has a reputation for being one of the most beautiful stretches in Germany if not Europe, so we shun the autobahn and put the new Bimmer to the test on switch backs and elevation changes as we motor toward Baden-Baden. The day dawns bright and clear and along the way, we enjoy the Black Forest National Park with its small museum, hiking trails, and a ski lift for admiring the views. We also stop for some scenic overlooks and the Mummelsee, a small mountain lake next to the road, an historic hotel and a souvenir and food shop. On this beautiful Saturday, it’s jammed with German families enjoying the paddleboats for hire, and picnics or lunch on the hotel veranda. At the store, one can purchase fresh-baked breads, cheeses, meats, and wines, as well as cuckoo clocks, Tirol hats and other tourist gear. While the drive is pretty, it doesn’t really challenge the M235i or thrill us. Maybe we’re spoiled by the Swiss scenery we’ve just seen or even parts of the Western USA, but we find the drive pleasant yet tame.

    We get to Baden-Baden and endure yet another scary drive through tiny streets which wind up and up toward the Shiftskirche and Rathaus on the market square. At first we doubt the GPS because the ‘roads’ also double as walkways and are filled with pedestrians. However, the directions are correct and we find our hotel in the upper square, but no place to park. So after dropping the luggage, we continue further up the hill to find a spot on the street across from the Neues Schloss or new palace perched above town. In fact, historic Baden-Baden center is built on several hills and valleys so walking anywhere involves a hike or descent on steep flights of stairs or ramps.

    We take in the sights including gardens along the Kaiserallee and Oos River, the Trinkhalle or Pump House building where visitors drink water straight from the mineral source, and the Kurhaus spa resort from the early 1800’s which also houses the casino or Spielbank. Unfortunately, the casino dress code is very strict and we aren’t allowed in. In front of the casino, we catch an hour-long tour on the little white tourist train which passes Baden-Baden’s key attractions. Finally, we chance upon a memorable Italian restaurant, Osteria Stromboli, for my wife’s birthday. The owner hears it’s a special occasion and comes out to talk with us and treat us to after-dinner limoncello.

    DAY 11:

    I’ve decide to ‘take the waters’ at the famous Friedrichsbad next to our hotel, and submit to wandering the palatial interiors clad only in a small towel at this coed bath house. After steam, plunges into various water temperatures and a final soap rub down, I do feel invigorated and refreshed. It seems the ancient Romans were on to something. Meanwhile Lynn enjoys visits to the Faberge Musee and excavations at the Roman Baths Museum.

    We scout out a bier garden for lunch and unknowingly order an elaborate and huge platter of cheeses, and meats which easily could have served six people. To walk off some of the meal, we wander the Lichtentaler Allee with the Sunday crowds just as visitors have been doing for almost 200 years. The Oos is not so much a river here, but a carefully managed water feature with built-in rapids and picturesque white filigreed bridges crossing to huge spa hotels on the opposite bank. Eventually we reach lovely Gonneranlage formal gardens which is a public park. Overall, Baden-Baden has a very ‘genteel’ feeling in marked contrast to the medieval feeling experienced in Strasbourg.

    DAY 12:

    As we head out of town, Lynn wants to drive up to the Altes Schloss/ Old Castle ruins high above Baden-Baden, but I fear getting trapped on a 1-lane windy road and decide to drive straight for Reims, France. I thought once the engine was broken in, I could drive fast on the highway between Baden-Baden and Reims. Since I’d only had the car up to 105 MPH briefly, I want to see what the Bimmer can do, but we hit a slow detour and then find ourselves in France with unforgiving speed limits.

    The countryside changes from low mountains to rolling hills dotted with prosperous-looking little farms. We reach Reims known for gourmet food, champagne, and old-world charm in about 4 hours. We go through the now familiar white knuckle navigation of one-way streets near the center of town where we finally find our small hotel, and a nearby garage. We’ve noticed that garages in Europe have ramps between levels that seem much tighter than those in the USA, or maybe it’s my ‘new-car’ paranoia gripping me again.

    Reims was founded in 80 BC by a Gallic tribe called the Remi, who allied themselves with Julius Caesar during his conquest of Gaul, and that made the town a favored municipality in the Empire. Our Hotel Cecyl is next to Place Drouet d'Erlon, with its fountain topped by gilded winged victory statue and surrounded by bars, restaurants and hotels. We find a street café and enjoy the ambiance and a nice lunch accompanied by another delicious local brew. Unfortunately, we fail to realize that this beer is served in special glasses that resemble ENORMOUS wine glasses and must contain three beers each. So, our bar bill far-exceeds the food portion.

    Thus fortified, we head to the local sights including the lovely Gothic Eglise Saint Jacques built from 1190 - 1270, the Musee des Beaux Arts housed in the former Saint-Denis Abbey, and famous Reims cathedral where 37 French kings were crowned from Hugh Capet in 987 through Charles X in 1825. The UNESCO World Heritage site boasts windows designed by Chagall and a perfect 13th century façade. In a common occurrence, the central portion of the façade is shrouded in scaffolding but the size and site of the cathedral is really impressive. Here on Place du Cardinal-Luçon, a famous equestrian statue of Joan of Arc can be found.

    We wander the old-city squares including the Hotel de Ville, Place Royale with a statue of Louis XV, and the Place du Forum where we visit the Gallo-Roman Cryptoportique found under the square. This semi-subterranean vaulted ‘shopping center’ is only partially excavated and dates to the third century. Passing several champagne houses, we reach a large public park encompassing several squares including the Porte de Mars or Mars' Gate, a triumphal arch popularly supposed to have been erected by the Remi in honor of Augustus when Agrippa built the great roads terminating at the town, but probably belongs to the 3rd or 4th century, when it was the widest arch in the Roman world.

    DAY 13:

    Next to the cathedral, we find the Palais du Tau named for its T-shaped floor-plan. The structure underwent a number of alterations from a 1st century structure, to a 6th century Roman villa, then a Carolingian palace, a Gothic design in the 16th century, and finally the current Baroque design in 1671. Before their coronations at Notre Dame de Reims, kings of France stayed here and we view their royal apartments, as well as a collection of statues, tapestries and reliquaries from Reims' cathedral, and a lovely small chapel preserved from 1207.

    We decide to walk about one mile to the Basilica Saint-Remi and archaeological museum in the cloister of the abbey next to the church. The sarcophagus of Roman consul Jovinus is preserved in the abbey. St Remi is the patron saint of Reims, revered because he converted Clovis, King of the Franks, to Christianity in 496.

    We make our way to several champagne houses nearby, but find that we have missed the tours at Tattinger and Vranken-Pommery. Nevertheless, we enjoy relaxing at Pommery’s incredible castle-like structures that house production, a sales area, tour area and storage caves. In the lobby we find a champagne vat of monster proportions. We make our way to a bus line going near the hotel, and later learn that we have inadvertently walked over four miles in addition to the attractions we have visited.

    Tip #11: Due to differing tour times at different champagne houses, purchasing tickets before hand is a good idea.

    DAY 14:

    We’re only about an hour away from Charles de Gaulle Airport and the BMW European delivery drop-off location. Although we enter the correct drop-off address into the GPS, CDG is huge and confusing, and we end up circling for a while, before going the wrong way on an access road and finally simply parking in sight of but not able to get to the drop-off office. My wife jumps out to get assistance, and finds we aren’t the only car owners who have had trouble finding this location. An attendant returns and offers to drive the car for me, and I should have let him since he must direct me in a 15 minute circuitous route to the actual entrance. We say goodbye to our faithful vehicle and wish it a safe, speedy trip to the states. Then we catch the shuttle to the CDG train station where we grab a coffee and muffin before heading to the trains and a wonderful week in Paris.

    I found over the 2 week driving experience that the driver assistance package including rear view camera and park distance control came in especially handy in the tight road and parking situation prevalent in Europe. The navigation system came loaded with North America maps, and a USB stick for European driving. This device has a glitch that prevented us from switching destinations ‘on the fly’. Our workaround involved stopping on the roadside, getting out with both keys and waiting 5 minutes for the nav system to reboot. This caused some inconvenience but once we knew the fix, didn’t bother us too much. The most enjoyable aspect was the 8-speed automatic transmission and variable driving modes, particularly Sport and Sport Plus which changes the shifting and suspension of the car. As we made our way on the twisty, up and down roads, my wife kept reaching for the passenger grab bar found on the ceiling of the 135i, which is sadly missing in the 235i models. However, after 2 weeks in our new M235i Bimmer, I can say that it seems to be enough “M-car” for me.

    Tip #12: Since you are already in Europe, it’s tempting to tack further vacation time on either end of your driving tour. This is when my wife and I enjoy retirement the most!