Disclaimer: I apologize in advance for this super long post but I felt every detail needed to be included to conclude the story.
Before purchasing my F80, I had planned on doing a European delivery for quit some time but due to my impatience, I bought the launch car at my local dealer as an impulse buy. Being that I will be keeping my F80 for a few years, all of the wonderful Euro delivery posts on here had me yearning for the chance to plan a road trip through southern Germany. I decided that I would plan a road trip after finishing up work in Germany and visit the plants, museums, and headquarters of BMW, Porsche, and Mercedes-Benz. My significant other always dreamed of going to Salzburg and I also wanted to include Switzerland so we decided to fly into Munich and make our way through Salzburg, the Swiss Alps, Zürich, up through Stuttgart, and back to Munich. This is a reasonable route for anyone who wants to pick and drop off his or her car from the Welt in Munich.
Unfortunately, I didn't pick up a shiny new F80 from the Welt so instead we rented a Merc GLC220 cdi from Sixt. At first, I was a little hesitant about driving a SUV on somewhat tiny European streets but it turned out to be a great companion and relatively fuel-efficient.
The first few days we were in Munich without a car being that Munich has a great S-Bahn system that is very easy to navigate and will get you all over. We did the traditional tourist traps including Marienplatz, Hofbräuhaus, Augustiner Kelly Biergarten, and consumed a lot of beer. The most interesting part about this trip is that when we arrived, it was not only Labor Day but also Father's Day. Most of the shops were closed and every single Bavarian was dressed in full Lederhosen and day drinking to the fullest. It somewhat fed into the stereotypical German idea of beer drinking lederhosen-wearing Germans but in actuality that is a Bavarian only thing.
New City Hall
Old City Hall
Random E46 coupe with a little Bavarian/Southern Pride
The flip side to this holiday was that the BMW Munich plant was closed so I unfortunately was not able to get a plant tour as intended. We did enjoy some time at the Welt and took in everything that is BMW.
The excitement of it all
The Welt itself is an amazing marketing move on BMW's part allowing consumers to really experience the brand in its entirety. The Welt was packed with tourists from all over the world and the entire line-up of BMW, Rolls-Royce, and Mini are displayed.
In the M section, I was able to see the M2 for the first time in person and I must say that it looked amazing in Long Beach blue. It's so much more aggressive in body stance than the M235i but seems to be quit a bit smaller than the M4. Nonetheless, I'm sure all you M2 owners will be extremely happy as it’s no doubt a good looking car.
Side note, there are tons of M4s in Germany and Switzerland. I only saw one M3 in Switzerland, one M5 in Munich, a few X6 Ms, and one or two M6 convertibles.
After walking through the Welt, we toured the BMW museum. What's special about the museum right now is that there is a special exhibition in the dome of the museum that highlights all 100 years of BMW and extensively covers its aircraft past. The BMW museum does a great job of highlighting key points throughout its history and the special 100 anniversary exhibit covers every aspect of the company including its financial issues, it's dedication to employees, and how dedicated BMW is to training and employing newly arrived refugees in Germany. My particular favorite was the M section with a beautifully preserved E30 M3 Sport Evo and E46 CSL M3.
Original pillars of the Rapp Motor Werke
BMW's explanation for forced labor during WWII
Random things BMW made to survive after the war
Evolution of technology used in BMW's offices.
BMW's research on plants in the workspace
Evolution of the kidney grill
Early aircraft engine
The next day we picked up the rental car from Sixt in Munich's Central Station and hit the road to Austria. I'm truly in love with driving in Germany. It's so orderly and organized with roads so smooth they're like glass. As a reminder, there are speed limits in all metro areas and wherever there's construction. Construction is constantly going on to keep their roads in top shape. When there's a speed limit, some Germans do speed as they know where the speed cameras are but never more than 10-15 km/h. Once the speed limit restrictions end, people start to fly. I would average 190 km/h or about 118 mph and others in 5er wagons and big body Mercs would fly right pass me.
As well, gas stations are clearly marked and are always right off the Autobahn unlike in the US where sometimes you have to drive a bit away from the exit to get gas. Most stations charge 0.70€ to use the toilets and you always pump first and pay inside afterwards. It would be good to brush up on German numbers to tell the attendant which pump you're paying for.
The drive to Austria is beautiful with scenic Alpine villages and snow capped mountains. Salzburg itself is deeply dedicated to tourism and it is well preserved and extremely clean. The Altstadt felt a little "too" clean and almost Disney like in its execution. There were reenactments going on all over and a live Austrian band was playing classic Mozart pieces in front of a beer garden. Mozart is very well represented throughout the city and the Sound of Music has definitely left its mark for American tourists.
Our rental car from Sixt
We spent a short time in Salzburg and headed over to Switzerland. Instead of driving completely through speed-limited Austria, we decided to drive back through Germany to take advantage of some of the no speed limit zones. Switzerland is probably one of the most beautiful countries I've ever been to with postcard like scenery and picturesque villages.
Zürich itself is very beautiful and very wealthy. Tons of Porsches, Ferraris, AMGs, Lambos driving around but on the flip side it can get pricey for food and drinks. I loved how various neighborhoods offered various things with its Alstadt being very wealthy and conservative while places like West Zürich offered a "hipster" alternative with amazing architecture and really cool use of former industrial spaces. I also learned on this trip that cheese fondue is a Swiss dish and Zurich offered plenty of options to try. I really enjoyed Zürich for its beautiful architecture, scenery, and high quality of life. The Swiss really have it good.
One of many 458 Italias around (I still think Beverly Hills has maybe more)
After two days in Zürich, we head back to Germany to Stuttgart. Most of the roads after crossing the border were speed limitless so the trip took no time at all. Once we got to Stuttgart we headed straight to Zuffenhausen to Porsche to take the factory tour and tour the museum.
The first thought that comes to mind is how small the factory is compared to BMW and Merc and how much less flashy the whole presentation is overall. It's sort "technical" and straight to point.
We first started off in the parts picking area and engine plant. There are two lines, one for boxer engines and one for V engines. The whole processed is streamlined with workers getting a 5 min break every hour and a 35 min lunch break. I also confirmed that the new turbo flat six engines do not use the same turbo chargers as the 911 turbo, lacking the variable vain technology.
The second part of the tour included a tour of the workshop. On the very top floor is where they used to assemble the 918 Spyder but our guide was not "allowed" to discuss what the space will be used for now. The second to top level included areas where the dashboards were assembled and we were able to see the workers cut, sew, and apply the leather by hand. All of Porsche's hides come from Austria and only one hide is used per car with 57% of the hide being resold to the fashion industry.
The next level down is where the bodies come in from across the street through a suspended bridge. There were TONS of GT3 RS' and the run of the mill Carreras with a few Boxsters here and there. All are made on the same line and the Cayman will be joining sometime during the second half of the year. The workshop is surprisingly small and was totally different from what I expected. It felt almost like a bespoke workshop, which gave it a special quality. In total the line covers two floors and there are elevators that lift and bring the cars from floor to floor. We weren't allowed to see the marriage section since there was a new unseen model being built as well as the body shop.
The museum is a lot smaller than BMW's with a full display covering Porsche's history from the creation of the Beetle to the current line-up. Overall, I fell even more in love with Porsche and I am looking forward to purchasing a 911 in the near future. You definitely got a sense that the workers take pride in working for the company.
Porsche's first foray into electric vehicles
Ferry Porsche's VW prototype for the Third Reich
The very first 356..chassis number one (Built in Gmund, Austria)
Turbo family
Current full line-up in my favorite standard Porsche color...Carmine Red
By this point, we were tired and didn't really explore Stuttgart until that night. Mercedes and somewhat Porsche rules this town with streets, stadiums, and arenas bearing their names throughout the city. So many buildings around town had a revolving three-pointed star letting you know Daimler's presence. Stuttgart isn't as charming as the other cities we visited lacking a lot of the pre war architecture but we did meet some cool people along the way.
The next day we visited the Mercedes museum outside of Daimler's headquarters and engine plant in Stuttgart. Overall, Mercedes did an amazing job with its museum with its beautiful architecture and displays that tied then current events with what was happening at Mercedes throughout its history. You start from the top and work your way down with the top starting with the late 1800s.
It all started with a horse...
The grandfather clock engine...1885
World's first automobile
These were all powered by the grandfather clock engine
World's first pick up truck
Daimler aircraft engine from WWI
Princess Diana's SL and the Popemobile
Various cars used in movies
The famous Pullman
Afterwards, we drove out to Sindelfingen to tour Mercedes' largest plant in the world. It currently makes the S Class (sedan, coupes, and convertibles), E Class (sedan and wagon), CLS Class (coupe and shooting brake), and AMG GT. The plant is HUGE. It makes Porsche look like a mom and pop shop with so much going on its overwhelming. The tour started with a video in the welcome center and a tour bus that takes you to the first stop. We first toured the building where the S Class bodies are made. The sedans (both LWB and SWB) are made on one floor and the coupes and convertibles are made on another. The whole process is completely automated with robots churning out whole bodies like clockwork.
We then were taken to another building where the final assembly takes place for the E Class, CLS, and CLS shooting brake. It was mind blowing compared to Porsche on how much more mass-produced Merc is. Of course we've always known that but it is shown in a different light in the plants. Each person’s task happens so quickly I couldn't keep up with what just happened. There were tons of US bound E Classes being built that day, most likely launch cars with a few CLS coupes and a sprinkle of shooting brakes here and there. The whole process seemed less "bespoke" than Porsche and vast majority of the cars were all black, silver, and white. 57% of all Mercedes vehicles are black.
This is where Merc does its Euro delivery pick ups.
Grabbed some shots of the new C205 C63 Coupe