Being from Los Angeles, our first glimpse of BMW's brand-new ber wind tunnel complex in Munich had an oddly familiar look to it. Frank Gehry architecture! Of course it isn't, but the undulating structure -- think of a gigantic snake eating its own tail -- is clad in the same sort of complex polished metal panels that compose Gehry's Walt Disney Music Hall in downtown L.A. Personally, I think it's no less attractive.
Our in-depth tour of the facility was the feature event of a two-day technical program BMW hosted to offer insights into its latest work in aerodynamics, engine and transmission design, capped by a drive of the new xDrive-equipped 7 Series in the south of France. And while BMW's umbrella title tying these diverse topics together is "Efficient Dynamics," mine was "Really Cool Stuff." With the coolest, in my opinion, being our visit to the wind tunnel, which BMW more precisely calls its Aerodynamic Test Center.
BMW's ATC
Actually, there are two tunnels here. The big one is laid out in a horizontal rectangle, while the second, smaller tunnel -- which was created for scale model testing and advanced experimental work -- is folded vertically atop itself and nestled within the donut hole of the first tunnel. Why the compactness? Munich property values. (Nevertheless, it employs a workforce of 500.)
Now, before you start thinking "yikes, here comes a tedious story about wind tunnels," well, you really have to see a modern, giant wind tunnel first. They're truly among the world's great guy-toys. If I were Bill Gates, I'd have one of these in the backyard in a second. No, a millisecond. Imagine: hurricane-wind speeds, humongous propellers, smoke trails, the ever-present threat of slipping into its bowels and coming out hamburger. (Actually, several screens prevent this, but it still wouldn't be fun getting pinned against a metal mesh by this one's 186-mph wind blast.) What's not to like? And, hey, as a member in bad standing of the Chrysler-Desoto Airflow Club (need to pay those dues), wind tunnels are sort of quasi-cathedrals in my book.
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