Another blow to the 'Ring
#1
03-09-2011, 01:40 PM
Another blow to the 'Ring
Reports of the Ring Taxi's demise — formerly shuttling enthusiasts around the Nürburgring under control of blonde motoring goddess Sabine Schmitz — were half right. Schmitz and her M5 are gone, with inferior Sabine-less BMW M3 Nürburgring Taxis replacing it.
There is no one single person more associated with Germany's famous Nürburgring than "Queen of the Ring" Sabine Schmitz. She's the local girl-cum-motorsports maven who was the first woman to win the 24 Hours Nürburgring race and has been the face and the feet behind BMW's famous 'Ring Taxi for years. Her laps are things you talk about over beers with friends. And now she's gone.
Watch as she famously passes motorbikes in a Ford Transit Van.
Most recently, you could hail one of her BMW M5 "Ring Taxis" and go for a ride with the racing celeb for approximately $90 a person (in a three-person trip). BMW provided the cars and the maintenance, which kept the price down and allowed them some awesome marketing. In fact, they just put out a video advertising how awesome she is a few weeks ago.
The initial shock of the Ring Taxi's departure has been replaced with some minor good news from BMW, who told M3Post the service would continue with an M3 and BMW Driving Experience instructors at an as-yet-undisclosed price. But is this the same thing?
We'll leave it to the Italians to describe the loss:
"Yes, other businesses are coming forward to give the public rides around the best track in the world, but without a driver as beloved as our Sabine Schmitz, the blonde pilotessa now the symbols of the ring."
We agree, it's like when they replaced Weekend Update with SNL Newsbreak. It was the same, but not actually the same at all.
There is no one single person more associated with Germany's famous Nürburgring than "Queen of the Ring" Sabine Schmitz. She's the local girl-cum-motorsports maven who was the first woman to win the 24 Hours Nürburgring race and has been the face and the feet behind BMW's famous 'Ring Taxi for years. Her laps are things you talk about over beers with friends. And now she's gone.
Watch as she famously passes motorbikes in a Ford Transit Van.
Most recently, you could hail one of her BMW M5 "Ring Taxis" and go for a ride with the racing celeb for approximately $90 a person (in a three-person trip). BMW provided the cars and the maintenance, which kept the price down and allowed them some awesome marketing. In fact, they just put out a video advertising how awesome she is a few weeks ago.
The initial shock of the Ring Taxi's departure has been replaced with some minor good news from BMW, who told M3Post the service would continue with an M3 and BMW Driving Experience instructors at an as-yet-undisclosed price. But is this the same thing?
We'll leave it to the Italians to describe the loss:
"Yes, other businesses are coming forward to give the public rides around the best track in the world, but without a driver as beloved as our Sabine Schmitz, the blonde pilotessa now the symbols of the ring."
We agree, it's like when they replaced Weekend Update with SNL Newsbreak. It was the same, but not actually the same at all.
This sucks, so long Sabine. A great attraction cut out because of those two investors.
#4
03-09-2011, 02:44 PM
So was she 'fired'? Did she quit b/c BMW didn't pay her enough?
#5
03-09-2011, 03:03 PM
Am I the only one around here who doesn't have a custom member title?
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: Frankfurt
Posts: 4,259
She's is often referred to as the "Queen of the ring" but in fact there are a lot of hobby drivers who lap the ring much faster than she does. But other than that I have nothing to add :P
#10
03-09-2011, 04:11 PM
Here's my educated guess: she's got too much on her plate, and this was just a brilliant way to give it up and blame it on the new management they all hate anyway. She runs a hotel, has her tv show etc - lapping around clueless tourists in a BMW that nearly anyone can do just as well (they aren't exactly pushing the taxis) was not a priority. Over the past few years, chances of you even getting Sabine as the driver when you book a ring taxi has been pretty small. There are a bunch of others driving them too.
And there's no wayyyy the new questionable management are phasing out the Ring Taxis as a concept, which is essentially a business area of BMW Motorsport. I don't have access to the books but I'll be damned if they aren't the largest sponsor and supporter of the Ring.
Like nearly everything happening lately with the ring along with these ridiculous "Save the Ring" campaigns - it's nothing.
And there's no wayyyy the new questionable management are phasing out the Ring Taxis as a concept, which is essentially a business area of BMW Motorsport. I don't have access to the books but I'll be damned if they aren't the largest sponsor and supporter of the Ring.
Like nearly everything happening lately with the ring along with these ridiculous "Save the Ring" campaigns - it's nothing.
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