Hot Laps and Cool Shades at the BMW Performance Center

The BMW Performance Center in Thermal, California, is a sterling facility that's ideal for corporate retreats, private parties, and even two-hour Driving Experiences. If you ever find yourself in the Palm Springs area, whether for a golf retreat, a concert at Coachella, or even just the sunny weather, it's a fantastic way to spend the day.

Our group included popular YouTube star (and 2006 Need for Speed world champion) Alan Enileev, who's even funnier and more engaging in person than he is on social media. Also joining the crew was Super Bowl champion and former New York Giants wide receiver Victor Cruz, who's a BMW Brand Ambassador and a heckuva driver in his own right. We were all gathered by Italian eyewear manufacturer Marcolin to showcase the 2023 BMW M Motorsport Eyewear Collection.

With designs inspired by the M Series, the 2022/23 line of BMW eyewear delivers top-level optics and comfort. They're lightweight, durable to wear, and look sporty, incorporating styling touches such as M4 headlight-inspired lens shapes and also that iconic red, white, and blue three-stripe logo. All feature polarized lenses, 100% UV protection, and, best of all, they look and feel great whether you're behind the wheel or on the sidewalk.

If you've never been to a BMW Performance Center, it's a real kick in the bucket seat. First thing in the morning, BMW's expert driving instructors walked us through the skills needed to achieve optimum track times, including the ideal hand/wheel position (hint: it's not 10 and 2), cornering techniques, and braking and acceleration best practices. After a couple of hours in the classroom, we headed out to the tracks for the first of three exercises to gauge what we learned—and test our abilities in the driver's seat.

The Western Region Performance Driving School near Palm Springs features a short track for learning cornering and braking/acceleration, one long track to really let the Ms scream down the straightaways, and a couple of private tracks reserved for members. It also boasts a rink-sized skidpad, where we mastered (or tried to, anyway) the fine art of drifting.

You probably think you're a damn good driver. I know I did. And then I got schooled.

BMW Lead Instructor Christopher Hill led the classroom session. His first edict was "forget what you think you know," and to prove his point, the first thing he taught us was the proper placement of our hands on the wheel. Despite the old adage, placing your hands at 10 and 2 is incorrect.

Instead, by placing your hands at the 9 and 3 o'clock positions, anyone should be able to take most turns on the track or the street without lifting either hand off the wheel. Yes, some sharp turns will require the hand-over-hand method, but according to Hill, those turns are few and far between.

Next up: Find reference points on the track to determine braking points, turn-in points, and track-out points. Your vision controls your steering, so always look where you want the car to go. On the track, markers and reference points come up fast, so a driver should always be looking at his next point of reference, even if that means looking out the passenger's side window at a marker 100 yards down the track. Turn your head, not your body, to find your next reference point.

When it comes to turns, use the "out-in-out" method. Approach the curve from as far out as you can and aim for an "apex point" inside the corner, where you can pick up speed once again. The later in the curve the apex point, the straighter your car will remain, allowing you to preserve as much speed as possible during the turn. The faster you can take the curve, the quicker you'll regain top speed, and the faster your lap times will be.

In order to maximize that speed, we were instructed not to be shy with the accelerator and brake. That is, slam those pedals! Get all your braking done before you reach the "turn-in" point. By the time you reach the apex point, your car should already be pointed at your next track marker. This is where you floor the accelerator and pick up as much speed as you can, until you slam on the brakes again.

Obviously, you don't want to be slamming on the brakes or flooring the gas pedal in many (if not most) automobiles, even on the track. But the new M series cars, with their killer traction control and ABS, were more than up to the task.

My final lap time on the short track in an M3 was more than ten seconds faster than my first.

But it's ten times more fun.

We moved to the skidpad to drift. BMW instructors had us switch off the Traction Control and DSC (stability control) on our M3s for this exercise. Aside from turning the steering wheel in the direction of the skid, drifting a car goes against almost every driving technique you've ever learned and every instinct you've ever developed behind the wheel. You don't accelerate, and you can't brake. It just feels . . . weird.

The key is to use the gas pedal to find a happy medium that lets you maintain speed without touching the brake. Steady pressure and oh-so-slight steering allow you to slide the car around the oval. Done right, the RPMs stay steady and the vehicle moves in the direction you want it to go—only, kinda sideways. Too much gas, you'll spin out; hit the brakes, and you'll slide out.

Keep it slow and steady, get a feel for the car, control the chaos.

Finally, we hit the long track. After the turning, braking, and accelerating practice on the short track, BMW opened things up for us, linking in a couple of chicanes and two long straightaways. I was able to push my M4 up to around 140 mph several times.

We were taught to use the entire track, cutting over the red-and-white checked track curbs to keep our lines as straight as possible. Once again, the key is to take the curves as fast as you feel comfortable so you can get back up to cruising speed faster. I was flooring the gas and furiously pounding the brake pedal, and my instructor was overjoyed. While I'd never treat my personal car in this fashion, it admittedly felt great to throw all my instincts out the window and beat the crap out of that M4.

Much like the automobiles, the BMW M Motorsports eyewear collection exudes the elegance and precision that's always characterized the style of the German automobile brand. Styles include metal-framed Aviators and Navigators, as well as sporty wraparounds and iconic Wayfarers.

If you're a Bimmer enthusiast, you owe it to yourself to spend a day or just a couple of hours at a BMW Performance Center. Not only is it a blast, you may become a better driver.

Check out the M Motorsports 2023 collection at Frames Direct, Kohl's, and Saks Fifth Avenue. We've also seen BMW eyewear at eBay, Target, and, of course, Amazon.