Be careful out there...

[MichaelJP]

This is what happened to one of Hartge's H50 M3-based beasts after an incident in the Pflantzgarten section at the Nurburgring Nordschleife;

"One of a pair of BMW E46 Hartge H50's (460bhp!) had hit the tyre wall immediately after the drop and bounced across the entire width of the track while turning 180° and flipping upside down to come to rest against the armco on the inside of the bend. The driver was already out, but there was so much debris across the full width of the track (bits of plastic, glass and gravel) that everyone had to come to a halt. I cleared the glass out of
the way to avoid the risk of a puncture and we then tip-toed past to complete the lap. The track was of course closed when we got back.

Amazingly, the only injury was a broken arm on the part of the co-driver: the driver was completely unhurt from what must have been easily an 80mph impact. According to a friend of the driver who emailed me afterwards, the crash happened as the result of an over-optimistic attempt to overtake a bike: he crashed when forced to back off as the rider turned in for the bend. Oh, and he also said that the car had had a customer waiting to buy
it the following week ..."


And this is what the car ended up looking like:

http://www.gummen.net/images/album/rin297_5.jpg
http://www.gummen.net/images/album/rin297_6.jpg
http://www.gummen.net/images/album/ring20010729_002.JPG
http://www.gummen.net/images/album/ring20010729_003.JPG

Cheers,

- Michael

[Gustav]

Actually Johann and I was there when it happend. We waited at the pitstop because the track was closed because of the crash. It turned out it was a H50, at first I thought it was a M3 but Johann spotted the airintakes on the hood and suspected it was a H50. Lucky it turned out without any major injuries!

[kees]

Gustav,

Your trip to Germany really was eventful wasn't it? Look forward to seeing the pictures you guys took.

/Kees

[Hutzal]

mabey they can still salvage those rims!!!

[EBMCS03]

Oh man every part of the car is like crumpled... like a soda can...

[MichaelJP]

It just shows that there's nothing like a roll-over accident for destroying just about every panel on a car!

Mind you I was in our local BMW dealers bodyshop the other day and an M5 was in which had been wrapped round a tree after a spin-out. I assumed it was totalled but they said in 4 weeks it would be back on the road with a brand new body!

So they'll probably do the same with this H50. I wouldn't like the bill though!

- Michael

[Andy G]

the red sashes look good, design statement I reckon.
At least the kidney grilles look intact, so thats a saving!!!!