The Land of Zentrum
A Sixer pilgrimage to BMW's American Mecca.

Just got back from a pilgrimage.

SKS and I are home after a 2000-mile pre-Oktoberfest trek to BMW's American Mecca - Spartanburg, South Carolina. This land of the palmetto and friendly southern folk in the shadow of the Appalachians is the spiritual center in the U.S. for the true believer in the blue-and-white roundel.

We found the spirit to be potent, indeed.

When BMWs begin appearing every other mile, you know you've crossed into the Bavarian Zone. For me, the ultimate moment of truth arrived as we wheeled the 635CSi into the employees' lot of BMW Manufacturing's thousand-acre plant in Greer, SC. There to our wondering eyes appeared not dozens but hundreds of new BMWs of all sizes, shapes, and colors.

Driving the Sixer between rows of pristine Bimmers, all owned or leased by BMW employees, I couldn't help but feel that we were home, Toto, finally home.

Walking into the Zentrum, I bought our tour tickets (discounted for BMW CCA members) and then headed into the gift shop to spend a little time (and money). There I found a great Mobile Tradition book on BMW coupes to add to my collection. By way of preparing for the walking tour of the plant floor, my wife and I did our own little tour of the Zentrum's display of beautiful BMWs from the past, both 2 and 4-wheeled varieties. Naturally, we quickly gravitated to the 635CSi Art Car painted in 1986 by Robert Rauschenberg.

Just before the plant tour, we watched a 15-minute film shot from inside a Z3 as it was transformed from a hunk of steel into a classic roadster.

When the movie ended, we walked out of the little standup theater with 20 other BMW pilgrims and were handed individual headsets (German Sennheisers) over which we could hear our tour guide's narration above the noise of car construction. After cautioning us against taking photographs inside the plant, our guide led us out of the Zentrum a short distance to the main plant, headsets and safety glasses at the ready.

For the next hour, these eyes which have focused over the last 25 years on the repair and maintenance of, shall we say, seasoned cars witnessed the creation of the truly incredible - the birthing of zero-mileage BMWs.

It was really something to see these wonderful motorcars come to life at the hands of a trained and motivated workforce as they took naked steel frames and, piece by piece, made works of automotive art.

As do all automobile manufacturers in the 21st Century, BMW uses robots and automation in such processes as welding and painting, but I was surprised at how much construction involves hands-on work by skilled craftsmen and craftswomen. The plant's extensive use of ergonomic manufacturing design underscores the importance of the human element in the building of BMWs. Workers can lift a vehicle's body or even flip it on its side to work at waist or eye level, depending on the task.

We walked past neat collections of unpainted fenders, and cardboard containers filled with steering wheels and suspension struts. Stacks of tires stood mounted on BMW alloy (and steel) wheels. Leather seats waited their turn to be installed in new X5s, Z3s or M coupes and roadsters. New engines fresh from Germany sat at the ready. The factory techs worked intently, checking fit between panels, adjusting headlight alignment for specific countries, or running up new engines on a rolling test bed. As we walked the line, the beat went on, new BMWs coming together at the hands of workers intent on craftsmanship and not just a paycheck. For me, the line tour gave visual and personal credence to one essential element of the BMW mystique: whether in good times or bad, the company has always refused to compromise either the design or manufacture of its vehicles.

Was it worth it? Absolutely. Walking the line gives you a perspective you could never get from visits to dealers, or by reading the company's history, or even from hands-on maintenance of the cars themselves. Your pride in owning a BMW is magnified tremendously when you see the care and quality that goes into each one, and witness firsthand the energy and professionalism of the people who build our cars. They are BMW enthusiasts, too.

So do yourself a favor. Carve out the time to make the pilgrimage to BMW's Zentrum and manufacturing plant. Whether it's to attend Oktoberfest 2000 or as a solo road trip, the reward will be worth the effort. And who knows? You might even be motivated to take a second look at getting yourself into a new BMW, maybe even one built by the friendly folks in Greer, South Carolina. In any case, once you've made the pilgrimage there, you'll be forever changed in your appreciation of all things BMW. -Rick Sparks

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