I spent a long weekend in Europe last month for a business trip and had the chance to postpone my return flight long enough to meet with some friends in Austria then drive in Germany. Wanted to share some pics and helpful links for anyone wanting to do the same.
I hoped that some of the mountain passes might be open by mid-April but that was wishful thinking. In preparation I gathered up links to several countries’ Alpine pass statuses (open/closed) so they might be helpful to those of you planning trips during the Spring or Fall:
Austria:
http://oe3verkehr.orf.at/ and
http://www.oeamtc.at/?id=2500,,,1934
Switzerland:
http://www.tcs.ch/de/auto-mobilitaet...uelle-lage.php
Summary for several countries:
http://www.alpineroads.com/passstatus.php
With the passes closed I “settled” for a day of Autobahn driving. I reserved an M3 with BMW on Demand but when I arrived at the Welt the guy said someone had wrecked that car, and told me I could have an M5 for the same price (40 EUR/hr instead of 70 EUR/hr). I guess that will suffice.
During my ED the A7 Autobahn was very quiet so I tried that. Since it was a weekday there was some truck traffic but south of Memmingen was clear enough to enjoy. Even on winter tires, the M5 is a beast (the Welt changes from winter to summer tires on April 16, FYI). On a ramp back onto the A7, the perfect tarmac ahead is traffic free so I bury it. Traction control is blinking through 4th gear and I’m at 265kph before I know it. While I love the sound of my M3, the thrust from the M5 is simply relentless.
The car was loaded with Individual paint (Champagne Quartz Metallic) and leather, the latest safety equipment (lane departure is annoying), and all the iDrive goodies. For aesthetic reasons I ordered my M3 without iDrive. But with the M5’s navigation giving me a picture of the proper lane to be in, being able to quickly zoom on the map, and search for nearby gas stations, I can really appreciate the nav.
Between the power, comfort, and road presence, I cannot imagine a more suitable weapon for the Autobahn. Truly money well spent for 600km of blissful driving.
Some other pics: schnitzel after hiking to the top of Schoeckl mountain near Graz, Austria, and my other rental car (a Mini) on the obligatory photo-op between Munich and Vienna.
