Page 1 of 1

Save the Ring

Posted: Fri Feb 11, 2011 5:14 pm
by zaxrex
Sad days for the Nordschlife. I didn't know all the behind the scenes stuff when I went there, but have to say that the "entertainment complex" was huge and utterly vacant. I thought it was still under construction and hadn't opened yet.
Seems like the public/private cooperation and finance that put it together is up to no good business practices, like saying anyone who wants to use the tract can only do so if they stay at "approved" hotels and patronize other "licensed" businesses. All the little awesome shops and hotels in the Eifel region are getting screwed.
It has gotten so bad the there has not even been a track schedule released yet for this year. Mostly because a lot of the R&D departments are balking at the new restrictions.

Here are some resources to see what is going on:
http://savethering.org/
Sabine Schmitz/Schults needs our help
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RplEKGs6Yj4[/video]

If you have a proper amount of time to watch a subtitled German program on the topic, these are very informative
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mvHYc4AZIlc[/video]
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZsabgmKxOSc[/video]
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XwKJiBOM5VI[/video]
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7GWPDbJ2xcc[/video]

Re: Save the Ring

Posted: Sat Feb 12, 2011 10:20 am
by snaab
Excellent find, I watched every minute of it. It's of personal interest, but also kept me on the edge of my seat like a crime show, hehe

Re: Save the Ring

Posted: Sat Feb 12, 2011 12:12 pm
by complacent
whoa, i had no idea... :eek:

Re: Save the Ring

Posted: Sat Feb 12, 2011 3:34 pm
by Libra Monkee
http://www.rock-am-ring.com/

What I wouldn't give to go back to this thing. It has to help generate revenue for the Ring. It's a three day, three stage rock concert held inside the Nurburgring. Ah! Three days of camping, booze, rock music, and all the frauen I can stand. I NEED TO GET BACK OVER THERE!!!

Re: Save the Ring

Posted: Sat Feb 12, 2011 9:56 pm
by Mr Kleen
Libra Monkee wrote: I NEED TO GET BACK OVER THERE!!!
Back? I need to GET over there... :eek:

Re: Save the Ring

Posted: Sat Mar 05, 2011 2:01 pm
by zaxrex
looks like Sabin's Ring Taxi is kaput.
That blows
Spoken rumours of the Nürburgring BMW 'Ring Taxi's imminent demise appear to be coming true. An email released by the company who ran the Ring Taxi confirms they're not running it this year. That company is OK Speed Marketing, and the 'Ring Taxi' name is theirs.

Nürburgring management have also removed all offers relating to taxi rides from the official website.

Like us 'normal' businesses OK Speed Marketing will be running their taxi laps in the VLN practice on Friday afternoons throughout summer. And their prices of €349 per customer certainly suggest no more manufacturer funding to soften the blow on a customer's wallet.

News of the Ring Taxi's demise will be a massive blow for fans all over the world. Fans of BMW, fans of Sabine and fans of the Nurburgring alike will all be sad to see the legacy come to an end.

At only €189 per car load (upto 3 people) it was just too good a deal to miss. The cost of drifting a brand-new BMW M5, 4-up around the Nordschleife with a celebrity driver is most certainly a little more than the post-tax €158.82 cover price!

No news on what (if anything) is being lined up to replace it. Nurburgring have half-heartedly run their own taxi service sporadically, using the talents of Andy Gülden in anything from a crappy Passat B36 through to the Aston N24. (Andy was also the No.1 Viper pilot for those of you who can remember the 'good old days'...).

I personally don't know what might have put an end to this fantastic service, but I would suggest any or all of the following factors could have played a part in killing it off:

* It probably doesn't make BMW any profit. OK Speed Marketing ran it as a business on behalf of BMW. They had to make money, but the retail price suggests that after they had made a profit, somebody else must have made a loss.
* The new 'ring management, for better or for worse, have a 'bottom-line' this year and any service needs to pay its own way in license fees.
* Automotive marketing budgets have been slashed across the board for a while

Full e-mail from OK-Speed-Marketing below (read more):

Dear Ring-Taxi® customer,

our preparation for season 2011 has been completed.
We are looking forward to a common Ring-Taxi® season 2011.

During our jubilee-season 2011 we enlarged our traditional taxi service. So enjoy with us pure driving fun. Powered by classical sportscars such as Porsche 911 GT3 (415 HP) Clubsport 997 or MINI John Cooper Works (211 HP). Driven by proofed and licensed pilots.

Enjoy Your favourite car as co-pilot
Porsche 911 Clubsport 997 (415 HP) price 349,- EURO incl. 19% VAT
or
MINI John Cooper Works (211 HP), price 195,- EURO incl. 19% VAT

On top you will enjoy our traditional services, served on the most famous race-tracks, starting with one lap Nürburgring (D) Nordschleife (20,832 km) or three laps in Spa-Francorchamps (B), the Ardens Grand-Prix Circuit (21,003 km) or accompanied by further attractions during the season.

Your Ring-Taxi® opportunities until May 2011
Nürburgring Nordschleife (D): 19.03.2011 / 25.03.2011
Spa-Francorchamps (B): 09.04.2011 / 10.04.2011 / 13.04.2011 / 18.04.2011 / 24.05.2011

How will you repeat your Ring-Taxi® adventure? (limited to Porsche)
We can realize your individual Ring-Taxi-lap as video served on USB stick.
The Ring -Taxi® video, 29.90 EURO (inkl. 19% VAT)
Life pics, sounds and data of car, track and (co)-pilot.

Relevant information
Ticket can be booked only with a fixed date for ring-taxi drive.
The ring-taxi adventure is limited to one person only.

If you have further questions please contact as by telephone hot line or by mail.

Ring-Taxi® hotline

Re: Save the Ring

Posted: Sat Mar 05, 2011 2:50 pm
by Mr Kleen
they couldn't wait just one more year... :censor: :banghead:

Re: Save the Ring

Posted: Sun Mar 06, 2011 4:31 pm
by Sabre
Wow, that's just f*cked up.

Re: Save the Ring

Posted: Mon Mar 07, 2011 8:43 pm
by snaab
Mr Kleen wrote:they couldn't wait just one more year... :censor: :banghead:
This just means you have more of an excuse to drive it yourself /nudgenudge

Re: Save the Ring

Posted: Sat Mar 12, 2011 1:54 am
by zaxrex
I dunno, renting yourself a track car or getting her to drive your ass off for the same price...
I'd go with giving money to the hot chick, if past experience is worth anything. :eek:

Re: Save the Ring

Posted: Sat Mar 12, 2011 6:11 am
by Mr Kleen
Yeah... Driving yourself is great and all, but the chance to ride with a famously talented driver on her "home course" in an amazing car I'll never be able afford myself sounds too good to pass up. :pimp: