Click above for a few images leading up to Rampfest.
As jaded pseudo-journalists, viral marketing campaigns have lost some of their grimy allure over the last few years. But BMW's latest attempt to get the masses pumped about the imminent launch of the 1-series coupe in the U.S. has so much hoontastic potential than even our oddly named friends can't ignore it.
Head on over to the fictional Bavarian village of (lemme get this right) Oberpfaffelbachen's website and you're greeted with the Oktoberfest anthem. From there, you can read up on the town's history, get a quick "Hallo" from the mayor and begin to understand the marketing ruse that BMW is launching – literally – when you check out the Rampenfest link.
The idea is simple. Build a 454 meter-high ramp that will launch the 135i over the European landscape and across the Atlantic onto U.S. shores. But the joke doesn't end there. Jeff Schultz, a (faux) documentary filmmaker, has decided to produce a movie that will cover the entire event from conception to completion, and he's been kind enough to put up a trailer of his flick to whet our appetites for the big day.
You can check out the trailer here, the filmmaker's blog here and if you're 21, female and willing to email a picture of yourself to be voted Miss Ramp (rim shot), you can enter with the rest of the contestants here.
[Source: Oberpfafelbachen via Jalopnik]
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
Yar @ Mar 24th 2008 8:10PM
NORAD is gonna love this. What better way to start a thermonuclear war with Russia than to launch a car on a ballistic trajectory straight at a US city? How about some foresight BMW?
bs @ Mar 24th 2008 8:51PM
I'm glad you so emerged in this whole fantasy thing, of course it has to do a lot with Russia, Europe is in Russia anyway, or the other way around, we're pretty much Bavaria is near Germany anyway
- @ Mar 24th 2008 8:23PM
Test drove the 1 the other day, it makes the 3-series feel like a bloated, concrete-filled boat.
Derek @ Mar 24th 2008 10:44PM
That's good to hear, but I'm still disappointed that the 1 series is heavier than the 3 series of a decade ago despite that the new car is 3" shorter.
zamafir @ Mar 24th 2008 11:42PM
that's impressive given the 1 series is 50kg lighter. I'd test drive one if it wasn't so ugly and the 128 didn't cost $12,000 more than a lighter-with-awd R32 (comparing apples to apples, DSG to slush box)... I'll be very keen to see just how well this extremely pricey car does.
- @ Mar 25th 2008 2:31AM
A decade is a lot of years of safety extras and whatnot added to make the car heavy. I popped the trunk and underneath the platform was a really large battery (sitting askew oddly enough), which I assume is for the regenerative braking system -- that's probably about 100lbs+ in itself. I love how polarizing the design of the 1 is, it's a love-it or hate-it car. :) Personally I REALLY like it, but can wait to buy a lease-return next year. I was hoping to have made a decision Saturday and drive out with a 1 or a 328i, but the 3 didn't excite me and I'm not quite ready to bring home another 2-door as I already have a coupe. Damn my practicality.
Val @ Apr 8th 2008 12:02PM
Get yourself an E30 if they are around where you live, its fun, fast, you can play with the internals yourself, its much cheaper then the new cars and its going up in value :D Did i mention its much better loooking too?
Trev @ Mar 24th 2008 8:27PM
Too bad they aren't going to try it for real & try to improve on Kenny Powers' attempt to jump a car across the St Lawrence
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tpUMSarCSQw
M @ Mar 24th 2008 9:24PM
kenny powers ripped off KEN CARTER!!! but I have to say that it made me happy to see somebody else notice the similarity!
M @ Mar 25th 2008 12:24AM
watch this http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ctVkZbcwA1E if you haven't already seen it. It's from the documentary on the whole sordid tale "The Devil at your heels"
Brett- BMW Advo @ Mar 24th 2008 8:27PM
Great idea!! I want a T-shirt. Maybe I'll make one with a 135i jumping out at you!
3seriesisking @ Mar 24th 2008 11:04PM
Sign me up for on of those while your at it.
namegoeshere @ Mar 24th 2008 9:01PM
ummm..... ok.
mammy @ Mar 24th 2008 9:08PM
sounds random... but i guess it will be cool.
Haha @ Mar 24th 2008 10:22PM
"Oberpfaffelbachen", ahahahahaha! ;) Well, too bad it's not for real :(
Derek @ Mar 24th 2008 10:44PM
And the point of this is???
Wait, did one of the guys from Dodge stay behind at MB after they separated and then switched to BMW? We'll know if the 1 series has the stars and bars on the roof and plays Dixie as it flies through the air ;)
paul34 @ Mar 24th 2008 11:03PM
You'll get Boston all in a twist with that one. Terrorism! My god, Terrorism!
RJ @ Mar 24th 2008 11:11PM
haha, maybe Toyota will try this for real in their next Tundra ad?
The German @ Mar 25th 2008 4:59AM
WTF, no europe isn't in russia. russia isn't in europe either. and no Bavaria isn't near Germany. it's a state of Germany
Cary @ Mar 25th 2008 5:19AM
Knob.