Filed under: Etc., Marketing/Advertising, BMW
Rampenfest to rock mythical town of Oberpfaffelbachen for literal launch of BMW 1-Series
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.
Gallery: Rampfest
Gallery: BMW 1-Series Coupe
[Source: Oberpfafelbachen via Jalopnik]
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
Yar 8:10PM (3/24/2008)
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?
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bs 8:51PM (3/24/2008)
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
- 8:23PM (3/24/2008)
Test drove the 1 the other day, it makes the 3-series feel like a bloated, concrete-filled boat.
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Derek 10:44PM (3/24/2008)
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 11:42PM (3/24/2008)
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.
- 2:31AM (3/25/2008)
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 12:02PM (4/08/2008)
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 8:27PM (3/24/2008)
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
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M 9:24PM (3/24/2008)
kenny powers ripped off KEN CARTER!!! but I have to say that it made me happy to see somebody else notice the similarity!
M 12:24AM (3/25/2008)
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 8:27PM (3/24/2008)
Great idea!! I want a T-shirt. Maybe I'll make one with a 135i jumping out at you!
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3seriesisking 11:04PM (3/24/2008)
Sign me up for on of those while your at it.
namegoeshere 9:01PM (3/24/2008)
ummm..... ok.
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mammy 9:08PM (3/24/2008)
sounds random... but i guess it will be cool.
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Haha 10:22PM (3/24/2008)
"Oberpfaffelbachen", ahahahahaha! ;) Well, too bad it's not for real :(
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Derek 10:44PM (3/24/2008)
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 ;)
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paul34 11:03PM (3/24/2008)
You'll get Boston all in a twist with that one. Terrorism! My god, Terrorism!
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RJ 11:11PM (3/24/2008)
haha, maybe Toyota will try this for real in their next Tundra ad?
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The German 4:59AM (3/25/2008)
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
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Cary 5:19AM (3/25/2008)
Knob.