BMW Performance Center West

Every year, my father and I make it a tradition to spend a day at the BMW Performance Center in Thermal, and it’s become one of our favorite experiences together. Our journey started with an M Track Day at the Indianapolis Speedway back in August 2022. After that unforgettable day, we set our sights on Thermal to experience the Thermal Club track, and we were completely blown away during our first visit in 2023. One of the instructors mentioned that if we wanted even more time on the track, we could try a customized session focused on advanced techniques like braking and acceleration out of various turns. The following year, in 2024, we had the privilege of working with Byron Payne, and he was absolutely phenomenal. Byron’s laid-back, humble demeanor paired with his incredible racing expertise made for an unforgettable, adrenaline-filled day for both of us. We enjoyed it so much that we flew back out again this year (2025) from Boston and requested Byron specifically — and once again, he exceeded every expectation. This time, our session focused on perfecting turn entry and exit, with over five hours of lead/follow laps in the M4 Competition. The experience was simply outstanding, well-run and safety oriented. The Performance Center itself is immaculate — from the friendly, customer-oriented staff to the first-class amenities. Even the lunch buffet is top-notch every year, and yes, the ice cream machine is still a highlight! We’re already planning our next trip out to Thermal for 2026, and we couldn’t be more excited. A huge thank-you to BMW, the entire Performance Center team, and especially Byron Payne for creating such an incredible, world-class experience. We can’t recommend them highly enough!

I had an incredible experience at the BMW Performance Driving School with Rick Porter as my instructor. Rick is extremely knowledgeable, patient, and clearly passionate about performance driving. He takes the time to explain techniques in detail and makes sure you really understand the “why” behind each maneuver. His feedback was spot-on and helped me improve my driving confidence and control right away. I’ll definitely be coming back for additional classes—highly recommend Rick to anyone looking to elevate their driving skills!

My 22 year old son and I have been talking trash about our drag racing skills, and looking forward to this trip for months. We were NOT disappointed. Racing in the M2, M8 and i5 was an incredible experience. Only equaled by the track time in the M240i. I know this isn't designed to be a truly educational experience. But, some helpful tips from pro drivers can really improve your driving on and off the track. Highly recommend, and not just because I beat the boy. It did make it a little sweeter, though.

Had the M track drive for their summer promo event. Friendly staff, great track at the thermal club. Very fun and thrilling experience.

I recently attended a full-day program at the BMW Performance Center West in Thermal, CA. The cars, track, and curriculum were excellent, and I want to start by recognizing Chris Hill and Dave McMillan and the other individual with glasses, were all absolutely outstanding instructors. Chris and the other guy ran our time-trial session and Dave led the first run on the skid pad—both were constructive, patient, and encouraging. They created a perfect mix of fun and skill-building and truly represented BMW at its best. Unfortunately, the experience with a third instructor (not Chris or Dave) was the opposite. He took over for the rat race on the skid pad and later the lead-and-follow in the M4s, and from the start he kept taking jabs at me and others—calling out supposed “penalties” or mistakes in a way that sounded serious and critical. That might have been funny to him, but to those of us who don’t know him it came across as condescending and hard to read. At one point I actually pulled off during the rat race exercise and told him face-to-face that he was coming across as a dick. I reminded him that I don’t know him and can’t tell when he’s joking. Being a talented racer does not automatically make someone a good coach. Coaching is about building people up, not leaving them wondering whether they’re being mocked or taught. If this instructor treats every class this way, he will never be the kind of coach that Chris and Dave already are. Overall, I still recommend the BMW Performance Center West—the program itself is fantastic and Chris and Dave were phenomenal. But BMW should know that inconsistent instructor behavior can sour an otherwise exceptional experience. Please recognize Chris Hill and Dave McMillan for their professionalism and coaching skill, and ensure every instructor represents the Performance Center with the same respect and clarity they demonstrate. While the other instructor did apologize and make right with me, it doesn't excuse that it happened in the first place and I am positive the other people in the class felt it too. Overall would love to return for a more advanced class

This was a blast!!! Our instructors were fun, provided great pointers for driving techniques. The sample of cars to drive were interesting, it was a surprise to experience the speed of the I4 I think it was, instant acceleration! Very surprised with the handling and speed of the X6. All in all this is a great time for people who like to drive and want to have fun without the tickets lol! Now the timed racing tested your skill and listening abilities, seriously pay close attention to your instructions. But hands down the finale when the skilled, yes skilled drivers take you for a ride and show you how it's really done was awesome! Definitely have to do this again I had a blast and thank you again for a fantastic time!!!

Awesome experience. We did the new owners course and it was really fun. We're planning to do more courses including our son. Very fun and informative. Worth the time and investment if you can do it.

BMW West Performance Center in Thermal, California is a great place to learn and improve one’s driving skills! In 2018, I started to go to BMW West Performance Center to attend various driving performance events. With interest in learning and improving my driving skills, and dreams to learn more about car racing, I met instructor Byron Payne. Byron is truly an inspiring instructor. He has great knowledge about driving skills; especially in racing skills. The way he shares his racing experiences and techniques with me helps me improving my driving skills and he makes difficult concepts easy to grasp. Byron is patient, responsive, and excellent on track coaching. He has so much racing experiences that he wants his students to learn from his experiences. And he knows how to push students to their limit and help them to improve fast on the track. I enjoyed his lead follow sessions very much because he sees my potential and he is willing to push me forward. He is always available to answer questions and encourage students to find out more about their weaknesses and strengths on the track, and he would lead them to correct their lines, corners, and time. Byron made a huge difference to my life! In 2022, I took 2-Day M School and Race License School in order to apply for SCCA Full Competition License. Byron Payne, Dave McMillon, and Case Montgomery were the instructors who guided me to finish the 2-Day M School, and they were just amazing! When I took Race License School, Chris Hill and again Byron Payne pushed me to finish the program and showed me step by step of how to start racing. After I got my SCCA Full Competition License, I started to attend SCCA road racing in 2023. Byron gave me some great advices before my very first race, which helped me a lot to finish my first race. Byron is truly an amazing instructor, I can’t wait to drive with him again on the tracks someday! The events of BMW Performance Center gave me so much unforgettable life experiences, I will definitely go back to attend more events to keep sharpening my driving skills!

I did 1 day M school here and I enjoyed it but it's important to know why you're going. The instructors were top notch but in the end it still felt more like an interactive BMW advertisement than a learning experience. You bounce around between models and events with barely enough time to really learn much. The competitive nature makes it difficult to stay focused on skills resulting in sloppiness. There's enough students that a lot of mistakes go uncorrected. Fortunately, I went into it with the goal of driving fast in a safe environment and someone else's car and maybe get a few general pointers. In that regards, it was a resounding success. I did feel like there was ample time for at least another 5 minutes on the drift track Some things that I wish their FAQ was clearer about: - There is a cafeteria and there is a very good lunch provided - If you're prone to motion sickness, be prepared. I brought along ginger chews and ended up giving out quite a few to others who were intending to drop out early otherwise. - Theres lots of breaks for water and restroom and you'll need them - Theres lots of good hotel prices in Indio and the drive is short I would consider doing some personalized instructions but otherwise, my conclusion is that racing career isn't in my future. Still, props to the staff.

My son attended the owner's experience event and he took me and his dad for the experience. The reception area is really clean, and they are well stuffed with drinks and snacks. They have starbucks coffee, juice, fruit infused water and different kinds of teavannas. They also have a gift shop with all the BMW merch. My husband and son were able to try some of their high performance vehicles and SUVs.It was a great experience for them. Kudos to the 2 retired professional driver/racer staff. They are both very accommodating. My son's words were "it's like real Mario Kart event".

1-day Car Control Clinic was great balance of classroom learning and track time. By the end everyone was faster, more confident, and able to more easily recover control. The instructors were educational, fun, and most importantly kept everyone safe. Throughout the day we were paired with the same person and either in a m228 or an m340. Great to see several couples attend together and not just a gift for him. I've also done the half-day where you track 6 different cars and take an X5 off-road. More of an extended product demo but it's fun. Anything shorter than a half day isn't worth the diversion to Thermal, but if you drive back to San Diego from there be sure to go by the Salton Sea and Borrego. Anything longer than 1 day is too long. The best place to buy these PC experiences is a BMW Ultimate Drive Event where they are typically 20% off. The PC experiences you buy (vs come with an M car) never expire. If you have a sensitive stomach, just be aware that you are going to be pulling some Gs on the track so take it easy on the drinking the night before, maybe eat a light breakfast, and go easy on that free catered lunch bmw has for full-day events.

I purchased a new BMW M240i last year. One of the perks of buying a new BMW is that they offer you a complementary new owner's track drive at one of their performance driving schools within a year of your purchase. In the United States, there are only two schools with one being in Thermal, California and the other in Spartanburg, South Carolina. Thermal is about 30 minutes south of Palm Springs. Luckily, it is only about 90 minutes south of me so I finally made a reservation after nine months of ownership. You can look at their online scheduling page first to see what dates and time slots are available. Since I was booking mine for April and it's already hot there that time of year, I chose the 8am time slot. Booking the experience was a breeze. After you purchase your car, they send you an email with all of the information and a reservation phone number call. It only took about ten minutes on the phone to complete the booking. Have your VIN, purchase date, and dealership where purchased handy before calling to speed things up. I arrived around 7:40am on a crystal clear morning and an impressive lineup of BMWs was on display outside. In the main building, there were complementary drinks as we waited for all attendees to arrive. There were 14 people in our group and shortly after 8am we went outside for a welcome and description of what was to come. You do not drive your own car, you drive their cars. The group split in half and my group went to do the off-road portion first. The purpose was to demonstrate the various off-road capabilities of the BMW X5 M60i that we would all be driving. I came solo and paired up with another solo driver and we each took a turn doing the driving through the whole course. We all climbed into four different colored X5's and hit the course. I have never driven a 4x4 off road so it was definitely a new experience for me. One interesting part was going over some uneven bumps and one tire on the vehicle is over one foot above ground. The most fun part was going up a very steep incline and you can't see where you are going through the windshield and have to rely solely on the forward looking cameras. Going down the backside was interesting also as the vehicle has a "Hill Descent" mode. You take your feet off the brake and accelerator pedals and the car safely guides itself down a steep gravel decline and automatically applies the proper amount of braking to all four wheels while monitoring for any slippage and dynamically adjusting if necessary. After everybody got a chance to do the course (once driving and once riding shotgun), we headed back to the main building. After the off-road portion, it was now time for the most fun part: the track drive. Similar to the off-road portion, each of us would get a chance to drive and then ride shotgun for three laps each on a portion of the main track in four different types of performance BMWs. The lineup of cars was a dark grey convertible Z4 M40i, an orange M4 competition, a white M2, and a metallic green X5 competition SUV. The track starts with a good stretch of straightaway where you floor it and get deep into third gear before breaking into the first turn. I was too busy watching the track to see how high the speedometer got. There are then a few more turns and curves before getting back to the straightaway. All of the cars had great acceleration, excellent handling, and grip. I was surprised how fast the X5 SUV was off the line but it also has a lot of horsepower but obviously doesn't handle as well as the sportier cars. It was a lot of fun and really got your adrenaline pumping. The final part of the experience was that you got to ride shotgun with the instructor as he drove through a larger portion of the track as fast as possible, really pushing the car to its full potential. Screaming down the longer straightaway, screeching around the turns, getting sideways at times, and smoking the tires, it was a huge rush. The experience lasted about two hours and was a really great time. The two instructors were great. They were fun, provided a lot of information, and answered a lot of questions. If you want more, they offer various performance driving classes. They also said it's the least expensive place in the country where you can actually rent time in an actual race car after taking the relevant course. If you ever buy a new BMW, definitely don't pass up this excellent complementary experience!

You want an adrenaline rush? Come on down. Had a Track Drive today at the BMW Performance Center, Thermal, CA. Got to drive 4 types of BMW's as fast (and as safe) as possible. But the 'E' ticket was our instructor Rick, taking us on a 'hot lap', full throttle (tires screeching, sliding sideways on turns and basically burning rubber). The session was exhilarating, fun and informative - big thanks Rick. And Cole, appreciate you letting us practice on the off-road track. No cake walk there...hills, getting air, felt like a controlled 'all terrain vehicle'. Thanks for satisfying our need-for-speed, Linda N. and Jill K.

Wonderful facility, knowledgeable instructors, and a variety of classes to choose from. I dived in head first and registered for a one-day M School session months ago. I opted for a class in November because dealing with the 100+ degree heat in Palm Springs during the summer is not something I find enjoyable. The weather was perfect today... in the high 70's / low 80's. I walked onto the campus with mixed emotions. I was excited to be getting behind the steering wheel of various M-series cars, but also nervous because I've never driven on a race track before. Upon arrival, the day started with complimentary coffee/tea, fruit and a variety of snacks. The classroom session was led by instructor and professional driver Chris Hill. We went over some basics on how to best navigate the courses. Once the logistics were out of the way, it was time to get behind the wheel. M2's, M4's and M8's were provided for the different sessions and each session was led by a different instructor. We had the pleasure of being taught by professional race car drivers David Thilenius, Dave McMillan and Cam (I didn't get Cam's last name). Each car was equipped with a 2-way radio and this is how the instructors would communicate with the drivers. After a few hours of driving, we had a lunch break. Lunch was provided and there was a nice variety of food options: salads, sauteed kale, mashed potatoes, beef & chicken....and for dessert.... soft serve ice cream. After lunch, it was time to get back on the track and test some of the skills learned from the morning sessions with challenges such as Time Attack and Rat Race. Overall, it was a fantastic day and I learned so much. Not only were the instructors all very knowledgeable, they were also all very comedic, which made the sessions light and fun. I am most grateful that they all were so kind and gracious to help calm my nerves as a newbie. I would 100% recommend taking a class at the BMW Performance Center for anyone wanting to learn some great driving techniques while having fun doing so.

OMGosh! This place is the bomb -- truly one of the best experiences of my life, and drool-worthy to my friends! We were part of a corporate event, and after arriving a little apprehensive, the instructors assuaged every bit of reticence or fear with a short instruction class before we headed out to the events. Each instructor had their own, distinct "style," and were extremely helpful for each type of driving -- and all had great sense of humor. You get to drive the cars on different courses, with different goals and circumstances. You learn a lot about the cars, driving, and . . . yourself (and maybe your spouse/passenger? Insert laugh track) We had lunch and dinner on-site, as well. Not only was the food excellent, but they took really good care of this celiac, and I did not get sick! I would recommend this to anyone who loves cars and driving -- total blast!

The BMW Driving Experience was a true bucket list item for me. The BMW staff was very accommodating for me and my family. They enjoyed the day as much as I did driving. I would recommend this to any driving enthusiast. Thanks to all the BMW staff for making this an unforgettable day! George Taylor

PLEASE READ BEFORE BOOKING -- VERY DISAPPOINTED WITH BMW PERFORMANCE CENTER My husband and I ordered a 2025 M2 and added the Performance M School experience to the vehicle purchase. Since he wanted me to join him, I called and added myself to attend the same class. Shortly before our scheduled date, we learned that a hurricane was expected to hit the area. We understood the policy stating that classes run "rain or shine." My husband, who is an experienced driver, still chose to attend despite the weather. However, as someone less experienced, I decided to cancel my participation for safety reasons. When we arrived that day, I spoke directly with the Operations Manager, Front Desk Attendant, and several instructors (names available if needed). Every person I spoke with assured me that I would receive a refund without issue, especially since I was present and prepared to drive if needed. Based on their word, I left my cancellation in place. Days later, after repeated follow-ups with the Coordinator, Front Desk, and Operations Manager, I was informed that I would not receive a refund due to their "14-day cancellation policy." This was shocking and extremely disappointing given that I was personally reassured by multiple staff members that I would be refunded. For a program that costs $2,000 for a single day, this experience has been unacceptable. I feel completely misled by the staff and the lack of accountability from the BMW Performance Center. BE WARNED: If you need to cancel for any reason, even with advance notice and direct assurances from staff, do not expect a refund. What should have been an exciting and premium experience turned into a frustrating and disappointing ordeal.

Had such an amazing experience with the team at Mini Stunt Driving school. An awesome day of learning new things, playing in new super cute mini's pushing boundaries. Learning how to reverse up to 35 mph, pop it in neutral & then flick it around were just some of the fun we had. The teachers are pros & really take the edge off of a somewhat terrifying experience. It's both exhilarating and exhausting. You get to learn the stunts, but also passenger for the person you are partnered with. The smell of rubber & the 5 hrs of motion can get the best of you, so bring your bonine.

Was amazing experience. Until I used the bathroom. Smelled like a zoo. Need to work on that h-vac for men's restroom.

I happened to drop of a friend of mine who came into town specifically to go to this driving school. She was taking the BMW Corporate Driving Experience as organized by her company in conjuction with Indian Wells's Hyatt Regency. It looked like a ton of fun and once I got out to the Thermal area... I enjoyed watching people drag race and race around the track. The fact that this course is also affiliated with the Thermal Club, a residential gated community that has its own private race track (versus being situated on a golf course)... now THAT's very very cool and for those of you drive like Louis Hamilton... I suggest you should look into buying a place at the Thermal Club.

I've always liked to drive and to learn. My husband had told me about the BMW driving school years ago, so I had wanted to go for a long time. I finally planned a trip to Palm Springs around the One Day School for my birthday. Top line takeaway -- I signed up to have fun, and unfortunately, much of the day was more stressful than fun. I signed up online, which, given the call center location screw-ups (which happened to someone attending the new owners' course held at the same time), was apparently a good move. However, it seemed very odd that I got a single confirmation email with very few details -- just the date and time, nothing else about the class (not even the address!), followed by a link to a golf course and to some pricey hotels. Needless to say, I made sure to show up pretty early, where I finally found out that they have all-day drinks and snacks and also provide a pretty high-quality lunch. That would have been good to know a little earlier than the morning of! They also have a nice two-story building, complete with a balcony, so friends/family can come along and hang out there all day and even purchase lunch for $32 (non-drivers just cannot go out to the track, of course). We started the day at 8:30 in the classroom, where we introduced ourselves and were put into pairs for the day. This too would have been helpful to know in advance. Many attendees came in pairs -- fathers and sons, for instance (yes, I was the only woman...) -- and the few of us solo folks were put together pretty much at random. Had I known I'd be spending the day sharing a car with someone, maybe my husband would have signed up to do it with me, despite being a much more experienced driver. As is typical in these types of classes, a LOT of information was dropped on us in pretty short order, and then we headed out to the cars. Our class of 16 was split into two groups of eight, and each pair shared a car and switched off driving throughout the day. We moved back and forth between a 240i and 340i, but don't ask me what the difference was, as they never said. After the thorough information given about proper seat and mirror adjustment, I was a bit frustrated to be given so little time to get oriented and adjusted before heading to the track, and that continued throughout the day. I like to follow instructions, so give me the time to actually do that! Plus, in the 240i, the seat wouldn't go quite far forward enough to get the proper knee bend on the brake that they wanted, which was kind of annoying, as I'm not THAT short. The exercises were: slalom to warm up, emergency braking, skid pad, road course, emergency lane change, timed road course, and "rat race" on the skid pad. The instructors led us through each course as a group and provided demonstrations (and on the skid pad, a ride-along), but were never in the cars with us (again, would have been great to know in advance). Each car had a walkie-talkie that was basically a constant stream of the instructor giving instructions and feedback to the entire group. Now, the instructors are very experienced and genial guys and they generally toed the line between offering helpful feedback and razzing people (for hitting cones on the slalom, "We're not going bowling!"; for failing to keep the brake slammed in on the emergency stop, "You're a candidate for chauffeur school," etc.). But, I think they forget that not everyone is used to driving a BMW or even a brand new car -- I was, and remain, very confused by all the buttons and options, and especially struggled with the lack of standard gearshift that resulted in not realizing the car wasn't in park at one point -- and that there is just SO MUCH to remember and try to handle all at once. Yes, I could drive a steady 35 in my own car if a cop was behind me, but that's not the same as accelerating to 35 from a stop in a very short distance in an unfamiliar car, holding that 35 steady without overshooting it, and then slamming the brake or making a lane change. So while I did have some fun, especially once I mostly figured out the road course, I experienced a lot more stress than I had expected. For the $1,000 price tag, I think BMW can do better. Based on this experience, I'm not interested in attending any BMW classes in the future. And as I indicated in their follow-up survey, I am now even less likely to ever want to purchase a BMW, which is a bit of a fail on their part.

For the person who likes cars and everything connected with, it was great experience.

Attended the Mini Motoring School at BMW Performance Driving School. Cam was a fun and engaging instructor, cracked a lot of jokes. Learned a lot about mini coopers, and how to drive and listen to them. Definitely recommend if you have a mini!

Came by for a One Day Performance Driving School event the other day and it was a world-class experience. Performance Driving School has been on my short list for numerous years! Started the reservation process 3 months in advance and made a payment in full and received an e-mail confirmation. Managed to get a promo code from catered Internet ads and called in for a 20% promo from the ad, which was applied to my class. There was no communication from the date of my reservation until the day of the event. Thermal is in the middle of the desert in an unmarked area. The nearest limited-service hotel I could find was in Indio, 25 minutes away. Experience started off with an armed guard with a bulletproof vest at the gated entrance yelling why I was at the venue. After informing the guard of my registration with the driving school, the guard yelled back who was the instructor... I said BMW and he told me to go in... big yikes... There were a dozen or so parking spaces in front of the building that was barely long enough for my extended-length full size sedan... Staff wore uniforms and there was hand sanitizer at the front counter. A very small percentage of the staff wore a mask indoors... There was no cleaning of vehicles throughout the day, despite sharing with multiple classmates... There were 2 classes in session on the day of my visit, including 12 in my class. Our day started off with a quick introduction, followed up by a one hour classroom session that was very informative. We were then split up into groups of 6, starting off with a slalom course, then an emergency brake session, and the skid pad. We also spent some time on the practicing on the track before heading for lunch. Catered lunch appeared to have been made on-site. There was a salad, garlic bread, vegetarian items, pasta with vegetarian meatballs, pasta with sausage, breaded chicken breast, along with some dessert for lunch. Lunch was more comprehensive than the light breakfast pastries and granola bars available throughout the day. Bottled water was plentiful and encouraged throughout the day. After lunch, the day continued with a timed event on the track, emergency lane change, and rat race. The highlight of the day was the hot lap around the track with the instructor...definitely got a headache after the 20 second ride!

When those who can't do, teach..... but shouldn't. Except for Casper, he was great. Pros: Driving a variety of BMW's as fast as they can go, lots of fun. Oddly, no you're not wearing a helmet or have a harness on. Just stock cars and you driving alone at over 100mph, excellent way to get you to buy a BMW! Drifting course, crazy fun and the instructor Casper was awesome. Very patient, instructive and nice. Facility is top notch, multiple courses, chef on staff for lunch. Every kind of beverage you could want, gotta stay hydrated at 137mph!! Cons: You know the old joke "what's the difference between a BMW driver and a porcupine?". Well I discovered it was written about the instructor David T. at this school. Instead of being helpful and correcting your errors, he just mocks you and makes poor jokes. Driving around the track you're supposed to come close and APEX. David's assistance was to tell a customer in front of everyone "you should get a dog and name it APEX, cause you'll never hit it". Other insults continued over the walkie talkies in everyone's car that generally started with "what are you doing" or "who does the driving at your house?". Other instructors weren't as harsh, but also gave criticism where instructions should have been given. While I loved the ability to drive at insane speeds, I wouldn't suggest this place to others just because of the instructors.

Exhilarating. If you're having a slump or need a break, book the driving school. Period. If you need motivation to book the driving school, read on: Whether you already own a BMW, looking to buy one or just want to drive better, both defensively and safely, you've come to the right place. If you just want to feel what a professional can do behind the wheel of a driving machine - heart pumping, adrenaline racing, pit sweating - you've also come to the right place. Be aware, for comfy weather in the city of Thermal you may have to book a few months in advance. Regardless, the BMW performance team will keep you well hydrated and well fed (depending on the training you book a delicious breakfast and lunch is included). The all-star team of professional drivers start your day with knowledge: the tools you need to get you behind the wheel of these German performance machines; giving you lots of info with fuel injected humor, as well. They split you up into groups and it's off to the track! Here they work with you, to hone in on that inner Andretti. The team does not only focus on speed but rather on control; being able to "feel" the car, and utilizing that underrated brake. We were tasked with many challenges that kept our adrenaline going. Simulating accident avoidance, hard braking, racing our opponent on an oval lap, the notorious skid pad and finally putting everything together with timed lap. We had a few opportunities to improve our time, when all was said and done we were pretty proud of our standings. One of us came home with a medal! When all was said and done - all our cares and worries we're forgotten. Our focus - literally "back on track", we dumped the slumps and we are back on our A game! Looking forward to some M driving in the future!

I bought a gift certificate at Christmas. Have not been able to schedule appt!! It took up my 45 min lunch twice and no answer. I pressed 1 for call back and it never happened. I am extremely frustrated and disappointed and it looks like I may have gotten screwed out of my $300

It's until you drive an M batch, you really don't know what the Ultimate Driving Machine is all about! Fortunately, this place lets you do this and a lot more! With several track configuration optionsn to choose from, no matter what BMW series you're driving, you will truly get to experience what this machine is all about! The BMW driving school is extremely well designed and executed with staff and crew that truly believe in what they do! The instructors are extremely fun and easy to talk to no matter your level of driving skill and ability. The classroom sessions are super detailed and can teach a novice driver lots of useful off the track information and an experienced amateur racer some tricks of the trade! It's fun for singles, couples, teams or even corporate events! If you are looking to steer and gear your way around the track with a safe, informative, compassionate and knowledgeable team, in the ultimate driving machine, book a session and head on down. You will thank yourselve you did! P.S. Ask for Miss Amanda White, and tell her Hosh referred you. She is awesome at what she does and will go above and beyond to ensure you or your team will have a wonderful experience!

I've been around a racetrack a few times in my day, literally, but this experience was very professional, exhilarating and fun. I participated in the New Owners Track Drive which is a 3-hour experience that includes classroom instruction, and driving on track in 4 different BMW M models. Then we drove X7 SUVs in an off-road excursion up hills and down using the Hill Descent Control (HDC) button. The morning ended with a fast Hot Lap ride. I hope to go back soon. Thank you BMW and thank you Brian (instructor) for making it a great day. Recommended for all drivers (16 years+)

Cam Newton was an excellent instructor. Had a wonderful track day driving a fleet of M vehicles. Very fun and exciting. Thanks cam!

Wow wow wow, what an exhilarating experience. First and foremost, huge thank you to our instructor Rob and the lovely brunette who helped us check in. I purchased the performance drive experience for my bf's birthday as he is an adrenaline junkie and he definitely got his fix. The location itself is very easy to find, super clean w lots of parking. We checked in 30mins prior to our 8AM class as instructed. Rob is an amazing instructor who gave us an experience of a lifetime. We got a chance to test drive a few of the different models followed by an off road course experience. Can't stop raving about this place. Definitely looking forward to my next visit!

I was here for the new BMW owner track day. It is a 3 hour experience, which included classroom instruction, track experience that you can test drive different models, and off road driving. There were 13 of us, and we were split into a group of 6 and 7 people. It was a fun and eye opening experience. In the end, our instructor took us on their BMW and showed us what professional track driving was like. I have a bit of motion sickness to be honest. However, it might be a once in my life time experience, so I was willing to risk it. It was fun overall!

I've attended a one-day M school in the past, and just recently did a four-hour private instruction session with Rick. As usual, the facility was amazing and first-class, and Rick was a very talented instructor. We each had our own M-3 and we had the South Palm course to ourselves. Rick was able to convey braking technique, line-choice and steering input tips into language even I could understand. My confidence level grew significantly over the entire session. This was something I was SO looking forward to that I thought I might be disappointed, but it was even better than I could have hoped. I will be doing it again soon. Steve J.

My husband and I took advantage of the New Owner Experience this past weekend and had an absolute blast! The day started with a quick briefing, then we were immediately off to start the fun. They broke the class into two groups- one group started with an off-roading experience in X5s, and our group started in the track with an X8, X3, m4, and z4. Each of the 4 partners started in a car and followed the instructor around a quick explanation of the track. Then we were off! The point of the exercise is less about speed and more about handling but you do get to really test the acceleration on the initial straightaway. We rotated seats with our partners after a few laps, then rotated cars once each partner had gone. After the track, we each did one lap in the off roading course, which was also fun. Finally, groups of 3 climbed in a car with an instructor on a larger portion of the track we started the day for a "hot lap". Normally, the instructors will do some drifting, but because of supply chain issue, they don't have enough tires on hand for that at the moment, but it was still exhilarating being driven around a track by a professional racer. From start to finish, our time at the center lasted about 2 hours, and almost all of it was drive time. I'm not into fast driving or cars in general, so I wasn't sure how I'd like it, but I had a blast. The experience came free with our new car, but normally it's $299 a person. I would definitely say it's worth the $299 if you are interested. My only tip is if you ever get remotely motion sick, you might want to pop a Dramamine before. I sometimes get queasy on curvy roads, and I wished I had thought to take something before hand.

Enjoyed my time here. I got to drive an M3, M4, Z4M, X7, and X6M. I mean pedal slammed to the floor talking curves at high speed. The highlight was the driver taking us for a spin on the serpentine course. That was a rough, nearly violent but exhilarating ride. I'll be back for the 2-day course and/or private time with an instructor. If you buy a new BMW you can sign up for the one-day course for free, otherwise it is a thousand bucks. The 2-day course is about 2k, after I take that I'll return for another review. HIGHLY recommended.

Comprehensive track amenities Pure experts on staff All of the sexy sheetmetal Pulling off CA-86, taking a few turns toward what you know will be a solid facility, the white two-story building arises unbranded, vaguely unassuming as modern block of comfort across from a palm tree nursery. You turn onto the property and see the security gates, and you realize this is not some basic track - it's a club. And better yet, it's a Performance Center, for real. You're in. The building welcomes with its cafe, instruction conference room, commodious viewing gallery, shop with the branded swag, and the desk to tell them you're ready to go. Hydrate a minute and do some light stretching, friend-o. Seat time awaits. Now you're behind the wheel. You're adjusting your seat, hearing a seasoned pro on the radio, sizing up the people in the adjacent vehicles, and you're rolling toward heavy-pedal territory. 5.1 miles of technical learning, throttle-squeezing, ten out of ten braking, apex-tagging, limit-pushing chase scenes at the sun-drenched Thermal Club. The reality evades easy description...but it's somewhere between the wider eyes, tenser muscles, faster breaths, and aggressive decisions you're making. GO. It's all worth it - do as much as you can for as long as you can. I had the pleasure of Brian as my instructor, and his easy demeanor and vast knowledge were excellent. I even needed some help from a man named Jonathon ("MacGyver"), and he and his squad were massively helpful - big props to the Logistics crew. If you're west of the Mississippi, enjoy horsepower, and maybe know a word or two of German, make arrangements today. Ausgezeichnet.

Great class, great instructors, and the BMWs are brand new. Doing the M class next year!

The BMW Performance Driving School is a first-class experience all the way around. The building is new and beautiful as is the track/grounds. It is right next to the Thermal course and you can hear cars ripping around it all day. I was here for the 1 day car control clinic. After some initial classroom instruction we were out in the cars (240s and 340s) doing a variety of activities (slalom, panic brake stops, road lap course). This was to whet our appetites for the afternoon where we competed in a chase around a large circle of cones, and a timed lap on the road course. Lunch was served upstairs with a view of the track. The sandwiches and salads were really good, and it was nice to see the chef come out and ask how the meal was for everyone. At the end of the day, we received a certificate of completion and some swag (a water bottle, hat and shopping bag). Overall, this is a great facility and a fun day. And the final event is a hot lap with an instructor! Highly recommended!

The driving experience was awesome. However, the front desk receptionist said it was a 2-hour experience for $299 and it was more a 1.5- hour experience. When asked about it at the front desk, they said it was only 3 people in the group, so the experience was faster. That was just an excuse. They could have given the drivers more laps. Also, they offer to try 5 cars at the track and it was only 4 cars because the instructor said "time was over". They didn't have an answer for that. At the end, they finally gave them a taste of the whole track but with the instructor as the driver. To me it doesn't make sense. Misleading publicity where they trick the customer into something they are not complying with. Even though my husband got his adrenaline rush, a brand so prestigious and reknown should follow through with what they offer.

Purchased this as a Christmas gift for my 20 y.o. son who has been race car driving around the world since he was 12 y.o. - thanks for Forza video game series! He was pretty confident with all those "years of experience" (wink) and thoroughly enjoyed driving each of the 5 cars, analyzing and evaluating their differences. Frankly, it's just the "petal to the metal" experience everyone wants. It was just as much fun for us to watch, especially when the instructor took them as passengers for their "joy ride spin" - tossed about like a ragdoll, drifting corners, smoking wheels. VERY FUN!

Incredible instructors and awesome track facilities! Took an M Club Day event and M4 GT4 race school as part of being a BMW CCA member; definitely a bucket list weekend. Getting seat time on the South Palm Thermal circuit was really awesome, hopefully one day I'll be able to drive the entire track. Even the lunches were top notch!

So glad we came here. It was an absolute blast! The team is highly skilled and focused on your enjoyment. The whole experience is positive, entertaining and one-of-a-kind.

My review for the Thermal BMW Performance Driving School is way overdue! I attended class the first week of this past December (2018). However, I registered the one-day driving class about six months ahead. The location is perfect for a performance handling class. Thermal, California is not too far from Palm Springs. If you are flying in for class, I would suggest flying in the night before. Class started at about 9 am, if I recall correctly. I stayed in Palm Desert, and getting to Thermal was not too bad. I arrived a little early, and checked in at the front reception area. The whole process was pretty painless. I suggest getting early so you can get a cup of coffee, check out the store, and perhaps socialize with the other students. The morning started out with a 45-minute classroom session to go over car safety, key driving/performance handling concepts, etc. We then paired up with another student and headed out to the track for exercises involving the wet skid pad and panic braking. Track time was spent in either a 340 or 240 (depending on the exercise). We were encouraged to push the cars during our track time. This was a great way to test on someone else's car how far my car could go :-) I was fortunate to have a very good partner (so choose your seat in the classroom wisely!). We broke for lunch around noon. Lunch was included as part of the classes. The spread was really good! There were salads, a variety of sandwiches, chips and dessert. Lunch was on the second floor, and had excellent views of the track as well as the surrounding mountains. After lunch, we headed back for the Handling Course, and a timed lap to bring together everything learned that day. A couple of the afternoon sessions were set up as competitions, so it was pretty fun to pretend to be a race car driver :-). At the very end of day, students rode with the instructors in M3s as the instructors zipped around the course. It was quite a ride! We regrouped in the classroom at the end of the day. We all got goodie bags, which included a water bottle and a performance driving school baseball cap. We were done by around 5:00 pm (I think). Again, I would suggest flying out the next day so that you are not rushed getting to the airport. The surrounding towns are nice, so it is worth staying a couple of extra days. There are two day classes as well as M classes (one and two day). There are even mini Cooper classes! I would definitely register and sign up for a two day class or an M class!!

I can't say enough about how great the one day MINI stunt driving class was at the BMW Performance Driving School. Over the years (more than I care to admit), I have attended many different kinds of driving schools, and so I feel qualified to say this one was definitely done well. They struck just the right balance of seriousness and frivolity. I was very lucky in that we only had 3 people in our class, so the instructors, Case and Ricky, had a lot of latitude with how much time we were able to spend on various segments of the course. Everything was carefully curated to keep us comfortable, safe, and working to improve. Even lunch was stellar fare. By the end of it, we were all Rockford turning like it was something we had been doing from birth. I personally still struggle with the J-turn and parking maneuver a little (I could do it about 50% of the time), but that's definitely on me and not the instructors. I strongly recommend this to anyone looking for a fun day of flinging around some MINIs and learning --in a very fun way-- the fine art of car control. To get the most for your money, I suggest you go during the winter and try to schedule on a day when attendance will be light. Fewer students means more seat time. Also, pro tip: if you attend a free BMW Ultimate Driving event, you can score a 20% discount off of any BMW driving school if you sign up on the spot. I have video of me doing a Rockford Turn on youtube: https://youtu.be/lwK_6rmlpss

My brother got me a voucher for a 2 hour session at the Performance Center. There were two courses we test drove. The first was an off-road course where we tested X5s on steep grades, through water, and up and down hills. The second course was my favorite - it was an obstacle course set up on the racetrack where we had the opportunity to test drive 5 different models ranging from an M4 to an X6. Cam and Lani were excellent coaches and made the day one to remember. Will definitely plan to visit again next time I'm in SoCal

This is the experience of a lifetime for petrol heads! Groupon offered their performance driving experience for $155. The experience included a chance to drive 2 laps in various M badge cars, 6 timed laps on an autocross course and a hot lap with the instructor. The website says it is a two hour experience but my squealing tires and roaring engines odyssey concluded after 1 hour and 25 minutes. Thankfully, I don't have to gas these cars up or replace their tires. I got to drive a M2, M3, M4, X5M, X6M and 550. Of all those cars, The M2 and M3 felt most stable and easy to control. I had a blast tossing the M2 around every sharp turn. The M4 felt like it was trying to kill me. It would downshift unnecessarily and it's turbos kick in when I didn't need the power. The other three cars were wallowing cruisers with pointlessly big engines. During the hot lap, the instructor drifted the car around the track and show us what makes BMW so special. I have newfound appreciation for BMW as a brand, so I may get a 320i someday. This driving experience is not to be missed.

My wife purchased for me a Groupon package at a discounted price. When I called to make the reservation with their call center ( handled by third party) I spoke with the agent and we both communicated about be signing up for a Mpafkage course. Booked it out 3 months. The day I show up they tell me I am not registered for the right class, it even gets better. I was told by the employees that the call center routinely makes mistakes and they've actually had people who were supposed to go the Carolina location show up in California having paid for airfare and hotel rooms, WTF????? They're are costing people time and money and just blame the call center. Anyhow took the day off, to show up to not get what I had booked. This place was a joke to say the least. Called the call center back and after trying to justify why the booking was wrong they told me that they had to pull up the call from 3 months ago and see what was said and communicated. Got a call later that day from a supervisor and apologized for calling me back late. She said she pulled the call with agent and her words" I was spot on what I had talked to the agent about what was supposed to be booked" I was 100% correct. Here's we're it gets interesting. They didn't do anything to fix this. I was told by supervisor I would get a call back once she's escalated it to upper management, whatever that means and never heard back. Don't waist your time and money here. You can go rent a BMW or my case what they shoved down my throat and shitty Mini Cooper for 500 bucks for basically 15 minutes on the actual track 3 laps. Go rent a car for a day and do whatever you went with it and it'll be a cheaper than this crap they pitch as an experience. Waist of money time and complete lack for professionalism. The staff there were pleasant but they can't do shit.

WOW' what an amazing driving experience in the BMW Advance Driving School. I have spent over 30 years selling and managing several BMW Centers and we never got to spend this much time behind to wheel of BMW's most powerful cars. All of the driving instructors were wonderful and so easy to work with both in the classroom and out on the tracks. This is a must program if you really enjoy driving and want to sharpen your skills. The Hotel Paseo and staff were great. The restaurant AC3 was the best. So sign up and go have 2+ fun days with BMW at Thermal, CA near Palm Springs.

Your location BMW Performance Center West 86-050 Jasper Lane, Thermal, CA 92274 Driving school don britton 125 points   9 minutes ago For my 60th birthday my family paid for be to have 2 hours of drive track time with an instructor in another car. Leading and coaching me. I do have quite a bit of experience with professional go kart racing when I was in my teenage years. I have always enjoyed and am an avid fan of any type of racing where an engine is involved. I have not raced on a track since I was 16. Well let me tell all of you!!!!... Please don't wait til your too old, too slow reaction to do this. I had more fun than anything else ive ever done!! Except maybe making my 4 kids and all the practice that takes! Im not very coordinated to play baseball, football, basketball but have always been a very good driver. I was the kid in school that never got picked for the sports team but when I turned 15 and drove the coolest , fastest car in my high school I was finally the cool kid. Had all the girls! Because I had the coolest cars! My dad was a hot rodder and a racer so he knew cars! TODAY I got to get in the ZONE that I hadn't experienced since I was in a go kart! It all came back to me and even the instructor claimed he was surprised . I was able To go as fast as I like(128 mph) while following, chasing an instructor! My instructor was a professional race car driver and knew what he was doing. Again I cant stress enough to please go and do this! Before its too late or your too old!!! Thank you so very much BMW for my birthday and Dave for all your help! 1 Your location BMW Performance Center West 86-050 Jasper Lane, Thermal, CA 92274 Driving school don britton 125 points   9 minutes ago For my 60th birthday my family paid for be to have 2 hours of drive track time with an instructor in another car. Leading and coaching me. I do have quite a bit of experience with professional go kart racing when I was in my teenage years. I have always enjoyed and am an avid fan of any type of racing where an engine is involved. I have not raced on a track since I was 16. Well let me tell all of you!!!!... Please don't wait til your too old, too slow reaction to do this. I had more fun than anything else ive ever done!! Except maybe making my 4 kids and all the practice that takes! Im not very coordinated to play baseball, football, basketball but have always been a very good driver. I was the kid in school that never got picked for the sports team but when I turned 15 and drove the coolest , fastest car in my high school I was finally the cool kid. Had all the girls! Because I had the coolest cars! My dad was a hot rodder and a racer so he knew cars! TODAY I got to get in the ZONE that I hadn't experienced since I was in a go kart! It all came back to me and even the instructor claimed he was surprised . I was able To go as fast as I like(128 mph) while following, chasing an instructor! My instructor was a professional race car driver and knew what he was doing. Again I cant stress enough to please go and do this! Before its too late or your too old!!! Thank you so very much BMW for my birthday and Steve for all your help! 1

Simply put, this place is heaven on earth for car lovers, especially BMW enthusiasts. Benzes need not apply. I came here through an invite from BMW. While they usually conduct performance driving classes here, the event they held that I attended was known as "M Track day". Do you remember the first time you got behind the wheel of a car? Well, getting behind the wheel of any BMW M car at this venue gives you that same feeling! It's the most fun you'll ever have in a car and it's not even your car on the track which is the best part. You get to take a $70k car and beat on it as hard as you can. The day began with a few pointers in the conference room followed by lead/follow lapping on the racetrack, a drag race (0-60-0), a timed autocross, and a M Hot Lap with an instructor. My favorite parts were the autocross and being able to take these babies upwards of 120 mph on some stretches. For even the most experienced driver, you will surely get to walk away with some useful knowledge and experience by the time you leave. Oh, and the free lunch was a nice cherry on top as well. I hope I get to come back!

If your looking for something FUN to do...or want to learn how to drive a car correctly, the way it should be driven, a BMW that is, check out https://bmwperformancecenter.com . A Great Gift idea, or pure exhilaration,,,I highly recommend. Yes, all talk of a Hot Lap,,,with a PRO Driver! The Highlight of the Event! Great Team, Excellent Cars..Go for it,,,you'll love it! Cheers

I was invited to a 1 day M track event by BMW NA so my review is predicated on the fact that everything was free. I know the actual paid classes are setup differently so my review is mainly for the staff and track facilities. Overall the staff was friendly and knowledgeable, the amount of enthusiasm each staff member showed varied though. It felt like some were just going through the motions of their "standard work day" while others really wanted to give the participants the best experience they could. As for the event, they do a short introduction where a BMW head engineer from Germany goes through some of the features of the M cars. Then they do the typical short classroom segment where they explain some basic performance driving tips. There are a total of 5 events lasting around 4-5 hours total. There is a drag race where you race against another driver and try to stop inside of a outlined box at the end of the strip. You get two runs each in the M235, M6, and X6M. There is a decent autocross where you drive the M4. Iirc it was 2 practice laps and then 2 timed laps. The best part was the track driving portion. They have two circuits you drive on. A M3 on one and a M4 on the other. Unlike most other events where you just get two crappy lead follow laps, you get a full 25-30min session on each circuit. The groups are broken up so it's one instructor leading with 3 drivers behind him. On the first circuit the instructor was pretty lackluster, he gave the occasional driving tip and drove at a decent speed (but one person was super slow which held us back big time). You get in a solid 8-10 laps. On the second track the instructor was pretty awesome. He would constantly give driving instructions and would rotate us so that every 3 laps or so the person directly behind him will fall to the end and the next person would move up. That way each person would get a chance to be the driver directly behind the instructor. He would also push it hard if the driver behind him could keep up. Several times we left the slow driver behind Stick Out Tongue The last portion was a hot lap with an instructor driving, some drifting was involved.

Exceeds all my expectations. Very in depth training and instruction from former race car drivers. I received a complimentary day training and they also put me up at the JW Marriott in Palm Desert. Weekend was just simply awesome. From the wet skid pad training to the timed laps and the hot lap in the M3 was jaw dropping. Its like Top Gun but for BMWs. They have free espresso machines, clif bars, fruit for breakfast, a catered salad, sandwich buffet for lunch and soda fountains for your use. I advise to visit the place in the winter months so that you do not have to bear with the 100 degree heat during the year. Also - I read some complaints about the staff from other yelpers but I did not really agree with them at all. Most were very helpful and its natural to be a bit tired or bored in the role, after all, its the same daily instruction. I would not bring the wife or significant other or your dad to this event. They want you to push the car to the extreme and its hard if your friend is trying not to vomit while riding along side. Go by yourself, make some new friends. I thank all the staff and employees at the facility who made the day a most memorable one!

We did the 2 hour BMW driving course and couldn't be more happy! The location is about 30 minutes from Palm Springs and easy to find using GPS. The instructors were really on top of it and obviously knew what they were doing. I'm not a huge car person and I wouldn't even say I'm the best driver but I still had a ton of fun and learned a lot. They have a bunch of different classes you can take from learning trick driving to the basics. In the one we took we drove 5 different BMWs three times each on an actual track (not oval) where we had to learn how to take the straights and curves. We then got to take M4s out and compete for timed laps on a larger course. I went from being really nervous to hitting the gas and breaks! At the end the instructor takes you on a hot lap for the ride of your life. Talk about drifting! This was such an exhilarating experience and perfect to do with a friend or partner! I would absolutely go back and try the other classes or do this one again.

Completed 2 Day M School and it was a blast! Exhausting but tons of fun. Amazing experience driving on BMW tracks on Day 1 and on Thermal tracks on Day 2. Great instructors giving you real time feedback on your performance. Would definitely do t again!

My wife attended a one-day course on Saturday. She was very disappointed and crying all the way back to LA when I picked her up afterwards. The instructor was saying offending things to her (who is normally driving, you or your husband? I hope it's your husband) and did not let her participate in "rat race" because "you're out of the race, it's too dangerous". This was said after everyone else did it and she and her partner asked why she didn't get to drive. She's not the most experienced driver, but she's not bad, and the whole point of the school is to learn. This school was a gift from me so she could learn new techniques and have fun. Not the best gift if it makes her cry. If rat race is too dangerous for her (driving in a circle? after a track? really?) the instructor could join and help her or at least say it in a less offending way. Everyone who heard that was taken aback. Now she hates BMW so much that she wouldn't drive my 3-series when I asked her to. This is how one bad experience completely destroys brand loyalty for 2 people. I won't stay with the brand when my lease is up.

Save time . Went to Thermal on Tuesday March 16 and I left upset. I stopped to Porsche in LA the day after and it was much much better. They are more professional .There is no comparison.