At Enthusiast Auto Group, there are few things we love more than attending a car show—especially when BMWs are the focus! No matter where it is, the passion we all share for BMW always makes for great conversation and a fun weekend. One of our favorite shows is The Vintage in Hot Springs, North Carolina, which takes place in mid-May every year. We had signed up for a booth and were slated to bring a few cars down, but unlike in past years, we were going to drive them.
What started as an informal meetup of BMW fans in 2004 has evolved into one of the largest BMW-centric car shows in the country. Although that first event had just 55 cars show up, it is now about ten times the size, but thankfully, the vibe really hasn’t changed. Specifically focusing on “Pre-1999” cars, lovers of all generations of BMWs converge to share their passion for the Bavarian marque. Over the years, the venue has shifted a number of times within North Carolina, but since 2016, it has settled near Asheville, where the venue is finally big enough to fit all of the cars - and hopefully continue expanding in the coming years.
After surveying our inventory, we decided that a sampling of M5s would be the perfect cars for this trip. With that, we loaded up some of the team in a trio of M5s—an E28, an E34 M5 Touring, and an E60—which, although not eligible for The Vintage, we really wanted to get out for a drive anyway. Mapping out a backroads route from our shop in Ohio to North Carolina, we stayed almost entirely off the major highways, enjoying these cars doing what they were built for. The mix of backroads and rural highways allowed us to experience the evolution of the M5, from the light and tossable E28 to the monstrously fast and capable E60. It’s rare to have a chance to jump in and out of multiple generations of the same car for a longer haul, so for us; this was a real treat.
On the drive, we detoured to the BMW CCA Foundation in Greer, South Carolina, which has a rotating display of some of the best road and race cars BMW has ever produced and is always fun to visit.
On the day of the event, we set up our stand with the two S38-powered M5s flanking a red E30 M3 Sport Evo, which we sent down via trailer. This group of cars received great feedback from the crowd and got us thinking maybe next year, we will make the same trip behind the wheel of some M3s instead…
The venue is perched in the beautiful North Carolina mountains, with cars lined up on a large green field surrounded by thick trees that traverse the mountainsides in each direction. We have been to a lot of car shows in our time, and it’s hard to imagine a more idyllic spot to hang out with a group of classic BMWs.
One of the most fun aspects of The Vintage is that you see all walks of life around the show and cars fitting every description. From perfect show pieces to projects in process, everyone in attendance shares the belief that these are cars deserving of preservation.
When the show was over, we loaded up our Sport Evo (after a couple more drives), hopped in the M5s, and headed home. It is no secret that we live and breathe these cars at EAG, and having a chance to share them with a few thousand like-minded enthusiasts inspires us to keep pushing forward and preserving as many of these cars as possible for future generations.
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