The new BMW M5 has achieved two GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS™. On 11 December 2017, instructor Johan Schwartz performed a sustained drift in the new BMW M5 at the BMW Performance Centre in Greer, South Carolina, covering exactly 232.5 miles on a skid pad. This set a new GUINNESS WORLD RECORD™ for the longest drift in eight hours, shattering the previous record by 143 miles.

A custom-built refuelling system developed by BMW in collaboration with the North Carolina-based company Detroit Speed made it possible to refuel mid-drift. This enabled the BMW M5 to drift continuously without a break for the full eight hours, as required by the GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS™.

A second BMW M5 driven by the Chief Driving Instructor of the BMW Performance Centre, Matt Mullins, accompanied the record-breaking vehicle. Mullins adapted to Schwartz's drifting speed, allowing Matt Butts of Detroit Speed to carry out the refuelling operation, secured by a safety tether that permitted him to straddle the space between the two moving vehicles by leaning out of the rear window of the second car.

“Although we practised the refuelling several times before the GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS title attempt, there was very little margin for error,” said Butts. “We’re very excited to have played a part in Johan and BMW recapturing this record.”

A second GUINNESS WORLD RECORD™ was awarded for the longest twin vehicle water-assisted drift. Schwartz and Mullins drifted together for one hour, covering a total of 49.25 miles.

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