BMW created automotive history when the BMW M5 completed an extraordinary continuous drift lasting around eight hours, covering 232.5 miles (374.2 km) and setting a Guinness World Record.
The achievement became even more remarkable because the car had to be refuelled without stopping. To keep the record attempt alive, BMW developed an unusual mid-drift refuelling method that allowed the M5 to continue sliding throughout the entire run.
Professional driver Johan Schwartz piloted the BMW M5 during the record attempt, continuously drifting the car for approximately eight hours. By the end of the challenge, the M5 had covered 232.5 miles, significantly surpassing the previous record distance. BMW had previously held a drifting record in 2013, when a stock M5 covered 51.3 miles. The record was later surpassed by a Toyota GT86, which completed a drift of 102.5 miles. Determined to reclaim the title convincingly, BMW pushed the M5 far beyond the previous benchmark.
One of the biggest challenges was fuel. Completing hundreds of miles of continuous drifting required multiple refuelling stops—but stopping the car would have ended the record attempt. BMW solved the problem by sending a second BMW M5 drifting alongside the record car. A passenger in the support vehicle leaned out and connected a specially designed fuel hose between the two cars while both vehicles continued drifting. This moving refuelling process was reportedly carried out five times, allowing the main M5 to continue its eight-hour drift without stopping.
The unusual refuelling strategy also helped BMW achieve a second record. While the two M5s drifted alongside each other, they completed a 79.26 km (49.25-mile) synchronized twin drift, establishing another world record. The attempt therefore resulted in two major achievements: the longest continuous vehicle drift and a record for the longest twin-vehicle drift.
BMW reportedly calculated that completing around 549 laps would be enough to comfortably beat the existing record. However, the M5 continued far beyond that target and ultimately completed approximately 2,325 laps, turning the attempt into a dominant new benchmark. The record showcased the performance, endurance and durability of the BMW M5, while also demonstrating the engineering creativity required to overcome the fuel challenge. With 232.5 miles of non-stop drifting, five mid-drift refuelling operations and a 49.25-mile twin drift, BMW transformed a high-performance demonstration into one of the most memorable drifting records in automotive history.
