They name Indian Wells “Tennis Paradise” and actually, it lives as much as the identify. However earlier than I even obtained to the match, my weekend in Palm Springs had already began on a excessive notice—behind the wheel of a brand-new 2025 BMW M5 Touring. I flew into LA to hitch a trip out to the desert and my trip turned out to be this new efficiency wagon that pulled eyes at each fuel station and visitors mild. The four-hour drive by typical SoCal gridlock gave me the right window to get a really feel for the Touring—the way it behaves in the true world, not simply round a observe.
With out diving too deep into the automotive overview weeds, I’ll simply say this: the M5 Touring is the form of automotive that makes you surprise why we ever wanted sedans. Identical brutal efficiency, similar consolation and adjustability, however with precise room to throw in weekend luggage, tennis rackets, and doubtless a golden retriever or two. It’s quick once you need it to be, calm once you want it to be, and it felt like a correct luxurious wagon in bumper-to-bumper visitors.
Indian Wells: The place Tennis Meets California Cool
As soon as we made it to Indian Wells, the ambiance shifted into one thing that’s onerous to explain until you’ve been there. The BNP Paribas Open isn’t only a tennis match—it’s a scene. Impeccably manicured grounds, clear blue skies, snow-dusted mountains within the distance, and a vibe that lands someplace between luxurious resort and sports activities competition.
On Saturday, we caught the boys’s semifinals: Rune vs. Medvedev and Draper vs. Alcaraz. Unsurprisingly, the group was all in for Alcaraz—who not solely brings vitality to the court docket, but in addition has a aspect “gig” as a BMW ambassador. Fittingly, there was an Alcaraz-customized M5 Touring on show close to the doorway, which made for a enjoyable tie-in between the athlete and the model.
BMW’s Large Tennis Second
BMW has leaned absolutely into its partnership with the BNP Paribas Open, and their presence is tough to overlook. Proper on the entrance gates, there was a Vegas Crimson M5 gleaming within the solar, positioned subsequent to the popular parking space reserved for BMW house owners. Deeper contained in the grounds, they’d their very own “X show” showcasing the brand new 2026 iX and the ever-popular X7, full with a mini tennis court docket the place followers might attempt hitting tennis balls at BMWs on a display.
Different corners of the match had their very own BMW moments—an i7 right here, an M5 Touring there—and tucked away inside the world, there’s even a BMW lounge reserved for patrons and friends. Assume air con, chilly drinks, and an incredible view of the motion—positively a pleasant break from the desert warmth.
It’s straightforward to see why this match is such a favourite on tour. The gamers adore it for the coolness schedule and high-end lodging, and the followers get this uncommon mix of accessibility and first-class expertise. The place feels premium with out ever tipping into pretentious.
From Tennis to Observe: The BMW Efficiency Heart
The subsequent day wasn’t about tennis—it was about driving. Simply half-hour from Indian Wells sits the BMW Efficiency Heart West in Thermal, California. When you’re ever within the space, it’s a must-visit.
We jumped right into a half-day M Faculty program, which is mainly grownup Disneyland should you’re into vehicles. After a fast briefing, we rotated by a mixture of machines: the M2, M4 Competitors, Z4 M40i, and the massive SUVs—X4 M and X6 M—on a compact observe setup. Every automotive had its personal character, however all of them made you grin like an fool underneath a helmet.
One of many extra entertaining components was a skid pad “rat race” in an M8 Competitors, the place two drivers go head-to-head attempting to loop the automotive round a moist circle the quickest. It’s enjoyable, it’s humbling, and it teaches you numerous about throttle management (and the way shortly you may go from hero to zero).
Then got here one thing really subsequent stage: BMW’s Blended Actuality expertise. You’re driving an actual automotive, on an actual observe, however carrying a VR headset that overlays a digital racecourse into your view. It sounds bizarre, nevertheless it works. Corners seem, cash float within the air like a online game, and your mind in some way adapts. I’d tried an early model of this a pair years again, and now it’s even smoother and extra immersive.
To cap all of it off, we handed the keys to BMW’s professional drivers for a spherical of sizzling laps. Our teacher, Derek, threw the automotive round with that good mix of talent and calm recklessness—turning each apex right into a lesson and each nook exit right into a thrill. When you weren’t smiling by the tip, you have been in all probability unconscious.
Paradise, Recharged
Wanting again, it’s onerous to think about a greater method to spend a weekend. You get the calm and sophistication of Indian Wells, the roar of an M5 Touring on desert roads, the sound of tennis balls popping off rackets, and the unmistakable scent of burning rubber on the observe.
Tennis Paradise? Positive. However for anybody who lives for each the class of the game and the adrenaline of driving, this was one thing even higher: a collision of two passions, in a single unforgettable setting.
