Sam Smith drives a BMW Alpina 2002 ti at the Rolex Monterey Motorsport Reunion

Road & Track Executive Editor Sam Smith drives a 1970 BMW Alpina 2002ti at the 2014 Rolex Monterey Motorsport Reunion. The car, currently owned by BMW of North America, was a factory Alpina team car and later campaigned by Vasek Polak in the SCCA's 2.5-liter Trans-Am. This was its first outing following restoration. It weighs around 2000 pounds and makes roughly 200 hp.

[trefod]

I had an -02 once, what a lovely car to drive.

[Stormas]

Some people turn the the volume up when they like the music, this guy just uses the pedal. Love this engine.

[AshtonCoolman]

I drive an S13 240sx that weighs 2700lbs and makes 148hp/153lb-ft at the wheels. It is nimble and light-feeling as all hell. A 200hp car that weighs only 2000lbs must feel like a rocket ship. And boy do those Porsches make torque!

[gtrguyinaz]

bmw and Porsche battles were great in the 70's

[SmileyLegoGuy]

When people ask me why I don't want to turbocharge my E36 M3 to get insane power, I should just show them this video

[Wings_of_foam]

As a kid we used to have a 2002i. Such a cool looking car.

[bugrabarin]

So Mr. Smith is not only a great writer but a damn decent driver as well. Respect!

[Maxximtl]

This video just keeps getting better.  I love how Sam just keeps pushing harder on each consecutive lap.  It goes from a dab of oppo to full opposite lock.  hahaha

[realdimo]

GREAT DRIVER GOT THE HELL OUT OF THIS CAR FANTASTIC AGAINST ODDS WINNING!!!

[aardvarkansaw]

I guess those model Porsches must have been really tail happy in the turns.  Or else this BMW driver is a brilliant pro driver--with fabulous brakes.  The white and blue Porsches had no spoilers and were shortly left behind.

[jdiggy]

I hate it when people do that to me. The BMW is much faster in the corners, where it's harder to pass. The porsche just cock blocks through the corners then powers past on the straight- no skill. But at 11:11, justice was served and the porsche couldn't turn :D

[ofthznyts]

and to just think, Sam worked on my Inka '02 in a ratted out garage, right of the alley, tweaking the Kugelfischer, almost in the dark, until midnight one cold St.Louis night in "02. Then we had to drive it...Sam Smith will always be the coolest of cool to me!  

[bohemianracer]

boy he is revving the hell out of that engine, on some slow turns he seems to be shifting into first gear. Good job on the heel and toe downshifts.

[KostadinDelizhanski]

Great driver and superb machine... a magic duo.

[sltillim]

very solid drive in a great momentum vs more power battle with the porsches.  He's really pushing this thing as fast as it will go.

[brittonstudios]

Looks like a ton of fun.  Next time with the visor mount, it looks like if you had flipped the gopro upside down you would have had the lens even closer to your eyes.  

[aardvarkansaw]

He seemed to heavily out break and out corner the Porsches.  I will have to watch again to see if the Porsches drivers were driven less adroitly.

[scooderdude]

I  like that camera view from just above the eyes. I drove a pair of modified Tii on that track in the 80s. Great memories.

[g-man]

No question Sam outdrove those Porshce chaps on the track and in the head. Better skill sets (all good people to sure) will last the race, Assuming the cars didnt change over the race, though possible, the lesser driver will have had their fill after a few engagments. Unless their in the game, another car(s) on it's drift angle forever in the miriror, passing, or seeking to do so will soften them up. That was a good looking blue 911 and like the retro Bell helmet look intended or not.. Fun video and appreciate the pure drive experience. Would LOVE to see the car from the outside before the race to set it all up.

[Maxximtl]

Upshifting mid-corkscrew has to be among the greater pleasures in life.  Great video.