- Driver loses control of BMW M850i after allegedly attempting a risky launch control stunt.
- The crash left four cars damaged, including one sedan unrecognizable behind the rear tire.
- Thankfully, no injuries were reported, and the driver stayed at the scene after the incident.
BMW’s M850i Gran Coupe is a $107,295 luxury beast before options, a hefty price for a car that packs 523 horsepower (390 kW), all-wheel drive, and a vicious launch control system. One driver in Irvine, California, found out just how unforgiving that system can be when they lost control and plowed into four parked cars.
The accident took place at a shopping center off Deerfield Ave and Hearthstone, an area with a spacious parking lot and relatively few obstacles. That didn’t stop this driver from making contact with, well, quite a few of them. Witnesses claim they were attempting to show off the car’s launch control when things went sideways—literally.
“He pulled out from the parking spot at the end of the lot and launched his car. M850i BMW,” said a commenter who claimed to have been at the scene.
More: Service Driver Wrecks New Lamborghini Revuelto On Delivery Day
The damage caused is catastrophic for some of the vehicles involved. One sedan is unrecognizable behind the rear tire. Two others have what appears to be mostly sideswipe damage on their rear driver’s side quarter panel and bumper. While we don’t get a chance to see the front of the BMW, witnesses claim that it actually came out looking better than one might expect.
Regardless of exterior damage, footage from the scene shows that the car reacted to the crash by firing several airbags in the cabin. Thankfully, witnesses at the scene say that nobody was hurt during the accident. The driver reportedly stayed on scene and police leveraged the help of a translator to speak with them.
Video Reddit
While it’s not uncommon for crashes to happen in parking lots, what makes this notable is the amount of damage. For most cars, getting up to a speed where they could utterly destroy the back of one car and then damage multiple others isn’t so easy. It’s one more example of the fact that wielding great power requires great responsibility.
Perhaps if this driver was a bit more responsible, their four-door high-speed cruiser would still be in one piece.