For Martin Birkmann, head of product planning at BMW of North America, what started as a relaxing Sunday morning stroll through Central Park ended as a public relations nightmare.
Birkmann had taken an X3 prototype from his office in Woodcliff Lake, New Jersey for the weekend, and was driving around his old neighborhood in Manhattan when, on a whim, he decided to go for a walk in Central Park.
“Often when you drive [prototype] cars,” Birkmann says, “people will follow you around and try to take your picture or videotape you with their cell phones.” The X3 prototype he was driving featured a paisley pattern of black-and-white camouflage on its exterior, and black fabric completely covered its interior to hide the electronic equipment from would-be industrial spies. Unfortunately, the fabric also concealed the electronic displays from Birkmann, who failed to realize that he had not shut the vehicle off completely (additionally, it may indicate that the upcoming X3 will be equipped with start/stop technology that conserves fuel by automatically cutting power to the engine when the vehicle comes to a stop).
“Outside, I heard what sounded like the radiator fan running, which is normal when a car has been running,” he says. Satisfied, he locked up and went for a walk.
According to reports, a woman walking her dog noticed the conspicuous SUV idling, and because of similarities to the recent events in Times Square, in which an SUV full of incendiary devices was abandoned with its engine on, she immediately called the police.
Birkmann watched in horror as the bomb squad broke the rear window of his top-secret test vehicle. His first reaction was to cross the police barrier and explain the situation, but after an officer shouted at him to “get back,” he dialed 9-1-1 and attempted to explain the situation to the dispatcher.
“I didn’t know what to say to elevate the call to the people in charge,” Birkmann says, “and with the bomb squad there, it felt like people were starting to panic.” Though the nearby museum remained open, police closed several city blocks to all traffic, and even the local subway service was temporarily suspended.
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