Sim Rigs, 360 Cams & More

Operating a platform like ours isn’t nearly vehicles—it’s additionally about content material creation, storytelling, and, sometimes, the thrill of life past the storage. Whether or not we’re modifying high-res video within the studio, capturing cinematic 360-degree footage midway internationally, or test-driving a brand new way of life addition like a BMW child stroller, the gear we select issues. Right here’s a have a look at among the newest additions to our artistic arsenal—and why they’ve earned a spot in our day by day workflow.

Secretlab MAGNUS Professional Desk & Monitor Arm: Constructed for Editors

Considered one of our fixed challenges as video creators is optimizing our modifying area. Enhancing isn’t nearly energy—it’s about posture, consolation, display screen area, and adjustability. We would have liked a setup that might assist the lengthy hours spent crafting automotive opinions, interviews, and recaps from occasions like Pebble Seaside or CES. That’s the place the Secretlab MAGNUS Pro standing desk and MAGNUS Monitor Arm (Heavy Arm Edition) got here in.

The MAGNUS Professional gives a premium standing desk expertise with a clear, minimal design and severe efficiency. Its twin motors present a large top vary from 25.6 to 49.2 inches, supporting as much as 265 kilos—lots for a multi-monitor setup. Secretlab’s magnetic cable administration system retains the whole lot tidy, particularly when paired with their matching equipment.

Holding our 40-inch ultrawide modifying monitor is the MAGNUS Heavy Obligation Monitor Arm. With assist for shows as much as 57 inches and 35 kilos, it simply handles our display screen whereas providing full tilt, pan, and top adjustment. Your complete setup appears purpose-built, feels rock-solid, and—sure—makes us really feel somewhat extra skilled.

Nuna x BMW MIXX Subsequent Stroller: Child’s First Bimmer

When one in every of our staff members introduced they have been anticipating, we knew two issues: 1) they’d want a stroller, and a couple of) it needed to be on-brand. Enter the Nuna MIXX Next BMW Edition—a collaboration between the premium Dutch child gear model and BMW that blends model, operate, and luxurious. It’s the type of stroller that turns heads at Vehicles & Espresso.

Past the badges, this stroller is extremely well-engineered. With Free-Flex suspension and foam-filled all-terrain tires, it handles cracked sidewalks and gravel heaps with ease. The seat reclines flat for newborns and might be rapidly flipped to face ahead or rearward. The UPF 50+ cover options built-in air flow, and there’s a beneficiant storage basket beneath.

At round 29 kilos, it’s stable however nonetheless manageable, and it folds with one hand into an upright, self-standing place. BMW thrives are in every single place—from the gloss black body to the quilted leatherette pushbar and signature wheel design. For the fanatic mum or dad, it’s the final word child mobility answer.

Insta360 X5: The 360 Cam That Goes All over the place

In the previous few months, we’ve traveled from the neon-lit skyline of Shanghai to the winding climbs of Pikes Peak. In every location, one instrument got here with us: the Insta360 X5. It’s our go-to for immersive storytelling, particularly once we want dynamic B-roll or cinematic 360-degree footage of occasions just like the BMW Vision Driving Experience or Auto Shanghai. And due to its twin 1/1.28” sensors, the X5 shoots beautiful 8K 360 video and captures 72MP stills, making it good for reframing content material in submit.

The digicam can be rugged. It’s waterproof as much as 49 ft, options superior wind noise discount, and boasts wonderful low-light efficiency due to Insta360’s AI-powered PureVideo mode. Whether or not we’re chasing an idea automotive throughout a motor present flooring or hanging out the again of an X5 in Colorado, the X5 captures the whole lot.

Bonus: the touchscreen UI is intuitive, the battery lasts round 90 minutes in 8K mode, and the whole lot suits in a jacket pocket. It’s the closest factor to a cinematic drone you should utilize with out really flying one.

Fanatec ClubSport DD + Podium BMW M4 GT3 Wheel: A Sim Racing Dream

We lastly constructed our own sim racing rig. And if we have been going to do it, we have been going to do it proper—BMW model. On the coronary heart of our setup is the Fanatec ClubSport DD wheelbase, paired with the official Podium BMW M4 GT3 steering wheel. This isn’t a reproduction. It’s the very same wheel utilized in actual BMW M4 GT3 and GT4 race vehicles, tailored for sim use.

The cast carbon fiber rim, push-pull magnetic shifters, and customizable RGB buttons scream motorsport. It’s useful artwork, and it feels unbelievable in hand. The grip is sculpted rubber, the rotary encoders are intuitive, and the built-in OLED display screen offers us entry to information with out cluttering our sim view.

Powering all of it is the ClubSport DD, a 12Nm direct-drive base that delivers silky-smooth and brutally lifelike suggestions. It’s robust sufficient for pro-level sim racers however inexpensive sufficient to be thought of “mid-range” within the DD world. Paired with the QR2 quick-release system, it’s future-proof and rock stable.

This setup isn’t only for racing video games—it’s a connection to the exact same {hardware} utilized in BMW’s precise race vehicles. And after hours of testing it throughout iRacing and Assetto Corsa Competizione, we are able to confidently say: it’s the closest factor to driving an actual M4 GT3 with out leaving your property.

Whether or not we’re modifying video, capturing international auto reveals, chasing toddlers, or chasing lap instances, the suitable gear helps us inform higher tales—and keep on-brand. These instruments may not have engines or wheels (okay, one in every of them does), however they mirror the identical ardour for precision, efficiency, and premium high quality that drives the whole lot we do.

Disclaimer: Among the merchandise featured on this article have been offered to BMWBLOG without charge for editorial overview functions. As all the time, all opinions are our personal, and we solely characteristic gear we’ve examined and genuinely use in our workflow.