Near the end of Gus Malzahn’s press conference Thursday night, March 3, a big smile stretched across his face.
The question that preceded his moment of euphoria was about the Auburn coach’s new ride — a BMW i8.
“I’ve never had a sports car,” Malzahn said. “I turned 50. I figured it was time to go ahead and get one.”
The i8, which features butterfly doors, has 357 horsepower and goes zero-to-60 in 4.2 seconds, according to the car’s specs on the BMW website. It is listed at $140,700.
Malzahn purchased the car this offseason and has not been shy about using it for enjoyment and recruiting purposes. Most notably, Tray Bishop, the No. 7 athlete in the 2017 recruiting class, according to 247Sports, posted a picture in the car during an Auburn recruiting weekend in February.
"When (Malzahn) pulled up, he came over to me and whispered in my ear, 'That's my new ride,'" Bishop told AL.com. "He was like, 'Before you leave I want to spin a few blocks with you.' Before the basketball game he came and got me and told me a little bit about the car, and we drove."
Auburn's Gus Malzahn takes recruit for a spin in new BMW sports car https://t.co/f0un4Zsujt @_TrayBishop pic.twitter.com/sAG1dFYqJW
— Wesley Sinor (@WesleySinor) February 21, 2016
Malzahn confirmed he did buy — not rent — the car, but he’s still getting acclimated to his new ride.
“I got to get used to it," Malzahn said. "I’ve never had one before. It takes a little getting used to, but I kind of like it.”
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