All I have is photos for now, I’ll add the press release when I find it.
oh my lord that is glorious
CHICAGO – BMW will be back in North American road racing with a factory effort in 2009, running a team of two E92 M3s in the American Le Mans series. BMW Motorsport, along with ALMS, announced the program and debuted the stunning new car today on the first day of the Chicago Auto Show. Rahal Letterman Racing will run the team.
“In our minds,” Rahal said of the ALMS series and the cars he’d want to race, “this was the only opportunity.” Regardless of who sponsored his cars in the past, Rahal has been a closet BMW fanatic. In fact, Rahal’s pristine inka orange 2002 tii was on display next to BMW’s 1 Series tii concept car here.
Front view of the E92 M3 racecar.
The announcement confirms rumors that have been circulating in the automotive press. Autoweek ran an item speculating on the car and Rahal-Letterman’s involvement just two weeks ago, accompanied by a denial from BMW NA.
The new car will run a 485-horsepower version of the new V8, 65 horses more than the production version. The race car is wider – as our photos can attest – and, at 1150 kg, lighter than the production version. Its development, begun in 2007 according to BMW’s release, included use of computational fluid dynamics and the wind tunnel, tools that BMW employs in its Hinwil, Switzerland BMW-Sauber Formula One facility.
A testing program will begin soon, with World Touring Car Championship competitors Andy Priaulx, the three-time WTCC champion, Jörg Müller, who won the ALMS driver’s title in an M3 GTR in 2001, and Augusto Farfus of Brazil serving as development drivers. The driver lineup for 2009 has not yet been announced.
The M3’s sparkling cockpit.
BMW Motorsport Director Mario Theissen, who has said for some time that he has wanted BMW back in GT racing in an official capacity, says: “With the sporting genes of the production BMW M3 being clearly evident, developing a racing version of the carwas the next logical step. The fact that the road-going vehicle is fitted with a V8 engine as standard provided us with an ideal base. However, the BMW M3 is more than a race car, it has achieved legendary status amongst race fans across the globe. I am convinced that this unique story of the BMW M3 racing cars will now be expanded upon by the addition of further chapters.”
ALMS President and CEO Scott Atherton says, “This is another monumental day for the American Le Mans Series - we have had a phenomenal start to '08 and this big news from BMW adds to our momentum. BMW represents one of the cornerstones on which the American Le Mans Series was built and has maintained a loyal following of dedicated owners and fans since that time. We are thrilled to embrace this effort from BMW with Rahal Letterman Racing.”
BMW last competed in the American Le Mans Series in 2006 with Team PTG’s M3s. Rahal-Letterman ran in the series in 2007 in a Porsche 911 campaigned by Tom Milner, Jr. and Ralf Kelleners.
Should make GT2 even more interesting.
BMW M3 GTR vs Porsche 997 RSR ('08 revision supposidly going back to a narrow body like the cups) vs Panoz Esperante LM vs Ferrari F430 vs Corvette (We’ll see how they stack up in GT2 limited) vs Aston Martin N24… oh I suppose I’ll add a lack luster Viper effort that constantly places last. Should be fun to watch!
that thing is hot as hell i want
siqqqq
that car is tits from any angle.
the ass is the finest bimmer butt i have seen in a LONG LONG time.
:tspry: to BMW pushing the envelope in the sports car world.:beer2:
this car is pretty sexy, i loooooove the wide body kit on it. i dont like how the lights dont match up though on the trunk, it def looks out of place.
That looks amazing. That said, how good is the viability with the ‘double’ a pillar created by the cage…
my pants just exploded
When you spend enough time in a caged car on track, you dont even notice it.
that is so hot!!
wow thats all i have to say pure m3 greatness i love everything about it.:carnut
wowewow
DROOL!!!
that is effing incredible!! the aero on that car is so clean
Very nice.
sick. that car looks amazing. I would love to see that drive by on the road!
meh