[Jason]

BIMMERPOST NEWS

BMW M6 GT3 to Replace Z3 GT3 for 2016 Season

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Munich (DE), 7th October 2014. BMW Motorsport will add a new chapter to its success story in GT racing in 2016. The BMW M6 GT3 will replace the BMW Z4 GT3, which has been in action since 2010. Development work on the new car is already in full swing. The first tests with the car, which is based in the BMW M6 Coupé, are planned for the first quarter of 2015. Customers will be able to purchase the BMW M6 GT3 from the end of 2015, allowing them to compete in the 2016 BMW Sports Trophy with the new car. Orders will be accepted over the course of 2015. The exact date, from which orders can be placed, will be announced at a later date.

“For me, as BMW Motorsport Director, there are few things more exciting than the development of a completely new car like the BMW M6 GT3,” said BMW Motorsport Director Jens Marquardt. “This car’s properties make it predestined to succeed the BMW Z4 GT3. The BMW Z4 GT3 has enjoyed success around the world in recent years, and is very popular among our customers. We obviously want to follow on from this success with the BMW M6 GT3. After all, the target we have set ourselves is to provide our customers with the best possible material. We also want to demonstrate the high product substance of BMW M cars in motorsport with the BMW M6 GT3. We are all very excited to see it in action at the initial tests. One thing is certain from the first design sketches: this car is going to have the wow factor. It goes without saying that we will continue to offer BMW Z4 GT3 customers our full support, just as they have come to expect from us.”

The heart of the BMW M6 GT3 is the BMW M Twin Power Turbo 8-cylinder petrol engine, which features a capacity of 4.4 litres. The engine is familiar from the production model and has been modified specifically for racing. The chassis is being optimised by hand for the specific demands of the racetrack in the BMW Motorsport workshop in Munich (DE). With regard to technology, the focus is on the use of extras that meet the very highest and latest standards in motorsport development, such as racing gearbox, racing ABS and racing electronics. Even now, BMW Motorsport is focussing on safety, reliability and affordable running costs, to ensure that our customers can enjoy successful motorsport at the highest level with the BMW M6 GT3, without the financial burden being too great.

Anyone interested in purchasing a BMW M6 GT3 can send an E-mail to M6GT3@BMW-Motorsport.com. They will then be registered and be the first to hear any new information about the car.

BMW M6 GT3

[RingMeister01]

Motorsport division is kicking ass offering fully prep'd race cars lately.

[M4isKing]

whoa

[GOLFFRR]

so awesome!

[wilstave]

Originally Posted by RingMeister01

Motorsport division is kicking ass offering fully prep'd race cars lately.

+1

[EMITTR]

Dayum! Want to see it in action! M6 GT3 a.k.a. "Whiplash" or "Prowler". Bruce Wayne by day....You know who by night! Gotta love ///M!

[jbraslins]

Pure awesome!

[MPower10s]

is that rendering a hint at what the LCI taillights will look like?

[Diver]

One serious race car.

[E9TOU]

Does this mean we won't be seeing an M3/M4 GT roadgoing car anytime soon? I really wanted to see one compete in USSC. Are these going to replace the Z4 in that series (if BMW chooses to stay)?

[richb811]

Looks meaty!

[03BeastCharmer]

Does this mean the M4 is saved for DTM only, so if the Z4 is retired, the only option is the M6? Turner campaigned an M6 from the previous generations a few years ago, but it didn't do well. It just so big!! Not sure this is a step up for the Tudor series here in the US.

[Flying Ace]

Originally Posted by E9TOU

Does this mean we won't be seeing an M3/M4 GT roadgoing car anytime soon? I really wanted to see one compete in USSC. Are these going to replace the Z4 in that series (if BMW chooses to stay)?

Correct, we won't see M3/M4 for at least 2 racing seasons at this point. These will replace Z4 GTLM and GTE and similar ACO sanctioned cars.

BMW uses this as marketing tactic to display their most "sportiest" models. It's a shame they decided to pick the M6 given the road car is a pig at 4000+ lbs.

The reality is, this race car would be a tube car built ground up as a race car, with a body molded to resemble a M6, it'll share almost nothing with the road other than maybe the short block and some cosmetic pieces on the body.

[koches]

sooooo shweet

[Flying Ace]

Originally Posted by 03BeastCharmer

Does this mean the M4 is saved for DTM only, so if the Z4 is retired, the only option is the M6? Turner campaigned an M6 from the previous generations a few years ago, but it didn't do well. It just so big!! Not sure this is a step up for the Tudor series here in the US.

The Turner M6 was a touring car, which meant they had to use a M6 road car to build the race car. All cars in the Continental Series (and Pirelli World Challenge) are built that way.

In this case,

GTLM/GTE/GTD cars are built from the ground level up as a race car and they finish it off by molding a body of a street car over the build, resulting in the race car having almost no commonality with the actual street car.

So while the new M6 GTLM/GTE will have growing pains on the race track, I suspect they will be very competitive as Tudor and European LeMans/WEC rules allow for balance of power adjustments during the race season. A good measuring stick would be how the new Viper GTE is performing in Tudor this year (year 3), and how the old M3 GTS performed in its final year.

Also this year Porsche started using the 991 generation of GTE/GT3/GTLM cars and the are stinking it up....but I suspect they will be very good next year after 1 year of learning and on the track development.


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LM_GTE

Here's an example, the race car chassis , suspension, and engines are all customized.

here's how a Z4 GTE/GT3/GTLM is built:

[Flying Ace]

also it appears ACO is granting BMW a waiver to use a 4.4L turbo (unless BMW will dial back down to the 4.0L turbo)...all current cars are limited to a 4.0L turbo or a 5.5L NA (with the exception of the viper) which runs massive air restrictors.

[///M ARMY]

this is good news.

[vladberca]

Maybe they will offer something special with the LCI release also for road use 😊

[bimmerjph]

Finally, BMW Motorsports is putting their money where BMW M puts their mouth by putting a turbo race car into production.

That being said, I'm really surprised they are using a 6er. It's not exactly a small, light, or agile car.

[hellrotm]

Originally Posted by Flying Ace

The Turner M6 was a touring car, which meant they had to use a M6 road car to build the race car. All cars in the Continental Series (and Pirelli World Challenge) are built that way.

It actually wasn't built from a road car. The Turner M6 was built on a tubular spaceframe chassis made by Riley. The body was one off carbon fiber pieces. The engine was the S62 5.0L from the E39 M3. They later used the same chassis and put a carbon fiber E92 body on it. It raced prior to the merger in Grand Am, in the GT class. But you are correct in saying the Conti Series cars are based from road cars(actually mildly modified, mostly just safety equipment). They have been running separate E92 M3's in Conti Series.

[DieGrüneHölle]

So the question will BMW race a modified version of this in Tudor, in the GTLM class?


Edit (found my answer):

Marquardt told Sportscar365 last weekend that the successor to the Z4 GTE, currently competing in the TUDOR United SportsCar Championship, would also share the same platform as its new GT3 model.

It points towards there being a M6 GTE for 2016 as well, although not yet announced.

[Flying Ace]

Originally Posted by BlackJetE90

It actually wasn't built from a road car. The Turner M6 was built on a tubular spaceframe chassis made by Riley. The body was one off carbon fiber pieces. The engine was the S62 5.0L from the E39 M3. They later used the same chassis and put a carbon fiber E92 body on it. It raced prior to the merger in Grand Am, in the GT class. But you are correct in saying the Conti Series cars are based from road cars(actually mildly modified, mostly just safety equipment). They have been running separate E92 M3's in Conti Series.

oh my mistake then. I assumed Turner ran that M6 in Continental Series