[Jason]

BIMMERPOST NEWS

More details on BMW M6 GT3, successor to the Z4 GT3

36
COMMENTS

Tweet

Munich (DE), 5th August 2015. After the BMW Z4 GT3 crowned its final major appearance at the 24 Hours of Spa-Francorchamps (BE) with victory for BMW Sports Trophy Team Marc VDS, the anticipation among BMW Motorsport and its customer teams is now rising ahead of the arrival of the BMW M6 GT3. The new car will take over as the manufacturer’s figurehead on the GT racing scene, and will do battle for victory and titles in many racing series around the world. The car features thoroughbred racing technology: the BMW M6 GT3 has incorporated many findings from BMW Motorsport’s works projects – while at the same time ensuring reasonable costs for customers.

Just days after the BMW Z4 GT3’s final grand hurrah in the Belgian region of the Ardennes, new details of the car’s successor have now been released. The BMW M6 GT3 will once again raise the bar in terms of performance, while the running costs are considerably lower than those of its predecessor. Interested customer teams can purchase the car as of 15th September 2015 for a net price of 379,000 Euros. On this day, the BMW M6 GT3 will be presented for the first time in a BMW Motorsport racing design, without camouflage livery, at the International Motor Show (IAA) in Frankfurt am Main (DE). The price for North American customers will be announced at a later stage.

“Confirmation of the price of the BMW M6 GT3, and the announcement of the official sales launch on 15th September are further important steps on the road to the first race outing next year,” said BMW Motorsport Director Jens Marquardt. “We remain completely on schedule with the development of our new figurehead on the GT racing scene. The basic work of the past few months is now followed by a period of fine-tuning. After all, our approach is to provide our customers with a competitive car from the word go. Presenting the BMW M6 GT3 in a racing design for the first time at the IAA in Frankfurt will be a special moment.”

When it comes to performance, the BMW M6 GT3 is uncompromising: the 4.4-litre V8 engine with M TwinPower Turbo technology, which has only been slightly modified compared to the production engine, generates up to 585 hp, depending on the classification. The entire car, including its self-supporting steel chassis, the welded FIA-approved safety cell, the carbon fibre crash structure at the front and carbon fibre reinforced plastic crash element at the rear, weighs less than 1,300 kilograms. The BMW M6 GT3 also sets new benchmarks when it comes to driveability, ergonomics and safety. It already goes beyond the GT3 regulations for 2016.

The BMW M6 GT3 is also the most economic GT sports car that BMW has ever built. For example, the running costs for the power train on the new car will be roughly 30 per cent lower than those of the BMW Z4 GT3. As early as when it was being developed, great importance was placed on ensuring that also the spare parts offer good value for money.

“At the recent tests I was really impressed with the driveability of the BMW M6 GT3,” said Andy Priaulx (GB), one of the BMW works drivers who continuously optimised the car out on the test track. “It’s really a big step forward compared to the BMW Z4 GT3 – and we have recently seen in Spa that this car is already operating at a very high level. The rate of development of the BMW M6 GT3 has been amazing. Most of all, the reliability of the car already looks more than promising. The BMW M6 GT3 has real potential – and I simply cannot wait to race it.”

In the BMW M6 GT3, BMW Motorsport is offering its customers a sophisticated and competitive racing car, which allows both amateur and professional drivers to push their boundaries and be competitive.

[Law]

Sad to see the beloved S65 based engine go but glad that for the first time in a long time, BMW will actually enter a car that is based on a real production car one can buy.

[DC-T]

Originally Posted by Law

Sad to see the beloved S65 based engine go but glad that for the first time in a long time, BMW will actually enter a car that is based on a real production car one can buy.

Will they run this in DTM next year or keep the M4?

[YungDro]

379,000 euros

[tallshortguy]

Originally Posted by Bentley23

Will they run this in DTM next year or keep the M4?

DTM is mostly a spec series with a few differences allowed between manufacturers, all the cars have cosmetic shells and have almost nothing in common with the road going lookalikes.

This is actually based on the road going M6.

[bradleyland]

So this uses an S63 based engine? Any word on the modifications? We can assume dry sump. Anything else?

[GOS7]

I'm going to miss the Z4 GT. I personally thought it was one of the most gorgeous modern racecars.

[DC-T]

Originally Posted by tallshortguy

DTM is mostly a spec series with a few differences allowed between manufacturers, all the cars have cosmetic shells and have almost nothing in common with the road going lookalikes.

This is actually based on the road going M6.

Thanks...379,000€ though...

[Alpine F31]

Originally Posted by Ghos7N54

I'm going to miss the Z4 GT. I personally thought it was one of the most gorgeous modern racecars.

Me too. I always hoped that BMW would offer a street legal version of that car in limited numbers. It would be the ultimate Z4M to silence all the haters that diss the normal Z4.

Here's me day dreaming about driving this beast!

[bradleyland]

Originally Posted by tallshortguy

DTM is mostly a spec series with a few differences allowed between manufacturers, all the cars have cosmetic shells and have almost nothing in common with the road going lookalikes.

This is actually based on the road going M6.

For anyone wondering, DTM is (very, very loosely speaking) NASCAR for Europe

http://www.caranddriver.com/features...s-spec-feature

[Alpine F31]

Originally Posted by bradleyland

For anyone wondering, DTM is (very, very loosely speaking) NASCAR for Europe

http://www.caranddriver.com/features...s-spec-feature

True, except they race on much more interesting tracks. No ovals!

[chris82]

Originally Posted by Law

Sad to see the beloved S65 based engine go but glad that for the first time in a long time, BMW will actually enter a car that is based on a real production car one can buy.

Correct me if I'm wrong but I think all GT3 cars are based on production models

[GOS7]

Originally Posted by Alpine F31

Here's me day dreaming about driving this beast!

I guess I will have to continue living the dream in Gran Turismo 6 haha!

[Scrippy]

Originally Posted by Bentley23

Will they run this in DTM next year or keep the M4?

Keep the M4. Specs are based off the brands. They all would have to change the cars they use.

[x.shell]

Originally Posted by Bentley23

Will they run this in DTM next year or keep the M4?

This is a GT3 car. It will replace the current Z4 GT3 car.. eventually, with some mods, it will replace all the GTLM cars as well. DTM is whole different racing series not based on production cars; just shells.

Originally Posted by chris82

Correct me if I'm wrong but I think all GT3 cars are based on production models

Yup. You are correct.

[x.shell]

Originally Posted by Alpine F31

Me too. I always hoped that BMW would offer a street legal version of that car in limited numbers. It would be the ultimate Z4M to silence all the haters that diss the normal Z4.

Here's me day dreaming about driving this beast!

Some rich skier made one. It isn't based on the GTLM in your photo, but rather the GT3... still pretty cool

http://www.gtspirit.com/2014/05/12/b...-gumball-3000/

[Law]

Originally Posted by chris82

Correct me if I'm wrong but I think all GT3 cars are based on production models

You are correct & strictly speaking even the Z4 GT3 meets the homologation requirements.
But what was meant is that nobody can walk into a BMW dealership and order a Z4 with an S65 engine for road use.

BMW, in this case, used a loophole in the rules that allowed them to homologate the base 4.4L S65B44 engine from the M3 GTS using the base chassis of the E89 and put them together. Other manufacturers "played fairly" by comparison (i.e., you can buy an 911 GT3, an SLS with a 6.2L engine, etc.)

But with the M6 GT3, one can at least buy the non-race version with the S63 4.4L V8 TT.

[Law]

Originally Posted by Bentley23

Will they run this in DTM next year or keep the M4?

DTM is unaffected by GT3 specs and plays by different rules.
DTM is no longer based on production cars. The cars are tube frames with a shell that looks like the vehicle the manufacturer wants to promote on it.
In BMW's case, the motor is the P66, completely unrelated to any production engine.

Contrast with the P65B44 in the Z4 GT3/GTE/GTLM, directly derived from the S65B44.

[Alpine F31]

Originally Posted by ex o

Some rich skier made one. It isn't based on the GTLM in your photo, but rather the GT3... still pretty cool

Wow! That's exactly what I'm talking about! Thanks for posting!

[Igor_M5]

Time to start looking for a beat up 2012 650i and wait on the GT3 parts list to come out. -____-

[tallshortguy]

Originally Posted by Law

You are correct & strictly speaking even the Z4 GT3 meets the homologation requirements.
But what was meant is that nobody can walk into a BMW dealership and order a Z4 with an S65 engine for road use.

BMW, in this case, used a loophole in the rules that allowed them to homologate the base 4.4L S65B44 engine from the M3 GTS using the base chassis of the E89 and put them together. Other manufacturers "played fairly" by comparison (i.e., you can buy an 911 GT3, an SLS with a 6.2L engine, etc.)

But with the M6 GT3, one can at least buy the non-race version with the S63 4.4L V8 TT.

To be fair the new AMG GT GT3 uses the old 6.2 instead of it's real engine, the 4.0, so it's not like BMW is the only one who does it.

[hellrotm]

Now, when will Ferrari enter the turbo 488 into competition? If any of these manufacturers win championship with a turbo engine program. I see the next gen Corvette(C8) definitely being FI. Bentley has already been somewhat successful with their Continental GT3.