BMW M Hybrid V8 LMDh racing car pulls a big net
The only thing that has been growing faster than inflation in the last few years is the BMW grid. The topic of much discussion, the brand’s new LMDh racing car, the newly unveiled BMW M Hybrid V8, could really catch on.
The carmaker has today launched its newest competition to compete in the 2023 IMSA WeatherTech SportCar Championship. When he competes there, it will not be a sporting event.
The camouflage you see now in the BMW M Hybrid V8 is designed specifically for the car to hide certain performance important geometries and will wear it in test mode. Dedicated to the 50th anniversary of the M brand, it sports a reference to all five decades of its existence. This means that the design includes the 1976 BMW 3.0 CSL, 1981 M1 / ​​C, 1978 320i Turbo, 1986 GTP, M3 E36 GTS-2, Z4 GTLM and M8 GTE. graphic mosaic.
Also read: Porsche LMDh prototype tested in 2000 km in Barcelona
And the rest of the design should be similar, because the car is designed to resemble a modern BMW. The team of developers was tasked not only to make it fast and aerodynamic, but also to add elements such as M “hook” mirrors, Hoffmeister twist in the window drawing, double BMW icon lights and, of course, a large grille. .
A modern BMW car unit, it even has a central downhill with a hood like the current M4. I have to say I don’t hate him. Although it is similar to other endurance races, the front, for example, the BMW V12, which won the Le Mans in 1999, looks more cohesive than the later conceived mesh.
“My team’s task was to make the BMW M Hybrid V8 look like a BMW and use every opportunity to make it perform like a racer,” said Michael Scully, director of BMW Group Designworks Global Automotive. “The design is based on BMW’s purposeful, efficient performance DNA, and the bold, decisive nature of its appearance calls for BMW’s marginal mastery of turbocharged power; now integrated with an optimized hybrid electric motor.
The carmaker says it adheres to this model of car with a working lever, which “reflects the dynamism and excitement of competition with hybrid electric power.”
The Dallara-powered racing car will now undergo a performance test before making its debut at the Rolex 24 in Dayton in January 2023. Made in accordance with LMDh rules, he will also be eligible to race in Le Mans 24 hours a day. .
