Will BMW enter the E92 M3 in ALMS again - M3 GTR?

[centurion]

As you all could recall, in 2001 BMW entered their E46 M3 coupe in ALMS GT3 category under the guise of M3 GTR. It had a custom-made V8 race engine with incredible flexibility developing 450HP in racing trim.

It was banned because the rules stated that BMW would have to sell the M3 GTR in 2 continents, and BMW made 2 cars to sell in Europe and Dubai, and the authorities called this `bullshit homologation' as compared to the Porsche 996 GT3 class racer which sold like thousands.

Anyway, now that the M3 E92 IS a V8 car, I wonder would BMW recover from their embarassment and start entering a M3 E92 GTR again? It'd rock for me, but they probably have to enter under GT2 class this time, against the Ferrari F430, Porsche 911 (997) GT3 RSR ... where the F430 has been winning the past 4 races in a row...

C'mon BMW!!!! The 2008 season awaits!

 

[MRacer77]

Re: Will BMW enter the E92 M3 in ALMS again - M3 GTR?

it would be nice to see how the new BMWs will stack up against the rest of the world....

 

[totoseow]

Re: Will BMW enter the E92 M3 in ALMS again - M3 GTR?

as far as i know...the m3 GTR trounced the porsches so badly that after each race the porky delegation will not attend any post race conference...

but mind u...i saw the clips of some of these races...the m3gtr had a fault....the tail snaps out under acceleration out of bends...n it gave the porkys some chance...still we all know the results.

the rules were simple...u had to hv 2 cars sold in 2 continents...i guess bmw was smarter than u believe...they promised to make ten (rules required 2). they made 2...n the other is in some dark basement garage in munich now...

point proven...case close...porkys can continue to win on...without bmw.

i still love my gt3 though...

 

[centurion]

Re: Will BMW enter the E92 M3 in ALMS again - M3 GTR?

The M3 GTR was offered in Dubai for list price US$250K, but it was sold for a FAR higher sum to an unknown buyer since there were several offers for US$350K which were rejected.

This price has a significance. The M3 GTR has a big amount of Carbon panels, and the road version V8 is derived from the race version V8 (has to be under the rules) and there are so many crazy refinements made to the car which pushed up the costs to incredible levels.

Obviously it would kill any other car in its class. But if BMW does enter next year, it would surely have to be within the spirit of the GT2 homologation rules, only then it would be fun.

 

[MRacer77]

Re: Will BMW enter the E92 M3 in ALMS again - M3 GTR?

true true... very true...

 

[Ahbengdriver]

Re: Will BMW enter the E92 M3 in ALMS again - M3 GTR?

So whos buying M3 here, akan datang liao.

Anyone wanna guess Gui Lui Jit Jiak?

 

[MRacer77]

Re: Will BMW enter the E92 M3 in ALMS again - M3 GTR?

probably about $350k

 

[TripleM]

Re: Will BMW enter the E92 M3 in ALMS again - M3 GTR?

The Porsche GT3 RSR has beaten the E46 M3 GTR timing wise..

Now as I pointed in other thread before, currently the Z4M Coupe is out there to compete. Similar power plant as the M3 GTR, churning out 400bhp too and the result has been promising, giving some porkys hard time.

Having owned both M3 n Z4 at the same time, Z4 handles better w/o a doubt.
If I were to choose between M3 GTR or Z4M Coupe "GTR"....The latter for sure!

 

[centurion]

Re: Will BMW enter the E92 M3 in ALMS again - M3 GTR?

3m, from a marketing point of view, the Z4 Coupe sells like very low volumes compared to the M3 coupe. Partly it's because the Z4 coupe competes in such a small niche space with very strong contenders with a much better price or a better brand name ... ie. Nissan and Porsche.
The Z4M coupe is a BMW-made car for customer racing, but the teams are not officially heavily factory-backed.

Just like the Porsche FACTORY backed effort competes with the 997 GT3 RSR instead of the much superior (hypothetical) Cayman RSR, I would expect that the factory ALMS effort may use the M3 GTR again.

Yes, BMW put a lot of work into the Z4M-Coupe Motorsport, but I don't see their corporates giving a green light for an official racing effort on this platform if the M3 platform will attract so much more sales, especially now that there's doubt that a V8 M3 is really an M3 (though the first M3 was actually a F1 4-cylinder).

I for one, would prefer BMW to race their M3 `compromised car' with the Porrsche 911 rear engined 'compromised car' also. Anyway, with a transaxle, and by mounting the engine RIGHT BEHIND the front axle, they would be essentially mid engine balance anyway.

 

[Ahbengdriver]

Re: Will BMW enter the E92 M3 in ALMS again - M3 GTR?

The Porsche GT3 RSR has beaten the E46 M3 GTR timing wise..

Now as I pointed in other thread before, currently the Z4M Coupe is out there to compete. Similar power plant as the M3 GTR, churning out 400bhp too and the result has been promising, giving some porkys hard time.

Having owned both M3 n Z4 at the same time, Z4 handles better w/o a doubt.
If I were to choose between M3 GTR or Z4M Coupe "GTR"....The latter for sure!

But Z4M can only sit 2 asses. M3 can sit 4

 

[TripleM]

Re: Will BMW enter the E92 M3 in ALMS again - M3 GTR?

3m, from a marketing point of view, the Z4 Coupe sells like very low volumes compared to the M3 coupe. Partly it's because the Z4 coupe competes in such a small niche space with very strong contenders with a much better price or a better brand name ... ie. Nissan and Porsche.
The Z4M coupe is a BMW-made car for customer racing, but the teams are not officially heavily factory-backed.

Just like the Porsche FACTORY backed effort competes with the 997 GT3 RSR instead of the much superior (hypothetical) Cayman RSR, I would expect that the factory ALMS effort may use the M3 GTR again.

Yes, BMW put a lot of work into the Z4M-Coupe Motorsport, but I don't see their corporates giving a green light for an official racing effort on this platform if the M3 platform will attract so much more sales, especially now that there's doubt that a V8 M3 is really an M3 (though the first M3 was actually a F1 4-cylinder).

I for one, would prefer BMW to race their M3 `compromised car' with the Porrsche 911 rear engined 'compromised car' also. Anyway, with a transaxle, and by mounting the engine RIGHT BEHIND the front axle, they would be essentially mid engine balance anyway.

That is true
The Z coupe doesnt sell well at all. Price differentials with the cab is too narrow and people tend to go for the roadster.

With regard to E92 M3 in ALMS, anything is possible. It's always good to hear the M3 name in the racing world

 

[centurion]

Re: Will BMW enter the E92 M3 in ALMS again - M3 GTR?

That is true
The Z coupe doesnt sell well at all. Price differentials with the cab is too narrow and people tend to go for the roadster.

With regard to E92 M3 in ALMS, anything is possible. It's always good to hear the M3 name in the racing world

It's so IRONIC that for Porsche in Asia, the Cayman coupe is MORE EXPENSIVE (S$15K here) than the similar engined Boxster 987, and yet it sells as well or better than the roadster.

I would love to hear experts tell me WHY the position for BMW (and everybody else) is so different.

For me, now, the most beautiful car in the world within my reach, is definitely the Z4 Coupe. It is BEAUTIFUL, so SEXY, so BLOODY sexy. Waste that the engine sounds muted for the 3.0SI and understeers in stock form compared to the Porsche.

 

[satinGHOST|r!der]

Re: Will BMW enter the E92 M3 in ALMS again - M3 GTR?

It's so IRONIC that for Porsche in Asia, the Cayman coupe is MORE EXPENSIVE (S$15K here) than the similar engined Boxster 987, and yet it sells as well or better than the roadster.

I would love to hear experts tell me WHY the position for BMW (and everybody else) is so different.

For me, now, the most beautiful car in the world within my reach, is definitely the Z4 Coupe. It is BEAUTIFUL, so SEXY, so BLOODY sexy. Waste that the engine sounds muted for the 3.0SI and understeers in stock form compared to the Porsche.

2 simple mods like a coilover and a good exhaust eradicates all that problem. and u'll be amazed at how much more better it handles. Wasted u shld have sat in Jacks Z4 b4 going for the cayman. ITs handling haven with the coilovers.

 

[MRacer77]

Re: Will BMW enter the E92 M3 in ALMS again - M3 GTR?

then what would happen if you put coilovers on the caymen then?

 

[centurion]

Re: Will BMW enter the E92 M3 in ALMS again - M3 GTR?

then what would happen if you put coilovers on the caymen then?

I can't. It's using PASM active suspension.

 

[satinGHOST|r!der]

Re: Will BMW enter the E92 M3 in ALMS again - M3 GTR?

then what would happen if you put coilovers on the caymen then?

WEll not many go thru that hassle of sourcing for coilovers for porsches. they are already good for a stock car.

 

[MRacer77]

Re: Will BMW enter the E92 M3 in ALMS again - M3 GTR?

True that there is PASM active suspension but that will not stop tuners like ruf or gemballa or techart from trying right? IMHO, all these active suspension systems do not live up to their hype and it adds unecessary weight to a car.

 

[centurion]

Re: Will BMW enter the E92 M3 in ALMS again - M3 GTR?

2 simple mods like a coilover and a good exhaust eradicates all that problem. and u'll be amazed at how much more better it handles. Wasted u shld have sat in Jacks Z4 b4 going for the cayman. ITs handling haven with the coilovers.

You know my style ... No Mods. No Tomato Sauce in my Steak. No pepper with my Caviar. Sashimi with wasabi+soya sauce, not tabasco. My hifi is always on DEFEAT mode.

Seriously, I like it the way the makers intended and spent hundreds of thousands of hours testing. No way anybody else spent so much effort. I'm not racing, so I see no reason to shift the compromise bias.

 

[centurion]

Re: Will BMW enter the E92 M3 in ALMS again - M3 GTR?

True that there is PASM active suspension but that will not stop tuners like ruf or gemballa or techart from trying right? IMHO, all these active suspension systems do not live up to their hype and it adds unecessary weight to a car.

arrrgh. The ACTIVE SUCKS vs ACTIVE IS CHAMP again. Read here for full fledged flame war: The Cayman Club - Option regret: PASM

Me, i'm gonna act the ostrich. I buy it (on a theoretical basis it is great) and then hide my head in the ground. NEH... NEH NEH .... NEH,NEH ..... i can't hear you ....

 

[satinGHOST|r!der]

Re: Will BMW enter the E92 M3 in ALMS again - M3 GTR?

You know my style ... No Mods. No Tomato Sauce in my Steak. No pepper with my Caviar. Sashimi with wasabi+soya sauce, not tabasco. My hifi is always on DEFEAT mode.

Seriously, I like it the way the makers intended and spent hundreds of thousands of hours testing. No way anybody else spent so much effort. I'm not racing, so I see no reason to shift the compromise bias.

When you are sick, do u take medicine? Do u take vitamins to enhance your health? I bet you also take tongkat ali for more steam during sex too. You cant keep yourself stock forever. Same thing with cars mate.