The E92-based successor to the E46 BMW M3 GTR from 2001 has been unveiled, and it marks BMW’s return to the American Le Mans Series. The new BMW M3 Race Edition is a highly specialized version of the E92 M3 built to tour the ALMS in 2009. It will be used by Rahal Letterman Racing, predominately owned by racing legend Bobby Rahal and American comedian David Letterman.
The new BMW M3 Race Edition’s P65 V8 engine produces 485 horsepower and 500Nm of torque, up from the standard M3’s 414 horsepower and 400Nm of torque
Technical Specifications BMW M3 Race Version
- Weight: 2,535 lbs./1150 kg
- Tank capacity: 29 gallons/110 Liters
- Chassis/body: Unitary construction steel body with welded safety cell made of extremely rigid precision steel tubing; safety fuel tank in CRP sandwich tray; pneumatic four-stamp jack system
- Aerodynamics: Front fenders, rear apron, hood, roof, trunk lid, rear wing, front wings, and flared rear wheel arches in CRP
- Transmission: Carbon fiber clutch with hydraulic central slave cylinder; 6-speed sequential racing transmission with straight-cut, unsynchronized gears; additional oil/air cooler; quick shift system with ignition cut-out controlled by shifting force; mechanical limited slip differential with additional oil/air cooler
- Front axle: Based on production version, with increased wheel caster angle, enlarged track width and enhanced wheel camber; five-way adjustable shock absorbers; tubular stabilizer bar
- Rear axle: Based on production version, with enlarged track width and enhanced wheel camber; five-way adjustable shock absorbers, tubular stabilizer bar
- Front : Six-piston aluminum brake calipers, inner-vented grey-cast iron brake disks 15.0 in./380mm in diameter
- Rear brake system: Four-piston aluminum brake calipers, grey-cast iron brake disk, 13.1 in./332mm in diameter
- Steering: Rack and pinion steering with electro-hydraulic power
- Wheels: Aluminum wheels, 18 inches
BMW P65 Engine
- Type: Eight cylinder, V-configuration
- Capacity: 3999 cc
- Bore x stroke: 92 x 75.2 mm/3.62 x 2.96 in.
- Max. output: approx. 485 bhp
- Max. torque: approx. 368 lb-ft/500 Nm
- Cylinder block: Aluminum cylinder block construction with bed plate lower section
- Crankshaft: Steel crankshaft
- Pistons: Forged skirt pistons
- Conrods: High-performance steel
- Cylinder head: Aluminum DOHC (Double Over Head Camshaft); four valves per cylinder
- Valve train: Four overhead chain-driven camshafts, valve actuation via rocker arms
- Intake system: Eight throttle valves, made of CRP with load-charge optimized ram tubes
- Exhaust system: Headers, mufflers
- Fuel system: Single cylinder multi-point injection
- Lubrication: Dry sump lubrication
- Cooling: Water/air cooler and oil/water heat exchanger
Electrics/Electronics
- Engine management: BMW Motorsport ECU 408 with two high-performance micro-processors; Individual cylinder injection and ignition; BMW Motorsport Lambda Controller Pit speed limiter, Quick Shift function; Engine data memory system
- Energy management: Electric energy management and monitoring with BMW Motorsport POWER400 control unit, networking of all sensors and actuators through bus system
- Wiring harness: Weight optimized
- Ignition coil: Eight high-performance pencil coils with integrated ignition drivers
- Spark plugs: High-performance spark plugs
- Cockpit: Free programmable LCD Display with integrated shift indicators
- Quick release multi-function steering wheel w/ integrated display unit
