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The BMW M3 GTR Heads for the Road
2001-11-08 - By Philip Byrne
In February BMW will present a pure-bred sportscar for road use - the BMW M3 GTR powered by a V8 engine. This car, which is racing from victory to victory in the American Le Mans Series (ALMS), will be built by BMW M from January 2002.
The flexible production facilities of BMW Individual permit the production of a small series. Road licensing is possible.
By using carbon fibre body parts and by completely foregoing any comfort equipment, the two-seater M3 GTR is a car for true purists. An empty weight of approx. 1350 kilograms has been achieved. The 4.0 litre V8 engine with a cylinder bank angle of 90 degrees resembles the race version featuring in excess of 450 hp. Due to the necessary adaptations regarding emissions and noise levels the road version still generates more than 258 kW (350 hp).
The M3 GTR road version is kept technically as close as possible to the racing version. Apart from the extremely light V8 engine this includes dry sump lubrication, a 6-speed gearbox, a two-disc sports clutch and the variable M differential lock.
For weight reduction purposes the roof, the rear spoiler as well as the front and rear aprons are made of carbon fibre reinforced plastic - just like in the race version. The extended front and rear apron as well as the rear spoiler optimise the aerodynamics of the M3 GTR. Additional cooling slits in the bonnet ensure the high-performance powerplant's thermal well-being.
The BMW M3 GTR features an extremely lowered suspension and enormously sporty suspension settings. The compact V8 high-performance engine permits optimum weight distribution which, together with the 19-inch sports wheels, guarantee outstanding handling properties.
This level of exclusiveness also calls for a great deal of highly qualified manual workmanship giving the price of the BMW M3 GTR a new dimension. The price of approx. 250,000 euros reflects the extraordinary technology of this car.
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