BMW

Bavarian brand presents the M Hybrid V8 in BMW M colors for the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship

Ahead of the testing phase of the LMDh prototype for the 2023 season in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship, BMW M Motorsport announces the name, design and spectacular livery for the car. The BMW M Hybrid V8 in BMW M livery marks a milestone for BMW M Motorsport in the United States while defining a future hybrid in racing.

Franciscus van Meel, Managing Director of BMW M GmbH, echoes this message: “The most critical task and the biggest challenge for the LMDh program design team was for the prototype to be clearly recognizable as a BMW M Motorsport car. And I can say this to all aficionados, just one look is enough to confirm that the BMW M Hybrid V8 is a BMW. It clearly carries the genes of the BMW M. I also love the camouflage paintwork with its references to the great history of the brand in the United States. Congratulations to the design and aerodynamics departments at BMW M Motorsport and to Dallara for their great work. I look forward to seeing the BMW M Hybrid V8 on the track soon.”

The hallmark of the BMW M Hybrid V8's design is the wide kidney. In addition, it features typical BMW M design elements such as the 50th Anniversary logo added to the hood, twin BMW icon lights, dynamic side bodywork, Hofmeister window graphic, ' hook' M and the taillights. The camouflage livery with which the BMW M Hybrid V8 will complete its tests contains many elements from five decades of American motorsport history. Images of iconic race cars - the 1976 BMW 3.0 CSL, 1981 BMW M1/C, 1978 BMW 320i Turbo, 1986 BMW GTP, BMW M3 E36 GTS-2, BMW Z4 GTLM and the BMW M8 GTE - create a graphic mosaic that hides the shape of the BMW M Hybrid V8 to keep intellectual property competitive during development tests.

“My team’s job was to make the BMW M Hybrid V8 look like a BMW, and to take every opportunity to make it work like one on the racetrack as well,” said BMW Designworks Group Global Automotive Director, Michael Scully. “The design is ingrained in BMW's DNA of efficient, purposeful performance, and the bold, objective character of the exterior invokes BMW's turbocharged power, now paired with an optimized hybrid electric powertrain. Camouflage livery celebrates 50 years of M by celebrating the great cars in BMW's IMSA racing history, while uniquely hiding the exterior geometry and technologies of the BMW M Hybrid V8 for the future during its critical on-track development phase. from the project. If you look closely, multiple winners of the 24 Hours of Daytona will be discovered, as well as the first IMSA GTP car from 1981, the BMW M1/C. We will follow this camouflage with a work decor that exemplifies the dynamism and excitement of hybrid electric motor racing.”

Autonews