BMW M8 GTE

BMW
A BMW M8 GTE during the 6-hour race at Silverstone 2018 .
M8 GTE
Production period:	since 2018
Class :	race car
Racing series	Group GT2
Body versions :	Coupe
Engines:	V8 petrol engine: 4.0 liters
Length:	4980 (without rear wing) mm
Width:	2046 mm with mirror 2224 mm
Height:	1212 (variable) mm
Wheelbase :	2880 mm
Empty weight :	1220 kg
Previous model	BMW M3 GT2 ( Le Mans ) BMW M6 GTLM ( IMSA )

The BMW M8 GTE is a racing car built by BMW Motorsport in accordance with the FIA WEC regulations . The base vehicle is the BMW M8 (G15) .

development

In contrast to the original customer racing concept of the BMW M6 GT3 used in the GT3 class, the BMW M8 GTE is a racing car intended for factory use. This means that the racing vehicle is more complex with regard to the aerodynamic and chassis adjustment options, since both the factory racing engineers and the racing drivers have the appropriate options and skills to adapt the vehicle to the respective conditions.

Vehicle technology

landing gear

The wheels are individually suspended all around and are guided by double wishbones , the shock absorbers are four-way adjustable and the anti-roll bars have quick adjustment . The Michelin tires in size 30/68 R18 on the front axle and 31/71 R18 on the rear axle sit on aerodynamically optimized rims measuring 318 × 457 mm (12.5 × 18 in) at the front and 330 × 457 mm (13 × 18 in) rear.

body

The car has a self-supporting composite body with a carbon core and a DMSB -certified roll cage . The outer skin is made of carbon fiber reinforced plastic with a quick change concept.

Engine and power transmission

The M8 GTE is powered by a variant of the BMW S63 (V8 petrol engine with 4 liter displacement and twin-scroll exhaust gas turbocharging). According to an estimate, the output should be “over 500 hp”. The torque is transmitted to a sequential six-speed gearbox via a carbon fiber clutch and passed on to the rear wheels via a CFRP cardan shaft. The rear differential gear can be locked.

Technical data of the engine

• Bore: 89 mm
• Stroke: 80 mm
• Total displacement: 3981 cm ³
• Cylinder distance: 98 mm
• Bench angle: 90 °
• Nominal speed: approx. 7000 / min

drive

The engine power is transmitted to the rear wheels via a carbon fiber reinforced clutch - from Sachs and a sequential six-speed gearbox with paddle shift , a CFRP cardan shaft and a mechanically locked rear-axle gearbox.

electronics

Various electronic driving aids such as a racing anti-lock braking system and traction control are built into the M8 GTE . In the cockpit there is a multifunction steering wheel with 16 buttons and seven rotary switches and a color display. The exterior mirrors are supported by a rear view camera system for consideration.

Racing use

The first scheduled races took place at the 2018 Daytona 24-hour races , in which the M8 GTE were inferior to the competition and the vehicles were only classified in seventh and ninth place. BMW blamed the poor assessment of the Balance of Performance for the poor performance. For the following IMSA race in Sebring, the BMW M8 GTE received an even better BoP classification and was classified in second place.

In the IMSA, the M8 GTE will be used by the factory-supported RLL team , the WEC missions - and thus also in Le Mans - will be carried out by the factory-supported MTEK team from Ernest Knoors. Team Schnitzer, which was last successful for BMW in Le Mans, was entrusted with VLN outings in the M6 ​​GT3 until 2017 .

Web links

Commons : BMW M8 GTE  - Collection of pictures, videos and audio files

• BMW-Motorsport.com: Mission8
• auto motor und sport: BMW M8 GTE FOR LE MANS 2018 - Bayern bomber unveiled at the IAA
• motorsport-magazin.com: BMW shows new M8 GTE for Le Mans from 2018

Individual evidence

1. ↑ motorsport-total.com: BMW presents the M8 GTE on September 12th
2. ↑ ^{a b c d e} bimmertoday.de: IAA 2017: BMW M8 GTE presented for comeback in Le Mans
3. ↑ Press release of the BMW Group: EuroCarBody Award 2015 for the body with carbon core of the new BMW 7 Series
4. ↑ Black and white: the BoP and the BMW M8 GTE . In: addicted to motorsport . January 31, 2018 ( addicted-to-motorsport.de [accessed on May 17, 2018]).
5. ↑ motorsport-total.com: IMSA season 2018: RLL remains BMW's team
6. ↑ de.motorsport.com: BMW names development driver for WEC entry in 2018