The BMW M Hybrid V8 was presented in Los Angeles (USA) for the first time in its racing design.
23-09-2022 07:44 - MOTORSPORT
The first prototype that BMW M Motorsport has developed in 25 years will sport a forward-looking livery that showcases the classic BMW M colors when it competes in the GTP class of the 2023 IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship. The four regular drivers who will sit in the cockpits of the two vehicles fielded by BMW M Team RLL were also presented in the Petersen Museum. They are the BMW M works drivers Connor De Phillippi (USA), Philipp Eng (AUT), Augusto Farfus (BRA) and Nick Yelloly (GBR). When they make their racing debut in January 2023 in Daytona (USA), they will receive prominent support from the IndyCar series: Colton Herta (USA).
The racing design also now reveals details of the chassis of the BMW M Hybrid V8, some of which were still hidden by the camouflage livery. This includes the laser-illuminated kidney in typical architecture for a modern prototype front. The air that flows through and under the kidney grille is fundamental to the car's aerodynamic performance – both in terms of downforce and cooling. Also characteristic are the faceted engine cover, the embedded BMW logo and the inverted Y-configuration between the kidneys, which is already familiar from the BMW M Vision Next and shows that ideas from BMW showcars are used not only in series but also in racing vehicles.
In the side view, the BMW M Hybrid V8 reveals other typical BMW elements: the forward-bent shark nose, the boomerang-shaped wing directly behind the front wheel arch, which is reminiscent of the Air Breather of the BMW M4, the M side mirrors and a modern interpretation of the Hofmeister kink. The diagonal edge line of the sidepods underlines the rounded surface above and at the same time defines the airflow out of the front diffuser. "A great example of the close integration of BMW design DNA with technical efficiency that characterizes such racing projects," said Scully.
Kidney lighting uses a new technology for the first time: the innovative Swiss company LESS SA has developed an alternative to LED lighting that generates light using a nano-active optical fiber that is activated by a laser. This creates ultra-bright and extremely uniform light within a very small form factor, which saves significant weight and energy in the car. This technology was also presented for the first time in 2019 in the BMW M Vision Next as a vision of the future.