BMW RETURNS TO ALMS WITH THE LATEST GENERATION BMW M3

BMW of North America to partner with Rahal Letterman Racing for 2009 season.

Ultimately successful 2001 season does not start according to plan.

The 2001 season did not, though, start according to plan. At the opening race on 4 March in Fort Worth, Texas, the BMW M3 as raced during the previous year was deployed. Stuck and Said gave it their all, and placed third for BMW Team PTG. Approximately two weeks later things looked up: at the Sebring 12 Hour Race in Florida the BMW M3 GTR celebrated its track debut having undergone only cursory shakedown tests due to time pressures. However, Müller and Lehto immediately fired a shot across the bows of the opposition: they crossed the finish line of the classic race in third place, thereby ensuring BMW’s first podium place with the BMW M3 GTR. “That was the car’s first test drive under racing conditions,” said team manager Charly Lamm.

Team BMW Motorsport thereafter crossed the Atlantic in order to amass more experience by taking in two European Le Mans Series events of 2.45 hour duration each at Donington (Great Britain), and in Jarama (Spain). Although the team suffered a double retirement in England, the Jarama race ran totally to plan: Team BMW Motorsport celebrated its first one-two via Ekblom/Dirk Müller and Lehto/Jörg Müller.

They’re unleashed.

After its European sojourn, Team BMW Motorsport returned to the USA. Together with Team BMW PTG, Charly Lamm’s operation fought for points and placings at California’s Sears Point Raceway. Lasting almost three hours, the race culminated in a quadruple success for BMW: Lehto/Jörg Müller won from Said/Stuck, with Ekblom/Dirk Müller and Auberlen/Jonsson following them across the line. The next race, at Portland, Oregon, saw Said/Stuck win, with Team BMW Motorsport taking third and fourth places.

The extent of the domination of the BMW teams became clear during the final four rounds of the series: in Mosport (Canada), Mid-Ohio and Laguna Seca Lehto/Jörg Müller won from Ekblom/D Müller; the season finale, the ‘Petit Le Mans’ at Road Atlanta, saw Auberlen/Said/Stuck win. Dirk Müller and Jörg Müller placed second.

Thus the BMW teams ended the 2001 ALMS season with four consecutive one-two victories. BMW drivers mounted the top step of the podium seven times, with Jörg Müller celebrating the most: he amassed 185 points to take the drivers’ title by five points from team-mate JJ Lehto. The teams’ classification was won by Team BMW Motorsport (184 points), with BMW Team PTG placing third with 170. The Manufacturers’ Championship went to BMW with 198 points.

In total the BMW teams had contested ten races each. For Team BMW Motorsport in particular, participation in the series proved a major logistical challenge: the team travelled nearly 7,000 miles within Europe and a further 28,000 miles in North America as its crew travelled from race to race. A regular paddock and permanent workshop facilities were as sorely missed as were home town comforts.

“The technicians, the teams and the drivers performed magnificently,” said BMW Motorsport Director Mario Theissen after the season finale. “The late project start, combined with the logistical challenges of the North American races, made it extremely demanding.” The effort was, though, justified: the BMW M3 GTR came through its baptism of fire with flying colors.

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 brake system: 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.

Steering wheel: Quick release multi-function steering wheel w/ integrated display unit.