BMW present M6 GT3 concept at Frankfurt Motor Show
BMW Motorsport says the new GT3 will be campaigned by numerous private teams in a host of championships and renowned race events around the world next year, as part of the BMW Sports Trophy. The net price of the car is 379,000 Euros (approx. AU$65,000), with BMW Motorsport offering trackside engineers and parts supply.
Development of the M6 GT3 has come from the Z4 GT3, but, BMW Motorsport says the new M6-based GT3 contender boasts a raft of improvements, particularly in the areas of drivability and economy.
Power comes via a series-produced engine with M TwinPower Turbo technology, which develops higher output and an increase in torque compared to the Z4. A centrally-positioned driver's seat and long wheelbase are other notable features on the BMW M6 GT3, which BMW Motorsport says will offer a driving feeling unparalleled on the racing scene.
Weighing less than 1,300kg, the M6 GT3 features BMW's transaxle drive concept, sequential six-speed racing gearbox and body aerodynamics optimised in the company's own wind tunnel. The reliability, efficiency and ease of maintenance of the new car will be tuned to master the demands of endurance racing. With a longer wheelbase compared to the Z4 GT3, BMW says this promises to deliver significantly improved handling characteristics.
The new M6 GT3 was first unveiled in May 2015, ahead of the 24-hour race at the Nurburgring-Nordschleife circuit in Germany, where BMW drivers and engineers - at a "closed room" event at the BMW M Testcenter Nurburg - also made a detailed presentation on the new car. This was followed with a public reveal on the Friday before the classic endurance race at the "Green Hell".
The "home market" reveal of the M6 GT3 was followed by presentations to North American customers at the United SportsCar Championship (USCC) in Watkins Glen (US) in June. The BMW M6 GT3 was then revealed to teams, drivers and fans at the Spa-Francorchamps 24-hour race in Belgium.
This month's reveal at the IAA in Frankfurt marks the first time the car has appeared in BMW Motorsport racing livery.
The M6 GT3's extensive programme of testing, on a variety of circuits over the course of 2015, will be concluded soon, with the new racer now undergoing a final round of fine-tuning prior to its race debut next year.
