Right this moment, BMW’s buyer racing program is well-known and revered — you can pretty name it a touchstone of the model. Nevertheless it wasn’t at all times that means. Since 1972, BMW Motorsport has constructed buyer race vehicles, however most weren’t fitted to North America because of differing rules. Guidelines and restrictions usually vacillate wildly from their European counterparts. For years, U.S. privateers needed to convert road vehicles into race vehicles as a result of BMW NA lacked the infrastructure to assist factory-built racers. However racers within the U.S. weren’t sure to the homebrew strategy eternally. In 2013, issues modified drastically.
Official BMW race vehicles discovered their means Stateside when longtime BMW racer Will Turner imported two used Z4 GT3s, prompting BMW NA to assist them. Turner wasn’t actually somebody BMW might ignore; Turner Motorsport had already gained six skilled championships. Most impressively, these wins got here from the cockpit of race-converted road vehicles, fairly than automobiles with any type of manufacturing facility backing or assist. BMW was snug with the chance — in spite of everything, it was “simply” two full blown race vehicles — and prompted the corporate to develop the beginnings of what would grow to be a buyer racing assist construction. The automotive’s success within the 2014 GTD class additional motivated efforts. Turner didn’t cease there; used Z4s had been seemingly simply the value of admission. The true attraction was the M6 GT3. Extremely, Turner acquired the primary and second vehicles constructed, paying €379,000 for every in 2016.
The M235i Racing Units the Tempo and Paves the Manner Ahead
On the similar time, BMW Motorsport was growing the entry-level M235i Racing. It was meant as an reasonably priced, turnkey race automotive. U.S. curiosity grew, significantly from performance-oriented BMW dealerships, ten of which pledged assist and curiosity to the product. BMW NA labored to safe EPA approval and adapt the automotive for Pirelli World Problem competitors in 2016. The M235i Racing took dwelling the gold, with Traditional BMW’s Toby Grahovec solely ending off-podium twice within the 12-race collection.
The M235i Racing rapidly proved dependable, aggressive, and transformative — driving broad adoption and revealing new challenges, corresponding to adapting European race vehicles for warmer, higher-altitude American circuits. Possibly most significantly, it was really reasonably priced: in 2016, pricing was from $65,854. The success of the M235i program helped BMW globalize its customer-racing growth and influenced the design of the M4 GT4, which was deliberately constructed on a U.S.-spec platform for simpler assist. Sturdy demand adopted, with many groups progressing from the M235i to the M4 GT4, and ultimately to the brand new G82-based M4 GT3 launched in 2022.
Right this moment, BMW NA’s buyer racing ecosystem contains GT3, GT4, and entry-level M2 Racing fashions competing throughout IMSA, GTD, and different collection. Supported by devoted technical workers and 16 Motorsport Facilities, buyer racing now performs a significant advertising function — reinforcing BMW’s efficiency identification as its manufacturing facility program focuses on hybrid prototypes. In line with BMW management, buyer groups racing BMW’s inline-six-powered GT vehicles ship a uniquely genuine model message amid a area dominated by V8s. What started as a workaround for decided privateers has developed right into a thriving, world-class ecosystem. Buyer racing arguably defines BMW’s racing identification — in North America and past.
Supply: BMW USA
