BMW’s Z4 GT3 racecar has been competing in its namesake class since 2010, and it’s garnered victories and podium positions in everything from the FIA GT3 European Championship to the Dubai 24 Hour endurance event and the 2011 Autobacs Super GT Series.
As we round the corner to the 2016 season, though, BMW is looking to step it up.
The German automaker released two teaser sketches of its M6 GT3 racecar this week, and to nobody’s surprise, it looks like an absolute beast.
“There are few things more exciting than the development of a completely new car like the BMW M6 GT3,” said Jens Marquardt, BMW Motorsport Director. “This car’s properties make it predestined to succeed the BMW Z4 GT3.”
Given its impressive starting point, the M6 Coupe, the M6 GT3 looks to have all the tools to do just that.
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It’s 4.4-liter, S63 twin-turbo V8 sends an impressive 560 horsepower to the rear wheels, which is good for a 0 to 60 mph time of 4.2 seconds. For GT3 duty, the four-door coupe’s engine will be massaged for more power, and the dual-clutch transmission will likely be dumped for a race-bred sequential unit.
The M6 will need to go on a serious diet, as the coupe weighs 4,244 pounds from the factory. Its roof is made from carbon fiber-reinforced plastic off the production line, but most of the body panels will be swapped, and creature comforts like the Bang & Olufsen sound system, night vision, and head-up display will have to go.
For reference, the Z4 GT3 was lightened by around 600 lbs for its assignment to motorsport.
“One thing is certain from the first design sketches,” said Marquardt, “this car is going to have the wow factor.”
