Already in its fourth generation, the BMW M3 demonstrates outstanding sportiness – regardless of whether the BMW M3 Coupé for road traffic, the BMW M3 GTS for club racing events, or the BMW M3 GT2 at endurance races and GT classics. BMW Motorsport Director Mario Theissen says: “The series model of the BMW M3 has sportiness in its genes. For this reason it was a natural progression for us to develop a racing version of this car.” The result is a car that also demonstrates the outstanding dynamics of the BMW M3 production model on the race track.

*All data referring to ACO specification.

The BMW Z4 GT3 is the youngest member of the BMW Motorsport Customer Racing product range. It was officially launched at the start of March 2010, following an intense development phase. The racing car is already enjoying great popularity among BMW Motorsport customers. “The feedback on the BMW Z4 GT3 is extremely positive,” says BMW Motorsport Director Mario Theissen. “This sports car rounds off our product range, and offers drivers and teams the opportunity to compete in championships in accordance with the GT3 regulations – such as the FIA GT3 European Championship, the International GT Open or the ADAC GT Masters – as well as at 24-hour endurance races.”

With its elongated bonnet, flared wheel arches, long wheel base and narrow projections, the BMW Z4 boasts an unmistakable appearance. The two-seater provided BMW Motorsport engineers with a good basis for developing a production-based GT3 racing car. The largest difference between production and racing car can be found under the bonnet: while the production version of the BMW Z4 is driven by a six-cylinder engine, the GT3 car is powered by a 4.0-litre eight-cylinder engine derived from the series unit used in the BMW M3. This powerful heart produces approx. 480 bhp.

During the development, BMW Motorsport engineers worked hand in hand in other areas with their colleagues from series production. This allowed them to access calculations from the field of computational fluid dynamics (CFD) when designing the car’s aerodynamics. Furthermore, tests were also carried out in the wind tunnel and on the BMW Group’s test benches. Front and rear wings, bonnet, roof, fenders and many other components are made of carbon fibre reinforced plastics (CFRP). Using this lightweight, torsion-resistant material contributed significantly to reducing the weight of the BMW Z4 GT3 to approx. 1,190 kilograms.

The concept behind the GT4 category, for which the BMW M3 GT4 was developed by BMW Motorsport, is a simple one: The racing cars should have as much as possible in common with production cars, with only minor modifications allowed. Against this background, the production model of the BMW M3 has once again proven to be godsend for the engineers in Munich. The car, which epitomises sportiness from the word go, was enhanced with the safety features required for use on the race track. Then the competitive GT4 racing car was ready for action.

A safety cell made of extremely rigid, precision steel tubing is welded to the steel body required for usage in motorsport at the BMW Plant Regensburg. Thanks to numerous measures designed to reduce weight – such as the use CFRP for the doors or the use of the special plastic Makrolon for the side and rear windows – the BMW M3 GT4 weighs just 1,430 kilograms. The fact that the production model of the BMW M3 already has a CFRP roof was a great help to the engineers when lowering the car's centre of gravity.

Furthermore, the racing car was given a 100-litre FT3 safety tank and a quick-release, multi-functional steering wheel. The 420 bhp engine remained largely untouched. The exhaust system is entirely made of titan and boasts catalytic converters for specific use in racing. The power transmission is handled by the mechanical six-speed gearbox, which is also used in the production model. The only alterations are the use of an adjustable differential lock and additional cooling for the rear axle differential. Adjustable racing shock absorbers allow the BMW M3 GT4 to be optimally adjusted to the characteristics of the circuit.

Some important adjustments were made to the brakes, in order to cope with the strains of the race track and offer drivers maximum safety: six-piston brake callipers with 378 mm brake discs are used on the front axle. The rear axle features four-piston brake callipers with 355 mm brake discs. In addition, the drivers are supported in difficult situations by a race ABS and DTC with specific mappings.

The BMW 320si WTCC was developed by BMW Motorsport based on the similarly-named production car. The car has notched up countless victories in the World Touring Car Championship to date, as well as numerous titles in national championships. Well over 60 cars having been delivered to date to customer teams by BMW Motorsport Distribution.

The self-supporting BMW 320si WTCC body is manufactured in BMW Plant Regensburg alongside the production body shells for the BMW 1 and 3 Series. It is converted by hand for race deployment in an adjacent hall by specialists. To prevent the driver from having to de-clutch, a strain gauge is integrated in the gear stick. This emits an electrical impulse as soon as the driver touches the lever. This impulse makes the engine management system cut ignition, briefly reducing traction force slightly to enable the driver to shift gently but firmly without using the clutch.

The engineers devoted a lot of thought to the modifications required to the axles and suspension geometry. For instance, they were faced with the task of designing the axles to include a camber setting that could be adjusted independently of any other settings parameters, such as roll centre and track. This would make the new axles easier for semi-professional teams to set up. The track width and camber were increased, while the wheel carrier and bearing were carried over from the production model.

The BMW 320si WTCC uses inner-vented, perforated brake discs and four-piston aluminium brake callipers at the front. The grey cast iron discs measure 332 mm in diameter and are 32 mm thick. The car’s rear brakes feature 18 mm thick inner-vented brake discs measuring 291 mm in diameter, and two-piston aluminium callipers. The electro-hydraulic assisted rack and pinion steering in the BMW 320si WTCC originates from the production model. The only difference is that the steering ratio is more direct in the race version.

BMW Motorsport draws on its own production competence, manufacturing core components for its high-performance engines for the BMW 320si WTCC in BMW Plant Landshut, where series engine components are also made. The 2.0-litre four-cylinder production engine of the BMW 320si (delivering 127 kW/173 bhp) provided the ideal basis for developing the BMW P45 race unit. The BMW 320si WTCC uses a five-speed, dog-type, unsynchronised H-gate race transmission.

The Formula BMW FB02 not only represents the highest possible degree of safety, but also equal opportunity: all competitors in the Formula BMW Talent Cup race in identical cars. This ensures that the ability and commitment of the driver is at the centre of the competition. At first glance it is immediately clear that the FB02 is a real BMW. The Californian BMW subsidiary DesignworksUSA has not only contributed to the surface design, but has also integrated the traditional BMW grill into the car’s design.

An example of the FB02’s safety is the car’s control centre, the cockpit. The drivers are surrounded by a modern monocoque made of carbon-fibre and Kevlar, which is manufactured by Mygale in Magny-Cours, France. Comprehensive tests bear witness to the safety of the chassis. In static load tests, for example, the roll bar above the back of the driver’s head was subjected to a force of up to 60 kN. This corresponds to a load of up to six tons in a collision. The car’s nose cone and rear end feature crash elements made of a carbon-fibre compound with aluminium honeycomb inlay.

The goal of every Formula BMW Talent Cup driver is Formula One. When it comes to safety, motorsport’s elite class once again sets the standards for the junior race series. The wheel retention tethers are an excellent example of this. In case of an accident, they prevent the wheels breaking free from the car, thus protecting drivers and spectators.

The FB02 accelerates from 0 to 100 km/h in less than four seconds, and can reach a top speed of 230 km/h. The 140 bhp, in-line, four-cylinder engine is responsible for these impressive figures. The 1.2-litre power train is equally impressive, and its maximum engine speed of 9,250 rpm corresponds to that of a typical racing engine. The combination of compact design and horizontal cylinders ensure a low centre of gravity, which benefits the driving properties.

The Hewland sequential gearbox incorporating six forward speeds plus reverse is employed to ensure optimum power transmission. This unit was derived from Formula 3, meaning it is well suited to achieve high durability in the Formula BMW Talent Cup.