Back to Le Mans: BMW Unveils Beautiful M8 GTE
Earlier this summer, BMW unveiled its stunning new 8 Series in concept form, and along with that debut came the news that BMW would use the new coupe as the base for its return to Le Mans in 2018. This week in Frankfurt, they took the wraps off the M8 GTE race car, and it's every bit as cool as we were hoping.
BMW has been developing the M8 GTE alongside the road version of the car, and the race car will actually make its competition debut before the production version hits the streets. Naturally, the new race car was debuted in the iconic red, white and blue BMW M racing colors.
With a block and heads based on the car's production engine, the M8 GTEs TwinPower Turbo V8 displaces 4.0 liters (to adhere to class regulations) and, depending on specific tune, will make at least 500 horsepower.
The V8 is mounted to a six-speed sequential gearbox, and the car will also employ an advanced traction control setup that was developed with the assistance of an artificial intelligence system. Not surprisingly, the body has been developed for maximum aerodynamics; even the wheels were designed to give an aerodynamic edge.
The M8 GTE was designed with the FIA World Endurance Championship in mind, and next June the M8 GTE will lead BMW's return to Le Mans for the first time since 2011 when it campaigned the M3 GT2.
The car will also see action stateside in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship where it should make its debut next January during the Rolex Daytona 24 Hours. Time will tell how the car does in the ultra competitive GTE scene, but there's no denying how nice it will be see to BMW back in the mix next year with an all-new machine.
(Photos courtesy of the manufacturer)
