[Jason]

BIMMERPOST NEWS

2016 BMW M6 GTLM to Make US Public Debut at Nov. 17-18 IMSA Daytona Test

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Woodcliff Lake, N.J. – November 13, 2015… BMW Team RLL will participate in the Nov. 17-18 IMSA test at Daytona International Speedway marking the first public test of BMW’s latest endurance racing challenger, the BMW M6 GTLM. As announced during last season’s Petit Le Mans weekend, BMW Team RLL is expected to campaign two M6 GTLM race cars in the 2016 IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship.

The M6 GTLM recently completed its first US test at Sebring International Raceway in late October along with a M6 GT3 machine that will provide the foundation for BMW’s worldwide customer racing program. 2015 season drivers Bill Auberlen, Dirk Werner and John Edwards participated at Sebring along with 2014 GTLM driver champion Kuno Wittmer, who has signed with BMW of North America to compete in the three endurance classics of the IMSA Championship – namely the Rolex 24 at Daytona, the 12 Hours of Sebring and the Petit Le Mans. Wittmer will also participate in the development of the new race car. At the Daytona test the drivers will be Auberlen, Edwards, Lucas Luhr and BMW DTM driver Bruno Spengler. Spengler raced the 2015 Rolex 24 At Daytona with BMW Team RLL.

The three-day Sebring test was a successful one and was also notable as it provided the opportunity for 2015 BMW Motorsport Junior driver Trent Hindman to test last year’s Z4 GTLM. The 20-year old proved to be a quick study and was rapidly up to speed in the No. 24 car after being briefed by BMW Team RLL driver John Edwards. Edwards co-drove with Hindman to the youngster’s 2014 Continental Tire SportsCar Challenge Grand Sport class drivers championship. Named as a BMW Motorsport Junior driver in 2015, Hindman raced twice in Europe with his Junior teammates. In October, one weekend after co-driving to the win at the season ending CTSC race at Road Atlanta in a BMW M3, Hindman co-drove to the victory in a BMW M235i Racing with his Junior teammates at the 12 Hour race in Brno, Czech Republic. Although not driving, Hindman will join BMW Team RLL to observe the Daytona test.

2016 will mark BMW Team RLL’s eighth season of successfully racing for BMW in North America. The M6 GTLM will be the third BMW model campaigned by the team. In the past seven seasons, racing first with the BMW M3 and then the Z4, the team has amassed 57 podiums, including 13 wins. The team finished second in last year’s GTLM class Manufacturer, Team and Drivers championships.

The 2016 IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship begins with the 54th annual Rolex 24 At Daytona on January 30-31, 2016. Follow BMW Team RLL on Twitter at @BMWUSARacing for updates.

[DVC]

Love that new M6... except, wait - no M stubby mirrors??? Nevermind, it's not a real ///M car.

[Yeineken]

Looks menacing in black. But the z4 will always remain my favorite.

[Bosozoku]

That stance ! ! !

[dharo1]

So aggressive, so good looking. M6

[Brasko]

Such a beautifully aggressive automobile. It's got a great stance and a killer wide body.

They need to offer the wide body kit & yellow lights as an option. I'd check the box.

[hellrotm]

Very cool to see Trent Hindman move up from Continental Tire series. He is a true young talent.

[M3 Number 86]

Yellow angel eyes FTW!

This car looks so badass. I keep telling my friends with pcars:

M POWERRRRRR

I need to copyright this.

[JNoSol]

If they make this kit for the M6, I will buy one.

[BaseM3]

Really hate to say this and I'm hope I'm totally wrong(being a bimmer owner for >35yrs) but the front end of the car just looks like it's not very aerodynamic. Let's push some air at 190mph against a brick wall and see how much air resistance we can achieve? How come the 911's or the vettes don't have a wall to run against? Please explain. I feel we are in for a disappointing season.

[DCG]

Sick!

[M Vier]

stunning!

[BrokenVert]

I saw this car in the paddock at Watkins Glen over the summer. How is this a public debut?

[Scrippy]

[Tony717]

Originally Posted by BrokenVert

I saw this car in the paddock at Watkins Glen over the summer. How is this a public debut?

The car that you saw was the M6 GT3; the M6 GTLM hasn't been revealed until now.

The M6 GT3 and GTLM are VERY similar, what makes them different are electronics and aero I believe.

Tony717

[spuntyb]

God that's sexy

[M3 Adjuster]

BMW makes RACE CARS...

[Glina]

Originally Posted by BaseM3

Really hate to say this and I'm hope I'm totally wrong(being a bimmer owner for >35yrs) but the front end of the car just looks like it's not very aerodynamic. Let's push some air at 190mph against a brick wall and see how much air resistance we can achieve? How come the 911's or the vettes don't have a wall to run against? Please explain. I feel we are in for a disappointing season.

Then how you explain the gtr's aerodynamic for example vs 911s, corvettes or ferraries. The front end of the gtr compared to the above mentioned cars doesn't look very aerodynamic too

[phoenixbmwlife]

The Z4GT3 or Z4GT4 whatever it was called will remain my all time favorite in this class. This M6 looks great but it's so big.

[Dog Face Pony Soldier]

Wonder how it sounds in the cockpit with the exhaust outlet right in front of the door!

[E9TOU]

I love BMW's GT race cars and this one is no exception. I will always have a soft spot for the E92 GT and the E46 GTR.

[bradleyland]

Originally Posted by BaseM3

Really hate to say this and I'm hope I'm totally wrong(being a bimmer owner for >35yrs) but the front end of the car just looks like it's not very aerodynamic. Let's push some air at 190mph against a brick wall and see how much air resistance we can achieve? How come the 911's or the vettes don't have a wall to run against? Please explain. I feel we are in for a disappointing season.

Aerodynamics is not an entirely intuitive science. It's actually rather counterintuitive. For example, a raindrop is a nearly perfect aerodynamic shape, and it is fattest at the front. Look at nearly any LMP1 car. Notice how bulbous the headlight nacelles are at the front and tapered the car is at the rear.

Also, the amount of drag produced by the frontal profile is minimal in comparison to the drag generated by the downforce-generating aero on a GTLM car.

The final thing you have to keep in mind is that this is class-based, regulated racing. None of these cars represent the absolute limit of what is possible; they represent what will be competitive within the regulations. That's why the do all this testing. IMSA uses regulations to keep all the cars competitive out of the box, and then applies balance of power adjustments to keep things competitive if a car is shown to be too performant.

If anything, we can expect the M6 GTLM to run at the front during its first few races, provided the tens don't run in to gremlins. Teams have to learn the new car, so during testing, the car appears slower than its full capability. As the crews learn the new platform, the M6 will improve. IMSA will step in with a BoP adjustment, and team's fate for the season will be decided. Too much penalty, and their season is crushed. Not enough, and the droves of Porsche fans will intimidate IMSA in to squashing the M6. If they're lucky, the BoP is just right and we get a competitive season all around.