BMW Motorsport presented its new top-of-the-range model for the international GT racing scene at the International Motor Show (IAA) in Frankfurt am Main: the BMW M8 GTE. Before the BMW 8 Series Coupé goes on sale, the race car will compete on the track next season, including in the FIA World Endurance Championship (FIA WEC). It is with this series that BMW Motorsport will also make its return to the iconic 24 Hours of Le Mans (FRA). As such, the BMW M8 GTE will be associated with both innovative, cutting-edge technology and decades of motorsport tradition. At the IAA, the new car was on display in a BMW M Motorsport livery, designed especially for this occasion, providing a visual taste of things to come in 2018. It reflects the close relationship between the development of production vehicles and motorsport, and once again underlines the degree, to which BMW Motorsport and BMW M belong together.
The BMW M8 GTE enjoyed a successful roll-out on 1st July 2017 at BMW Group Plant Dingolfing (GER) – the very place where the production model of the new BMW 8 Series will be manufactured. The close link between production and motor racing is one of the cornerstones of the development of the BMW M8 GTE. The knowledge gained from race outings with the new car in the FIA WEC and the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship (IWSC) in North America will be directly incorporated in the development of the production model, which is running parallel to the motorsport project.
“The BMW M8 GTE is our new GT flagship and will go head to head with the strong opposition in this sector,” said BMW Motorsport Director Jens Marquardt. “For us, the presentation of the uncamouflaged car at the IAA is the next important step on the road to our first race outing, which we plan to be the 24 Hours of Daytona in 2018. The FIA WEC and the IMSA series in North America are a top competitive environment for our new challenger. With the BMW M8 GTE, we are bringing cutting-edge technology to the top international class of GT racing, whilst at the same time tying in with our tradition at Le Mans. The development of the BMW M8 GTE is on schedule, and we can hardly wait to see the car challenging for victories in 2018.”