Since the 2023 season, the new car is battling it out for overall victory in the new GTP class of the IMSA series, at such prestigious classics as the 24 Hours of Daytona, the 12 Hours of Sebring, and the iconic Petit Le Mans at Road Atlanta. As of the 2024 season, BMW M Motorsport is also competing in the FIA World Endurance Championship with the car. The last big victory for a BMW prototype came back in 1999, when the BMW V12 LMR won the 24 Hours of Le Mans. That car had also triumphed in the 12 Hours of Sebring in the same season. Regulations specify that LMDh race cars have a combustion engine and an electric motor. While each manufacturer can use their own combustion engine, the electric motor, battery and transmission are standard parts. The BMW M Hybrid V8 is powered by the P66/3 eight-cylinder turbo engine with supplementary electric drive. The combustion engine is based on the DTM unit used in the BMW M4 DTM in 2017 and 2018. During two phases of reconstruction, it underwent comprehensive adjustments to meet the stringent requirements of the LMDh hybrid drive system. The chassis is built by an external partner. For the BMW M Hybrid V8, BMW M Motorsport is working closely with the legendary Italian race car specialist Dallara.
SPECIFICATIONS FOR THE P66/3 ENGINE IN THE BMW M HYBRID V8.
V-shaped Otto four-stroke twin-turbo engine
Capacity: 3,999 ccm
No. cylinders: 8
Cylinder construction: Cast aluminium cylinder block and cylinder head, cylinder lining as iron layer in LDS
Procedure angle: 90°
Bore: 93 mm
Stroke: 73.6 mm
Cylinder spacing: 102 mm
Valves per cylinder: 4
Engine speed: max. 8,200 rpm
Output (regulated): approx. 640 hp
Torque: approx. 650 Nm
Injection: High-pressure direct injection at 350 bar
Oil system: Dry sump system with six-cell oil drain pump and oil tank
The BMW M Hybrid V8 is more than just a race car, it is paving the way for an electric future for BMW M, by emphatically demonstrating how dynamic and emotional electrified M Power can be.
CEO of BMW M GmbH
A CLEAR STATEMENT.
The BMW M Hybrid V8 will sport a look designed by BMW Group Designworks. The works livery represents a significant departure from the heritage-based “Icons of IMSA” camouflage with a future-facing coat of arms comprised of modern, bold, fractal blocks of the iconic M colours and the M logo.
IMSA 2024 – THE DRIVERS.
THE BMW M TEAM RLL.
Pure motorsport tradition in North America.
BMW M Team RLL, with whom BMW M Motorsport has enjoyed success in North America since 2009, has been running two LMDh prototypes since 2023. The team can call on decades of experience in motorsport. Behind Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing are Bobby Rahal, IndyCar driver, comedian David Letterman, himself a longstanding Indy fan and businessman Mike Lanigan. As the years progressed, Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing expanded its involvement in motorsport and moved into the sports car category. In the debut season of the BMW M Hybrid V8, BMW M Team RLL achieved one victory and a total of five podium finishes.
BMW M Motorsport is providing us with a great car, great engine and great driver lineup, of which we are very pleased.
Team manager BMW M Team RLL
BMW M MOTORSPORT AND DALLARA.
United by a common goal.
The chassis for the two prototype cars is being built in collaboration with world-renowned and successful manufacturer Dallara. The Italian designers are among the most successful manufacturers of race cars in the world. The contract with Dallara was signed in September 2021, just months after BMW M Motorsport announced that it would be entering the class. The first test car is being built in Italy with close working between BMW M Motorsport engineers and a team of Dallara engineers assembled exclusively for the BMW M LMDh project.
FIA WEC 2024 – THE DRIVERS.
BMW M TEAM WRT.
A belgian success story.
The W Racing Team, known as Team WRT, was founded in 2009 and is based in Baudour, Belgium. The team was founded on the initiative of former racing driver Vincent Vosse and entrepreneur Yves Weerts. Today it is run by the managing directors Kathleen Schurmans and Vincent Vosse. After successful years as an Audi team, Team WRT has been competing as a BMW M works team since the 2023 season. BMW M Team WRT immediately celebrated numerous victories with the BMW M4 GT3 and underlined its status as one of the best racing teams in the world. Since 2024, the team races the BMW M4 GT3 and the BMW M Hybrid V8 in the FIA World Endurance Championship, including the 24 Hours of Le Mans.
What a privilege for us as a team to be able to enter both two BMW M Hybrid V8 and two BMW M4 GT3 cars for BMW M Motorsport in the FIA WEC! Although we have two separate crews for the two projects, it will still be a big challenge for WRT. But we love challenges!
Team manager BMW M Team WRT
THE BMW M HYBRID V8 IS THE 20th ART CAR.
Space, movement and energy have always been central motifs in Julie Mehretu's work. For the design of the 20th BMW Art Car, she transformed a two-dimensional image into a three-dimensional representation for the first time, with which she succeeded in bringing dynamism into form. The spectacular Art Car was introduced to the public in May 2024. Less than fours weeks later the moving piece of art competed at the 24 Hours of Le Mans.
LEGO® SPEED CHAMPIONS: BMW M4 GT3 & BMW M HYBRID V8.
The BMW M4 GT3 and the BMW M Hybrid V8 from the LEGO® Speed Champions series bring a real racetrack atmosphere into childrens' room or collector's display case. Whether exterior mirrors, air intakes or M kidneys – with the LEGO® Speed Champions M models, motorsport fans can take the wheel themselves. Despite the small scale, the authentically designed racers amaze from every angle with impressive details and offer hours of building and racing fun.
