BMW has revealed the vehicle it will use to compete in the WeatherTech SportsCar International Motor Sports Championship.
The M Hybrid V8 will take on new endurance prototypes from Porsche, Acura and Cadillac.
It will qualify for the 24 Hours of Le Mans, thanks to regulations that bring the IMSA chain more in line with the World Endurance Championships (WEC).
The M Hybrid V8 is powered by a V8 (duh), but its output is yet to be confirmed.
Paired with a hybrid system, the powertrain is allowed to generate 500kW of total power, though that could change based on how regulators want to balance performance among competitors.
According to class regulations, the hybrid prototype has a minimum weight of 1030kg, uses a 50kW Bosch hybrid system and Williams Advanced Engineering battery pack, and an Xtrac transmission. In addition, the M Hybrid is produced in cooperation with sports racing specialist Dallara.
According to IMSA GTP regulations, the M Hybrid will be rear-wheel drive. The cars with which it will compete at Le Mans, which have been confirmed by BMW, have been built using a different interpretation of the same rules.
This hybrid hypercar class was jointly conceived by IMSA, FIA and ACO so that hybrid hypercar prototypes could compete in the IMSA WeatherTech North American Sports Championship as well as the FIA World Endurance Championship.
This means that riders can not only enter and race at the Rolex 24 in Daytona, USA, but also race in the iconic 24 Hours of Le Mans.
At this stage, BMW M Motorsport has only confirmed its LMDh driver will only compete at the North American based IMSA racing championship.
The cladding shown here will be replaced at launch, but the aerodynamic package you see here and the basic design – including the kidney filter – will continue.
Don’t be surprised if BMW M Motorsport jumps into the FIA World Endurance Championship and makes it to its LMDh racer at Le Mans, because it already has some history at the circuit.
In 1999, BMW last entered and won the 24-hour Le Mans championship with its V12 LMR racer.
