BMW returns to DTM: I got the M-Power

After reducing its motorsport participation by leaving the Formula 1 at the end of 2009, and after a lot of circulating rumors and speculations about the entry of BMW into the Deutsche Tourenwagen Meisterschaft (DTM), BMW finally confirmed on the 29th of April 2010 its participation in the German Touring Car Masters, DTM, for the 2012 season.

Dr. Klaus Draeger, BMW AG board member responsible for development said, that following the withdrawal from Formula One, the realignment of the Bavarian carmaker motorsport program was raising their presence in production car racing to a whole new level.

He added, that BMW sports and touring cars had achieved success right around the world, and have significantly influenced the brand’s sporting profile right from the word go. For that reason, BMW regards it as a consistent step to return to their roots after bidding farewell to Formula One, and to expand their commitment to this discipline.

BMW Motorsport Director Mario Theissen added, that the newly aligned program offers the German automaker many important stages, on which to demonstrate the sporting gene present in BMW vehicles. The planned return to the DTM is an exciting challenge for the BMW team.

He also mentioned, that over the coming months, BMW will make all the necessary technical preparations that should allow them to be competitive right from the start should they join the series in 2012.

Furthermore, he stated that the BMW M3 is predestined to be used as the basic car, as in 2011 the company will once again be lining up with their BMW M3 GT2, which is contesting its debut season in Europe this year.

For 2011, BMW is developing a 1.6-litre four-cylinder turbo engine with direct injection that can be used in championships in accordance with the new Super2000 regulations – such as the FIA World Touring Car Championship.

A new racing car is being developed as a successor to the current BMW 320si for the coming years. How the BMW involvement in the World Touring Car Championship will look after the 2010 season will be decided over the following few months till the end of the year. This year, BMW is competing in the WTCC with BMW Team RBM and its drivers Augusto Farfus (BR) and Andy Priaulx (GB).

This particular engine could play a dramatic role in the Egyptian market if developed for road cars, like the BMW 3 series, X3 and X4 and even the 5 series, earning them a comfortable lead in sales, as consumers will benefit from both the diminished Egyptian customs taxes and superior fuel-saving and environmental-friendly technology.

It should be mentioned here, that BMW enjoys a long history of success in international touring car racing. As early as the 1960s the brand backed up its new position as a premium manufacturer of sporty cars with a succession of championship titles.

BMW drivers celebrated a total of twelve European Championship titles with the BMW 2002, BMW 3.0 CSL, and the BMW 635 CSi Coup?©. On top of this, Volker Strycek (GER) guided his BMW 635 CSi to victory in the debut season of the DTM in 1984.

The BMW M3 lined up for the first time in 1987 – and immediately proved to be a superlative racing car. Roberto Ravaglia (IT) claimed the World Championship title, Winni Vogt (GER) was crowned European Champion, and Eric van de Poele (BE) won the DTM.

After a second European Championship triumph in 1988, Ravaglia gave the brand its third and most recent DTM title to date in the BMW M3 in 1989. BMW has 49 race wins, 30 pole positions and 64 fastest laps to its name in this series. Up to and including 1992, BMW M3 drivers around the world had notched up over 1,500 individual wins and more than 50 international titles.

The European Championship was re-launched in 2001 – and it was once again a BMW driver, Peter Kox (NL), who claimed the title. Having already tasted success in the 2004 European Championship with the BMW 320i, Andy Priaulx (GB) went on to win the new World Championship with the same car in 2005. Priaulx successfully defended this title the following two years with the BMW 320si WTCC.

In addition to this, BMW has also celebrated success in the past on the endurance circuit: BMW drivers have won the 24-hour race at the N?¼rburgring (DE) on 18 occasions.

Among the achievements of the Bavarian brand was victory at the very first staging of the race in 1970. In 1998, BMW also claimed the first overall victory with a diesel-powered car: the BMW 320d.

BMW drivers have been victorious 21 times at the classic in Spa-Francorchamps (BE). In Le Mans (France), Team BMW Motorsport clinched a historic overall victory with the BMW V12 LMR in 1999. Competing with the BMW M3 GTR, BMW topped the manufacturer, team and driver standings in the American Le Mans Series in 2001.

Car enthusiasts all over the world took advantage from this track experience, when these genetics were transplanted into street cars by the BMW M GmbH, which was established in May 1972 and was previously known as BMW Motorsport GmbH.

This high performance division began with just eight employees and it was initially created to handle BMW’s racing program during the 1960s and 1970s.

Their first project was the BMW 3.0 CSL. (CSL stands for Coupe Sport Leicht, or Lightweight). 1265 lightweights were built from 1972 to 1975. This famous racer won seven European Touring Car titles.
The first M-badged car that was officially for sale to the public was the beautiful BMW M1 E26, at the Paris Motor Show in 1978. Based on the 1972 BMW Turbo prototype, designed by Paul Bracq, the M1 received its final touches by Giorgetto Giugiaro.

The BMW M1, the first BMW M car to go on sale, has a very interesting story. Because of the lack of appropriate resources, BMW approached Lamborghini to develop this car. But the Italians were not able to finish it because of their financial problems so it came back to the German engineers.

The M1 was initially designed only for the racetracks and was planned to race in the German racing championship.

Because of development delays a participation in this running series was no longer possible. In co-operation with Bernie Ecclestone and Max Mosley the Procar Series was created. But there still was a problem. The cars racing in the Procar Series had to be developed from series production cars. Therefore BMW M GmbH "had" to produce a road car for the M1. Approximately 450 cars were produced and since the beginning they were precious collector items.

The M1 E26 road version has a 6-cylinder engine from the 3.0 CSL developing 277 hp. This mid-engined coupe was capable of reaching 165 mph, which was an impressive speed for car dated back to 1978. In Group 4 race trim, the M1 produced 470 hp while it produced 850 hp for the Group 5 version

Because the BMW M1 E26 was more a racecar with a road car body it was not very suitable for everyday use. Consequently, the first real M Series car was the BMW M535i E12, back in 1979. It was a high-performance version of BMW’s popular 5 Series mid-size sedan. Equipped with bigger brakes, Recaro sport seats, it was powered by the 6 cylinders M30 engine. This version of the M Series was available until 1981.
In 1983 the 6 Series was available also as an M635CSi version with a 3.5 liter 6-cylinder engine with an output of 286 hp.

Developed by the BMW M GmbH, the 4 cylinder turbo engine that equipped the Brabham F1 Team helps Nelson Piquet to win the World Championship.

In 1984, the second generation vehicle came into the market. It was built on the basis of the BMW 5 Series E28 and it was the first M5. The BMW M5 E28 was powered by the S30 engine which had 24 valves and 6 cylinders.

This series of M cars were equipped with electric windows, central locking, light alloy wheels and fog lights. All these elements give us a clue about the premium segment where the M cars were targeted. The performance was not neglected. Developing 286 hp in a family sedan was a performance never heard of before. BMW gambled on this combination and the following years that followed showed that their courageous decision paid off.

Then in 1986 the history of BMW M GmbH witnessed an important milestone with the birth of the first generation M3.

Based on the BMW 3 Series E30, it is regarded even by today’s standards as the benchmark of performance and sheer driving pleasure. From the start, this thoroughbred sports car thrilled not only motorsport enthusiasts and racing experts, but also car fans all over the world.

Boasting powerful-looking spoilers and strikingly flared wheel arches all round, the very first BMW M3 was a head-turner, even at a complete standstill. The first E30 M3 had a 192 hp 4-cylinder engine which propelled this light car from 0-60 mph in just 6.8 s. The top speed was around 143 mph (230 km/h).
With this decisive moment, the most successful touring car of all times was born.

Aside the M-models from the 3 Series and 5 Series, BMW M presented the Z3 M Roadster/Coupe (E37) in 1997. Auto Arabia’s editor, Mohamed Sheta, participated with this car in the Hockenheim Drift Challenge in May 2000 on the world-famous Formula 1 Hockenheim racing circuit, where the superior handling of the BMW Z3 M Coupe enabled him to do controlled and breathtaking drift angles.

Furthermore, he also took several drift-training sessions with a BMW M3 (E46) on the famous WTCC racing track in Oschersleben to experience driving it beyond the limits of physics.

In Egypt however, consumers do not have the chance to buy BMW’s sporty M-models through the
Bavarian Auto Group BAG (which is unfortunately the official importer of BMW in Egypt) as they do neither market nor sell them officially.

This is quite a pity, as the Egyptian market has a huge potential for such high performance vehicles. There are large numbers of Porsche Carreras, Porsche Cayenne Turbos, Porsche Boxsters, Mercedes AMGs, Ferraris, Lamborghinis, etc.

There are also noticeable numbers of various Infinity models, Maserati Quattroportes, Porsche Panameras, and Bentleys which is a distinct proof of the potential of the Egyptian market. All the above-mentioned SUV’s are serious competitors to the BMW X5 M, the BMW X6 M as well as the M6, M5 and M3 models.

Apparently the gentlemen at Bavarian Auto Group are afraid to be forced to train their staff and mechanics on how to maintain these high tech machines, which will increase the training costs in an unnecessary way. But this should have not been a problem with the presence of the BAG regional training center in Cairo.

As a matter of fact, I never saw a single article or feature about the BMW M-Heritage or BMW’s touring racing history in any leading Egyptian media. I wonder why. Is BMW and the Bavarian Auto Group afraid of putting the BMW M-models in a direct comparison with its successful competitors from AMG, Porsche and Audi?

Well, we at autoarabia.org are eagerly waiting for BMW Middle East in Dubai and Bavarian Auto Group in Egypt to have the courage to provide the professional Egyptian and pan-Arabic media with BMW M test-cars in order to see if they will be able to compete with the Porsche Panamera, the Mercedes E63 and the Audi RS6, both on the race track and in normal traffic.

Until now it does not seem they are able to compete.

AE