BMW Motorsport unveiled today, in Daytona, the all-new BMW M8 GTE, tuned, tested and ready for the upcoming 24 hours race. BMW Team RLL will field two newly-developed BMW M8 GTEs in this year’s GTLM class.
Jesse Krohn (FIN) and John Edwards (USA) are behind the wheel of the number 24 car. Alexander Sims (GBR) and Connor De Phillippi (USA) share the driving duties in the number 25 car. They will be supported in the 24-hour race, which takes place on 27th/28th January, by BMW DTM drivers Augusto Farfus (BRA) and Philipp Eng (AUT), as well as Nick Catsburg (NED) and Bill Auberlen (USA).
According to BMW, the Z4 GTLM and M6 GTLM were based off their GT3 versions, “the BMW M8 GTE was designed and built specifically as a GTE specification racing car in conjunction with its upcoming BMW 8 Series road car counterpart, making for the minimum number of compromises and maximum performance.”
The BMW M8 GTE is powered by a modified variant of the S63 twin-turbocharged V8. Now, it displaces only 4.0 liters and makes a flat 500 hp, as that’s regulation. That engine sends power through a Ricardo six-speed sequential manual gearbox. We’re not entirely sure what engine the road car will use, as we previously thought it would use the same modified S63B44T4 as the F90 BMW M5. But the M8 GTE uses a modified S63 engine of only 4.0 liters and that “The cylinder block and cylinder head are taken from the production engine”, as per BMW.
The photo gallery below gives you a closer look at the new BMW M8 GTE. Stay tuned this week for more updates from Daytona, including on our social media channels @BMWBLOG
