Originally from: Richard Stern

M3 GTR.
Is this the raw BMW M3 that enthusiasts have been waiting for? Not content with unveiling the lightweight M3 CSL to tempt fans eager to empty their wallets, the German giant has now taken the wraps off what is in essence a thinly disguised race car for the road. Lighter, faster and not surprisingly costing far more than the CSL, the new M3 GTR supercar promises to be a no-holds-barred extreme machine for the die-hard BMW buyer. A mind-boggling £156,000 price tag and an extremely limited production run will ensure owners are unlikely to ever see an identical vehicle coming towards them down a country lane.

Powered by a 4.0-litre V8 engine, the GTR is derived from the pair of M3s that BMW entered into the American Le Mans Series this year. The competition is for ultra-high-performance road-based cars, and taking part proved a successful move for the manufacturer, which won its class. The only reason the new road model exists is to meet the regulations of the series organisers. The rules of the competition are very simple – for BMW to enter it had to make a street-legal version of the racer available for sale to the public.

But while it started life as a track car, several changes have had to be made to ensure the GTR complies with emissions regulations. Gone are the large, roof-high rear wing and twin exhausts poking out from the side, while a more understated spoiler to provide vital downforce and a conventional rear-mounted exhaust system have been introduced. It's not all change, though; the deep front spoiler, louvres in the bonnet for engine cooling and lightweight carbon fibre body panels instead of metal ones remain. Interestingly, the carbon fibre roof has been left bare and hasn't even been painted.

BMW has revealed the GTR will feature an "extremely lowered suspension" with a sporting set-up, so buyers can expect a hard and uncompromising ride similar to that of the race car. A six-speed, close-ratio manual gearbox, plus a racing clutch and differential, will only add to the experience. Inside, what greets the driver is about as close to the track machine as you are likely to get. To keep overall bodyweight to a minimum, all unnecessary extras have been stripped away, and carbon fibre has been used wherever possible, including for much of the trim.

In order to meet the next phase of European emissions laws – not to mention noise regulations – engineers have had to de-tune the V8 powerplant from its racer settings. It now produces a little more than 350bhp, 50bhp less than in race guise. And while this might seem like only marginally more power compared with the standard M3, which boasts 343bhp, when you take into consideration the fact that the GTR weighs 220kg less than its stablemate, it's not hard to see where its performance advantage will come from.

The M Sport division of BMW is already taking orders for the GTR, which will be available in left-hand-drive guise only, although production isn't due to start until January. Those lucky enough to afford it should be swift in registering their interest, though, as only a handful of the cars look set to be made. Source Autoexpress.co.uk Pictures also will be added to my News page shortly.
www.bmw2002.co.uk