As BMW prepare to begin testing their LMDh car, due to take part in the 2023 IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship, the manufacturer has revealed first images of the car in a special test ‘camouflage’ livery.
Officially announced as the BMW M Hybrid V8, the car displays many features that celebrate the rich history of BMW Motorsport in North America whilst embracing this new chapter of their story. Sporting typical BMW M design features, the Hypercar shows off twin BMW icon lights, dynamic body side, Hofmeister kink window graphic, M ‘hook’ mirrors and recognisable to the brand tail lights.
Franciscus van Meel, CEO of BMW M GmbH said: “The most critical task and the greatest challenge for the design team in the LMDh programme design team was that the prototype must be clearly recognisable as a BMW M Motorsport car. It clearly carries the genes of BMW M. I also love the camouflage livery with its references to the great history of the brand in North America. Congratulations to the design and aerodynamics departments at BMW M Motorsport and Dallara on their great work. I can hardly wait to see the BMW M Hybrid V8 on the track soon.”
The test livery in of itself is a celebration of BMW, with five decades of racing represented. With the 50th anniversary logo on the bonnet, the camouflage design includes images of iconic race cars such as the 1976 BMW 3.0 CSL, the 1981 BMW M1/C, the 1978 BMW 320i Turbo, the 1986 BMW GTP, the BMW M3 E36 GTS-2, the BMW Z4 GTLM and the BMW M8 GTE. Overlaying each other, the images make up a mosaic of BMW colours, hiding certain key elements in the body work design from immediate view.
“My team’s job was to make the BMW M Hybrid V8 look like a BMW, and embrace every opportunity to make it also perform like one on the race track,” said BMW Group Designworks Global Automotive Director Michael Scully. “The design is rooted in BMW’s DNA of purposeful, efficient performance, and the exterior’s bold, determined character invokes BMW’s frontiersmanship of turbo power, now united with an optimised hybrid electric powertrain.
“If you look closely [at the livery] you’ll discover multiple winners of the Daytona 24 Hours, as well as the very first purpose-built IMSA GTP car from 1981, the BMW M1/C. We’ll follow-up this camouflage with a works livery that exemplifies the dynamism and excitement of hybrid electric-powered competition.”
Testing for the team will begin soon with the driver line up for the 2023 IMSA season yet to be confirmed.
