Upgraded 2011 BMW Z4 GT3 Debuts at France GT Championship

[Jason]

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Upgraded 2011 BMW Z4 GT3 Debuts at France GT Championship

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The BMW Z4 GT3 has been modified/upgraded for the 2011 GT3 race season. Per BMW:

Press Release: The modified BMW Z4 GT3 has survived its baptism of fire: the GT customer sports car proved itself in a series of intensive tests in recent weeks. The goal of the latest modifications was primarily to improve aerodynamic efficiency in order to ensure the car’s competitiveness in the many, hard-fought GT3 classes.

The BMW Z4 GT3, which was launched in March 2010, achieved its greatest success to date in January 2011. Claudia Hürtgen (DE), BMW works driver Augusto Farfus (BR), Tommy Milner (US) and Edward Sandström (SE) won the Dubai 24 Hours for Team Schubert. This was the first outright victory for the BMW Z4 GT3 at a marathon race of this scale, having already proven its potential with wins in its debut season in the FIA GT3 European Championship.

With its elongated bonnet, the driver’s compartment towards the rear of the car, long wheel base and narrow wheel arches, the series version of the BMW Z4 boasts an unmistakable appearance. The two-seater provided BMW Motorsport engineers with a good basis for developing a competitive GT3 racing car.

A difference between the production and racing car can be found under the bonnet: while the production version of the BMW Z4 is driven by a six-cylinder engine, the GT3 car is powered by a 4.4-litre eight-cylinder engine.

BMW Motorsport engineers have also fine-tuned the aerodynamics of the BMW Z4 GT3 for the new season, improving the car’s performance in this area. When it comes to electronics, the private teams can look forward to innovative BMW solutions: The modern ECU408 takes over the engine management, while the Power400 electronic control unit is responsible for controlling all the actuators. The power is transmitted through a six-speed, sequential gearbox. Gearshifts are now initiated using two paddles.

The steel body of the car comes from BMW Plant Regensburg. A safety cell made of extremely rigid, precision steel tubing is then welded into the body. The engine block of the V8 engine is produced in the BMW foundry in Landshut. BMW Plant Dingolfing contributes the rear axle differential, among other things. Front and rear wings, bonnet, roof, fenders and many other components are made of carbon fibre reinforced plastics (CFRP).

The car is available now at a price of 315,000 Euros (plus VAT) from BMW Motorsport Distribution, email address Z4GT3@bmw-motorsport.com.

And here are photos of the world premiere of the first upgraded 2011 BMW Z4 GT3 (team Alpina Watches), which raced in the France GT Championship.
































Photos via http://brandelagt.com/

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[DougLikesBMW]

BMW couldn't have done a better job with the design of this car.

[DrftMstr]

Those flares, those brakes, that CF, even the intake ducting and wheel well arc construction...Touché!

[MITE82]

Wow I love the looks of this GT3 Z4 for the fact that I never did for the normal one .. Amazing .. Look at those tires !!

[Kayani_1]

Oh man I am in love

[T89]

Oh man I wished my z4 looked like that!


T

[Harmander]

damn look at that widebody, the whole car is sickk

liking the be a player text on the back of the grey one hahah

[Diver]

Hot looking car.

[SchnellM3]

So SEXY

[HerrK]

Simply amazing that the Motorsport Group can develope a car like this. Now if BMW M would only mfg/sell the Z4 owners group/enthusiast a complete set of performance calipers & rotors. We could rid our cars of these butt ugly ones they see fit to deliver on the stock units.

[bavarian19]

nice!

[M3 Adjuster]

Looks ready for the next batman-dark knight film.

[BlkdOut-UCF]

[crackberry]

me likey

[GewoW]

widebody pornography

[aajami]

4.4 V8? I thought this car was stuffed with a P65, which is 4.0, no?

[ramyar]

Holy shitake!

[antzcrashing]

Originally Posted by Harmander

damn look at that widebody, the whole car is sickk

liking the be a player text on the back of the grey one hahah

+1

[fastauto]

This thing looks like sex

[Nate@IND]

Originally Posted by DougLikesBMW

BMW couldn't have done a better job with the design of this car.

[d1ko7omy]

I want a wallpaper of this car... maybe with a M3 ALMS too...

[m6pwr]

Don't know what French race this was. I don't think it is on the FIA GT3 calendar nor is this Alpina team listed, but no matter. The first FIA GT3 race of the 2011 season took place recently in Portugal and the Z4 GT3 teams (there are two, Schubert and a new for 2011 Dutch team) cleaned up, sweeping the podium, finishing 1,2,3.

You can follow the series on the official website - http://gt3europe.com/index.php. The Sunday races are run in two one hour heats. The Z4s won the first heat. You can watch the video of the race (#1) on the web site. I'm not positive but I think under the rules the winning cars are handicapped for the next race by being placed at the back of the grid, so the Z4s didn't do as well in the second heat. The Z4s race against some pretty heavy duty machinery - - V8s, V10s, and V12s - - but they are all "equalized" (primarily thru intake restrictor plates) to around 500 hp plus or minus. Don't how BMW got away with it but the GT3 Z4s are homologated with the V8 out of the e90 M3 - - essentially the same motor I believe as raced in the American Le Mans M3s, good for around 480 hp. It would be more meaningful, to me anyway, if they raced with the N54 motor as in the stock Z4 35i. After all, the GT3 Porsches run the six cylinder boxer with about 430 hp. I think BMW Motorsports could come up with a racing version of the N54 that could be competitive.