2011 BMW M3 DTM Race Car Concept

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The car offers an initial impression of what the BMW M3 DTM will look like when it lines up at the start of the 2012 season. However, the vehicle was not the only star of the evening at BMW Welt: BMW Motorsport also presented the first two drivers to be confirmed as wearing the company colors in the DTM as of next season - Andy Priaulx (GB) and Augusto Farfus (BR). Furthermore, the first partners of BMW Motorsport for 2012 were introduced.

"It is good to see how our DTM project is picking up speed," said Dr. Draeger. "Next year, BMW returns to the DTM after two decades. We will be facing our main competitors in the premium sector - and are already looking forward to this challenge. The DTM comeback sees BMW return to its roots. We have enjoyed great success in production car racing in the past, and I am convinced we will follow on in 2012 where we left off. Everyone at BMW Motorsport is working hard to ensure we get off to a successful start next season."

Marquardt added: "Getting a new racing program up and running is a bit like doing a jigsaw. New pieces are added almost every day, and we must put them together to create the big picture. The BMW M3 DTM Concept Car is an important milestone on our route to the start of the 2012 season. The roll-out of the car was successful, and we are now starting our test program out on the track. Drivers Andy Priaulx and Augusto Farfus are also involved and will form part of our driving line-up in 2012. Their impressive performances in touring car and GT racing make them ideally suited to the DTM, and we are sure they will leave their mark on this series too. It is obviously just as important to have strong partners on board, and we were able to present some of them today. The pieces are fitting together perfectly, so we can definitely say: our preparations for the 2012 season are going according to plan."

Racing Genes: The BMW M3 DTM

When BMW returns to the DTM next season, it will also mark the comeback of a racing legend: between 1987 and 1992 the BMW M3 celebrated no less than 40 wins and over 150 podium finishes in this series. The BMW M3 DTM is based on the fourth generation of the most sporty production car to emerge from BMW M. BMW Motorsport has been developing the DTM version of the car since autumn last year, when the Board of Management of BMW AG announced the company's return to the DTM.

The DTM regulations for the 2012 season stipulate all cars must use a certain number of standard components. This is to guarantee that development costs remain reasonable and are considerably lower than in other top motorsport categories. Despite this, the BMW Motorsport engineers have been able to call upon the immense technical resources of the BMW Group and apply their innovation to establish performance advantages over their rivals in areas such as engine and aerodynamics.

The result of this work is a spectacular racing car, which is set to thrill DTM fans. The powerful V8 engine equipped with the air restrictor as detailed in the technical regulations generates approximately 480 hp. The car accelerates from 0 to 60 mph in about three seconds and boasts a top speed of approx. 186 mph (300 km/h).

BMW M3 DTM Race Car Concept: Review (2/2)