2012 BMW M3 DTM Race Car

(continued from above)

The manufacturer, which will re-enter the championship next year after a 20-year absence, presented the car in its traditional white, blue and red motorsport livery.

"Old-school DTM fans will recognize from the typical BMW M stripes that the appearance is based on the original BMW M3 cars from the 'old DTM'. We are very proud of this design. It is both traditional and modern in equal measures. It shows our roots, but in a contemporary style," said BMW Motorsport Director, Jens Marquardt, at the unveiling of the BMW M Performance Accessories M3 DTM. Marquardt also said that the M3 on display was "close to being a definitive version," of the car that will race, with room still available for design tweaks to me made during its ongoing testing program.

"We have until March next year when everything has to be homologated, so I'm sure there can be little changes in some areas while we look for more performance," he said.

Together with the other two manufacturers involved in the series, BMW will complete demonstration laps with its new cars directly before and after the final race of the 2011 DTM season.

The BMW M3 DTM was revealed to the public for the first time at the DTM event in Munich on 15th July. Since then, BMW Motorsport has completed numerous successful test sessions with the newly developed car. BMW will be represented by three teams in the DTM in 2012, each running two BMW M3 DTM cars: BMW Team Schnitzer, BMW Team RBM and BMW Team RMG. Two BMW drivers have already been confirmed for 2012, in the form of Andy Priaulx (GB) and Augusto Farfus (BR).