Joe@Fabspeed

goto http://www.americanlemans.com/ the New 4 BMW M3s with the M5 V8s are way out front in qualifying for todays race. Miles head in time over the very best Michelin shod factory Porsche efforts. BMW is going to RULE the GT3 classes for a long time if Porcshe doesnt do something very aggressive. The fastest M3 is only 0.6seconds off the 2nd Corvette CR5s qualifying time. Thats smoking......BMW says M3V8M5 will be made for sale to the general public with paddleshifters. Thats the good news.nullweb page americanlemans sears point

Bill Gregory

Race is broadcast live today on NBC at 4pm Eastern!

TT Gasman

BMW should not be allowed to run that car unless they are actually producing the car. Plain old cheating in my book. The ALMS should have the ***** to do something about it. But I agree, Porsche needs to step it up a notch now.

Chris Bennet

I just read an article about this that pointed out that Porsche couldn't really complain because they had done the same thing when they custom made their first GT3 (?) race cars. They based the motors on the GT1 not the 996 motor.
I think we need to just face the facts that the Porsche corporation is just a different kind of company than the one we knew and loved in the 80's. At least they are still in business so there is always hope. -Chris

E. J. - 993 Alumni

Chris, you are referring to the 996 GT-3 Cup and RSR models campaigned last year. Certainly not the first GT3 - since that would be the 993. However, your example is not completely accurate since yes the 996 GT3 motor is based on (I believe) the air cooled GT1 motor, it is the same size and displacement etc... as the standard 996 motor. They had to change strictly for engine longevity reasons, not because they wnated more power etc... I think the oiling system is changed to the dry sump type. Not a very big change like putting a motor from the GT1 into the 996 body - roughly the equilivent to what BMW is doing.

RobertG

Read Mr. Cotton's Article in the latest Panorama. He talks about this. It's a sad sad world.

keith

first mopars then babyseats... what will walk over porsche next?

sniff.

ldw

When Porsche produced the GT3R and GT3 cup cars and went through the homologation process, this was in association with the GT3 996 production model which is available in Europe. All 3 of these vehicles run a 3.6 liter/water colled/dry sump system. So yes, it can be said that the GT3R and RS motor may have been based on a similar motor that was in the GT1, but Porsche also utilized this basic engine package in a street production car that is available to the public. I have not seen or heard about a 4 liter M3 available to the public as a production car.
That is the problem.

hubec

They aren't the M5 V8s, those were hackjobs created by privateers and I believe they only raced in the Grand American series. These are brand new 4.0 Liter custom racing engines created by BMW for the racing M3.

I agree that it sucks pretty hard right now, but I'll bet dollars to donoughts that next year ALMS and GrandAm will allow (even encourage) privateers to run the GT2 engine (i.e. the turbo) in their GT3s. That is if Porsche doesn't create a racing GT2 themselves. Wouldn't that be sweet!

NickA

I don't have my rule book in front of me, but I think the addition of a GT-2 twin turbo motor would push the GT3RS cars up into GTS (at least) for Grand Am....What I'd love to see would be a V8 with no turbos....

- Nick
ncamos@bellatlantic.net
My 993TT for sale web page

hubec

That's the point though Nick. ALMS seems to be upping the ante in both the GT and GTS classes. GT is being turned from a pure street class, to a heavily hotrodded street class. While GTS is being turned into a pure silhouette racing class, i.e. cars that share the outlines and general drivetrain layout of street cars but nothing else. There wouldn't be anything restricting ALMS from allowing turbos back into GT, they would just be restricted to equivalence with the rest of the field (i.e. 4.0l NA V8s).

Joe@Fabspeed

BMW Motorsport recently displayed 2 "street version" M3 V8s with leather & A/C. BMW promises that these cars are coming to retail sales. BMW has been approved by all sanctioning bodies SO baby its here longterm. Porsche will have to step up bigtime to compete or they are no-where in any of the racing classes. Good motivation and good for getting Porsche management fired up. Good news perhaps BMW will have a 400hp M3 street car for sale in the USA and we can all perhaps buy 1.

ldw

If BMW keeps their "promise", it will be in Europe and not in the US.....just like the 996 GT3. One can argue points about whether or not cars meet specifications of the rule book for ever. The important thing is that the cars are equal in their capabilities with a given driver. It would be quite easy for ALMS to level the playing field for Portland. Both the GT3RS and the BMW M3 have restrictor requirements, and the BMW could be easily slowed down through that method or with additional weight. Both the Porsche and BMW potential can be increased or decreased by adjusting restrictor size. Such devices are in place for this very reason and for equity. I guess we will find out what the ALMS agenda is after Portland.

DoubleNutz

Nick Amos wrote:

You mean like a 928 V8 in a 996?

NickA

More like a V8 with pistons, cylinders, valves, cams, etc. from the GT3 motor...nice to daydream, anyway....

- Nick
ncamos@bellatlantic.net
My 993TT for sale web page