BMW Motorsport division to sell dedicated racing components?
BMW has an M Division that creates masterworks like the M3 and the automaker also has a Performance Division that creates accessories for those of us that might want an M3 but need to think of other things, like the kids' college education. Now it's been revealed that BMW has another division coming: a Motorsports Division that will sell racing components.
The revelation came at the end of an interview with Stephen Zoepf, the Accessory Development Manager at BMW Performance. Zoepf said the Motorsports arm will create competition parts from "bodies in white, to higher capacity brake pads." Of course, he couldn't comment on specifics, but to have BMW provide factory-engineered racing-spec parts is a huge present to every track-day BMW-phile. It won't give you the cojones to pilot the M3 GT4 above, but you might be able to look and sound like the guys who do.
[Source: BimmerFile]
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Charlie 11:06AM (4/15/2009)
I recall the new M3 racecar having a lot more winglets and scoops and such.
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Cypher09 2:38PM (4/15/2009)
You're thinking of the GT2 car in the ALMS. The above pic is of a GT4 class car.
Quantum 11:17AM (4/15/2009)
I guess BMW realizes it has diluted it's "M" heritage by introducing the X6M, X5M (SUV's, I know they like to call them SAV's, but a rose by an other name...)
and so it seems they're hoping to regain some kind of race bred legitimacy by introducing R-spec add-ons. Having aftermarket parts that will not void your warranty is always a nice choice, and true Race spec kits are good for track hounds. I've read reviews of the latest M3 that seem to suggest that the brakes show significant fade after a few laps.
I guess what I'm trying to say is... cool.
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extinctdoughnut 2:02PM (4/15/2009)
BMW stock brakes have always sucked... at least for the US cars.
spdracerut 11:30AM (4/15/2009)
BMW has caught on to the modding trend... why let aftermarket companies make sales when you can do it yourself? Hence, TRD, Nismo, etc.
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Jay 12:37PM (4/15/2009)
Actually I think you're wrong. Look at Dinan parts. BMW does not void your warranty even if your strap a Dinan supercharger on your car. I've owned many BMW's along with many other brands of cars that I have tracked. BMW has NEVER given me a problem with covering something under warranty even when I have lots of mods. They are really great about standing behind their cars.
Now my friend with a Z06 has had just the opposite experience. He's been in endless fights over several issues.
MikeofLA 3:26PM (4/15/2009)
@Jay
Dinan DOES void your warranty from the factory (depending on what you get) but Dinan then backs that warranty with their own. You can still get BMW authorized service from dealerships on Dinan's dollar.
sjd 11:48AM (4/15/2009)
I'm pretty sure these parts will be aimed at racers with no warranty on the parts which may also void your warranty. I expect it to be similar to the Mazdaspeed Motorsports program, which is great.
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Sam 12:03PM (4/15/2009)
Correction, guys: They already do this. Dates back to the '70s and the founding of the Motorsport division, although it really came into its own during the mid-'80s with the appearance/evolution of the E30 M3. If you're interested and have the cash/get ahold of the right people, you can have everything from drivetrain bits and pieces to entire, Matter-caged, body-in-white shells. (And no, none of it is warranteed.) Some of this stuff even sticks around long after the cars leave production—many of the part numbers in the E30 M3 Gruppe A catalog (yes, there's a catalog) are still active, for example, and still get you the real hardware.
Far as I can tell, the latest version of this is that they're just going to make the current Motorsport part lineup more widely available—i.e., offer it to the public, instead of through race-shop and AG-only channels.
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extinctdoughnut 1:59PM (4/15/2009)
Exactly. The e36 and e46 were both available as bodies in white. As for general racing parts, I know that for the e36 at least PTG was the US importer/reseller of Motorsport parts. A lot of guys bought parts through them but they were rediculously expensive.
There was a e36 Gruppe A and N catalog as well... I had a few of the parts on my e36. The Gruppe N parts were really compromised parts in that they had to meet the strict homologation standards. Mostly the US LTW and Euro GT parts and a few odds and end such as engine mounts and various shock valving combinations.
The way a read this article is to make racing components more available to racing customers. Not so much go fast parts for weenie street racers, autocrossers, and drivers school dorks. I bet they'll just publish the non-secret parts from ETCC, GTR, and GT4 programs into new catalogs.
wushu 12:33PM (4/15/2009)
Will they offer a LSD for the 335i??
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hoosker_doo 1:13PM (4/15/2009)
Maybe this performance division will allow BMW to pump out a more race-oriented 1-series, since M can’t really make an “M1”. Something like that tii concept would be neat.
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