BMW M Hybrid V8 revealed with camouflage livery

BMW M, the motorsports division of the German automotive brand, has revealed its entry for the 2023 IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship — the BMW M Hybrid V8. 

“The most critical task and the greatest challenge for the design team in the LMDh program design team was that the prototype must be clearly recognizable as a BMW M Motorsport car. And I can say this to all the fans, just one look is enough to confirm that the BMW M Hybrid V8 is a BMW. It clearly carries the genes of BMW M. I also love the camouflage livery with its references to the great history of the brand in North America. Congratulations to the design and aerodynamics departments at BMW M Motorsport and Dallara on their great work. I can hardly wait to see the BMW M Hybrid V8 on the track soon,” said BMW M CEO Franciscus van Meel.

The camouflage livery which the BMW M Hybrid V8 will complete in contains many elements from five decades of motor racing history in North America. Featured are images from other iconic racecars such as the 1976 BMW 3.0 CSL, the 1981 BMW M1/C, the 1978 BMW 320i Turbo, the 1986 BMW GTP, the BMW M3 E36 GTS-2, the BMW Z4 GTLM, and the BMW M8 GTE. Together, these images create a graphic mosaic that obscures the shape of the BMW M Hybrid V8 to maintain competitive IP during development testing.

“The design is rooted in BMW’s DNA of purposeful, efficient performance, and the exterior’s bold, determined character invokes BMW's frontiersmanship of turbo power, now united with an optimized hybrid electric powertrain. The camouflage livery celebrates the 50 Years of M by commemorating the great cars of BMW’s storied history in IMSA racing while uniquely cloaking the BMW M Hybrid V8’s future-facing exterior geometry and technologies during the critical on-track development phase of the project. If you look closely you’ll discover multiple winners of the Daytona 24 Hours, as well as the very first purpose-built IMSA GTP car from 1981, the BMW M1/C. We’ll follow up this camouflage with a works livery that exemplifies the dynamism and excitement of hybrid electric-powered competition,” said BMW Group Designworks Global Automotive Director Michael Scully.

Hallmark designs noticeable in the IMSA-bound BMW M Hybrid V8 include the wide kidney, the nested 50th-anniversary logo on the hood, twin BMW icon lights, dynamic body side, Hofmeister kink window graphic, M “hook” mirrors, and the taillights.

Reports say that come race day, the BMW M Hybrid V8 is set to face competition from cars developed by other manufacturers such as Porsche, Ferrari, and Cadillac. 

Photos from BMW

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