Since being founded in 1972, BMW‘s M division has rolled out some fine cars and has been an enormous success for the brand. To pay tribute to that legacy, it will celebrate a half-century with a special livery for its M4 GT3 at the Nürburgring 24-Hour race. The car will feature the classic M colors of blue, red, and violet, which have been incorporated into a dynamic and modern design. The M logo and the number 50 have both also been incorporated into the design and will glow in the dark at the 24-hour race, thanks to a special foil treatment.
Founded in 1972 to handle the growing
demand for motorsport engines and vehicles, BMW Motorsport GmbH was first
headed by Jochen Neerpasch. A former Porsche works driver and Ford’s Racing
Manager in Cologne, he quickly attracted some of motorsports best talents,
including Chris Amon, Toine Hezemans, Hans-Joachim Stuck, Dieter Quester, and
more.
Thanks to the 3.0 CSL, BMW Motorsport was
an immediate success, earning victories in 1973, its first racing season. The
coupes were driven to victory in their very first race at the Nurburgring, at
the Touring Car Grand Prix, and later took the top step for the same class at
the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Since then, the division has expanded into an increasing
range of motorsport categories and road cars, but the desire to race remains.
The car will be operated by Schubert
Motorsport, which was founded in 1999 and has enjoyed success in several racing
series. It will be driven by BMW M Motorsport works drivers Jesse Krohn, Jens
Klingmann, and Alexander Sims, as well as Niklas Krütten. The Nurburgring 24
Hour endurance race will start on May 28 and runs until May 29.
