The BMW 3-Series is
returning to the British Touring Car Championship as the automaker has
announced the redesigned sedan will replace the 125i M Sport which has been
competing since 2013. Set to enter competition at Brands Hatch in April, the
car is being billed as a “race-tuned 330i M Sport.”
The company didn’t say much
else about the race car, but the renderings suggest the model will have an
aggressive front fascia, extended side skirts and center locking wheels. We can
also see front fender vents, a rear wing and a roll cage.
There’s no word on
performance specifications, but the standard 330i has a turbocharged 2.0-liter
four-cylinder engine that produces 255 hp and 400
Nm of torque. This enables the road-going model to accelerate from 0-0-96 km/h in 5.6 seconds.
A total of three
cars will be fielded for the 2019 season and they will be driven by Andrew
Jordan, Colin Turkington and Tom Oliphant. Expectations are pretty high as the
3-Series has racked up numerous awards in the BTCC including five driver’s
titles and two manufacturers’ crowns between 1988 and 2009.
