Some of us here have been pondering, where is the next CSL? Previous generations of ///M cars have had lightweight editions towards the end of the production run, and we have been waiting some time since the E46 CSL left, or in our case stateside never came.
Coupe Special Light was a way for the engineers to build something faster without really adding much to the car. The goal was to take things away, especially weight. This was accomplished through using lighter weight materials such as carbon fiber or removing unnecessary luxuries.
After winning the manufacturers championship last year BMW has kicked off 2011 right with a win a the historic 12 Hours of Sebring. A huge congrats to the teams on a job well done. Here’s the official press release:
Official Release: Perfect start to the season for BMW Team RLL in the American Le Mans Series (ALMS): The no. 56 BMW M3 GT, driven by Dirk Müller (DE), Joey Hand (US) and Andy Priaulx (GB) claimed GT victory in the 12-hour race in Sebring (US) after 312 laps. Dirk Werner (DE), Bill Auberlen (US) and Augusto Farfus (BR) came second with the no. 55 BMW M3 GT, making it a clean sweep for BMW Motorsport in this classic endurance race.
With this strong result, the BMW drivers scored valuable points for two championships. The race at the “Sebring International Raceway” not only counts towards the American Le Mans Series, but also the 2011 Intercontinental Le Mans Cup.
BMW M has released details on the one-off 1 Series M Coupe built to pace the MotoGP for 2011. The car is thoroughly reworked and only the N54 derived twin turbo inline six is carried over. Can we just say… wow.
Some highlights include:
Carbon fiber hood with extra ventilation
Polycarbonate side and rear windows
Lightweight titanium exhaust
Rear wing similar to the M3 GTS
Front Splitter
Roll-cage
Six piston racing brakes
Tires increased to 255 and 285 front to rear
Incredible stuff and well worth a look at the gallery after the break. Is this truly a one-off? That’s what we’re hearing officially. With such a low volume already it simply doesn’t make any sense for BMW to built out something like this given the costs associated with it. Do we hope we’re wrong? Absolutely!
Official Release: The motorcycle road racing world championship – or MotoGP – ranks among the world’s most popular and spectacular sporting events. The involvement of BMW M GmbH in motorcycle racing’s top-echelon event now enters its 13th year. To ensure the safety of the practice runs and the race itself, BMW M GmbH is providing the official Safety Car along with a raft of other high-performance vehicles for use by the Dorna Sports management team and IRTA officials.
Clad with paddle shifters and a host of other improvements, BMW Team RLL took the 3rd and 4th qualifying positions at Sebring today. Dirk Werner finished third in the GT class, setting a lap time of 2:01.841 minutes at the wheel of the no. 55 BMW M3 GT. Dirk Müller came fourth in the no. 56 car.
So how to watch Sebring this year? Lucky for you there’s four different ways.
The BMW ///M3 has been accused of being the poor man’s super car; while something that costs over $60k should never be considered cheap or for the poor it is relatively accurate when considering it is often compared to cars two times that price. It is tough to make something so special even better, and that was my initial concern when we heard BMW was coming out with a Performance line for the ///M3.
Anyone can lay up Carbon Fiber and offer it up as styling accessories, and there are countless companies you will never read about on this site that do just that. These aftermarket brands often design these spoilers, lips and other accouterments to look aggressive and to add a bling factor. Has BMW succumbed to the current market and created a line of parts that are really only eye candy? Of course not.
Official Release: Given the devastating consequences of the earthquake and subsequent tsunami in Japan, the BMW Group is showing solidarity with the victims of the catastrophe and has pledged emergency aid totaling € 1 million.
Official Release: Saturday, March 19th marks the start of the new campaign for BMW Team Rahal Letterman Lanigan (RLL). BMW Team RLL will field two newly constructed BMW M3 GT cars in the American Le Mans Series (ALMS) this season. The 12 Hours of Sebring (US) at “Sebring International Raceway” traditionally provides the stage for the curtain-raiser to this popular endurance championship. The Bobby Rahal (US) led team is focused on continuing last season’s success. In 2010, BMW Team RLL won both the Team and Manufacturer titles in the GT class with BMW M3 GT2 cars.
How do you perfect balance in a BMW while testing? You drift it endlessly on a snowy lake bed in Sweden. Or at least that’s what the engineers appear to be proving in the video above.
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Sections: //1M\\, //M3 GTS, //M3\\, //M\\, Opinion Mar 21st, 2011 8 Comments 
