Ahead of the testing phase for the LMDh prototype for the 2023 season in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship, BMW M Motorsport announces the name, the design, and an exciting camouflage livery for the car.
The BMW M Hybrid V8 will sport a look designed by BMW Group Designworks, and celebrates the history of BMW M Motorsport in North America while defining a dynamic hybrid electric future.
Ahead of the testing phase for the LMDh prototype for the 2023 season in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship, BMW M Motorsport announces the name, the design, and an exciting camouflage livery for the car. The BMW M Hybrid V8 will sport a look designed by BMW Group Designworks, and celebrates the history of BMW M Motorsport in North America while defining a dynamic hybrid electric future. Key information for fans is that the prototype is clearly recognizable as a BMW M car.
This message is echoed by Franciscus van Meel, CEO of BMW M GmbH: “The most critical task and the greatest challenge for the design team in the LMDh programme design team was that the prototype must be clearly recognisable 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.”
The hallmark of the design for the BMW M Hybrid V8 is the wide kidney. In addition, it boasts typical BMW M design elements such as the nested 50th anniversary logo on the hood, twin BMW icon lights, dynamic body side, Hofmeister kink window graphic, M ‘hook’ mirrors and the tail-lights. The camouflage livery in which the BMW M Hybrid V8 will complete its testing, contains many elements from five decades of motor racing history in North America. The images of iconic racecars – 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 – create a graphic mosaic which obscures the shape of the BMW M Hybrid V8 to maintain competitive IP during development testing.
“My team’s job was to make the BMW M Hybrid V8 look like a BMW, and embrace every opportunity to make it also perform like one on the race track,” said BMW Group Designworks Global Automotive Director Michael Scully. “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 optimised 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.”
Homage to victorious sports car with black hood and wheels
Combines Nissan’s pioneering crossover and electrified expertise
Following the release of images last June to celebrate Nissan’s participation in the East African Rally 50 years earlier, the Nissan JUKE Hybrid Rally Tribute has come to life.
The JUKE Hybrid Rally Tribute moved from design sketch to fully operational one-off vehicle following the overwhelmingly positive reaction to the release of the original concept images. Its unveiling previews the European introduction of the JUKE Hybrid this summer. The prototype has the production version’s hybrid powertrain at its heart.
Speaking about the decision to bring the JUKE Hybrid Rally Tribute to life, Coralie Musy, Vice President, Brand and Customer Experience, Nissan’s AMIEO region, said: “The JUKE Hybrid Rally Tribute represents our optimism and daring mindset. We are currently preparing an exciting new chapter of JUKE history in advance of the introduction of the new JUKE Hybrid in the summer. It will offer the excitement and agility customers would expect of our iconic crossover, with both improved performance and efficiency. The JUKE Hybrid Rally Tribute takes its playful character to a new level.”
Advanced hybrid powertrain The use of powertrain from the forthcoming JUKE Hybrid reflects both the additional performance it offers in the production version, as well as the improvements to its efficiency and emissions.
The JUKE Hybrid powertrain consists of a new generation, state-of-the-art Nissan internal combustion engine specifically developed for working in a hybrid powertrain application. It produces 69kW (94hp) and 148Nm of torque.
On the electric side, the main electric motor produces 36kW (49hp) and 205Nm of torque, while there is a 15kW contribution from a high voltage starter/generator, all of which is fed by a 1.2kWh water-cooled battery. The net result is a powertrain providing 25% more power than the current petrol engine option, with a fuel consumption reduction of approximately 40% in the urban cycle, and up to 20% combined. (Figures subject to homologation)
Smart automatic gearbox Also carried over from the production version of the JUKE Hybrid and key to the driving pleasure at its heart is an advanced low friction multi-modal gearbox that provides optimal use of the propulsive power, whether electric, petrol engine, or both.
To reduce friction, this motorsport-inspired gearbox uses dog clutches instead of conventional synchroniser rings to shift the 4 “ICE” gears and 2 “EV” gears. Additionally, to reduce friction, this gearbox does not use a clutch. All vehicle starts are 100% electric, and the 2 EV motors are used in combination to synchronise the gears, delivering smooth, connected and responsive acceleration.
The gearbox is controlled by an advanced algorithm, managing the shift points, battery regeneration, as well as the advanced series-parallel architecture. The powertrain can seamlessly navigate through different hybridisation combinations (series, parallel, series-parallel) according to acceleration and power requirements and without any driver input.
Rally-inspired modifications Like the Gripz concept car that was presented at the 2015 Frankfurt motorshow, preceding the introduction of JUKE, it takes its design cues from the iconic 240Z that competed so successfully in the desert rally over half-a-century ago.
The most obvious modification are the enlarged wheel arches to accommodate the tailor-made off-road tyres, while the additional lights mounted on the hood and roof echo those of 50 years ago.
Similarly, the black hood and enlarged black wheels are a visual homage to the 1971 vehicle that competed in the East African Rally. The use of vintage sponsor logos and the number 11 also reflect aspects of the 240Z rally car, as do the additional of reinforced plates under the front and rear valances which offer protection to the vehicle’s underside. Reinforced and long-travel suspension has been fitted all-round, to give the Juke Hybrid Rally Tribute exceptional poise over the challenging terrain it will navigate. The tyres are 265/70 R16, giving phenomenal grip and traction in all conditions, in the most difficult conditions.
Inside, the interior has been modified with the fitment of a tubular cage to stiffen the bodyshell and to offer protection in the case of an incident at speed in the challenging desert environment. The rear seats have been removed to provide space for spare wheels and four-point harnesses have been added to secure the driver and navigator safely in their racing seats.
Other modifications to the interior include the fitment of a competition fire extinguisher, an intercom system with a pair of headphones to simplify communications between driver and navigator, the fitment of Alcantara trim on the steering wheel and a hydraulic handbrake with high-reach handle for quick and easy activation.
“As part of our commitment to electrify our range, this year will see an unprecedented wave of new Nissan electrified powertrains and vehicles. As well as the new JUKE Hybrid, we will also introduce our boldly innovative e-POWER drivetrain on the Qashqai crossover. We’ve already started taking orders for our new flagship Ariya EV, while the Townstar Light Commercial EV will go on sale later this year. And in the second half of the year, the all-new X-Trail Crossover will also be introduced,” said Coralie Musy.
As part of the Juke Hybrid Rally Tribute project and in line with exploring the excitement of rallying while being as eco-conscious as possible, the Juke Hybrid Rally Tribute’s powertrain uses liquids and biofuels provided by Shell, Nissan’s partner for the 1971 East African Rally.
Nissan in the East African Safari Rally In 1971, the legendary 240Z that took the victory of the gruelling East African Safari Rally was driven by Edgar Herrmann with navigator Hans Schüller. Indeed, the rally was a resounding success for the brand, with the 240Zs coming home in second and seventh positions. Furthermore, the victory represented the brand’s second consecutive victory in the rally.
The low-slung 240Z was powered by a 2.4 litre straight six cylinder engine, producing 210PS, with power sent to the rear wheels. The victorious car was restored to good order in 2013 and is part of Nissan’s heritage collection which is housed in Zama, close to Nissan global headquarters in the Kanagawa prefecture of Japan.
The wait is over for Glenn Irwin and John McGuinness as this week, after a two-year hiatus, the fonaCAB and Nicholl Oils International North West 200 roars into life, where the Honda CBR1000RR-R Fireblade SP will make its long-awaited NW200 debut.
Leading the charge on the Fireblade SP is four-time Superbike race winner Glenn, who arrives at the 8.9-mile circuit in good spirits after a successful opening British Superbike campaign, where at the opening round he took all three race wins and is sitting second in the overall standings.
Referring to the NW200 as his ‘back garden’, the circuit not only holds happy racing memories for the Irishman, who took his first Superbike victory in 2017, but also personal memories from when his father raced there and attending the event as a youngster. With four wins already under his belt, Glenn is looking to add to his tally aboard the Fireblade in both the Superbike and Superstock races running the #1 plate.
Lining up beside Irwin is TT legend, and six-time NW200 winner McGuinness, who for the 2022 season returns to Honda machinery. In preparation for the international road races, John has been in action at the first two rounds of BSB in the Pirelli National Superstock class, as well as enjoying a successful test at Castle Combe.
Running the #2 plate, John will be taking part in the Superbike and Superstock classes with Honda Racing UK, as well the Supersport races aboard the SMT/Blue Earth Construction Honda.
Practice for the 2022 fonaCAB and Nicholl Oils International North West 200 starts on Tuesday 10 May, with further practice on Thursday (12 May), with racing action taking place that afternoon with the first three races; Supersport (6 laps), Superstock (6 laps) and the Supertwin race (4 laps).
Racing continues Saturday (14 May), with five races across the day with two Superbike instalments, as well as the second Supersport, Supertwin and Superstock races. Click here for the full schedule.
#1 Glenn Irwin Finally, it’s here! My road racing debut with Honda Racing UK and there’s no better place for it than the North West 200. It’s somewhere I have missed these last few years and I think everyone in road racing, whether in Ireland or further afield has missed it, so there’s a lot of excitement and a lot of happy memories for me here. I think a lot of that excitement is the potential we have to achieve good results, we’re on a four-race win streak on the Superbike and that’s my main objective. That being said I’m looking forward to riding the Stock 1000cc Fireblade, I’ve never raced the Honda stock Fireblade so I’m looking forward to racing that, but the main objective is to come away with a Superbike win.
#2 John McGuinness I’m super excited for this week and getting back to the North West 200 after a few years away, my first year was ’94 which was 28 years ago and the excitement is still the same now and being back with Honda it’s like putting on an old pair of slippers. The Fireblade is great, pre-season testing has gone well and I’m in a good place. My teammate Glenn is the hotshot at the NW200, so if we can get anywhere near him, we’ll be going alright! Win, lose or draw I’m looking forward to the races, it’s great to have everyone back together on the road racing scene, and I hope everyone has a good, safe and successful North West.
Lucky Khera (Graypaul Birmingham) set the pace throughout the opening weekend of the fourth Ferrari Challenge UK season.
He dominated the Trofeo Pirelli with pole positions in both qualifying sessions, taking the top step of the podium in races 1 and 2 at the opening weekend at Oulton Park.
The Coppa Shell series saw the birth and climax of a new rivalry between newcomer John Seale (Carrs Ferrari) and Paul Simmerson (Graypaul Birmingham), with the pair locking horns in both races, resulting in a serious red flag race incident in the final race of the weekend.
Trofeo Pirelli. Having won the series in 2020, eyes were on Khera in the Trofeo Pirelli class coming into the 2022 Ferrari Challenge UK season. Khera quickly demonstrated his pace, setting fastest laps in both qualifying sessions, despite the track still being slightly cold and damp for Qualifying 2 following overnight rain.
Khera was the only driver on day one to get in to the 1:39 bracket, with a time of 1:39.508. H. Sikkens (HR Owen London) started his campaign for the season on day two at Oulton Park and was the only other driver to join Khera with a 1:39 time. His 1:39.657 lap was just 0.259 behind Khera.
Paul Hogarth (Stratstone Manchester) started Race 1 in third place but saw an opportunity on the first corner to move into second, right on Khera’s rear bumper. However, he couldn’t match Khera’s race pace as the Graypaul Birmingham driver commanded the field from flag-to-flag in Race 1 to take the win with a clear 2.8 second lead.
Graham De Zille (Meridien Modena) fought off Faisal Al-Faisal (HR Owen London) to the very end of Race 1, for the final place on the podium. As the first drops of rain started to fall, De Zille crossed the line ahead of Al-Faisal to finish third in his first race in Trofeo Pirelli class, following his promotion from winning the Coppa Shell championship in 2021.
The opening lap of Race 2 was the only time of the weekend that Khera was not at the front of the pack, briefly losing the lead to H. Sikkens (HR Owen London). He regained the lead within the lap, building an impressive 4 second advantage before the race was stopped due to a collision between two Coppa Shell drivers.
The race restarted as a short 10-minute sprint to the finish, with Khera holding off Sikkens throughout. Despite the first-to-the-finish dash, Khera didn’t put a wheel wrong for the entire weekend, his dominance lasting to the line; Sikkens finished just 0.512 seconds behind him, with Hogarth completing the podium.
Coppa Shell. In his first ever qualifying session in the Ferrari Challenge UK series, newcomer John Seale (Carrs Ferrari) set the fastest time to qualify in pole position in the Coppa Shell class. In Race 1, contact between Seale and Paul Simmerson (Graypaul Birmingham) would keep both off the podium. Damage to Seale’s car forced early retirement whilst a penalty for Simmerson would demote him to fourth place, despite being first across the line in Coppa Shell.
The drama enabled Paul Rogers (JCT600 Brooklands) to take his first race win in the Ferrari Challenge UK and Jason Ambrose (Dick Lovett Swindon), also new to the Ferrari Challenge UK series, to take a podium finish on his debut race. He finished ahead of Jonathan Satchell (HR Owen London), who came in third.
Following his first race win, Rogers set about placing his car at the front of the field for Race 2. Rogers’ time of 1:41.477 was just 0.076 ahead of Simmerson but was enough to keep him in pole position, with Seale third.
In Race 2, and with Rogers a clear 8.5 seconds ahead, Simmerson was under pressure from Seale, with a gap of just 0.3 seconds between the two. Seale finally made his move for second place on the very corner that had cost the pair dearly in Race 1, with the two coming out of Lodge Corner side-by-side. Climbing into Deer Leap on the main straight, the narrow track left little room for both drivers. Wheel-to-wheel, Seale moved across into Simmerson, locking the cars together and leaving Simmerson battling to keep all four wheels on the track. Seale’s car hopped, lost traction and forced the pair to swerve right, across the track. Seale collided with the barrier head on, his Ferrari 488 Challenge Evo getting fully airborne, skating along the pit-entrance barrier and coming to rest on the wrong side of the barrier. Astonishingly, Simmerson avoided the barrier, skidding to stop facing out of the pit entrance seemingly undamaged. Fortunately, both drivers were un-hurt in the incident.
The race was red-flagged and stopped for recovery and barrier repair, restarting 45 minutes later as a short 10-minute sprint to the end.
Before the restart, Rogers had a 8.5 second advantage but squandered this when Simmerson squeezed passed to take first place. Simmerson remained in first place in class for the remainder of the race, holding back Rogers who was left fighting with Ambrose for podium positions. Ultimately, Simmerson, Rogers and Ambrose would cross the line with less than a second separating the trio.
Pirelli Ferrari formula classic. After a day of sun, Wayne Marrs battled through pouring rain to take first place in Race 1 of Pirelli Ferrari formula classic. He finished ahead of Christopher C-Goddard and Tristan Simpson, all in Ferrari F355 Challenge cars.
Marrs enjoyed drier conditions in Race 2, going on to a repeat first place. Simpson improved on his performance to take second with Tim Walker bring his F355 Challenge in third.
Marrs span out of Race 3, despite the dry, sunny conditions. Vance Kearney took his F355 Challenge to victory ahead of Tim Walker and Chris Butler in his Ferrari 328 GTB.
For further information, please contact:
Jason Harris
Regional Manager, Communications
Ferrari North Europe
Email: [email protected]
International debut for DesertX and RS Q e-tron, together in off-road with Danilo Petrucci and the official Audi drivers including Stéphane Peterhansel and Carlos Sainz
To celebrate this partnership, the Centro Stile Ducati has created a special livery for the DesertX inspired by that of the Audi RS Q e-tron
The new DesertX will be available in European dealerships starting from the end of May, also in a depowered version for A2 license holders
The most highly anticipated motorcycle of 2022 and the most surprising rally prototype met in Sardinia for a special event organized in partnership by Ducati and Audi.
The new Ducati DesertX and the Audi RS Q e-tron took centre-stage in the first test reserved for the international media, which could also count on the presence of Danilo Petrucci, winner of a stage of the Dakar 2022, and the official Audi drivers/co-drivers Emil Bergkvist, Stéphane Peterhansel, Edouard Boulanger, Carlos Sainz and Lucas Cruz.
To celebrate this event, the Centro Stile Ducati has created an exclusive livery for the DesertX inspired by that of the RS Q e-tron. This special bike was ridden by Petrucci, who put on a show together with the Sainz/Cruz pairing on a technical off-road track
Andrea Ferraresi, Centro Stile Ducati Director: “When we saw the RS Q e-tron for the first time, we couldn’t help but imagine it in action among the dunes and rocks together with the DesertX. This event gave us the opportunity to do so and so we decided to create an exclusive livery, inspired by the colours and graphics of the Audi prototype. Seeing cars and motorcycles together off-road is truly a great show. The collaboration between the two brands and between their respective Design Centers is strong and important“
The DesertX is the model with which the Borgo Panigale motorcycle manufacturer enters the mid-displacement enduro segment. The bike is designed to tackle the most demanding off-road and for this reason it is equipped with a 21″ front wheel, 18″ rear wheel, long suspension travel and ample ground clearance. Powered by the 11° Testastretta engine, DesertX guarantees a comfortable, easy and safe ride on every type of journey thanks to the attention paid to ergonomics, careful aerodynamic study and advanced technological equipment.
The safety and performance of the new Ducati model are also guaranteed by the electronic systems, which represent the state of the art in terms of riding assistance. There are 6 Riding Modes available on DesertX (two of which are intended for off-road use: Enduro and Rally), and they work in combination with the 4 Power Modes that modify the power and responsiveness of the engine.
The RS Q e-tron is Audi’s rally prototype to tackle the desert and embodies the purest efficiency. The innovative electric drive with high voltage batteries and energy converter pushes the limits of what is possible. The RS Q e-tron made its debut in the 2022 Dakar Rally last January and impressed with four stage victories, while in March it achieved his first overall victory at the Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge. Audi factory driver driver Carlos Sainz underlined the importance of the model for the motorsport program of the German manufacturer:
“What Audi has achieved with this concept is technically unique and a real benefit for us drivers. The event in Sardinia was great to communicate the benefits of the electric drive. All the media were impressed throughout”.
Sainz, Petrucci and all the Audi drivers were greeted enthusiastically by the press during this event which confirmed the great bond and constant collaboration between Ducati and Audi.
The new DesertX, which since its presentation has met with remarkable success, will be available in all European dealerships in the Ducati network from the end of May. The new model is also available in a 35kW depowered version for A2 license holders.
The time has come for bikers to make their wildest travel dreams come true.
The 24-hour race at the Nürburgring is considered to be the ultimate endurance test for human and machine.
This year, a MINI John Cooper Works will compete in the 50th edition of the high-speed showdown taking place from 26-29 May at the 25.378 kilometre circuit, consisting of the Grand Prix circuit and legendary Nordschleife.
In September last year, the project was launched at Bulldog Racing in the Eifel region, just a few metres away from the Nordschleife. The base vehicle is a MINI John Cooper Works with the 4-cylinder turbo engine known from the MINI John Cooper Works Clubman and MINI John Cooper Works Countryman with 225 kW/306 hp and a maximum torque of 450 Nm. The 8-speed Steptronic gearbox taken from large-series-production featuring an integrated, mechanical differential lock with a locking effect of up to 70% ensures that the drive torque is converted into thrilling performance without any losses.
Racing modifications For racing purposes, the following modifications were made to the standard MINI John Cooper Works which go beyond SP3T class regulations:
A specially developed racing cage was installed.
The fuel tank volume was increased to 100 litres.
Far-reaching interventions in the aerodynamics, including an adjustable rear wing, a completely covered underbody, a rear diffuser and front splitter were made.
Weight was consistently reduced, e.g. by using Makrolon® window panes.
A model-specific racing suspension with adjustable rebound and compression damping was fitted.
All moving chassis and suspension parts were replaced with reinforced Uniball bearings.
A pneumatic lifting unit was installed.
The sports exhaust system was adapted with a racing catalytic converter.
Original BMW M Performance brake components were installed.
MINI in motorsport Pat Moss made motorsport history in 1962, scoring the first international rally victory for MINI at the Tulip Rally. Her victory marked the beginning of the Classic Mini’s unique success story in rally sport, with 3 overall Monte Carlo Rally wins in 1964 (Paddy Hopkirk), 1965 (Timo Mäkinen) and 1967 (Rauno Aaltonen).
This string of successes included six overall Dakar Rally victories in 2012 (Leonid Novitskiy), 2013 (Stéphane Peterhansel), 2014 (Nani Roma), 2015 (Nasser Al-Attiyah), 2020 (Carlos Sainz Sr.) and 2021 (Stéphane Peterhansel).
The MINI John Cooper Works racing car “Made in Nürburg” pays homage to the racing tradition of the MINI brand in the classic colour scheme of the 1960s racing cars in red / white.
