The BMW Motorsport division has been a dominant force in the racing world, with some of the most incredible cars finding their way to the front of the pack.
It’s been more than half a century that BMW has been creating racing machines to compete in various series in the motorsports world. Much of what this racing division learns and adds to their cars eventually makes it to the production cars, creating some of the most incredible driving cars in the entire world. Let’s look at a few o the top cars to compete while wearing the BMW logo.
The F1.08 took on the Formula One racing world
The F1.08 was the 2008 version of the marriage between BMW and Sauber. This allowed Sauber to continue to race in this top series. The BMW Sauber team finished fifth in 2006 and eventually reached third in the 2008 standings. The F1.08 was a seriously aggressive car that should have had more wins than it did. This car famously finished 1-2 at the Canadian Grand Prix, and driver Robert Kubica led the drivers’ standings. The team was only three points behind Ferrari for the year.
The M1 was made for Group 4
The BMW M1 was the first car developed entirely by the M Division. This car was part of BMW Motorsport lore in the late 1970s and early 1980s. Although it was made for Group 4 racing, it had limited success on this stage. It is one of the most incredible one-make series cars ever created. The M1 proved formidable during some endurance events, finishing sixth overall in the 1979 Le Mans 24 Hours race.
The March-BMW 782 was impressive
March and BMW teamed up for several years and took the European Formula 2 titles in consecutive years of 1973 and 1974. The March-BMW 782 was powered by a special BMW M12/7 engine that propelled this car to a dominating title in 1978. During this year, the car won eight races with the second team taking the runner-up spot. This car had incredible straight line speed and was one of the top cars in the F2 races during its time on the track.
The 635CSi was a European Touring Car favorite
When the E24 6 Series took over from the 3.0 CSL, it took the racing world by storm. This car immediately won two European Touring Car titles for BMW Motorsport in 1980 and 1981 before the start of Group A. This same car won seven races in ten rounds during the 1985 Australian Touring Car Championship, proving that it was one of the most incredible racing cars at the time. The best races for this car were the longer races where cars had to be reliable and prove they could race for a long time.
BMW created the right car for Super Touring
The E46 version of the 3 Series, which was the 320i, was a serious contender in the Super Touring racing class. This car translated to the Super 2000 era, giving racing teams a more sensible option for these races. The BMW 320i provided a traction advantage in its RWD setup, which made for an incredible car on the track. This car had an incredible run of titles, with the 2004 European Touring Car crown and World Touring Car championships from 2005-2007.
The V12 LMR pushed the envelope at Le Mans races
As endurance racing was becoming more popular, the Williams-BMW combination created the V12 LMR. This car was ready to handle some of the top endurance races against some of the top names, such as Audi, Mercedes, Nissan, Porsche, and Toyota. This incredible car from BMW Motorsport won its debut at the 199 Sebring 12 Hours. This car nearly won the American Le Mans Series title and continued to be a competitive car in 2000, winning twice and giving the Audi R8 some serious headaches.
The 3.0 CLS “Batmobile” was a redemption car
The creation of the BMW Motorsport division came after Ford embarrassed BMW at the 1972 European Touring Car Championship. This also brought the venerable 3.0 CSL. This new car was called the “Batmobile,” and it destroyed Ford’s entries in 1973. This car won all but two of the eight ETCC rounds, proving its worth and what it could do. CSL drivers would continue to win this title for the rest of the 1970s, making the BMW nearly unbeatable.
These seven cars are a huge part of the BMW Motorsport heritage and prestige, giving this brand some of the proudest moments on the track.
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