BMW Announces Le Mans Comeback With M8 GTE

Soon after showcasing hotness-on-wheels, the 8 Series coupe, the Bavarians announced that the M8 would also join the battalion. BMW has shown the 8 Series' curves and creases inside-out, but the M8 is still under wraps. Literally. That tells us that even though there will be design similarities between the two siblings, the M8 could look even hotter than the regular coupe.

Engine options are still top secret, but the car is going to pack some serious firepower under its belly. Based on the engine and exhaust notes, it looks like the car will get a thoroughly reworked 4.4-litre twin turbo V8 for better power-to-weight ratio instead of the V12, which could power the 8 Series coupe. BMW has also announced that a race-spec variant of the M8, called the M8 GTE would mark the German automaker's return to the granddaddy of all endurance races, the 24-hours of Le Mans.

BMW is accelerating the engineering efforts so that the M8 GTE could test the waters and its endurance with the 24 Daytona Hours. The race takes place on 27-28 Jan 2018 at the Daytona Speedway, Florida, USA. With the car primed for a long run, the BMW M8 GTE will return to the 2018 edition of the 24 Hours of Le Mans held in France.

Launching a car with a trophy on the Le Mans track boosts its credibility and desirability ratings among the brand's prospective buyers. Ford followed a similar schedule and tasted success with two podium finishes at the Le Mans. If it weren't for the Ferrari 488 taking the runners-up spot, the podium would've been just red, white and blue. A debut like that has put the mass market carmaker on the same list as its long-time Italian adversary, Ferrari. 

BMW is hoping to write a similar success story for the M8 by winning the 2018 Le Mans with the M8 GTE.

Also Read: BMW Showcases 8-Series Concept At Concorso d’Eleganza 2017