BMW has one of the more quirky stories to tell as a GTE platform. In global terms BMW’s history in the ruleset was somewhat disjointed, but in North America it was both more regular and more successful.
Surprisingly, BMW’s record in GTE includes the snippet that it based its GTE class contenders on more different platforms than any other marque (this comes with a health warning that the Porsche 911 is regarded as a single platform).
Somewhat controversially, two of these cars were significant conversions from BMW’s then-current GT3 platform but the cars were competitive, spectacular and provided welcome diversity.
Starting with the GT2 legacy M3, moving through the GT3-based Z4 and M6, with the M8 GTE completing the story, BMW’s time in GTE was characterised by a somewhat liberal interpretation of the rulebook.
It was a record that finally caught it out with the M8 GTE. Its class competitors veto’d the more radical redesign of the base road car that BMW initially wished to campaign.
BMW Team RLL in the USA was by far the most successful team to have competed with the Bavarian brand as a factory in GTE. Over the years it claimed Rolex 24 Hours wins in 2019 and 2020, two Sebring wins in 2011 and 2012 and a Petit Le Mans win in 2017 and stayed loyal to the formula until GTLM’s final season in 2021.
In terms of titles, BMW came close on many occasions but a Michelin Endurance Cup win in 2020 in the penultimate year of the formula was its only breakthrough.
Outside of North America, Team Schnitzer, Marc VDS, and Team MTEK all ran programmes on behalf of BMW, with varying levels of success.
Marc VDS’ run with the Z4 in 2015 was exclusive to the European Le Mans Series, as the car was ineligible to run at the Le Mans 24 Hours and FIA WEC. Just one win went the way of the Belgian team, in its final race at Estoril with Andy Priaulx, Jesse Krohn and Henry Hassid at the wheel.
Team MTEK’s factory programme in the FIA WEC only lasted a single season (2018/19). Up against stiff opposition from Ferrari, Porsche, Aston Martin and Ford, former DTM powerhouse MTEK, with a driver line-up that changed constantly through the campaign, struggled to make an impact.
With only two podium finishes to show for, BMW revealed it was pulling the plug on the programme ahead of its final race at Le Mans. Unfortunately for MTEK, and the M8, they were never seen again in WEC competition.
Schnitzer’s run on the world stage flattered to deceive too. In the Intercontinental Le Mans Cup in 2011, competing as part of a modest GTE Pro field of seven cars, it missed out on the title and won just two of the seven races, with the remaining five going to AF Corse.
Nevertheless, there were so many memorable moments for BMW in GTE competition, and its new era competing in both GTP/Hypercar and LMGT3/GTD holds so much promise too.
