Official: BMW will field two Z4 GTE race cars for the 2013 ALMS Season set to debut in Sebring on March 16th - GIVE US A Z4 M!

What V8 engine is in these puppies?

Originally Posted by mhabs

What V8 engine is in these puppies?

P65 4.0 liter, same as the M3 GT.

Little info on P65 (I was curious)

The heart of all cars is the engine, and it is fair to say that BMW Motorsport has built one that really ticks. The P65, as it is known internally, is based on the S65 production motor with some serious upgrades. The displacement of 4.0 liters has been unchanged (72.5 x 92 millimetres with 500 ccm per cylinder), but the crank is upgraded to a dual plane steel version and the pistons have forged skirts to keep up with rigors of racing at the highest levels. A dry sump oil system is employed to keep all the friction at bay, with the aluminum storage tank mounted to the rear of the engine (where the transmission is normally). This high revving V8 breathes through eight individual throttle bodies being fed by a carbon fiber airbox. With all of that and some more tricks the P65 produces over 500 horsepower and hits 60 in 3.4 seconds.

A 6-speed sequential racing gearbox delivers the power, while widened and highly adjustable front and rear suspensions manage the balance of the chassis.

Additional racing gear, including wider 18-in. slick tires, larger brakes and the requisite safety equipment, also has been added.

^ Heh yes we've been discussing that motor a bit as of late. Good post.

You said BMW made a basic effort to sell the E46 M3 GTR but they only ever sold 10 of those at $250,000. I know this isn't what you have in mind, so I absolutely agree with you that BMW should make a Z4 M with the S65 V8 and sell it as a regular M model at $75-80,000. I honestly doubt we will ever see such a car for a few reasons, the first of which being BMW's reluctance to keep naturally aspirated V8s in production. I'm sure moving to forced induction was a tough choice for the M3 and M5, if they had any other choice I'm sure the engineers would have wanted to keep an N/A motor so the fact that they switched to turbocharging proves that they really had their backs up against the wall. So with the S65 off the table, what would power a Z4 M? They could do what they did with the 1M and use the overboosted N54, but there already is a Z4 35is with that motor and I would hope that a Z4 M would have a minimum of 400 horsepower if not more. My theory is that they don't want to give it the F80 M3's new turbocharged straight six before the M3/M4 comes to market (although they did exactly that with the X5/X6 M before the M5) so I'm thinking, if we do see a Z4 M, it will come out some time after the F80 M3 and will have the same motor. This is the only logical reason I can think of to explain the absence of a Z4 M for so long, the Z3 M and previous Z4 M weren't volume sellers but it seems odd that BMW would ignore this opportunity to compete with the Boxster/Cayman and other similar sports cars when they're so busy trying to fill every other niche in the market.

So I guess I went way off topic, but my point is they already committed to ending the S65's life with the E92 M3 so we won't see a Z4 with that motor. I don't know why the governing body keeps letting BMW slide on these homologation rules and I wish BMW would grow a pair and just sell us the car with the motor we want, but I just don't see it happening.

Hey Sticky. Happy New Year to you and yours. I don't want to rewrite my previous post about what I thought BMW AG should build and price an E89 M Roadster. If they followed the timeline of the E82 1M this is feasible. We want one last naturally aspirated M car in the form of a roadster. They should send the S65B40 or the engine we all want in a blaze of glory, or the perfect S65B44 from the E92 M3 GTS. Let's get moving on this!!!

Originally Posted by deemo319

Hey Sticky. Happy New Year to you and yours. I don't want to rewrite my previous post about what I thought BMW AG should build and price an E89 M Roadster. If they followed the timeline of the E82 1M this is feasible. We want one last naturally aspirated M car in the form of a roadster. They should send the S65B40 or the engine we all want in a blaze of glory, or the perfect S65B44 from the E92 M3 GTS. Let's get moving on this!!!

I'm 100% with you but I don't have that kind of pull. Maybe we can write ALMS and tell them this is BS and they should force BMW to do it?

Originally Posted by Remonster

You said BMW made a basic effort to sell the E46 M3 GTR but they only ever sold 10 of those at $250,000.

That's a basic effort though isn't it? At least there was a physical car.

Originally Posted by Remonster

I know this isn't what you have in mind, so I absolutely agree with you that BMW should make a Z4 M with the S65 V8 and sell it as a regular M model at $75-80,000.

Yep, this would be perfect.

Originally Posted by Remonster

I honestly doubt we will ever see such a car for a few reasons, the first of which being BMW's reluctance to keep naturally aspirated V8s in production. I'm sure moving to forced induction was a tough choice for the M3 and M5, if they had any other choice I'm sure the engineers would have wanted to keep an N/A motor so the fact that they switched to turbocharging proves that they really had their backs up against the wall.

They don't need to design a new motor, the S65 still exists and is being produced. It wouldn't require new engineering. So the S65 should be on the table.

Originally Posted by Remonster

This is the only logical reason I can think of to explain the absence of a Z4 M for so long, the Z3 M and previous Z4 M weren't volume sellers but it seems odd that BMW would ignore this opportunity to compete with the Boxster/Cayman and other similar sports cars when they're so busy trying to fill every other niche in the market.

The 550GT is a crap seller and they still make it. I mean a Z4M would at least show they are still interested in enthusiast models instead of sales. That in mind is worth the loss but they wouldn't take on as a Z4 M would sell.

Honestly, I feel for the other teams. They are racing in the spirit of the regulations.

Another question is. Will ACO approve BMW to run the Z4 GTE at Le Mans 24hours. Because that is the race that really matters.

Originally Posted by Sticky

I'm 100% with you but I don't have that kind of pull. Maybe we can write ALMS and tell them this is BS and they should force BMW to do it?

It won't matter. But they should hear from fans. Funny thing it will be BMW owners complaining.

Originally Posted by Sticky

They don't need to design a new motor, the S65 still exists and is being produced. It wouldn't require new engineering. So the S65 should be on the table.

So what will they do when the S65 does end production, which honestly isn't that far off. Every production engine will soon be FI. I honestly think they are screwed, unless IMSA/ACO allow them to just run a one off non-production based motor (which would be total BS).

Originally Posted by BlackJetE90OC

Honestly, I feel for the other teams. They are racing in the spirit of the regulations.

Another question is. Will ACO approve BMW to run the Z4 GTE at Le Mans 24hours. Because that is the race that really matters.

Le Mans is great but I prefer the ALMS season to it.

Originally Posted by BlackJetE90OC

So what will they do when the S65 does end production, which honestly isn't that far off. Every production engine will soon be FI. I honestly think they are screwed, unless IMSA/ACO allow them to just run a one off non-production based motor (which would be total BS).

What did they do with the 1M when the N55 was already in other cars including the 135i?

It wouldn't be a big deal at all. The Z4M went on when the E46 M3 ended.

BMW is a buncha pussies now. They will never make a Z4 M with the S65. God knows how they are getting away with that Z4 M GTE in ALMS. $#@!ers!!!!

Originally Posted by Sticky

Le Mans is great but I prefer the ALMS season to it.

Le Mans is the pinnacle. All the teams in ALMS dream of the 24hr race. A lot of the US based teams just don't have the money to go over there. It is logistical nightmare. Corvette racing gets a lot props for going over there each year and being very successful. RLL will never go over there, they simply won't spend the money. Even last year when they had automatic entrys into the race.

Originally Posted by Sticky

What did they do with the 1M when the N55 was already in other cars including the 135i?

It wouldn't be a big deal at all. The Z4M went on when the E46 M3 ended.

I was talking more in terms of their racing program. What will they do in two years time, when they don't have a NA production motor to use?

I agree they really have no excuse to not put the S65 in the Z4.

Originally Posted by leo985i

BMW is a buncha pussies now. They will never make a Z4 M with the S65. God knows how they are getting away with that Z4 M GTE in ALMS. $#@!ers!!!!

Someone who works for them must suck some amazing ______

Originally Posted by BlackJetE90OC

Le Mans is the pinnacle. All the teams in ALMS dream of the 24hr race. A lot of the US based teams just don't have the money to go over there. It is logistical nightmare. Corvette racing gets a lot props for going over there each year and being very successful. RLL will never go over there, they simply won't spend the money. Even last year when they had automatic entrys into the race.

I agree with Le Mans being the pinnacle race but I prefer to watch what unfolds over a season. Some bad luck can cost you Le Mans.

Originally Posted by BlackJetE90OC

I was talking more in terms of their racing program. What will they do in two years time, when they don't have a NA production motor to use?

I agree they really have no excuse to not put the S65 in the Z4.

Ah. Well, that's the question everyone is asking and nobody has an answer to.

I should point out that I was just trying to understand BMW's point of view on this. If I was in charge, I would have created a true Z4 M with an S65 from the beginning but then again, there are a ton of things I'd be doing differently.