BMW officially announce DTM from 2012

  • Thread starter Thread starter MatskiMonk
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interludes
BMW have also said they're interested in V8 Supercars - but only if the new Car of the Future regulations allow them to enter the same car as they will enter in DTM.
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Was it BMW or Mercedes? I thought it was Mercedes and I believe Hyundai was another party interested in joining the V8 Supercars.
 
Mercedes floated the idea a while ago, but nothing has been heard since. Simon McNamara (Holden bigwig) tried to scare potential manufacturers off by saying they had nothing to gain from joining. And I don't think there was any substance to talk of Hyundai joining. But BMW have said they are interested if the Car of the Future regulations allow them to enter the M3 they will field in the DTM.
 
So just now, BMW has announced their three teams to compete in the 2012 DTM. They are BMW Team Schnitzer which was the 1989 champion in DTM, BMW Team RBM from WTCC and Reinhold Motorsport GmbH. Already known, they all will be racing in a purpose built BMW M3 DTM which is currently still being develop.

Updated through BMW Motorsport Facebook.
 
mykem
lexus-lfa-supergt.jpg
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I think....I need a change of underwear...and pants...:dopey:

This would make an awesome RM mod for the LF-A.
 
LSX
We've got that, it's just not televised right, and no one seems to care about it. Really great racing. Continental Tire Series, nearly stock cars going flat out.

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I was at the miami GP this past weekend and have to say the continental series race was 200X better than the grand am race. And there were sooooo many cars too! Heres some pictures.
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And my fav looking car
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InvincibleM5
So just now, BMW has announced their three teams to compete in the 2012 DTM. They are BMW Team Schnitzer which was the 1989 champion in DTM, BMW Team RBM from WTCC and Reinhold Motorsport GmbH. Already known, they all will be racing in a purpose built BMW M3 DTM which is currently still being develop.

Updated through BMW Motorsport Facebook.
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If an American were to compete, there is only 2 choices.....

bill-auberlen.jpg

Bill Auberlen

boris-said-teeth-300.jpg

And Boris Said

It may not happen, but I can only hope.
 
Auberlen and Said are nowhere near good enough for the DTM. BMW will be best using their previous WTCC drivers.
 
mykem
I love the idea of combining DTM and Super GT. I 'm not clear on how these two series are combined but my preference would be a few entrances from Mercedes, Audi and soon BMW into the Japanese SGT series and vice-versa (with Honda, Nissan and Lexus/Toyota).

I've watched a few DTM races but unlike Super GT, it captivated neither my attention nor my interest. Because, I'm first and foremost a car lover- aesthetically- both the Audi and Mercedes in DTM is no match in looks when compared to GT500 Nissan GTR and the Honda HSV. The BMW looks interesting enough but still quite drab next to what the GT500 Lexus LFA could possibly look like:

lexus-lfa-supergt.jpg


Still, I see good thing if the two series are combined and maybe it will even push the German cars into looking a bit more Japanese :)
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That's probably the sickest car I've ever seen! I will dream about it!
 
Duffers917K
Auberlen and Said are nowhere near good enough for the DTM. BMW will be best using their previous WTCC drivers.
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Indeed, especially considering they have used them for their GT2 programmes too.
I don't really rate much of the DTM field though...it is a small field and there are a lot of mediocre drivers milling about. If BMW produce a competitive car, someone like Priaulx shouldn't have a problem.
 
BMW will unveil their M3 DTM concept next month at the Munich Olympic Stadium. The unveiling is set for July 15th, which is the day before the DTM's brand-new stadium exhibition race. BMW have also confirmed that three teams will be running the M3 in next year's championship, BMW Team Schnitzer, BMW Team RBM and BMW Team RMG. Although there's no word as to whether the DTM grid will be expanded in include the BMW teams, or if some of the existing Mercedes and Audi teams will be scaled back to accomodate them.

Also, this thread was bloody difficult to find since search strings have to be four letters or more long, and both "BMW" and "DTM" are too short.
 
I can't wait to see the DTM-BMW! Would be also be nice to see Lexus put their money where their motor is and finally enter the gorgeous IS-F Concept.
 
interludes
Why would they? DTM is dominated by German manufacturers.
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They built the DTM car for a reason... and Toyota has an established history in Germany due to it being the location of their European base.

Their F1 team was based there and the European branch of Lexus is registered in Germany (as a sub-company of Toyota).

You could also ask why would they enter Nascar? Brand awareness, I suppose.
 
interludes
Why would they? DTM is dominated by German manufacturers.
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Because DTM and Super GT are matching the specification of their cars so technically they could compete in each others series next season?
 
Tired Tyres
Because DTM and Super GT are matching the specification of their cars so technically they could compete in each others series next season?
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Also true. At the time the IS-F Racing Concept was first seen Lexus wouldn't comment on its purpose. It's obvious, however, from the rear 'boxing' that it wouldn't require too much modification (if any) to match DTM spec.

As you say; SuperGT and DTM specs are to be aligned... maybe it could happen.

Would be great to see BMW and several other new manufacturers joining DTM.
 
Damn, thats really sexy.
I like how it is still really staunch. That is how a race car should look, its should monster down on the road and claim it. This is what DTM should look like, with not as many bits of aero on it. Low, fat and with a massive spoiler and diffuser are what Im all about for my dream racecars.
 
Thanks for the pictures 'Ludes, thought that I was about to post them...

The M3 in my opinion might be the best looking DTM racer ever. So far there are 3 teams that will race the M3 including BMW Motorsports themself.
 
oneighturbo-DTM-Audi-A5-110715-3770.jpg


Found a slightly bigger one. Don't know how to resize it though.

Any ideas whether Heidfeld will be targeted by bmw? They do kind of owe him one.
 
Guys if you're interested, I'm going to see the car this afternoon, I live right next door to the Olympiapark, which is right beside the BMW-Welt where the car is exhibited. I don't know if they let me take some pictures of the car with my phone. But if yes, and anyone wants to see them, just send me a PM and I'll upload them here. I hear the GT2 and the GTR are there too.
 
F1 fan
Any ideas whether Heidfeld will be targeted by bmw? They do kind of owe him one.
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He was talking about a move to DTM, helping BMW build their program up. But then Kubica's accident happened, and he was taken on by Renault.

However, there has been talk that Heidfeld may be dropped by Renault in favour of Grosjean if his results do not improve. I'd say this is particularly likely if Mercedes start building a lead on Renault in the WCC, because Renault have twice as many points as Sauber. Releasing Heidfeld early would free him up for BMW's DTM program.

As the same time, BMW have already confirmed they've signed Farfus and Prilaux, who are both equally competent. But more big names will help, because the BMW drivers will have one unique advantage compared to the rest of the field: they'll all have identical cars. The Audi and Mercedes drivers all run different models, with the top-tier drivers in the best cars. This makes it a little bit more difficult for drivers at the lower end of the spectrum to perform since they don't have the best equipment (though Eduardo Morata won the first round of the Munich exhibition race yesterday). But the BMW drivers will all have identical cars, and probably will for some time. Of course, they will be competing against established marques, so it won't be a huge advantage. If anything, it will just soften the blow.
 
I think his time in F1 is nearing the end, so DTM would be a good move for him.
 
Heidfeld was ready to retire at the end of 2009. He made a mistake in only approaching Mercedes to drive in 2010; when Mercedes took Schumacher, it was right before Christmas and europe shut down, which meant that Heidfeld could not talk to anyone until the second week of January, by which time the teams with vacancies were well into negotiations with various drivers. But then Heidfeld got the call-up to replace Pedro de la Rosa at the end of 2010 because the final flyaway leg had a series of circuits de la Rosa had never seen, and his career lived a little longer. He was ready to retire again at the end of 2010, but then Kubica had his accident.
 

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