BMW V12 LM
Encyclopedia
The BMW V12 LM was a racing car built for sports car racing
in 1998. The car was built using a combination of WilliamsF1
engineering and construction and a BMW
powerplant. The car was a predecessor to the BMW V12 LMR which debuted in 1999.
in grand touring series like the BPR Global GT Series
as well as the 24 Hours of Le Mans
. The McLaren F1s were powered by a S70
V12, leading to McLaren and BMW
signing an agreement to both develop their racing teams with the assistance of BMW Motorsport
. This combination was successful in winning the 1995 24 Hours of Le Mans
. However, by 1997 the F1 GTRs were no longer competitive against newer breeds of specially homologated
supercars from Mercedes-Benz
and Porsche
. Due to their declining performance, McLaren pulled out of GT racing at the end of 1997.
Unwilling to give up so quickly, BMW Motorsport
decided to move from grand tourer
s to Le Mans prototype
s, open cockpit racing cars built specifically for racing and requiring no road legality regulations. During the 1997 decline of McLaren, BMW Motorsport announced a deal with WilliamsF1
, at the time Formula One
constructors champions, which would see Williams constructing the car's chassis and develop its aerodynamics for the 24 Hours of Le Mans
. At the same time, BMW Motorsport turned to Schnitzer Motorsport
, a long time BMW racing team, to be the factory team running the car, now dubbed the V12 LM.
The V12 LMs would use the same S70
V12 as the McLaren F1s, although it would be run in its 5990cc configuration. The chassis incorporated an early use of a raised foot box as well as a front diffuser for better aerodynamics and safety.
test day in May, the two V12 LM chassis set times which were not favorable, their best lap placing them 11th behind factory entries from Porsche
, Toyota, Nissan, and Mercedes-Benz
, all of which were running grand tourer
-style cars instead of the theoretically faster Le Mans prototype
s. By time qualifying for the race came around in June, the BMWs had improved to 6th fastest in qualifying, placing behind two Porsches, two Mercedes, and a Toyota.
Unfortunately, during the race both cars suffered quickly. Vibrations were detected in the drivetrains while at speed. In order to not risk catastrophic failure of the car at speed, the team quickly retired both cars from the event after they had only covered 43 laps for car #2 and 60 laps for car #1.
Following the teams dismal results at Le Mans, further testing found that the aerodynamics and cooling of the car were poorly planned, and that the car could only perform best if ambient temperatures were at ideal conditions. The team originally planned to enter the 1998 Petit Le Mans
, but later declined. It was therefore decided that the two V12 LMs would be abandoned and that BMW, Williams, and Schnitzer would start anew in 1999 with the V12 LMR. The two V12 LM chassis were therefore sold off to privateers, with chassis 001/98 going to Thomas Bscher
while chassis 002/98 was sold to Team Goh of Japan.
forming Price+Bscher Racing to concentrate on the new American Le Mans Series
as well as the 24 Hours of Le Mans
. In the ALMS, the car would take only two points scoring finishes, leaving it 13th in the points standings. While at Le Mans, the car would wind up taking 5th place overall, only 20 laps behind the V12 LMR which won. The car would make one final appearance at an FIA Sportscar Championship
event at the Nürburgring
, finishing 4th place overall.
Team Goh on the other hand decided to concentrate solely on Le Mans, with the car failing to finish due to gearbox problems. The car made one final appearance at the Fuji 1000km
where it took 3rd place overall, 6 laps behind a winning Nissan.
, in which the V12 LM would be heavily modified in order to correct its aerodynamic instabilities and cooling problems. The entire front end would be redesigned to relocate the cooling intakes, while vents were added to the side bodywork to assist in cooling. Unfortunately, the car was never campaigned and no other team chose to buy the chassis.
For Price+Bscher, David Price Racing reached an agreement to campaign for Panoz
Motorsports of the United States, leaving Thomas Bscher to campaign his lone V12 LM. With losing his assistance from David Price Racing, Bscher was able to run the car at Le Mans, where the car failed to finish due to gearbox damage from an accident, and at the Nurburgring SRWC round in September. Following this, Bscher would retire the car, ending the racing career of the V12 LM.
Sports car racing
Sports car racing is a form of circuit auto racing with automobiles that have two seats and enclosed wheels. They may be purpose-built or related to road-going sports cars....
in 1998. The car was built using a combination of WilliamsF1
WilliamsF1
Williams Grand Prix Engineering Limited, trading as AT&T Williams, is a British Formula One motor racing team and constructor. It was founded and run by Sir Frank Williams and Patrick Head...
engineering and construction and a BMW
BMW
Bayerische Motoren Werke AG is a German automobile, motorcycle and engine manufacturing company founded in 1916. It also owns and produces the Mini marque, and is the parent company of Rolls-Royce Motor Cars. BMW produces motorcycles under BMW Motorrad and Husqvarna brands...
powerplant. The car was a predecessor to the BMW V12 LMR which debuted in 1999.
Development
In 1995 McLaren Cars entered into sports car racing using their McLaren F1 GTRMcLaren F1 GTR
The McLaren F1 GTR was a racing variant of the McLaren F1 sports car first produced in 1995 for grand touring style racing, such as the BPR Global GT Series, FIA GT Championship, JGTC, and British GT Championship. It is most famous for its overall victory at the 1995 24 Hours of Le Mans where it...
in grand touring series like the BPR Global GT Series
BPR Global GT Series
The BPR Global GT Series was a grand tourer-based sports car racing series which ran from 1994 to 1996 before becoming the FIA GT Championship in 1997...
as well as the 24 Hours of Le Mans
24 Hours of Le Mans
The 24 Hours of Le Mans is the world's oldest sports car race in endurance racing, held annually since near the town of Le Mans, France. Commonly known as the Grand Prix of Endurance and Efficiency, race teams have to balance speed against the cars' ability to run for 24 hours without sustaining...
. The McLaren F1s were powered by a S70
BMW M70
The BMW M70 is a V12 piston engine and featured heavily in the 7-Series and 8-Series BMWs of the late 80s and early 1990s. Models included:*1988–1994 BMW 750i*1988–1994 BMW 750iL*1991–1993 BMW 850i*1993–1995 BMW 850Ci*1994–1996 BMW 850Csi...
V12, leading to McLaren and BMW
BMW
Bayerische Motoren Werke AG is a German automobile, motorcycle and engine manufacturing company founded in 1916. It also owns and produces the Mini marque, and is the parent company of Rolls-Royce Motor Cars. BMW produces motorcycles under BMW Motorrad and Husqvarna brands...
signing an agreement to both develop their racing teams with the assistance of BMW Motorsport
BMW Motorsport
BMW Motorsport is the division of BMW responsible for motorsport-related activities, including works-run competition programmes in touring car racing, sportscar racing and Formula One.-See also:* BMW M* BMW in motorsport* BMW Sauber* Schnitzer Motorsport...
. This combination was successful in winning the 1995 24 Hours of Le Mans
1995 24 Hours of Le Mans
The 1995 24 Hours of Le Mans was the 63rd Grand Prix of Endurance, and took place on June 17 and 18 1995.-Race:The 1995 race was won by a McLaren F1 GTR entered in the GT1 category. The car was already well known for dominating the BPR Global GT Series with customer teams, but the car that won was...
. However, by 1997 the F1 GTRs were no longer competitive against newer breeds of specially homologated
Homologation
Homologation is a technical term, derived from the Greek homologeo for "to agree", which is generally used in English to signify the granting of approval by an official authority...
supercars from Mercedes-Benz
Mercedes-Benz
Mercedes-Benz is a German manufacturer of automobiles, buses, coaches, and trucks. Mercedes-Benz is a division of its parent company, Daimler AG...
and Porsche
Porsche
Porsche Automobil Holding SE, usually shortened to Porsche SE a Societas Europaea or European Public Company, is a German based holding company with investments in the automotive industry....
. Due to their declining performance, McLaren pulled out of GT racing at the end of 1997.
Unwilling to give up so quickly, BMW Motorsport
BMW Motorsport
BMW Motorsport is the division of BMW responsible for motorsport-related activities, including works-run competition programmes in touring car racing, sportscar racing and Formula One.-See also:* BMW M* BMW in motorsport* BMW Sauber* Schnitzer Motorsport...
decided to move from grand tourer
Grand tourer
A grand tourer is a high-performance luxury automobile designed for long-distance driving. The most common format is a two-door coupé with either a two-seat or a 2+2 arrangement....
s to Le Mans prototype
Le Mans Prototype
A Le Mans Prototype is a type of sports prototype race car most notably used in the 24 Hours of Le Mans, American Le Mans Series and Le Mans Series...
s, open cockpit racing cars built specifically for racing and requiring no road legality regulations. During the 1997 decline of McLaren, BMW Motorsport announced a deal with WilliamsF1
WilliamsF1
Williams Grand Prix Engineering Limited, trading as AT&T Williams, is a British Formula One motor racing team and constructor. It was founded and run by Sir Frank Williams and Patrick Head...
, at the time Formula One
Formula One
Formula One, also known as Formula 1 or F1 and referred to officially as the FIA Formula One World Championship, is the highest class of single seater auto racing sanctioned by the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile . The "formula" designation in the name refers to a set of rules with which...
constructors champions, which would see Williams constructing the car's chassis and develop its aerodynamics for the 24 Hours of Le Mans
24 Hours of Le Mans
The 24 Hours of Le Mans is the world's oldest sports car race in endurance racing, held annually since near the town of Le Mans, France. Commonly known as the Grand Prix of Endurance and Efficiency, race teams have to balance speed against the cars' ability to run for 24 hours without sustaining...
. At the same time, BMW Motorsport turned to Schnitzer Motorsport
Schnitzer Motorsport
Schnitzer Motorsport is a motorsport team based in Freilassing near Munich, Germany. From the early days of its establishment, the team has operated an automobile racing squad for BMW, and has remarkable results in touring car and sports car racing scenes....
, a long time BMW racing team, to be the factory team running the car, now dubbed the V12 LM.
The V12 LMs would use the same S70
BMW M70
The BMW M70 is a V12 piston engine and featured heavily in the 7-Series and 8-Series BMWs of the late 80s and early 1990s. Models included:*1988–1994 BMW 750i*1988–1994 BMW 750iL*1991–1993 BMW 850i*1993–1995 BMW 850Ci*1994–1996 BMW 850Csi...
V12 as the McLaren F1s, although it would be run in its 5990cc configuration. The chassis incorporated an early use of a raised foot box as well as a front diffuser for better aerodynamics and safety.
1998
Debuting at the 1998 24 Hours of Le Mans1998 24 Hours of Le Mans
The 1998 24 Hours of Le Mans was the 66th Grand Prix of Endurance, and took place on June 6 and 7 1998.-Race:1998 saw a significant increase in manufacturer involvement. Porsche and Mercedes-Benz remained, with upgraded cars in both GT1 and LMP. Toyota sent three of their new, extremely fast...
test day in May, the two V12 LM chassis set times which were not favorable, their best lap placing them 11th behind factory entries from Porsche
Porsche
Porsche Automobil Holding SE, usually shortened to Porsche SE a Societas Europaea or European Public Company, is a German based holding company with investments in the automotive industry....
, Toyota, Nissan, and Mercedes-Benz
Mercedes-Benz
Mercedes-Benz is a German manufacturer of automobiles, buses, coaches, and trucks. Mercedes-Benz is a division of its parent company, Daimler AG...
, all of which were running grand tourer
Grand tourer
A grand tourer is a high-performance luxury automobile designed for long-distance driving. The most common format is a two-door coupé with either a two-seat or a 2+2 arrangement....
-style cars instead of the theoretically faster Le Mans prototype
Le Mans Prototype
A Le Mans Prototype is a type of sports prototype race car most notably used in the 24 Hours of Le Mans, American Le Mans Series and Le Mans Series...
s. By time qualifying for the race came around in June, the BMWs had improved to 6th fastest in qualifying, placing behind two Porsches, two Mercedes, and a Toyota.
Unfortunately, during the race both cars suffered quickly. Vibrations were detected in the drivetrains while at speed. In order to not risk catastrophic failure of the car at speed, the team quickly retired both cars from the event after they had only covered 43 laps for car #2 and 60 laps for car #1.
Following the teams dismal results at Le Mans, further testing found that the aerodynamics and cooling of the car were poorly planned, and that the car could only perform best if ambient temperatures were at ideal conditions. The team originally planned to enter the 1998 Petit Le Mans
1998 Petit Le Mans
The 1998 Petit Le Mans was the seventh race for the 1998 IMSA GT Championship season, then known as the Professional SportsCar Racing series. It was also the first race of Don Panoz's American Le Mans Series developed with the backing of the Automobile Club de l'Ouest , the ruling body of the 24...
, but later declined. It was therefore decided that the two V12 LMs would be abandoned and that BMW, Williams, and Schnitzer would start anew in 1999 with the V12 LMR. The two V12 LM chassis were therefore sold off to privateers, with chassis 001/98 going to Thomas Bscher
Thomas Bscher
-External Links:*...
while chassis 002/98 was sold to Team Goh of Japan.
1999
With BMW moving onto the all new V12 LMR, only the two privateer teams were left to campaign the rejected V12 LM. Thomas Bscher aligned with David Price RacingDavid Price Racing
David Price Racing is a British motor racing team, founded by David Price. They have competed in various forms of motorsport since their foundation in 1976...
forming Price+Bscher Racing to concentrate on the new American Le Mans Series
American Le Mans Series
The American Le Mans Series presented by Tequila Patrón is a sports car racing series based in the United States and Canada. It consists of a series of endurance and sprint races, and was created in the spirit of the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Teams compete in one of five classes: LMP1, LMP2 and LMPC...
as well as the 24 Hours of Le Mans
24 Hours of Le Mans
The 24 Hours of Le Mans is the world's oldest sports car race in endurance racing, held annually since near the town of Le Mans, France. Commonly known as the Grand Prix of Endurance and Efficiency, race teams have to balance speed against the cars' ability to run for 24 hours without sustaining...
. In the ALMS, the car would take only two points scoring finishes, leaving it 13th in the points standings. While at Le Mans, the car would wind up taking 5th place overall, only 20 laps behind the V12 LMR which won. The car would make one final appearance at an FIA Sportscar Championship
FIA Sportscar Championship
The FIA Sportscar Championship was a sports car racing series created by John Mangoletsi and was eventually taken control of by the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile . It was a series similar to the FIA GT Championship, concentrating on two classes of open-cockpit sports prototypes in...
event at the Nürburgring
Nürburgring
The Nürburgring is a motorsport complex around the village of Nürburg, Germany. It features a modern Grand Prix race track built in 1984, and a much longer old North loop track which was built in the 1920s around the village and medieval castle of Nürburg in the Eifel mountains. It is located about...
, finishing 4th place overall.
Team Goh on the other hand decided to concentrate solely on Le Mans, with the car failing to finish due to gearbox problems. The car made one final appearance at the Fuji 1000km
1999 Le Mans Fuji 1000km
The 1999 Le Mans Fuji 1000 km was an endurance race backed by the Automobile Club de l'Ouest , who ran the 24 Hours of Le Mans, and the Japan Automobile Federation , who ran the JGTC race series...
where it took 3rd place overall, 6 laps behind a winning Nissan.
2000
For 2000, Team Goh announced a partnership with Japanese constructor DomeDome (constructor)
, literally "child's dream", is a Japanese-based racing car constructor, involved mainly in open wheel and sports car racing.-Background:In 1965 Minoru Hayashi built his first racing car, a rebodied Honda S600 coupe. Belonging to Tojiro Ukiya, it was called the "Karasu" , due to its shape...
, in which the V12 LM would be heavily modified in order to correct its aerodynamic instabilities and cooling problems. The entire front end would be redesigned to relocate the cooling intakes, while vents were added to the side bodywork to assist in cooling. Unfortunately, the car was never campaigned and no other team chose to buy the chassis.
For Price+Bscher, David Price Racing reached an agreement to campaign for Panoz
Panoz
Panoz Auto Development is an American manufacturer of high-performance automobiles founded in 1989 by Dan Panoz, son of pharmaceutical and motorsport mogul Don Panoz. The company is located in Braselton, GA. Panoz products have included the Panoz Roadster and AIV Roadster, and the Panoz Esperante...
Motorsports of the United States, leaving Thomas Bscher to campaign his lone V12 LM. With losing his assistance from David Price Racing, Bscher was able to run the car at Le Mans, where the car failed to finish due to gearbox damage from an accident, and at the Nurburgring SRWC round in September. Following this, Bscher would retire the car, ending the racing career of the V12 LM.