2010 BMW M3 GT4  - Chassis number 23 of 26 - Period history...

Estimate

£50,000 - £60,000

2010 BMW M3 GT4 

- Chassis number 23 of 26
- Period history in the Brazilian GT4 championship
- Raced extensively in the UK
- c.three hours on refreshed engine

Launched at the 2009 Nürburgring 24 Hour race (homologated for the FIA GT4 class), the newly lightened and sharpened M3 GT4 made its debut in German endurance racing from May of the same year. The chassis were sold by BMW to customers for various racing championships worldwide - the body being prepared at BMW’s Regensburg plant, complete with FIA-spec roll cage, then transported to Munich for final assembly alongside other BMW Motorsport projects such as the GT2 ALMS and E90 WTCC touring cars.

The high-revving 414bhp 4.0-litre V8 of the road-going M3 remained (breathing through an Akrapovič titanium racing exhaust), but thanks to a stripped out cabin, racing suspension and lighter (yet stronger) components throughout, this racing homologation special shed 380 kilos. The chassis were fitted with carbon fibre doors featuring Makrolon rear and side windows, a new braking system with race-optimised ABS and AP Racing 6- and 4-pot calipers. Suspension was upgraded to Öhlins on each corner, BBS wheels were standard. Power was transferred to a new differential with a 4.10:1 final drive through a single-mass flywheel, OEM 6-speed gearbox and 3-Disc sintered clutch. The driver sat behind a quick release Sparco steering wheel in a Recaro racing seat with the HANS system and Schroth belts. Additional features included a laptimer display, Firesense extinguisher system and a 100l ATL safety fuel tank. 

Nimbler, more potent and much rarer than the standard road car, the new GT4 wore a list price of £120,000 at launch.

Chassis #23 was one of two purchased by BMW Team Brasil directly from BMW Motorsport in order to compete in the 2012 Brazilian GT4 championship. Sponsored by Banco de Brazil and based in Estoril, Portugal, when the season finished the cars were shipped back to Portugal, to be used only once for a sponsor’s day in Portimao. From 2015, chassis #23 was acquired directly from Team Brazil, joining a prestigious UK-based collection of road and competition cars.

Chassis #23’s first outing was at Brands Hatch in the AMOC support race for the British GT meeting. The GT4 was put on pole, leading every lap to win the race and beating several much more modern Aston GT4s in the process. The car was campaigned successfully thereafter with several wins, proving to be fast, safe and very reliable. Over the years, Chassis #23 has competed in the GT series at Masters Historic Racing, Classic Sports Car Club, Castle Combe GT, and the AMOC GT series.

In 2016/17 the car was shipped to Florida where it raced with HSR at both the Sebring 6 hours and Daytona Classic 24 hours, achieving 3rd in its plateau, and running faultlessly. The last outright win was in the Dave Allan Memorial Trophy race at Castle Combe in 2020, with the final outing being at the Silverstone Classic. Raced only once since being fully serviced by a BMW specialist, #23 has run just three hours on a recently refreshed engine. The M3 is installed with the homologated upgrades of throttle blip and 10” x 18” front wheels, also a fully operational air jack system (with gas canister). Fitted with a new FIA List 16 fire extinguisher, and complete with spare sets of wheels, this is a very rare and highly competent modern endurance competition car which will appeal to racers and collectors alike.