BMW factory driver Jens Klingmann is thrilled to be assigned to race a station wagon in this weekend's Nürburgring 24. As one of four pilots in the GT3-like M3 Touring 24H, he is entered in a unique car that might actually be fast enough to fight some of the race's actual GT3 cars head-to-head on pace. It may mean that an overall win is unlikely, but Klingmann is more than just content to get his shot to race in a wagon.
"It's very special," Klingmann tells Road & Track, "it's very, very special. This car is very unique; it hasn't happened for many years, and I think it's not going to happen in the near future. This car will go down in BMW history; I'm very fortunate that I'm able to drive this car." The five-door BMW, which actually has non-opening carbon door panels over its rear doors and rear liftgate, is an M3 Touring turned into a race car, rather than an M4 GT3 turned into a wagon.
This is an important distinction because it means this car actually started life as a road-going wagon chassis before being pulled off the assembly line and crafted with M4 GT3 components. It also means that, thanks to an identical wheelbase and only minimal extra bodywork on the back, Klingmann has effectively been able to drive it like the usual M4 GT3. The pace has been there, but not quite up to par with the best its two-door relatives can do. Klingmann says that this is the result of extra rear wing drag, meant to accommodate the lost downforce from the longer roof.
Without any extra power from the usual M4 GT3 powertrain to compensate, that means a slightly lower top speed—and crucial time lost in a race where passing traffic on long straights is essential to lap time. That makes an upset win unlikely, but Klingmann still has hope for a solid result. He says that "the message [of the car] is spread," so he "told everyone that no matter what happens now [he thinks BMW] already won as a brand." "I think we're not aiming to ultimately win the race," he adds, "but I think we want to ... from my personal perspective as a race driver, you want to perform. Once the engine's running and the door is closed, you want to achieve the maximum outcome."
That could be a top ten finish overall, or maybe a top five if things break right. A class win in SPX is even possible, although classes in this overstuffed race are slightly less differentiated than they are in IMSA or ACO-style endurance racing. It would be an impressive result for a car that literally started as a joke, but no matter how the race goes, people will be watching. "The good thing is that even drivers from other brands," Klingmann says, "they text me and say 'hey what you guys are doing is fantastic, I'm cheering for you. If you could have a top result, we would actually be super-happy for you.' I think that's ultimately the message of the car: we do it for the fans, for the community. As it turns out, everyone is a little bit of an M3 Touring 24H fan, even if they're a Merc fan, a Porsche, whatever ... that's what makes it so special to drive."
That very special car will eventually end up in the hands of an unnamed collector, who will take delivery in December. The transaction should spell the end of the M3 Touring 24H's racing career, but it may not be the end of its public appearances. Klingmann claims that the agreement still includes opportunities for BMW to show the car on track, potentially even at events like the Goodwood Festival of Speed. For the rest of us, a scale model is probably the closest we will ever get to owning a five-door M3 race car. Klingmann notes that he plans to buy a 1:18 model of the car when the race is over if one is offered, as "something that could carry on living in my house for a very long time."
Source: roadandtrack.com
