BMW GTP

The BMW GTP was an IMSA GTP sports racing car built by BMW in 1986, made by BMW North America rebuilding four March 86G chassis and fitting them with a Formula One-derived BMW M12/14 turbocharged straight-four engine, here a 2-litre variant rather than the 1.5-litre capacity used in Formula One. Like the F1 cars that used the M12 engine, the cars were fragile and often retired, but when they finished a race they were usually classified in the overall top ten. For longevity in endurance races the engine usually ran at around 800 hp (597 kW), though in qualifying trim 1,400 hp was feasible, and combined with its aerodynamics, a drag coefficient of 0.21, the top speed reached 450 km/h. BMW North America decided in 1986 to enter the GTP category of the IMSA GT Championship.