BMW sets course for a successful Customer Racing future – New entry-level model based on the BMW M2 for grassroots and club racing.

Munich. Next year is set to be a good year for private BMW drivers and teams who battle for race wins and titles around the world. BMW is offering customers with a passion for grassroots motorsport and club racing a global service and technical support. Furthermore, the model range is being successively renewed. Leading the way in 2020 is a new entry-level race car, based on the BMW M2 Competition (combined fuel consumption in l/100 km: 10.0–9.8; combined CO₂ emissions in g/km: 227–224), which is equally suited to racing at club and professional levels.

The successor to the BMW M240i Racing, is currently being developed and tested. The focus is on easy handling – with the highest technical quality and maximum safety. The first cars are to be delivered at the start of the second quarter of 2020. A maiden test under race conditions is planned for round five of the VLN Endurance Championship at the Nürburgring (GER) on 3^rd August 2019.

The BMW M2 Competition is setting fresh benchmarks in the compact high-performance sports car segment. It’s powered by a six-cylinder in-line engine with M TwinPower Turbo Technology, based on the power unit from the BMW M3/M4, with three-litre cubic capacity, delivering 410 bhp with a peak torque of 550 Nm. Creating a race version of this model was a logical step.

Furthermore, the Customer Racing service concept is to be expanded by building and developing competence centres in the USA and Asia. To achieve this, experienced partners will be commissioned to support teams at a local level with a high degree of motorsport expertise.

On the distribution and service side, dealers with a focus on motorsport will be established around the world. They will offer optimal customer care, in line with BMW’s high standards, thanks to special training. This new area offers the ideal entry opportunity for BMW drivers who have, for example, fallen in love with motor racing whilst on BMW Driving Experience training courses.

“Our new offering will allow us to bring motorsport even closer to our customers in the future,” said Markus Flasch, President of BMW M GmbH. “With the new entry-level model, based on our BMW M2 Competition, we are showing a strong commitment to Customer Racing in general. At the same time, we are also starting to establish the BMW M club racing sector. Future BMW M special editions will be particularly relevant in this regard. The presence on the club racing scene sees us close the gap between our motorsport training courses within the BMW Driving Experience and grassroots racing series. With our dealers focussing on motorsport, which we plan to establish around the world, and the additional competence centres, we want to offer the best possible service and a professional supply of spare parts outside of Europe, as well as efficient customer care on a local level – regardless of whether the customer in question is an entry-level driver or a professional.”

BMW Group Motorsport Director Jens Marquardt added: “It is fantastic to be able to take BMW’s Customer Racing programme to the next level with the new club racing sector, as well as the associated setting up of global service and distribution structures. Customer racing at BMW has arguably never been as diverse as it will be from next season. With the new entry-level model – the successor to the BMW M240i Racing – we are, on the one hand, offering our grass-roots customers continuity. On the other hand, we are also addressing a new target group with the club level variant.”