BMW Team RLL Reveals 100th Anniversary Livery for the BMW M6 GTLM Race Cars at the 54th Rolex 24 At Daytona.

Woodcliff Lake, N.J. – January 27, 2016… BMW Team RLL today revealed two commemorative 100th anniversary liveries for the new BMW M6 GTLM race cars competing in the 2016 WeatherTech SportsCar Championship. To mark its centenary, one of the M6 machines will race with the number 25 in honor of BMW 3.0 CSL’s first season racing in the US in 1975 and will sport a livery that celebrates the history of BMW in motorsport. The second M6 machine will race with the number 100 and will be wrapped in a livery design that looks to the future.

Both designs are centered on a newly developed signet (or icon) developed by the BMW Group for 100th anniversary communications. Throughout its history, BMW has always been a company focused on the future and therefore it is not surprising that the theme for the centenary of the brand is: “The Next 100 Years”. The BMW Group will celebrate its rich history and promising future throughout the year officially starting with the Centenary Event in Munich, Germany on March 7th.

On the No. 25 car, each of the four segments of the signet depict images of a historically significant race car. The four cars were chosen in part due to their race success as well as their influence on future race or production cars within the BMW brand. The first car chosen was the famous No. 25 3.0 CSL that gave BMW its first major US race win at the 12 Hours of Sebring in 1975. The second is an image of the BMW M1 from 1980 and 1981. In addition to a successful racing history, the M1 is significant as the first BMW M car. The third is an image of the successful V12 LMR that won Le Mans and Sebring in 1999. The V12 LMR was without a doubt one of the most advanced sport prototype race cars of its day and contains technology that is still advanced today. Finally, the fourth car depicted is the M3 GT from the 2011-12 season that won all possible ALMS class championship titles in 2011.

BMW explained that the No. 100 car on the other hand has a livery design that looks to the future. Beyond its distinctive design, BMW said that the lattice work element has a significance that will become clear later this year. The execution of the lattice work design is done with a new type of 3D effect, reflective vinyl applied to the white body that will be very visible under the lights at the Rolex 24 At Daytona this weekend. Both cars will carry the commemorative liveries throughout the 2016 WeatherTech SportsCar Championship starting with the 54th Rolex 24 At Daytona.

The Rolex 24 takes the green flag at 2:40 p.m. Saturday, January 30 with the first two hour hours of coverage on FOX Sports 1 beginning at 2 p.m. ET. Coverage shifts to FOX Sports 2 from 4 to 10 p.m. ET. FOX Sports 1 will pick up the broadcast from 7 - 9 a.m. ET and then finish with three hours of coverage beginning at 12 p.m. ET Follow BMW Team RLL on Twitter at @BMWUSARacing for “from-the-pit-box” updates all weekend.

BMW Group In America

BMW of North America, LLC has been present in the United States since 1975. Rolls-Royce Motor Cars NA, LLC began distributing vehicles in 2003.  The BMW Group in the United States has grown to include marketing, sales, and financial service organizations for the BMW brand of motor vehicles, including motorcycles, the MINI brand, and the Rolls-Royce brand of Motor Cars; DesignworksUSA, a strategic design consultancy in California; a technology office in Silicon Valley and various other operations throughout the country. BMW Manufacturing Co., LLC in South Carolina is part of BMW Group’s global manufacturing network and is the exclusive manufacturing plant for all X5 and X3 Sports Activity Vehicles and X6 and X4 Sports Activity Coupes.  The BMW Group sales organization is represented in the U.S. through networks of 340 BMW passenger car and BMW Sports Activity Vehicle centers, 153 BMW motorcycle retailers, 124 MINI passenger car dealers, and 36 Rolls-Royce Motor Car dealers.  BMW (US) Holding Corp., the BMW Group’s sales headquarters for North America, is located in Woodcliff Lake, New Jersey.

The BMW Group

With its three brands, BMW, MINI and Rolls-Royce, the BMW Group is the world’s leading premium manufacturer of automobiles and motorcycles and also provides premium financial and mobility services.  As a global company, the BMW Group operates 30 production and assembly facilities in 14 countries and has a global sales network in more than 140 countries.

In 2014, the BMW Group sold approximately 2.118 million cars and 123,000 motorcycles worldwide. The profit before tax for the financial year 2013 was euro 7.91 billion on revenues amounting to approximately euro 76.06 billion. As of 31 December 2013, the BMW Group had a workforce of 110,351 employees.

The success of the BMW Group has always been built on long-term thinking and responsible action. The company has therefore established ecological and social sustainability throughout the value chain, comprehensive product responsibility and a clear commitment to conserving resources as an integral part of its strategy.

Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing

BMW’s partner, Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing, based in Hilliard, Ohio and co-owned by three-time IndyCar Champion and 1986 Indianapolis 500 winner Bobby Rahal, former CBS Late Show host David Letterman and Mi-Jack co-owner Mike Lanigan, has been competing for over two decades. Prior to the start of their 25th season of competition in 2016, the team has compiled 37 victories, 49 poles, 144 podium finishes, three series championships (1992, 2010, 2011) and claimed an Indianapolis 500 victory (Buddy Rice in 2004). In 2009 the team joined BMW of North America to campaign the new BMW M3 in the American Le Mans Series. The following year the team won both the Manufacturer and Team Championships in the GT category and swept all three GT titles - Manufacturer, Team and Driver – in 2011. In 2012 the team finished second in the Team Championship and third in the Manufacturer Championship and in 2013, the team finished second in the Driver, Team and Manufacturer Championship. The 2014 season brought a new challenge with the creation of the TUDOR United SportsCar Championship and the team finished on the podium six times including four second-place finishes. In 2015, the team earned three wins, two poles and a total of eight podium finishes to finish second in the Manufacturer, Team and Driver championships. Prior to the start of the 2016 season BMW Team RLL had won 13 races, 20 poles and 57 podium finishes.

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Journalist note: Information about BMW Group and its products in the USA is available to journalists on-line at www.bmwgroupusanews.com and www.press.bmwna.com.

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