GTE Speculation

[Rodger Davies]

urg, what's the point; if they're going to allow all comers, and it seems they are, why not just adopt GT3 regs and have done with it. I started off in blatant opposition to that point, but when Grand-Am are running one set of rules, GT3 another and GTE yet another still, it makes this whole thing rather silly. It's just costing the manufacturers to have to come up with changes.

For what it's worth though, would love to see the Z4 at Le Mans, but I was hoping they'd have to make a hardcore, wide-bodied roadgoing version first.

[joeb]

If the engine is really the biggest impediment to making a GTE version I'm sure we will see it happen. Judging by the Viper compromise earlier this year, engine rules are nearly a technicality in GTE

[alexkiller8]

speaking about aero changes, i think that the car will keep the same width (more than 2m). Will be required a different splitter and a total new rear section with a ductless diffuser that will make lose a lot of aero efficency. Because of different rear section, surely the car will have side exhausts. Surely will be used a more "conventional" shorter and less wide rear wing and the car will have a ride height higher than usual 5-6/8 cm. About engine, the most logical decision will be to use the m3 GT2N s65 with a waiver.

[Alba]

Danny Depoortere ‏@DannyDepoortere
.@Mclaren_GT in GTE from 2013. 10 cars will be built ! #FIAWEC #LM24

[Simmi]

Originally Posted by Alba

Danny Depoortere ‏@DannyDepoortere
.@Mclaren_GT in GTE from 2013. 10 cars will be built ! #FIAWEC #LM24

Second time I've heard this. Brilliant news if true! I wonder who would want one? Would be great to see the likes of Hexis step up for a crack at the WEC/Le Mans.

[FordCosworthPanoz]

I could see United Autosports wanting one or two, perhaps one Pro and one Am.

[GTKers]

some of them will for sure be on the GT Open 2013!

[Simmi]

Originally Posted by FordCosworthPanoz

I could see United Autosports wanting one or two, perhaps one Pro and one Am.

McLaren would have to flutter their eyelashes a bit to get am AM version pushed through. Don't think ACO/FIA would allow it. Agree on United Autosports though. Zak Brown was in the Group C race this year and has basically said it's just a matter of time until they go.

[Rodger Davies]

hey Ford, remember that unless Am rules change they'd both have to be Pro in Year 1

[FordCosworthPanoz]

Originally Posted by Rodger Davies

hey Ford, remember that unless Am rules change they'd both have to be Pro in Year 1

Good point, sorry forgot. Should probably expect to sell less of those cars in year 1 then.

[FstrthnU]

Two big questions for me:

1. How will the BoP affect the turbocharged engine of the MP4-12c? They don't have any naturally aspirated engines to swap it with and taking off the turbos would make it severely underpowered, so I guess they have to run the stock engine w/ restrictors.

2. Surely, not all 10 cars will be in the WEC? Maybe at least one team is hoping to run it in the ALMS or even Asian Le Mans Series (doubt ELMS at this point)?

[broadrun96]

How close are the GT3 cars to what they would try to run in GTE? Could be a good chance to run the car in preparation for a GTE season and work with the ALMS/ACO at Petit, if they could work something out to run unclassified as a test-bed as the ALMS seems more than willing to try.

[alexkiller8]

Originally Posted by FstrthnU

Two big questions for me:

1. How will the BoP affect the turbocharged engine of the MP4-12c? They don't have any naturally aspirated engines to swap it with and taking off the turbos would make it severely underpowered, so I guess they have to run the stock engine w/ restrictors.

i guess that the only solutions for them is to
1. destroke the engine to have a regoulamentar dispalcement, keeping the turbo (a turbo engine is not the best in endurance)
2. remove the turbo and totally rework the engine

Originally Posted by broadrun96

How close are the GT3 cars to what they would try to run in GTE? Could be a good chance to run the car in preparation for a GTE season and work with the ALMS/ACO at Petit, if they could work something out to run unclassified as a test-bed as the ALMS seems more than willing to try.

well if you see BES silverstone race qualifying, you will notice that almost all z4 pro ran really faster than 2011 GTE cars... when you talk about GT3 you must to associate the car to the bop used!
Parradoxly GT3 cars have some aero devices more developed of GTE cars... it's all about the will of the manufacter/tuner! if the manufacter wants to turn a GT3 car in a GTE, it begins with a really good starting car but a lot of work will be required to make the car competitive in GTE.

[Articus]

Originally Posted by Alba

Danny Depoortere ‏@DannyDepoortere
.@Mclaren_GT in GTE from 2013. 10 cars will be built ! #FIAWEC #LM24

Splended news for the GTE class.

In addition to comment about the BMW situation. It is highly likely that BMW will go to great lengths to make that Z4 homologated outside of building an all-new car. The problem being that BMw has some serious unfinished business at Le Mans. If you were around for the 2011 edition of Le Mans that was their year. They had won three straightn ALMS races. They told themselves that they were going to win the race. They had the pace and also reliablity. BMW had spent a lot of time preparing(had they done well we would have seen a "truth in 24" like film) as the Germans are known for. They however suffered from several Dunlop tyre failures/punctures. It left a bitter taste in short. So I expect to see them back with the Z4.

[alexkiller8]

10 cars will be built... i don't know how much wise is this choice. Only ferrari/michelotto could produce and sell a lot of 458 GT already during the first year of production for the simple reason that they had already a lot of affectionate customers who were happy to switch their old 430 GTC for the new 458 GT! but just think: how many 997 GT3RSR 2012 have been produced? as far i know there aren't more than 6 (the FL #44 and #45, the falken #17, the felb #77, the manthey 997 in gt-open and the imsa 997) only 6 meanwhile the strong presence of teams that use a 997 GT3RSR (useless to talk abou AMR and bmw that don't have a private customer program, the same about corvette because larbre car are old c6r that P&M doesnt' use anymore).
The same can't be said for mclaren, be realistic, how many teams are really happy of actual mp4-12c gt3 performances and reliability?... so is hard to start a customer GTE program with these premises. The only realistic thing is that the mclaren GTE will be a simple conversion of the GT3 car so mclaren won't spend a lot of money to produce these 10 cars.

[The Badger]

There is a very big reason why there isnt more 997 being built , its beyond its sell by date to be honest , while the 458 is virtualy a new car .

Only Ferrari/Michelotto could produce 10 cars & sell them in a year ? Utter crap !!!

[Speed-King]

I think even this year, Porsche built 12 new RSRs.

Keep in mind that not all of these 10 cars will race on a regular basis. Some might go to collectors, others be used as spares or run in lower level series...

[alexkiller8]

disagree, if they want to build 10 cars at once, surely they have already found teams intersted in buying in! i can't image that a little company like mclaren automotive could spend a lot of money in making those cars without be certain of sell them.
About ferrari/michelotto, according racingsportcars the newest chassis built is the F142GT2848 (the #71 of af corse), analizying the code of the other chassis, is clear that the last two numbers show the progressive unit built; because of this maybe there won't be 48 cars built between late 2010 and early 2012 but surely more than 40 yes.
PS. is clear that the latest 458 GTE built (af corse self made) is the one used by #51 in le mans race.

[ep16]

Surprisingly, since 2008 Aston/Prodrive have actualy entered 11 different V8 Vantage GT2/E chassis in races including the development chassis used by JWA in 08, Hexis in 09 and Young Driver in 2011. I'm not sure if there are any chassis that have never been used in a race though?

Only one chassis has been designated as a GTE chassis, however, I believe the older chassis can be upgraded to GTE spec though so if a team wishes to enter a V8 Vanatge there are currrently 7 chassis lying around unused (not including the deveopment car) if they are interested. (i also used racing sports cars lol)

[Speed-King]

Hmm, just missed the part about the Z4 on MWM, can anybody fill me in on what they said about that?

[DS"]

Originally Posted by Speed-King

Hmm, just missed the part about the Z4 on MWM, can anybody fill me in on what they said about that?

They just want to have a single platform for GT racing, just like Porsche with their 911 models for GTE, GT3 or GT4.

[FstrthnU]

auto-racing.speedtv.com/article/alms-bmw-poised-for-switch-to-z4-in-2013/

[Articus]

And this also gives the M tuners at BMW a business case to build a Z4 M.

[rich07]

Sounds like some potentially good news for GT-E with McLaren stepping up finally and BMW wanting to continue with GTE despite their love affair with DTM. Cant see BMW running a Z4 in GTE without having to build a V8 powered street car, Im sure if they had to sell a certain number in one year (the number escapes me) they'd easily sell that number.

With ten cars for next year will we see existing customers upgrade their Mclarens or will we see some newcomers to the fold? We had every man and his dog wanting to buy a McLaren when they released the GT3 car but now with the program well underway the car has had a multitude of problems and hasnt dominated like I thought it would so maybe this might put a dampner on desire by collectors to buy the car. But then again the lure of McLaren return to Le Mans may be too strong..

[pedrocor]

Originally Posted by rich07

Sounds like some potentially good news for GT-E with McLaren stepping up finally and BMW wanting to continue with GTE despite their love affair with DTM. Cant see BMW running a Z4 in GTE without having to build a V8 powered street car, Im sure if they had to sell a certain number in one year (the number escapes me) they'd easily sell that number.

With ten cars for next year will we see existing customers upgrade their Mclarens or will we see some newcomers to the fold? We had every man and his dog wanting to buy a McLaren when they released the GT3 car but now with the program well underway the car has had a multitude of problems and hasnt dominated like I thought it would so maybe this might put a dampner on desire by collectors to buy the car. But then again the lure of McLaren return to Le Mans may be too strong..

As I read the article, Mr. Marquardt talks about ACO, but the intentions are more like a "regional homologation" from IMSA to allow running a Z4 V8 in ALMS without having to built 100 street units, maybe isn't so easy after all install a V8 on the Z4 frame.

As McLaren, the case could be a bit more complex. Because there are some restrictions to carbon chassis cars, 300 units/year should not be a problem, but there are some else, like suspension joints can't be assemble directly on carbon frame, etc... On other hand, there isn't BoP on GTE, it could be a good thing to McLaren.