Unknown with races, but newly familiar with the M2 race that has just been published? You are probably wondering why BMW packed the B48-Inline Four with the racing car in contrast to 3.0-liter six from the street M cars. After all, M stands for motorsport, isn’t it? The B48 four-cylinder does not even appear in full M cars. As it turns out, BMW has perfectly valid and almost smart reasons to stay away from the S58 six-cylinder that we know and love.
Why the M2 race uses a four-cylinder engine
So what gives? Why should BMW M – supposedly the Motorsport Division uses a less exotic and probably less powerful engine for a full-grown racing car? The main reason is certainly the costs. The B48 is easier and easier to replace and repair compared to the S58. The territory comes to break during the race. According to the BMW, the M2 race combines “simple operational ability with low operating costs”, and a large part of it depends on its decision to use the B48. The B48 is also lighter than the S58; And if you are familiar with the race or generally go quickly, you will probably have to read everything. The lighter engine also enables BMW to maintain its claim that the M2 racing was optimized for “performance, drivability, tire wear and mileage”. Remember, partly thanks to the engine selection from BMW, the M2 racing racing types the scale to only 1,498 kg (£ 3,300). That is around 226 kg less than the tram.
The decision for the 2.0-liter engine also offers BMW Racing fans more options. Remember to race events such as the 24H series and the Dutch Supercar Challenge limit the cars based on engine shift and/or aspiration. The M4 GT4/GT4 EVO is already based on a 3.0-liter mill. By bringing a new racing car onto the market with a lower displacement engine, customers can now drive in series that would otherwise have been completed a BMW racing car. This – combined with the lower price and reduced running costs – means that BMW can sell more racing cars. It also means that more customers have the opportunity to drive. Talk about a win-win situation.
What would BMW have won with the S58?
The B48 also makes a lot of sense when you realize that exchanging in the S58 little is obtained for every racing application. The S58 weighs more and the performance is generally restricted in every class. In general, the M4 GT4 already achieves everything that an M2 race would have done with the S58. The M2 race is positioned as a base factory racing car. And the B48 was the perfect engine selection for this application.
