Analysis: BMW's M3 Touring Nürburgring 24 Race Car Is Actually Pretty Fast
The wagon finished 12th of more than 100 entrants, beating out more than a dozen actual GT3 cars that are not wagon-shaped.
BMW M3 Touring Nürburgring Racer Is Actually Fast Gruppe C Photography Yes, BMW is actually racing its GT3-like M3 Touring 24H wagon . The road to one of the coolest Nürburgring 24 entries ever may have started with an April Fool's Day prank , but it is getting serious—fast. The latest step in that process was an entry in an NLS series event that effectively serves as a qualifying race for the upcoming 24-hour spectacular.
And in great news for wagon fans everywhere, the M3 Touring beat out a good amount of actual GT3-spec equipment. Two of the drivers set to run the wagon in the N24, Americans Connor de Philippi and Neil Verhagen, were busy running a more conventional M4 GT3 in the 12 Hours of Sebring on Saturday. That meant Jens Klingmann and Ugo de Wilde, the other two drivers set to run the car at the 'Ring, took over driving duties for the NLS race.
Just as it will be for the 24-hour race, the wagon was entered in the fairly open SPX class. Julian Kroehl In qualifying, an impressive lap of 7:58. 943 over the combined Nordschleife and GP Strecke courses slotted the wagon first in SPX, and 14th overall on the starting grid.
That meant it beat out more than 15 actual GT3 cars, including a handful entered in the all-professional SP9 Pro class. That performance carried over to the race, where a best lap of 8:01. 723 put it just four seconds behind the best lap of the race-winning M4 GT3 Evo.