BMW 335i race car in South Africa

[Mugen_Ferio]

A brand new BMW 335i (F30) equipped with BMW Performance parts has been unveiled as a race car for the first time in South Africa.

BMW South Africa in conjunction with ADF Motorsport will compete for the first time in the local production car championship, the Wesbank Super Series race meeting, at Killarney in Cape Town on 31 March 2012 and then at the 2012 Nurburgring 24-hour race later this year.

Weighing just over 1,360 kg (2,998 lbs) the BMW 335i race car maintains the same 3.0-liter inline six-cylinder TwinPower Turbo engine with the standard internal parts. However, all modifications, which include various BMW M Performance parts, feature a new engine management system, exhaust system and turbocharger alterations according to race regulations.

More specifically, a MoTeC engine control unit is used making the 335i the first in the world to run direct injection on a production based race car. Also, the turbo system has been dialed to run lower boost (maximum 0.7 bar) and a 40mm restrictor on the turbo inlet. Despite this restriction, the engine still produces more than 408 HP (300 kW / 402 bhp) and 600 Nm (443 lb-ft) of torque compared to the standard specs of 306 PS (225 kW / 302 hp) and 400 Nm (295 lb-ft).

Other racing enhancements include 370mm M-performance front disk brakes, 18 inch BBS wheels, Akrapovic exhaust system and a GPS data logging system.

ADF Motorsport built the 335i race car in just over six weeks at a cost of R2-million ($260,000).

I dont really understand what the big deal is about this car. The SA Production Car Championship have been around for years and years and BMW have also been racing there for years and years