BMW M10 to challenge Audi R8 and Porsche 911
The legend we had always known was that BMW and Mercedes-Benz had a gentleman's agreement in place not to go after the Porsche 911. For whatever reasons, building a proper two-seat sports car was out of the question, though both build heavier and more accomodating grand touring machines that manage to skirt around the 911's segment. Then came the Audi R8. Being stuck in third place of a three-man race has forced Audi to branch out into new segments, and the R8 is a bold statement that might make someone shopping a 911 think twice. Audi's bite of the forbidden fruit has apparently opened the door enough for BMW to consider a proper two-seat sports car. Sure, the M6 is plenty powerful with its 500-horse V10, more powerful than the R8 actually, but it's a pretty porker that can carry four people.
German outlet Auto Zeitung is reporting that BMW has begun work on an R8/911 competitor. To be called the M10, this front-engine, rear-wheel-drive coupe would be the spiritual successor to the M1 and Z8. Though BMW has dabbled with carbon fiber in some of its recent designs, the M10 would likely be almost completely covered in the material to keep weight around 3,000 lbs. Power for the M10 could come from either the M3's 420-hp, 4.2L V8 or the corporate 5.0L V10 producing around 550 horsepower. We would expect both engines to be offered so that BMW could square off the M10 against the R8 and RS8, as well as the 911 and 911 Turbo.
If BMW is working on such a car, development is going on behind many closed doors and any official info is far off. Regardless, such a car makes sense for the brand that purports to build ultimate driving machines.
[Source: Auto Zeitung via Motor Authority]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
stefan 4:32PM (5/29/2007)
By the time that M10 arives the R8 will all ready be beaten dead by the lexus LF-A,
Reply
robz4 6:03PM (5/29/2007)
You mean by the "automatic only" lexus LF-A ? Right .....
Don 5:01PM (5/30/2007)
Are you high?
rem83 4:45PM (5/29/2007)
The 400 hp and 500 hp variants of the Mercedes SL don't count?
Reply
Johnnie 5:03PM (5/29/2007)
No, not in the true sports car segment they don't.
When was the last time you saw a Mercedes SL in a car race?
testa di cazzo 4:50PM (5/29/2007)
stefan:"By the time that M10 arives the R8 will all ready be beaten dead by the lexus LF-A,"
hahahahahahhahahahahahaahahahahhahaha. man, i haven't laughed like that in years.
call me when toyota gets some racing cred.
Reply
John R 11:08PM (5/29/2007)
It also should be mentioned that Toyota is also in F1
Johnnie 5:10PM (5/29/2007)
Doesn't Lexus run a bunch of cars in the Rolex Grand Am Series?
Reply
stefan 5:06PM (5/29/2007)
testa di cazzo: call me when toyota gets some racing cred.
Toyota has been 3 times the WRC champion, and 5 times super GT500 champion.
Which european car can you tune to 1200BHP, there are Thousands of 1000BHP+ supra's in the world and they don't blow up like european cars.
So please don't be a stupid hater.
Reply
Aetius 5:15PM (5/29/2007)
Stefan - Do you only look at HP figures or do you actually take into account other factors such as handling? Lexus is the Japanese Buick. For them to challenge an Audi super-car based on a Lamborghini is going to require more than just HP.
Reply
BKadalur 5:20PM (5/29/2007)
stefan. all of those supra's are good for one thing and one thing only. drag racing. put them on a turn, what happens?
and for arguments sake, what's the hp on a veyron?
and where's that from?
Reply
Carletti 5:25PM (5/29/2007)
The World Rally circuit is a fine achievement, Stefan, but the main events for motorsport (including such like F1 and even IRL) have been almost complete disasters for a company as big as Toyota.
But does your argument honestly rest on the notion that you can pack 1,000+ horses into a Toyota? That's weak man. Go buy some TRD...for performance.
Reply
stefan 5:31PM (5/29/2007)
#BKadalur
You realy don't watch bestmotorig, europe's best cant beat a mine's supra.
Reply
Yaroukh 5:32PM (5/29/2007)
Does it mean they will eventually get some real designer? Well, it's about time...
Reply
testa di cazzo 6:05PM (5/29/2007)
Stefan: "You realy don't watch bestmotorig, europe's best cant beat a mine's supra."
i don't even know what that was supposed to mean. if you are trying to say that europe's best can't beat your supra, then i have only one question to ask you: can i have some of what you're smoking?
also,
stefan: "Toyota has been 3 times the WRC champion, and 5 times super GT500 champion."
if by 3 times WRC champion, you mean 1 time WRC title-holder, then sure, that's some AMAZING racing cred, man. and congrats to Toyota for winning in the GT500, a JAPANESE-TEAMS ONLY race. yea, toyota's racing cred stacks up real well with Audi. yea.
Reply
bmoredlj 6:20PM (5/29/2007)
経営状況
Reply
stefan 6:26PM (5/29/2007)
# toyota's racing cred stacks up real well with Audi. yea
The only thing audi won is le mans and and the WRC a 100 years ago.
#if by 3 times WRC champion, you mean 1 time WRC title-holder, then sure, that's some AMAZING racing cred, man.
You realy know nothing about WRC toyota won 3 time's the Manufacturers' Championship and 4 time's the Drivers' Championship.
So what if super GT is japan only in the GT500 honda, toyota and nissan compete and toyota is the best.
DTM is just two Manufacturers and audi is still getting its ass kickt by mercedes.
Reply
The Penguin 7:26PM (5/29/2007)
@ stefan
Building the most dominant car in sports car racing history is no real achievement, the same thing with the 24 hours of Le Mans which Toyota has tried and failed to do several times?
nagmashot 12:40AM (5/30/2007)
you know not much about car history...
Audi racing history...
dominating 24h LeMans
winning 2times WRC
winning DTM
winning ALMS
winning TransAM
building the most successfull touring car ever (audi A4 quattro STW) winning the most national touringcar race series world wide in a single season
first midengine race car ever
first turbo powered AWD WRC Rally car ever
first diesel powered LMP1 victory
first manufactor ever to race Pikes Peak in under 11minutes
first car ever with a human going over 400km/h (250mph) in public road
first ground effect car ever
DTM was not always two manufactors during the best time it was BMW Audi Mercedes Ford Alfa-Romeo Opel and Audi still was winning.. and btw.. curret season Audi is leading not Mercedes
DTM´s curret problem is that it is behind F1 the most expansive race series...
The JGTC is a poser race series with low driver skills level. It is a national thing I rate behind DTM and even NASCAR. The dirver skill level is so low that in europe completly unsuccessfull unknown driver can go there and become JGTC champion.
Proud Japanese 5:15PM (5/30/2007)
@testa di cazzo:
http://supergt.net/supergt/2007/07team/index_en.htm
There are a lot of foreign cars in the GT300 class like gallardos, murcielagos, ford gt, porsche, F360, MT900. If they were so good why don't they compete in the GT500 class?
Reply