On May 24 50 years ago BMW gave the green light to a department that has produced and produces iconic models, which have left an indelible mark. BMW celebrates five decades of fascinating history, of unique cars that made and still make the heart beat faster. The Motorsport department of BMW is; also a passion for racing with successes in every category: founded a year earlier, it has been operating under the name of BMW M GmbH since 1993. From the fateful date of May 24th in every corner of the world it will be celebrated & agrave; this historic anniversary with events, competitions and initiatives of all kinds.
But also in Italy it is & egrave; already started talking about it for some time, for example on the occasion of the day on which BMW Italia presented its sports programs for the 2022 season at the Misano racetrack, dedicated to the unforgettable Marco Simoncelli, the SIC.
- BMW M2 CS RACING CUP ITALY
- BMW M4 GT3
- BMW Driving Experience
- A ride with the M240i xDrive
- On the track with the 220d
- At the wheel of the M4 Competition
- A taste of M3 Competition xDrive
- Video
BMW M2 CS RACING CUP ITALY 
And without forgetting that in 2023 the Casa dell & rsquo; Elica will return & agrave; to race with a hybrid prototype in the IMSA, then in Daytona, but should also return to Le Mans & hellip; We also discovered the details of the new season of the BMW M2 CS Racing Cup Italy Championship. Born last year, dedicated above all to young people who want to make their way in covered wheel racing, it has given a show on the most important Italian circuits; important with great battles between competitors, all at the wheel of the BMW M2 CS Racing ..
In close collaboration with BMW M GmbH, BMW Motorsport engineers used many of the insights from the development of the M4 GT4 to set totally new standards in the lower category with the M2 CS Racing. Competition-specific driving aids, such as ABS and DSC, ensure that even novice drivers are able to handle the car safely. Consequently, the M2 CS Racing turns out to be one of the best to enter the racing world.
The car participating in the Italian single-make is; powered by an in-line six-cylinder engine with BMW M TwinPower Turbo technology which, in the racing version, reaches a power of 450 HP . The maximum torque of 550 Nm is transmitted to the rear wheels via a 7-speed dual-clutch gearbox , specially configured for racing.
Technical partner of the championship & egrave; Hankook , official supplier with specially designed racing tires to offer great consistency and reliability; in the performance.
I was also able to take a couple of hot lap aboard the & ldquo; beast & rdquo; driven by Maurizio Losi, one of the leading drivers of the championship. The impressions? Apart from the performances of which & egrave; capable, it seems to me that they have made a very balanced car, designed not to put in difficulty; less experienced gentleman pilots but also to give the opportunity to the youngest try hard to make a difference.
The engine & egrave; very progressive.
L & rsquo; car does not me & egrave; never seemed grumpy in reactions and does not break down even in the most severe braking; violent. In this regard, the braking system is me & egrave; seemed very effective. And then obviously a lot of adrenaline. Too bad the two laps ended quickly & hellip;
The new season of the single-brand store is divided into 6 rounds , within the ACI Racing Weekends on some of the most beautiful national circuits: Monza, Misano, Mugello, Imola and Vallelunga. There will be one or two drivers per car, at the choice of the teams. After the inaugural round of 23-24 April in Monza, dominated by Gigi Ferrara who won both races, here are the other dates:
- 4-5 June: Misano
- 16-17 July: Mugello
- 3-4 September: Imola
- 17-18 September: Vallelunga
- 22-23 October: Mugello
The inaugural season is; was very interesting for the single-brand of the German manufacturer, ready to do even better with many new features: there is talk of an even more prize money; rich, with a new Under 25 ranking . The best among the most young people will be able to participate in an official BMW Motorsport test aboard the new M4 GT3 , competing with other young talents selected in other countries.
BMW M4 GT3 
Speaking of the BMW M4 GT3, we have seen closely what the team BMW Italia Ceccato Racing fielded in the Italian GT Sprint Championship . The team manager of the team is; the legendary Roberto Ravaglia , one of the most important pilots; strong in the history of racing for touring cars, among those who have won the most; with BMW between the Eighties and Nineties: from the European Championship to the World Championship, to that of the DTM, without forgetting the victories at the 24 Hours of Spa and Nurburgring. His name is; linked to the first unforgettable M3 E30 .
The team of him, already & agrave; a long-time protagonist of the Italian GT Championship, this year is aiming for the title in the Sprint series with the new M4 GT3. This year has among its drivers the great Timo Glock , former F1 driver for years BMW Motorsport official driver in the DTM and beyond, flanked by Jens Klingmann , another factory driver of the Casa dell & rsquo; Elica.
Based on the latest generation of the M4, & egrave; heir to the M6 GT3. Compared to this model, BMW Motorsport technicians have tried to make it better in handling, tire management and reliability.
The engine of the M4 Competition, the 6-cylinder in line pi & ugrave; powerful that the House has ever mounted on a & rsquo; production car, & egrave; was designed from the outset for use on the racetrack: this underlines how the development of road cars and racing cars always go hand in hand in BMW M. Power & egrave; of nearly 600 horsepower with a torque of 700 Nm and the engine & egrave; combined with a 6-speed Xtrac gearbox with electro-hydraulic clutch . More powerful and more & ugrave; light compared to the old V8 of the M6, it has the exhaust system signed Akrapovic .
A curiosity: the multifunction steering wheel in carbon, developed in collaboration with Fanatec , can be; be used indiscriminately both on the car and on the simulator.
With this car the team also participates in the four Endurance racesof the Italian series: l & rsquo; crew & egrave; composed by Stefano Comandini, Giuseppe Fascicolo and Alfred Nilsson. The debut in the first round of Monza is; was immediately successful: Glock and Klingmann triumphed in race 1 and finished second in race 2. It will be; l & rsquo; good year for the Ravaglia team?
And & rsquo; The first victory obtained by the M4 GT3 in North America in the IMSA Championship in the GTD class in Long Beach was certainly a good omen. Without forgetting that we already have; seen in action the M4 GT3s at Imola in the inaugural round of GT World Challenge Europe , the championship in which Valentino Rossi is starting his second life as a driver.
BMW DRIVING EXPERIENCE 
The Misano appointment was also dedicated to BMW Driving Experience. Since 1977 the German house has organized driving courses: perch & eacute; if the cars are more and more; safe, education, behavior, ability remain fundamental; of those behind the wheel. BMW driving courses in Italy have always been associated with the name of the great Siegfried Stohr , former F1 driver, at GuidarePilotare and its instructors, since 1985. Eight years ago & egrave; born the new BMW Driving Experience, a complete program of courses, which here in Italy makes use of the experience of GuidarePilotare, which has its headquarters right at the Misano racetrack.
The new BMW Driving Experience season debuted on April 13 right at the Misano circuit, with the precious advice of the professional instructors of GuidarePilotare, ready to teach you to make the most of the potential of each BMW but always in great safety.
Many of them are pilots (whose races I have sometimes commented on on TV) who are divided between their commitments on the track and those of the courses. Others of them are former pilots who now dedicate themselves entirely to the GuidarePilotare project. In short, you can & ograve; trust and hellip; Ce n & rsquo; & egrave; for every need: safe driving, sporty driving, drifting & hellip;
The school & egrave; also equipped with a & rsquo; car with special controls to allow accessibility & agrave; of safe driving courses for people with disabilities : it is a 128ti which, thanks to the partnership with Guidosimplex , & egrave; fitted with electronically controlled driving devices. This initiative is part of the responsibility program; social SpecialMente of BMW.
Furthermore, the courses are evolving in a new direction because & eacute; the most popular cars recent are equipped with ADAS , which we are always talking about now, which help us considerably behind the wheel: obstacle detection, adaptive cruise control, assisted braking and much more. Assisted driving is making great progress but, as Siegfried Stohr recalled, centrality remains fundamental; of those who drive, the role of those who are; behind the wheel. In short, the approach changes, but the driving pleasure must not change .
A LAP WITH THE M240I XDRIVE 
The Misano day & egrave; it was also an opportunity to see the New BMW 2 Series Coup & eacute; up close. Since its debut, this & rsquo; car & egrave; entered the hearts of enthusiasts, of those who love BMWs: many fans of the Elica manufacturer have found in this coup & eacute; a little & rsquo; the characteristics of the older generations of the Series 3. Why & eacute; if the latter is the last in the years & egrave; become more & ugrave; bigger and more heavy (but still a reference), this one seemed designed for driving pleasure: big but not too much, rear-wheel drive, sporty line.
This new generation, which made its debut at the Festival of Speed of Goodwood last summer, until now it was offered with two four-cylinder turbo petrol and diesel engines of the 220i and 220d , or with the 3.0 six-cylinder in-line turbocharged 374 hp of the < strong> M240i xDrive (four-wheel drive s & igrave; but only when needed & hellip;) waiting for the new M2.
From this spring & egrave; a new engine is available: the 230i , a 4-cylinder 2-liter turbo petrol engine with 245 HP and a maximum torque of 400 Newton per meter. 8-speed Steptronic sports gearbox, c & rsquo; & egrave; also the Launch Control function and among the options a sport differential M. Pu & ograve; enough?
In the car park of the BMW Driving Experience in 2022 & egrave; the new 2 Series Coup & eacute; arrived. I was able to test the new coup & eacute; compact version of BMW, in the most current version; powerful, the M240i xDrive , and then the diesel one, the 220d.
With the pi & ugrave; powerful M240i I was unfortunately able to make only one lap of the Misano circuit (there were many, they wanted to let everyone try it a bit & hellip;): a lap, just a little to be able to have fun and fully exploit its potential, but enough to understand that there is & rsquo; & egrave; of the voucher.
As soon as I enter the track and push the accelerator I am accompanied by the excellent sound of the straight six (in my opinion there was no need to emphasize it from the speakers, this is something I don't like …). The engine has 374 HP and everyone can hear it; well 500 Nm of torque, and you feel it immediately below. For those who love numbers it goes from 0 to 100 in 4.3 seconds and can reach 250 per hour, but more that the cold numbers, & egrave; the driving feeling that matters. The eight-speed Steptronic Sport gearbox is; very fast
The steering seems very precise to me, when exiting the corners the traction control does its job well. It boasts an almost perfect 50: 50 weight distribution and is not; little.
Is not serious; very light (empty we are about 1,700 kg.) but we feel that they have done everything to hide this aspect: for example, since it is; more wide and heavy than before, they worked on the front end with a negative camber that allows it to have a nice entry into the corners, to be very balanced. The all-wheel drive, intelligent, c & rsquo; & egrave; but it normally acts like a rear-wheel drive and is only heard when needed.
If you like to drive, the little coup & eacute; it seems born precisely for that: it will be & agrave; that I am no longer & ugrave; & quot; young & quot; and among my cars I had at the time the old Series 3, like the E36, I immediately found the feeling of a more car; compact, I immediately felt it sewn on. Sure a ride & egrave; just a little & hellip ;.
ON TRACK WITH THE 220D 
Then I moved on to much more; & ldquo; human & rdquo; 220d , with rear-wheel drive (thank goodness & hellip;) and I did a couple of laps: well & egrave; here we understand that the base, that the frame is; good. The 4-cylinder two-liter turbodiesel has 190 hp more; & ldquo; l & rsquo; help & rdquo; of the mild hybrid (about 11 hp more), with a peak torque of 400 Nm with good performance, for & ograve; in short, it is not; certainly the car to use on the track ..
Here I cannot count on the avalanche of horses of the older sister; bad, but on validity; of the chassis that allows me to face some curves at speed; rather high and I can trust.
The instructor at my side, Rebecca Bianchi, generous with advice, very good: she tells me to keep down, to trust, and she is right . In short, the new Series 2 Coup & eacute; it seems to me really well made and on the road you can enjoy it in complete safety: choose it as you like, in this BMW & egrave; a guarantee.
BEHIND THE WHEEL OF THE M4 COMPETITION 
 the M4 Competition kept me on the track without complaining too much, to demonstrate the goodness; of this project: with many other cars I would have gone out, for sure. </p>
<p> What a car: I would have liked to drive it the whole afternoon, to make friends and enjoy it on the Romagna circuit & hellip; blessed is he who can & ograve; put it in the garage. </p>
</p>
<p> A TASTE OF M3 COMPETITION XDRIVE <img src = )
Then I tried the M3 Competition sedan, with 510 horsepower and precisely l & rsquo; xDrive, all-wheel drive but in true M style . The difference is immediately felt at the exit of the first corner: when you put it down; and & egrave; l & igrave; glued that does not bend and exploits all the power of the 6-cylinder in-line turbo.
All-wheel drive s & igrave; but it behaves like a rear: you do not lose any of the driving pleasure, indeed if you are a & ldquo; handles & rdquo; you can also go farther; loud. The carbon-ceramic brakes are deadly: you only need to trust to disconnect late, more and more; late.
And & rsquo; certainly more; heavy than before (we are about 1800 kg I know) but still manages to go farther; strong than the previous model. It will not be pure and light like the first unforgettable M3 but & egrave; a missile.
Chassis, engine, steering: here c & rsquo; & egrave; all of BMW's experience in racing, a continuous development with each generation of M. Had I done a few more laps; maybe I would have started to like it, but that's okay, I already feel good; a privileged one. Blessed is he who can & ograve; buy yourself a sedan like this, with supercar performance.
I'm still waiting for the arrival of the M3 Touring , what a show: between teaser videos and spy images, I can't see the hour: station is bad. I think with a little & rsquo; of healthy envy to those who can & agrave; afford it and will be able to also take the family to do the shopping. Meanwhile BMW already has; presented the M4 CSL at the Concorso d & rsquo; Eleganza Villa d & rsquo; Este: 550 hp, rear-wheel drive only, 307 km per hour, only 1000 units. From fear.
And & egrave; just one of the incredible models that BMW will bring making its debut this year to celebrate 50 years of the M division . But it will be; a truly special year with many events: at the BMW Museum, at the 24 Hours of Nurburgring, at the Goodwood Festival of Speed, at BMW M Track Days. We will point out all the appointments not to be missed. Luckily BMW & egrave; Motorsport again, & egrave; again M: races and cars that excite us. Happy Birthday M!
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