► BMW’s new hybrid racer revealed
► Redesigned front end
► V8 hybrid power
BMW has given its LMDh hypercar a Neue Klasse-inspired facelift. The M Hybrid V8 now features a redesigned front end, and although primarily to increase performance, the new-look also brings the racecar’s styling more in-line with Munich’s forthcoming road cars.
Munich’s engineers have adjusted the front splitter and shrunk the kidney grille, making it smaller and less draggy than before. Even with in the camouflaged test car shown here, it’s possible to see new Neue Klasse-style headlights too.
BMW says the improvements have two key advantages: first, they make the M Hybrid perform more consistently on a wider range of track types. Second, they also improve the cooling of the car and therefore reduce drag too. Top speed may well also be improved.
‘Since we began racing in the IMSA series in 2023 and the FIA WEC in 2024, we have learned a great deal about our BMW M Hybrid V8,’ said Andreas Roos, head of BMW M Motorsport. ‘Following the tests we’ve already conducted, we are confident that the changes to the BMW M Hybrid V8 will allow us to compete more consistently at the front on all types of tracks, taking another step toward the top.
Like the car itself, the update project was carried out in collaboration with Dallara, which acts as BMW’s chassis partner for the car.
As before, the M Hybrid V8 will race in both the IMSA and WEC championships. The revised car will make its first public appearance at a joint test at the Circuit of the Americas (COTA) and will then make its racing debut at the 24 Hours of Daytona in January 2026.
Curtis Moldrich is CAR magazine’s Digital Editor and has worked for the brand for the past five years. He’s responsible for online strategy, including CAR’s website, social media channels such as X (formerly Twitter) and Facebook, and helps on wider platform strategy as CAR magazine branches out on to Apple News+ and more.
CAR's Digital Editor, F1 and sim-racing enthusiast. Partial to clever tech and sports bikes