The covers are off BMW’s LMDh P66/3 V8 hybrid engine which will power the automaker in various world endurance racing competitions from next year. The regulations restrict the powertrain to only 477 kW which is still plenty to propel the prototype rapidly forward.
As part of regulation changes to the Le Mans endurance series which will see stiff competition in the new LMDh category, BMW has become one of the latest entrants to tease more details about their 2023 challenger or more specifically, the powertrain. We have seen details on Ferrari, Porsche and Peugeot but this is the most in-depth information in terms of the regulated powertrains we have seen.
This is the P66/3 twin-turbocharged V8 hybrid engine which will power their new endurance racer. The category restricts powertrains to a 4,0-litre capacity V8 with forced induction in the form of twin-turbocharging allowed. The regulations mandate output to 477 kW and 650 N.m.
This P66/3 will have an 8 200 rpm redline from its V8. The cylinder bore measures in at 93 mm while the stroke is 73,6 mm. It has been derived from the P66/1 V8 which was developed in 2017 and 2018 for the M4 DTM naturally aspirated race car. The P66/2 is the derivative with a pair of turbochargers attached while the one in question; the P66/3, includes the hybrid setup too.
According to Ulrich Schulz who is the Head of Drivetrain Design at BMW M Motorsport, the company also considered the P48 four-cylinder turbo engine from the BMW M4 DTM and the P63 eight-cylinder turbo engine from the BMW M8 GTE but reliability concerns ruled them out.
No details on the electrified part of the equation have been provided by BMW yet but it will include a motor, inverter and battery. We will get to see the new motorsport powertrain in competition action for the first time at the end of January 2023 when the BMW M Hybrid V8 with its P66/3 takes to the Rolex 24 at Daytona with Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing running two cars in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship.
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