On the day of the release of the real car, we are proud that for our newest release we were able to team up with the race fanatics that are BMW Motorsport to bring the newest and hottest automobile from the Bavarian manufacturer to the virtual tracks everywhere in the world. Tested to perfection on the iconic Nürburgring Nordschleife, the BMW M2 CS Racing is the up and coming Cup class that will have drivers right in the action of multiclass endurance racing. Front engine – rear wheel driven, the formula for a thrilling challenge no matter where you race it!
The close collaboration with BMW Motorsport, which started already during the development and testing of the real car, meant we had full access to every aspect of the car and the performance data BMW has gathered over the last couple of months. This means not only does the car look beautiful, being created based on the actual CAD data for the exterior, interior and suspension, but it drives just like the real one. We faithfully recreated every setting that you can use to setup the car and by comparing telemetry with that on our laser scanned tracks, we validated all aspects of suspension, engine and gearbox behavior. During these development iterations, we also had the BMW Motorsport drivers helping us with testing and validating the physics, so all the ingredients are there for an enjoyable time behind the steering wheel!
Some technical details about the car. It is based on the F87 M2, with 3.0L turbo engine producing 550 Nm of torque and 350 horsepower. Those figures might seem low on paper compared to many modern street legal sports cars, but this car is built specifically for track usage, and BMW made sure acceleration from corner exit is more than good, with a flat engine power curve from 5000 rpm, up to almost 7000 rpm. Mid-corner, the M2’s well known agility is kept in check by a set of four 285 mm wide slicks on 18″ rims. Dry weight is 1535 kg, supported by track oriented adjustable dampers and a few sets of stiff springs. Both front and rear anti-roll bars are adjustable (2 options for each). Stopping power is provided by beefed up, lightweight 6 piston (front) and 4 piston (rear) calipers combined with 380 mm discs all around and ABS system tuned specifically for track usage. Traction control is also available, with a dedicated preset for dry and wet conditions, or can be turned completely off. To improve torque transfer to the rear tyres, the car has a proper racing plate-type Limited Slip Differential. Aerodynamics have also been optimized, with front splitter and adjustable rear wing at the back.
The car is for sale in rFactor 2 now and you can find it here. Enjoy the drive!