When the 2013 MotoGP season gets underway in Qatar this weekend, BMW M will be starting its 15th season as "Official Car of MotoGP". The German carmaker has been involved in MotoGP since 1999 and provides the official safety cars.
The Qatar Grand Prix will be the first public outing of the M6 Gran Coupe, following its world premiere at the Detroit Motor Show in January. This season, the sports car will spearhead the fleet of safety cars in action in the MotoGP World Championship. According to BMW, the engine performance, chassis technology, aerodynamic properties and balance have been optimised for its use as a pace car out on the racetrack.
The safety car version of the M6 Gran Coupe is powered by a 4.4-liter twin-turbo V8 engine that produces 560 hp and 680 Nm of torque. Linked to a seven-speed M double-clutch gearbox, the four-door coupe can sprint from 0-100 km/h in 4.2 seconds and hit an electronically-limited top speed of 250 km/h. When fitted with the optional M Driver's Package, it can reach 305 km/h.
"We are delighted that our cooperation with MotoGP is already entering its 15th season," said Thomas Schemera, Director of Sales and Marketing at BMW M GmbH. "This shows that Dorna Sports sees us as a reliable partner when it comes to guaranteeing that practice sessions, qualifying and races pass safely in the pinnacle of motorcycle racing - even in the most difficult weather conditions. In return, the Motorcycle World Championship provides us with the perfect platform. This allows us to present our high-performance automobiles to a target group consisting of motorsport enthusiasts who share our passion for technologically innovative and dynamic sports cars - and that all over the world. We are particularly proud to be able to run our high-performance luxury coupe, the BMW M6 Gran Coupe, as a Safety Car in the 2013 season."
