Fans of the famous 12 Hours of Sebring (which takes place in Florida each year) may be aware of its winners from over the years. In 2001, the BMW M3 GTR secured a solid top ten finish, traversing across extremely bumpy and varied terrain with variations of tarmac and concrete. The M3 GTR's performance surprised many, and it looked like the future was bright for this sports car.

A year earlier, in 2000, BMW sent a strong signal with their M3 E46 model. Yet, they knew that they needed to go bigger and better to improve their performance on the track; hence, the BMW M3 GTR was born.

Let's take a close look at the BMW M3 GTR and what we love about it.

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The BMW M3 GTR Was A Powerful Ride

BMW M3 GTR Custom Side Exhaust
Via YouTube

To secure a better finish at the 12 Hours of Sebring race in 2001, BMW knew that they had to improve on what they entered before. Thus, they kitted out the BMW M3 GTR with a 4-liter V8 high-performance engine that could hit 460 hp. Although the M3 GTR's engine was capable and almighty, it didn't meet the ALMS GT series regulations as it was just a prototype. So, no sales of this car were complete. However, it did prove a solid fixture on the track.

The time window to create this car was just 12 months. Straight after the 2000 12 Hours of Sebring and failing to finish the race, BMW amped up the game and knew that they had to pull something special out of the bag. The BMW M3 GTR was born, and it came with awesome racing capabilities. Yet, we just wish it was available for customer purchase worldwide.

However, the team did still manage to build ten roadgoing models of the car and they were all released for street sale. The one that passed through the race, which was their finalized version, did not go on sale as it didn't meet regulation protocols.

The interior of the M3 GTR was pretty cool and refined too. It featured Titan silver metallic trims and an all-black finish, which oozed style and seriousness. It excluded comfort features as it was designed as a race car, not one to cruise around in. It featured two sports seats up front and not much else in the back. It screamed minimalism, which was impressive for a car of that era.

It most certainly didn't feature air conditioning or music features. Why would you need it when driving at 184 mph around a race track?

There's Plenty To Love About The BMW M3 GTR

Blue BMW M3 GTR
Via: Devian Art

There are many things to love about the BMW M3 GTR. But, for us, our favorite feature is the powertrain.

The 4-liter V8 engine was like no other that the team had produced or tested before. While previous M3 models were fast and powerful, nothing quite topped this aluminum powerhouse. Although the engine used in the track car was not released for public use, we still love and adore it; it enabled this GTR to beat the expectations.

This ride is still remembered today; the car has prominently featured in Need For Speed. So, even if you're unlikely to ever get your hands on the real deal, you can always whizz around virtual tracks with this awesome ride.

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More Than Just A Racing Car

BMW M3 GTR
Via: Flickr

Aside from the ten street-legal models, the BMW M3 GTR has been deemed a racing car through and through. Although we would have liked to have seen more models made for public use, it simply screams race track material.

The units that were released for public purchase featured a 6-gear manual transmission, and the engine was limited to about 155 mph as opposed to the 184 mph track version. The dumbing down of the car was simply to make it road safe. If any regular driver got behind the wheel of the race track version, they might not be able to control it and, therefore, do some serious damage. However, those ten lucky owners of the roadgoing models surely have had plenty of fun all the same.

Although the BMW M3 GTR that secured a top ten finish at the 12 Hours of Sebring in 2001 was not mass-produced and available to the general public, we still adore it. It made history thanks to its impressive engine and team dedication. If it wasn't for its performance in Florida two decades ago, then it may not have gone down so well in history. However, it did, and that's what makes it such a memorable car for BMW fans and its team today.