BMW S65-based Racing Engines You've Probably Never Heard Of

This is a great informational thread.

F32 "435is" with 3.5L S65 built by KMS for VLN Endurance Championship

KMS finished building the BMW S65 V8 3.5L engine for VLN running with a Pectel ECU.
Engine manufacturer BMW
Type S65
Configuration / # cylinders V8
Peak horsepower *
Peak torque *
Maximum RPM 9500 *
Displacement 3500cc
Bore KMS
Stroke KMS
Compression ratio KMS
Fuel 98 oct
# of camshafts 4 / Vanos controled
Pistons KMS design
Valves / made 32 / steel
Lifter type Solid buckets *
Manifold type KMS

* Engine development on request for different race classes.

http://www.kmsracingengines.com/bmw-v8-s65-3.5l-for-vln.html

Pretty much a thread of bragging rights.....I love it.

This is amazing! great read!

Good stuff! Thanks.

Loving this thread

Bumping this because I finally found the "proof" I was looking for, from BMW themselves.
The P65 in the M3 GT2 is indeed based on the S65 but with a modified crank (flat-plane).
Tom Plucinsky of BMW North America makes it very clear in this walkaround.

Added a M3 GT[2] section in the original post:

BMW M3 GT[2]
Manufacturer/Chassis: BMW (Germany)
Engine: BMW P65B40 4.0L V8(Motorsport engine based on S65B40 from E9X M3; same basic engine block but with flat-plane crankshaft)
Max Power: 470+ HP
Max RPM: 8600 RPM
Series/Spec: GTE class (Predecessor to E89 Z4 GTE above), American Le Mans Series (ALMS), VLN Endurance Racing Championship Nürburgring
Media:

Interesting Law, and all this just to maintain the slightly higher RPM, or other significant advantages?

Thanks

Helmsman wrote

Interesting Law, and all this just to maintain the slightly higher RPM, or other significant advantages?

Thanks

I'm assuming here, but based on common knowledge of flat-plane cranks, its applications are more common in racing V8s due to its quicker revving (incidentally sharper response).
My readings and research have not indicated that it is any more "high revving" than its cross-plane counterparts in the Z4 GTE/GT3/GTLM.
So my educated guess is the faster revving character (which Tom Plucinsky of BMW mentions briefly in the video as well).

Sorry I can't tell you more, I'll continue updating this thread as I learn more information.

Another cool video about the M3 GT and the M3...

Thread updated with S65 powered i8 GTR racecar courtesy of this recent thread.

BMW i8 "GTR" Race Car
Country of Origin: Belgium
Manufacturer/Chassis: Hamofa Motorsport/Solution F silhouette
Engine: BMW S65B40 4.0L V8
Description: 4.0L
Max Power: 540 HP
Max RPM: ????
Series/Spec: Belcar Series
More Info:
https://www.motor1.com/news/251519/bmw-i8-v8-race-car/
https://www.autosport.be/news/belcar-video-hamofa-motorsport-met-bmw-i8-met-v8-motor.html/
Media:

OP - Great work compiling this. Fascinating read!!

Ngilbe36 wrote

Another cool video about the M3 GT and the M3...

VERY cool vid
Thanks

What would some of these motors make without those McDonald's straw restrictors? Dang

T

Happy Friday.

Updated thread with a unique race car currently attacking hill climbs in Europe.
This E90 began life as an FIA spec'd race car built for WTCC racing.
But somewhere along the line, it got an S65 transplant and went into Hill Climb.

It rides on the WTCC front and rear suspension with stabilizer, KW 3-way adjustable coilovers, and stops with ceramic brakes.
Power, of course, comes from the S65B40, built to 540 HP / 9,500RPM and sent through a Drenth Motorsport DG500 6-speed sequential gearbox.

Enjoy.

Istvan Kavecz's FIA WTCC-Spec E90 V8 Swapped Hill Climb Racecar
Country of Origin: Hungary
Engine: Modified BMW S65B40 4.0L V8
Description: 4.0L (with Arrow Precision connecting rods, Schrick camshafts, and CPS pistons)
Max Power: 540 HP
Max RPM: 9,500 RPM
Series/Spec: International Hillclimb: Cividale-Castelmonte 2017, Sternberk 2016, etc.
More Info:
https://www.racecarsdirect.com/Advert/Details/87221/bmw-e90-m3-s65
https://www.engineswapdepot.com/?p=21624
Media:

Law wrote

Happy Friday.

Updated thread with a unique race car currently attacking hill climbs in Europe.
This E90 began life as an FIA spec'd race car built for WTCC racing.
But somewhere along the line, it got an S65 transplant and went into Hill Climb.

It rides on the WTCC front and rear suspension with stabilizer, KW 3-way adjustable coilovers, and stops with ceramic brakes.
Power, of course, comes from the S65B40, built to 540 HP / 9,500RPM and sent through a Drenth Motorsport DG500 6-speed sequential gearbox.

Enjoy.

Istvan Kavecz's FIA WTCC-Spec E90 V8 Swapped Hill Climb Racecar
Country of Origin: Hungary
Engine: Modified BMW S65B40 4.0L V8
Description: 4.0L (with Arrow Precision connecting rods, Schrick camshafts, and CPS pistons)
Max Power: 540 HP
Max RPM: 9,500 RPM
Series/Spec: International Hillclimb: Cividale-Castelmonte 2017, Sternberk 2016, etc.
More Info:
https://www.racecarsdirect.com/Advert/Details/87221/bmw-e90-m3-s65
https://www.engineswapdepot.com/?p=21624
Media:

Amazing car! Amazing driving skills! I wonder how much it would convert our "regular" S65 to a 4.0L 540hp beast?

Law wrote

Happy Friday.

Updated thread with a unique race car currently attacking hill climbs in Europe.
This E90 began life as an FIA spec'd race car built for WTCC racing.
But somewhere along the line, it got an S65 transplant and went into Hill Climb.

It rides on the WTCC front and rear suspension with stabilizer, KW 3-way adjustable coilovers, and stops with ceramic brakes.
Power, of course, comes from the S65B40, built to 540 HP / 9,500RPM and sent through a Drenth Motorsport DG500 6-speed sequential gearbox.

Enjoy.

These videos are fantastically edited. I could just listen to these on loop!

dkexige wrote

These videos are fantastically edited. I could just listen to these on loop!

I recommend you look around on 19Bozzy92's channel.

https://www.youtube.com/user/19Bozzy92

love this thread

What a brilliant post, ty 👌

Just found this. Cool stuff

This is all time one of the best threads on the forum.

There are plenty of current race cars which currently use E92 M3 chassis but do not use the S65.

Kristaps Bluss' E92 Eurofighter Formula Drift build and Jake "DriftSquid" Jones' RB powered E92 M3 come to mind.