More Details from PTG... (archive)

The complete automotive resource for buyers, sellers, and owners like you.

Here's the thing. If it will truely have about 340 hp, then it makes sense that it will be a 3.25L or 3.2L motor. Otherwise if it were a 3.4L motor with 340 hp, it would almost be a step backwards. They are already squeezing 321hp out of the Euro motor, so to get only 20 hp from an additional 0.2L of displacement would maintain the hp/liter ratio, rather than improve it.

What Tom said about the efforts to make a 3.4L aluminum block engine was that it was a "good" motor, but there were some problems. He said that "most auto manufacturers would have said well its 'good enough', the customers are only going to drive it for a couple hundred thousand miles anyways. Not BMW, they said lets make an 'excellent' motor that will stand the test of time." I think we should be thankful for that kind of attitude.

Let's put something in perspective here. We're talking about a car that makes about the same hp as the corvette with just over 1/2 the displacement. Granted we won't see the torque, but with the much lighter vehicle (than the corvette), the 0-60 times will be impressive.

By the sounds of what Tom was saying, we should expect some quality improvements in the suspension too (geometries etc). One issue I found interesting was that the front track on the E36 cars is 4 inches narrower than the rear. Tom said that this creates adverse handling behavior and poor aerodynamics for top speeds. Basically the car tips toward the front corners during hard cornering, and it's wedge shape heading into the wind is poor for top speeds. He said "Everybody says 'your cars look so good' but the aggressive 'good looks' are bad for handling." What's good about the E46 M3 is that the front track is within a few millimeters of the rear track and should provide excellent handling.

He said that they will be racing in a couple races overseas (Europe) this year. Someone asked if 'while you're over there do you have any plans to enter the 24 Hours of LeMans?' He said probably not because the long straights at LeMans would make it tough for the BMW's to win, since the Porsche's are so much faster in the long straights (15-20 mph faster). He said the fastest they've gotten a PTG car was 174 mph, on a course with a long straight, and that was with a different wing and thinner tires. The porsche's exceed 190 mph I think he said.

As far as financial issues go, i think the cost issues were a major reason for reverting back to the Euro 3.2L as a platform to work from. If it had worked, the new aluminum block 3.4L would have cost more to make (I'm guessing), and when there were problems, the R&D costs for ironing out those problems would have just tipped the scales. Sounds like it was 'modified 3.2L euro motor or no E46 M3'.

I don't think we need to worry about 0-60 times being fantastic, because one factor that might make a big difference that no one seems to have mentioned is the fact that it will (probably) have wider rear tires than the E36 version. Simple concept, the more rubber you have in contact with the road, the more force you can put to the ground without the tires breaking loose. It's part of the reason the 911's and Corvettes have such great 0-60 times.

Another interesting thing he showed us was that they just bought a 5-axis CNC machine just for making cylinder heads. Most everything in the PTG engines are factory except the pistons, cams, and cylinder heads (I'm working from memory here, so don't quote me on the exact parts). Since the cylinder heads are so complicated to make and the tuning is so fine when it comes to heads, they opted for a CNC machine to make them perfect every time. He said the cost to have someone hand make the heads for the 50 or so engines they will make this year would end up being about as much as the machine cost them ($250,000).

I must iterate one observation I made. A couple of the cars at their facility had the wheels off. The BRAKES ARE HUGE!!! I swear you could have just strapped a tire right to the rotor and get going.

Oh, and for anyone that every wants to get a ride in a PTG car, donate more than $10k at one of BMW's Cancer Charity events. I talked to a mechanic there and I asked why one of the cars had TWO racing seats in there. It was owned by BMW now and is their "Show Car", whenever their is a BMW sponsored car show, or Drive for the Cure etc, they have the car on display, and they usually give members of the press, and people who donate over a certain amout (he said it was like $10k) rides in the PTG car. Incidentally it was the car with the most 'history' too. It is the car that won at Daytona in '96 I think. Or was it Sebring, awe hell I can't remember now. Anyways, you get the picture.

That's all I can remember off the top of my head for now. I'll entertain any questions now. :)

Questions, comments, or problems, please visit the Roadfly help desk.