Tucked away in the corner of a quiet workshop a stone?s throw from the hallowed Kyalami GP circuit a monster is being spawned. The BMW M3 GT you see in the pics is a pukka GT series race car, built to do battle with the plethora of Ferrari 360 and 430 Challenge cars that currently hold sway in South Africa?s very own GT Challenge series. As befits a car its ilk, performance kit abounds. Wheels are 18 inch units by BBS and AP Performance disks with 6 pot front brake callipers do duty up front while 4 pot units handle the rear. While the standard motor still nestles in the engine bay its management will be handled by a Motek system with fully integrated dash. Breathing will be improved with purpose built exhausts and the result will see power edging up to the 440 HP mark. A racing clutch and single mass flywheel replace the standard units, as does a mechanical diff, which will better handle the stresses of the race track than the standard BMW M diff currently doing duty. Shocks and springs are bespoke units from local supplier Sax. On board air jacks scream ?serious race car? and the body kit is a gorgeous in all the right places. While power is not dramatically higher than the stock M3, the race car will weigh in at a scant 1250 kg. Power to weight will be prodigious. The car was built by Carello Auto and Evolution 2 and driving duties will be shared between Tato Carello and Paolo Cavalieri. Tato, who previously drove a Ferrari, was keen to bring something different and exciting to the GT Challenge series. Apparently the folks at Sandton Auto felt the same way and backed the project, the race track is after all the spiritual home of BMW?s M 3. Keep an eye peeled for an exclusive driving impression of the beast in topCar magazine
