BMW M Hybrid V8 gets smaller kidney grille, aero upgrades
BMW M Hybrid V8 race prototype gets a smaller kidney grille and aero overhaul
BMW M Hybrid V8 gets smaller kidney grille, aero upgrades
BMW updates its M Hybrid V8 race prototype with a smaller kidney grille and a reworked splitter for better aero. Daytona 2026 debut planned after WEC Austin.
2025-08-28T15:14:13+03:00
2025-08-28T15:14:13+03:00
2025-08-28T15:14:13+03:00
BMW has finally heeded critics who have spent years fretting over the brand’s ever-growing kidney grille on production models. The first to feel the shift, however, aren’t sedan or SUV owners but motorsport fans: the company has unveiled an updated M Hybrid V8 race prototype with a noticeably smaller grille.The new face comes as part of a broader aerodynamic package. Along with the more compact grille, the car receives revised lighting and a reworked splitter to better channel airflow. BMW kept the Iconic Glow illuminated surround, so the prototype remains instantly identifiable even after dark.The upgrades aim to boost stability across varied circuit layouts and improve cooling. To achieve that, BMW M Motorsport engineers collaborated with Dallara in Italy. Following a series of private tests, the refreshed prototype is set to make its first public appearance after the WEC Lone Star Le Mans round in Austin. If homologation goes to plan, the debut is slated for January 2026 at the 24 Hours of Daytona.Of course, brand loyalists had hoped to see smaller grilles on production models like the 4 Series, iX, or XM. That hasn’t happened yet, but BMW hints the race car’s design could foreshadow choices that make their way into the showroom lineup.The very fact that BMW was willing to make a concession even on a race prototype suggests the design criticism was taken seriously. It may only be a matter of time before road-going BMWs shed those oversized “nostrils.” That would be a welcome change—chasing instant recognition can come at the cost of the elegance that has long defined the brand’s finest cars.
BMW updates its M Hybrid V8 race prototype with a smaller kidney grille and a reworked splitter for better aero. Daytona 2026 debut planned after WEC Austin.
Michael Powers, Editor
BMW has finally heeded critics who have spent years fretting over the brand’s ever-growing kidney grille on production models. The first to feel the shift, however, aren’t sedan or SUV owners but motorsport fans: the company has unveiled an updated M Hybrid V8 race prototype with a noticeably smaller grille.
The new face comes as part of a broader aerodynamic package. Along with the more compact grille, the car receives revised lighting and a reworked splitter to better channel airflow. BMW kept the Iconic Glow illuminated surround, so the prototype remains instantly identifiable even after dark.
The upgrades aim to boost stability across varied circuit layouts and improve cooling. To achieve that, BMW M Motorsport engineers collaborated with Dallara in Italy. Following a series of private tests, the refreshed prototype is set to make its first public appearance after the WEC Lone Star Le Mans round in Austin. If homologation goes to plan, the debut is slated for January 2026 at the 24 Hours of Daytona.
Of course, brand loyalists had hoped to see smaller grilles on production models like the 4 Series, iX, or XM. That hasn’t happened yet, but BMW hints the race car’s design could foreshadow choices that make their way into the showroom lineup.
The very fact that BMW was willing to make a concession even on a race prototype suggests the design criticism was taken seriously. It may only be a matter of time before road-going BMWs shed those oversized “nostrils.” That would be a welcome change—chasing instant recognition can come at the cost of the elegance that has long defined the brand’s finest cars.
