October 9, 2006 -- Hayward, CA

BMW North America and Car and Driver Magazine announced today they would be fielding two BMW 335 desiel powered race cars for this years 25 Hours of Thunderhill with a driving team that includes Auston Harris.

Car and Driver editors Csaba Csere, Mark Gillies, Tony Swan and Larry Webster, will team with professional racers Bill Auberlen and Joey Hand, two drivers who have previously placed a BMW M3 in the winners’ circle, driving for BMW Team PTG. Joining this group will be Martin Birkmann, Motorsports Manager for BMW of North America and Auston Harris, 15 years old and a veteran of the 2005 25 Hours of Thunderhill.

While this is a first effort at demonstrating BMW diesel performance on the race track in the US, this is not the first time that BMW has raced a production road car powered by a diesel engine. In 1998, BMW made history by winning the 24 Hour Nuerburgring race with the 320d, powered by a two-liter, four-cylinder diesel engine. The combination of high-performance with better fuel efficiency allowed the team to make fewer pit stops during the long endurance race.

The two 335d models that will race in the 25-Hours of Thunderhill embody the newest BMW 3 Series sedan, launched in 2006, and the most powerful inline, six-cylinder diesel engine in the world. In road-going specification, it produces 286-horsepower and 427 lb-ft. of torque. Boasting technology such as an all-aluminum crankcase, the latest generation of direct fuel injection and variable twin-turbocharging, the 335d offers impressive performance, as well as fuel economy.

The December 2-3 running of this endurance road race will be the 10th anniversary of the event and the fourth time since the duration was expanded from 12 hours to 25 hours, making it the longest endurance road race in the world. The race begins at 11:00 am on Saturday, December 2 and concludes at noon on Sunday, December 3.