BMW Sets Speed Records with Hydrogen fuelled V12

Focusing on the structure and chassis of the BMW H2R Record Car, the engineers and development specialists at BMW Forschung und Technik GmbH used series components carried over from a sophisticated, thoroughbred BMW sports car: the monocoque aluminium spaceframe as well as the entire chassis and suspension system. High-strength aluminium structure panels using the advantages of aluminium as a particularly light material resistant to corrosion fill in the open spaces between the extra-large extrusion-pressed profiles giving the car its stable "skeleton".

The result for the driver is an absolutely excellent, direct driving experience without the slightest vibration or body "tremble".

The front suspension is based on a double-wishbone spring strut front axle together with rack-and-pinion steering, aluminium track control arms, a tiebar, and an anti-roll bar. The front axle subframe is formed by a welded aluminium structure made up of extrusion-pressed profile bars and plates holding all front axle components and bolted to the body at six points.

The track control arm made of forged aluminium comes complete with two ball joints in the interest of precise wheel guidance and directional stability.

Wheel guidance and stability at the rear is provided by an integral four-dimensional axle, a multi-arm principle patented by BMW and rounded off in this case by an anti-roll bar. Optimum road contact and safety, finally, is ensured by tyres measuring 245/40 x 19.

BMW's designers have also given the H2R Record Car a truly unique body: Measuring 5.40 metres in length and 2 metres in width, the body of the car is designed through and through for optimum streamlining. And to reach record speeds, the frontal area measures just 1.85 square metres and the drag coefficient is a mere 0.21.

At the rear a 20-centimetre-long diffuser prevents air swirl behind the car, which might potentially slow it down. The side profile and sheer length of the H2R prototype also serve to ensure stable driving characteristics at very high speeds. Like on a Formula 1 racing car, the outer skin is made of carbon-fibre-reinforced plastic offering the optimum combination of superior stiffness and low weight: Overall weight of the H2R with a full tank and the driver at the wheel is 1560 kg or 3440 lb.