This is our best look yet at the new BMW M8. The bold-looking new 8 Series will spawn a performance version, which in turn will go endurance racing. And this is that car.

The BMW M8 GTE has been testing at the Lausitzring in Germany, with a couple of racing drivers at the wheel. These initial tests are focused on the car’s safety rather than its performance, but naturally any track test will see drivers focusing on the handling of their potential new racecar.

“I had great fun with the car,” said BMW works driver Martin Tomczyk, somewhat proving the point. “The BMW M8 GTE is good to drive from the outset, and it is easy for us drivers to work out the way it handles, which is important.”

“We also took our first steps with regard to performance,” he added, “which is by no means a given at a first test. We will obviously work more intensively on that at the coming tests, and will build on the strong basis we established here at the Lausitzring.”

That suggests there’s still work to do, but it’s early days for the M8 GTE. Its race debut will be at the 24 Hours of Daytona next January, and there’s lots more testing to happen between now and then.

The M8 will compete in the 2018 World Endurance Championship, which means you’ll be able to see it at Silverstone next Easter, and at the Le Mans 24 Hours next June. Yep, BMW’s going back to Le Mans, a place it last won in 1999. Excited?