What is the relationship between Schnitzer and BMW when it comes to racing? Schnitzer has been racing BMWs for a long time, but they don't appear to be owned by BMW. Do they have a long standing contract?

As far as I know, its like a PTG operation, but seems to get a lot more money/support than PTG from BMW.

Silly question: What does PTG stand for?

Prototype Technology Group

PTG is about halfway inbetween a privateer and a full factory team. Schnitzer is a full factory team.

Not sure who owns Schnitzer.

Quick piece of trivia, Does anyone know how the name Prototype Technology Group (PTG) came about? :)

Hmm, I'd have to say something to do with what Milner Sr. started out doing in the 70's, "Automotive design and engineering, race car design and fabrication, automotive and airplane engine building and testing, race team management" ???

Oh yea, and....
GTP backwards is PTG ;)

As far as Schnitzer ownership, I believe its still owned/operated by some of the Schnitzers, but going off what thier history with BMW is, it seems they have a close partnership, and develop cars such as the gtr, wtcc, and similar project together.

I'd also assume cars such as the Z4m motorsport were also developed with Schnizter.

Schnizter's have been involved with BMW (AG) for the better part of the last decade.

Herbert Schnitzer is the owner of Schnitzer.

Herbert Schnitzer is the owner of Schnitzer.

Yep, since 1978, after his brother Josef died in an accident. He's 65 now, I wonder if his kids are running most of the business?

They also have a BMW dealership in Southern Germany (Bavaria).

"AC Schnizter" has the AC because the town where the tuning business is has the city code AC (in the far north near the border of Belgium and the Netherlands, in Aachen).

Here's the link to their website.

http://www.schnitzer.de/

I didn't realize how far apart the two Schnitzer locations are. As Seneca has said, AC Schnitzer is in Aachen, but Autohaus Schnitzer and Schnitzer Motorsport are in Freilassing. Freilassing is on the Austrian border near Munich.

Here's the link to their website.

http://www.schnitzer.de/

I didn't realize how far apart the two Schnitzer locations are. As Seneca has said, AC Schnitzer is in Aachen, but Autohaus Schnitzer and Schnitzer Motorsport are in Freilassing. Freilassing is on the Austrian border near Munich.

You mean Steve not Seneca ;)

You mean Steve not Seneca ;)

OK, Steve. Sorry.

Steve T.,

Glad I got another BMW backer in that SWC thread. We're fighting a bunch of mazda/acura lovers.

Steve T.,

Glad I got another BMW backer in that SWC thread. We're fighting a bunch of mazda/acura lovers.

Dave, I am surprised at Jeff's comments and I don't believe that Bill could have won at St Pete "easily". I know Bill's better than Will, but the differences are there in the times from all of the BMW's. Have they ever destroyed the balance of any of the other cars?

I guess it'll go full circle in due time. For now I guess people are going to move to Grand Am and ALMS (GT anyways). USTCC is also another place touring car guys can go for lower budget competition.

Steve was close enough. PTG used to be Tom Milner Racing and when they ran the IMSA GTP cars my dad was looking to change the team name from his name to something generic. He turned GTP around and made some words that fit with the acronym.

AC Schnitzer has nothing to do with Schnitzer Motorsports other than Schnitzer licensed the name to whoever started AC Schnitzer. Completely seperate companies.

As far as development, almost all of it is done at the M Company near Munich. I'm sure there are many people who work at Schnitzer who have a hand in the development as well though nearly all of the CAD/3D/whatever is done at the M Company from what I could tell.

They have awesome food there too. Some sort of hamburger meat in a sweet red sauce over spaetzle. Really good bavarian soft pretzel's too. The food was almost as memorable as that trip was. :eyecrazy

Tom you bastard

Tom you bastard
Yeah, Tom has forgotten the little people now that he's one of the big boys :(


Hope you've been doing well Tom ;)

What about Alpina eh?

AC Schnitzer has nothing to do with Schnitzer Motorsports other than Schnitzer licensed the name to whoever started AC Schnitzer. Completely seperate companies.

Tom's absolutely right about the relationship between Schnitzer Motorsport and AC Schnitzer. They are two distinct companies and one has very little to do with the other, though occasionally they will help each other with development. For example, Schnitzer Motorsport helped to develop the intake on the AC Schnitzer supercharger system for the E46 3 Series.

"AC" in AC Schnitzer stands for Aachen.

Tom's absolutely right about the relationship between Schnitzer Motorsport and AC Schnitzer. They are two distinct companies and one has very little to do with the other, though occasionally they will help each other with development. For example, Schnitzer Motorsport helped to develop the intake on the AC Schnitzer supercharger system for the E46 3 Series.

"AC" in AC Schnitzer stands for Aachen.

Yep, its the city code, as used for the license plates.

Did the dealership come first (Autohaus Schnitzer) and then was Schnitzer Motorsport an outcome of that?

Did the dealership come first (Autohaus Schnitzer) and then was Schnitzer Motorsport an outcome of that?

Quick Blurb:

"Schnitzer Motorsport is a successful Motorsport Team based in Freilassing near Munich, Germany.

It was founded in 1967 by the brothers Josef and Herbert Schnitzer, born in 1939 and 1941. Their stepfather Karl Lamm had a car repair shop and dealer business. The brothers started racing in 1962, and Josef Schnitzer won the 1966 German Championship in a BMW 2000ti. In 1968, both retired from active race driving to focus on the business and the race team.

In the 1970's, the Schnitzer's younger half-brothers Karl ("Charly") and Dieter Lamm joined the team, with Charly Lamm acting as team manager at the race tracks. In 1978, Josef Schnitzer died in an accident, and Herbert Schnitzer remained as the boss.

Apart from having the BMW dealership and Motorsport team based in Southern Germany's Bavaria, they also own a BMW tuning specialist concern in the far north near the border of Belgium and the Netherlands, in Aachen. As this city has the license plate code AC, they called this branch AC Schnitzer.

Since the 1960's, the Schnitzer team has been mainly active with BMW and BMW M cars in Touring car racing like the European Touring Car Championship, the Deutsche Rennsport Meisterschaft, the Deutsche Tourenwagen Meisterschaft and the WTCC. They've won the 24 Hours Nürburgring in 2004 and 2005.

Schnitzer was also active in Sports car racing and Endurance racing, in the ALMS, at the 1000km Nürburgring, winning the 1999 24 Hours of Le Mans with a BMW V12 LMR."

FACTBOX

Team Principal Herbert Schnitzer

Team Manager Charly Lamm

Headquarters Freilassing
(Germany)

Foundation 1963

Drivers Dirk Müller
Jörg Müller