A 7’28 Nürburgring lap time, water-injection, 500 PS, and 305 km/h top speed: the M4 GTS is finally here!
BMW have finally released the M4 GTS in production guise! Finally? Remember the MotoGP Safety Car? Yes, that one; for the road now. Featuring unique water-injection technology to improve engine efficiency both in terms of output and emission, the TwinPower Turbo 3.0-litre straight-six now puts out a thoroughly astonishing 500 PS and 600 Nm! Weight, too, has been shaved down to 1,510 kg. With the added 69 PS over the M4, that translates to 331 PS/tonne and a 0-100 km/h sprint in just 3.8 seconds, with a 305 km/h top speed. The M4 GTS managed to lap the Nürburgring in 7’28, and is also more track-oriented than ever before.
The seven-speed M dual-clutch transmission drives the rear wheels, as is expected from BMW, and, if the M4 is the benchmark we need to catch, the new GTS is sure to turn up the excitement further. The last GTS, the M3 GTS, had its 4.0-litre V8 bumped up to 440 PS. Not only is the new M4 GTS more powerful, it features a straight-six, like the M4, which has its TwinPower turbos more like an icing on the cake than a filling in a pie. And that makes a world of a difference in terms of engine response and power delivery.
To harness all of that power, the suspension has also been tweaked to make it more able. The M coilover suspension is adjustable for compression and rebound and is paired to specially-created Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 tyres, which were part of the design from the outset, tailored to suit the suspension. The carbon-ceramic brakes are standard too.
Another new element on the M4 GTS is the début of OLED lighting for the tail-lamps at the rear. The LED headlamps are adaptive and use Selective Beam technology for better light spread without dazzling oncoming motorists.
We’re not sure when, or even if, the M4 GTS will come to India, with a production run of just 700 units. We do have our fingers crossed though.
Story: Jim Gorde
