BMW have revealed the M4 GTS – yes, the MotoGP Safety Car – in its production concept guise.
When the 4 Series arrived, it was basically the 3 Series but with two doors – with or without a fixed roof – while the 3 Series ended up with four doors. Then came the M4, which, like the M3, sported the TwinPower Turbo straight-six motor with 431 PS and 550 Nm. The last GTS from BMW which had two doors and seated four was the M3 GTS back in 2010. That, of course, had a big 4.0-litre V8 and was tuned up to 440 PS – no forced induction of any sort. Now, though, the GTS nomenclature is back.
With the Safety Car in MotoGP – the pinnacle of racing on two wheels – being the M4 GTS, it was a car, which, safe to say, used experimental technology to make it more powerful and faster than its road-going and production M4 sibling.
The new M4 GTS, apart from the Frozen Dark Grey Metallic paint finish and what BMW call ‘Acid Orange’ accents on the front air-splitter and specially-forged alloy wheels, looks menacing and, especially in this finish, will always make its presence felt. Or so we feel. However, the technology under the bonnet is what the fuss is really about.
BMW’s M Division has introduced a water-injection system, which, the company describes as “using the physical effect of water when vapourising to draw the required energy from the ambient medium. The water is injected into the plenums of the intake manifold as a fine spray. When the water vapourises, the intake air cools significantly. As a result, the final compression temperature in the combustion chamber – and therefore the engine’s tendency to “knock” – is reduced, enabling the turbocharged engine to use higher boost pressure and earlier injection timing.”
Thus, it basically optimises the intake air stream so a larger portion of cooler, denser air is in the air-fuel mix allowing for greater power output. That greater power output has not been specified, but we know the figure to be far higher than the 431 PS in the M4, if not in the region of close to 500 PS. Further aiding traction and dynamic ability are the mixed-size Michelin Sport Cup 2 tyres: 265/35 R19s at the front and 285/30 R20s at the rear.
Speaking of the rear, the M4 GTS also debuts BMW’s OLED lighting technology. Organic LED units produce a greater luminescence over a smaller surface area and thus can be used creatively to produce a signature like few others in the market today.
The Concept M4 GTS was shown over the past weekend at the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance in California on 13 August. Going by how the M4 GTS accelerates on the MotoGP grid, we can’t wait for the production car.
Story: Jim Gorde
