Vehicle Description
"[interior] This track-focused version of the M4 was limited to a
production run of just 700 examples (300 for the US and just 50 in
Canada) and as its exclusivity suggests, this car was designed to
serve as a gift to BMW fanatics who are looking for a little bit
extra, or should we say a little bit less... When we say less, what
we really mean is more. That is to say, less is more. This has
become a popular ethos in the automotive world in the form of
"track-day" vehicles, a genre popularized by legendary machines
like the Porsche 911 GT3RS. The M4 GTS is BMW's way of throwing
their own light-weight hat into that ring, boasting an 80-pound
weight reduction from the standard M4, some of the most apparent
weight-saving techniques are visible from the cockpit. Firstly, the
standard upholstery found in the M4 has been replaced with the same
lightweight recycled composite material found in the i3. All cup
holders and storage compartments have been eliminated. Grab handles
on the doors have been replaced with polyester straps. The
electronically adjustable leather seats have been ditched for
Alcantara bolstered racing seats that are manually adjustable and
even the back seats have been replaced with an ostentatious bronze
roll cage. That bronze is a theme colour on the GTS, giving
tasteful subtle accents of colour on both the inside and out.
[exterior] In stark but complementary contrast to the rich Mineral
Grey paint, the same bronze finish has been applied to the rims and
the adjustable front splitter. Along with a spoiler sitting
prominently on the rear deck, these major design cues set the GTS
apart from a regular M4. Improving not only the looks but downforce
as well, these visual differences are an important part of the GTS
objective, to go faster. Much like the base M4, the GTS applies the
use of carbon fibre for the hood, roof and trunk lid, keeping
centre of gravity low and making access to the beautiful engine bay
and curious water pump shockingly easy. [motor] Opening up that
shockingly light trunk lid reveals what might be considered one of
the most unique modern-day mechanical engineering decisions made by
a major automotive manufacturer, a water injection system. The GTS'
twin-turbo straight-six is cooled by a 1.5-gallon tank of crisp,
clean distilled water that has left the automotive community
slightly bewildered as to why the engineers at BMW chose to use
technology that hasn't been seen in a car in nearly 20 years. For
the answer, simply refer to the aforementioned objective of the
GTS, to go faster. This highly effective system takes the 17.2 psi
boost found in the standard M4 and ramps it up to 21.6. In turn,
there is a 70 horsepower increase to 493hp and a 40 lb/ft torque
increase to 443. All that power makes the GTS significantly more
boisterous than the rest of its M stablemates. No electronically
manipulated exhaust notes here, just pure unadulterated inline-six
battle cry! With only 1117 km (694mi) on the odometer, the original
owner purchased this particular GTS with the intention of
preserving it in a collector-worthy state. Everything from the
ground up remains in pristine factory-quality condition, a blank
slate ready for the next owner. This vehicle is completely EPA /
DOT certified for the State of California. [history] The year was
1972. BMW's M Motorsport department had just been developed with
the intent to dominate the European Touring Car Championship and
the Formula 2 Championship. They started with the legendary 3.0 CSL
and it wasn't until the introduction of the M1 in 1978 that the
world saw its first M-badged road car. Shortly thereafter we were
introduced to the M3, a car that would go on to become the most
successful touring car of all time. Along with its big brother, the
M5, the BMW M3 shared success on and off the track, so much success
in fact that BMW decided to fill some "gaps" in the M lineup. In
2011 BMW released the 1M, albeit an entertaining car even by
today's standards it was eventually discontinued to make room for
the M2 in 2016. The larger end of the scale saw the M4 released in
2014. Two years later the first production versions of the M4 GTS
started hitting the streets. As the price tag and production
numbers clearly indicate, this isn't your everyday M4. Yes, many of
the badges on the car are the same, but that's where the
similarities stop. The objective was to make a fast car go faster
and that's what they did. In typical Motorsport fashion, everything
from the interior to the intercooler was completely redesigned.
This complicated equation of weight reduction, improved performance
standards and a hefty power increase equate to a 3500 lbs BMW coupe
that can lap the Nurburgring as fast as a Carrera GT. Fast, precise
and highly capable this GTS eagerly awaits the right enthusiast who
appreciates the endless list of modifications that sets this car
apart from the standard M4. Just a few minutes with this special
vehicle and you'll quickly realize that Porsche doesn't have a
monopoly on specialty track-day performance anymore.
"
