BMW has replaced the M3 Coupe with the M4 Coupe for the 2014 DTM (Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters) season, with the new car to make its first track appearance at the official ITR tests in Budapest (March 31 – April 3) and then at the final test in Hockenheim (April 14 – April 17).
BMW has been developing the M4 DTM in recent months, but from now on, it is not allowed to make modifications to fundamental areas of the car as teams prepare for the season debut on May 4 at Hockenheim. The forthcoming tests will focus mainly on optimizing detailed aspects of the total package and unlocking the full potential of the BMW M4 DTM.
Although it retains some of the production car’s styling cues, including the elongated bonnet, long-wheel base, set-back greenhouse, short front overhang, twin headlight arrangement, twin-bar kidney grille and the power dome on the bonnet, the BMW M4 DTM has little else in common with the road car. The racecar has a sophisticated aerodynamic package, including air curtains at the front, air ducts, a plate along the side channel, aerodynamically optimized wing mirrors and a massive rear wing.
The entire body of the BMW M4 DTM is made of carbon fiber, with the car tipping the scales at 1,110 kg (2,447lbs), driver included.
The racer is powered by a 4.0-liter V8 engine with air restrictor that produces 480hp and 500 Nm (369 lb-ft) of torque, propelling it from zero to 100 km/h in about 3 seconds.
The engine is mated to a sequential six-speed short gearbox with steering wheel-mounted shift paddles. Reliability is a key issue, with BMW only allowed to use 10 engines for the entire fleet of eight racecars across the 2014 season. Parts like the gearbox, clutch, dampers and rear wing are identical in all DTM cars to lower costs.
By Dan Mihalascu
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