BMW M4 GT3 Is More Powerful, Drivable And Cost Efficient Than Old M6 GT3

BMW has just taken the veil of the new M4 GT3 before it makes its racing debut at round four of the Nurburgring Endurance Series on June 26.

The German car manufacturer has been working on the M4 GT3 since early 2020 and the car has completed more than 14,000 test kilometers on various race tracks including Monteblanco and Almeria in Spain, and on the Nurburgring-Nordschleife in Germany. After its launch and race debut in June, the M4 GT3 will undergo more tests and race outings before customer deliveries begin ahead of the 2022 racing season.

BMW says significant improvements have been made to the car in three key areas when compared to the outgoing M6 GT3: drivability, cost efficiency, and operation. Its handling and cockpit equipment are said to be more comfortable for amateur drivers while the car is also easier on its tires. It also has far lower lifecycle costs and longer maintenance intervals for the engine and transmission. Operating the car is also easier as many settings can be configured through the steering wheel.

Powering the BMW M4 GT3 is a 3.0-liter twin-turbocharged straight-six that pumps out upwards of 590 hp. This engine is coupled to an Xtrac six-speed transmission driving the rear wheels. By comparison, the M6 GT3 rocked a 4.4-liter twin-turbocharged V8 with 580 hp and had a six-speed transmission sourced from Ricardo.

“The development work on the BMW M4 GT3 is now on the finishing straight, and the 24-hour race at the Nürburgring is the perfect stage on which to present the car in its BMW M Motorsport design and thus to herald the final phase leading up to the first race outings,” BMW M chief executive Markus Flasch said in a statement. “The new BMW M4 Competition provides the perfect basis for the BMW M4 GT3, whose engine was designed from the outset for use at the racetrack. This underlines how road car and race car development always go hand in hand at BMW M GmbH.”

Race teams will be able to purchase the M4 GT3 from €415,000 (~US$506,000), or €4,000 (US$3,881) less than the M6 GT3.