Spied: BMW M4 GTS production prototype bares its GTS goodies [updated w/ VIDEO]

[ilya335]

I like it. It has just the right amount of track flare, a la GT3 RS. The styling queues remind me of previous track car renditions form BMW. It is a track car after all.

[Falafel Combo]

I'm willing to bet $2 that an M3 would have pulled off the GTS look much better. That rear quarter on the M4 GTS looks like a really attractive girl with the hips of a 10 year old boy.

[MFNATIK]

Originally Posted by Falafel Combo

I'm will get bet $2 that an M3 would have pulled off the GTS look much better. That rear quarter on the M4 GTS looks like a really attractive girl with the hips of a 10 year old boy.

AGREED! Shoulda been the M3 GTS and M4 CSL...come on BMW!!!

[MistaVauros]

And what's starting to happen now, is you look at the pics of the car more and more and you start to convince yourself that it actually looks good/desirable.

Stop! The aero parts are tacked on but functional. They didn't spend time truly integrating the design of the parts into the form of the M4. BMW/M is evolving from the company/division we use to know (for good and for worst, it seems). It is definitely becoming a love/hate relationship with owning the current generation of M cars. The reality, however, is that aside from spending more money to get a Porsche, there isn't another brand/option to choose from that is better than ///M. So, you HATE the design decisions they make with the ///M cars, but you LOVE the fact that not much else compares to it (again, unless you go Porsche).

[Cameronc08]

[aajami]

A. First sighting of F32 LCI LED taillights?

B. First sighting of production F82 GTS OLED taillights?

C. Needlessly covering up concept F82 GTS OLED taillights?

[nene]

Originally Posted by solstice

.... The difference why a GT3RS looks so awesome with a wing is the shape of the body. A 911 looks naked without a wing, an M4 looks a bit ricey with a wing nothing to do about it since this is a 4-series. ....

I have to somewhat disagree on the wing statement here. I think a wing similar in idea to the Nissan GT-R would have provided sufficient downforce at speed, whilst blending well into the shape of the M4's rear.
The flat top portion could even be made to switch angles as desired by the driver (manually or automatically). Function and form can be easily obtained. The wing on the M4 shows pure laziness on the part of the BMW engineering team.
Maybe they spent too much time designing the Jay Leno front lip, or the flower pattern of the orange rims.

[Ashley Schaeffer BMW]

LOL at the shills in full damage control mode.

There is no excusing those wheels and color accents that don't even match.

[GMe90]

Looks terrible. If you want a dedicated track car, don't buy a four seater BMW. If you want a great all around car, the regular M4 is perfect. Fast and luxurious.

[IB M]

The simple fact that this car is coming to the NA market is a BIG WIN! Meditate on that a while before complaining too much. I don't love every design element (I.e. the wing) but overall it is an amazing car that includes some serious performance upgrades over a base M4. Kudos to BMW.

[scheneider]

not feeling it ...

[esquire]

Originally Posted by Boss330

Just to clarify. You say "water injection cooler". The water injection system is not a cooling system for the interccoler, but a system that injects a mist of water into the intake air going to the engine. To have any advantage from the water injection you also need the software mapping that adapts ignition timing and boost levels to create more power allowed by the water injection. Higher knock resistance allows for more aggressive ignition timing and boost.

Aftermarket, or tuner, aero are developed for looks, not for downforce. Most tuners know that their exterior products are chosen for looks and not to add downforce. They simply design them to look good and doesn't bother about expensive aero tunnel work. "Tuner aero" can actually do the opposite of what you want and generate more lift instead of downforce. Or it can create undesired turbulence that disturbs cooling, air intake or drag resistance.

For a street car, tuner aero is just fine cause it's just for looks. For a track car, not so much...

Poor choice of words on my parts with respect to "cooler". That said its function is to cool , so in some sense it's also the correct choice. But I agree with your broad point.

Re: mapping, yes that's a given.

Re: aftermarket aero being only aesthetic; that's an envelope statement that's not accurate. There is plenty of well thought out aftermarket aero. Bmw is not the only company who knows how to make functional aero.

[esquire]

Originally Posted by SCOTT26

You forgot the words of wisdom of Herr Gerhard Richter.
When you take a BMW M product aftermarket it is no longer a BMW M.

Then virtually every person on this board no longer has an M.

[neo871]

BMW M should have brought back the team that did this:

[esquire]

Originally Posted by adc

Your CF hood and other aero from IND will probably make you slower on track, since not one of them has been near a wind tunnel.

The aftermarket wing will look similar and perform similarly to the OEM, when properly chosen and installed - so it's a draw.

Your cobbled together water injection system may work or not, and may harm the engine or not.

For all these troubles, you will end up with a slower, modified M4 without a warranty, and in unsaleable condition. Have fun.

The reason I mentioned IND (and not some other place) is because they are more than capable of getting OEM GTS aero and parts, as they've done on numerous occasions in the past.

I also disagree with the proposition that going aftermarket will result in deficient car or that the warranty makes the premium worth it (an assessment neither of us can make until we know the price delta).

Lot of blanket statements out there. Let me reiterate my point- depending on the price delta, there doesn't seem to be enough happening here for me (especially with regard to the engine). If the delta is small (<15k) then maybe , but more than that I would want to see more.

[Alpine F31]

Originally Posted by NiceGuyEddie

So, it comes with a cargo liftgate on the front end?

I really want to like this car, but aesthetically, between that, the Pep Boys wing (don't preach to me about functionality - I am talking solely about how it looks), and the god awful wheels, BMW snatched defeat from the jaws of victory on this one.

You wont find a wing like that at Pep Boys.

[Don Pauleone]

Originally Posted by ex o

I don't think anyone is questioning the function of the aero bits. The overarching reaction seems to be based on the look of it. Functional aero does not have to be ugly.

amen!
they dun have to fuck the looks up to make the aero functional.

[solstice]

Originally Posted by esquire

The reason I mentioned IND (and not some other place) is because they are more than capable of getting OEM GTS aero and parts, as they've done on numerous occasions in the past.

I also disagree with the proposition that going aftermarket will result in deficient car or that the warranty makes the premium worth it (an assessment neither of us can make until we know the price delta).

Lot of blanket statements out there. Let me reiterate my point- depending on the price delta, there doesn't seem to be enough happening here for me (especially with regard to the engine). If the delta is small (<15k) then maybe , but more than that I would want to see more.

There's a member here that attempted to replicate the E92 M3 GTS, I think he spent close to $50k using OEM parts where possible. He can tell you all about how easy that is and the satisfaction ( or lack thereof ) with the result vs. the real thing.

[Matski]

Originally Posted by esquire

Let me reiterate my point- depending on the price delta, there doesn't seem to be enough happening here for me (especially with regard to the engine). If the delta is small (<15k) then maybe , but more than that I would want to see more.

Well, we haven't seen the official specs yet, so price alone doesn't show the whole picture. I'm keen to see what the weight saving is on this car.

As for the whole idea of creating an aftermarket copy of the GTS, on paper you might end up with an equivalent car at a more reasonable price, which is fine for some, but not for others. Some people like to own original artwork, some people are happy with a reproduction. Some people like original branded goods, some people are happy with imitations. I'm not saying either is more right than the other, but for some, there is a value to the M4 GTS that isn't quantified by a price in a parts catalogue.

[Boss330]

Originally Posted by esquire

Poor choice of words on my parts with respect to "cooler". That said its function is to cool , so in some sense it's also the correct choice. But I agree with your broad point.

Re: mapping, yes that's a given.

Re: aftermarket aero being only aesthetic; that's an envelope statement that's not accurate. There is plenty of well thought out aftermarket aero. Bmw is not the only company who knows how to make functional aero.

Until they actually do some wind tunnel work (or CFD) on their aero bits they can't quantify any positive or negative effects of their aero parts. Neither downforce/lift or effects on other parts of the airflow over the vehicle.

It's not so much about "knowing how to make functional aero parts" as it is about testing and verifying the results from the added on parts. Even F1 teams with their super skilled engineers have to do both CFD and wind tunnel testing to verify the effects of their aero parts.

Just slapping on some parts that look good may or may not wreak havoc with the cars aerodynamic qualities. On a street car, not much of an issue, but on a track car every kg of downforce helps improve cornering speed.

The principles and ideas behind aero bits are well known to many, but does that exact shape and size placed in x position on the front bumper yield 10kg of downforce, 30kg of downforce, or worse, lift? Does it interrupt airflow to the cooling system and engine air intake?

[IEDEI]

uninspiring...

[M3 n X5M]

The ugly 20" wheels will probably stay since the carbon brakes don't clear road debris well against the oem 19" wheels.

And those flower orange wheels are just ugly.

Too bad...