“It’s a racing car for the road” is a phrase that’s slapped on to pretty much every performance car these days, but BMW has genuinely created a near-production racer you can actually buy.
It’s called the M4 GT4, and while it currently exists only as the concept sketch you see above, by late next year you’ll be able to have one of these beasties parked up in your driveway.
Naturally, the car is based on the regular M4 coupe, albeit with racing aero bits, a rollcage and bits and bobs lifted straight from the M6 GT3 race car, and is available for privateer racers to buy.
Available late next year
Essentially, it’s a little bit like the rally cars made by Ford factory racing team M-Sport; if you’re a serious or semi-serious racer with the cash to spare, BMW will build this racing M4 for you.
Slotting in between the big-boy M6 GT3 and the entry-level M235i Racing model, the M4 GT4 offers a step up for teams looking to move on to more powerful classes.
BMW Motorsport director Jens Marquardt explained: “The GT4 category is currently experiencing a boom. It offers affordable motorsport with cars of technical high-quality.
Genuine BMW racing car
“We see enormous potential around the world for privateer BMW teams for whom the BMW M4 GT4 is an option. Developing a classic customer racing car such as this and offering it to privateer teams has always been one of BMW Motorsport’s core competencies.”
In terms of specs, the M4 GT4 gets the same 3.0-litre 425bhp twin-turbo straight-six engine from the production M4, along with a carbon fibre bonnet, carbon doors and a bespoke exhaust.
More information is expected to be released closer to the car’s actual unveiling in the metal, but like they say: if it looks cool, it probably will be.
