Automotive

BMW lets the water-injected Concept M4 GTS loose

BMW lets the water-injected Concept M4 GTS loose
The BMW Concept M4 GTS debuts at Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance 2015
The BMW Concept M4 GTS debuts at Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance 2015
View 22 Images
BMW's latest concept car makes use of a water injection system for performance gains
1/22
BMW's latest concept car makes use of a water injection system for performance gains
The Concept M4 GTS features a bold carbon fiber wing
2/22
The Concept M4 GTS features a bold carbon fiber wing
The new concept wears BMW's OLED taillights
3/22
The new concept wears BMW's OLED taillights
BMW Concept M4 GTS debut
4/22
BMW Concept M4 GTS debut
BMW will release more details about the production M4 GTS in the future
5/22
BMW will release more details about the production M4 GTS in the future
The BMW Concept M4 GTS debuts at Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance 2015
6/22
The BMW Concept M4 GTS debuts at Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance 2015
The new BMW concept is painted up in Frozen Dark Grey Metallic with Acid Orange accents
7/22
The new BMW concept is painted up in Frozen Dark Grey Metallic with Acid Orange accents
BMW Concept M4 GTS
8/22
BMW Concept M4 GTS
BMW Concept M4 GTS
9/22
BMW Concept M4 GTS
The Concept M4 features the latest evolution of BMW's OLED lighting technology
10/22
The Concept M4 features the latest evolution of BMW's OLED lighting technology
The Concept M4 GTS front splitter is highlighted in Acid Orange
11/22
The Concept M4 GTS front splitter is highlighted in Acid Orange
The Concept M4 GTS has 19-in front and 20-in rear wheels
12/22
The Concept M4 GTS has 19-in front and 20-in rear wheels
BMW Concept M4 GTS
13/22
BMW Concept M4 GTS
The Concept M4 GTS is a bit lighter thanks to its CFRP hood
14/22
The Concept M4 GTS is a bit lighter thanks to its CFRP hood
BMW Concept M4 GTS
15/22
BMW Concept M4 GTS
BMW Concept M4 GTS
16/22
BMW Concept M4 GTS
The new BMW concept gets a number of changes up front including the manually adjustable splitter and wide intake
17/22
The new BMW concept gets a number of changes up front including the manually adjustable splitter and wide intake
BMW Concept M4 GTS
18/22
BMW Concept M4 GTS
BMW designed the Concept M4 GTS with track use in mind
19/22
BMW designed the Concept M4 GTS with track use in mind
While designed for the track, the M4 GTS is also street legal
20/22
While designed for the track, the M4 GTS is also street legal
The new GTS package is built on the M4, which is powered by a twin-turbo inline six-cylinder engine
21/22
The new GTS package is built on the M4, which is powered by a twin-turbo inline six-cylinder engine
If the M4 isn't quite potent enough, the M4 GTS might fit the bill
22/22
If the M4 isn't quite potent enough, the M4 GTS might fit the bill
View gallery - 22 images

BMW hasn't been playing around at this year's big concours events. Following the 3.0 CSL Homagge from Italy's Concorso d'Eleganza Villa d'Este in May, BMW brought both a more race-ready version of that design and the all-new Concept M4 GTS to Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance over the weekend. The new M4 concept must have been quite antsy on its dais; this two-door silver bullet clearly yearns for a hunk of open, twisty asphalt.

Two years after previewing the M4 in concept form, BMW builds upon the high-performance coupe it launched last year. The Concept M4 GTS serves as a preview of an even higher performance 4 Series that will be sold in North America.

Besides helping well-to-do buyers distinguish themselves from the average Joes buying the standard M4, the Concept M4 GTS satisfies drivers that plan to schedule regular track time. BMW promises that the new package has been track-tuned down to the smallest detail.

Most notably, the M4 GTS features the innovative water injection system that BMW first rolled out on the M4 MotoGP safety car. That system offers more than just output advantages, but we'll guess M4 GTS buyers will be most interested in the type of horsepower and torque increases they can expect from the M4's 3.0-liter twin-turbo inline-six. BMW hasn't answered those questions just yet, but we do know that the water injection system BMW talked about testing on the 1 Series last month offered 10 percent gains.

The Concept M4 GTS launches the latest offensive in the Great German Lighting Tech War, beating Audi to the punch in showcasing updated OLED taillight technology. The M4 GTS taillights show some slight styling evolution from the pair on the 2014 Vision Future Luxury.

BMW Concept M4 GTS debut
BMW Concept M4 GTS debut

Other performance enhancements include a manually adjustable front splitter and rear wing made from exposed carbon, a widened front air intake, and a lightweight carbon fiber hood.

"While the BMW M4 Coupe embodies the ideal combination of motor sport genes and unrestricted everyday usability, the BMW Concept M4 GTS previews an emotionally powerful and exclusive special model conceived with an eye for trailblazing technology and a keen focus on the race track," explains Frank van Meel, BMW M president. "Despite its outstanding track ability, it is still fully road-legal. This is racing technology for the road in the truest sense."

To ensure that everyone else gets the idea the driver is behind the wheel of the truest form of racing tech on the road, BMW brushes the Concept M4 GTS in a distinct blend of Frozen Dark Grey Metallic paint and Acid Orange highlights. The car stands on forged, polished light-alloy wheels, measuring 9.5 J x 19 in front and 10.5 J x 20 out back. A set of Michelin Sport Cup 2 tires (265/35 R19 front, 285/30 R20 rear) dress those wheels for fast, sharp track and road driving.

BMW doesn't suggest when it will get production of the M4 GTS started, so for now we'll just have to wait and enjoy the pretty debut photos.

Source: BMW

View gallery - 22 images
2 comments
2 comments
MensaJeff
I can't get too excited about this "innovative" idea when water injection for detonation suppression (allowing an increase in timing) was common in our hotrodding scene in the 1970s in the Philadelphia suburbs...I had an effective system on my various '67 Cougars. Nothing new under the sun
warren52nz
Water Injection if fabulous. I've used it for years on turbocharged cars. You can:
- increase the boost - use lower octane fuel - advance the timing and - lean the mixture
Or a combination of these, all death to a normal engine but all Go Fast strategies.
The real innovation here is collecting it from the air conditioning system so the driver doesn't have another maintenance item.