BMW M Division might have branched out into four-wheel drives and hot hatches, but it's still a motorsports brand at its core. The M4 DTM Champion Edition is designed to serve as a reminder. Along with the fancy bodykit, it celebrates Marco Whitmann securing the DTM Driver Championship with the water-injected engine and more focused chassis from the M4 GTS.
Under the skin, the M4 DTM Champion Edition will be familiar to anyone who's looked at an M4 GTS. Power comes from the same water-injected, turbocharged inline-six as you'd find in that car, pumping out 368 kW (500 hp) of power, 51 kW (69 hp) more than the standard M4 can manage. There's also 600 Nm (443 lb.ft) of torque on tap, a 50 Nm (37 lb.ft) increase over standard.
Thanks to the extra power, the 100 km/h (62 mph) sprint takes just 3.8 seconds, and the DTM will keep on pulling to an electronically limited top speed of 305 km/h (190 mph). All this power is kept in check with a fully-adjustable suspension setup and new wheels wrapped in Michelin Pilot Cup 2 tires, which should provide plenty of grip flat out on a racetrack.
It's not just the engine that's borrowed from the M4 GTS, the M4 DTM runs with the same stripped back interior as well. Gone are the cushy front seats, and in their place sit a set of carbon fiber buckets with full racing harnesses. The rear seats have been taken out to make room for a roll cage, too, finished in silver.
Outside, BMW has chosen a tricolor paint scheme to make diehard M Performance fans weak at the knees. Along with a big wing at the back, the aerodynamic add-ons scattered around the car have been finished in raw carbon fiber.
Just 200 examples of the M4 DTM Champion Edition will be built, with a starting price of €148,500 (US$163,500).
Source: BMW