BMW Motorsport has announced that its new M4 GT4 completed its first tests last week in Almeria, Spain. Development of the car is already at an advanced stage, with BMW’s engineers apparently placing great importance on ease of maintenance and cost efficiency.
Development of the GT4 model, which is based on the new BMW M4 production car, began with initial computer simulations in September 2020, while prototype production got underway by the start of 2021 and the first test vehicle were assembled over the summer. The chassis, including the roll cage, comes from the BMW Group Plant in Dingolfing (GER), where the production car is also built. The BMW M4 GT4 prototype completed its first functional test in October 2021.
The focus on ease of maintenance and running cost stems from the fact the car will primarily be used private teams. For example, the complete drivetrain, including engine, transmission and electronics, has been adopted from the production model. The development engineers also placed particular emphasis on cooling, which they noted is always a major challenge in the GT4 class. Some components, such as the composite roof and rear wing concept, have been directly adopted from the BMW M4 GT3. Sustainable materials like natural fibers, which replace carbon and plastic components, sourced from partner Bcomp, also feature in the car’s construction.
“Although we are still in a very early phase of testing, there are already areas, in which we have achieved progress compared to the current BMW M4 GT4,” said BMW M works driver Jens Klingmann, who took on the test work alongside Erik Johansson, in Almeria.
“This applies in particular to the seat ergonomics, ease of operation and many additional functions that the predecessor did not have. As far as driveability is concerned, the new BMW M4 GT4 feels very secure from the word go. It has a large top range, in which you can push the car to the limit. We still have a full year to optimise the car to be used by private teams and drivers, but it is already a lot of fun to drive.”
