Just in time for the Bathurst 12 Hour and Australian GT Championships, the brand new BMW M4 GT4 has arrived.
BMW Team SRM took delivery of the first vehicle after working tirelessly to secure one of the new GT4-spec racers since plans were first revealed.
BMW Group Australia CEO, Marc Werner, said, “Being so closely related to the M4 road car, the BMW M4 GT4 is an ideal step for those wanting to progress from track days to racing.”
The BMW Team SRM M4 GT4 has arrived in Melbourne as the team prepares for the Bathurst 12 Hour race in February 2018. BMW Team SRM boss and four-time Bathurst 1000 winner Steve Richards indicated that early signs were promising for the new racer. "It's been a 12-month build-up since BMW first had the prototype running, and it's everything they said it would be," said Richards.
"It's so easy to run. When we picked it up from the airport, I drove it onto the trailer. Everything about it is simple; it's perfect for an amateur racer to put on the trailer, head to the track, have a drive, and then put it back in the shed. It's a very user-friendly, low-overhead car.
"It's a proper racecar, too. It’s based on the fantastic road car platform but it’s not a production car – it’s built from the ground up as a racer.
“It uses the standard engine, it uses the standard dual-clutch transmission, and that in itself is a testament to what a fantastic product the BMW M4 really is."
A second M4 GT4 also arrived in the country and was delivered to its proud new owner, former BMW Motorsport racer Tony Longhurst.
The philosophy behind the GT4 class is cost-effective GT racing, with a focus on sharing technology with road cars.
Powered by a six-cylinder M TwinPower turbo engine, it is capable of producing 321kW and is mated with a seven-speed dual clutch transmission with motorsport software.
BMW Motorsport M4 GT4 Specifications:
Dimensions
Length: 4,750 mm
Width: 2,014 mm
Height: 1,369 mm (variable)
Wheelbase: 2,812 mm
Engine
Type: Six-cylinder in-line, four valves
Technology: M TwinPower turbo technology, direct injection, Valvetronic
Capacity: 2,979 cc
Output: More than 431 hp (depending on balance of performance)
Engine management: Production engine electronics – output via power stick can be adjusted according to defined BoP
Exhaust system: Motorsport-specific lightweight exhaust system
Fuel Tank
FT3 safety tank
Capacity: 125 litres (depending on regulations)
Chassis
- DMSB-certified welded safety roll cage (compliant with FIA regulations), manufactured by BMW Motorsport
- Roof, doors and bonnet made from CFRP
- Makrolon® discs (heated front disc)
- Motorsport front splitters made from CFRP
- Motorsport rear wing made from CFRP, customisable
- Motorsport dive plane made from CFRP
- Air jack system
- Bonnet and hatchback quick-release lock
- Lightweight motorsport wiring harness
Suspension
- Motorsport-specific control connections
- Adjustable motorsport stabilisers front and rear
- Specially adapted motorsport shock absorbers (Öhlins) front and rear
- Springs, each with three spring rates for the front and rear axle available
Transmission
- Seven-speed dual clutch transmission with motorsport software
- Mechanical differential lock with separate cooling
- Purpose-built output shafts with wheel bearings adapted for motorsport (rear axle)
Driver’s Aids
Stability systems specifically adapted for BMW Motorsport (DSC/ABS)
Wheels/Tyres
- 11 x 18-inch alloy wheels
- Tyre dimensions: 300/660 R18
Brakes
- Front: 6-piston, fixed calliper front, AP Racing (Diameter of brake disks: 390 mm)
- Rear: 4-piston, fixed calliper rear, AP Racing (Diameter of brake disks: 355 mm)
- Balance beams for adjusting the brake balance at the front and rear
- Double-suction brake air cooling
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