What's all this about?
The signs have all been there - talk of the BMW M4 being able to handle more power; the lurid M4 MotoGP Safety Car shown earlier this year; mention of water injection technology to boost an engine's power. And now BMW has done the decent thing and confirmed that an M4 GTS is on the way.
But doesn't this say 'Concept' on the rear number plate?
Well spotted. Yes, officially this is the BMW Concept M4 GTS, but we'll draw your attention to the 2001 M3 CSL Concept shown at Frankfurt, which went on to become the showroom reality with very little alteration, and the similarly near-production-ready Concept M5 of 2005, which presaged the eventual V10 model. We'll stake whatever reputation we've got on the fact that, if you were to drop the 'Concept' from its name, this genuinely is the forthcoming M4 GTS, probably due on sale in 2016.
OK, so what sort of power and performance are we looking at?
No idea, because BMW hasn't said. It's likely to have a development of the 3.0-litre twin-turbo straight-six found in the regular M4, which makes 431hp and 550Nm. However, like the aforementioned MotoGP Safety Car, the Concept M4 GTS has water injection, which is reckoned to jack those figures up to in excess of 500hp and 600Nm.
How about that wild looking body?
Stunning, isn't it? Finished in Frozen Dark Grey Metallic with Acid Orange splashes in various places, it features manually adjustable carbon fibre aero (the front splitter and that enormous rear wing) and a carbon bonnet, to keep the centre-of-gravity and weight as low as possible. The evil bodywork is complemented by 666 (no, we're not kidding) M styling alloys wrapped in track-focused Michelin Sport Cup 2 tyres, and the tyres are mixed-size - 265/35 R19s front, 285/30 R20s rear. The M4 GTS also has organic light-emitting diode (OLED) rear lights, giving it a distinctive look in the dark and representing a riposte to Audi, which recently announced it was working on the same tech.
Is this going to be revealed in Frankfurt, then?
Surprisingly, no. The Concept M4 GTS will have its debut at the Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance over in the States.
What I'd really like right now is a quote from Frank van Meel, president of M Division...
Then allow us to grant your every wish: "While the BMW M4 Coupé embodies the ideal combination of motorsport 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. Despite its outstanding track ability, it is still fully road-legal. This is racing technology for the road in the truest sense." In other words, if you're a loaded track-day enthusiast, get your M4 GTS deposit in now.
Matt Robinson - 14 Aug 2015
