The BMW M4 GT3 takes to the track with Augusto Farfus

So victorious in the category, including two successes at the 24 Hours of Spa (2016 and 2018), the venerable M6 GT3 will be replaced in 2022, the date the new GT3 regulations come into force, by its little sister M4.

A platform chosen several months ago by Munich and which was in full development in the German design offices, with the production of the first chassis at the beginning of 2020. In recent days, a new phase of the process has been reached, with the first laps of the M4 GT3 near the Dingolfing factory.

Augusto Farfus, official driver of the brand, had been requisitioned for this shakedown. “I have participated in the development of several BMW racing cars and I am always particularly happy to be part of such an important project, admits the Brazilian.

Even though our main task at the moment is to carry out functional tests, I felt good in the car from the start and I am already looking forward to the tests planned for the coming months. »

The M4 GT3 will soon be tested on the French Miramas test track (Bouches du Rhône). Enough to stay in line with the planned schedule despite the current conditions due to the coronavirus pandemic.

“It is quite remarkable that we have managed to implement our development program as planned, and while complying with the BMW Group's strict safety and hygiene regulations throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, we managed to stick to the date initially planned for the rollout of the BMW M4 GT3, underlines Jens Marquardt, boss of BMW Motorsport.

Thanks to the very close and intensive collaboration with our colleagues at BMW M, we were able to use the basis provided by the new M4 production model to develop a racing car that has everything it needs to continue the successful history of BMW Motorsport and to become a new GT icon. »

Traditions will indeed be respected in Munich, with the use of an in-line six-cylinder, powered by two turbos and developing more than 500 hp. “Our engineers designed the powertrain from the start with performance characteristics taken directly from the world of motor racing,” comments Markus Flasch, boss of BMW M.

We are confident that this approach will pay off in terms of performance and driving pleasure both for our GT3 customer teams on the track and for our customers purchasing a new BMW M4 or BMW M3. »

We will have to wait until 2021 to see the M4 GT3 in action in racing conditions before it is made available to customer teams in 2022.