BMW’s Sharpest Corner Carver
By Tony Borroz - November 5, 2009We’ve got the full breakdown on the M3 track star that BMW teased us about yesterday, and it looks like one very sharp knife for carving corners.Bayerische Motoren Werke says the M3 GTS, due to hit the market next spring, will not only give most everything on the road a run for the money, but it will be a great track-day weapon as well. It’s liberally lightened and prodigiously powerful, and BMW calls it “exactly the right car for the truly discerning customer demanding the very utmost in terms of power and performance.”We call it pretty freakin’ sweet.BMW goes out of its way to stress how light the GTS is. We’re all about light weight here at Autopia, something we chalk up to having had too much exposure to Colin Chapman at an early age.The M3 GTS tips the scales at less than 1,500 klograms (3,300 pounds), which is pretty light for a German car. That includes the rollcage with mounts for six-point belts and the fire extinguisher. The roof is made of carbon fiber, which is already standard on the, um, base model M3. The crash diet included adding titanium mufflers, trimming weight from the center console and door panels, ditching extraneous bits like the back seat and stereo system and reworking the insulation. The interior is just this side of gutted. Of course there’s no air conditioning system. That’s what window nets are for.BMW says the new V8 mill is “derived from motorsport, optimized for motorsport,” and we’re not going to argue even if that’s blatant PR-speak. The engine displaces 4.4 liters and cranks out 450 horsepower. The crankcase is of an aluminum-silicon alloy. Other details include individual throttle butterflies, anti-knock sensors with ion-flow technology and wet-sump oil supply. Now you know why the M in BMW stands for “motor”.Der motor is mated to a seven-speed M DKG Drivelogic, which is BMW’s fancy name for a dual clutch transmission. There’s a “race-bred” (more PR-speak!) gearshift that can change cogs quicker than the blink of an eye (literally). Six-piston calipers up front and four-piston units at the back bring you down from speed post haste, and a dynamic stability -ontrol system helps keep you more or less pointed the right way. The aerodynamic bits are adjustable.For all the details BMW provided, the one it omitted was the price. But as the saying goes, if you have to ask …Photos: BMW
via wired.com
