This GT4 racer is the hardest BMW M4 yet

Is the BMW M4 GTS not track focused enough for you? You’ll be wanting one of these, then. It’s the BMW M4 GT4, revealed this week at the Nürburgring ahead of its debut at the Green Hell’s 24-hour race.

While it’s an out-and-out racecar, it’s based heavily on the BMW M4 coupe you can buy to use on the road. Something that’s a big help in making the GT4 as affordable and easy to maintain as possible.

So the engine and transmission come from the M4, meaning a 3.0-litre six-cylinder turbo driving the rear wheels through a seven-speed dual-clutch paddleshift gearbox.

They’ve been tuned a bit for motorsport use, mind, so you can expect sharper gearshifts and a little more than the road-going M4’s 425bhp. How much more will depend on the regulations of the races you choose to take your GT4 to.

In fact, the engine has something called ‘power sticks’, which allow quick and easy changes between power outputs so you can react swiftly to any ‘balance of performance’ regulations imposed upon your car.

Elsewhere, there’s a new, lightweight exhaust system, a massive 125-litre fuel tank (handy for long stints at the ‘Ring this weekend), much bigger brakes and tougher suspension components. There’s also a motorsport tune for the stability control and ABS brakes, and abundant carbon; the roof, doors, bonnet, wings and splitters are all made from carbon fibre-reinforced plastic.

So it’s lighter, tougher and potentially more powerful than a standard M4. Perfect for racing, then. Sales have started ready for 2018, and if you’ve lined up some GT4-level racing and want an M4 for the job, you’ll need 169,000 euros before tax. So around £175,000 with VAT.

This weekend’s 'Ring 24 Hours provides the perfect shop window for it, too. Would this be your GT4 racer of choice? Or are you more taken with a Porsche Cayman, Ford Mustang, McLaren 570S or Audi R8 racecar?