BMW releases more details on its uber-hardcore M3, the GTS.
If the numbers are any indication, the GTS should be a pretty effective driving tool. One thing is for sure, after the abominations that were the X5M and X6M it's good to see that BMW's M division is still willing to build cars as focused (and orange) as this one.
The 4.0 liter V8 has been given an extra 36bhp and 29 lb. ft. of torque which brings the totals to 450 and 324 respectively. The gearbox is the paddle-operated seven speed DSG 'box, which has been tweaked to provide sportier shifting. This means a 0-60 of 4.4 seconds and an unrestricted top speed of 189 mph.
Much of the interior has been stripped out. The rear seats and most of the trim have been deleted. The seats have been replaced with lightweight racing items with five point harnesses. A bolt-in roll cage and fire extinguisher are also standard. All this adds up to a weight saving of a whopping 350 pounds over the standard car.
The wheels are ultra light 19-inchers and are specific to the GTS. The front brakes have grown in diameter, are made of carbon ceramic and are pinched by six-pot calipers. The rears are steel units with four-pot calipers. The additional exterior aero work is functional too and is said to provide useable downforce.
So, the M3 GTS isn't messing around then. It's natural rival would seem to be the Porsche 911 GT3 RS, so we should see some pretty epic comparisons in the coming months. However it's priced well above it's rival from Stuttgart. If you standing up, sit down. If you're sitting down, lay on the floor. The M3 GTS will cost you $170K, or roughly three times what a vanilla M3 would cost you. Ouch.