The limited edition BMW M4 GTS has been handed the official DTM safety car duties for 2016.
Just 700 units of the special edition M product will be produced, with a handful scheduled to go on sale in South Africa in the third quarter of 2016.
So, what has the Munich automaker had to change to allow the lightweight M4 GTS to meet DTM safety car requirements? Well, not very much, seeing as it’s already easily capable of setting a speed at which DTM drivers are able to keep their tyres and braking systems within the ideal temperature range.
Indeed, thanks to the familiar 3,0-litre turbocharged straight-six – in this application boosted by a clever water injection system – peak outputs stand at a considerable 368 kW and 600 N.m, with the obligatory sprint from standstill to 100 km/h taking just 3,8 seconds and top speed pegged at 305 km/h.
Furthermore, many mandatory safety features are already fitted. The no-cost optional Clubsport Package, for instance, includes a roll bar behind the front seats, six-point racing seat-belts, and a fire extinguisher.
So, all BMW had to do was to throw on a DTM-specific safety car lighting system with an LED bar on the roof, LED flashers in the front apron, and a flash mode for the LED headlamps.
“DTM Safety Car” stickers and a radio installation for interference-free communication between the safety car crew and the race control complete the package.
The 2016 DTM season starts on 7 May at Hockenheim.
