The BMW M4 DTM is a

touring car Touring car and tourer are both terms for open cars (i.e. cars without a fixed roof). "Touring car" is a style of open car built in the United States which seats four or more people. The style was popular from the early 1900s to the 1930s. Th ...

constructed by the German

car manufacturer This is a list of notable automobile manufacturers with articles on Wikipedia by country. It includes companies that are in business as well as defunct manufacturers. Only companies that have articles here are included. A Algeria * SNVI ...

BMW for the

Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters The Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters (DTM, German Touring Car Masters) is a grand touring car series sanctioned by ITR e.V. who have been affiliated to the DMSB-FIA since 1984. The series is based in Germany, with rounds elsewhere in Europe. The ser ...

. It was developed in 2013, and partook in DTM races from

2014 File:2014 Events Collage.png, From top left, clockwise: Stocking up supplies and personal protective equipment (PPE) for the Western African Ebola virus epidemic; Citizens examining the ruins after the Chibok schoolgirls kidnapping; Bundles of wat ...

to 2020. Two versions were made: a naturally-aspirated V8 car through 2018, and a

turbo In an internal combustion engine, a turbocharger (often called a turbo) is a forced induction device that is powered by the flow of exhaust gases. It uses this energy to compress the intake gas, forcing more air into the engine in order to pro ...

Class 1 version starting in 2019. The M4 DTM is based on the production model

BMW M4 The BMW M4 is a high-performance version of the BMW 4 Series coupes and convertibles developed by BMW's motorsport division, BMW M, and marketed since 2014. As part of the renumbering that splits the 3 Series coupé and convertible models into t ...

and replaced the BMW M3 DTM after the 2013 season.

First generation (2014)

Development

The first model made its first appearance in the wind tunnel at the BMW Group's Aero Lab on April 22, just 13 days before the opening race of the 2013 season in

Hockenheim Hockenheim () is a town in northwest Baden-Württemberg, Germany, about 20 km south of Mannheim and 10 km west of Walldorf. It is located in the Upper Rhine valley on the tourist theme routes "Baden Asparagus Route" () and Bertha Benz M ...

. In the summer of 2013, while continuing with aerodynamic testing, the experts in

Munich Munich ( ; german: München ; bar, Minga ) is the capital and most populous city of the States of Germany, German state of Bavaria. With a population of 1,558,395 inhabitants as of 31 July 2020, it is the List of cities in Germany by popu ...

turned their attention to designing new suspension parts. The new components made their first on-track outing in December 2013 being trialled on the BMW M3 DTM at that point. The final parts for the chassis of the BMW M4 DTM were in production by the end of the year, allowing the BMW teams to assemble the first models of the new car in January and February. 300 days after the first test in the wind tunnel, the BMW M4 DTM made its track debut in Monteblanco on 11 February 2014.

Production

The last BMW M car to roll off the assembly line at the main BMW Plant in Munich did so back in 1991. After that, production shifted to the BMW Plant in Regensburg. Almost 23 years later, the assembly process returned to the main factory. BMW Motorsport engineers were located close by developing and improving the racing version of the new car. However, the BMW Plants in Regensburg and Dingolfing were still involved in the development of the BMW M4 DTM. For instance, the long test tracks at the modern production facilities were used for aerodynamic tests. Throughout the development phase, the BMW M4 DTM car was seen at the venue for the exhaustive quality control checks performed on all

BMW M BMW M GmbH, formerly known as BMW Motorsport GmbH, is a subsidiary of BMW, BMW AG that manufactures high-performance cars. BMW M ("M" for "motorsport") was initially created to facilitate BMW's racing program, which was very successful in the ...

cars.

Lightweight construction

The use of carbon is widespread in motor racing and virtually the entire body of the BMW M4 DTM is made of this ultra-light and durable material. The weight reduction and consequent lowering of the centre of gravity are key to the car's performance on the racetrack. The weight of the BMW M4 DTM, with driver, is 1,110 kilograms.

Engine

BMW M4 DTM carried over the existing P66 V8 engine that was previously used by its predecessor BMW M3 DTM and conforms to the 2000 DTM engine regulations. The BMW P66 engine generates approx. 480 bhp with the air restrictor specified in the technical regulations. It is made up of 800 different components, consisting of 3,900 individual parts. When designing the DTM drivetrain,

BMW Motorsport BMW M Motorsport (formerly BMW Motorsport) is the division of BMW responsible for motorsport-related activities, including works-run competition programmes in touring car racing, sports car racing, motorcycle racing and Formula E. The current orga ...

took full advantage of the technological know-how within the BMW Group. The high-tech foundry connected to BMW Plant Landshut accounts for the large cast parts, such as the cylinder head and crankcase, which it does for the production of the six-cylinder in-line engine for the BMW M4 Coupé as well. The BMW M4 DTM accelerates from 0 to 100 km/h in about three seconds. Only ten engines are permitted for all eight BMWs over the course of the entire season. The engine's power is transferred via a sequential six-speed sport gearbox, which is operated pneumatically using shift paddles mounted on the steering wheel. The gearbox is one of the standard components, which are used by all the DTM manufacturers. It has 11 final drive ratios, which allow the engineers and drivers to react to the respective circuit and engine characteristics when setting the car up.

Debut

With the homologation of the M4 DTM completed on 3 March 2014, the car's race debut was at the 2014 Hockenheimring 1 Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters round on 4 May 2014. BMW Team RMG's

Marco Wittmann Marco Wittmann (born 24 November 1989) is a German professional racing driver, and BMW Motorsport works driver. He currently resides in Markt Erlbach. Wittmann has competed in such series as Formula Three Euroseries and Formula BMW ADAC/Europe. ...

scored his M4 DTM's first victory in their M4 debut. Two weeks later in

Motorsport Arena Oschersleben The Motorsport Arena Oschersleben is a long race track with a width of and elevation changes of . The circuit is located in Oschersleben, Börde where is approximately from Magdeburg), Germany. Its fairly flat contours create a smooth, fast ci ...

, BMW Team RMG's

scored his M4 DTM's first pole position after

Audi Audi AG () is a German automotive manufacturer of luxury vehicles headquartered in Ingolstadt, Bavaria, Germany. As a subsidiary of its parent company, the Volkswagen Group, Audi produces vehicles in nine production facilities worldwide. Th ...

's Miguel Molina was stripped of pole position.

Teams and drivers

In the

2014 DTM season The 2014 Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters was the twenty-eighth season of premier German touring car championship and also fifteenth season under the moniker of Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters since the series' resumption in 2000. The season started on 4 ...

lined-up eight drivers on for four teams.

Augusto Farfus Augusto Farfus Jr. (born 3 September 1983) is a Brazilian professional racing driver, and BMW Motorsport works driver. He lives in Monaco. Early years Born in Curitiba, Farfus first tasted racing in minibike races and won the local championshi ...

and

Joey Hand Joseph F. Hand (born February 10, 1979) is an American professional racing driver who competes in sports car racing as a Ford factory driver. A former champion of the Star Mazda Series, Hand is the co-winner of the 2011 24 Hours of Daytona drivi ...

start for

BMW Team RBM Racing Bart Mampaey (formerly Juma Racing) is a racing team based in Mechelen, Belgium that runs the BMW Team RBM operation in the Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters. Previously the team had been racing in the European Touring Car Championship and World ...

. Bruno Spengler and

Martin Tomczyk Martin Tomczyk (born 7 December 1981) is a German professional racing driver, and BMW Motorsport works driver. He was the DTM champion in 2011, third in 2007, fourth in 2006 and fifth in 2004, having won eight races. Racing career After a karti ...

for BMW Team Schnitzer.

Timo Glock Timo Glock (born 18 March 1982) is a German professional racing driver, and BMW Motorsport works driver. He raced in Formula One for the Jordan, Toyota, Virgin Racing and Marussia F1 teams. He finished 10th in the Drivers' Championship in both ...

and

António Félix da Costa António Maria de Mello Breyner Félix da Costa (born 31 August 1991) is a Portuguese professional racing driver for the Porsche Formula E Team and the 2019–20 Formula E Drivers' Champion. He won the Macau Grand Prix invitational Formula Thre ...

start for BMW Team MTEK.

and

Maxime Martin Maxime Martin (born 20 March 1986) is a Belgian professional racing driver and son of four-time Spa 24 Hours winner Jean-Michel Martin. He currently is an Aston Martin Racing driver for which he competed in the FIA World Endurance Championship ...

start for BMW Team RMG. Wittmann won the championship with four wins, and Martin won a race. In the 2015 DTM season lined-up eight drivers on for four teams. Augusto Farfus and

Tom Blomqvist Tom Leonard Blomqvist (born 30 November 1993) is a New Zealand-based, Britain-born Swedish professional racing driver, and BMW Motorsport works driver, currently racing in the 2022 IMSA SportsCar Championship with Meyer Shank Racing. Blomqvist ...

start for BMW Team RBM. Bruno Spengler and Timo Glock for BMW Team Schnitzer. António Félix da Costa and Martin Tomczyk start for BMW Team MTEK. Marco Wittmann and Maxime Martin start for BMW Team RMG. Five different drivers claimed a win. In the 2016 DTM season lined-up eight drivers on for four teams. Maxime Martin and Tom Blomqvist start for BMW Team RBM. António Félix da Costa and Timo Glock for BMW Team Schnitzer. Bruno Spengler and Augusto Farfus start for BMW Team MTEK. Marco Wittmann and Timo Glock start for BMW Team RMG. Wittmann won the championship with three wins. In the 2017 DTM season lined-up six drivers on for two teams. Maxime Martin, Bruno Spengler and Tom Blomqvist start for BMW Team RBM while Marco Wittmann, Augusto Farfus and Timo Glock start for BMW Team RMG. In the 2018 DTM season lined-up six drivers on for two teams.

Philipp Eng Philipp Eng (born 28 February 1990 in Salzburg) is an Austrian professional racing driver, and BMW Motorsport works driver. Career Karting Eng started karting in 2003, by competing in KF2, Intercontinental A Junior karts, competing in the Andrea ...

, Bruno Spengler and Joel Eriksson start for BMW Team RBM while Marco Wittmann, Augusto Farfus and Timo Glock remained same for BMW Team RMG.

Achievements

As of August 2017, BMW M4 DTM scored 16 victories, 20 poles, 13 fastest laps, 1 constructor title (2015) and 2 driver titles (courtesy of

in 2014 and 2016).

Gallery

File:2014 DTM HockenheimringII Timo Glock by 2eight DSC6285.jpg,

Hockenheimring The Hockenheimring Baden-Württemberg () is a motor racing circuit situated in the Rhine valley near the town of Hockenheim in Baden-Württemberg, Germany, located on the Bertha Benz Memorial Route. Amongst other motor racing events, it has hos ...

, 2014 File:Farfus Hockenheim2015-4.jpg,

, Hockenheimring, 2015 File:100 Martin Tomczyk (27860677496).jpg,

, Hockenheimring, 2016

Second generation (2019)

The BMW M4 DTM Turbo is a " Class 1"

constructed by the German

BMW for use in the

. It is a turbocharged variant of its predecessor, the BMW M4 DTM that had a naturally-aspirated engine. The M4 DTM Turbo is still based on the production

. The BMW M4 DTM Turbo made its DTM debut in the 2019 DTM season. The M4 DTM Turbo is the BMW's second turbo-powered DTM car.

Debut

The first shakedown run of the BMW M4 DTM Turbo was on 27 October 2018, by Bruno Spengler at BMW headquarters in

, Germany. The official race debut of BMW M4 DTM Turbo was at the 2019 Hockenheimring 1 DTM round on 4 May 2019. BMW Team RMG's

won the inaugural pole and won the first race with the M4 DTM Turbo car.

References

External links

* * * * * {{Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters racing cars M4 DTM Naturally-aspirated Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters cars