INSATIABLE Modified F82 M4 GTS
The M4 is a lot of car; it’s loud, it’s fast, it looks aggressive and it absolutely deserves to wear its M badge with pride. It’s an awesome car, no question, but what do you do when you want a bit more M4? If the vanilla machine doesn’t quite give you the thrill you’re after then you’d need to take a look at one of the even hotter versions, akin to ordering the hottest curry imaginable and then liberally dousing it in hot sauce and chilli peppers for good measure. While there are a number of more extreme M4 offerings that you can take your pick from, the most extreme of these is without doubt the M4 GTS. The limited edition model, of which just 700 cars were produced, is lighter than the standard car by 27kg, has a stripped-out interior, aggressive aero, carbon galore, and makes 500hp and 443lb ft of torque thanks to numerous tweaks to the S55, including water injection. It’s a beast and surely enough to satisfy enough the most demanding of M customers; but where do you go from there if you want even more? Well then you do what Alex K did – you buy yourself an M4 GTS and then you start modding it, because even BMW’s best efforts aren’t enough to satisfy the insatiable appetite of serial modders like him.
New York resident Alex has been passionate about BMWs for a long time and has spent virtually his entire adult life behind the wheel of some sort of Bavarian metal; “I’ve been driving BMs since I was about 18-19; I love the brand, the lines, and the driving experience BMWs offer, going back to the ’70s. My first BMW was a silver 1997 M3; l just knew from people that M3s were the car to have so I saved up and bought one. As they say, it’s been downhill since…?” he laughs and we know what he means all too well. As well as owning numerous BMs over the years he’s also modified just about everything he’s owned, and we weren’t kidding when we said he was a serial modder… “Where do I start? I’ve modded easily over 20 cars,” he laughs, “but the notable ones were my Melbourne red E90 M3 ZCP, which was featured here, with the 1M bumper, ESS supercharger, Akrapovic exhaust, Volk TE37s and much more. As of recently was Kerm4t, my Signal green M4, that had a full Gintani exhaust and tune, KW Clubsports, RKP wing, Vorsteiner aero and HRE wheels plus much more I’m sure I’m forgetting,” he chuckles, and that gives you an idea of the level to which he mods his BMs – these are not casual builds. He’s not a one BM kind of guy, either, and his garage is currently home to an E30 M3, E46 M3 six-speed, and an F15 X5 M Sport, so it’s fair to say that he’s dedicated to the brand and then some.
So what made Alex decide that an M4 GTS was going to be his next car? “I purchased this vehicle after my almost three year run with my Signal M4; I wanted to experience a built car from the factory and this was the first one offered since the E36 LTW. I wanted a car I didn’t have to mod out balls to the wall but could add to make it better,” and that makes sense to us as the M4 GTS is the most hardcore BM you can buy new today, which is what Alex did. And being a serial modder, he naturally had a plan for the car, right? “Yes, keep it stock…” he laughs, and we can see exactly how well that worked out for him.
Looking at an M4 GTS it’s a little tricky to work out exactly where one begins modding a car like this, but Alex had an idea; “I started with cosmetics,” he explains, “I purchased OEM carbon interior trim and the V2 M Performance steering wheel as well as the Autotecknic carbon steering trim piece. I then sent them out to IND to re-clear them with a matt finish so the entire interior matched.
Next up was a full XPEL clear bra and matt clear bra on all the exposed carbon to match the interior, installed by Enthusiast Details in Mamaroneck, NY. Afterwards the car was lowered to the preset track height,” he says and that was a good start but Alex was just getting warmed up. “We added RKP wing risers from the M235 Racing race car to give a sportier look on the rear and add more downforce. Next up were more cosmetics: I added the Vorsteiner GTS-V diffuser and side skirts, and I replaced the front OEM Acid orange splitter with a polyurethane splitter to take a beating without cracking,” he says and that selection of exterior additions and alterations has made a big different to how this M4 looks. The standard car is not lacking in presence by any means, but Alex’s example has that much more visual muscle and it looks awesome for it. The side skirts, with their upright fins at the rear, really fill out the car’s flanks, that fat diffuser looks fantastic under the rear bumper, while the wing, which previously seemed a little apologetic, is now sky-high and proud of it, and this GTS makes a big statement of intent from the moment you set eyes on it.
First off, as with my last M4, was an Eventuri intake right off the bat. It fits perfectly, is fully functional and, well, just looks incredible and complements the engine bay perfectly. Next up I added the Gintani Power Package and downpipes to really wake it up even more
A big part of that visual impact comes from the wheels that Alex has selected for his GTS; the stock items, in their doublestaggered 19” and 20” setup are certainly distinctive but not to all tastes and so something different was definitely on the cards for this M4. “I love the retro look so the HRE Classic 300 three-piece was already on my radar,” says Alex, “I have them on my E30 M3 and love them. I went with slightly more aggressive sizes and offsets to really fill out the car,” he says and they definitely do that. The wheels themselves are awesome, a cross-spoke design with a bit of a retro vibe and a strong motorsport influence that works so well on the GTS, and as well as the aggressive fitment helping to give the car an ultra-muscular stance, the combo of matt black-on-black centres and lips looks so mean and so right on a car like this.
Now obviously with 500hp under the bonnet courtesy of that factory-modded S55 there was no need to go looking for any additional power… Except that’s exactly what Alex did, and we’re not at all surprised because no matter how much power you have, you’re always going to want just a little bit more. “First off, as with my last M4, was an Eventuri intake right off the bat. It fits perfectly, is fully functional and, well, just looks incredible and complements the engine bay perfectly,” grins Alex. “Next up I added the Gintani Power Package and downpipes to really wake it up even more. The car already came with a titanium exhaust, which sounds incredible and is extremely light, and the car also came with a water injection system so it didn’t need meth,” he says, and that little combo of upgrades has taken power well into the mid-500s, which is a serious amount and ensures that this M4 has got the bite to match all that bark.
The final item on Alex’s to-do list was to wrap up the interior mods, because while the GTS interior is a seriously sexy place to spend some time, even on a car like this BMW had to keep cost in mind and so there was room for improvement, and personalisation. “I think the interior is one of the most important parts of a car, you are in it and it’s what you are looking at the most,” says Alex and that makes perfect sense. “I didn’t like the way the original steering wheel felt and removed it for the thicker OEM V2 M Performance wheel. I was able to source a set of OEM carbon GTS bucket seats, which we unfortunately didn’t get in the States due to airbag regulations, and the dry carbon look is something I’ve always loved and why I resprayed everything with a matt clear coat,” he says. The steering wheel looks fantastic, especially with that sexy sliver of carbon trim, and getting the carbon trim redone in a matt finish was a great touch as it looks so good and gives it a unique look that works so well.
As brutal and extreme as the M4 GTS may be, even a car like this isn’t enough to satisfy the insatiable appetite of serial modders like Alex for more power and those unique, individual touches that will personalise the car. The mods that Alex has carried out have done just that, making it stand out even more as well as a giving it a healthy dose of extra power but, surprisingly, none of these are his favourite aspect of the car. “As silly as it sounds the upgraded steering wheel is my favourite modification, it feels perfect when driving,” he smiles and it goes to show that, sometimes, it’s the little things that make the biggest difference.
There’s nothing little about the mods he’s got planned, though: “If money were no object the car would be swapped from DCT to a six-speed; this car should have been offered in six-speed and it’s the only thing I don’t love about it. I would love to do the gearbox swap next and maybe upgraded turbos,” he muses so it sounds like this extreme machine is about to be taken to the next level. We wager BMW’s engineers were pleased with themselves when they finished off the M4 GTS, but the modding community has once again proven that we do things bigger and better, and we wouldn’t want it any other way.
We added RKP wing risers from the M235 Racing race car to give a sportier look on the rear and add more downforce. Next up were more cosmetics: I added the Vorsteiner GTS-V diffuser and side skirts
DATA FILE BMW F82 M4 GTS
ENGINE AND TRANSMISSION 3.0-litre twin-turbo straight-six S55B30, Eventuri intakes, Gintani downpipes and Power Package, OEM M Performance carbon engine cover, GTS titanium exhaust. M DCT seven-speed gearbox
CHASSIS 9.5×19” ET20 (front) and 11×20” ET37 (rear) HRE Classic 300 three-piece wheels with matt black centres and lips, 265/35 (front) and 295/30 (rear) Michelin Cup 2 tyres, factory club sport coilovers
EXTERIOR Full OEM GTS front lip with Fall-Line splitter, M Performance mirror covers, Vorsteiner carbon fibre side skirts and GTS-V rear diffuser, RKP wing uprights, full car clear bra and all carbon covered in matt finish
INTERIOR Euro GTS carbon bucket seats, DCT shifter and base re-finished in matt carbon, M Performance V2 steering wheel, Autotecknic carbon steering wheel trim in matt clear coat
THANKS I’d like to thank the companies I’ve worked with closely over the years: Gintani for always having the best support and products available, Vorsteiner, Autotecknic, the crew at HRE wheels, Michelin for always having the rubber I need when I need it, everyone over at IND, BMW of Ridgefield for their great service and helping maintain the vehicle, and most importantly my close friend Joe B who handles all my other mods and maintenance and track prep whenever I need it
First off, as with my last M4, was an Eventuri intake right off the bat. It fits perfectly, is fully functional and, well, just looks incredible and complements the engine bay perfectly. Next up I added the Gintani Power Package and downpipes to really wake it up even more. M Performance V2 steering wheel finishes off the interior Euro GTS carbon buckets have been fitted. Matt finish carbon looks fantastic. Aggressive Vorsteiner side skirts have been added. Vorsteiner GTS-V diffuser.. Stock S55 makes 500hp but this one’s been treated to some upgrades… HRE Classic 300s look awesome. RKP uprights give the wing even more height. Fall-Line splitter has been fitted.
