BMW M3 GTS (2010) unveiled: a new M3 CSL first official pictures

BMW might not be producing an M3 CSL, but this is something much better. Called the M3 GTS it’s a stripped-out 450bhp road-racer designed to take on the Porsche 911 GT3 RS.

It’s a response to those that thought M Division might have lost its way: 'The BMW M3 GTS which we are currently preparing in our BMW M production workshop is a response to frequently expressed customer wishes', said M Division’s CEO Dr Kay Segler at the unveiling. 'This M3 is even hotter: lower weight, more power - including an increase in capacity - and lots of technical details which were only previously available on the tuning market, if at all.'

Segler also announced plans for a sub-M3 model.

M Division has enlarged the M3’s 4.0-litre V8 to 4.4-litres, and together with a lightweight titanium exhaust system, power has gone up from 414bhp to around 450bhp. The other changes you can’t see are the revised suspension set-up, which is now adjustable for compression and rebound.

And what you won’t also see are the rear seats, air-con and sat-nav – the current M3 already has a carbonfibre roof to cut weight so M Division had to look elsewhere to reduce the kilos. There is also an Alcantara-covered steering wheel, bucket seats (with a six-point harnesses) up front, and lighter-than-glass Macrolon for the rear windows, so despite the addition of a roll cage and a fire extinguisher, the M3 GTS weighs 1490kg, a massive drop from the standard M3’s 1675kg kerbweight.

By now you must have notice the blacked-out 19-inch aluminium wheels wrapped in 255/35 tyres at the front and 285/30 runner at the rear, and six piston callipers at the front and four piston callipers at the rear. Then there’s a matt black adjustable front splitter and a rear wing, but no rear diffuser as BMW claims it achieves enough downforce from the wing.

When sales start in Germany next May it’ll cost €115,000 (£103,000), and sales follow in other markets in the summer of 2010. Each M3 GTS will be built to order and be made in the same M Division workshop at the GT4 race cars.

For those that thought BMW’s M Division had lost their way with the X5 M and X6 M, the announcement of the M3 GTS and of a model below the M3 will be a more than welcome.

'The X5 M and X6 M have just gone out to dealerships and round off the top of our product range', said M Division CEO Dr Kay Segler at the unveiling of the M3 GTS. 'But what I would most like to see is for BMW M to stay a young brand within people’s reach. This is why a product below the BMW M3 more important to me than a super sports car which is only accessible to a few. As I have already mentioned in other interviews, we are currently looking closely at the options in this area. I hope to be able to tell you more the next time we speak.'

We’ll bring you more news just as soon as we hear it.    

By Ben Pulman