BMW’s GT3 contender is set for a mid-cycle refresh in a little over 12 months, with the German manufacturer employing its former DTM team RMG in order to help with the development of an Evo package.
Although a relatively new model that was officially introduced only at the beginning of 2022, BMW has already been working on updating the M4 GT3 to keep up to pace with the competition and future-proof the car for changes in the GT3 landscape.
Testing of the BMW GT3 Evo is already underway, with the updated car first seen in action at the Spa-Francorchamps circuit in August with factory drivers Augusto Farfus, Jens Klingmann and Bruno Spengler sharing the wheel.
But the purpose of the Evo package goes beyond performance upgrades, with BMW motorsport boss Andreas Roos explaining it is working on making improvements to the overall package.
"It's still in development at the moment, we're still testing,” Roos told Motorsport.com’s sister title Motorsport-Total.com.
“You have to differentiate between pure development and durability testing, which means doing endurance runs.
“Because the M4 GT3 also does a lot of endurance racing, durability must be a given, but of course there are also the issues: do all the parts work, performance developments, etc?
“We were mainly concerned with improving this car, which we have now seen. It's not just about making the car faster, because at the end of the day it's a BoP championship. So it's always relative.
“It's about reducing the running costs, optimising the service and maintenance friendliness and perhaps improving the handling - also for the mechanics.
“Optimising and improving things that may have slipped through at first. It's not just about lap times, but about the overall package."
Pictures of the BMW M4 GT3 Evo that were released by the German manufacturer showed subtle visual updates, with new rear-view mirrors being the most eye-catching change.
The updated mirrors are significantly thinner than their counterparts and feature an inward facing winglet, which combined should reduce drag and improve the airflow along the side of the car.
Roos remained tight-lipped on the details of the M4 facelift when asked for further information, but explained that the car won’t be “turned upside down”.
"We don't want to give that away,” he said. “There are various details from durability issues to normal serviceability, etc.
“You can also see that there's a different mirror on the car. You look at the car 360 degrees, where you can improve it.
“It's not like we're turning the car completely upside down and making a completely new car. It's still the same bodywork, the same base, the same engine and the same gearbox."
2012 DTM champion Spengler described the current iteration of the BMW M4 GT3 as an “all-rounder”, having raced the car in a wide variety of races across SUPER GT, IMSA SportsCar Championship, GT Masters and Italian GT in 2023.
According to the Canadian, BMW is now working on improving drivability of the car and making tyres more consistent over long stints.
"The M4 GT3 is a very good car for many different tracks," he told Motorsport-Total.com. “It can do everything, it is good in fast corners, but also very responsive in slow corners
“The BMW M4 GT3 is a good all-rounder. It can do many things and is also good in the rain. There are no major problems in the endurance races either. It's a good package.
"We have a good basis, but we are working on a few things, such as drivability, which should be easier. That is our main focus. And we are working on tyre management to have slightly more consistent stints, with all types of tyres.
"Those are the two key points and it's going in a good direction. We still have some time, the Evo package is coming for the 2025 season. We are on the right track.
“Homologation will take place in spring 2024, so we still have some time for the big things. After that, we will focus on smaller things, such as the software."
