Motorsport has been changing for years and continues to be the biggest driver of innovation in our industry. Even our best-selling and best-known KW coilover suspension kit, the V3 or formerly Variant 3, is based on developments from motorsport. Today, customer racing has become an important business area and revenue driver for many car manufacturers.

2025, BMW will be adding an Evo model to its two highly successful customer sports cars: the BMW M4 GT3 Evo and the BMW M4 GT4 Evo. Though our KW Racing dampers have not only been on board the M4 GT3 and M4 GT4 race cars since the two Evo models.

In the past there have also been numerous KW motorsport stories with the BMW M4 GT3, BMW M6 GT3 and BMW Z4 GT3 as well as the BMW M235i Racing and BMW M240i Racing.

Even various BMW M Safety Cars and some limited edition BMW M special models were equipped with our innovative factory-fitted suspensions.

Why? Because our suspensions, for example, are always convincing. Even the decision-makers in the automotive industry and, even more importantly, the people who buy the special models and racing cars.

For example, racing drivers have told us that the M4 GT3 with our KW V6 Racing dampers gives them great confidence and makes them faster for longer over the entire stint.

The focus for the M4 GT3 Evo package was not on performance, as the M4 GT3 had already won numerous races and championships in its first motorsport season. The M4 GT3 has achieved over 70 victories since 2022! In customer motorsport, manufacturers rely heavily on input from motorsport teams and race drivers who push the race cars to their limits.

To make it even easier for all customer motorsport teams to stay at the limit longer in terms of drivability, efficiency, and reliability without taking too big a risk, BMW M Motorsport made some targeted modifications to the race car. Anyone who has ever driven under competitive conditions on the Nürburgring Nordschleife in the RCN, NLS, or even the 24h Nürburgring race knows what we’re talking about.

On the Evo model of the M4 GT3, the KW V6 Racing shocks remains unchanged. The only thing BMW M changed here were the new stabilizers for the front and rear axles. The rear wing of the GT3 now has a different adjustment range to make more efficient use of aerodynamics. At the same time, the aero exterior mirrors were slightly reduced in size, and there are larger air outlets on the front wheel arches.

In addition, the BMW M Motorsport engineers also revised the differential to make it easier for customer motorsport teams to adjust. In combination with revised brakes, less brake wear is ensured. The entire package also results in less tire wear, allowing for longer stints. Through a lighter cathodic dip coating, the BMW M Motorsport department was also able to save weight on the M4 GT3.

In the GT3, the KW V6 Racing Solid-Piston dampers with their offsettable valve design ensure an optimal setup for every track and every race. The five-way adjustable KW V6 Racing dampers allow a compromise between high downforce, body control, and grip, even under high-frequency vertical wheel accelerations. The dampers differ from other suspension systems in that we do not use overflow pistons.

Rather, the piston is sealed and the entire hydraulic column is displaced. This compact design greatly increases the hydraulic working force and effective range of a shock absorber. As a result, smaller and lighter piston rods can also be used, which benefits not only the rebound damping forces but also the compression damping forces. The entire system responds much more sensitively and covers a much larger characteristic curve. At low gas pressure, the KW Solid Piston dampers have a cavitation-free and precise
high-frequency function.

We also utilise the advantages of the solid piston system in the KW Racing dampers for the BMW M4 GT4. In accordance with the GT4 regulations, the BMW M4 GT4 is equipped with two-way adjustable KW Racing dampers. Solid piston shockabsorbers generate completely different damping forces and characteristics than previous racing applications.

Even with low spring travel, the KW Racing dampers dampen cleanly, provide support for the bodywork, tyre grip and more direct handling. In other words, even a racing car like the BMW M4 GT4 is easier to drive compared to racing cars from other decades. And it is precisely this reliability and improved drivability that makes the BMW M4 GT4 a guarantee of success in the BMW M customer sports programme.

The 77 victories and numerous title wins speak for themselves. To ensure that this series of successes doesn’t come to an end, BMW M has now optimised the GT4 with an Evo package similar to that of its big brother, the BMW M4 GT3. The front splitter has been redesigned for durability and is also mounted differently. Reinforced wheel bearings on the drive axle are also new. In terms of design, the BMW M4 GT4 Evo follows in the footsteps of its big GT3 brother

In terms of design, the BMW M4 GT4 Evo follows in the footsteps of its big GT3 brother. It also adopts the LCI update of the BMW M road cars and receives new headlights and rear lights. The price for the complete package of the BMW M4 GT4 Evo is 219,000 euros net (2024); the GT3 578,000 euros net (2024). Compared to racing cars in the GT3 class, a racing car that meets the GT4 regulations is quite close to series production. A ZF seven-speed automatic gearbox with motorsport software is used in the GT4, while an
X-Trac six-speed manual gearbox is used in the GT3.

Depending on the balance of performance classification and regulations, the turbocharged 3.0-litre BMW straight-six-cylinder engine in the BMW M4 GT4 delivers up to 550 hp, while the GT3 produces 590 hp. We are keeping our fingers crossed for the entire BMW M Motorsport customer teams for the new season and are delighted that we were once again able to make a valuable contribution with our KW Racing dampers.

Fotos KW, BMW M