It isn’t a big surprise for BMW motorsports enthusiasts that in many BMW racecars KW Racing hardware is installed from the factory. In the upcoming 2023 motorsport season, we will equip another BMW customer sports racecar with our “Übershocks”. The brand-new BMW M4 GT4 will roll out to all motorsports customers worldwide with two-way damping adjustable KW Solid Piston dampers!
In comparison with the BMW M4 GT3, the GT4 features two-way adjustable KW Racing Dampers. The GT3 has been successful with its five-way damping adjustable KW V6 Racing dampers.
In line with GT4 regulations, the KW Racing dampers ensure the hydraulic fluid no longer permeates the working piston. The solid piston damper design enables much greater production of hydraulic forces than other systems.
As a result, solid piston dampers generate different damping forces and characteristics than previous racing applications. Even with low suspension travel, the KW suspension damps harmoniously, providing support to the car body, tire grip and direct handling.
The ergonomically shaped adjustment dials directly on the damper can be used to set the low-speed compression stage and low-speed rebound stage. In addition, the vehicle’s center of gravity and ground clearance can be adjusted via the adjustable KW spring perches.
KW automotive equips all new BMW M4 GT4 with motorsport dampers
In comparison to racecars in the GT3 class, a GT4 car is closer to a standard mass production vehicle. Depending on regulations and Balance-of-Performance the turbocharged 3.0 liter BMW inline-six M4 GT4 engine has a power output of 550 hp.
Power is transmitted via a seven-speed automatic gearbox, Drexler limited-slip-differential and motorsport transmission software, the power is delivered to the rear axle. Parts like the rear wing concept or the carbon fiber roof originate from its big motorsports brother BMW M4 GT3.
The BMW Motorsport department focused on maintainability for the customer teams and that the new GT4 is more cost-efficient than its predecessor. For example, many vehicle settings and checks are directly accessible via the cockpit.
In the fall of 2022, KW will deliver the first batch of GT4 Racing dampers to BMW’s motorsport department, who will then start manufacturing the first BMW M4 GT4s for the 2023 motorsport season in October. On the second weekend of July (July 9-10), the BMW M4 GT4 Concept (#482) will start as a pre-production racecar under the BMW M Motorsport banner at the 24-hour race in Portimão (Portugal).
Longstanding partnership between KW and BMW
For years there has been a close partnership between the Bavarian car manufacturer BMW and the KW automotive Group. KW, the suspension manufacturer, produces BMW M Performance Parts for select BMW production cars and equips limited series models like BMW M3 CTR, BMW M3 GTS, and BMW M4 GTS with its coilover suspension kits from the factory.
There is also a successful partnership between BMW and KW automotive in motorsports. KW Racing suspension kits are used in customer cup cars like BMW M235i Racing and BMW M240i Racing.
In the last couple of years, the BMW Motorsport customer teams celebrated their biggest victories in endurance races with KW Racing suspension equipped racecars like BMW Z4 GT3 at the 24h Race Spa-Francorchamps 2015 or BMW M6 GT3 at the 24h Race Nürburgring 2020.
The new BMW M4 GT3 with its five-way damping adjustable KW V6 Racing dampers is very successful in its 2022 premiere motorsports season in various championships like DTM, IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship, Nürburgring Langstreckenserie and many more.
Photo BMW M Motorsport, Gruppe C Photography, KW
