In an interview for Top Gear UK, BMW’s product manager for small and medium cars, Matt Collins, says the Munich-based automaker is focusing more on lightweight reductions for the new BMW M4.
What we’d like is more focus on lightweight engineering,” says Collins. “The philosophy will be around delivering performance through improved use of materials – lightweight alloys, lots of carbon fiber etc – rather than simply trying to make the engine more powerful to move the same kind of car, or scaling it back too far so that it loses its M3 roots.”
The report goes hand-in-hand with our previous articles where our own sources reported a similar thing. We have also received confirmation on the lightweight reduction efforts for the new M3/M4 from BMW M CEO himself, Dr. Friedrich Nitschke.
Just like all the other official sources, Collins mentions the experience learned from the i3 and i8 projects around carbon fiber parts, something that could be transferred to the BMW AG production cars. But what about a future M3 CSL? Since BMW doesn’t typically comment on future products, unless the communication plan is at that milestone, Collins says the following: “There are no plans at the moment to build a lightweight CSL version of the M4, but there weren’t any plans to do the last-generation CSL either. We have to see what the customers think, and if there’s potential for an even more lightweight version, we’ll do it.”
SEE: BMW M4 Concept – Amazing Renderings
In other words: if the business case is strong enough and if the BMW AG board approves it, we may give you the car you’ve been waiting for since the E46 M3 CSL went down to history as one of the most iconic M3 cars to date.
When it goes on sale next year, along with the M3, the new BMW M4 will be powered by a six-cylinder turbocharged engine producing 440 horsepower.
[Source: Top Gear]
