Does The BMW M4's Huge Grille Look Any Better On The GT3 Race Car?

The latest teaser for the new BMW M4 shows off not only the road car but also the GT3-class racer. Prototypes for both of them will be on display at the Red Bull Ring during the upcoming BMW M Grand Prix of Styria MotoGP race.

The M4 coupe in these teaser images show the car covered in a wrap, but there's nothing concealing the actual shape of the body. It matches up exactly with the bevy of spy shots showing the model's development. There's the huge grille from the 4 Series but with larger intakes in the lower fascia that creates a more balanced look for the nose.

The rest of the design alterations include larger side sills. The rear deck has a tiny spoiler, and there are four, circular exhaust outlets.

The M4 (and M3) will arrive with a standard version using a 3.0-liter twin-turbo inline-six with 473 horsepower (353 kilowatts) and running through a six-speed manual or eight-speed automatic. The Competition version will use the same engine making 503 hp (375 kW) and have the auto gearbox. Both of these will be rear-wheel drive at launch, but there will be an all-wheel-drive variant later.

The road-going M4 coupe will debut with the M3 sedan on September 23. Sales in the US will likely begin in early 2021.

The M4 GT3 racer will use a variant of the inline-six from the road car but with some modifications for competition use. However, it'll wear a very different looking body. The motorsport team stretches out the front to add much wider fenders. More angular styling for the hood accentuated the inward slanted brows above the headlights, which gives the car an angry appearance.

The exhaust exits just ahead of the passenger side front wheel, which should give the engine quite an impressive sound. At the back, there are inlets on the sides of the wider fenders. A gooseneck-mounted spoiler and big diffuser manage the airflow.

A good design is a matter of preference, but the changes to the M4 GT3's exterior arguably create a more attractive vehicle than the road car. The front tweaks to the front particularly seem to create a better balance with the big grille to generate a more cohesive appearance.

The M4 GT3 will compete in select races in 2021. In 2022, it'll become the company's full replacement for the M6 GT3 for customers running in this class.