BMW->ke178 made a spectacular DTM comeback in 2012, when it won the drivers', teams' and manufacturers' championships in its first season since 1993. The Germans did so by using the M3,->ke2366 and went on to win the manufacturers' title once again in 2013, although they lost the other two championships to Audi.->ke14 In 2014, BMW swept its opponents on all three fronts, winning all titles it had contested. This time it's the brand-new M4->ke4183 that helped BMW climb atop its German rivals, and the success is being marked by a special-edition->ke2041 coupe.

Launching limited-edition cars that celebrate DTM success is already a tradition in Germany, and 2014 is no exception. BMW is getting the party started with the M4 DTM Champion Edition, a road-legal coupe taking inspiration from Marco Wittmann's Ice-Watch race car.->ke148 Crowned DTM champion for the first time in his career, 24-year-old Wittmann drove a white coupe with a unique stripe design across the hood and trunk, and that's exactly what BMW turned to when creating this special-edition->ke3060 M4.

Click past the jump to read more about the BMW M4 DTM Champion Edition.

Exterior

Although the road-legal M4 is far from looking as aggressive as its DTM counterpart, BMW did its best to create a unique, streetable version of Wittmann's race car. Several visuals were transferred from the DTM vehicle to the road coupe, including the Alpine White exterior, and the matte-black hood and trunk lid. Both parts are finished in the same livery as Wittmann's racer, consisting of seven stripes depicting the colors of the rainbow. A black character line also runs along the car's sides, complementing the black hood and trunk lid, as well as the CFRP roof that comes with the M4.

Similarities don't stop here though. The coupe also boasts an orange surround for the kidney grille, M logos on the front fenders, and the number "23" on the doors, just like Wittmann's track-prepped rig. Additionally, each vehicle comes with German flags with "WIT" and "DTM Champion 2014" lettering on the rear side windows.

But the M4 DTM Champion Edition isn't just about visuals. The Germans didn't ignore the coupe's aerodynamics -- it's paying tribute to a race car after all -- and added a host of new body parts. The body features a black splitter, black side skirts, carbon-fiber flaps for the front bumper, carbon-fiber mirror caps, a rear spoiler and a carbon-fiber rear diffuser. While the striped hood and trunk might not be to everyone's taste, this body kit is certainly a nice touch and you don't need to be a DTM fan to notice it. Rounding off the exterior package is a set of 19-inch, light-alloy wheels. The five-spoke rims are also finished in black, a common feature for DTM-spec BMWs in 2014.

Interior

The exclusivity of the M4 DTM Champion Edition continues inside, where BMW added carbon-fiber trim, bespoke door-sill plates, "DTM Champion 2014" lettering and an individually numbered dash plaque. Both the carbon-fiber trims and the door-sill plates are signed by Wittmann.

Drivetrain

The coupe remained unaltered under the hood, where the familiar 3.0-liter, inline-six engine cranks out 425 horsepower and 406 pound-feet of torque. The oomph is enough to push the M4 from 0 to 60 mph in 3.9 seconds with the dual-clutch transmission and 4.1 seconds with a manual gearbox.

Pricing

There's no mentioning of availability or pricing as of 10/20/2014, but we expect this special-edition M4 to fetch in excess of $80,000. Although not yet confirmed, the DTM Champion Edition will likely be sold in Germany only.

BMW M4

Launched for the 2014 model year, the M4 marked the beginning of a new era for the iconic M3. Available in both sedan and coupe forms up until then, the M3 name was assigned exclusively to sedans, with the M4 moniker to identify what was previously known as the M3 Coupe. The M4 also brought an overhaul in terms of drivetrains, as BMW's high-performance nameplate switched from naturally aspirated, V-8 engines to turbocharged, inline-six mills.

The powerplant stuffed under the M4's hood displaces 3.0 liters and features TwinPower Turbo technology, resulting in 425 horsepower and 406 pound-feet of torque heading to the wheels, with either a six-speed manual or a DCT doing the transfer. In spite of its smaller engine, the M4 is blistering fast, needing only 3.9 seconds to charge from naught to 60 mph when equipped with a DCT. The benchmark drops to 4.1 seconds with a manual. Pricing for the M4 begins from $64,200.