BMW’s M4 DTM Champion Edition is a rare breed of a car. Introduced in 2006 to celebrate Marco Wittmann’s DTM championship win, the M4 DTM Champion Edition was as incredible as it was limited. Only 200 examples exist, but all 200 were developed not only to look more aggressive than the previous-generation M4 but, more importantly, to be much more powerful.

The 493-horsepower M4 DTM Champion Edition was a beast, but even beasts can grow bigger claws. That’s where Manhart Racing comes into the fold. The German tuner known for its impressive programs for BMW models has prepared a tuning program for the special edition M4. The kit includes new wheels, interior upgrades, and, of course, a software tune to the coupe’s 3.0-liter twin-turbocharged inline-six-cylinder engine.

What’s so special about the Manhart MH4 GTR?

From the onset, you can tell that Manhart’s objective for the M4 DTM Champion Edition wasn’t to give it a completely new look; BMW already covered that base with all the exclusive decals and liveries on the body of the coupe. So if you’re wondering whether Manhart has vanity bits for the M4 DTM Champion Edition, don’t get those hopes up. There’s nothing of that sort in this program.

A new set of 20-inch Concave One wheels is also included in the program. The wheels, which come to the M4 directly from Manhart, measure 20x9 in the front and 20x10.5 at the rear. They’re wrapped in rubber measuring 255/35 and 295/30, respectively.

The layout remains the same, but the tuner did replace the stock steering wheel with a modified version that also happens to be dressed in Alcantara and carbon fiber. Good stuff, indeed. Carbon fiber trim is also present in the interior, and the driver and front passenger also receive new Recaro bucket seats.

What kind of an engine upgrade are we looking at here?

A significant one. In standard form, the limited-run M4 DTM Champion Edition is powered by a 3.0-liter twin-turbocharged inline-six-cylinder engine that produces 493 horsepower and 443 pound-feet of torque. Those figures already represent an increase in output from the standard M4, which came with a six-cylinder engine that produced 425 horsepower and 406 pound-feet of torque.

Obviously, Manhart wasn’t satisfied with the raised output in the M4 DTM Champion Edition. So, the tuner did what any tuner would do. It prepared a new intercooler, carbon fiber intake, aluminum charge pipes, race downpipes, and a stainless steel exhaust system.

All these new bits found their way into the powertrain setup of the special edition M4. The last piece of that puzzle was the remapping of the twin-turbo six-cylinder engine.

That’s 205 horsepower and 280 pound-feet of torque more than the output of the M4 DTM Champion Edition’s engine. Take it a step further and Manhart’s program for the special edition coupé adds extra 273 horsepower and 316 pound-feet of torque more than the standard 2016 M4.

Manhart also complemented the increased output by modifying the M4’s seven-speed dual-clutch transmission. The gearbox still sends power to the rear wheels, and while the tuner didn’t say how fast its M4 can go, we can assume that it can sprint fro 0 to 60 mph a lot quicker than the 3.6 seconds it takes the M4 DTM Champion Edition to do it. Top speed, on the other hand, should remain at 190 mph.

Final Thoughts

The BMW M4 DTM Champion Edition was a special car on its own. But Manhart still found a way to make something that was already special even more, well, special. From the massive rear wing to the Alcantara interior to the engine upgrade program that netted supercar-like amounts of power, the new and improved M4 DTM Championship Edition is the kind of car that you’d want to show off to anyone that has a pair of eyes.

BMW M4 vs M4 DTM Champion vs Manhart M4 GTR Specs

BMW M4

BMW M4 DTM Champion Edition

Manhart MH4 GTR 

Engine

3.0-liter, inline-six-cylinder, twin turbocharged 

3.0-liter, inline-six-cylinder, twin turbocharged 

3.0-liter, inline-six-cylinder, twin turbocharged 

Horspower

425 Horses

493 Horses

698 Horses

Torque

406 pound-feet

443 pound-feet

723 pound-feet

Drive Layout

Rear-wheel-drive

Rear-wheel-drive

Rear-wheel-drive

Transmission

Seven-speed dual clutch

Seven-speed dual clutch

Seven-speed dual clutch