If you want a BMW M3 GTS, you'd better be ready to part with about $170,000 of your hard-earned greenbacks. That's nearly three times the cost of the base M3, but the extra $100,000 will net you a 4.4-liter V8 capable of 450 horsepower, tons of racing add-ons and, perhaps most importantly, 419 fewer pounds to lug around. And the M3 GTS manages to improve its stats while at the same time looking mighty fine, if you ask us.

Those are some impressive stats, but how do they translate into track time? If the September issue of Sport Auto (via the M3 Post forums) is to believed, the GTS 'Ring laptimes are less than earth shattering. The German rag reportedly claims that the GTS achieved a less than headline-grabbing 7:48 lap time on the Nürburgring. Okay, that's a pretty impressive time considering the Lamborgini Gallardo Superleggera was reported to hit 7:46 for twice the cost, but at the same time we're talking about an uber-upgraded M3 with a very fat price tag. Consider the fact that the Nissan GT-R can hit 7:29 for half the cost and the GTS appears to be a bit behind the (track) times.

The M3 GTS performed a bit better at Hockenheim, as its reported lap time of 1:12.5 was faster than an Audi R8 V10 Spyder by .2 seconds. The base E92 M3 finished a lap in 1:14.3. So is the M3 ready to take on all comers at The Green Hell? Apparently not, but still, at seven minutes and 48 seconds, we're pretty sure the M3 GTS isn't exactly ready for the slow lane, either.


Gallery: BMW M3 GTS





More...