Fun fact, did you know… That Valentino Rossi – yes, THE Valentino Rossi – isn’t just one of the greatest motorcycle racers in human history, but he’s also a pretty accomplished (car) racing driver, too. Granted, he’s only started on the latter part, but despite being rather new to the art of GT racing, he’s done quite well. So well, in fact, that BMW handily picked him as one of their works drivers. So, as a tribute to Valentino Rossi’s iconic race number (#46) and with his 46th birthday coming near, BMW thought to prepare him a fitting birthday present – a pretty special, limited-production run BMW M4 CS Edition VR46; an even hotter variant of the M4.
There are actually 92 limited-run examples of this ultra-special M4 being made; 46 of each in either the ‘Sport’ or ‘Style’ design variants, with some bespoke styling cues either way you go. Best of all, if you’re a diehard BMW fan, love motorsports, or just want some Valentino Rossi merch in your life, you too could pre-order one right now! Granted, it’s a bit expensive, as the BMW M4 CS Edition VR46 has an eye-watering starting price of $156,175 ($155,000 MSRP in addition to a destination fee of $1,175). Then again, ‘The Doctor’ himself, Valentino Rossi, did have a hand in the design process, so maybe the special editions tax might be worthwhile.
A Unique Tribute To Valentino Rossi & BMW Motorsports
As you can probably tell, the BMW M4 CS Edition VR46 has a rather striking look. Valentino Rossi’s signature race number (#46) is prominently shown on the doors, the carbon-fibre roof, as well as the tailgate of what is otherwise a bog-standard BMW M4 underneath. In fact, the CFRP (carbon-fibre reinforced plastics) roof features a large VR46 logo and Rossi’s signature! As I mentioned earlier, there are two design variants of the M4 CS Edition VR46 that you may pick from; the Sport and Style. The Sport model is finished in Marina Bay Blue metallic, as well as huge #46 decals in dark Tanzanite Blue, and a bold yellow stripe along the door frames.
Meanwhile, the Style version is finished in Frozen Tanzanite Blue metallic, which shows off the #46 decal in Frozen Marina Bay Blue metallic, without that extra stripe. Speaking of, you’ll find plenty of those yellow accents around the car, such as around the kidney grille surround, brake callipers, a single V-spoke on the forged M alloy wheels, and other accent strips here and there. Step inside, and you’ll spot additional VR46 badging, though the rest of the cabin is finished in this gorgeous Night Blue upholstery. The same yellow-blue contrasts could be seen on those M carbon bucket seats, the Alcantara on the steering wheel, and a badge on the centre console.
Same Old BMW M4 CS, Made Even More Special & Exclusive
Underneath all this, however, is the same old BMW M4 CS that we know and love from before. This means you’re getting a high-revving 3.0-litre inline-6 engine, with the M TwinPower Turbo technology that we’ve seen in other M cars. In this M4 CS Edition VR46 model, you’d be able to enjoy a very meaty 550 hp and 479 lb-ft of torque, paired with a familiar 8-speed M Steptronic automatic transmission. Additionally, it comes with an M xDrive all-wheel-drive system and an Active M Differential. All in all, this is one of the fastest cars that BMW M offers today, with its 0-100km/h sprint taking a mere 3.4 seconds, and onto a (limited) top speed of 302km/h.
A few other performance-focused upgrades that you’d no doubt welcome are the inclusion of a set of special engine mounts that feature increased spring rates and optimized oil and cooling systems. This ought to ensure rapid and consistent power delivery and performance, especially if you’re bringing this to a track day. Moreover, it comes with twin exhausts that come with an electronically controlled flap and a titanium rear silencer for a more emotional soundtrack. On top of this, there’s a special chassis set-up, custom camber settings, dampers, auxiliary springs, and anti-roll bars, with sharp steering and M Adaptive Suspension for supreme precision.
