Last week, via an Oct. 7 press release, BMW introduced its 2016 M4 GTS – the first production road car in the world to feature a water-injection system. The system injects a tiny bit of water into the engine’s intake manifold. As the water evaporates, it draws energy from its surroundings and lowers the temperature of the intake air by up to 80 degrees F. According to BMW, this system helps boost gas mileage, lowers emissions and improves overall performance.
However, the water-injection system isn’t the only aspect of the GTS that boosts performance and increases fuel efficiency. BMW adds that the new GTS is 200 pounds lighter than previous models of the M4 because of its CFRP construction. Lower weight leads to greater fuel efficiency, which is critical in an automotive market constantly adapting to ambitious fuel efficiency standards. Europe has mandated a 40 percent decrease in CO2 emissions for fleets from 2007 to 2021. Since 2011, BMW has been using composites to meet that goal.
