There is no better day than the day when you find yourself behind the wheel of a very limited car. In this case, that car is the 1 of 300 BMW M4 GTS models sold in the United States. The low mileage M4 GTS – around 5,00 miles – belongs to BMW of North America and it’s one of the most unique cars in their vast BMW Classic collection.

Yet, the folks in Woodcliff Lake were brave enough to hand out the GTS’ keys to a bunch of journalists willing to sample the car during Monterey Car Week. Naturally, we were one of them. And interesting enough, this is the first time that any of our team members got behind the wheel of the M4 CSL’s predecessor.

Over the next few hours, we took the BMW M4 GTS through some of the most iconic roads surrounding Pebble Beach and Carmel, California, before we hit our favorite spot: the 17-Mile Drive. The very scenic road cuts through Pebble Beach and the Pacific Grove, and it hugs the gorgeous Pacific Coast. Of course, it also runs through some of the most exclusive Golf Courses in the world. And from a car enthusiast’s perspective, it’s also the perfect spot to capture some memorable photos.

The 2016 BMW M4 GTS is a head-turner even without the additional props. It is a stunning piece of engineering built on one of the best M3/M4’s designs. Yet, initially, the BMW M4 GTS was met with skepticism by BMW enthusiasts. Mostly because it was obscenely expensive for an M4 — costing around $134,000 when new, almost double the base price of an M4. Yet it featured new and interesting technology that no one had ever seen in a road car before.

Water Injection

To make an M4 GTS, BMW took the standard M4, stripped it down and built it back up with better parts, essentially. Its standard suspension was replaced with manually adjustable coilovers, most of its interior was gutted and replaced with carbon fiber bits, it received a roll cage, featured plenty of adjustable aero and even used water-injection on its engine.

The engine itself was still a 3.0 liter twin-turbocharged S55 unit that, with the water-injection, made 493 horsepower and 443 lb-ft of torque. It was mated only to a seven-speed dual-clutch gearbox and powered only its rear wheels. While quick, getting to 60 mph in about 3.4 seconds.

Inside, the door panels from the regular M4 have been replaced with the same carbon-fiber-reinforced plastic the i3 is built out of. The divider between the cabin and the trunk is made from fiberglass. And of course, it featured a real roll cage in some markets, with the faux, half cage reserved for the North American markets.

OLED Taillights

The M4 GTS’ killer orange 666 M wheels, massive fixed wing, OLED taillights and amazing stance give it a real menace that M cars just don’t have anymore. A first on a BMW production model, OLEDs (organic light-emitting diodes) generate their light using wafer-thin layers of semi-conducting organic materials. Unlike LEDs, which emit their light in the form of points, OLEDs light up over their full surface with a homogeneous effect.

With only 700 units produced globally, the BMW M4 GTS is as rare as it can get. While some markets, like the US, received 300 units, others were not as fortunate. So the BMW M4 GTS is certainly heading towards a classic car status, even with the BMW M4 CSL just around the corner.

We will have a full video review on our Youtube channel, so don’t forget to subscribe. But in the meantime, enjoy this photo gallery of the BMW M4 GTS!