Is BMW's Valentino Rossi M4 CS Really a $155,000 Experience?

Yahoo

25-02-2025

Valentino Rossi is a man of many talents, not just spectacular motorcycle heroics. It's likely a lesser-known feat than his numrous MotoGP championships, but the racer has taken a liking to four-wheeled motorsport in the past few years, at the helm of BMW's M3 GT3 racer. Taking on the 24 Hours of Le Mans, FIA WEC, and the GT World Challenge Europe series, Rossi isn't letting go of his place in motorsport history — and BMW is honoring that with a road-going M4 dedicated to the Italian madman.
Known as the 2025 BMW M4 CS Edition VR46, the special edition model is based on the current-generation G82 M4, but with a birthday celebration attached. Rossi's 46th birthday was February 16, and since 46 was also to the racing number that he wore during his tenure in MotoGP, BMW wanted to honor their motorsport ambassador and development driver with an exclusive sport coupe.
"There is no other brand that has motorsport so deeply rooted in its DNA as BMW M. I am proud to be a BMW M works driver and to share this passion. The fact that there is now a special VR46 edition, in which I was involved from the very beginning of the design process, makes me proud," Valentino Rossi said in a statement. "When I see the BMW M4 CS Edition VR46 out on the road or on the racetrack later, it will be very cool.'
The majority of the changes to the M4 CS are visual. Frozen Tanzanite Blue Metallic and Marina Bay Blue Metallic are model-exclusive colors, with Sao Paulo Yellow trim accents on the grille and wheels. Inside, the Black/Night Blue Merino leather M Carbon bucket seats are also trimmed in the Brazilian hue, augmented by the VR46 logo plastered on the headrests and door sills. A carbon fiber center console, lightweight carbon roof, and Rossi signature seal the deal.
The twin-turbocharged 3.0-liter inline-six is matched with the M3 CS, pumping out 543 hp and 479 lb-ft of torque. That power figure is attributable to a maximum 30.5 psi of boost pressure, and pushes the AWD M4 to 60 mph in 3.2 seconds. 124 mph is achievable in 11.1 seconds, while the M4 hits Vmax at 188 mph. Electronically adaptive dampers, model-specific wheel camber, spring rates, and tunable anti-roll bars make up the dynamic package included in the VR46.
A limited number of these sports coupes will be produced, with BMW saying a total of 92 units will roll off the line in Dingolfing. Allocations will be split down the middle for colors, with 46 units in Frozen Tanzanite Blue and 46 in Marina Bay Blue.
The sticker price for this exclusive M4 is worth a drum roll, as it shoots well above the six-figure mark at... $155,000. That's about $25,000 more expensive than the regular M4 CS, and $75,000 more than the base model M4.
All of this cost might be well worth it for European buyers, however, as a trip to Italy will be included in the cost of entry. As a report from Top Gear reveals, European buyers will travel to Tavullia, Rossi's hometown on the eastern coast, where they will spend the day at the racer's home, and a barbecue will allegedly ensue. On the second day, the group will head over to Misano World Circuit to test drive the whole BMW M lineup.
To confirm this wasn't an option for domestic buyers, we reached out to BMW USA to get some clarity on the matter. "At this time, this is a European-customer-only experience, but we are exploring options for our US clients. We will share more information when it is available," a BMW spokesperson told Road & Track.
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