BMW may never again build a 2002-alike or another E30 M3, having moved on to bigger, safer, and more powerful pastures, but track geeks and fans of fast now have another Bimmer to lust after: the M3 GTS, officially launched in Europe this week. Along with the market launch comes some new performance details, including a brisk 4.4-second 0-62 mph time.

That’s not Corvette ZR1 or Nissan GT-R fast, despite the 450-horsepower, 4.4-liter V-8 engine under the hood and all the work done to lighten the car, but it’s not far off those boosted mega-beasts, either. And with a factory-installed half-cage, adjustable suspension, racing seats, minimal creature comforts and a special aero package, it’s intended purely for track days and privateer racing, despite being street legal.

With performance stats measured in pounds-per horsepower (7.5) and time to the 1,000-meter mark (22.5 seconds), the racing aspirations are made even clearer. Check out our preview story for the full details on the 2010 M3 GTS, and be sure to watch the Nurburgring test drive video below.