Is the BMW M2 a bit too lairy for you? Scared of embarrassing yourself around the next rain-sodden traffic circle? Well then, you’ll be pleased to know that the Munich carmaker is now offering its sometimes spiky M car with the option of M xDrive all-wheel drive.
Offering enhanced traction in slippery conditions, BMW says this face-saving system employs an electronically controlled multi-plate clutch that seamlessly delivers torque to the front axle whenever it senses the rear wheels are overwhelmed and cannot deal with any further power transfer. Wired up to all sorts of electronic trickery, it works in tandem with the car’s Active M Differential, M-specific traction control and Dynamic Stability Control.
Though M xDrive is naturally rear-biased from the factory, drivers can configure its responses via the M Setup menu to better suit real-time driving conditions or personal preference. For those who know what they’re doing, 2WD Mode is available and sends torque to the rear axle only, meaning you can kick that tail out and turn rubber into a cloud of very expensive smoke.
Available in a rather fetching shade of Borusan Turkish Blue and riding on staggered M light-alloy wheels (19-inch front, 20-inch rear) with optional track tyres, the M2 with M xDrive features the same glorious 3.0-litre twin-turbocharged six-cylinder petrol engine as its rear-driven sibling.
Paired with an M Steptronic transmission with Drivelogic, it produces 353kW and 600Nm of torque. With the benefit of all-wheel-drive traction, BMW says the M2 with M xDrive will sprint from 0-100km/h in 3.7 seconds – 0.3 seconds faster than its pure rear-wheel-drive sibling. Top speed is electronically limited to 250km/h, but specifying the optional M Driver’s Package raises this to 285km/h.
Optimal stopping power on road and track is provided by an M Compound brake package featuring six-piston fixed callipers at the front and single-piston callipers at the rear.
The South African market launch of the BMW M2 with M xDrive will start in the fourth quarter of 2026. Pricing and final specifications will be determined closer to the time.
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