If you haven’t already heard, there’s a new variant of the BMW M2. BMW has expanded the M2 lineup with the model’s first-ever xDrive all-wheel-drive system. It is due to launch in late summer 2026, with production kicking off this month (August 2026). The new variant marries the compact M2’s 480 PS inline-six engine with improved traction, acceleration, stability, and all-weather usability.
It’s rear-biased, preserving the handling characteristics and sensations associated with a rear-wheel-drive M car. This setup sends power exclusively to the rear wheels during normal driving, only bringing the front axle into play when additional traction is required. This means that when the rear tires can no longer transfer all 473 HP (U.S. specs) to the road, the system directs some torque to the front wheels to improve traction and stability.
In other words, you are getting the best of both worlds. You can also look at it as having the joy of rear-wheel drive with an all-wheel-drive safety net waiting in the background. But it is going to be heavier and only comes with an eight-speed automatic, so the rear-wheel-drive experience may not be identical to that of the rear-wheel-drive-only M2—especially one fitted with the six-speed manual.
This sometimes two-wheel-drive, sometimes four-wheel-drive setup is not binding. That means you can configure its behavior through the M Setup menu, which includes setting up the M2 with M xDrive in pure rear-wheel-drive 2WD mode with stability control disabled. An Active M Differential distributes torque between the rear wheels.
Under the hood, the 3.0-liter turbocharged straight-six also features BMW M Ignite, a pre-chamber combustion technology derived from racing. BMW says it reduces fuel consumption under heavy loads and helps the engine meet EU7 requirements. It is paired with an eight-speed M Steptronic automatic as standard. The car rolls on staggered 19- and 20-inch wheels, with stopping power provided by M Compound brakes. Track tires are optional.
It may be heavier, but it does not suffer in terms of performance. It does 0–100 km/h (62 mph) in 3.7 seconds—0.3 seconds faster than its sister model with pure rear-wheel drive—and takes another 9.1 seconds to reach 200 km/h (0–200 km/h/124 mph in 12.8 seconds). Top speed remains at 250 km/h (155 mph)—or 285 km/h (177 mph) with the M Driver’s Package.
The new 2027 BMW M2 with the M xDrive all-wheel-drive system starts at US$73,600.
Images: BMW.
