BMW M2 Gets AWD For The First Time; No Additional Power, But Is 0.3 Seconds Quicker

BMW M2 can now be had with the M xDrive all-wheel-drive hardware as an optional extra. For the uninitiated, the M2 was the last M car that stayed true to the M roots, offering a setup where power goes to the rear. All its bigger siblings switched to the xDrive, inviting a lot of criticism from the enthusiasts. But for the bigger siblings, the hardware was necessary to handle the increase in power output. But there’s no change in power output in the M2.

The M xDrive splits the power developed by the 480bhp straight-six between the front and rear axles. The Active M Differential is part of the hardware which distributes power variably between the two rear wheels as required. The system also employs an electronically controlled multi-plate clutch in the transfer case to ensure fully variable and smooth division of the engine’s power between the front and rear wheels. BMW claims that this system is rear-wheel biased and fits the M blueprint.

In normal driving, power is sent exclusively to the rear wheels. Only when they cannot feed any more power to the road does the all-wheel-drive system bring the front wheels into play. The transfer case features an M2-specific control unit and integrated wheel slip limitation without involving the central DSC management, which is also configurable. One of the options is that the driver can select 2WD mode with DSC deactivated, whereby torque is sent to the rear wheels only.

The eight-speed M Steptronic transmission remains standard.

The overall benefits come in the form of quicker 0-100 km/h time, which goes down from 4.0 seconds to 3.7 seconds (0.3 seconds quicker). The “one-foot rollout” method brings this claimed time to 3.4 seconds. And the 0-200kmph time is claimed at 12.8 seconds while the top speed is clocked at 250kmph which can be bumped to 285 kmph if you pay for the optional M Driver’s Package.

But the question remains. Will it still drift? And should the Audi RS3 be worried?