New BMW M2 may be available with all-wheel drive

It seems the second-generation 2023 BMW M2 will continue BMW’s recent trend of offering its M cars with the option of all-wheel drive, with leaked internal documents revealing plans for the first xDrive version of the upcoming compact performance coupe.

Uncovered yesterday by a member of the

We know this because the development code and specific model name is mentioned at the top of the document, those being G87 and M2 respectively.

Like the bigger and more expensive BMW M3 and M4 Competition xDrive models, five different configurations will be available to the driver based on combinations of the three-mode DSC stability control system (on, M Dynamic and off) and the three-mode M xDrive system – all-wheel drive, all-wheel drive sport and rear-wheel drive.

“When the DSC control system is deactivated, three M xDrive modes permit individual configuration, even as far as rear-wheel drive only,” the document reads.

“The agile rear-biased design is achieved as follows: M xDrive only gets the front axle involved when the rear wheels reach their limits for power transmission and additional tensile force is required.

“Even with a very sporty driving style and high performance, the vehicle behaves predictably with M xDrive and can be controlled effortlessly by the driver.”

Some would say the development and eventual release of an M2 (Competition) xDrive was inevitable given the BMW M240i xDrive uses the same basic platform and engine architecture as the incoming flagship.

There’s also the structure of the bigger BMW 4 Series Coupe line-up. The mainstream 4 Series range is crested by the BMW M440i xDrive, which later bowed to the rear-wheel drive BMW M4 and M4 Competition, then ultimately the M4 Competition xDrive.

Any aspiring fan of the current BMW 3 and 4 Series line-ups will recall all-paw M Competitions were revealed, launched, priced and arrived later than their rear-wheel drive counterparts and so a similar approach will more than likely be employed for the M2 line-up.

With the G87 already tipped to close the performance gap to the M4 line-up, there’s every chance the eventual M2 xDrive will actually out-pace the rear-drive versions of its bigger sibling, but we can’t imagine BMW will allow it to be faster than the M4 Competition xDrive.

That said, the likelihood of the all-paw M2 giving its M4 counterpart a run for its money is extremely high given the latter is just two tenths of a second slower to 100km/h than the rabid BMW M5 Competition super sedan.

Besides, it also needs to be able to see off the box-fresh Audi RS 3, which employs all-wheel drive and a seven-speed dual-clutch auto as standard to hit 100km/h in a class-leading 3.8sec (claimed).

For the record, here are the claimed 0-100km/h times for BMW’s M performance cars:
M5 CS: 3.0sec
M5 Competition: 3.3
M4 Competition xDrive: 3.5
M3 Competition xDrive: 3.5
M4 Competition: 3.9
M3 Competition: 3.9
M3: 4.2
M4: 4.2
Old M2 CS auto: 4.0
Old M2 CS manual: 4.2
Old M2 Competition auto: 4.2
Old M2 auto: 4.3
Old M2 Competition manual: 4.4
Old M2 manual: 4.5

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