Summary
BMW has announced an all-wheel-drive version of the M2, pairing its 480 hp straight-six engine with the rear-biased M xDrive system. Production is scheduled to begin in August 2026, ahead of a market launch in late summer.
BMW has announced the first all-wheel-drive version of its M2 compact sports car. The BMW M2 with M xDrive combines a 353 kW (480 hp) straight-six engine with a rear-biased system that can send power to the front wheels when needed. BMW says the added traction helps the car accelerate from 0 to 100 km/h in 3.7 seconds, 0.3 seconds quicker than the rear-wheel-drive M2.
Production is scheduled to begin in August 2026 at BMW Group Plant San Luis Potosí in Mexico. The market launch is due to start in late summer 2026.
How the M xDrive system works
An electronically controlled multi-plate clutch in the transfer case varies how engine power is divided between the front and rear axles. In normal driving, BMW says, power goes exclusively to the rear wheels. The front wheels are brought into play when the rear wheels can no longer transfer more power to the road.
An Active M Differential also distributes drive between the rear wheels. BMW links the system with M-specific traction control and Dynamic Stability Control, while a model-specific control unit manages wheel slip. Drivers can adjust the system through the M Setup menu, including selecting a rear-wheel-drive-only 2WD mode with DSC deactivated.
The M2 with M xDrive reaches 200 km/h from a standstill in 12.8 seconds, according to BMW. The company gives a 3.4-second 0–100 km/h time when measured using the “one-foot rollout” method. Top speed is limited to 250 km/h, or 285 km/h with the optional M Driver’s Package.
Pre-chamber combustion in the straight-six
The 3.0-litre engine uses BMW M Ignite, a pre-chamber combustion process that BMW says it has patented. The company says the technology significantly reduces fuel consumption under high loads and helps the engine meet EU7 requirements. BMW plans to introduce it in all of its M straight-six engines from mid-2026.
BMW lists combined fuel consumption for the M2 with M xDrive at 10.4–10.3 litres per 100 km and combined CO₂ emissions at 235–233 g/km under WLTP. The figures are for vehicles on the German market. The car also comes with an eight-speed M Steptronic transmission with Drivelogic, 19-inch front and 20-inch rear wheels, and M Compound brakes with six-piston front callipers.