The BMW M2 gets all-wheel drive, and it still wants to be rear-wheel drive
For the first time, the M2 is offered with M xDrive. In normal driving it still sends power only to the rear, brings in the front axle when the rear tires run out of ideas, and knocks 0.3 second off the 0-60 time.
Specs and pricing checked against BMW's June 2, 2026, release on Oct. 4, 2026.
For years, the BMW M2 has been the smallest, angriest and most resolutely rear-drive member of the M family. For 2027, BMW is offering it with M xDrive all-wheel drive for the first time. Before anyone drafts a strongly worded letter, here is the important part: in normal driving, it is still a rear-drive car.
How it works
M xDrive sends drive only to the rear wheels until they cannot put down any more. At that point, an electronically controlled multi-plate clutch in the transfer case starts feeding torque to the front axle. At the back, the Active M Differential distributes power between the rear wheels as required.
The clever bit is where the decisions get made. The transfer case has its own control unit and wheel-slip limiter, so it can react on its own without waiting for the central DSC stability system to weigh in. In plain English, the all-wheel drive has its own reflexes and does not need to ask permission.
For drivers who would rather the front wheels mind their own business, there is a 2WD mode, available with DSC switched off. It is there for track days, and for people who regard understeer as a character flaw.
The numbers
- Engine: a twin-turbo inline-six with 473 hp at 6,250 rpm and 443 lb-ft.
- Gearbox: eight-speed M Steptronic automatic.
- 0 to 60 mph: 3.6 seconds, or 3.3 seconds with a one-foot rollout. That is 0.3 second quicker than the rear-drive M2.
- 0 to 124 mph: 12.8 seconds.
- 50 to 75 mph: 3.7 seconds, which covers most of the overtakes you will ever need, and several you should not attempt.
- Top speed: limited to 155 mph, or 177 mph with the M Driver’s Package.
- Curb weight: 3,988 pounds.
- Price: $73,600 plus $1,350 destination and handling.
The wheels are staggered, 19 inches at the front and 20 at the rear, and the M Compound brakes use six-piston fixed calipers up front.
The rest
BMW Individual Borusan Turkish Blue is offered on an M2 for the first time, for anyone who wants their all-wheel-drive coupe to be visible from orbit. Like the other M2 models, the M xDrive car is built at BMW’s San Luis Potosí plant in Mexico, with production starting in August 2026 and the market launch in late summer 2026.
The M2 has earned the attention. BMW says it was the best-selling high-performance model from BMW M in 2025.
Our take
The worry with an all-wheel-drive sports car is that it stops feeling like a sports car. BMW’s answer is a system that stays out of the way until the rear tires ask for help, then quietly steps back when they stop asking. Whether it feels that way on a wet back road is a question for a test drive. On paper, it beats the rear-drive car to 60 mph by 0.3 second, and it still has a button for the old ways.
