- New xDrive option for BMW M2
- All-wheel-drive system available for the first time
- Power of 480 hp (same as current M2)
- 0-62mph in 3.7 seconds (quicker than RWD M2 and the M2 CS)
- No option of a manual gearbox
- Priced from £74,255
BMW’s smallest proper M car - the unmistakable M2 - is getting an all-wheel drive system for the first time.
The ‘xDrive’ option will be available this summer and sees acceleration times shrinking dramatically thanks to the boost in traction.
Tinkering with the classic M2 format is a risky strategy, however, particularly as the boxy coupe was BMW’s best-selling performance car in 2025.
Crucially, though, the M2 will still be available with a rear-wheel drive layout.
And, even with the AWD xDrive variant, drivers can punch the ‘2WD mode’ via the car’s M Setup menu, which sees torque sent to the rear wheels only for a ‘driving experience of remarkable purity’.
There’s no option of a manual gearbox with the M2 xDrive, unlike there is with the regular M2, which won’t go down well with BMW aficionados.
How powerful is the BMW M2 xDrive all-wheel drive model?
It’s as you were when it comes to the M2’s engine.
Underneath the bonnet, and behind that squared-off front end, sits a 3.0-litre straight-six engine that develops 480hp.
Combine that potent mill with xDrive and the car’s Active M Differential (which distributes drive variably between the rear wheels as required, maximising traction) and the 0-62mph acceleration figure has shrunk to 3.7 seconds.
That’s 0.3 seconds quicker than the regular RWD M2 and also 0.1 seconds faster than the raucous, 530hp BMW M2 CS.
The M2 with M xDrive has a limited top speed of 155 mph, rising to 177 mph if the optional M Driver’s Package is specified.
Does the extra grip with the BMW M2 xDrive really matter?
BMW says bespoke chassis tuning has been developed to make the most of the extra grip the M2 xDrive offers, particularly in poor weather and on track.
The result, says the Germany firm, is a car that delivers greater stability, sharper acceleration and more confidence when conditions deteriorate, without sacrificing the dynamic feel that has made the M2 one of the brand's most popular performance models.
The launch also marks the debut of a new engine technology that BMW claims has been lifted directly from motorsport.
Called M Ignite, the system uses a pre-chamber combustion process to improve efficiency under heavy loads. The technology will be rolled out across all BMW M straight-six engines from mid-2026 and is designed to reduce fuel consumption during sustained high-performance driving while helping the engines meet upcoming Euro 7 emissions requirements.
For track-day regulars, that could mean longer sessions before needing to refuel.
How expensive is the BMW M2 xDrive?
Prices will start from £74,255, which makes the BMW M2 xDrive roughly three grand more expensive than the regular £71,645 M2.
And what about the M2’s lovely new blue paint job - is that new?
Yep, it’s called Borusan Turkish Blue and it’s being offered on the M2 for the first time.
Production of the new xDrive variant will begin in August at BMW's San Luis Potosí plant in Mexico, alongside the rest of the M2 range.
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