The BMW M2, the brand’s bestselling high-performance model in 2025, will be offered with M xDrive all-wheel drive for the first time when the 2027 model arrives in late summer 2026. BMW prices the M2 with M xDrive at $73,600 before a $1,350 destination charge.
The all-wheel-drive system represents a marked shift for what has been BMW M’s purest rear-drive product. M xDrive distributes the M2’s 473 hp and 443 lb-ft from the 3.0-liter turbocharged inline-six between front and rear axles via an electronically controlled multi-plate clutch in the transfer case. The setup is rear-biased. In normal driving, power goes exclusively to the rear wheels; the front axle is engaged only when the rears exceed available grip.
The system works in tandem with the Active M Differential at the rear axle, which distributes torque variably between the rear wheels. BMW positions this pairing as preserving M-typical handling while adding traction in conditions where a rear-drive car would struggle. The transfer case includes model-specific wheel slip limitation that operates independently of the central DSC management, a design that allows the system to respond to front-rear rotational speed differences without waiting for the stability control to act.
M xDrive is configurable through the M Setup menu. One option is a 2WD mode with DSC deactivated, which sends torque exclusively to the rear wheels and replicates the handling character of the rear-drive M2. BMW frames this as preserving driving purity for track use or dry-road driving.
The all-wheel-drive hardware delivers a performance improvement over the rear-drive M2. BMW quotes 0-60 mph in 3.6 seconds for the M2 with M xDrive, 0.3 seconds quicker than the rear-drive model. Using a one-foot rollout, the time drops to 3.3 seconds. The sprint to 124 mph takes 12.8 seconds, or 12.5 seconds with rollout. The 50-75 mph mid-range pull is covered in 3.7 seconds. Top speed is limited to 155 mph, rising to 177 mph with the optional M Driver’s Package.
The M2 with M xDrive weighs 3,988 pounds, a curb weight that reflects the addition of the transfer case and front driveshafts. The car retains the rear-drive M2’s 8-speed M Steptronic transmission with Drivelogic, along with Adaptive M suspension front and rear. Standard wheels are 19-inch forged alloy at the front and 20-inch at the rear, wrapped in 275/35ZR19 and 285/30ZR20 rubber. M Compound brakes with six-piston fixed calipers at the front and single-piston calipers at the rear are standard; track tires are optional.
Exterior color options include five metallic finishes, three solid colors, and six BMW Individual choices. BMW Individual Borusan Turkish Blue will be available on an M2 for the first time.
The M2 with M xDrive will be built at BMW Group Plant San Luis Potosí in Mexico, alongside the rear-drive M2. Production begins in August 2026.
The competitive context for the M2 has narrowed. The Porsche 718 Cayman S and Alpine A110 GTS have been discontinued, leaving the M2 as one of the few compact rear-biased performance coupes still in production. The addition of all-wheel drive positions the M2 as a year-round performance option in a segment that has traditionally required buyers to accept rear-drive limitations in winter conditions.
Whether the M2’s core audience, which bought the car in record numbers in 2025, will embrace the all-wheel-drive option is the open question. BMW has hedged by making M xDrive an option rather than replacing the rear-drive model outright. The 2WD mode suggests the company understands that buyers in this segment care about driving purity as much as they care about acceleration numbers.
The M2 with M xDrive arrives in showrooms in late summer 2026. The rear-drive M2 remains in the lineup.
2027 BMW M2 xDrive Photo Gallery
Source: BMW. Images courtesy of BMW.
