With the BMW M3 and M4 now offering all-wheel drive for the first time ever, it’s natural to wonder if the BMW M2 will eventually offer the same. BMW M has already said that it has no plans to offer xDrive for the M2 but didn’t completely shut the door on the idea just yet. There’s some consideration happening in Munich and Garching but no decision has been made just yet. However, the question isn’t whether BMW will make an M2 xDrive—we won’t know that for a while—it’s whether BMW should.
There are certainly reasons why someone might want an all-wheel drive M2, as well as reasons why some fans might hate the idea. Let’s take a look at both the pros and the cons to see whether BMW should offer xDrive for the M2.
Pros
One of the main pros to offering xDrive on the M2 is the fact that it would be an option, not mandatory. So fans would have the choice between rear or all-wheel drive when buying an M2 and what’s more luxurious than choice?
There are many markets where customers prefer all-wheel drive, regardless of the vehicle type. In places like the American northeast or certain Scandinavian countries, all-wheel drive is almost mandatory. Which means those customers are more likely to choose one of BMW’s all-wheel drive competitors, rather than the M2. BMW saw a large uptick in M3/M4 sales in those areas once xDrive was offered. But even in markets that just get mild winters, added grip would make the M2 more usable all year long, which is why xDrive is so popular in markets like the U.S.
Another big pro is performance. With xDrive all-wheel drive, the BMW M2 would be capable of far more performance, thanks to the added grip of driven front wheels. Like the M3 and M4, the M2 would become a monster with some extra grip.
Cons
The main issue with a BMW M2 xDrive is weight. The M2 is already a porky little thing, tipping the scales at 3,814 lbs. So adding xDrive could push it dangerously close, or even over, the 4,000 lb mark. Which is almost inexcusable on a car as small as the M2. BMW has proven that it can make heavy cars handle well, the M2 itself is on such example, however it can only fight physics for so long. There’s no doubt it would still be fast and capable but it might not feel very fun at that curb weight.
Some purists might say that just the very nature of being all-wheel drive will ruin its feel. However, BMW has proven with the M3 and M4 that xDrive can be tuned to feel every bit as natural as rear-wheel drive. So that point is probably moot.
One could also argue that it would ruin the specialness of the M2. As BMW’s last true rear-wheel drive, small(ish), manual transmission sports car, the M2 has been put on a bit of a pedestal by many fans. Offering all-wheel drive will sort of make it like every other M car, therefor ruining that specialness.
Conclusion
It actually makes a lot of sense to offer xDrive as an option for the M2. It would give the car a broader appeal, make it more usable in harsh weather, and unlock its full potential, simple by offering the option. If customers prefer rear-wheel drive, they can have that instead, so it really isn’t hurting anyone to have an xDrive version.
