The BMW M2 xDrive is reportedly coming soon

Ynguldyn from Bimmerpost has a reliable source that BMW is preparing an xDrive version of the M2. In fact, no one other than BMW has spilled anything about the 2022 M2 xDrive via a Technical Information System document.

Leaked on the Bimmerpost forum, the document in question clearly lists the G87 development code for the M2 and M xDrive. The aforementioned all-wheel drive system is built around an automatic transfer case produced by Troy, Michigan-based Magna Powertrain.

The automatic splitter in the M4 Competition xDrive is a fully variable system. BMW lists an ideal ratio, whatever that may be. M xDrive features the most powerful letter of the alphabet with selectable rear-wheel drive, while xDrive for lower-class cars and SUVs is listed with a 40:60 front-rear split. Rear-wheel drive cars and utility vehicles, that is, because front-wheel drive xDrive (think 1er through X2) incorporates a Torsen limited-slip differential at the front plus power to the rear wheels.

Back to the M2 xDrive, it’s currently unclear when this version of the compact coupe will hit dealer showrooms. The 2027 model is rumored to arrive in late 2026, and given the M xDrive system, there won’t be a manual transmission. The most powerful CLAR-based model to feature a three-pedal transmission is the M4-based 3.0 CSL, whose twin-turbo 3.0-liter I6 engine makes 553 horsepower and 406 pound-feet (550 Nm).

Coincidentally, the S58 engine in the M2, M3, and M4 makes no more than 406 pound-feet of torque when paired with the ZF-supplied manual transmission. Opt for the 8-hp torque-converter automatic, and the stakes rise to 479 pound-feet, or 650 Nm in metric.

2026 BMW M2 CS

Photo: Baldauf

There’s a chance the M2 could lose its manual transmission altogether in the coming years. BMW’s head of technology development, Frank Weber, has made it clear that you should buy an M car with a manual transmission before it’s too late. More than 50 percent of M2 buyers opted for the row-your-own transmission compared to about 20 percent of M3 and M4 buyers. Given those percentages and regulations favoring the more efficient automatic transmission, it’s pretty clear that the manual transmission is on borrowed time.

Bimmerpost’s Ynguldyn also learned that BMW is putting the finishing touches on the M2 CS, which supposedly makes 525 horsepower. By comparison, 523 horsepower is the maximum output of the M3 Competition xDrive for the 2025 model year. The rear-wheel drive M3 Competition, by comparison, is limited to the same 503 horsepower as before.

The M3 CS is said to enter series production during August 2025, with the last example of the breed scheduled to roll off the assembly line in July 2026. Sportier wheels on the limited-edition M4 CS, a carbon roof, carbon bucket seats, Alcantara on the steering wheel and an 8HP automatic transmission are on the way. With the M4 CS believed to be limited to 2,000 units globally, the M2 CS should also be a rarity.

Updated in June 2024 for the 2025 model year with more power, iDrive 8.5, and new paint colors, the M2 Coupe is currently available for configuration in the U.S. for $64,900 before destination and options. There’s no premium for the quicker automatic transmission, which allows for a 0-60 time of 3.9 seconds compared to 4.1 seconds with the three-pedal configuration.

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