BMW’s first-ever AWD M3/M4 arrive late summer at a $4100 premium
Even as the all-electric i4 inches towards reality, BMW’s still investing in thrilling, exhaust-belching performance models. This August, both the M3 and M4 Competition will arrive at dealers with available xDrive all-wheel drive, carrying a $4100 premium over their rear-drive counterparts.
Though xDrive–offered on the M3 and M4 for the first time—will grapple better with ice and snow than the standard setup, it is a technology BMW is clearly billing as a high-performance upgrade in this context. It’s far from the most expensive track-oriented option in the BMW order book; carbon-ceramic brakes cost an eye-watering $8150, M Carbon bucket seats are $3800, and even the carbon-fiber exterior trim package rings in at $4700. For those who aren’t repelled by an all-wheel-drive M3 on principle, ticking the option box for xDrive will be an easy decision. Though it doesn’t improve upon the M3/M4 Competition’s 503 hp and 479 lb-ft of torque, xDrive does make better use of that output, according to BMW.
Thanks to the increased traction, M3/M4 Competition models equipped with xDrive hit 60 mph in 3.4 seconds, a 0.4-second improvement over their RWD-only counterparts. Even with the added weight of the AWD system, we wouldn’t be surprised to see the xDrive M3/M4 models to be faster around a track thanks to their improved acceleration and handling capabilities.
The xDrive system shuffles torque front and rear via a transfer case with an electronically controlled multi-plate clutch. Torque distribution varies based on drive mode. By default, your AWD M3 or M4 Comp will be in 4WD mode, the highest-traction setting. 4WD Sport is tuned for track usage and is slightly rear-biased. There is also a RWD mode, logically termed 2WD, that deactivates the Dynamic Stability Control System. On the rear axle sits the M Active Differential, which the can lock proactively based on throttle input, speed, friction, yaw angle, and steering angle to maximize rear-axle traction before loss of traction takes place.
The four-door M3 Competition will start at $77,895 (destination included), and its two-door M4 sibling at $79,795. M purists, you tell us: Does an all-wheel-drive M3 raise your hackles or whet your appetite for the sixth generation of BMW’s famous performance machine?
