This summer Bayerische Motoren Werke will continue its steady search for speed with the M3 and M4 by adding all-wheel drive to its M3 Competition Sedan with M xDrive and M4 Competition Coupé with M xDrive models. I don’t know who this is for. When did a sports coupe ever benefit from the addition of two more driven wheels? In addition to being more complex, an AWD system prevents steering inputs, adds weight and increases the price. This is not a rally car, it is a track-oriented sports car. It does not make any sense.
Despite the fact that the competition is by name, these cars are not really built for any class and do not compete anywhere. Sure, there’s an M4 GT4-approved race car, but it certainly doesn’t have all-wheel drive!
BMW claims that the M xDrive system “allows the driver to experience an intoxicating interpretation of the M performance characteristics, reflected, among other things, in an even faster acceleration. That word salad comes down to the typical Germanism of “dynamism,” which means that make computer things you don’t understand to make you feel like you’re going faster.
Speaking of dynamism, here is something directly from BMW’s press release that feels ridiculous: “Improvements in traction, handling stability, agility and dynamism brought by the combination of M xDrive and Active M Differential also translate into superior sprinting skills.” What could that mean? Okay, the traction is light, sure, when the rear wheels are overwhelmed by 503 horsepower and 479 lb-ft of 3-liter turbo torque in line six, the front wheels hit and provide forward movement instead of smoke from the tire. Stability when handling, I suppose means that the car is easier to appreciate where it will go at the limit, because the front wheels can pull you around the corner if you face an accelerating superstructure. More agile, despite the added weight? The one I’d love to see. And we have already covered the dynamism.
Either the M3 or M4 version of this new car slides 0.4 seconds away from the common one 0-60 time, now requiring 3.5 seconds instead of 3.9 seconds. The average driver would never notice the difference and it doesn’t really matter anyway, but I guess it’s something.
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The xDrive variants do not differ visually from their RWD counterparts, sharing the same 19/20 inch staggered wheel configuration. There are three different selections settings for the AWD system, allowing for a regular AWD, a more sporty track-oriented AWD, and 2WD, which disconnects the front wheels if you choose this. Why you would buy the AWD car and choose to put it in 2WD mode doesn’t make sense to me. That is useless.
This nonsensical car will cost you $ 77,895 for the M3 Competition Sedan with the M xDrive, while The M4 Competition Coupé with the M xDrive will run for $ 79,795. In both cases, the AWD system is a price premium of $ 4,100 compared to standard competition models. Both will reach Bimmer dealers by August.
What follows, a Porsche 911 GT3 RS with all-wheel drive oriented on the rail? God, I hope not.