Thus far, every BMW M3 or M4 you could get from the factory has been strictly rear-wheel-drive. That ends this summer because, as promised, xDrive versions of the 2022 BMW M3 and M4 Competition are here.
Officially the first-ever M3 and M4 models to get all-wheel drive from the factory, the new M3 and M4 Comp xDrive both put down 503 horsepower and 479 pound-feet of torque from a twin-turbo straight-six, unchanged from the rear-drive Competition models. The rear-biased xDrive system is fully variable, shuffling torque between the front and rear wheels using an electronically controlled, multi-plate clutch while an Active M Differential splits rear-axle torque left and right.
The system is essentially rear-wheel drive under normal driving and only sends power to the front as needed. Just like the M5, the M3 and M4 Comp’s xDrive system features three modes: the default 4WD, 4WD Sport which prioritizes the rear wheels even more, and full 2WD which, of course, disables the front axle completely and requires stability control to be off as well. To accommodate for the increased performance and traction brought on by AWD, BMW has reworked these cars’ front axle geometry, changed their steering ratios from 15.0:1 to 14.6:1, and adapted their oil systems accordingly.
As you may have expected, the M3 and M4 Competition xDrive boast better off-the-line acceleration than their rear-drive-only counterparts, with both hitting 60 mph from a dig in just 3.4 seconds—that’s 0.4 seconds quicker than the rear-wheel-drive Competition cars. Top speed is a typically German 155 or 180 mph depending on spec.
The 2022 BMW M3 Competition xDrive and M4 Competition xDrive will hit dealerships in August with the AWD M3 starting at $77,895 and the AWD M4 starting at $79,795.
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