Future performance cars from BMW’s M division will be available with all-wheel drive, M CEO Frank van Meel has said.
Coming BMW M models such as the next-generation BMW M5 will be available with all-wheel drive, though rear-wheel drive will remain the default setup.
According to van Meel, BMW’s ‘M’ cars are already producing power outputs that make all-wheel drive almost necessary to achieve proper traction levels. BMW still remains philosophically attached the rear-wheel drive, however, so both RWD and AWD will be offered going forward.
BMW engineers have reportedly been working to improve grip with new traction, stability and torque vectoring systems, but all-wheel drive is the only way to truly make sure 600+ horsepower gets to the ground. BMW ‘M’ cars with AWD wouldn’t wear the automaker’s ‘xDrive’ branding, van Meel said, with the German instead suggesting a nameplate like ‘2+2WD’ or something similar.
