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Earlier this year, BMW expanded its iconic M2 coupe lineup by introducing an all-wheel-drive xDrive variant — a move that has thrilled enthusiasts who enjoy driving their performance machines year-round, even when winter weather sets in. According to BMW’s M division head, this decision was driven primarily by the preferences of American buyers.

Speaking to Bimmer Today during the 2026 Goodwood Festival of Speed, BMW M CEO Frank van Meel revealed that customers from the Snowbelt states — including New York, Pennsylvania, and Michigan — had been strongly requesting an all-weather version of the M2 sports coupe. The brand’s head of performance engineering also noted that many owners in the Northeast and Midwest rely on all-season tyres throughout the year, making the rear-wheel-drive M2 “simply not practical in those areas.” While it may seem unusual to develop an entirely new drivetrain to accommodate drivers who don’t switch to winter tyres, van Meel explained that the level of customer interest made it worthwhile.

However, the push for an all-wheel-drive M2 didn’t come solely from North America. Van Meel added that Swiss customers also influenced BMW’s decision. Given that Switzerland is among the snowiest countries in Western Europe, many buyers there wanted an AWD version to ensure safe drives down the mountains after a day of skiing. Interestingly, unlike several other European countries, Swiss regulations do not mandate the use of winter tyres during colder months.

Despite the addition of an automatic gearbox and all-wheel-drive capability, BMW insists the M2 has not compromised its driver-focused character. The xDrive M2 accelerates from 0 to 60 miles per hour in 0.3 seconds less than the standard rear-wheel-drive version. Moreover, as with many other M models, the AWD system can be fully disengaged, allowing enthusiasts to revel in a traditional rear-driven experience. The only notable trade-off is a modest weight gain — the AWD version is 121 pounds heavier than its RWD counterpart. Importantly, BMW has confirmed that it will continue to offer a pure rear-wheel-drive version with a manual transmission, at least for the time being.

Additionally, the 2027 BMW M2 has received noteworthy updates to its twin-turbocharged 3.0-litre inline-six engine for European markets, primarily to meet the latest Euro 7 emissions regulations. The S58 engine now features advanced pre-chamber ignition technology in Europe, though this updated emissions system is not yet used in the North American-spec M2 models.