THERMAL, Calif. – BMW M3 and M4 was never available with all-wheel drive – that is, until now. Without the collective automotive world blowing a spacer on the interior grille design M3mine and M4reveal nitial, much of the panic will inevitably point towards the addition of two more all-wheel drive. It caused a commotion when M5 switches to all-wheel drive, but the execution was so efficient that the claims dried up quickly.
Of course, one reason not to be upset about the existence of the M3 and M4 xDrive models is that the rear-wheel-drive M3 and M4 aren’t going anywhere. Another privilege BMW car throw in the pot is the ability to fully electric lock only the rear wheel, like with M5. You’re forced to do without stability control in this two-wheel drive mode, but you’re better off having it than not having any two-wheelers at all. The last big tidbit is that xDrive all-wheel drive is only available on higher-powered Competition models – powered by a 3.0-liter twin-turbo inline that makes 503 hp and 503 lb-ft of torque. 479 pound-feet of torque – which means it’s also paired exclusively with an eight-speed automatic transmission. There will be no all-wheel drive M3s or M4s.
The system is rear-biased, and under normal conditions, the force will only be transmitted to the rear wheels. BMW says the power will be sent forward when more traction is needed and consider our slip and slip M3 .’s first drive and M4, we know that the system will “request” the torque to be delivered up front frequently.
Power is sent between the front and rear axles via an electronically controlled multi-disc clutch, and the rear axle has BMW’s Active M differential to shuffle torque back and forth between the rear wheels. For front-wheel control, BMW uses a gear box with integrated traction control that reacts in real time to the difference in rotational speed between the front and rear wheels. BMW says this strategy outperforms everything that goes through the central stability control computer, while allowing the car to be more predictable and stable when performing high-speed steering maneuvers on the track.
The three xDrive modes you can choose from are 4WD, 4WD Sport and 2WD. We’ve already explained about 2WD mode, but 4WD mode is your default setting having all the traction and stability control systems in their most rigorous and conservative settings. Meanwhile, by default, 4WD Sport directs more force to the rear and allows for a greater angle of slip, while keeping the front axle active – BMW says that’s the best mode for the track and we agree.
After driving the rear-wheel drive M3 and M4, it became clear that the acceleration times of those cars were severely limited by rear-end traction. Once up and running, the M3 Competition ran as an absolute race, but only after the initial wheel slip classification. It’s no surprise that the xDrive M3 and M4 models are said to have a 0-60 mph sprint 0.4 seconds faster than their rear-wheel drive versions, bringing the official time. down to 3.4 seconds for both – this quicker time required BMW to modify its oiling system to handle the increased acceleration forces off the road. This quicker time comes despite the 100-pound increase in curb weight for both cars for the all-wheel drive transmission which also caused BMW to modify the front axle geometry, resulting in a revised steering ratio. from 15.0:first to 14.6:1 to retain the same handling feel as rear-wheel drive cars. For those counting, that puts the M3 Competition xDrive at 3,990 pounds and the M4 Competition xDrive at 3,979 pounds.
You don’t feel any heavier force when moving around corners, but the existence of all-wheel drive is unmistakable from the first top on. On Thermal Club’s South Palms track, the all-wheel-drive M3 is significantly safer and easier to drive – we’ve done reruns in RWD and AWD versions to feel the difference. Even with all traction control on, the xDrive car reluctantly cuts through the acceleration motion. The degree of nuance and restriction you have to show off the gas pedal in the xDrive model is greatly reduced compared to the regular regular M3. Instead of dealing with the throttle all the way through and around a long bend to keep the front end of the car straight, you can increase the throttle a little and just let the car run at its best. For non-experts, that means you’ll get slingshots at corners much harder and faster than you’re likely to do with RWD models.
That said, it’s even more enjoyable to be found on the M3 and M4 xDrive cars intended for professional drivers. BMW factory race car driver John Edwards has shared with us that he likes the AWD version of the car for its ability to be both a fun smoke show and deadly precision. people at the same time. How? You can program 4WD mode to the BMW preset steering wheel button “M1” and 2WD mode to “M2“Preset and swap between them between rings with a quick press of either button. That way, Edwards says he can switch to 2WD mode in brake to set the car to make big moves around the corner, then quickly switch back to 4WD mode to get maximum acceleration out of the drift and to the next corner. We have a feeling the casual racing enthusiast won’t take advantage of this ability, but the power does exist.
Off the track, the M3 and M4 xDrive continue to exhibit much safer and stable driving behavior than rear-wheel drive vehicles. You have to really Ask for it with your right foot if you want some rear-end sliding action in corners, as even the 4WD Sport mode aims to keep the car on a straight, rocket-like path. It involves less thinking and wheel control, and in that sense, it’s less enjoyable and involved in driving when compared to the RWD version. That’s the typical trade-off when it comes to add four-wheel drive to a sports car, and the trend is not different for M3 and M4.
Handling and acceleration performance aside, the addition of all-wheel drive to the M3 and M4 increases the car’s mission as the ultimate everyday driver for enthusiasts. Winter tires will make the M3 perfectly drivable in the snow, but the addition of AWD traction makes it a rocket-engine tank. There’s still a relatively low 4.8-inch ground clearance, but no one is saying the car can double as a ski field. As our drive took place in sunny California we can’t make a final judgment on snow performance yet, but hopefully that can change once we get our hands on an M3 or M4 xDrive this winter.
For what you’ll pay, xDrive models can be more expensive than their rear-wheel drive versions. The surcharge for both the M3 and M4 xDrive models is the same at $4,100, with the final price cut for the M3 Competition xDrive at $77,895 and the M4 Competition xDrive at $79,795. That’s a lot of money, but it matches its only other all-wheel drive competitor, Audi RS 5. Between the two, the M3 or M4 are the easy ones to drive because are the best to drive. About the design… we’ll let you decide.
At its best, the all-wheel drive M3 and M4 make the M spunky a more approachable and friendly performance car. If you could switch to rear-wheel drive and keep the stability under control, that would be a perfect world, because without the electronic helper it would turn the M3 and M4 into performance cars. significantly less close. This vulnerability and the sizable $4,100 price increase have led us to favor the rear-wheel drive versions of the M3 and M4. Unless, of course, you plan on using this car as a daily driver in heavy snow or want an extra layer of protection for your all-wheel drive on the track. Whichever way you choose, yes choice of all-wheel drive is nothing to worry about.
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