Photo: BMW
At launch, the BMW M235i will only be available as a rear-wheel-drive model, optionally fitted with a limited-slip-differential that is supposed to completely transform the way you drive your car.
However, recent info from BMW itself confirms that the most powerful model in the 2 Series range will get the xDrive all-wheel-drive system as an optional in July. According to a recent Product Planning Bulletin, “both the 228 and M235 models will have xDrive variants beginning July production, greatly expanding the customer base and desirability of this product”.
While I did expect xDrive on all 2 Series models, for the M235i this is a rather important upgrade. At the moment, the car is rated at a 4.8 second sprint to 100 km/h (62 mph) with the automatic gearbox, just 0.2 seconds slower than the CLA45 rival from Mercedes. Yet the Benz has AWD, a pretty important detail, when it comes to straight-out drag racing. With xDrive, the M235i might make up the gap.
Another interesting issue to be discussed is related to the rear differential. The European M135i xDrive doesn’t come with LSD and it's sharing the platform with the Coupe model. On the other hand, right now, the RWD M135i doesn’t get the new diff not even as an optional feature. Whether the 2er will be available with it in xDrive guise, remains to be clarified.
Unfortunately, xDrive models won’t be available with the M3 manual 6-speed gearbox, being restricted only to the ZF 8-speed auto, in all versions.
While I did expect xDrive on all 2 Series models, for the M235i this is a rather important upgrade. At the moment, the car is rated at a 4.8 second sprint to 100 km/h (62 mph) with the automatic gearbox, just 0.2 seconds slower than the CLA45 rival from Mercedes. Yet the Benz has AWD, a pretty important detail, when it comes to straight-out drag racing. With xDrive, the M235i might make up the gap.
Another interesting issue to be discussed is related to the rear differential. The European M135i xDrive doesn’t come with LSD and it's sharing the platform with the Coupe model. On the other hand, right now, the RWD M135i doesn’t get the new diff not even as an optional feature. Whether the 2er will be available with it in xDrive guise, remains to be clarified.
Unfortunately, xDrive models won’t be available with the M3 manual 6-speed gearbox, being restricted only to the ZF 8-speed auto, in all versions.
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