BMW has finally given the M2 Turbo Edition all-wheel drive, but the US will have to watch from the sidelines, because for now it’s going to India alone, with no American plans announced. The 3.0-liter twin-turbo inline six still makes 480 hp, yet the xDrive car reaches 62 mph in 3.7 seconds, quicker than the rear-wheel drive manual sold in the US in limited numbers. The BMW M2 Turbo Design Edition was originally made for the American market only, with a planned production run in the low hundreds. There’s no word on how many are going to India, but we’re guessing an extra batch of cars could affect resale values in a way current owners may not appreciate.
BMW
The M2 Turbo Edition Is A Tribute To 1974
The styling is a love letter to the 2002 Turbo, the first European production car with a turbo engine. Paint is Alpine White only, with hand-painted M stripes, a black power dome on the hood, and a reversed “turbo” script, meant to be read the right way in a rearview mirror. There’s a carbon fiber roof and spoiler, with gold-bronze forged wheels (19 inches in front, 20 inches at the rear) on the options list. Inside, there are carbon bucket seats, an Alcantara-wrapped steering wheel, and that historic turbo badge on the cupholder cover. There’s no visual separation on the xDrive car, though, apart from the missing clutch pedal and 6-speed shifter.
BMW
Americans Can’t Have The Special That Makes More Sense
Considering the M2 Turbo began life as a US-only edition, with a 30-unit run for Mexico later, the fact that America gets the stick while India gets the grip is ironic. Buyers in snowy states would probably happily give up the manual shifter for the xDrive traction. All M2 models with the 8-speed automatic also get a 37 lb-ft bump in torque to 442 lb-ft, which, when combined with the quicker-shifting gearbox, helps explain the quicker 0-62 mph times.
BMW
Pricing for the M2 Turbo AWD hasn’t been announced in its target market yet. Base pricing for the M2 Turbo in the US is around $84,000, a $15k markup on a base M2. Meanwhile, ticking everything on the options list bloats that to around $96,000, with some examples trading for well above that. Whether this India-only model will have the same cachet remains to be seen.
