Our hearts have barely stopped racing from our last stint in an M3, but BMW is upping the performance quotient even further this year. The "standard" M3 makes a true sport sedan out of the 3 Series by stuffing a 473-horsepower twin-turbo inline-six underhood. The available Competition variant bumps output even further, to 503 horsepower. But if the M3 Competition's 0-60 mph time of 3.8 seconds just isn't enough to get you out of bed, the new xDrive all-wheel-drive version might. How does a 3.4-second 0-60 mph time sound?
The 2022 BMW M3 Competition xDrive adds all-wheel drive to the BMW M3 for the first time in the nameplate's history. As with the larger and more powerful M5, the all-wheel-drive system is biased toward shunting power to the rear wheels, with the fronts receiving input when extra traction is needed. This is applicable during aggressive launches, as a little extra oomph at the front allows the tires to dig in and propel the M3 Competition xDrive to its quicker 0-60 mph time.
Of course, you can always mix things up by selecting a different driving mode. The 4WD Sport setting directs a greater percentage of power to the rear wheels and should loosen the traction control systems somewhat. Of course, if you really want to show off your piloting ability, you can select 2WD, which sends all engine power to the rear wheels and disables stability control to boot. Unless you abhor the idea of a little extra weight at the front axle, the AWD appears to offer the best of both worlds.
