Dr Friedrich Nitschke, president of BMW’s M division, has confirmed the production version of the Concept M135i will be offered with all-wheel drive.
Speaking to Car and Driver Dr Nitschke revealed: “The real car will be virtually identical to the concept. It will be powered by the N55 engine, and you will be able to buy it with a manual or automatic transmission. We will also offer optional all-wheel drive.”
So there you go. He also had some interesting things to say about turbocharging and manual transmissions.
Friedrich Nitschke on turbocharging: “Turbos were never a taboo; that was always a question of the best option. Back then, the naturally aspirated engine was the best option. But today you can have much more efficient engines with the turbo, and we will continue to follow this approach. We always choose the best technology.”
Friedrich Nitschke on manual transmissions: “Sporty drivers always chose a manual over the automatic transmissions, which used to be inefficient and have just three or four gears. But technology has moved forward… Our new M5 and M6 have so much power that a mismatched shift can easily destroy the transmission. It’s not easy. Therefore, for the first time, we have advanced our software to cut spikes and protect the transmission electronically.”
[Source: Car and Driver]
3 replies on “BMW M135i to offer all-wheel drive option”
Shame AWD doesn’t make it any better to look at…
nice legs, shame about the face
[…] addition, an all wheel-drive xDrive spec M135i will be available from November 2012 […]