[Mark's M]

Originally Posted by Steven1077

Does the M235i xdrive have higher softer suspension like the other xdrive models?

No. Same suspension tuning and ride height as the RWD version (excepting a couple of tweeks up front to accommodate the front diff).

[M235ixDriveMP]

Originally Posted by dharo1

Safety and capability should win it all. m235i awd

x2

M badges or xDrive

[whoosh]

Dear Flatlanders with RWD and snow tires,

Stay home.

Regards,
Colorado

Wolf Creek Pass:

[Francisco4]

Whoosh,

Did you pull over to put chains on? I am guessing at the very least you are running snow tires. Is that safe to assume?

FDR

[Bemo]

M2 with dedicated winter tire setup.

[sstarrx3]

Originally Posted by whoosh

Dear Flatlanders with RWD and snow tires,

Stay home.

Regards,
Colorado

Wolf Creek Pass:

Takes me back to my Oregon days...and I agree...whats even more dangerous though is an over confident driver in a 4x4 or AWD vehicle that drives too fast for the road conditions!

[Mavus]

I lived in Buffalo for 3y and had 93 Sentra, years ago. Most of the time when I saw cars off road they were suv or pickups. I never had major issue but you have to keep distance and constantly test the surface with brakes. Hell all old school Volvos and MB were rwd and folks in Maine and Sweden still drive them.

[gtr]

Go test drive an Audi S3. I like it better than the m235x. Good quality car and good steering feel like the e46.

or a M2 and a beater would be my choice.

[WilliCO]

I live in Colorado too. I had a RWD 5 series before, and an xDrive 5 series now.

No doubt, the xDrive car is more capable in extreme weather. The RWD 5 series on snow tires was fine on the cleared roads, but it could never get up much of a slippery incline.

But, xDrive BMWs are just boring. They are heavy and soft. The RWD 5 was way more fun.

It's a compromise either way.

[IEDEI]

M2. no contest...the M235 Xdrive will not even be in the same league as a real M car.

get some kick ass snow tires and no issues.

[bim2er]

Originally Posted by kev1988

I live in Edmonton, Canada currently drive my 135i year round, I am thinking about upgrading to the M235 xdrive, my opinion a better car for the Canadian customer if you plan on driving year round. Now the question is get the 235 xdrive now or wait for the M2? a couple sites are saying the M2 could come with an xdrive option. Anyone else here about the M2 having xdrive? I don’t see them having a M2 xdrive option, if they did I would buy one in a second!!

My recollection is that within that past 18 months or so in a magazine interview, the then head of Motorsport indicated that xDrive would not come to M cars due to weight. He has now departed and his replacement is from Audi. My crystal ball had no guidance.

[WilliCO]

Originally Posted by Mark's M

No. Same suspension tuning and ride height as the RWD version (excepting a couple of tweeks up front to accommodate the front diff).

I want very much for this to be true. Source?

[dmboone25]

Originally Posted by whoosh

Dear Flatlanders with RWD and snow tires,

Stay home.

Regards,
Colorado

Wolf Creek Pass:

I cant get a feel for what that was really like because the video was sped up - and places where it's flat have their own unique challenges too.

To the OP, in 90+% of the time, a good snow tire setup will be just fine for you - in my experience AWD is great for getting you going, but doesn't make much appreciable difference in stopping. Just depends on your needs.

It would be M2 with a snow tire set up for me all the way.

[IZAGLO]

Anyone driving a M2 in the snow has to have......in his head..Drive a used AWD in bad weather(snow,ice) and drive the M2 on ALL nice days or days where snow or ice or freezing rain is not predicted..Buy 5-10 grand AWD vehicle for the crap...coming into the garage when it's snowing and looking at a pristine M2, is nirvana...Been doing this now for 10 years...a beater AWD for foul weather and a nice car for everything else..

[Mark's M]

Originally Posted by WillInDenver

I want very much for this to be true. Source?

OK, I'm going to do this just one more time. BMW should be paying me for the promo material I've posted repeatedly about the M235 xDrive. And they should fix up their global website info to reflect the proper info on this car because it's WRONG. But before anyone jumps down my throat and tells me that I don't know what I'm talking about and that BMW must be right, read on.

1) BMW's technical specs on the M235 and M235 xDrive in terms of overall height (i.e the number that reflects how tall it is from the tire bottom to roof) is 1418mm. Here is a link to the BMW.de website specs for the 2er, all of it's models. If you navigate between the base models and M235/M235xDrive models, the overall height of the car remains the same at 1418mm. This is a sloppy mistake on BMW's part. You'll see that the overall height for all of the 2er lineup, from 218d to M235 and M235 xDrive are listed at this 1418mm number. This is wrong. The M235 and M235 xDrive's should be 1408mm, reflecting the 10mm drop on BOTH cars per M Performance specs. Here's what I'm talking about:

http://www.bmw.de/de/neufahrzeuge/2e...che-daten.html

You can also find the proper differences in height (between a 228 and an M235) in the latest version of the BMW's on-line Owners Manual, pg 206 specifically. I can't find a newer PDF manual that lists the 2015 xDrive version of the car but when they do update it, I hope they take the time to list the xDrive version properly. For those who don't feel like looking on Page 206 of the PDF, it shows regular 2ers as 1418mm in height vs 1408mm for the M235. PDF's of owners manuals are already posted in the forum.

2) BMW's technical specs on the euro M135 and M135 xDrive in terms of overall height is 1411mm, properly reflecting the 10mm drop that both of these cars enjoy whether RWD or AWD version. This is compared to the remainder of the euro 1er lineup which measures at 1421mm height. If you navigate between the base 1er's and the M135 twins, you'll see what I mean. Keep in mind, for all intents the M135 3dr is exactly the same as the M235 in terms of chassis:

http://www.bmw.de/de/neufahrzeuge/1e...che-daten.html

3) BMW didn't mess up the euro M550d model specs either. Seeing that these are xDrive only but a product of the M Performance Division, the specs between any of the regular 5ers and the M550d are stated correctly. If you navigate between all of the 5ers (each of them 1464mm tall) and the M550d, you'll see that the latter is 10mm lower than the rest @ 1454mm. It's the only xDrive 5er in the lineup that achieves this drop:

http://www.bmw.de/de/neufahrzeuge/5e...che-daten.html

Any BMW M-Sport model from the factory will achieve the same 10mm drop but NO xDRIVE M-SPORT model will. Thus the number of performance complaints with M-Sport xDrive models - unless they're lowered aftermarket. You can read this (M550d series specific) in the M-Power.com website, specifically the M550d tech specifications link. For some reason I can't get the website to scroll properly so I didn't link it.

Anyways...that's all she wrote...for now. If BMW is reading this, please fix your f'n tech specs!!

[Mark's M]

On an unrelated note, M235xDrive's generally don't jump over medians under hard acceleration. Even with DSC off!!!

[WilliCO]

Originally Posted by Mark's M

On an unrelated note, M235xDrive's generally don't jump over medians under hard acceleration. Even with DSC off!!!

I get it.

[Pete_vB]

Originally Posted by Mark's M

On an unrelated note, M235xDrive's generally don't jump over medians under hard acceleration. Even with DSC off!!!

Yep. But neither do M4s if the driver is capable and awake.

Original question:

1. Find a 996 TT with coilovers, a tune and get some winter tires. Come winter raise it 2" all the way around. Ultimate 550 hp snowmobile, won't depreciate, as cheap of cheaper than other options.

2. VW R would be another choice, but the wheel-well and ground clearance is low for heavy snow.

I'm not a huge fan of what happens to steering feel in BMWs 4wd coupes/ sedans- fundamentally they are adding front wheel drive to a car that was never designed for it, and it shows. Would likely pass on the M2 4wd for that reason even if it did come, which it won't.

Nothing wrong with RWD and real winter rubber unless it gets deep- ran an M3 that way no problem. If it does get deep you'll want ground clearance, see #1.

[WilliCO]

Originally Posted by Pete_vB

I'm not a huge fan of what happens to steering feel in BMWs 4wd coupes/ sedans- fundamentally they are adding front wheel drive to a car that was never designed for it, and it shows. Would likely pass on the M2 4wd for that reason even if it did come, which it won't.

Nothing wrong with RWD and real winter rubber unless it gets deep- ran an M3 that way no problem. If it does get deep you'll want ground clearance, see #1.

I don't disagree with any of that, up until the driver has to get around in hilly places. I've had RWD BMWs with snow tires here in Colorado and, as you say, they were fine on the flats. You really do need AWD on slippery hills though.

[Pete_vB]

I'd want studded winter tires before 4wd.

4wd does nothing for traction where you need it most: cornering or braking. I agree that there are hills and conditions severe enough that you do want 4wd, but ideally you're on the best rubber you can get before that point.

I didn't run studs on the M3 even on hills, but I dearly enjoy a half turn of opposite lock...

[kev1988]

I ended up placing an order for a M235i xdrive, Estoril Blue, Terra Leather, Premium Package and 461M rims. Febuary production, should see the car end of March to mid April.

[DCastaneda]

Originally Posted by kev1988

I ended up placing an order for a M235i xdrive, Estoril Blue, Terra Leather, Premium Package and 461M rims. Febuary production, should see the car end of March to mid April.

Get some photos! Am considering the Terra/Estoril next time around and would like to see the contrast.