Motoring: BMW goes all out on pace and power for M3 and M4 xDrive

The idea behind the xDrive cars is to go very fast indeed while retaining the luxurious feel of their conventional BMW siblings

BMW M3 and M4 xDrive: As well as staggering levels of agility and mind-bending cornering speeds, the xDrive adds an additional layer of security. Picture: Uwe Fischer

For the first time ever, BMW has added the option of all-wheel drive to the M3 and its rakish M4-badged siblings, promising improved performance and more stability as a result.

Purists may not like the idea of an all-wheel-drive M3, or even an all-wheel-drive M4, but that isn’t really the point. Because whatever the BMW enthusiasts might think, xDrive makes perfect sense in these cars.

And anyway, the pitchfork-wielding brand fans wouldn’t even know an ...