BMW isn’t saying whether the new M350 will be available with rear-wheel drive, yet it isn’t ruling out the possibility. BMWBLOG reached out to the company in Germany and the United States to find out whether the new M Performance 3 Series will be offered without xDrive. Neither side gave us a definitive answer.

BMW Germany told us: “At this stage, there is nothing we can confirm regarding future variants of the M350. Further information can be expected by the end of this month.” BMW USA was even more concise, responding: “Nothing additional to confirm at this time.”

That leaves the door open for a rear-wheel-drive M350, although we’re not interpreting BMW’s carefully worded responses as confirmation that one is coming. The company could simply be keeping quiet until it is ready to reveal the full lineup. Fortunately, we shouldn’t have to wait much longer, with BMW Germany pointing to the end of September for additional information.

xDrive Delete Would Make The M350 Lighter

A rear-wheel-drive M350 makes sense for enthusiasts who don’t want the added weight and complexity of an all-wheel-drive system. Looking at the outgoing M340i, the rear-wheel-drive version is 112 pounds (51 kilograms) lighter than the M340i xDrive.

That kind of weight saving would be meaningful in an M Performance car positioned above the regular 3 Series. Then again, the new 3 Series will be a bigger car and therefore likely heavier. Perhaps that weight difference might not be noticeable unless you drive the two M350 versions back-to-back.

When we drove an M350 xDrive prototype earlier this year, a source from within the company told us that a separate rear-wheel-drive version was not on the cards. But even if BMW ultimately decides against selling the M350 with two-wheel drive, there is still some good news for people who enjoy sending power exclusively to the rear wheels.

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Drift Moment Unlocks RWD

The M350 xDrive will feature a dedicated rear-wheel-drive mode, allowing drivers to disconnect the front axle and enjoy a more traditional setup when conditions and common sense allow. It’s called Drift Moment and will be available as a software update later in 2027. That means early adopters will initially drive the M350 exclusively in AWD mode before BMW pushes the tail-happy configuration over the air. Once the software is ready, it’ll be installed at the factory on all cars leaving the Dingolfing plant.

In other words, xDrive doesn’t necessarily mean the M350 will feel like an all-wheel-drive car all the time. BMW is giving drivers the option of some rear-wheel-drive fun without offering a separate RWD variant. Of course, a dedicated RWD mode isn’t quite the same thing as a proper rear-wheel-drive M350. The hardware remains, and so does the extra weight. It would be nice to have the freedom to choose between the two, as you do with the full-fat M3.

But if BMW decides that the xDrive model is enough for the M Performance lineup, at least owners won’t be locked into all-wheel drive. For now, the M350 RWD remains firmly in the “maybe” column. BMW’s German division says more information is coming by month’s end. It could mean the 3 Series G50 will break cover in only a few weeks.

In the meantime, we have it on good authority that the third M Performance flavor won’t live to see another generation. Yes, the M340d xDrive is dead.

First published by https://www.bmwblog.com