“We’re thinking about it,” Ahme admitted at the launch of the new M5 in Spain. “If you are increasing the power more and more maybe you need it.”

However, he admits the plan comes with some major drawbacks, most notably weight and complexity.

“It’s a good idea but it would add 120kg to the car and it’s over the front axle,” he added.

To counter that Ahme revealed M Division engineers had examined the lightweight all-wheel drive system used on the Ferrari FF but said it was more likely to use a traditional mechanism.

Despite the M Division’s focus on rear-wheel drive it broke from tradition when it built the all-wheel drive X5 M and X6 M high-performance SUVs.

M Division Product Management chief Jorg Herrmann admitted that the company is looking at whatever means it needs to get the job done, regardless of tradition.
“If technology changes over time the character of this model had to be changed and evolve,” he said.

The next generation M3 is also expected to ditch its naturally aspirated V8 engine in favour of a twin turbo six-cylinder.

Following the successful launch of the M5 BMW’s performance division will now turn its attention to its next new model, the M6.

It will launch in the European summer of 2012 before arriving in Australia in the fourth quarter of the same year.

It is expected to utilise the same twin turbo V8 and seven-speed dual clutch powertrain as the M5...