As automatic transmissions have become more efficient, reliable and affordable, the manual has been consigned to the gearbox of choice for car lovers – and BMW wants to reward the faithful fans by continuing to offer three-pedal models for as long as it can.
Speaking to specialist publication BMW Blog, BMW M vice president of customer, brand and sales, Sylvia Neubauer said the German marque will keep fans of the manual happy, not only with its current model lineup but with future vehicles.
“For the current model lineup, we always have ideas in mind to bring more manuals into certain markets in a certain quantity because we know that there are manual transmission lovers out there,’ Neubauer said.
“Yes, we will keep you happy.”
“I think BMW will always be very creative. We can always think about it [M car with a manual transmission]. BMW M is a rather entrepreneurial company of very passionate M guys.
“So if our engineers can make it happen, I think they will always try to do so.”
Unfortunately, the publication reports BMW won’t put manual transmissions into its upcoming ‘Neue Klasse’ models, which will be the brand’s new-generation electric vehicles, starting with the iX3 SUV and i3 (3 Series-sized) sedan/wagon.
That doesn’t mean the next-generation M3 won’t be available with three pedals though, with what’s expected to be the final iteration of the petrol-powered icon reportedly entering production in mid-2028. The future of the smaller M2 – where a manual is available – remains up in the air.
In Australia, BMW offers manual transmissions in three cars: the M2, M3 and M4. In each vehicle, it’s only available in the most affordable version, and manual variants feature lower outputs than the automatic equivalent.
For example, the manual M2 produces 353kW and 550Nm, but the automatic is bumped up to 600Nm. The base manual rear-wheel drive M3 and M4 mirror these outputs, while auto all-wheel drive Competition xDrive versions produce 390kW and 650Nm.
While there is some global demand for manuals in BMW’s performance car lineup, Australian sales of its three-pedal variants is understood to be less than one-third for the M2, and far less than 10 per cent for the M3 and M4.
Despite this, earlier this month BMW Blog – citing insider information from Bimmerpost forum user ‘ynguldyn’ – claimed production of the Z4 for most markets will now end in March 2026, a handful of months after earlier reports that the sports car would bow out in October 2025.
However, US production will reportedly continue until May 2025, with the manual M40i continuing on, due to demand for the three-pedal variant.
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