BMW’s M department is the only arm of the carmaker which continues to offer buyers the choice of a manual transmission, following the demise of the Z4.
Only the BMW M2, M3 and M4 are available as manuals, and in each of the models the three-pedal version develops less torque than their automatic counterparts.
This has seen special edition vehicles like the M2 CS go auto-only, while BMW’s modern 3.0 CSL made more power than the M4 upon which it was based but developed 100Nm less, thanks to it being exclusively manual.
While it could easily be assumed that the manual transmission’s days are numbered in BMW’s lineup – due not only to the new EVs it is launching but also the increased outputs from petrol engines – one executive says the brand continues to develop manuals.
Speaking to German publication Automobilwoche, subsequently reported by BMW Blog, BMW M vice president Sylvia Neubauer said future models from the brand will continue to be offered as manuals.
However, as with the current manual-equipped M-car lineup, they’ll likely feature reduced outputs, meaning the driving experience will be more focused on the unique feeling of a three-pedal, rather than the outright speed available from an automatic.
There’s no timeline on the end of manuals for BMW M, though the M3 and M4 are due to be replaced in 2028 and 2029, respectively, while the M2 will also likely bow out before the end of the decade.
Neubauer has previously been an advocate for manual-loving customers in the BMW M lineup, saying in June last year, “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”.
“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.”
It’s worth noting that 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.
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