BMW M chief van Meel did not rule out retaining manual transmissions — Motor1
BMW M chief Frank van Meel said that the manual gearbox has not been removed from the division’s plans, but did not promise that it would be retained in future models. As Motor1 reports, the top manager described supporting manual transmissions as an increasingly difficult task due to the introduction of 48-volt mild-hybrid systems, higher engine torque, and a shrinking number of manufacturers of such gearboxes.
Demand for manual gearboxes
According to van Meel, BMW M recognizes the high demand for manual transmissions and the emotional significance of such cars for customers. In the United States, approximately half of buyers of the G87-generation BMW M2 choose the six-speed manual gearbox instead of the automatic.
Currently, the manual transmission is available for the rear-wheel-drive M2. At the same time, the G82-generation BMW M4 CS sold in the United States is equipped only with an eight-speed M Steptronic automatic gearbox. The limited rear-wheel-drive M3 CS Handschalter version with a manual gearbox is due to appear for the 2027 model year. BMW prices it at more than $107,000 excluding delivery, and North American dealers quickly allocated the available production quotas for the model.
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Limitations for high-performance models
BMW’s current six-speed manual gearbox is unable to handle the full torque of the S58 inline-six twin-turbo engine in its most powerful versions. This is why M3 and M4 Competition variants are offered only with an automatic transmission, while the base versions are available with a manual.
Integrating a 48-volt mild-hybrid system requires accommodating an electric motor, additional software, and the increased vehicle weight, which complicates the design of a model with a clutch pedal. An additional factor is the declining number of suppliers able to produce manual gearboxes for high torque.
Van Meel said that the manual gearbox will remain in the BMW M2 for at least a few more years, but gave no guarantees for a longer period. At the same time, BMW has not confirmed the specifications of the next-generation M3, although industry reports expect it to have a mild-hybrid inline-six engine and an automatic transmission.
