The manual transmission is seeing a resurgence in popularity, and BMW is taking note. Speaking with BMW Blog, M boss Frank van Meel said that half of all BMW M2 coupes sold in the U.S. are ordered with a manual transmission. BMW fanatics are aware that the next M3, and therefore the next M2 and M4, may not ship with a manual transmission, and the first-ever hybrid M3 may only be available with all-wheel drive. Therefore, the 50 percent manual take rate may, at least in part, be a reaction to fears of its discontinuation. But when van Meel gave the number, he wasn’t just speaking matter-of-factly. Instead, he used the figure to explain why the limited-edition M3 CS Handschalter was approved.
Enthusiasm For Manual BMWs Isn’t Going Unnoticed
Basically, van Meel is saying that BMW was looking at how many manual M cars were being ordered, and seeing such a balanced take rate for the M2 encouraged the automaker to approve the special M3 CS Handschalter, a project initiated in North America. “Rear-wheel drive and a manual transmission are the dream combination for many purists,” said van Meel. “That is why we also made a limited model with a manual transmission for the U.S. Demand was enormous; the [M3 CS Handschalter] was practically sold out immediately.” BMW has not confirmed how many it will produce for the North America-only special edition, only saying that it will be highly limited, but more manual Bimmers may yet be introduced.
Related: BMW Might Be Working On The M2 CSL Fans Have Been Waiting For
BMW is committed to keeping the manual transmission alive for as long as it can, but van Meel has lamented that it’s becoming increasingly difficult. The Z4 M40i Handschalter is no more, with no confirmed successor, and as noted above, every example of the special M3 CS manual is already spoken for. That leaves the M2 and the non-Competition M3 and M4. But instead of suggesting that the M2’s 50 percent take rate is encouraging BMW to produce more mainstream manual cars in the future, van Meel talked about a six-figure special edition. This seems to indicate that the only future BMWs to get a manual transmission may be high-dollar, low-volume M cars.
Final Thoughts
Jared Rosenholtz/Autoblog
Frank van Meel has often spoken about the enthusiasm many BMW buyers have for the RWD manual recipe, but when asked about its future in upcoming products, he’s just as often deflected, saying that it’s difficult to meet the torque demands of increasingly powerful M cars while maintaining the brand’s standards for refinement. Thus, it seems that BMW will continue to work on manual cars, but they’re very likely to be rare, special editions with less grunt than their AWD automatic cousins. On that note, a manual M2 CS could happen, so manuals aren’t going anywhere; they’re just becoming a delicacy.
