Ultimate Driving Machine
BMW is widely regarded as one of the top automakers in the world, not just for making cars but for creating some of the best driving cars the world has ever seen. The latter is confirmed by the brand’s mantra, calling each car the Ultimate Driving Machine. Most people tend to agree that BMW’s new and old models are known as driver’s cars.
However, with an ever-changing world, a key element of pure driving bliss has slowly disappeared. The manual transmission is now seen as a purist’s tool, reserved only for those who appreciate rowing through gears or engaging in Aryton Senna-esque heel-and-toe movements.
BMW Still Pushing Manuals
Despite the manual transmission’s performance benefits, more brands are developing automatic and dual-clutch transmissions to meet the demands of spirited driving. BMW, though staying true to its philosophy by sticking with its six-speed manual. One reason is the strong customer demand to keep this option alive.
Even as the M badge is now making its way to more EV models, BMW Blog reports that a top BMW executive said the three-pedal transmission will live on for the time being. Sylvia Neubauer, a Vice President of Customer, Brand, and Sales at the famed M division, says that engineers are still working to ensure that its manual remains relevant today.
More specifically, the horsepower wars among brands give us some of the most powerful performance models, but the manual transmission is often unable to handle such power and torque, which is why BMW’s M group is doing its best to ensure its version can handle it all.
This is a trend we’re seeing across the industry, where brands are offering manuals as special options, but some, like BMW, with the recent M2 CS, say that a manual can’t tame all the power produced. That being said, it might be in BMW’s interest to offer less powerful M cars with manuals in the future, since developing a manual capable of handling the power and torque would be more expensive.
BMW
Justified Expense?
As good as the news is about BMW’s commitment to manuals, at the end of the day, the company needs to be smart about its research and development costs. Currently, in the USA, BMW offers three models with a manual transmission, with the Z4 M40i offering it only as an add-on package called the Handschalter (Hand Shift).
However, some of these models may soon become automatic only. Further reducing options for those who want to shift themselves. Nonetheless, BMW takes its image seriously and more often than not listens to customer feedback, so maybe a slew of manual M cars are on the way.
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