The chances of winning are stacked against trade garbos. The increase in plug-in hybrids and EVS gradually damages the end for the third pedal. Advanced semi -autonomous driving systems and sophisticated security features are mainly developed for working with automatic transmission. For the average driver, the additional convenience of not moving makes the automatic even more attractive. Reduction of complexity by reducing the costs for the car manufacturer.
Nevertheless, BMW is not yet ready to say goodbye to the Stick shift. We recently asked the company whether it closes the door for manuals. Sylvia Neubauer, Vice President of customers, brands and sales at the M department, told us: “It is never closed forever.” She explained that the ability to row her own equipment in the United States is perceived as a “lifestyle declaration”.
Nevertheless, the ugly truth is that “the proportion of the lion in M cars is still automatic”. Your statement is no surprise. All M -SUVs have two pedals, as well as the M5 and M8. Even on the M2, M3 and M4 you have to be satisfied with the lower output if you want the 6MT. This was not the case with the G87 until the model year 2025 increased the torque for the model equipped by Steptronic.
In addition, clients that XDrive prefer cannot combine it with a manual transmission. The all-wheel drive M2, of which we believe it will come next year, will only be sold with the eight-speed automatic. Fortunately, despite the previous reports, it will not be the end of the model of the rear-wheel drive, manual-gearbox model.
Although Sylvia told us that BMW M does not give up the manual, she admitted that its availability “depends on the concept. The manual transmission is not the right solution for every segment.”
The jury is still not there whether the next generation M3 G84 will have three pedals if they enter production in August 2028, although we would not stop. In the meantime, the current M2 probably remains until the end of the decade. We heard that the last one will be assembled in July 2029. Whether the manual is not known until the end.
