BMW M Boss Pledges To Keep The Manual Gearbox Alive
 

BMW Blog: https://www.bmwblog.com/2022/06/24/b...anual-gearbox/

Say what you will about some of BMW’s latest decisions, but it still gets some things right. One of them is the M division’s stubbornness to keep the manual gearbox alive in a digital era. While the AMG C63 and Audi RS4 Avant are both sold exclusively with an automatic transmission, you can still buy an M3 (and M4) with a clutch pedal.

Featured here ahead of its official debut in October, the M2 G87 will also have three pedals to play with, and we can say the same thing about the modern-day 3.0 CSL arriving before the year’s end. Enthusiasts will be happy to hear the 6MT isn’t going anywhere as M boss Frank van Meel pledges to keep the manual alive in the foreseeable future. Speaking with Autocar at the Goodwood Festival of Speed where the M3 Touring received its public debut, the head honcho explained why this decision has been taken.

Approximately half of M2 F87 buyers ordered the car with three pedals, prompting BMW to retain the do-it-yourself gearbox for its imminent successor. Frank van Meel admits the manual makes the car slower and thirstier compared to the automatic, but the strong take rate justifies its existence. He went on to say customers in the United States prefer the manual the most, which makes sense since Porsches with three pedals are also in high demand in North America.

As you may recall, BMW through its M division has also pledged to keep the inline-six and V8 engines on sale until at least the end of the decade. However, doing so requires a certain dose of electrification to comply with stricter emissions regulations. Consequently, the M2 G87 will be the last non-hybrid M car ever.

The M2 somehow brings out the 3 pedal gear heads like the M3’s USED to.

I think they said the F80 manual uptake was only like 30%. I bet the G80 is way less.

Something about the M2 reversed that trend.

Probably because it's premis is about being playful. It is t seen as the most sharpened track tool like they position the m4 to be. It's there to be fun, engaging and involving. The manual fits that better. I always describe my 1er as a puppy dog. It isn't particularly refined, but it loves to play.

Wonder if its the start of a more general trend as more and more buyers see the automotive industry trending toward more and more tech w/ less driver involvmennt. Porsche already experiences this "backlash" a few years ago and has since made a bigger commitment to keeping manuals alive. I think the novelty of fast shifting automatics has started to wear off as well...now that people are seeing that pretty much any EV can out accelerate all but the fastest ICE cars I'm guessing the pendulum is starting to swing back toward more analog experiences (atleast amongst buyers who identify as "enthusiasts"). There's not longer much bragging rights in talking about how your transmission can shift in 100 ms (or whatever) when an EV doesn't have to shift at all

BMW still makes great engines. And this commitment to manual transmissions is pretty cool.