BMW’s M division is now the only part of the brand still flying the flag for manual gearboxes, especially after the Z4 quietly dropped the option.
Right now, if you want three pedals from BMW M, your choices are limited to the M2, M3 and M4. Across all three, the manual versions come with a slight compromise, producing less torque than their automatic equivalents.
That trade-off has already shaped some of BMW’s recent special models. The M2 CS skipped the manual entirely, going auto-only, while the modern 3.0 CSL, despite packing more power than the M4 it’s based on, delivers 100 Nm less torque purely because it sticks with a manual transmission.
With EVs becoming a bigger part of BMW’s future and petrol engines continuing to push higher outputs, it would be easy to assume the manual gearbox is on borrowed time. That doesn’t seem to be the case just yet.
According to BMW M vice president Sylvia Neubauer, the brand is still actively working on keeping manuals alive. Speaking to a German publication, she made it clear that future M cars will continue to offer a manual option where possible.
There is a catch though. Just like today’s cars, future manual M models will likely continue to sacrifice some outright performance. The focus shifts away from pure numbers and leans more into the engagement and feel that only a proper three-pedal setup can deliver.
There’s no confirmed end date for manuals within BMW M. That said, the current M3 and M4 are expected to be replaced around 2028 and 2029, while the M2 is also likely to reach the end of its lifecycle before the decade wraps up.
Neubauer has been consistent in backing enthusiasts who still want to row their own gears. She previously hinted that BMW looks at ways to introduce more manual variants in select markets and limited volumes, acknowledging that demand, while niche, is still very real.
Her stance is simple. As long as there’s interest and the engineers can make it work, BMW M will keep finding ways to deliver cars that cater to purists.
Even so, the numbers tell an interesting story. In some markets, manual take-up is already quite low, with the M2 seeing less than a third of buyers choosing it, and the M3 and M4 dropping well below the 10 percent mark. That reality will likely play a big role in how long manuals stick around.