Here’s something that hardcore BMW M enthusiasts might find a little off-putting. Due to declining sales figures, future M models might not be getting manual gearboxes anymore. BMW M boss, Frank van Meel told Autocar UK that dual-clutch and automatic gearboxes were both faster and provided better fuel consumption.
While he didn’t deny the fact that the M had its own cult of followers, who specifically want their M machines mated to manual transmissions, he added that it was ‘difficult’ to stick to it. It looks like we’ll be seeing more of the seven-speed M dual-clutch (like on the M3 and M4) and eight-speed M Steptronic (X5 M, X6 M) around.
Additionally, get this – future M vehicles might not see more power added into its mills. As it stands, 600 hp is the current maximum one can get – in the BMW M6 fitted with the optional Competition Package. The reason being, according to Meel, was that adding more horsepower and torque would be ‘over the limits’.
So no more power, and no more manuals. Truly ‘disappointing’ news isn’t it?
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enthusiasts,car sites and magazine car reviewers are gonna be sad , bt the truth is , most real buyers(car reviewers ARE NOT!) will order with the dual clutch….BMW is going with the market , if there is no demand then its not feasible…even the manuals that are offered in the US for m5 is actually the last gen m5 gentrag unit , they didnt even bother doing a new manual for it….
i prefer manuals with smaller engines and lighter cars…
With or without manuals, M still a king and the rest like amg only play chasing.
M; the King of tasteless driver, the-M whom the one chasing the AMG..
he should talk more about fine-tuning driving dynamics and losing more weight than to talk about limiting up to 600hp only and offering dual clutch
Well, that sucks
Meh.
Would never be able to afford one anyway.
Never be able to afford in Bolehland with the sickening policies
it is great news for future right hand drive (rhd) M cars! no more offset pedal due to footwell space constraint on rhd models. next rhd M3/M5 will have the brake and accelerator pedal inline with the steering wheel like the left hand drive (lhd) version.
Total bollocks.A whole new level of dissapointment.I can still digest if there is no manual box but max 600bhp?What if other manufacturers do more than 600bhp?Then what?M division sure is going to be a laughing stock.Anyway knowing BMW nowadays,they always shoots their own feet.
How many hp do you need?
My point is not about how many bhp I need.It is about their competitors i.e AMG.If AMG come out with 650bhp or more on their E63 in the future,should BMW rest on their laurel?At that level of price and performance,these owners want some bragging rights.Not to mention on top of the handling which is should be already top notch.
who need 600hp on M series BMW?? because M series concept build for cornering, not for drag racing better focus on developing lighter and stronger frame, im agreed with BMW except the manual parts if you want big Horsepower buy a muscle CAR
They can always do more torque and more power accessible from low RPM
Well the reality is the take up for the manual transmission option over the DCT is not sufficient to cover the added costs of engineering an MT to work with the engine.
It’s a matter of cost really. With DCTs becoming so good, why not get the DCT? Lamborghini themselves have stopped manuals, after barely anyone bough the older Gallardo in manual form.
Welcome Graham~
I always thought that 300-450 bhp is about right for M-cars. Leave the higher outputs to supercar companies. It has always been part of the M division philosophy that you don’t need 1000 horses for your car to be fun.
Its sad to see the end of the manual gearbox in the M-cars. But at least, that’s one less option to choose from when buying the cars.
Manual cars will.one day become obsolete n taken over by other better transmission
Because no matter how fast the acceleration of.the car is, it will still take the driver at least 1 second to shift to another gear, n if u r building a supercar to break veyron’s 0-100 time, u cannot be putting a manual gearbox into it n expect it to go 0-100 in less than 3 seconds when a gearshift takes 1 second.
Thr is a reason why none of the supercars r manual transmision
they should built a car with EX-5 gearboxes..
600hp not enough? Send to the tuners la.