BMW M2 buyers in the U.S. are showing strong demand for the manual transmission, with half of all M2 coupes sold in the country ordered with a stick shift, according to BMW M boss Frank van Meel. That demand helped BMW approve the limited-edition M3 CS Handschalter, although the future of manual transmissions across the M lineup remains uncertain.
Manual BMW M2 Demand Reaches 50%
Speaking with BMW Blog, van Meel said that 50 percent of BMW M2 coupes sold in the U.S. are ordered with a manual transmission.
The figure comes as BMW enthusiasts are aware that the next M3, and therefore the next M2 and M4, may not be offered with a manual transmission. The first-ever hybrid M3 may also be available only with all-wheel drive.
The 50 percent manual take rate may partly reflect concerns among buyers that the manual transmission could eventually disappear. However, van Meel used the figure to explain why BMW approved the limited-edition M3 CS Handschalter.
Strong Demand Led to the M3 CS Handschalter
According to van Meel, BMW was monitoring how many manual M cars customers were ordering, and the balanced demand for the M2 encouraged the automaker to approve the special M3 CS Handschalter, a project initiated in North America.
“Rear-wheel drive and a manual transmission are the dream combination for many purists,” said van Meel. “That is why we also made a limited model with a manual transmission for the U.S. Demand was enormous; the [M3 CS Handschalter] was practically sold out immediately.”
BMW has not confirmed how many examples of the North America-only special edition it will produce. The automaker has only said that production will be highly limited, while the strong demand raises the possibility of additional manual BMW models.
BMW Says Keeping Manuals Alive Is Increasingly Difficult
BMW remains committed to keeping the manual transmission alive for as long as it can, but van Meel has acknowledged that doing so is becoming increasingly difficult.
The Z4 M40i Handschalter is no longer available and has no confirmed successor. Meanwhile, every example of the special M3 CS manual is already spoken for.
That leaves the M2 and the non-Competition M3 and M4 among BMW’s remaining manual offerings. Rather than pointing to the M2’s 50 percent take rate as a reason to introduce more mainstream manual models, van Meel highlighted a six-figure special edition.
That suggests future BMW models with manual transmissions may be limited to high-dollar, low-volume M cars.
Future BMW Manuals Could Become Rare Special Editions
Van Meel has frequently discussed the enthusiasm among BMW buyers for the rear-wheel-drive manual combination. But when asked about the transmission’s future in upcoming products, he has also said it is difficult to meet the torque demands of increasingly powerful M cars while maintaining BMW’s standards for refinement.
BMW therefore appears set to continue working on manual cars, but they are very likely to be rare special editions with less grunt than their all-wheel-drive automatic counterparts.
A manual M2 CS could happen, meaning manual transmissions are not going away entirely. Instead, they are becoming increasingly limited and exclusive within BMW’s lineup.
