BMW exec says it's the end of the line for a popular option among car enthusiasts
Spirited drivers might have to make do without this option in future cars.
A dividing topic amongst car enthusiasts revolves around what some consider to be an old-fashioned feature in a car. Although we are grateful for modern driving conveniences such as power windows, mirrors and locks — there is still a subset of drivers who insist on shifting their own gears.
Manual transmissions — usually reserved for the cheapest versions of economy cars and popular performance cars, have been set to the wayside over the years as automatic transmission technology evolves to be ever more convenient for everyday drivers.
According to a prominent BMW (BMWYY) executive, the days of the stick-shift are numbered.
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In a recent interview with Italian car publication Quattroruote, Frank Weber, a key BMW board member said that it's over for manual gearboxes for the brand simply because not a lot of people are buying them.
"They are fun products, but let's be honest, the volumes are getting smaller and smaller, and so it doesn't make sense to develop them anymore," Weber told Quattroruote, translated from Italian.
Rival Mercedes-Benz dropped manual transmission options from their cars in 2023, while Audi saw the writing on the wall back in 2018. BMW, on the other hand, currently offers manual transmissions on its popular, sporty M-series versions of its 2-series, 3-series and 4-series — respectively named the M2, M3 and M4, as well as the Z4 roadster. BMW
Though they offer it, the BMW executive made it a point that not enough buyers were ticking off the option on their cars - as it would spell inconvenience with their driving experience.
"Take the M5, for example - we have customers who travel 25-30 thousand kilometers a year and don't want to stand in traffic changing gear," reasoned Weber.
Weber did not specify when BMW will bid farewell to its manual offerings, but did leave a harrowing note for scared BMW M-car enthusiasts.
“If you want a manual M, you need to buy it now."
TheStreet has reached out to BMW North America for comment.
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