The general director of the M-division of the Bavarian brand, Frank van Meel, told reporters that it’s all about production volumes. The vast majority of BMWs are offered only with an automatic transmission, while a minority choose manual transmission. It would be easier for BMW to equip all cars with an automated transmission rather than spend time and money fine-tuning three-pedal versions, Frank van Meel made clear.
Interestingly, while the BMW M2 has a manual transmission premium of £545 in the UK and an extra €500 in Germany, a manual transmission is a free option on the other side of the pond. Frank van Mil did not comment on this fact.
The top manager made no secret that “mechanics” no longer made any real sense from an engineering point of view. This transmission is slower, results in high fuel consumption and sometimes a lower top speed. However, Frank van Mil assures that there are still many customers who are ready to choose three-pedal Emkis.
In June, a BMW M spokesman predicted that the current M2 coupe would likely be the last model to be available with a manual transmission. The Bavarian brand claims that the upcoming abandonment of manual transmission is not only a decision by BMW, but also a decision by automotive component suppliers. After 2030, it will definitely not be possible to buy a new Emka with three pedals.
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