The BMW M2 Will Probably Be the Last Manual BMW

• BMW says its manual will be difficult to continue to produce due to dwindling suppliers.
• The brand's dual-clutch automatic is effectively dead due to cost and customer preference for more comfortable automatics.
• While M head of development Dirk Hacker didn't outright say it, the new M2's manual transmission will likely be the last from Munich.

Dirk Hacker, BMW M’s head of development, had this to say: “The double clutch, from BMW M’s point of view these days, it’s gone. It's now manual or automatic, and automatic electrified for the future.” When asked why M has a preference for the automatic over its DCT, Hacker said that a lot of discussion took place during the early stages of development of the latest M5.

Hacker cites cost as one factor — DCTs are expensive to produce and cost money to get right. On top of that, BMW M decided it wanted to place a higher value on comfort than on the performance gains a DCT could have over an automatic. “[W]e got a lot of reactions about maneuvering, parking, no rolling if you leave the pedal, and so on,” Hacker says. It might seem counterintuitive for a brand that's literally derived from the world of motorsport, but M’s customers just want something comfier. The M head honcho also says that BMW’s latest automatics outperform the DCT.

As such, the DCT is dead, whether anyone likes it or not. Now, about the manual. When asked if the stick dies with this new M2, Hacker says this: “It's not only a decision of BMW; it's also a decision of the suppliers. If you take a look around, you will see the future for manual gearbox suppliers will decrease. So I'm not sure we will have the possibility in the future — but in the future means six, seven years in forecast.”

To be clear, Hacker is saying that a stick BMW will be increasingly difficult to produce in the future, and with the M2’s current form set to run until roughly 2030, it stands to reason BMW just won’t bother after that. While there is some reason to hold out hope, it's looking bleak for the manual. Fewer suppliers mean increased cost, so even if we do see a stick BMW past this M2’s current lifespan, it’ll likely be in something far too expensive for the majority of consumers.

It’s worth noting that BMW’s manual gearbox has always been somewhat divisive. Some sit in the “anything but an automatic” camp, especially for cars with an M badge. Others say that a transmission ought to suit a car, and if that transmission happens to lack a third pedal, then so be it. BMW in particular has caught flak for rubbery shift actions, poor clutch feel, and a general lack of polish in some of its manuals. However, the issue here is that BMW isn’t allowing consumers to make that decision themselves, especially at a time when M products are already subject to serious scrutiny due to their ever controversial aesthetic choices.

Edmunds says

It’s a tough day for M enthusiasts, but one that was forecast for some time. BMW doesn’t think manuals will be worth it in the long haul, from the sound of things. While the brand’s sticks have been subject to criticism, nothing is worse than a lack of choice, and removing the manual will certainly divide enthusiasts.