One of the key things that stood out to me while reading the press release for the new BMW 3 Series was, unfortunately, the lack of manual transmission in America. I searched the release up and down, back to front, searching for any evidence that a row-your-own-box would be making its way ‘Stateside. However, no such luck. Instead, the ZF-sourced eight-speed automatic will be the only transmission choice for American 3 Series’ at the moment.
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Admittedly, about 99.9 percent of 3 Series customers choose automatics anyway (I know, 99.9 is an exaggeration), so this move likely won’t upset the clientele base. However, there are those few enthusiasts who prefer three pedals to two and who felt that the manual was the only reason to buy the previous F30-gen 3er over its newer, better competition. In fact, I remember reading several comments from readers claiming that they liked the Jaguar XE/Alfa Giulia/Mercedes C-Class more than the 3 Series but stuck with BMW because of its manual gearbox option.
Now, it seems that the manual option is dead in America. At least for the time being. Jalopnik reached out to a BMW spokesperson to see if a manual gearbox would ever be sold in America but didn’t get much of an answer back. “We would not be able to speculate on what transmission/engine options may be planned for the future.” they said. “We can say that the sport automatic delivers the absolutely best performance possible from the new 330i and M340i sedans.”
Apparently, even in Europe, the manual is only available on the smallest engine 3 Series variants, lesser than the 330i. We don’t get those in America. So since, globally, the manual isn’t offered on anything from the 330i and up, it’s not likely we will see it in America.
However, BMW has always said that it would sell whatever customers will buy. So if demand grows large enough for a three-pedal ‘box, BMW could change its tune. Audi did it with the current A4, as it wasn’t sold with a manual until a year after its release. Admittedly, the manual also died a year after that. So we’ll see but it doesn’t seem likely that we will see a G20-gen 3 Series with a proper stick shift.
It’s all about fuel efficiency these days, especially when a 8 speed auto has superior performance times and fuel economy over a 6MT. It’s no co-incidence that the only the non US spec smaller engines have a 6MT, but ends there. Diesels are gone in Europe over the emissions. Consider a 6MT passed retirement age.
The next earthquake is when the upcoming G80 goes to 4 wheel drive i.e. MxDrive with a 8 speed auto. The M’s are developed based on a DCT/8 speed auto and a 6MT is thrown in as an after thought- has recently been told to me directly by BMW M engineer.
It’s great news that the G80 (if that’s how it’s going to be called) will get M xDrive, IF it has the option to switch to RWD of course. But I have no doubt about that. Not sure if it’s a good thing that the 6MT is “thrown in as an after thought”…
Hi Nico !
A completely off topic question for you. Can the display be changed to regular standard BMW circular dials in this new instrument cluster?
I’m not entirely sure to be honest but I don’t think so.
Ok !! Thanks :)
These counter-directional speed and rev displays in the virtual cockpit are a bad idea. The old Lancia Delta Integrale had it in some versions. Was weird and counter-intuitive. Please BMW prepare a graphics package with traditional gages!
Cute design, poor ergonomics. Kind of like the lowered info screen. BMW marking themselves down to their competitor’s level.
Or their competitor’s century.
Aston Martin has it too.
Well, there’s always the MINI range for now — a complete MT free-for-all. We shall see if the 2019 JCW with the 300HP engine still has MT on offer, or if it, too, loses the option.
You would think that at least BMW would understand that the joy of driving isn’t always about the fastest 0-60 time.
And the joy of driving in gridlock isn’t a stickshift, why they’re moving on to autonomous. 1 reason.
In my country (Indonesia), BMW ditched the manual transmission since 1999 :(
The E36 is the last BMW with M/T here
Welp, looks like my 2014 335i is the last 3er I’ll ever own. 6-speed, was a special order. If the G80 offers it maybe I’ll bite because that’ll be the last manual M3.
These cars are too heavy to be driven comfortably with a MT. In addition the MT6 rarely goes below 18:1 overall ratio, whereas the AT8 typically goes to 15/14:1 and sometimes as low as 12:1. Makes quite a difference on the highway.
Everything can be driven comfortably with an MT. Just put the right transmission in…
It’s all about money. “Enthusiasts” that rant about manuals going away just didn’t buy enough NEW 3 series from BMW to justify the cost of certifying them.
If it were money Ferrari would still offer manual. I worked @ a dealer that had stick X3, couldn’t sell it, don’t know how they finally got rid of it – no demand. Sedans are fading, let alone stick sedans.
You mean if manuals brought in the money, right? A friend just told me how he scored an awesome deal back in 2012 on a F30 3 series when they were just redesigned. The car was a manual (just like your example) and no new car buyers wanted it. Now, if you look at the user car buyers on the forums, they’re complaining there just aren’t any F30 manuals available. There’s demand but not for the manufacturers.