First the last rotary powered car rolls off the line (for now) and now this. 
Next BMW M5 to drop Manual Trans Option
"Last year, maybe 15-20 percent of our M5s in the U.S. were manuals and maybe this year it will be 15 percent. It's declining," Biermann warned. "The trouble is that nobody wants it in Europe or anywhere else, so this will be the last time we do it, even for the hard-core U.S. buyers."
And that's also the last time you'll ever see the phrase "hard-core U.S. buyers" coming from a European source.
'murrica.
ReverendDexter wrote: And that's also the last time you'll ever see the phrase "hard-core U.S. buyers" coming from a European source.
We told them we were hard-core.
15-20% is still higher than the number of people who bought manual-trans 928s or C4s.
If I had to guess, I would say that 15% is a higher rate than most cars sold today, including cheap econo boxes.
BMW's current line is:
We only make one thing...
Seems appropriate the ",,,The Ultimate Driving Machine"
should be retired in favor of: "...Automatics"
It is sad, but to be honest, I'm indifferent. The E39 is last M5 I'd be interested in anyway, regardless if the newer cars are faster.
I like how they declare "THE ULTIMATE DRIVING MACHINE" on a photo of a minivan.
ULTIMATE DRIVING MACHINE*
(*) not pictured
People say that the PDK/DSG transmissions are better than manuals. The Nissan GTR for instance is much faster because of it's fancy-pants transmission. Oddly enough, I have not driven a recent GTR or GT3 or M5, so I can't really say. I know that the M5 seems fine without it, but if they pul it from the Camaro or Mustang, there will be riots.
jrw1621 wrote:
Yeah, it's quite bizarre that they'd use that slogan when picturing a bloated, overweight SUV/crossover/whatever.
The Ultimate Shopping Mall Machine...
As for no manuals, I couldn't care less if the DSG, automatic manual transmissions shave a tenth off the 0-60 time. You'll have a real hard time convincing me they're more fun than a 3 pedal manual.
I recall reading somewhere that a majority of the new '1' series BMW buyers thought their car was front wheel drive.
I personally know other people who think that BMW's have "V-6" engines.
Face it: the world doesn't care anymore. Only the few score people trolling these forums (myself included) will lament this. In 20 years we'll all be escorted around in automated, electric vehicles anyway.
Every BMW tech I've heard from on the subject of the DSG claims they are trouble-prone, as well as difficult and hideously expensive to repair. The number of threads over on Bimmerforums from M3 owners with DSG transmission issues tends to bear this out. I wouldn't own one.
Ian F wrote: It is sad, but to be honest, I'm indifferent. The E39 is last M5 I'd be interested in anyway, regardless if the newer cars are faster.
This. E39 is where the m5 ended as far as i'm concerned.
In a certain type of car I want to row my own. Old 911, M3, MG etc... it has to have 3 pedals and be the total quaint nostalga filled experience. In my race car I just want to control the gear the car is in - if I could afford a hewland 7 speed sequential with paddle shifters I'd have one in there now. I sure as hell don't want to row my own in my tow truck. The allison does just fine making the selections for me.
I don't think paddle shifters will diminish the M5 any more than the price tag or curb weight already do.
Normal people don't care about cars.
I love manual transmissions, but this doesn't bother me at all. An M5 is a large luxury sedan. It is super fast and super cool, but still a large luxury sedan.
For what it's worth, the new M5 will come with a revised transmission that is said to be much improved over the SMG transmissions.
To me, the SMG absolutely ruined the M5 and M6. I never thought I could hate a car with 500hp, but I have no love for those at all. Technological overkill.
Now with a manual trans, it would probably be a different story. As long as those weird robot- seat bolsters were turned off.
At least we will always have our "vintage" cars that we can shift for ourselves.
This M5 is already dead to me as they had to play pre-recorded engine noises over the stereo. No enthusiast with a conscience would have bought one anyway, so no big loss.
CTS-V for the win...
Fake engine noise and now no manual, BMW, what the berkeley happened to you?
"CTS-V for the win..."
Yeah, how ironic, we finally get cars worthy of and crying out for a manual transmission option in a domestically produced brand...and the "furrin car companies" pull the plug on manual transmissions.
Knurled wrote: I like how they declare "THE ULTIMATE DRIVING MACHINE" on a photo of a minivan. ULTIMATE DRIVING MACHINE* (*) not pictured
that's funny
Javelin wrote: This M5 is already dead to me as they had to play pre-recorded engine noises over the stereo. No enthusiast with a conscience would have bought one anyway, so no big loss.
this
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