BMW Z4 M40i With Manual Gearbox Under Consideration For US

The new transmission could arrive with the car’s alleged 2023 mid-cycle refresh.

By: Anthony Alaniz

Jul 11, 2022 at 5:52pm ET

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It should come as no surprise there are rumors that BMW will equip the Z4 M40i with a manual gearbox. The BMW’s Toyota equivalent got such an upgrade earlier this year, pairing the coupe’s straight-six engine with a six-speed manual. Now, BMW Blog is reporting that the BMW model could also receive a similar upgrade.

According to the publication’s sources, BMW is now considering giving the Z4 M40i a six-speed manual transmission. BMW offers the four-cylinder Z4 sDrive30i with a six-speed manual in select markets, which Toyota adapted to use with the Supra’s BMW-sourced B58 six-cylinder engine. Toyota offers this combination in the US market.

Gallery: 2019 BMW Z4 M40i: First Drive

BMW will allegedly add the six-speed manual to the Z4 M40i when it updates the model lineup later this year. The coupe will also receive a mild styling refresh, which will begin arriving in the US in 2023, and that should include the manual gearbox. The US could be the Z4’s only market where BMW equips it with a manual gearbox.

The BMW Z4 and the Toyota Supra share a lot of their mechanical bits, with the two riding on a platform from BMW that uses BMW engines and transmissions. They have distinct styling differences, and the two automakers have worked to give each a unique driving feel.

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A manual gearbox would be a great addition to the Z4 M40i, especially as there are rumors that BMW could give the model the ax in mid-2025, with production ending at Magna Steyr in Austria. The factory builds the BMW Z4 and the Toyota Supra, and it’s pretty apparent the auto industry is shifting to only building electric vehicles, so cars like the Z4 could have a limited lifespan. However, BMW could replace it, too, but we have no idea what that could be.

Manual gearboxes are disappearing, just like sports cars, sedans, and other fun-to-drive vehicles. The transition to electric vehicles will kill the transmission once and for all, so this might be your last chance for a manual-equipped BMW coupe.