BMW Gas Car Sales Have Peaked, But The Manual Is Staying For Now
The M2, M3, and M4 will keep the clutch pedal for at least a few more years.
BMW's Chief Financial Officer, Walter Mertl, recently declared a significant shift in the company's sales dynamics. Mertl says the tipping point for combustion engine vehicle sales has been surpassed and emphasized that electric cars now drive the majority of the brand's sales growth.
According to Mertl, the plateau in combustion car sales is anticipated to persist and gradually decline. He attributed this trend to impending environmental regulations set to restrict the sales of traditional vehicles. With regulatory deadlines looming in regions from China and the European Union to certain US states, car manufacturers are facing increased pressure to accelerate the development and production of electric vehicles.
Save The Manual!
BMW, responding to these challenges, achieved a 15 percent all-electric sales share in the past year. Even more impressively, the i4 M50 was BMW M’s best-selling product for the second consecutive year. The company is ambitiously targeting a 33 percent share by 2026, unveiling six new models under its Neue Klasse EV lineup. The first one to arrive in 2025 is expected to be an X3-sized electric SUV.
However, Mertl acknowledged that BMW's profit margins for combustion engine and all-electric cars won't align until at least 2026. He pointed to the higher costs associated with incorporating new battery technologies in subsequent models.
Despite the shift towards electric mobility, BMW remains committed to selling vehicles with manual transmissions. The company has confirmed that the M2, M3, and M4 will continue to offer manual gearboxes, at least for the current generation of cars. When questioned about the percentage of manual gearbox sales, BMW told TopGear that 15 to 20 percent of M3 and M4 models were sold with three-pedal gearboxes, and even more for the M2.
Source: Reuters
RECOMMENDED FOR YOU
50 Future Cars Worth Waiting For: 2026-2030
‘This Is Why You Never Want To Rent With Alamo’: Man Reserves Rental For Thursday Night Before Road Trip. Then He Tries To Pick It
The BMW M3 CS Returns With A Manual Gearbox Surprise
‘Is It Just Because I’m A Girl?’: Woman Gets Loaner Car. Then The Dealership Worker Warns How Pricey Parallel Parking Might Be
The First BMW Alpina Model In The New Era Will Be A Large V8 Sedan
Customers Try To Trade In Their Car. Then The Saleswoman Realizes What Type Of Vehicle It Is: ‘One Thing That Hurts My Soul'
BMW Alpina Debuts Its First Concept Car—Previewing A Future Production Model