M5 will get manual gearbox for US
 

Shifting Gears: BMW now says new M5 will get manual gearbox in North America
JENS MEINERS | Automotive News Europe
Posted Date: 5/16/05
MUNICH, Germany -- BMW has changed its plans and will add a true manual transmission to its new M5 high-performance sedan.

The six-speed transmission will be offered in North America because customers asked for an alternative to the seven-speed SMG transmission.

The M5 went on sale in Europe in April. It arrives in North American showrooms this fall with the SMG gearbox only. The manual will join the lineup in late 2006 or early 2007.

Last fall, BMW executives told journalists the company would offer just the SMG gearbox on the M5 because it was "sportier" than a manual transmission.

But Ulrich Bruhnke, the executive in charge of BMW's M-class models, said a "hard-core community" of buyers in North America prefer a manual transmission.

Bruhnke said no decision had been made on whether the M5 will get a manual transmission in Europe.

"The U.S. is our largest single market, where about 50 percent of our production goes," he said. "If we see the opportunity to generate additional sales, we will respond."

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Good its about time that the U.S has something the Europeans don't have. That is unless they start putting Euro clears in our cars too. :thumbup:

"late 2006 or early 2007," though? Wow... that's a long wait. Kudos to the MotorWerks, but... c'mon, if you're gonna offer it, offer it from the start. Don't make your largest customer base wait an additional 12 - 18 months for a much-asked-for manual tranny! :rolleyes:

Juan

I wish they offered a manual in my x5 4.4 :(

I`m with you Gresch. The only resean I got the 3.0, is cause it is the ONLY stickshift available. Spoilt for choice I guess. Mabye in heaven................

Cheers,
http://www.spacespider.net/emo/happy031.gif

Mmmmm yes please. :thumbup:

and I REALLY don't understand why they would never offer a manual transmission on the 4.8is?? Or even an smg for that matter.
(not that I would want the SMG)

After all, the 4.8is is the "M" version of the X5 and some consideration should have been given that the high performance drivers who purchase these vehicles might like to match the 360hp to a manual gearbox !!!

AGAIN BMW IF YOU ARE LISTENING.... ON THE NEXT X5 "M" or "is" EDITION.. PLEASE GIVE US THE OPTION OF A MANUAL...

THEY WILL SELL !!!!

i thought the reason it didn't have a regular manual box was because the shift pattern would have been something crazy -- there was no way to get the 7 gears to fit with a regular tranny and it would have been something like:

5 3 1
7 2 4
6

lol

TRhe manual is a regular 6 speed. The 7 speed is a purpose built 7 speed SMG and for that reason the gears are aligned one after another just like F1. The SMG in the E46 M3 is a standard 6 speed converted to a SMG. so the gears are in the old fashioned standard so called H pattern

This just came to mind; I could have had an M3 instead of an X5...