BMW Z4 M40i is not only one of the best driving cars today in the Bavarians portfolio, but also a future classic. Featuring a sleek and sporty design, and powered by BMW’s best engine today – the B58 – the Z4 M40i might get even more exciting in the near future. According to sources, the BMW Z4 M40i is under active consideration to receive a six-speed manual transmission for the U.S. market.
The addition of the six-speed gearbox is technically feasible since we’ve seen that implementation in the Z4’s brother – Toyota Supra. Earlier this year, Toyota announced that the manual transmission Supra is on the way, coming to North America, and it will be available across the model range. That means you’ll be able to get both the Toyota Supra 2.0 and 3.0 with manual transmissions.
And since the Supra is just a BMW Z4 Coupe – using the same chassis, same engine, suspension and rear differential – the six-speed manual addition in the Z4 Roadster is a natural progression. The roadster market has gone downhill in the last decade and a lot of premium automakers moved away from the fun and stylish open tops. Of course, the BMW Z4 is affected also by the lack of customer demand, despite being a fantastic drive.
So the six-speed manual will certainly infuse some excitement in the BMW Z4 lineup. The refreshed model is expected to arrive in late 2022, featuring a very mild design upgrade. As always, production for the U.S. market will begin a few weeks later so the first six-speed manual Z4 M40 units won’t arrive on this side of the pond until 2023. So you should have plenty of time putting in an order for what might be the last Z4 ever built, and certainly the last of its kind.
Naturally, not all markets will get the Z4 M40i with a six-speed manual. For now, it seems like only the U.S. market is fighting to keep the manuals alive.
