BMW's M Division is being forced to rethink its gearbox strategy. Both the M5 and M6 were intended to be offered only with an SMG automated manual 'box, but pressure from dealers in the US (M's biggest market) has resulted in M having to rapidly develop a conventional three-pedal manual system.

According to the US dealers, sales are being lost because of the current SMG-only strategy. They say that customers in the US choose M-cars because they want to be different and enjoy a real drivers' car; they feel the SMG 'box isn't involving enough. This is good news for potential M-car customers in the UK because if manual versions are produced for the US (and they almost certainly will be) then pressure will be applied from BMW GB to have the car in rhd.

The seven-speed internals of the SMG 'box were never intended to work with an H-gate shifter, so manual M5s and M6s will have a six-speeder; with over 500bhp, neither is going to feel stretched with six slightly wider ratios. Indeed, with the 155mph limiter, the manuals may forego some of the theoretical 205mph V-max and keep exactly the same first six ratios.

http://www.autoexpress.co.uk/news/56...ual_m5_m6.html

 

sounds like a good first step in the right direction

 

stupid whiny americans

 

:yay:

although it makes no difference to me...ill never drive one h:

 

This is great news. Time to start saving so I can get one in the last model year.

 

...the true six-speed manual versions of the M5/M6 will only be available in the USA, though there's a possibility that BMW may not offer it due to exhaust emission considerations.

It'll be interesting to see if BMW will gear the US-spec M5/M6 with close-ratio gearing, though.