After a long period without it, the 2024 BMW Z4 brings back the manual transmission. The addition comes a year after Toyota bowed to public pressure and gave the closely related GR Supra a six-speed manual option for the 2023 model year.
Speaking of the Supra, the transmission itself is shared between the two cars, but according to BMW, each has differently tuned linkages and bushings. One other thing the Z4 shares with the Supra? The manual transmission will only be available on the 3.0-liter inline-six engine variant that BMW calls the M40i. No dice for those of you who wanted to pair the base turbo-four with three pedals.
The transmission will be part of a larger option package. While choosing a three-pedal setup is sometimes a no-cost option, it’ll likely cost in the ballpark of $3500 in the Z4. That’s because BMW has made the assumption that if you want a manual, you want a sportier Z4.
The package includes the electronically controlled M differential that comes on all M40i Z4s. The steering is also retuned to give more feedback to the driver, while the adaptive dampers are better tuned for more aggressive driving. The manual version also gets a staggered wheel setup, with 19-inch wheels at the front and 20-inch wheels at the rear. We’ve just driven a prototype of a Z4 with these changes, so check out our review for driving impressions.
