--- title: "Half of All BMW M2s Sold Are Manual. It Still Might Not Be Enough" date: "2026-02-19" modified: "2026-02-19" authors: - name: "Adam Ismail" job_title: "Senior Editor" link: "https://www.thedrive.com/authors/adam-ismail" url: "https://www.thedrive.com/news/half-of-all-bmw-m2s-sold-are-manual-it-still-might-not-be-enough" categories: - "BMW News" - "News" - "News by Brand" tags: - "BMW" - "Convertible" - "sports car" - "z4" --- # Half of All BMW M2s Sold Are Manual. It Still Might Not Be Enough ![BMW M2 shifter]() *\BMW\* If you want a manual sports car, your options are vanishing fast. Credit to [BMW]() for fighting the good fight, allowing the privilege of rowing your own in the M2, M3, and M4. [(Rest in peace, Z4.)]() Buyers seem to be taking advantage of the offer, too: About 50% of all M2s sold in the U.S. nowadays have a stick, per the company. According to BMW M CEO Frank van Meel, though, that still may not be enough to secure the transmission's future in the automaker's lineup after the next few years. Van Meel recently caught up with journalists in Australia, where he shed some light on M's upcoming plans. They'll include 30 new full-fat M and skimmed M Performance models over the next 30 months, including the long-awaited [Neue Klasse M3](). Exciting times, indeed. But when the topic of conversation turned to manuals, he took a less certain tone. If you've heard [the M boss speak on the matter before](), he didn't offer anything strictly new. Van Meel reiterated, according to *[CarSales]()*, how the manual transmission "doesn’t really make sense because it limits you in torque and also in fuel consumption," while conceding that, "from an emotional standpoint and customer standpoint, a lot of people still love manuals, so that’s why we kept them, and we intend to keep them as long as possible." ![]() *The six-speed shifter out of an E46 BMW M3, because why not? *BMW** It's the "as long as possible" part that's worrying, because van Meel only sees them lasting "the next couple of years." The CEO touched upon how developing completely new manual gearboxes will be "difficult" because this is a niche interest, after all, with a poor business case for suppliers like ZF and [Tremec](). "In the future, probably it’s going to be more difficult to keep the manuals alive, especially in the next decade," he surmised. It's challenging to square those harsh realities with the latest data that, again, suggests every other [M2]() buyer pulls away from the dealer easing off a clutch pedal. The industry, not merely BMW, must believe that those customers will return even when automatic is their only option. Perhaps some enthusiasts will hold out, but plenty won't. Then, when those sticks in the mud (no pun nor criticism intended, I promise; manual owner here) eventually age out of the market, so too will the skill. It's just the way of the world. Or, at least it will be, [unless the youth has something to say about it](). Let's hope for our sake that they do. *Got a tip? Reach out to tips@thedrive.com* ## Author Adam is a Senior Editor at The Drive, concentrating on curating and developing the site's slate of daily journalism, from initial pitch to final copy edit. When he's not at his desk researching leads and working with writers, he's testing vehicles or reviewing racing games, new and old. He joined The Drive in 2023, following seven years of covering consumer technology and cars. A car lover and gamer since his earliest memories, Adam came to know the automotive world through video games. First it was Daytona USA, Sega Rally, and Ridge Racer; then came Need For Speed, which inspired an encyclopedic knowledge of '90s supercars, and, of course, Gran Turismo. If not for them, he'd assuredly be doing something else right now. Adam is based in the suburbs outside Philly, where there are ample roads for his hot hatch to stretch its legs. In his car, he's probably listening to indie rock, drum and bass, or Yankees baseball. ### Author social links [Bluesky]() [Instagram]() [LinkedIn]()