No Manual Transmission for New Bimmer Roadster

BMW AG will not offer a manual transmission in the all-new Z4 roadster that’s due to bow next spring.

The only available gearbox will be a ZF 8-speed automatic.

BMW officials say it was tough enough to get the Z4 approved at all without the added development costs of a manual transmission. They point to the limited market for convertible sports cars and dwindling demand for manual transmissions across all segments.

The 8-speed transmission will be paired with a turbocharged 2.0-liter 4-cylinder engine in the base Z4 30i and a 3.0-liter twin-turbo inline-six in the M40i performance model. The larger mill is expected to kick out 382 hp and 369 lb-ft of torque on U.S. models. Its output will be slightly less in Europe due to the addition of a gasoline particulate filter.

To reduce costs, BMW co-developed The Z4’s platform with Toyota Motor Corp. The Japanese carmaker is using the architecture for its upcoming Supra coupe.