If you read The Invoice Pricing often, you may remember that I don’t like BMWs with manual gears. The shifter is always stuck, and the pedals are in awkward places. They’re also harder to use easily than other manuals. When it was announced early in the new year that manual BMWs would be phased out, I wrote a whole piece in answer that basically said, “And nothing of value is being lost,” which made my inbox very angry. It looks like the 2025 BMW Z4 M40i is BMW’s cruel attempt to give everyone another manual after this hate speech was found. Yes, you will be able to buy the BMW Roadster and manual gear for another year. The 2025 Z4 M40i also has the same 382-horsepower 3.0-liter straight-six engine with the new six-speed gearbox as it does with the automatic transmission. This is different from some other BMWs, which get a less powerful tune with three pedals. Because the driver has to do more, it takes 4.2 seconds to go from 0 to 60 mph, which is 0.3 seconds longer than an automatic. The gearbox has been custom-made for this car by a small group, so don’t expect it to feel exactly like the manual in the Toyota Supra. The “BMW modular” gearbox was made for this engine and had its gearset, shaft, shift linkage, and bushings. A company representative said it has “a classic BMW feel.” This makes me suspicious because when I drove the manual Supra for a short time, I liked how smooth it was to shift, especially compared to most real BMW shifts. Early reviews of the manual Z4 prototype, on the other hand, have been good. Many people have said that the BMW shifter is better than the Toyota’s. I’m still waiting, though. I’ll wait until I feel good about it before deciding. Besides the transmission, the frame of manual Z4s has been changed in other ways to make it more responsive. This has “unique auxiliary springs” for both wheels and a stiffer front anti-roll bar clamp. The software code for the variable steering, differential logic, traction control, and electronic rear dampers has all been updated. The only things that make manual Z4s look different from each other are the basic gloss black paint, the red brake calipers, and the new aerodynamic flaps on the back fenders. The only car that comes in San Remo Green and Individual Frozen Deep Green glossy paint is the manual Z4. Vernasca leather is simple and comes in five different colors. In March, you can buy the 2025 BMW Z4 with the “Handschalter” package for $3,500. “Handschalter” means “hand shift” in German. I’ve been let down and even angry by every BMW manual I’ve used so far, but I’m really looking forward to the Z4’s new Invoice Pricing. It will prove what I’ve always thought: cyberbullying does work when it comes to The Brands if this is the car that opens the BMW manual.
