For years, car enthusiasts like us have banged on about how the manual transmission was dying a slow death and how we aren't happy about it, but we've all swallowed our three-pedaled pride, and have had to accept it.
Now we're facing another challenge, it looks like the dual-clutch transmission is set to face the same fate, with BMW recently announcing plans to ditch fast-shifting units in its vehicle line-up.
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Found in most of the M cars from recent times, the M dual-clutch transmission was loved by many, and managed to keep the old "ultimate driving machine" mantra alive through lightning-fast shifts.
Confirming the sad news to The Drive, the BMW spokesperson mentioned that six-speed manual transmission will remain in the M line-up, although we miss out on those here in New Zealand.
To shed some light on why the German brand has decided to drop the transmission, the spokesperson provided an easy-to-digest list of pros:
"Compared to a 7-speed M dual-clutch transmission (DCT), the current M 8-speed automatic (8HP):"
- Matches the performance of the DCT
- Additional gear allows for more closely spaced gears.
- Improves fuel economy.
- Allows for use with xDrive all-wheel drive, whereas the DCT transmission was designed for rear-wheel drive applications only.
BMW first started to replace its dual-clutch units with the eight-speed automatic back in 2018 with the F90 M5. These days, a lot of the M range uses the automatic unit, including the X5 M and X6 M.
Whether you're a fan of the auto or the dual-clutch, neither provides the same experience as a good on manual, so now might be the best time to get your hands on a three-pedaled BMW, like this one.