[car fanatics]

Source
Photo credit: BMW
June 21, 2012
By: CF staff

M's head of engineering, Albert Biermann, admitted this week that there were no plans to fit three pedals in the next-generation M6 and M5 because the order rate was too low to justify the added work.

"Last year, maybe 15-20 percent of our M5s in the U.S. were manuals and maybe this year it will be 15 percent. It's declining," Biermann warned.

"The trouble is that nobody wants it in Europe or anywhere else, so this will be the last time we do it, even for the hard-core U.S. buyers."

[Brown_Pride]

Only 15% of ///M5s are equipped with manuals? I was expecting a much higher take-rate.

[zeep]

Manual enthusiasts always balk at automakers to offer manuals in certain cars but they don't buy them, even I will admit that I think that, maybe they should offer it in the X1 but they won't... But AS LONG AS BMW STILL OFFERS A MANUAL IN THE 3-SERIES (including the M3) and 1 series I could give 2 shits about no manual M5.

[zeep]

Brown_Pride;213787 Wrote:Only 15% of ///M5s are equipped with manuals? I was expecting a much higher take-rate.

It is strange how it's only 15% but I thought it was only about 5%.
Now think about it, how many E60 M5s in the US are actually taken to the track or driven by car enthusiasts? Every time I see one it's driven by some old douchebag businessman, not some 30 something car enthusiast.

[DougDrivesDodge]

weren't they not going to offer one in the current model?

[REVolution]

To be honest, I was surprised they even offer them in a manual now.

[AlwaysSmooth]

Like the people buying them even care. Or rather yet, will they even notice?

[Brown_Pride]

zeep;213793 Wrote:

Brown_Pride;213787 Wrote:Only 15% of ///M5s are equipped with manuals? I was expecting a much higher take-rate.

It is strange how it's only 15% but I thought it was only about 5%.
Now think about it, how many E60 M5s in the US are actually taken to the track or driven by car enthusiasts? Every time I see one it's driven by some old douchebag businessman, not some 30 something car enthusiast.

I believe 5% is in normal F10 models.

[Brown_Pride]

Could anybody find out the take-rate of manuals in Porsche Cayennes? So many dealers keep manual models in all trim levels.

[REVolution]

Many owners of these cars buy them for the bragging rights anyway and probably can't even drive a manual to begin with. Very few M cars sold are actually driven at the track and are hardly put in sport mode. It makes sense to make them automatic/DSG, and also, when you are spending this much money, who wants a manual in a GT cruiser?

[zeep]

Brown_Pride;213853 Wrote:

zeep;213793 Wrote:

Brown_Pride;213787 Wrote:Only 15% of ///M5s are equipped with manuals? I was expecting a much higher take-rate.

It is strange how it's only 15% but I thought it was only about 5%.
Now think about it, how many E60 M5s in the US are actually taken to the track or driven by car enthusiasts? Every time I see one it's driven by some old douchebag businessman, not some 30 something car enthusiast.

I believe 5% is in normal F10 models.

It's much lower than that, and I could get an M3 for the price of a 550i, or I could be smart and buy a much more superior CTS-V just for bragging rights like rev said.

[AlwaysSmooth]

RotaryKing aka Rev;213855 Wrote:Many owners of these cars buy them for the bragging rights anyway and probably can't even drive a manual to begin with. Very few M cars sold are actually driven at the track and are hardly put in sport mode. It makes sense to make them automatic/DSG, and also, when you are spending this much money, who wants a manual in a GT cruiser?

How are you sure they're bought for bragging rights? They could just like the cars....and buy them, not bragging. And at the rate things are going these days with cars and manuals, let alone driving in general, knowing how to drive a stick is not a high priority. I just learned on a Mazda 3 (very fun I must say) but that's about it with me and the stick. I don't think I'll buy one. I wouldn't call the M5 a GT cruiser either. A 550, yes, the M5, no.

[Brown_Pride]

Ahem.
CTS-V superior to the mighty ///M3?

Don't get me started. Just say sorry.

[AlwaysSmooth]

We had a CTS-V come into the valet once. Very nice car. And then we had a M3 come after it. Still, very nice car. And then the next day we had a Panamera. And I fell in love. THAT CAR BEATS EVERYTHING. PERIOD.

[zeep]

Brown_Pride;213875 Wrote:Ahem.
CTS-V superior to the mighty ///M3?

Don't get me started. Just say sorry.

Nope the CTS-V is better in every single imaginable way, you get magnetic ride control (which Ferrari USES), a nuclear warhead as an engine, and best of all you can get a wagon so you can haul all of your shit down to the track.