M2: would you prefer manual transmission or DCT ?

[Artemis]

As regards the 1M, BMW offered an easy choice to prospective owners: either you get the manual (with the choice between the settings "stock", "stock" and "stock" ) or you get no car. Ah, the sweet blessing of time and budget constraints.

Voice your opinions about your transmission preference for the M2 (and also what BMW should do regardless of your personal preference): should BMW emulate the 1M feat and offer the M2 as manual only, or, on the contrary offer it as DCT only, or should BMW offer both options to please all aficionados craving for an M2.

Personally, I would not mind BMW offering both options for the M2 (actually it would be a surprise if the mass-production M2 would be offered as manual only or DCT only), but would not mind BMW offering it as a manual only option to set it apart from the M135i, the M235i and the competition (who have good reasons to become a bit nervous about the M2 rabbit that BMW M will pull out of its hat).

As I prefer oldskool rowing through gears over the gimmick of paddle-zapping, I would choose the manual (hands down), even if DCT would be a no cost option.

Oh, and if BMW ever brainstorms about the crazy project of a limited production run of some 1M-alike hooligan car and baptize it "M2 CSL", it should be manual only.

[Robin_NL]

Manual if possible because see my sig

But DCT or whatever would be more or less fine too, if they keep the car agile and not too big.

Cheers
Robin

[david.orr]

Manual definitely

[Dackelone]

Let me start off saying I am a manual sort of guy. My 135i has a manual trans. That said... while in Lisbon driving the new 435i I really, really liked the option "sport automatic"(there are two trans) on the new 4er. That ZF eight speed does just about everything you could want a trans to do.

The new N55 ZF 8AT combo is pure magic!

The only thing I think BMW could improve on would be some manual features like Porsche has done on their new GT3 car. Like being able to "pop" the clutch or do a burn out. But that ZF 8AT does do burns outs very well - I must confess. Ask me how I know.

[ZIPNBYE]

Sounds as if the M4 (and M3) will be DCT only...so the days of the last manuals will reside in the e82 1M and e9x M3.

[Dackelone]

Originally Posted by ZIPNBYE

Sounds as if the M4 (and M3) will be DCT only...so the days of the last manuals will reside in the e82 1M and e9x M3.

^^That is not correct - since Jason just had a front page thread about manual trans seen spotted in a few test cars.

BMW M4 and M3 Street Sounds and Our Rebuttal of the No Manual Transmission Rumor
http://f80.bimmerpost.com/forums/sho...d.php?t=879669

Plus VIN data builds show German spec manual F80 M3/M4's running around here.

Dackel

[ZIPNBYE]

I'd be surprised if that remains the case when they're actually introduced. North American car sites are reporting DCT only.

[jackkk]

I think that it could be sport version of the ZF8, not DCT, or just manual.

[sergeremi]

Not having actually driven a car with the new 8AT or a proper DCT, I can't say they wouldn't be fun to drive or even preferred over a manual (though not likely for me).

But I'd at least prefer having the option, even if the manual was a limited run option... as long as they don't scrimp on the function and feel of the manual.

[Sparks1M]

I would go MT without hesitation. It's about being as one with the car. The paddles just don't do it for me. Heal-toe anyone?

I assume AT/DCT will be the norm but hope there is an MT option availabld wherever I may be living at that time.

[Bama335]

I'll always prefer a manual, no matter how fast the auto or how many gears. Sadly, my days of new car purchases that have a manual may be numbered, even with BMW.

BMW wants to sell volumes of cars, even in the M series, and the majority of E9x M3 were DCT, so you can bet we'll see some sort of auto in the M2. My $$ is on a DCT vs the ZF 8 spd to differentiate it from the M235

[IEDEI]

i LOVE dual clutch gearboxes...i think they're just fantastic. That being said, there are certain cars i think mate well to a manual gearbox----such as the 1M/135/128, Cayman, Elise, Miata, etc. The 135is i am getting in a couple weeks was ordered with a 6 speed manual as i think this car just deserves it.

I think cars like a GT-R or S4/RS4 and stuff that is very 'electronic' and sophisticated in nature do very very well with dual clutch gearboxes.

For me the bottom line is this: the gearbox should be in line with the rest of the car. If the car itself is very sophisticated and over engineered, the gearbox should be as well. It's pretty absurd to have a very complex car simplified by a 'basic' manual gearbox.

As for the M2, it really depends what other features the car has. If it carries the simplicity of the current E82 1-series, then i think a Manual will work great on it. If it follows the general trend of more tech-savvy engineering, then maybe the dual clutch gearbox is the way forward for it.

[fastauto]

I think there at least needs to be an option. Even though i hate to say this, If I purchase an M2 I think I may opt for the DCT.

[OrangeCrush]

Is the 8 speed auto the same as what is in the 5 series? If so...it is a pretty good transmission. My wife has it in her 535.

[robertm]

If they had offered me a 1M with a $10k discount but equipped with DCT I wouldn't have even considered it.

Automatics may be fast but they are boring.

[MightyMouseTech]

Originally Posted by robertm

If they had offered me a 1M with a $10k discount but equipped with DCT I wouldn't have even considered it.

Automatics may be fast but they are boring.

X2!

I don't savour this new trend of building cars strictly for the numbers, and not the feel.

I really don't care how fast my car goes around the 'ring.

[ZIPNBYE]

Reportedly no manual in the M4 (and thereby, likely M3).

http://ca.autoblog.com/2013/08/21/bm...-transmission/

[Jay-K]

facing the reality i would like to be faster.. so both options will do fine, either manual or dct it will be brilliant.
eventhough i love the 1M's MT i think i'll opt for DCT .. somehow..

[ozinaldo]

The only wrong choice for BMW would be to offer the M2 with DCT/auto only. Having the manual as obligatory or just as an option would be fine. However, like others already stated before it also depends on what kind of a car will it be and how good the manual will be. Not all manuals are as good as the one in 1M (there are better ones in the industry maybe but not an other BMW that I know of), not even the E9X M3 manual was this good so it is also important that BMW doesn't just offer it but makes an effort to make it good as well, to compliment the rest of the car.

A surprise M2 CSL should be manual only though. I am with Artemis on that one. That was the one thing gone wrong with the E46 M3 CSL, they should have gone with a upgraded manual box instead of that SMG.

[ChrisBuer]

I used to be very much a "manual only" sort of person, but having driven the M135i with the 8 speed auto-box recently, I've changed my mind. Given the choice out of the two on my 1M, I'd actually have a DCT or 8 speed auto box in it.

I actually disagree with what Porsche have done with the new GT3 (flappy paddle only). Owners should be given the choice between manual and auto, which is why I think the 1M should have not just come with a manual (although I appreciate there was probably a cost element to this).

[LuisBoston]

Manual or NO SALE. I'll take the bus.

[Bama335]

Originally Posted by ZIPNBYE

Reportedly no manual in the M4 (and thereby, likely M3).

http://ca.autoblog.com/2013/08/21/bm...-transmission/

a Bimmerpost rebuttal on that here:

http://f80.bimmerpost.com/forums/sho...d.php?t=879669