The BMW Z4 Finally Has A Manual, And It's Coming To The UK

Despite its Supra stablemate having a manual for a fair amount of time now, it seemed the Z4 M40i had been overlooked for a six-speed. Until now.

Ryan Hirons

15 Dec 2023

The BMW Z4 Finally Has A Manual, And It's Coming To The UK

You’d be forgiven for having lost all hope of a manual finding its way into a BMW Z4 M40i. The extremely closely related Toyota Supra got the option for a six-speed stick shift for its B58 early in 2022, yet there had barely been a murmur of it finding a home in the German convertible. However, the time has come.

As revealed by BMW Blog, who have had a go with a prototype to boot, the gearbox in the M40i isn’t an off-the-shelf unit as found in its other products, nor even the one in the Supra. It’s worth noting of course that the M2 can be had with a manual, as can the M3 and M4 in the US at least.

Along with a new manual, the M40i is getting a few chassis tweaks

Apparently, BMW has taken notice of those customers complaining of a rubbery shift. BMW Blog says the unit has a different shift linkage to the Supra and a shorter throw than any other Munich-produced manual.

Along with its new gearbox, other changes look to be coming to the M40i. The rear axle assembly has been replaced for the one found in the M240i, including its differential, along with retuned adaptive dampers and reinforced anti-roll bar mounts. Wheel sizes are now staggered at 19-inches front and 20-inches rear.

A six-speed stick will soon sit in the place of the ZF gear selector

BMW Blog adds that the updated M40i has been reworked with the US market in mind specifically, which it’s worth noting has 382bhp from its B58 rather than 335bhp in European spec.

BMW UK has confirmed to Car Throttle that the manual Z4 "is on the horizon" and will be coming to our shores, though. More details are said to be coming early in 2024.

Ryan is Car Throttle's News and Features Editor, landing here in 2023. When he’s not writing cars, you’ll find Ryan pretending to drive them on Gran Turismo or playing with radio-controlled ones.