2013 BMW M5 6MT [w/video]

Michael Harley — Tue, 09 Oct 2012 11:57:00 EST

Filed under: Sedan, Performance, BMW, First Drives, Luxury

When Truth Crushes Our Enthusiast Souls

American automotive enthusiasts are a crazy bunch. While the rest of the world embraces quick, innovative and efficient dual-clutch automated gearboxes, a good portion of Yankee gearheads still scream for old-school manual transmissions. Despite all of the inadequacies with driver-directed gear changes, car nuts still enjoy rowing their own gears.

BMW tried to force enthusiasts into a single-clutch semi-automatic transmission when it launched the E60 M5 in 2005, but enthusiasts (and the automotive press) wailed so loudly that the Germans reversed course and delivered a six-speed option to the North American market. While performance actually dropped with the manual gearbox, its arrival quelled a rebellion.

The all-new fifth-generation 2013 F10 M5 debuted last fall with a standard - and much improved - lightning-quick dual-clutch transmission. But rather than send North American enthusiasts into yet another frenzy, BMW is adopting a conciliatory tone, offering buyers in the States the chance to opt for a manual gearbox at no additional cost.

We recently found ourselves on the starting grid at California's Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca sitting in a bright Sakhir Orange Metallic BMW M5. Nestled comfortably in the palm of our right hand, wrapped in soft leather with a bright aluminum collar, was a traditional manual gearshift knob.

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2013 BMW M5 to get six-speed manual as no-cost option

Steven J. Ewing — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 10:15:00 EST

Filed under: Car Buying, Sedan, Performance, BMW, Luxury

Rest easy, die-hard enthusiasts. BMW has officially confirmed that the 2013 M5 sedan will be offered with a do-it-yourself six-speed manual transmission here in the United States. When the car arrives Stateside this summer, it will come standard with a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission or a row-your-own gearbox as a no-cost option. BMW even goes so far to state that while the manual transmission has one less gear than the DCT, its "ratios have been optimized for acceleration, flexibility and fuel economy." Sounds good to us.

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2013 BMW M5 to get six-speed manual as no-cost option originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 09 Jan 2012 10:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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