2012 BMW M5 Rumored to Get 6-Speed Manual in North America Only
Usually when it comes to high-performance vehicles the discussion almost always has to deal with the car’s engine. Not so with the upcoming 2012 BMW M5.
With a twin-turbo 4.4-liter V8 all but confirmed, the interwebs has been all atwitter about what transmissions will be offered. Assumed to be a dual-clutch unit all along, then came a report that only a old fashioned automatic would be available. Since being (allegedly) debunked, the latest rumor is that a dual-clutch gearbox will be standard throughout the world, but that a six-speed manual will be available, but only in North America.
This seems likely, as BMW learned its no-manuals lesson the last time around with the previous M5. Initially scheduled to only be a paddle-shift SMG gearbox, fans protested and BMW was forced to offer an old-fashioned stick shift.
Look for more details in the months to come, with the car scheduled to debut at the Frankfurt Auto Show this Fall.
[Source: BMWBlog]
With AutoGuide from its launch, Colum previously acted as Editor-in-Chief of Modified Luxury & Exotics magazine where he became a certifiable car snob driving supercars like the Koenigsegg CCX and racing down the autobahn in anything over 500 hp. He has won numerous automotive journalism awards including the Best Video Journalism Award in 2014 and 2015 from the Automotive Journalists Association of Canada (AJAC). Colum founded Geared Content Studios, VerticalScope's in-house branded content division and works to find ways to integrate brands organically into content.
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