Sales Prove the Manual Transmission Is Saving the BMW Z4

It took BMW nearly five years to bring the manual Z4 to the US following its launch in Europe. American buyers were finally able to get their hands on the six-speed beginning early last year. But for BMW, that holdout may have been worth it; the manual Z4 outsold the automatic in the US in 2024 by a pretty significant margin.

According to BMW, the manual Z4 accounted for 65 percent of the convertible’s total sales in the US last year. Granted, the brand only sold 2,129 examples of the Z4 total in 2024, but American buyers clearly preferred the six-speed. Nearly 1,400 Z4s had the “Handschalter” option.

Even though the Z4 still sells in limited quantities, sales of the sports car actually improved in 2024 compared to the previous year. The Z4 was up by 13.1 percent over 2023, in which BMW only sold 1,883 examples by comparison.

BMW says the introduction of the manual transmission “absolutely” contributed to the Z4’s sales bump. “The response has been wonderfully enthusiastic,” a spokesperson told Motor1.

Interestingly, the manual take rate for the Z4 was nearly identical to its cousin, the Toyota Supra. Toyota said that 65 percent of all Supras sold in the US in 2024 were manual models—up from 43 percent in the previous year—with around 1,700 cars equipped with the six-speed shifter. 

Unfortunately—or, fortunately, depending on who you ask—the only way to get the six-speed BMW Z4 in the US is by opting for the M40i model. That version packs a more powerful turbocharged 3.0-liter inline-six engine making 382 horsepower. The base Z4’s turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder makes just 255 horsepower.

The Z4 M40i starts at $68,175 for 2025 before adding the Edition Handschalter Package, which tacks on the manual and a few features for an extra $3,500. So if you really want a manual Z4 for 2025, you’ll have to dish out at least $71,675. Well worth it, we’d say.

BMW has had success with the manual elsewhere in its lineup, with nearly 50 percent of all M2 customers opting for the six-speed since 2022. The M3 and M4 weren’t as successful in 2024, though, with just 20 percent of shoppers picking the manual on the M3, and only 15 percent of shoppers selecting the six-speed on the M4.

Chris Perkins contributed to this report.