Automakers are trying to squeeze more money out of their customers in various ways, like BMW which has started charging extra for the manual gearbox on the BMW M2.

“The vast majority of BMW cars are now offered exclusively with an automatic transmission, as few buyers are looking for a manual transmission. It would be easier if only automatic cars came off the assembly line. Instead we have a small number of customers looking for a manual transmission in the M2 series which creates additional complications and increases costs,” said CEO at BMW M GmbH Frank van Meel.

In the UK, buyers pay an extra £545 for the manual gearbox, while in Germany it’s €500. Frank van Meel justifies this by the fact that automatic transmissions are more practical, but that the manual gearbox will remain in the offer because it is more like a matter of tradition. “A manual gearbox is slower, results in higher fuel consumption and sometimes affects the top speed, so from an engineering point of view this type of gearbox no longer really makes sense,” said van Meel. He also admits that there are still a decent number of people looking for a manual gearbox, because that’s the only way they can experience the full potential of the car.

As automakers increasingly embrace automatic transmissions, it wouldn’t be a surprise if BMW’s manual transmission surcharge system became an industry-wide practice.

Source: BMW