The renaissance of the manual gearbox
When Porsche introduced the 991-generation 911 GT3 in 2013 with only a dual-clutch automated gearbox, many feared it would be the beginning of the end for the manual. However, we are already in 2026, and the manual transmission is experiencing a true revival — largely thanks to supercars and hypercars.
Among the premium brands that still stick with a manual is BMW. This is despite Audi and Mercedes-Benz having abandoned it many years ago. As BMW M boss Frank van Meel said, demand for cars with a manual gearbox at the brand is very high: 50 percent of all current M2s sold in the US have the six-speed manual instead of the available eight-speed ZF automatic.
Why BMW decided to make the M3 CS Handschalter
It was precisely this high demand for the manual M2 in the US that helped convince BMW to recently launch the limited-run M3 CS Handschalter. For the first time, it combines the weight-saving measures and more aggressive updates of the CS version with a manual transmission.
“Rear-wheel drive and a manual gearbox are the ideal combination for many purists,” van Meel said in a recent interview with BMW Blog. “That is why we also made a limited model with a manual gearbox for the US [M3 CS Handschalter]. Demand was enormous; the car sold out almost instantly.”
Will this be the last M3 with a manual?
BMW has not said exactly how many examples of the M3 CS Handschalter it plans to build, only noting that the number will be very limited. This model will serve as a kind of farewell chord for the G80-generation M3 in the US and, possibly, the last M3 that can be ordered with a manual gearbox. According to insiders, the next-generation M3, which is likely to arrive in 2028, will keep the familiar 3.0-liter twin-turbo inline-six engine but will no longer offer a manual option.
The current BMW M4 will stay on the market a little longer, but it will also be replaced by the end of the decade. Its successor will most likely also say goodbye to the six-speed manual gearbox. And if that happens, the M2 could be the last BMW M where shifting gears by hand is still available. So if you do not yet own such a car but dream of one, now is probably the best time to place an order.
What this means for brand fans
The arrival of the M3 CS Handschalter is not just a tribute to the past, but also a marketing move aimed at emotions. BMW understands that some customers are willing to pay more for the sensations that only a true manual gearbox can deliver. However, the fact that future generations of the M3 and M4 seem likely to lose this option shows that this segment is becoming ever narrower. At the same time, current demand for manuals in the US shows manufacturers that enthusiasts have not disappeared. So perhaps it is not worth writing off manual gearboxes entirely — even in the age of electrification.