By Paul Borden
MotorwayAmerica.com

(August 20, 2024) If you are looking for a way to stump drivers from Generation Z (those born between 1997 and 2012), here is a good one. Put them behind the wheel of a manual transmission car and hand them an instruction sheet written in cursive. Odds are they won’t be able to handle it.

Of course, it’s not really their fault. When it comes to the latter, fewer than half of the country currently requires some sort of instruction in cursive writing since Common Core State Standards did not include it in guidelines determined in 2010.

And manual gearboxes? You can still find them, but you’ve got to do some digging. According to figures from J.D. Power, a company that collects such automotive data, only 1.7 percent of new cars sold in 2023 came with a manual transmission, leaving over 98 percent of the market to vehicles with an automatic transmission.

Different sources give out different totals, but the number of models offering a manual transmission today varies between 32 and 40. Four of them are from BMW, including the new 2025 BMW Z4 M40i that is the subject of this review. (M2, M3, and M4 offered manual shifters on 2024 models.)

After sticking an 8-speed automatic transmission in the Z4 for 2024, the German manufacturer indicated that a manual option would be offered in 2025 models. It is, but in bucking the usual tradition, it is not standard but an option as part of the optional Handschalter package available on M40i models with an inline 6-cylinder engine.

The Handschalter (German for hand shift) package also adds unique suspension tuning, wheels, paint colors, an d premium leather seats to the 2025 BMW Z4 and adds $3,500 to the starting MSRP of $65,450.

The 3.0-liter turbocharged 6-cylinder engine in the 2025 BMW Z4 M40i bumps horsepower up to 382 ponies and 369 pound-feet of torque over the 255/295 for the turbo 4-banger in the base 2025 Z4 sDrive 30i. BMW says that will move the 2025 BMW Z4 M40i from zero-to-60 mph in just 4.2 seconds.

The 6-cylinder in the M40i is not all that much thirstier than the smaller engine in the sDrive 30i with EPA ratings of 23 miles-per-gallon city, 31 highway and 26 combined on premium fuel. Figures for the 4-cylinder are 25/33/28 also on premium gasoline.

While the 6-speed manual transmission is the big addition for 2025, it is not the only thing working in the 2025 BMW Z4 M40i’s favor.
Once you get in (see more in dislikes below), it is comfortable with plenty of room with an interior offering convenient features like a rear shield to deflect buffering when riding with the top lowered and lumbar support for the driver. Even with the top in place there is not a cramped feel to the cabin.

Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, BMW’s ConnectedDrive services, and BMW’s Dynamic Cruise Control which adjusts your set speed for curves and road conditions are standard along with heated M sport seats, variable sport steering, and advanced M suspension.



Standard safety features include a rollover protection system, side impact airbags, and frontal collision warning.

My test BMW Z4 M40 included its starting MSRP such niceties as a heated steering wheel (it gets real heated after sitting in the summer sun), dual zone climate control, an eye-catching San Remo Green exterior paint, and keyless entry with push-button start.

In addition to the Handschalter package, other options in my test BMW Z4 M40i included a Premium Package that offered parking assist, and a Harmon Kardon premium sound system, running the final bottom line to $74,520 including the $995 destination and delivery charge.

The 2025 BMW Z4 sDrive30i starts at $55,225.



What I liked about the 2025 BMW Z4 M40i: The manual transmission offers a fun driving experience and makes good use of  the punch from the inline-6 engine. Shifts for the manual gearbox are really smooth. It is worth the cost of the optional Handschalter package. The ride is fairly quiet at highway speeds with the top up. Raising and lowering the roof is a one-touch operation. The trunk 9.9 cubic feet) is good for its class.
 
What I didn’t like about the 2025 BMW Z4 M40i: It’s a bear to get in and out of. If the power driver’s seat would automatically slide back when the ignition is turned off it would ease the way to get in and out, especially for the driver. For the driver getting out without moving the seat back is like re-enacting your birth. A flat bottom steering wheel also would be a big help. The cupholders are placed in the console storage bin and awkward to get to. Operation of the infotainment features has a bit of a learning curve. Rear visibility isn’t the greatest with the top up.

Would I buy the 2025 BMW Z4 M40i? A hard yes here. With the new model and manual transmission, you get the fun and feel of the traditional roadster but with the benefit of modern tech features. You’ll look forward to your commute to work with this baby.