For the past few years, BMW has had car enthusiasts sitting on the edge of their seats, eagerly soaking up every single rumor surrounding the new BMW M cars. It’s currently one of the most researched cars in the world. One of the big questions fans of BMW can’t stop asking is if the new BMW M cars will offer a manual transmission.

Manual transmission? Yes or no?

The CEO of BMW M, Markus Flasch, was one of the BMW executives who attended the BMW M Festival that took place in Canada a few weekends ago. While the festival was designed to promote and celebrate all things connected to the BMW M, Flasch wasn’t particularly forthcoming about providing many new details about the new M cars. One of the few things he did reveal was that both the G82 M4 and the G8O M3 swill have a manual transmission option. 

During an interview, Flasch stated that while the manual transmission is no longer needed to improve the overall performance of a car, he feels that the manual transmission does add character and style to the BMW, something he thinks drivers prize.

It’s unclear if all the new cars from BMW M will be equipped with manual transmissions or if drivers can choose a manual or automatic transmission.

A second revelation

Confirming that some of the new BMW M cars have manual transmissions is just one of the tidbits Flasch revealed. His second revelation was the news that both the G82 M4 and the G8O M3 will be equipped with all-wheel drive.

The G8O M3 will take all-wheel drive a step further by powering all four wheels. This move will give it better traction, improve overall performance, and should make it exciting to drive.

Another vehicle, the M3 Competition will be equipped with an automatic transmission and all-wheel drive.

The rest of the story

It is going to be some time before we’ll catch our first glimpse of vehicles that make up the new BMW M lineup in the wild. The company doesn’t plan on manufacturing the vehicles until the middle of 2020.

What we do know about the vehicles is that the M3 will have a high-performance S58 engine. The M3 will have four doors, while the M4 features a sportier 2-door design. Spy photos captured images of the M3 traveling via a flatbed in Scandinavia, where many believe BMW is taking the vehicle on test drives and fine-tuning the special features.

In addition to the four doors, photos show that the M3 is equipped with:

• Rear spoiler
• Powerful brakes
• Quad exhaust pipe
• Large alloy wheels

These features suggest that this vehicle will be fast, powerful, and incredibly agile.

When will BMW debut the new cars?

Want to see the vehicles that make up the new BMW M lineup for yourself? You don’t have to wait until 2020. BMW plans on debuting the lineup during September’s International Auto Show which will take place in Frankfurt.

Not only will you see what the exterior and interior of the M cars look like, but you should also meet some of the brilliant minds behind the development of M division. It’s likely that they’ll answer your questions about performance, base price, and the expected launch date. 

The great thing about BMW bringing the M lineup to Frankfurt is that you’ll have an opportunity to compare the vehicles with other luxury sports cars and decide for yourself how well each one matches up with one another. Other vehicles expected to take place at the event include the VW ID 3, Porsche Taycan, BMW’s X6, and the Land Rover Defender.