When it first introduced the M6 coupe and convertible, BMW
was tight-lipped about whether a manual gearbox would be on the options
list, raising the possibility that the M machines might be available
solely with a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission.
While the cars will definitely come solely with the dual-clutch box at launch, sources at BMW have revealed to Car and Driver
that a six-speed manual will become available for both the coupe and
convertible at some point in the future, likely in 2013 or 2014.
Though some consumers in European markets have begun to favor efficient
and quick-shifting dual-clutch gearboxes in performance cars, many U.S.
enthusiasts still prefer traditional three-pedal transmissions, as BMW
discovered when it initially offered the last-generation M5 without a
stick shift and faced a critical and consumer backlash.
Still,
it remains to be seen how long the manual will live on in the U.S.
(although the variety of vehicles available with a stick might surprise you), with a Porsche engineer recently speculating that even the 911 could shift to a dual-clutch-only strategy by 2020.
