2012 BMW M5 will only come with 8-speed automatic, no manual

2012 BMW M5 testing at Nurburgring
2012 BMW M5 testing at Nurburgring

The 2012 BMW M5 sedan, a concept version of which will be shown at the 2011 Geneva Motor Show next month, will be the first M model available only with a fully automatic transmission. Of course steering-wheel mounted paddle shifters will allow you to control gear changes but there will be no third pedal or shuffling through gears via the gearbox.

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The ZF 8-speed automatic transmission will be mated to a 4.4L V8 twin-turbo engine making more than 550-hp. So why no manual or twin-clutch transmission? Word has it that that the torque figures remain too high for the Gertag M Dual Clutch Transmission and that if the transmission was beefed up with larger actuators, it would slow down the response time.

Basically, if BMW chose to offer the choice of a manual it would have to redo the M DCT, so it decided to just go with the 8-speed automatic instead.

– By: Omar Rana

Source: MotorTrend