The 2025 BMW Z4 M40i’s Manual Is, Finally, Pretty Good

Last summer, a BMW exec came out and said that it was the end of the line for BMW manual transmissions. In response, I came out with a blog that argued that this was no big loss because, well, BMW manuals just aren’t and frankly have never been very good. Rubbery in shift feel, saddled with oddly placed clutch pedals, and weirdly difficult to drive smoothly, the appeal of a manual BMW has mostly been theoretical more than anything.

In response to this, what felt like every BMW fan on the face of the planet came out of the woodwork and into my inbox, shouting obscenities and insults and outrage. (Notably, most of these “counterarguments” rarely addressed my actual points or went, “No, Chris, actually BMW manuals are good.” They all just boiled down to different flavors of “How dare you?”)

In any case, since that episode, BMW said, “Hold on, there’s more,” and came out with the 2025 Z4 M40i “Handschalter” Package, a three-pedal version of its straight-six, two-seat convertible. Naturally, I got my hands on one to, essentially, see if they’ve fixed it. And I’m happy to say: It’s pretty good!

Let’s get the bad out of the way early. The Z4’s new manual shift still feels fairly rubbery in relation to other manual gearboxes, but at this point, maybe this is a deliberate, creative decision on BMW’s part rather than the result of some longstanding engineering/cost restraint. My two other big qualms with BMW manuals, however, have mostly been corrected. The clutch is much better placed than it is in the M2 (and that of every other BMW manual I’ve driven) and it seems to be easier to drive smoothly in traffic, although the Z4’s one-two shift still feels a tad clunkier than it has to be.

If other BMW manuals are, say, C-tier transmissions, then this is a solid B+. The rest of the Z4 is inherently quite good, too.

Aside from a manual that’s actually pleasurable to use, the Z4 M40i’s $3,500 “Handschalter” Package (it isn’t available on the base sDrive30i four-cylinder Z4) also includes different chassis tuning, black Shadowline trim, Vernasca leather, and bigger wheels and brakes.

Getting up to highway speeds, you’re reminded very quickly of why BMW’s B58 straight-six engine is so highly regarded. The Z4 M40i pulls like a miniature locomotive—full throttle visits to the redline, slamming through the gears indeed gives you that buzz all sports cars strive to deliver. The engine sounds sonorous and sporty, and it’s hella fuel efficient for what it is, too, averaging 24 mpg over more than 500 test miles.

Zero to 60 mph happens in 4.2 seconds and it’ll top out at 155 mph.

Steering is notably light in all drive modes, which isn’t a bad thing. It makes the car feel nimble and precise, a sensation further backed up by a great chassis, sticky tires, and just razor-sharp inputs. Vented M Sport brakes do their job well but aren’t uber touchy or aggressive in feel, reminding you that this is just an M Performance model after all, and not a full-fat M car.

As competent as it is at sports car-ing, the Z4 works more than admirably as a grand tourer as well. It’s supple in ride and reasonably quiet on the highway in Comfort mode, soft top and all.

As an item, the 2025 Z4 is a classy take on the roadster form. It’s short and stubby in proportion, the staggered 20-inch rear wheels look huge, and the character line that goes from the front fender and flows into the taillights is interesting looking. Is it the most beautiful sports car out there? Hardly. But looking back, slightly weird looks were always a hallmark of the BMW Z car anyway, so consider this the latest in a dynasty.

The user interface inside is previous-gen BMW, which, purely from a usability standpoint, is honestly superior to current-gen BMW anyway. There are still hard buttons for both media presets and climate controls, and you can swap drive modes with one click instead of 12. Par for the BMW course, new or old, it all feels extremely well built. Rearward visibility with the top up isn’t great, duh, but blind spot monitoring and cameras solve that problem quite nicely. Opening or closing the top takes just 10 seconds and can be done at speeds of up to 30 mph.

So, there you have it, haters. I was wrong. BMW can make a half-decent manual gearbox, and the fact that it’s attached to a sports car as good as the hidden gem that is the 2025 Z4 M40i is simply icing.

Got a tip or question for the author about the manual Z4? You can reach him here: chris.tsui@thedrive.com