No more manual option for Z4 in Australia after BMW posts two sales in two years

BMW's Z4 will no longer come with a manual gearbox in Australia after the model notched up just two sales since the beginning of 2019.

BMW Australia has taken the manual 'box off the market from this month due to the low sales, although it was previously only available in the entry-level sDrive20i trim and mated to a 2.0-litre, four-cylinder turbocharged engine which produces 145kW and 320Nm.

The automatic gearbox has proved to be a strength of BMW's Z4, although it has essentially killed off its manual sibling.

With the departure of the three-pedal Z4, BMW now only sells three manuals in its Australian line-up – the M2, M3 and M4 – as the rest of its cars are only available with either a seven-speed dual-clutch or eight-speed torque converter auto.

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A BMW Australia spokesperson said the manual's lack of sales were the determining factor in the variant being dropped from the Z4 line-up.

"As only two examples of the BMW Z4 sDrive20i fitted with the manual transmission have been sold since launch in 2019, BMW Australia has made the decision to remove this variant from the line-up from the July 2021 production month.

"However, the Z4 sDrive20i is still available with the eight-speed Steptronic Sport transmission."

Other Z4 variants include the sDrive30i – which features the same engine as the sDrive20i but in a hotter state of tune, making 190kW/400Nm – and the range-topping M40i, powered by a 285kW/500Nm 3.0-litre, six-cylinder turbo engine.

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Between the current-generation Z4's Australian introduction in 2019 and the end of June 2021, BMW has delivered 371 units with the two manuals sold accounting for 0.54 percent of all Z4 sales, making it one of Australia's rarest models over the time frame.

The manual was also dropped from the second-generation 2 Series Coupé when it was revealed earlier this month. After being introduced with both transmission options in its first iteration, it is now only available with the eight-speed auto.