Has anyone actually seen a manual E60 M5?

[Polarbert]

I remember seeing an article somewhere on the news on here that the Americans were to be getting this as a no cost option. I just did a google search and found things relating to it, saying that the DSC couldn't be fully disengaged due to the fact they didn't want people shagging the cars with redline racing starts, but I've never actually seen one, and always thought that it was a myth.


Anyone know anymore about this?

[M3John]

All e60 M5's are manual matey - SMG - not too sure what the outcome was with regards to a normal stick shift though.

[Polarbert]

You little bastard! You know what I meant!

[Vesuvius 996]

They are producing them, I believe. Just no one wants them. Not there, at least. Imagine the queues here........

[dazren]

LHD production capped at a maximum of 2k units. Only going to the USA. One of the US magazine reports mentioned having problems with the gearbox overheating whilst testing a it.

[M3John]

Polarbert said:

You little bastard! You know what I meant!

[Polarbert]

Just went on BMW.com and specced an M5, and saw that a manual 6-speed gearbox is available as an option.

Why o why haven't they introduced that here?

Does everyone else know that at the current exchange rate you could order a brand new M5 for the equivilent of £31,000.

[M3John]

Yep read somewhere recently (might even have been on here) that the new M3 is $60k accross the pond which equates to roughly £30k here. Daylight robbery.

[Polarbert]

Isn't that a bit weird that the M5 and M3 are exactly the same price then? You'd have thought the M3 would have been circa $50k?

[M3John]

Might have been $50k ish then. I'll have to try and remember where i saw it now........

[Zod]

M3John said:

Yep read somewhere recently (might even have been on here) that the new M3 is $60k accross the pond which equates to roughly £30k here. Daylight robbery.

it's the same for all car manufactures: an F430 is about $160k over there. I'd buy one in the blink of an eye for £80k.

[M3John]

Zod said:

M3John said:

Yep read somewhere recently (might even have been on here) that the new M3 is $60k accross the pond which equates to roughly £30k here. Daylight robbery.

it's the same for all car manufactures: an F430 is about $160k over there. I'd buy one in the blink of an eye for £80k.

So what on earth do you think they are thinking when it come to selling a car here in the uk. Why do we get charged a premium so much? I this case almost double !!

[paul0843]

not so simple...$160k ,then with a few options $180k.then add transport and vat and you are on at least £108 k for lhd car...then you start looking at year old ,low mileage rhd cars for not much more....not so easy...

[Silent1]

paul0843 said:

not so simple...$160k ,then with a few options $180k.then add transport and vat and you are on at least £108 k for lhd car...then you start looking at year old ,low mileage rhd cars for not much more....not so easy...

Not quite a fair comparison though, as you can have a new, albeit LHD for less than a used RHD

[Ecurie Ecosse]

Curious as to why the manuals are going to the USA, whose drivers traditionally love some auto box, as opposed to "stick", action.

[dazren]

A number of E39 M5 owners told their US dealers that they would not be buying the E60 as there was no manual gearbox option. Dealers get on the case to BMW North America and voila!

Although Americans in general seem to go for autos, American M car owners are clearly different.