Skip advert
Advertisement

BMW M5 manual

The BMW M5 is now available with a traditional six-speed manual gearbox in the US

Overall Auto Express rating

4.0

How we review cars
Avg. savings
£9,656 off RRP*
Find your BMW 5 Series
Compare deals from trusted partners on this car and previous models.
Or are you looking to sell your car?
Value my car
Fast, no-nonsense car selling
Value my car

Enthusiasts say a manual gearbox will help you to feel more connected to the driving experience, which is true to an extent. But modern autos are now so fast and smooth that the balance of power has shifted. While the manual M5 is well engineered and a fun challenge to drive, the seven-speed dual-clutch is better – on road and track.

Advertisement - Article continues below

Manual gearboxes are becoming increasingly rare in performance cars these days. But BMW hasn’t forgotten those who prefer to change gear – in the US market at least. Buyers there can choose a six-speed manual transmission for the M5 super-saloon as a no-cost option. We headed to the Laguna Seca circuit in California to see how it stacks up against the standard seven-speed dual-clutch gearbox.

Engineering a transmission that can cope with 552bhp and 680Nm of torque isn’t easy, yet BMW has done a great job of keeping both the clutch and short-throw shift action smooth and relatively light. However, the auto is a better choice at lower speeds – by shuffling into a higher gear earlier, it smooths out that huge amount of torque.

Surprisingly, it’s the same story after 10 laps of the track and several miles driving down a twisting California back road. The occasional jumpiness that even the best driver will get from a manual means you’re less confident about using the M5’s full performance.

The six-speed manual does highlight the 4.4-litre twin-turbo V8’s incredible pulling power from low revs, though. On a fast B-road, unless you have to negotiate a very tight hairpin, you really can leave the car in third gear and let the endless torque do the rest of the work.

When you’re not shifting gear, the driving experience is as good as ever. The M5 will leave most supercars standing and there’s a great muscle-car rumble from the exhausts. It’s also incredibly grippy and agile for a car that weighs nearly two tonnes.

But if you want a manual M5, your only option is to import a left-hand-drive car from the US.

Skip advert
Advertisement

New & used car deals

BMW M5

BMW M5

RRP £111,515Avg. savings £9,656 off RRP*Used from £37,920
Volkswagen Tiguan

Volkswagen Tiguan

RRP £35,385Avg. savings £2,911 off RRP*Used from £31,499
Skoda Kodiaq

Skoda Kodiaq

RRP £38,140Avg. savings £3,019 off RRP*Used from £14,495
Nissan Qashqai

Nissan Qashqai

RRP £27,415Avg. savings £5,568 off RRP*Used from £12,568
* Average savings are calculated daily based on the best dealer prices on Auto Express vs manufacturer RRP
Skip advert
Advertisement

Most Popular

New baby Nissan Juke EV on the way to challenge the Dacia Spring
Baby Nissan Juke exclusive image - rear

New baby Nissan Juke EV on the way to challenge the Dacia Spring

Nissan to fast-track development of new battery-powered city car to take on forthcoming Volkswagen ID.1, and our exclusive images preview how it could…
News
18 Apr 2025
Future of Nissan in the UK: new Gigafactory to power bold EV plans
Future of Nissan in the UK - header with Phil McNamara

Future of Nissan in the UK: new Gigafactory to power bold EV plans

Nissan is about to go from building the Qashqai hybrid to three fresh EVs in the UK over the next three years – all powered by a new gigafactory
Features
19 Apr 2025
Best SUVs to buy 2025
Best SUVs - header image

Best SUVs to buy 2025

There are plenty of great SUVs to choose from, so we’ve picked out the very best
Best cars & vans
17 Apr 2025