# Typo ? E60M5 on the BMW USA website



## Alex Baumann (Dec 19, 2001)

Screenshot taken off the BMWNA website (today)


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## Cliff (Apr 19, 2002)

Good catch, Alex. The @ssclowns in marketing strike again  :tsk:


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## Alex Baumann (Dec 19, 2001)

Cliff3 said:


> Good catch, Alex. The @ssclowns in marketing strike again  :tsk:


I hope they edit it before people start to order manual trannies.


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## Mr. The Edge (Dec 19, 2001)

I thought word was that the US would get a manual tranny


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## Alex Baumann (Dec 19, 2001)

atyclb said:


> I thought word was that the US would get a manual tranny


No, it wasn't. The early interviews with the M-Manager (at the Geneva Motor Show, where the M5 Concept was first shown to the public) were telling that SMG III was going to be the only transmission available.

I don't know if it's a good marketing move not to announce it earlier. The marketing department in Munich is definitely sleeping.


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## andy_thomas (Oct 7, 2002)

Alex Baumann said:


> Screenshot taken off the BMWNA website (today)


BMW GB recently pulled all E90 information from the UK site for re-editing. It happens everywhere.


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## Plaz (Dec 19, 2001)

atyclb said:


> I thought word was that the US would get a manual tranny


I remember reading rumors to that effect as well, though I don't remember where. :dunno:


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## Technic (Jun 24, 2002)

Plaz said:


> I remember reading rumors to that effect as well, though I don't remember where. :dunno:


Me too...


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## Alex Baumann (Dec 19, 2001)

Plaz said:


> I remember reading rumors to that effect as well, though I don't remember where. :dunno:


I had posted a link to an interview with Mr Bruhnke, who is the big boss at the M-GmbH

http://www.bimmerfest.com/forums/showthread.php?t=76810



> BMW M Division Manager tt the Stockjolm Open event in Sweden :
> 
> Question : Manual gearbox for the E60 M5?
> 
> Answer : "The manual could be an option for the US market, only for the USA then. It is never good to say no to a market. But I want to give the customers a chance to try it out first. They really have to try the new SMGIII first, we want to give them a possibility to try to it. We have started to think about it but not started any development on it."


But the SMG has never been considered as an *option*, hence my surprise.

I'd appreciate such a decision anyway. But limiting that to the US market would suck though. US Delivery M5, anyone ?


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## SteveT (Dec 22, 2001)

I emailed Hernando Carvajal, who is BMW NA's M Brand Manager, and he had someone else reply to say that they are updating the Website. Here's a segment of the message.

I work with Hernando Carvajal and shared in reading your message. 
Information on our website regarding the All-New M5 is currently being updated. 
I can tell you that we are working on developing a manual transmission for the U.S. market, but it will not be available at launch.


In fact the website has been changed.

Sharp eyed guy that Alex Bauman.


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## Rich_Jenkins (Jul 12, 2003)

Interesting; I seem to recall somewhere (Roundel?) that one of the M-bosses commenting about the USA and MT M cars. Something to the effect that USA market mystified them as to why "they" would want an MT car and not a SMG car.

Why does BMW think the SMG car is the one to have?

Do Americans really prefer a MT car?

(too lazy to google the percentages of Bimmers sold in USA with AT/MT/SMG vs. same in Germany...)


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## SteveT (Dec 22, 2001)

I went to the USGP with BMW's USGP Experience and they had a number of BMWNA folks there to mix with us and discuss the cars. Hernando was one and Martin Birkmann (5 Series and X5 Product Advocate) was another. Martin discussed with a number of people the distinct interest in the US in the manual transmission as opposed to Europe. This extended to cars that in the European market would not sell with a 5 or 6 speed manual. So they understand that the US has certain differences in what is wanted from the cars. They take these interests seriously, even though sometimes it doesn't seem like it.


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