BMW PROMISES MANUAL M4 AND OTHER NEWS! WEEKLY UPDATE

EV Channels Review

This weekly update from Matt Maran Motoring covers a range of automotive news, with a significant focus on the future of manual transmissions in BMW M cars. The head of BMW development expresses a commitment to keeping manuals in M cars, particularly the M4 and potentially the M3, for as long as possible, aiming for the M4 to be the last manual transmission to be phased out, possibly extending its lifespan to nearly 2030. The news is generally positive for enthusiasts, though the reviewer notes that the manual transmission will be a refined version of the current 6-speed, not an entirely new design. Other topics include Ford's trademark filing for the 'Mach-E' name for an electric crossover, speculation on the Explorer ST's performance, ongoing Ford-VW partnership talks, Porsche increasing Taycan production due to high demand, Aston Martin's EV retrofit kit, Waymo's public driverless rides, and updates on various upcoming models from Chevrolet, RAM, FCA, Hyundai, Mazda, Honda, Volvo, and Toyota. The reviewer expresses mixed feelings about some of the naming conventions and performance expectations for new models.