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BMW’s stated reason for replacing the previous M3 and M4’s optional dual-clutch transmission (DCT) with an eight-speed M Steptronic is that it can cover both sporty driving and everyday comfort—and, crucially, it enabled BMW to offer M xDrive in these models for the first time. BMW also says the eight-speed can make kickdown shifts faster in many situations because it can skip multiple gears. Those are the manufacturer’s explanations, not the findings of an independent, controlled comparison.
Why did BMW step away from a DCT?
BMW M developer Stefan gave two central reasons in a BMW M community Q&A about the M3 and M4 Competition drivetrain. The first was a wider range between sporty use and comfort. The second was that the eight-speed transmission made it possible to introduce M xDrive to the M3 and M4 for the first time. BMW presented the gearbox choice as part of a broader drivetrain package, rather than as a claim that a DCT is inherently unsuitable for performance driving.
That distinction matters: the explanation is specifically about BMW’s decision for these M3 and M4 generations and their available drivetrains. It is not a universal verdict on dual-clutch gearboxes or a claim that every driver will prefer the eight-speed.
What does the eight-speed offer that fits the M3 and M4?
A broader sporty-to-comfort range
BMW says the M Steptronic was chosen to span both sporty driving and comfort. The eight-speed automatic can be used in relaxed daily driving as well as in a more performance-focused setting. BMW’s cited explanation does not quantify how much more comfortable it is than the old DCT, nor does it provide an independent comparison of shift feel.
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M xDrive compatibility
The transmission’s role in enabling M xDrive is the most concrete reason BMW gives for the change. The current M3 and M4 Competition drivetrain range includes rear-wheel drive and, in applicable versions, M xDrive; BMW says the new transmission enabled that all-wheel-drive option. Availability varies by market, model year and trim, so check the local BMW specification for the exact car. BMW USA’s overview describes its offering as a standard six-speed manual and an eight-speed M Sport transmission with Drivelogic: BMW USA M3 overview.
Experience carried over from the M8
BMW says it used experience from the M8 and M8 Competition as a starting point when calibrating the transmission for the M3 and M4 Competition. That is an engineering starting point, not evidence that the two cars use identical calibration or behave identically.
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Is the eight-speed quicker than a DCT?
There is no single answer established by the available BMW material. On kickdown—the downshift requested by pressing the accelerator decisively—BMW transmission engineer Karsten says the eight-speed is faster “most of the time” because it can change several gears at once. The qualifier is important: this is BMW’s engineer describing a particular type of shift, not an independent head-to-head result covering every speed, gear or driving condition.
The previous-generation F8x M3 and M4 offered an optional seven-speed M-DCT alongside a six-speed manual. BMW’s 2014 launch material described the DCT’s manual shifts as changing gear “with no interruption in the flow of power.” That historical description helps explain a quality enthusiasts may value in a DCT, but it does not establish that the older transmission is quicker overall or superior in every kind of driving.
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| Comparison | What BMW’s published material says | What it does not establish |
|---|---|---|
| Kickdown | BMW transmission engineer Karsten said the eight-speed is faster most of the time because it can shift multiple gears at once (BMW M, 2021). | An independent, controlled DCT-versus-eight-speed test across conditions. |
| Shift continuity | BMW’s 2014 launch material said the previous seven-speed M-DCT could change gears manually without interrupting power flow. | That the DCT is categorically faster in all uses, or a direct comparison with the current eight-speed. |
| Torque examples | Karsten cited 750 Nm for the same transmission in the M5 CS and 700 Nm for the previous-generation M5 DCT (BMW M, 2021). | A direct load-capacity comparison between an M3/M4 DCT and the current M3/M4 eight-speed. |
Does the gearbox explain the M3 and M4’s track performance?
BMW says the current M3 and M4 Competition outperform their predecessors on track. The cited statement does not isolate the transmission as the cause, so it would be inaccurate to attribute that claimed improvement to the gearbox alone. The available BMW sources also do not provide an independent, controlled comparison of lap times, reliability, shift feel or ownership costs for the old DCT and current eight-speed.
One related tradeoff BMW describes is launch control. In BMW’s 2021 explanation, rear-wheel-drive Competition models launch in second gear to balance torque-converter multiplication with power delivery through two driven wheels and help manage wheelspin. M xDrive versions launch in first gear, with four driven wheels providing more traction. BMW says launch behavior depends on temperature and repeated launch-control use adds wear. These details explain a specific operating difference; they are not the main reason BMW gives for moving away from DCT.
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What do the weight and torque figures actually mean?
BMW’s transmission engineer reported that the eight-speed-equipped car weighs 23.8 kg more than the manual-equipped car, including an additional oil cooler. That comparison is with the manual—not with the previous DCT—so it cannot be used to claim the eight-speed is heavier than the DCT.
The 750 Nm and 700 Nm figures are also manufacturer-reported examples from different M5 applications: 750 Nm for the transmission used in the M5 CS and 700 Nm for the previous-generation M5 DCT. They illustrate BMW’s discussion of torque capacity, but they are not a direct M3 or M4 gearbox test.
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How does this compare with the older M3 and M4 offering?
In the 2014 launch material for the F8x-generation M3 and M4, BMW listed a six-speed manual and an optional seven-speed M-DCT. BMW described selectable transmission modes for comfort, economy or sport, as well as the DCT’s uninterrupted power flow during manual shifts. Those are historical details about that generation; they should not be mistaken for the current cars’ specifications.
For US buyers, BMW USA’s current overview identifies a six-speed manual and an eight-speed M Sport transmission with Drivelogic. Other markets, trims and model years may differ. The underlying change is therefore not that BMW abandoned manual shifting altogether, but that the current automatic option is an eight-speed rather than the earlier optional DCT.
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