Hello & A New Handschalter Order!

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IP911

Member
Hello all! After joining the forum last week, wanted to properly say hello.

I’ve come from previously owning a couple of 911’s (both 997’s - 1 a gen 1 3.8 litre Carerra S & the latest a 3.6 litre gen 2) and a Jag F-Type (340bhp V6 auto).

Sold the 911 a year back and been running through replacement options; Cayman, Emira, F-Type or Z4….

Now beyond excited to have just placed my new Z4 Handschalter order (many thanks @sars for your help & dealer recommendation 👍🏻😃).

Originally testdrove a H/S a couple of months back and did love it. Then last week back-to-back tested an M40i Auto (which was amazing), with another H/S - the difference & involvement was, for me, night & day (but unfortunately more expensive on my wallet!!!).

My 911’s were both manual, F-Type a ZF auto & the ZF in the M40i was great, but I’ve really fallen for the H/S spell!

The H/S blew my mind and the closest of my other cars for the raw feel & speed was the Gen 1 3.8 litre 911 Carerra S - so high accolade to BMW!

Looking forward to participating in the forum, now just the long wait for delivery!!!! 😮

Darren
 
Woohoo and congratulations on your order, what colour choice did you go for in the end? With Porsche not accepting new orders for the 718, there really isn't much choice left for a manual two seater convertible, the Z4 and MX5, anything else, Morgan perhaps?

With few build slots left on the zed, if you want to buy the best road car that BMW currently make, better get your order in :thumbsup:
 
Thank you! I went for the Thundernight Metallic with Ivory interior - saw a couple on display and they really pop! Totally agree, I was getting a feeling talking to dealers that there are really very few buildslots left this year - so if you want one, don't hang about!
 
Hi and welcome to the forum. An H/S in Thundernight with Ivory sounds like a fantastic combination. :thumbsup:

Don't forget to post some photos once you have it!
 
Mr Tidy said:
Hi and welcome to the forum. An H/S in Thundernight with Ivory sounds like a fantastic combination. :thumbsup:

Don't forget to post some photos once you have it!
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Thanks for the welcome Mr Tidy! Very excited & will be sure to post pics on delivery! 👍🏻
Only question in my mind now is whether to downgrade the upgraded red brake callipers to blue, given the purple bodywork…..?
 
I think you are right to think red might not work too well with Thundernight. Blue or yellow would definitely be better. :thumbsup:
 
Thank you 😃 Same to you on your new order also! 👍🏻
They didn’t mention slots but different dealers giving different news. Some were saying only 2 for H/S but I wonder if that’s just their own allocation.
Mine will be coming December/January.
 
Just thinking back, when I originally spoke to a dealer about the H/S back in May/June, they were able to access the full uk bmw build slots.
They had told me at that point that there was only 1 H/S was in production process at that time.
I wonder if anybody has any idea how many H/S have been registered in the uk?
I’ve checked howmanyleft website but M40i’s not split between Auto & Manuals.
Darren
 
Congratulations, very good choice on colour combo ;)

Here it is with blue calipers. Wouldn't fancy red or yellow with our combo tbh, imo of course IMG-20250730-WA0003.jpg20250712_110606.jpg
 
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IP911 said:
Just thinking back, when I originally spoke to a dealer about the H/S back in May/June, they were able to access the full uk bmw build slots.
They had told me at that point that there was only 1 H/S was in production process at that time.
I wonder if anybody has any idea how many H/S have been registered in the uk?
I’ve checked howmanyleft website but M40i’s not split between Auto & Manuals.
Darren
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There was 34 registered inc 1Q 2025
 
Thanks Andy 👍🏻
Yes, got a head to head comp pics attached here also.
Think l’ll enquire whether blue is same spec as red brakes (have a feeling red was upgraded brake components) and see if blue callipers same size, then will try to switch to blue in build spec 👍🏻
 

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IP911 said:
Thanks for info, probably more than I had expected but still pretty limited!
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32 were registered in 2024 so there no exactly rushing out of the door in the UK..ironically in the US the original land of the auto the reception has been much more enthusiastic…

At the time I predicted less than 50 would be sold in the UK in 2024.
 
B21 said:
32 were registered in 2024 so there no exactly rushing out of the door in the UK..ironically in the US the original land of the auto the reception has been much more enthusiastic…

At the time I predicted less than 50 would be sold in the UK in 2024.
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Production for the manual didn't start until March 2024, so first registrations around May/June, so 32 for the year isn't really for the year is it. Wonder how many were dealer orders for demonstrators?
 
sars said:
Production for the manual didn't start until March 2024, so first registrations around May/June, so 32 for the year isn't really for the year is it. Wonder how many were dealer orders for demonstrators?
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Yup we knew when production started so it’s 32 for the 2025 come what may…AFAIK quite a few went to dealers ..around 200 ish autos went out the door at the same time….as I said the Yanks seem to be raving about it…
 
B21 said:
Yup we knew when production started so it’s 32 for the 2025 come what may…AFAIK quite a few went to dealers ..around 200 ish autos went out the door at the same time….as I said the Yanks seem to be raving about it…
Click to expand...
Yes, and seems availability will run on until late Q1-Q2 2026 in America. I'd been holding out a bit to see if the rumoured Final Edition would appear, but I think no chance of that in UK now (given proximity to the end of production run).
Perhaps the American's will get the F/E opportunity given extended production run - would reflect their loyalty & hand-in-wallet appetite to BMW's efforts to supply a manual I guess.
 
Every time I see the word "handschalter" I think of @B21. Don't know why.
Seeing as this is an English-speaking forum, could you please just use the word MANUAL, as it's a lot less pretentious and we ain't German (except the ones that are)?

Ta very muchly, or beste danke if you like!
 
Just seen Petrol Ped on YouTube has done a review of the z4 Handschalter (sorry @Pondrew - he used that rather than Manual as the title of his video review!).

Appears the car he reviewed was loaned by BMW UK - strange why they wouldn’t have provided YouTube reviewers (eg Petrol Ped, Seen Through Glass etc) with these on Manual launch, to stimulate sales, rather than post-cessation of production…?

Video link below:



A positive review of the car given PP is a Porsche stalwart 👍🏻
 
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