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2023 BMW Z4 Still Gets No Manual

Photo credit: BMW
Photo credit: BMW

BMW announced Tuesday it has given its Z4 roadster a light refresh for the 2023 model year, incorporating subtle design changes, new options, and new colors. Despite rumors to the contrary, there's still no manual transmission option for North America.

As far as exterior updates go, the 2023 Z4's are minor. The side air intakes under the door have been restyled, while small changes have been made to the kidney grille. If you didn't know, it'd be hard to spot any differences versus the outgoing car.

The biggest change comes for the base Z4 sDrive30i, which now gets the previously optional M Sport Package as standard. That means a new standard bumper, a new rear fascia, as well as an M leather steering wheel, M Sport seats, M pedals, an M driver’s footrest, and a dashboard upholstered in SensaTec, BMW's faux leather material.

Three new exterior colors have been added to the Z4's standard range of hues: Portimao Blue metallic, Skyscraper Grey metallic, and Thundernight metallic, a dark purple first seen on the 2022 2-Series. There's also a new optional 19-inch staggered wheel option.

What the Z4 doesn't get for 2023 is a manual transmission, at least for North America. The car has had a manual option in Europe since its launch in 2018, and with the Supra—the Z4's mechanical counterpart—finally getting a stick shift for 2023, rumors sprung up around the internet suggesting the BMW drop-top would get one as well. Alas, U.S. buyers are still stuck with ZF's eight-speed auto.

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