The BMW Z4 might be sticking around for longer than expected. The German roadster was rumored to bow out in October 2025, though a report dating back to 2023 suggested production had been extended to March of next year. Now, a new rumor claims Z4 production has been stretched even further, to May 2026—but only for American-market cars.
BMW Blog, citing a trusted source at the Bimmerpost forums, says production of the US-specification Z4 M40i—the only trim available with a manual transmission—has been extended another two months. The source doesn’t cite a reason for the extension, but we can make a couple of educated guesses.
Photo by: BMW USA
Sales of the Z4 jumped by 13.1 percent in 2024 after BMW finally made the manual transmission available in the United States. A spokesperson confirmed to Motor1 earlier this year that the stick shift “absolutely” contributed to the Z4’s sales growth. “The response has been wonderfully enthusiastic,” they said.
Upon seeing the increase in sales, BMW likely decided to keep the Z4 around for a bit longer. And with the manual expected to disappear from the company’s lineup entirely by 2030, the company potentially predicts sales will continue as buyers snag the very last manual Z4s before they’re gone forever.
The same Bimmerpost source claims May 2026 is also when production of the Toyota Supra will end. Avid enthusiasts will know the Supra and the Z4 share a platform, and are built on the same assembly line by Magna Steyr in Austria. So that makes sense.
But while Toyota has already confirmed a replacement for the outgoing Supra, BMW has made no such promise. With sales of sports cars and convertibles declining every year, we wouldn’t be surprised to see the company discontinue the car for good, at least in its current form.
Our advice? If you want a manual Z4, grab one while you still can. Because time is running out.
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