What kind of gearbox does the 3.0-liter E36 M3 have?
All 3.0-liter E36 M3s regardless of engine type have a ZF Type C five-speed manual gearbox with the following ratios: 4.20 (1), 2.49 (2), 1.66 (3), 1.24 (4), 1.00 (5). This is mated to a limited slip differential (25%) with a 3.15:1 final drive.
In addition, the U.S.-spec 1995 M3 was available with a ZF 5HP18 five-speed automatic transmission as an option starting with 12/94 production. This unit offers three driver-adjustable modes (normal, manual and winter) and uses the following ratios: 3.67 (1), 2.00 (2), 1.41 (3), 1.00 (4), .74 (5). It comes mated to a 3.23:1 final drive with limited slip differential.
