# Getrag 265 five-speed gearbox (1979–1991)

- Source: https://racingcarnetwork.com/wiki/getrag-265-gearbox/
- Publisher: Racing Car Network (racingcarnetwork.com), the race car marketplace
- Type: gearbox · Brand: Getrag
- Discipline: touring, parts
- Series: group-a, dtm
- Era: 1980s
- Last updated: 2026-11-06
- For sale on RCN: https://racingcarnetwork.com/for-sale/getrag-265-gearbox/ (1 live listing right now)

The Getrag 265 is the five-speed manual BMW fitted to six-cylinder cars and to the E30 M3. Its European close-ratio version has a dogleg first gear and a direct fifth. Race builders still use the case as a base for Group A gear kits. A sound 265 core has value well beyond road use.

## Specifications

| Spec | Value |
|---|---|
| Type | Longitudinal manual gearbox, three-piece aluminium case plus removable bellhousing [7] |
| Gears | 5 forward; close-ratio (CR) version with dogleg first and 1:1 fifth, overdrive (OD) version with H-pattern [7][10] |
| Ratios | Euro CR: 3.72 / 2.40 / 1.77 / 1.26 / 1.00; US E30 M3 OD: 3.83 / 2.20 / 1.40 / 1.00 / 0.81 [8][9] |
| Final Drive E30 M3 | Euro 3.25:1, Evo 2 and Sport Evolution 3.15:1, US 4.10:1 [8][10][12] |
| Torque Rating | No factory figure found; Drenth Group A gear kit for the 265 case is rated 400 Nm input [14] |
| Weight | Forum-quoted BMW catalogue figure for a '5-speed sport' box: 33.5 kg, 34.8 kg with bellhousing; the post does not name the Getrag code [22] |
| Dimensions | Case 55-56 cm long, bellhousing 16.7 cm, about 78-79 cm with shifter (owner measurement) [23] |
| Applications | E30 M3 (1986-1991); 265/5 CR in Euro 635CSi 1979-1984; 265/6 OD in 1980-1982 and 1985 cars [7][10] |
| Years | 1979 to 1991 [7][10] |

## History

Getrag's 265 grew out of the 262 four-speed. It keeps the same front casting but adds a 97 mm intermediate section, giving a three-piece case with a removable bellhousing [7]. BMW used two families. The 265/5 close-ratio box has a dogleg first gear and no overdrive. The 265/6 is also a five-speed, with an overdrive top gear [7]. Forum sources date the CR box in Euro 635CSi models from 1979 to 1984 [7].

The E30 M3 made the 265 famous. BMW built 17,970 E30 M3s from 1986 to 1991 to homologate the car for Group A and the DTM [10]. European cars got the dogleg CR box with a 1:1 fifth. North American cars got the OD version with a normal shift pattern [10]. Owners list the Euro ratios as 3.72, 2.40, 1.77, 1.26 and 1.00, and the US set as 3.83, 2.20, 1.40, 1.00 and 0.81 [8]. The Evo 2 moved the final drive from 3.25:1 to 3.15:1 [10]. RM Sotheby's notes that Japanese and some export Sport Evolutions used an H-pattern [11].

In competition the case outlived the original gears. Drenth offers a straight-cut, dog-engaged six-speed kit built to a Prodrive specification and rated at 400 Nm [14]. Samsonas lists a five-speed Group A touring set and a six-speed Group A rally set for the same housing [16]. Vink Motorsport sells a 265 Group A box with homologated ratios and steel synchro rings [17].

The big M cars are a common source of confusion. A forum decoding table lists the 280/5, not the 265, for the M cars, with an integral bellhousing and cooling fins [7]. Swaps of S14 engines into BMW 2002s also show up with other Getrag boxes, such as the 235/5 and 245 [2][5]. Buyers should identify the case, not trust the listing title.

## Palmarès

Not a racing-results machine. The 265 is the production gearbox of the E30 M3. The car won the DTM in 1987 and 1989 and the ETCC in 1987 and 1988 [10]. It also took the 1987 WTCC and the BTCC in 1988 and 1991 [10]. An M3 also won the 1987 Tour de Corse with Bernard Béguin [10]. Works race cars used homologated gear sets, so the road ratios are not proof of period race spec [17].

## What to check before you buy

Confirm CR or OD from the rear cover plug, not the sticker: The CR has a larger plug on a raised boss; the OD plug is small and flush. Casting numbers alone do not tell you much [7]. Count the case pieces and look at the bellhousing: A 265 has a removable bellhousing; the 260 and 280 have it integral [7]. Some listings sold as 265 turn out to be other Getrag boxes, such as a 245 [5]. Check the Motronic sensor holes in the bellhousing: An S14 or other Motronic engine needs them. Early US L-Jet housings do not have them [7]. Ask who rebuilt it and get the invoice: Owners report few rebuilders left, one shop holding two 265s for about 18 months, and one shop bending a fork [19]. A box checked by Pete's Gear Shop was sold with a receipt [21]. Check the speedometer drive: A core with mechanical speedo drive was priced at $1,300 in 2022 [20]. Owners say the Drenth kit has no speedo provision [15]. For a race kit, get the maker, ratio sheet and paperwork: Drenth states its kit is HTP approved [14]. Samsonas ratio sets differ for Group A touring and rally [16]. Ask what oil it runs: One rebuilt M3 box rattled on ATF and shifted stiffly when cold on 70/90 [13].

## Did you know

- The /6 in Getrag 265/6 does not mean six gears; the 265/6 is a five-speed overdrive box [7].
- The close-ratio 265 shares its rear cover with the 262 four-speed, so the bolt holes line up [7].
- Drenth's Group A six-speed kit for the 265 is designed to a Prodrive specification [14].

## Frequently asked questions

**How do I tell a 265 dogleg from an overdrive 265?** Both use a three-piece case with a removable bellhousing. Look at the round plug at the top right of the rear cover. The close-ratio dogleg box has a larger plug on a raised boss. The overdrive box has a small flush plug. Casting numbers often read 262 and do not settle it [7].

**Did every E30 M3 have the dogleg gearbox?** No. European cars had the close-ratio dogleg Getrag 265 with a 1:1 fifth. North American cars had an overdrive 265 with a normal H-pattern and a 4.10 final drive [8][10]. RM Sotheby's also notes H-pattern boxes in Japanese and some export Sport Evolutions [11].

**Will a stock 265 survive a race engine?** No factory torque figure was found. Race users usually fit a dog-engaged kit in the original case. Drenth rates its Group A six-speed kit at 400 Nm input [14]. Owners report that synchros, especially reverse, are the first parts to wear on road boxes [13].

**What does a rebuild cost?** Forum reports give Metric Mechanic quotes of about $4,250 plus core in 2015 and $3,000 in 2022 [19][20]. Six synchros cost about $600 in parts in 2015 [19]. A Vink Group A conversion is €9,500 ex VAT with your core [17]. Get a current quote before buying.

**Is a Drenth or Samsonas kit legal in historic racing?** Drenth states its 265 Group A kit is HTP approved [14]. Samsonas sells homologated Group A touring and rally ratio sets and a non-homologated six-speed [16]. What counts is the car's own HTP and the series rules, so check both before buying.

**Can I fit a 265 from an E28 M5 or M635CSi?** A forum decoding table lists the M cars with the Getrag 280/5, which has an integral bellhousing and finned case [7]. If a seller says the box came from an M5, check the case and bellhousing. An RCN listing sold as a 265 dogleg cites an E34 M5 donor [1].

## Sources

- Search results for 'getrag' — https://racingcarnetwork.com/?s=getrag
- Getrag 265 Dogleg Close Ratio gearbox — https://racingcarnetwork.com/race-car/getrag-265-dogleg-close-ratio-gearbox/
- BMW S14 Engine and Getrag 235/5 Dogleg Gearbox — https://racingcarnetwork.com/race-car/bmw-s14-engine-and-getrag-235-5-dogleg-gearbox/
- BMW M3 S14 Engine and Getrag 265 Gearbox — https://racingcarnetwork.com/race-car/bmw-m3-s14-engine-and-getrag-265-gearbox/
- BMW M3 S14 Engine and Getrag 265 Gearbox (France) — https://racingcarnetwork.com/race-car/bmw-m3-s14-engine-and-getrag-265-gearbox-2/
- BMW S14 2.5L Engine and Getrag 5-Speed Gearbox — https://racingcarnetwork.com/race-car/bmw-s14-2-5l-engine-and-getrag-5-speed-gearbox/
- BMW M3 E30 Motor S14 Engine Transmission Complete 100k Miles S14B23 Getrag 265 — https://racingcarnetwork.com/race-car/bmw-m3-e30-motor-s14-engine-transmission-complete-100k-miles-s14b23-getrag-265/
- Getrag transmission numbers decoding — https://e9coupe.com/forum/threads/getrag-transmission-numbers-decoding.25157
- The Gearing Guide — https://www.gtplanet.net/forum/threads/the-gearing-guide.282712/
- Gear ratios for Getrag 265/5 transmissions — https://e9coupe.com/forum/posts/439281/
- BMW M3 (E30 section) — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BMW_M3_(E30)
- 1990 BMW M3 Sport Evolution, Lot 127 — https://rmsothebys.com/auctions/az21/lots/r0004-1990-bmw-m3-sport-evolution/
- 1990 BMW M3 Sport Evolution — https://www.pistonheads.com/buy/listing/19786190
- Getrag 265/5 Rebuild — https://shiftbmw.com/model/e30/getrag-265-5-rebuild
- Drenth Getrag 265 Group A 6 speed Kit — https://macgracing.co.uk/?p=40992
- Kit to turn a Getrag 265/5 into a 6-speed - Netherlands — https://e9coupe.com/forum/threads/kit-to-turn-a-getrag-265-5-into-a-6-speed-netherlands.44966/latest
- Samsonas Motorsport Dogbox Kit, BMW E30 M3 — https://5150autosport.com/products/samsonas-motorsport-dogbox-kit-bmw-e30-m3
- Getrag 265 Gr. A gearbox — https://www.vinkmotorsport.com/?p=4712
- Transmission Seal Kit for Getrag 260/262/265 — https://bimmerworld.com/Driveline-Shifter/Transmissions-Accessories/Transmission-Seal-Kit-for-Getrag-262-262-265.html
- Getrag 265 Rebuild Rant — https://e9coupe.com/forum/goto/post?id=138590
- Five speed conversion on Bring a Trailer (post 44) — https://e9coupe.com/forum/goto/post?id=355814
- FS: Getrag 265/5 - Close Ratio/Dogleg — https://e9coupe.com/forum/threads/fs-getrag-265-5-close-ratio-dogleg.37626/latest
- gearbox weight — https://e9coupe.com/forum/threads/gearbox-weight.5519/latest
- 245/265/260 comparison — https://the320i.blogspot.com/2011/10/245265260.html
- BMW M3 — https://historicdb.fia.com/car/bmw-m3
- Heritage Touring Cup 2023 Supplementary Regulations — https://portal.fpak.pt/pub/doc/1632/251106

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