Not sure about the tranny, but I do know that it costs an arm and a leg and sometimes a kidney to import anything to the U.S. A friend imported a 1991 euro 318i Touring, which he got for about $3k. Last I heard the car cost almost another $10k to leagalize it. New gauges, american exhaust, something with the suspension, the list went on and on. Maybe an engine is different, but the reasone that America doesn't get all of the engines is because carmakers can't afford to leagalize them.