The New M5 - SMG Only! NOOOOOOO!!!!

dr_kno · #1 (**permalink**) 10-08-2004, 12:35 PM

Quote:

Sequential Manual Shifting Only
The M5 will be offered only with a seven-speed SMG (Sequential Manual Gearbox) transmission, i.e., a proper gearbox with an automatically-engaged and -released clutch, whose gears can shift themselves automatically, as opposed to an automatic whose ratios can be swapped manually.

Why no pure manually-shifted option? Because to keep the transmission as light and compact as possible, the gears which transmit the greatest torque - the lower ratios plus reverse - are placed closest to the walls of the casing, which is the strongest part. If they were to make a conventional manual shift version, the shift gate would have had "2 - 6 - 5 - R" across the top, and "4 - 7 - 3 - 1" across the bottom, virtually impossible for any driver to manage with a conventional shifter.

Shit.

Rob ITR1035 · #2 (**permalink**) 10-08-2004, 12:38 PM

ultimate driving machine like woah.

midtown328i · #3 (**permalink**) 10-08-2004, 02:38 PM

Damn, 7 speed manual would be fun.

dr_kno · #4 (**permalink**) 10-08-2004, 02:44 PM

2 6 5 R
4 7 3 1

Heheh....especially with a shift pattern like this.....

RedBarron · #5 (**permalink**) 10-08-2004, 02:50 PM

I can do that in my sleep!

lite · #6 (**permalink**) 10-08-2004, 02:54 PM

i'm just glad it's made available here in oz around mid-05.

m3ryder · #7 (**permalink**) 10-08-2004, 04:39 PM

sooner or later it will all be smg. no autos, no stick.

good? bad? who knows?

PrinceE30 · #8 (**permalink**) 10-08-2004, 05:57 PM

Welcome to last year's news...how do people not hear about this stuff...

-Prince

BavBrwlr · #9 (**permalink**) 10-08-2004, 09:46 PM

bmw's used to have first gear on the bottom

PrinceE30 · #10 (**permalink**) 10-09-2004, 01:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BavBrwlr

bmw's used to have first gear on the bottom

The dogleg transmission in the E30 M3 is the only transmission BMW has used with 1st gear on the "bottom".

-Prince

the afro guy · #11 (**permalink**) 10-09-2004, 02:43 AM

they could have just done a 6 speed manual and not have quite the same performance as the smg... but seeeings as thats a neddy no no then the smg had better be damn good

DTME30ic · #12 (**permalink**) 10-09-2004, 04:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PrinceE30

The dogleg transmission in the E30 M3 is the only transmission BMW has used with 1st gear on the "bottom".

-Prince

E30 323i and the 535i E28 had a Dog leg g'box option. Theres a few running around here.

PrinceE30 · #13 (**permalink**) 10-09-2004, 10:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DTME30ic

E30 323i and the 535i E28 had a Dog leg g'box option. Theres a few running around here.

I stand corrected.

-Prince

Rerun · #14 (**permalink**) 10-09-2004, 10:23 AM

Only SMG? That is wrong. This takes away from the whole driving experience.

PrinceE30 · #15 (**permalink**) 10-09-2004, 10:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rerun

Only SMG? That is wrong. This takes away from the whole driving experience.

Does Juan-Pablo Montoya and Ralph Schumacher think that the SMG in an F1 car takes away from the driving experiance? What about Boris Said and Bill Auberlain in the M3 GTRs with Hewland 6-speed sequentials?

I don't get what "driving experiance" people are thinking this ruins. It's a great driving experiance in and of itself. Yes, it's not rowing through the gears, which I'd miss...but SMG is an amazing way to drive in and of itself. It let's you pay more attention to your driving and less attention to the car...and the more you pay attention to the road, the better a driver you can be.

-Prince