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GTACharlie · 29-03-2008

Originally Posted by BigFoot

It still did feel like an auto, a very good auto, but still an auto

It is, it'd work wonders in a lighter car

And again, you get a lot of car for the money.

This is extremely surprising to me - though I haven't driven a Ferrari 430, which I am sure has a faster and better cluchless manual than the M5, I find the SMG III transmission in the M5 and M6 to be just about the best of all the non-exotics I have tried (and I have tried just about all of them!). There have been criticisms that the SMG III shifts weren't smooth enough for a "luxury" car (ie that it DIDN'T feel like an automatic), but I found it to be just about perfect - when set to the hardest shifting sports setting, it feels and responds exactly like you are thrashing around a manual transmission with 500hp.

I guess this is very much a personal preference thing. I have always driven manual sports cars and am very critical of clutchless manuals that don't feel and respond like manuals. I hate the DSG system in Audi/VW and now Mitsubishi because they are too smooth. Maserati, too (except for the GTS) has abandoned clutchless manuals in favor of paddle shifting automatics, and this is my chief complaint with my Alpina. Many criticized the GTA Selespeed unit as not being smooth enough, but like the M5 and M6, I found it to be the closest thing to real manual shifting I had ever experienced with the added advantage of being quite convenient in heavy traffic. After the SMG III, I would say the best I have driven is the Cambrio Corsa unit used in several (older) Maseratis - this too has a very manual-like response (and that amazing Maserati sound too!). The Lexus ISF is actually quite good in this regard as well, and the transmission has a very sporty and responsive feel to it. I am curious about the R8, which I haven't yet test driven, because I hear that the transmission is the eGear system from ther Lambo - perhaps you will like that better.

BF, if you are finding the M5/M6 SMG III transmission too much like an automatic, it is pretty clear that your next sports car will either have to be a manual, or it will have to be a Ferrari, Lambo or R8!!!

29-03-2008	#19 (Post Link)
GTACharlie AO Silver Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Tokyo, Japan Posts: 1,873 Member car: Alpina B3 S	Re: BMW M6: Test Drive Review Originally Posted by BigFoot It still did feel like an auto, a very good auto, but still an auto It is, it'd work wonders in a lighter car And again, you get a lot of car for the money. This is extremely surprising to me - though I haven't driven a Ferrari 430, which I am sure has a faster and better cluchless manual than the M5, I find the SMG III transmission in the M5 and M6 to be just about the best of all the non-exotics I have tried (and I have tried just about all of them!). There have been criticisms that the SMG III shifts weren't smooth enough for a "luxury" car (ie that it DIDN'T feel like an automatic), but I found it to be just about perfect - when set to the hardest shifting sports setting, it feels and responds exactly like you are thrashing around a manual transmission with 500hp. I guess this is very much a personal preference thing. I have always driven manual sports cars and am very critical of clutchless manuals that don't feel and respond like manuals. I hate the DSG system in Audi/VW and now Mitsubishi because they are too smooth. Maserati, too (except for the GTS) has abandoned clutchless manuals in favor of paddle shifting automatics, and this is my chief complaint with my Alpina. Many criticized the GTA Selespeed unit as not being smooth enough, but like the M5 and M6, I found it to be the closest thing to real manual shifting I had ever experienced with the added advantage of being quite convenient in heavy traffic. After the SMG III, I would say the best I have driven is the Cambrio Corsa unit used in several (older) Maseratis - this too has a very manual-like response (and that amazing Maserati sound too!). The Lexus ISF is actually quite good in this regard as well, and the transmission has a very sporty and responsive feel to it. I am curious about the R8, which I haven't yet test driven, because I hear that the transmission is the eGear system from ther Lambo - perhaps you will like that better. BF, if you are finding the M5/M6 SMG III transmission too much like an automatic, it is pretty clear that your next sports car will either have to be a manual, or it will have to be a Ferrari, Lambo or R8!!!