Take-Heed

I was checking out the 550i on the BMW Canada website. It lists the Steptronic as standard and no mention of a manual transmission. I have read that SMG was being discontinued, but nothing about the manual.

Is this just a temporary availability issue? I hope so, as I love the six-speed manual transmission in my 545i and I wouldn't want to lose this when my lease is up.

E60Speed

SMG and Manual boxes are delayed a month or 2 in most markets for the 550i

Ricracing

This is fun.
When I use to live in Ann Arbour, MI (as an exchange student in '78-'79) there was not a car without autotrans.

I was a small wonder 'cause I knew how to drive a stickshift, because in EU a autotrans car was a rareness.

Now when we Europeans really start to understand the benefits of autotrans you Americans start to want the manuals.

So why would you want a manual 550i, a car with all the torque for a automatic tranmission.
I can understand the SMG (which will available soon in Canada) but not the manual trransmission.

All in all:
Anybody driving a 550iA will be faster than one in a 550i.

SMG is the ultimate but why not buy the M5 then???

Take-Heed

Well, I'll forgive you for calling me an American. I am Canadian (but originally from London, England) and our market is different from the US. We have different options and packages from those BMWNA provide. We are getting the M-Sport package this year, for example.

As for my preference for a manual transmission, I guess I like the greater feeling of control from being able to select precisely which gear to be in through corners, in snowy conditions and when passing. I agree that the torque on these machines makes an automatic attractive; but to each his own. By the way, I wanted to get SMG but my wife insisted that we stay with a manual because she feels more comfortable with it.

Using your argument BMW should have only put out the M5 with an automatic because it has even more torque. It may well be that a driver in a 550iA could be faster than a driver in a manual 550i but I still feel it has more to do with control and precision.

I just think it's great that BMW gives us the choice of three excellent transmissions.

Ricracing

I'm sorry Take-Heed,

I know that the US people has monopolizied the term American. I'm also well aware of the differances between USA and Canada.
But you do all live in Northern America as well as you and I are originally from Europe, with all our large diffarences overhere.

Not getting deeper into that, its was not my meaning harm you on your manual trans option.

I'm driving a lot in the city with traffic jams etc. so I do prefere the autotrans.
What you say about snowy conditions I understand (trust me on this) but anyway
I feel I get the control and precision I need with the D, DS and Steptronic modes on the autotrans and all this with the small R6 engine.