I have seen a presentation of the new LCI 5 series where they said all new manual gearbox will be equipped with an indicator letting you know when it is best moment for changing your gear. This is one of the features of the Dynamic efficiency concept.

Anyone got a picture of this?

 

I pray this is not the case. Should one need the optimal shift point to be provided, they should opt for the step. Besides, no computer in the world can determine when to shift in everyday driving. Its up to the driver how he/she wants to drive. Optimal to get best acceleration is a different story, but also not neccessary.

 

I think it is a matter of parameters like speed, rpm, ... to calculate the optimal point for shifting to save fuel. Off course humans aren't as quick as the car's steptronic computer. I have found it already on a bmw website.

LCI owners your lucky !!!!! In attachment a screenshot of webpage. Look at the menu 'BMW models with this technology'.

 

The owner's handbook of my LCI car talks about an indicator in the dash display that tells you if you are in the optimal gear for fuel efficiency and if not, whether you should change up or down. It's just a number with a tiny up/down arrow. Presumably this is what they were talking about?

|Edit| having now seen the pic in the previous message: Yep, that's it. If you don't know how to drive I guess it's a useful feature!

(My old M6 told me the best moment to change gear: when the rev counter in the HUD started flashing as I neared the limiter! )

BC

 

Hormazd, what are we going to do, man? I'll betcha that this is all about fuel economy ratings and it may have saved us a gas guzzler tax, but when I first heard rumors of this, I thought it would be a little light like they put in cars in the 70s and that we'd be able to disable it. This is bad . . . real bad.

 

I hope for an email with pics within the week. You are picking up in Munich on May 4 right?. Confirm this nonsense, the BT switch, Short Shifter. There is no turning back. We just live with whatever they dish out. You don't have to listen to the light. Just shift when happy.

 

break-in period? . . . I don't need no stinkin' break-in period!! I'll try to send you pics by the end of the week.

 

Off course no one needs to listen to the light or indicator. Bmw is a drivers car. So you are always the boss. I'm definitely not going to look at it for saving a few penny. Fun comes first.

Most people don't even look at speed limits, lets say for a little indicator telling you to shift up.

But I like the way it interacts with your driving behaviour. Just like the DTC/DSC light flashing when your car is trying to correct itself.

Lucky there is no annoying voice telling you "CHANGE UP PLEASE. CHANGE UP PLEASE"

 

+1 x 10[sup]1000[/sup] !!!

 

FWIW, the US manual does not mention this indicator. I'll confirm one way or the other on Thursday.