U.S. Press Release 2008 BMW 5 Series
01-09-2007, 11:24 AM
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Originally Posted by hinckley' post='375792' date='Jan 9 2007, 08:36 PM
SMG is dead again. The manual transmission continues on.
SMG is not needed any more, old tech.
The new autotarns is so much faster, that it only needs the steering wheel buttoms.
01-09-2007, 11:42 AM
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Originally Posted by hinckley' post='375792' date='Jan 9 2007, 01:36 PM
Wow -
SMG is dead again. The manual transmission continues on. I guess BMW just doesn't think the SMG is ready for prime-time - at least in the US market.
And the 550 Sport is getting pretty close to the E39 M5. I may have to take a trip to my dealer now . . .
btw, thanks. Great post.
SMG is dead again. The manual transmission continues on. I guess BMW just doesn't think the SMG is ready for prime-time - at least in the US market.
And the 550 Sport is getting pretty close to the E39 M5. I may have to take a trip to my dealer now . . .
btw, thanks. Great post.
Well, the name is dead at least. I suspect this new Sport Automatic Trans is more than just a renaming and I don't think it is the same as the new auto trans. While the new basic auto is faster than it used to be, the discriptions of the two make them sound like distinctly different beasts. It would be nice if it were of the DSG variety, and likely is since the press release specifically states that gears can be selected sequentially. Hardly a term one would throw about carelessly. DSG is the way forward, and what a lot of us have been hoping for.
EDIT - found a link on DSG... for anyone interested who doesn't already know about them...
http://cars.about.com/od/thingsyouneedtokn...howDSGworks.htm
01-09-2007, 11:48 AM
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01-09-2007, 11:59 AM
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Hrmmm - speaking of the "regular" automatic transmission, did anyone else notice that it says it has a direct connection to the engine? This is unusual for a "pure" automatic.
01-09-2007, 12:02 PM
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Originally Posted by tachyon' post='375766' date='Jan 9 2007, 06:19 PM
...optional Lane Departure Warning;...
I've been driving with it two years ago and can't wait to see the final product. But I don't think it's an option I would buy.
01-09-2007, 12:16 PM
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Originally Posted by Iceman' post='375871' date='Jan 9 2007, 09:02 PM
I've been driving with it two years ago and can't wait to see the final product. But I don't think it's an option I would buy.
ABC
01-09-2007, 12:19 PM
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Just talked to my CA and he did not know about the announcement. But he found the info sheet on the BMW dealer website and it confirms that SMG is dead and gone. There wasn't any more information available to him about the sports auto trans but he suspects that it will be like what Audi uses. Interesting. 
Rudy - you have a rare, collectable car now!
Rudy - you have a rare, collectable car now!
01-09-2007, 12:25 PM
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Originally Posted by tachyon' post='375888' date='Jan 9 2007, 04:19 PM
Rudy - you have a rare, collectable car now!
If the SMG is truly gone, I'm okay with a DSG, I guess. Maybe I'll have to take the plunge and order one. Obviously I could go with a traditional manual again but if the DSG turns out to be cool, I'll be bummed.
Unfortunately, I doubt I'll be able to test drive the new tranny before ordering so I'm going to have to try to get as much info as possible over the next few months about this stuff... (gee, I wonder where I'll ever be able to get more information about an E60?
)