2007 M5 to come w/ manual

[rks838]

A U.S.-only BMW M5 will make it to the States in 2007 with a 6-speed manual transmission.

According to Car and Driver, complaints from United States M5 drivers have convinced BMW to decide to produce M5s with manual transmissions, for the U.S. only. This invalidates BMW's past claim that a manual's gear ratios would be too extreme for the car. Europeans, on the other hand, are supposedly more into the F1-style transmissions, which at this point are faster (if less engaging) than manuals. Because most complaints came from old-school, manny-loving America, BMW is forgoing Europe as a destination for this car.

How about an manual RS6, Audi?????

[Nordschleife]

In America, the M5 is a young guy's car, in Europe its an old man's car.

BMW's SMG gearbox costs warranty money. Audi's automatic gearbox saves Audi money. If, and when, the Audi DSG gearbox is released for more powerful cars, expect to see it on the RS6.

The paddle shift SMG gear boxes do catch out a lot of drivers.

If the driver likes to move his hands around on the wheel, (s)he will hate paddle shifters. If you keep your hands permanently at 'a quarter to three', then it is easier as the flippers are always at your finger tips. This still causes problems as what does + and - really mean, gears 1,2,3.... or higher and lower, higher and lower what - gear ratio or gear number? It needs practice. Then it really is much simpler if you use your left foot for stopping and your right foot for going. For many people these are changes they don't want to make. Yes it gets complicated, try turning right, whilst concurrently changing gear, flashing the lights, turning on the wiper, hooting the horn and answering the mobile phone, it takes practice. Many drivers are more used to different driving habits.

Having driven the SMG box, I cannot imagine why anybody would want the manual, but I drive in a different environment, the Hummer makes no sense in Europe, but its quite at home in the land of the (not so) free.

R+C

[Benman]

Originally posted by Nordschleife
In America, the M5 is a young guy's car, in Europe its an old man's car.

R+C
And here I thought WE were the fuddy duddies!:hihi:

Ben:addict:

[rks838]

An old man's car? Really? In America, you're regarded as more skillful if you can drive a manual, and many car junkies consider non-manual drivers sissies. An E55, or RS6 for that matter, is definitely more of an old man's car in the U.S. than an M5. What is the young man's performance sedan in Europe now? Is the RS6 more of a young man's car because it has a manumatic?

So Europeans have apparently made the switch from favoring manuals to favoring manumatics, while Americans are still clinging to the old ways. More involving (and fun) vs. more tecno and, technically, faster acceleration. Hmmm...

[Nordschleife]

Originally posted by rks838
An old man's car? Really? In America, you're regarded as more skillful if you can drive a manual, and many car junkies consider non-manual drivers sissies. An E55, or RS6 for that matter, is definitely more of an old man's car in the U.S. than an M5. What is the young man's performance sedan in Europe now? Is the RS6 more of a young man's car because it has a manumatic?

So Europeans have apparently made the switch from favoring manuals to favoring manumatics, while Americans are still clinging to the old ways. More involving (and fun) vs. more tecno and, technically, faster acceleration. Hmmm...

No, you misunderstand

1. in Europe 99.999% of people can drive manual cars, there is no stigma attached to driving an automatic, it is assumed that one can.

2. cars are expensive in Europe, young people have NO interest in E55s, M5s and RS6s, they will buy the best sports car they can afford.

3. Young men go for 'hot hatches', which are more fun to drive if not as fast in the numbers as the big fast limousines. So something small, fast and light from SEAT or Renault is popular.

4. If you are really driving fast the SMG gearbox makes total sense.


Europe is deeply enamoured of Diesel engined cars. Ostensibly for environmental and conservation issues. Certainly you do go a long way on a tank of diesel, which is not nearly as smelly as it is in the US. It does not emit nearly as much of the pollution that is measured as an equivalent petrol engined car would over the same distance, but it does produce other emissions which might be even more harmful. In any event, diesels are noisy ans smelly and boring to drive. The only quiet diesel I have experienced is the 4.0 litre V8 in the Audi A8, all others have made a terrible racket and wake up the street when making an early start. If diesels were people, they would wear grey suits, polyester shirts and pocket protectors, they belong in trucks.

R+C

[rks838]

Oh - thanks for the clarification.