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Old 04-14-2007, 04:59 AM   #27
Imhotep Evil
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Re: Test drive: E92 335i, M3(SMG) and GTI(DSG)

OK now to review.


I know it will be harsh but:

- unless you put a BMW on a twisty bumpy negative camer road and/or track you simply cannot say you drove, not to mention properly tested, a BMW.



On DSG SMG issue there are many misconceptions/mistakes:

- the SMG II on the M3 is old an obsolete both compared to the SMG III and DSG.

- the DSG is ONLY effective on upshifts but NOT on downshifts, were is just as slow as a manual = way way slower than a SMG III.

- for those who prefer racy F1 sensations, obviously not yourself, SMG is the way to go, and efectivelly sequentials, not the old SMG II, are faster than the dual clutches
* F1 and Zeroshift are seamingless both on upshift and downshift wereas the dual are not (and as I mentioned duals are only fast on upshifts but are just as slow on downshifts as manuals)
* also the dual clutch on the Veyron, build by Ricardo not BorgWarner, is slower than both the SMG II and SMG III .
* so, on ushifts (only) we have:
zeroshift/F1 > BorgWarner DSG > SMG III > SMG III > Ferrari F1 latest > Ricardo/Veyron DSG

* on downshifts:
all sequentials > duals = manuals

* at best the dual clutch is only fast(er) on upshifts vs. SMGs, but esentially the SMG is a step forward in efficiency since:
a) it can both upshift and downshift fast(er) vs. a dual clutch;
b) the dual clutch is a lot older, as in 60 years older, than the sequential and thus was designed to be only half effective (upshifts only)


- BMW is not switching to DSG, it's using a new gearbox that esentially combines both SMG and DSG in one.

Last edited by Imhotep Evil; 04-14-2007 at 05:15 AM..
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