[E90ice]

Whats the difference between SMG and the Paddles on a 335 for example?

They both seem to work the same.

[canucklion]

SMG is an automated manual transmission, i.e. there's still a clutch, but you don't see it (which you can get with paddles as well), I'm assuming when you said paddles you meant steptronic with paddles, steptronic is just a regular automatic transmission

[JSpira]

Originally Posted by E90ice

Whats the difference between SMG and the Paddles on a 335 for example?

They both seem to work the same.

Well, for one thing SMG isn't available. That's a big difference.

The paddles simply shift the automatic transmission.

An SMG is a manual transmission without a clutch and has the ability to shift itself like an automatic, making perfect shifts every time.

[amnesiac]

Originally Posted by JSpira

Well, for one thing SMG isn't available. That's a big difference.

The paddles simply shift the automatic transmission.

An SMG is a manual transmission without a clutch and has the ability to shift itself like an automatic, making perfect shifts every time.

So to really dumb it down, the SMG is basically taking the human error component out of shifting, in effect making it a "lossless" auto, right?

[David328M-Sport]

Originally Posted by amnesiac

So to really dumb it down, the SMG is basically taking the human error component out of shifting, in effect making it a "lossless" auto, right?

supposedly with a "clutch in & out" response time faster/better than any human.
The M5 board people seem to like SMG III overall. I have never driven an SMG car.

[canucklion]

yes,
SMG is akin to Audi's DSG

Originally Posted by amnesiac

So to really dumb it down, the SMG is basically taking the human error component out of shifting, in effect making it a "lossless" auto, right?

[prototyp]

Originally Posted by amnesiac

So to really dumb it down, the SMG is basically taking the human error component out of shifting, in effect making it a "lossless" auto, right?

"Lossless auto". That's brilliant. So much debate over semantics in the VW world, is DSG a manual (has gearsets) or an automatic (can shift itself). Is a true automatic defined by having a torque converter rather than a clutch? Round and round... Ugh. Lossless auto, well put.

[mkoesel]

Originally Posted by E90ice

Whats the difference between SMG and the Paddles on a 335 for example?

They both seem to work the same.

Here's the "geek" answer:

SMG stands for Sequential Manual Gearbox. So it is a transmission. A manual transmission at that - and to be specific - one that only shifts sequentially. That is to say, gear changes occur up one gear or down one gear at a time. So to go from fourth gear to second gear, for example requires two operations: fourth to third, third to second. In addition, the simplicity that results from this sequential property of the gearbox, allows us to equip it with electrohydraulic mechanism that will operate the clutch automatically at the time of shifting. This greatly simplifies the shift process for the operator as well as allowing faster shifts (at least in theory).

Paddles are simply a human interface to a transmission. They can be used in tandem with either a manual transmission (specifically, a manual transmission like the one described above) or an automatic transmission. They allow you to shift gears without removing your hands from the steering wheel, thereby allowing better control of the car overall (at least in theory).

[stressdoc]

The practical difference: The new step with paddles on the 335 ZSP is easy to live with. It shifts seemlessly and effortlessly. An SMG is jerky in auto mode. Fine for the track, but not nearly as comfortable in daily driving.

[JOYRIIDE1113]

Originally Posted by stressdoc

The practical difference: The new step with paddles on the 335 ZSP is easy to live with. It shifts seemlessly and effortlessly. An SMG is jerky in auto mode. Fine for the track, but not nearly as comfortable in daily driving.

My neighbor has an M5 that I finally got a chance to drive this weekend, purposely to try out an SMG transmission. When we drove to the near by parking lot (he drove), it was a very smooth ride with him shifting, but when I drove it, it became very jerky. Just like driving an unfamiliar manual transmission car, it needs getting sued to, but after the first 1000 miles, shifts should become smooth with experience.

SMG is a godsend to me. I rarely drive manual cars, so my experience is minimal. All my cars have always been autos, and now after seeing SMG's it seems like a no brainer. No manual transmission can shift faster than an SMG. Simply not possible. On top of that, incase in traffic, you have the choice to put it into auto mode and not worry about shifting up or down.