Would You Buy An Automatic Z06?

[Dr.Electron]

Hey how 'bout a three pedaler, with a stick and paddles on the wheel. Shift modes much like we now do for active handling. That way everybody could be happy. As for me, i love to shift too, but I realize the paddles would be much quicker than me and the blips would be more precise. Keeping the car settled during down-shifts and allowing sharper focus on steering and braking would be fine with me. At the speeds and G loads F1'ers go thru I can see why they went to them; their world makes ours look like pre school. Even after heel and toeing for 8 years, I don't get it perfect every time. My 2 cents.

Dr. E.

[GalaxyEng]

SMG- yes
slushbox-no

Although an auto drag racing package with a set of 4:10s would be pretty for those who are into the 1/4 mile

[z62jag]

Although I am with the majority (I think) in beliving that a sports car is just not a sports car without a manual shifter. Who would put a 2 speed powerglide in a vette?

I remember back in the 60's - when 4-speeds were king - that B&M had a slick turbo automatic that could shift faster than I could - but it wasn't very practical on the street - what with a 3000 rpm stall speed launch from every stop light?

That having been said, there are a couple of automatics out today that offer complete driver shift control and the ability to more easily move in stop and go traffic. If an F1-type automatic were offered in the next vette I would certainly consider getting it.

[CrazedZ06]

Originally posted by JBsZ06
Hell..even though I didn't vote yet..I got to say..I'd pay 4 grand more just to get the option of a SMG II BMW sequential shifter..

This sequential shifter shit is just like an automatic transmission hence your statement:

Originally posted by JBsZ06
This SMG technology does it everytime.. its just consistant perfection....

End the denial... if you want a sequential shifter, you want an automatic. (Neither of which belong in a Z06)

[BigT]

You guys DO KNOW that the F1 cars are now (basically) FULLY automatics.....I think the only thing the driver does have control over is the downsifts. BMW knows that they will sell *more* cars with SMG and they have made no secret that the standard shifter is on its way out.. they will soon offer SMG on ALL of their cars. I read somewhere that SMG style trans are actually easier on the drivetrain....thus fewer warranty claims. Face it, SMG style trans are the way of the very near future.

[CrazedZ06]

Some F1 teams also have traction control...I'm not sure if it's entirely legal YET- I heard it's hard to police so I think the sentiment is to just allow the friggin' thing.

Regardless, these cars can pull something like 6G's cornering- if Chevy can make the Vette do that then maybe an SMG style tranny would be more tolerable to accept- I wonder what an f'd up downshift in a turn when pulling 6G's would be like? Hmmm......

[whichc5]

Take a look at this review of a 2002 bmw m3-smg vs manual. I don't know if the shift program was enhanced for 2003, but it is a good analysis.... http://www.europeancarweb.com/tech/0212ec_bmwtech/

[Vinnie]

I have driven my friends 02 M3 with the SMG, and I was not impressed. The shifts are jerkey and the launch control is nothing more than a gimmic. It's like holding your foot on the brake of an automatic Vette, bringing the rpm's up to 2800 and releasing the brake. Since the car has traction control the tires will not spin.

I think the Tiptronic system in the Porsches is a better system, the car I drove a 2001 Carrera would bark the tires when it shifted and would not jerk you forward. And when you got tired of the fun you could drive it in auto mode.

[JBsZ06]

Porsches new high performance stick shift sequeintial transmission..with Dual clutches vs. BMW's single clutch unit.

That perfection in performance(read as shifting even faster than 80 milliseconds) should even exceed BMW's SMG II ..(smoother too)

Consider it.

There will always be a standard shift for corvette buyers to choose from.

JB

[ZO6 DUST]

Originally posted by JBsZ06
Hell..even though I didn't vote yet..I got to say..I'd pay 4 grand more just to get the option of a SMG II BMW sequential shifter..


Real sports car drivers don't want that stuff..
Blah..blah..blah...That sh-t is awesome perfection and if the C6 high performance version comes out with this..I'll be lining up for one..

If GM offered this standard technology ..on the C5..I'd be happier than a pig in Sh-t!

80 millisecond shifts..Who the hell here can do that?

This SMG technology does it everytime.. its just consistant perfection....

So if your quesiton is about a torque convertor automatic Z06..would I buy one.? Never..

But Sequential shifter technology like BMW's M3 ..in a heartbeat..

Not so fast...spend some times on www.roadyfly.com, SMG, although a step in technology, is far from perfection. M3's are blowing engines at the track with less than 5K miles. Here in Houston, they probably have 17 on the rack at Momentum.

[JBsZ06]

The address you listed comes up as dead..if you could fix the link that would be great..I'd like to check it out .

SMG II is cool..whats hitting the streets next year on the Audi TT with the dual clutch combo is a precursor to the Porsche Sequential trannys'..could be even better..

I really personally believe this is the wave of the future for sports cars..

Thanks for the heads up..and I look foward to the new link.

JB

[JBsZ06]

Just posted over at www.bimmerfest.com and asked for the scoop...according to them..its not the SMG II thats causing the engine to blow..

Heres a reply I got..

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Originally posted by JBsC5
Has the SMG II technology been responsible for blowing the engine in M3's?

I'm a big proponent of Sequential shift technology and one of the guys on the Corvette boards is saying that www.roadfly.com or something is stating SMG II is causing engines to blow up..

Is this true or is there a different cause?

Thanks.

Just looking for the straight scoop on this.

I think SMG II rules...

-----------------------------------------Heres the reply.....



no, the problem is with the engines themselves. SMG II has nothing to do with the failures. It's the same tranny as the manual, with some software and hydraulic-type stuff added on to get it to work.

[JBsZ06]

Heres some more insight as to whats happening to a few M3's:

Unrelated to SMG technology ..

People needs to be edumacated about the M3 engine failures...

Technically, none of the M3 failures were blow ups. There are several pistons that got loose and shot through the engine block because of the spun bearings on the #3 cylinder, and one spectacular failure on the track resulting in the engine dumping oil all over itself and looking like it "blew up". The main symptom of the M3 engine "failure" is a ticking noise at higher RPMs followed by increasing loudness of the tick and ultimately either a loss of power or complete failure of the engine.

What happened there, if it indeed is a radiator/water pump failure (hear that Eric5150?), should take no more than $1,000 to fix and will be taken care of under warranty.

[ZOra6]

NO!!

But a paddle shifter might be cool, as long as you have complete control.

[Mark Olson]

SMG and at $2500. maybe? But right now you can have an Extrac sequential box $15,000. or a Dog ring gear set. $5,000+ but the noise will kill you ears in road use.