Liking 8 Speeds

So i'm driving home this evening in my S2000 6 spd MT red lines at 8,000 and noticed that at 35 mph it's turning 2,000 rpm in 6th top gear.

Still breaking in the new 535i so nothing over 4,500 but the 8 spd AT is really sweet, always poised in the right gear to leap ahead on command. Loafing at 2,000 rpm doing 80 mph down the freeway. I could do 160 mph (not on the public road!) and turn only 4,000 rpm? This car is amazing!

Originally Posted by laser

So i'm driving home this evening in my S2000 6 spd MT red lines at 8,000 and noticed that at 35 mph it's turning 2,000 rpm in 6th top gear.

Still breaking in the new 535i so nothing over 4,500 but the 8 spd AT is really sweet, always poised in the right gear to leap ahead on command. Loafing at 2,000 rpm doing 80 mph down the freeway. I could do 160 mph (not on the public road!) and turn only 4,000 rpm? This car is amazing!

+1, definitely an oddly satisfying sensation cruising at 35mph @sub 2k rpm.

Made possible by the gobs of torque available at low RPM.

Yeah, I'm coming from 2 6MT 3 series to my 535i AT. It's a very smooth transmission and especially in DS mode, always ready to go. I think in regular "D" mode they let the rpms drop a little lower than I'd like, around 1K at times, and there is just the slightest lugging or un-smoothness of the engine before it downshifts when driving gently. I would say after 5 weeks, that is about the only thing that I find a little annoying. I just hit 1200 miles so I can start pushing a bit more to hear some growl of the engine -- sounds (and feels) good!

Yes the engine does "growl" like my first 2002 330i ...... not the "Singer Sewing Machine" silent smoothness of the 2008 535i.

Funny how little things leave such an impression but the sound of that first drive in the 330i kind of set the tone for the whole car experience which continues today as my daughter is still driving that car.

Mark, I notice the "lugging" you described as the engine drops to around 1200 rpm if you have been coasting but it quickly downshifts with just the slightest pressure on the foot feed - I've only got 600 miles on the new one so haven't floored and red lined it just yet (well maybe just once!)

Originally Posted by laser

Mark, I notice the "lugging" you described as the engine drops to around 1200 rpm if you have been coasting but it quickly downshifts with just the slightest pressure on the foot feed - I've only got 600 miles on the new one so haven't floored and red lined it just yet (well maybe just once!)

Well, I've had it up to about 5000 once before the break-in was done. I take an on-ramp from one highway to another on my drive to work and decided to "push it" one morning. Wow, it did the advertised multi-gear downshift (multiple clutches in AT) and it was a really clean shift and it took off. I'm used to the torque coming from a 335i but the 535i power delivery is just super smooth and seamless. I actually like it in "D" when starting off briskly, the shifts through the first 5 gears is awesome.

my 550 is a true gas guzzler, and im not even pushing it. got 750 miles and 3 tanks of gas.

Originally Posted by Kamdog

Made possible by the gobs of torque available at low RPM.

Haing been made a true believer by my current "d" I'm waiting for the F10 diesel to arrive...which is supposed to happen next summer.Assuming it sports the same engine as mine (425 ft lbs torque...6AT) and the 8AT it should run at about 1400-1500 rpm at 65mph...vs the 1700 my 3 Series does.

Originally Posted by grizzles

my 550 is a true gas guzzler, and im not even pushing it. got 750 miles and 3 tanks of gas.

Just got back from a weekend trip down to the Shenandoah valley, along with a cruise on the Skyline Drive.

Round trip was a bit under 800 miles, and I averaged 30.8 mpg. True, we were just cruising the whole time, keeping it no faster than 10 above the speed limit. Still, the thing just sipped the gas.

Originally Posted by grizzles

my 550 is a true gas guzzler, and im not even pushing it. got 750 miles and 3 tanks of gas.

I was down in VA wine country, only did about 200mi, but couldn't get much better then 22mpg (that included some cruise control use). So far have been averaging below 20 mp, but the acceleration is awesome!