[JST]

No, I haven't driven one, but Car magazine has. The SSG is now offered on European production non-M E46s, and I know many people have been clamoring for it to be offered over here. This may quell some of those longings...


"The SSG gearbox is a terrible thing to do to such a well balanced car, though. Like so many of its ilk, it's a toy, a gimmick. I loved it for a while and then would simply have preferred a straight-up autobox or the brilliant manual to exploit more of the chassis' divine balance. These gearboxes just aren't as natural as a manual or as comforting as a good auto with Steptronic-yet. They get so close and yet miss by so very much, even if they do have an auto option. Don't bother; the 330Ci delivers so much that it's a pity to castrate it with a below-par cog-shifter." Ford, Tom, Dinky Toys, Car, p. 154 (August 2002).


Ugh. I'll keep my third pedal, thanks.

 

[AF]

I hope that BMW understands that a manual must stay !!!

I really hope they consider this an alternative for the Automatic once they perfect it.

 

[johnlew]

Friend just picked up an M3 with SMG today in another city. Looking forward to hearing his impressions. I'll know tomorrow.

 

[Kaz]

IIRC SMGII is made by Sachs but SSG is from Magneti Marelli (who supplies everyone else) so probably aren't exactly comparable.

 

[nate]

The SMG in the non-Ms is very different. It even uses different paddle shapes and motions. Not the same.

SMG II is loved by many

 

[Mr Paddle.Shift]

Well, BMW CAR and Total BMW magazines have both reviewed the SSG system a long while back and gave very favourable reviews. On top of that, Total BMW covered a very good technical aspect of the SSG system that to-date, no other magazines have covered. Not so because they are BMW related magazines, but that given the choices in the market. Jag, Toyota or even Mitsubishi Evo VII all have steering wheel mounted gear shifting. But none made it like SSG.

Also, I prefer the SSG paddles over the SMG paddles now. Simply because the former has a better design that sweeps cohesively behind the steering wheel. Your fingers can catch the SSG paddles at a better grip than SMG paddles. Best of all, your right hand maybe busy with the airconditioning controls, but you still can up/down shift with your right hand.

 

[·clyde·]

Best of all, your right hand maybe busy with the airconditioning controls, but you still can up/down shift with your right hand.

Yeah, it's like that time when I bumped the limiter because my right hand was so busy with the HVAC controls that it couldn't be bothered to move my old fashioned shifter. Man, I really hate it when that happens!

 

[cenotaph]

Yeah, it's like that time when I bumped the limiter because my right hand was so busy with the HVAC controls that it couldn't be bothered to move my old fashioned shifter. Man, I really hate it when that happens!

Dude, he drives and auto. What did you expect? :lmao:

 

[sechscylinder]

The european 330 and 325 has SMG, according to the BMW website, not SSG.

 

[TD]

The european 330 and 325 has SMG, according to the BMW website, not SSG.

Technically, the M3's SMG is SMG II. Originally, the non-M system awas to be called SSG but //Marketing decided to rename it simply SMG to draw on the publicity the M3's system receives.

So SSG=SMG (not-II). But since everyone calls the M3's system SMG (without including the II), using SSG to refer to the non-M system is actually clearer.

 

[Kaz]

The european 330 and 325 has SMG, according to the BMW website, not SSG.

BMW renamed SSG early in its life, but it is still a different physical product from the M3's SMGII

 

[Mr Paddle.Shift]

Hmm...a quick check on my ETK reviews that SMG I refers to the system that was available on E36 M3. Ok...this is getting confusing...

 

[Kaz]

Hmm...a quick check on my ETK reviews that SMG I refers to the system that was available on E36 M3. Ok...this is getting confusing...

SMG (I) = Euro E36M3 (dunno who made it)
SMG = ex-SSG = Euro E46 non-M by Magneti Marelli
SMG II = E46M3 by Sachs

 

[Mr. The Edge]

and I believe the general consensus was that the SMG on the E36M3 was crap as well.

 

[Rufus330Ci]

What they need to have is manual/SMG.

Have the stick have its nice 1-6 pattern, then have an option to switch it to paddle shifting w/o clutch, and then finally have a full blown step system that you can use 3rd and 4th as upshift/downshift.

Maybe 10 years........

And then 20 years beyond that have manual/SMG/automatic ;O)
yeah right :bigpimp:

 

[sechscylinder]

And it would be at least 30 years before we ever saw it in the US! :banghead:

 

[johnlew]

What they need to have is manual/SMG.

Have the stick have its nice 1-6 pattern, then have an option to switch it to paddle shifting w/o clutch, and then finally have a full blown step system that you can use 3rd and 4th as upshift/downshift.

Friend just got an M3 with SMG yesterday. It has two auto modes which will do all the shifting automatically thru all six gears. Then there are four manual modes, for degree of aggressiveness, which can be used either with the paddles on the wheel or the stick on the console. There is no clutch pedal, it's an electronic clutch. To park the car, stick is put in Reverse and parking brake pulled. So you can have a stick manual, just no pedal clutch.

 

[Kaz]

What they need to have is manual/SMG.

Have the stick have its nice 1-6 pattern, then have an option to switch it to paddle shifting w/o clutch, and then finally have a full blown step system that you can use 3rd and 4th as upshift/downshift.

Maybe 10 years........

And then 20 years beyond that have manual/SMG/automatic ;O)
yeah right :bigpimp:

A good idea, IMO but it would require the stick to be 'shift-by-wire' and the hardcore stick drivers won't want it anyways.

 

[johnlew]

A good idea, IMO but it would require the stick to be 'shift-by-wire' and the hardcore stick drivers won't want it anyways.

It is stick by wire and the advantage is not having to take your foot off the gas for upshifting or downshifting.

 

[Rufus330Ci]

That would be the way to go though. If you could have regular old clutch with the stick, then complete automatic, with paddles on the side for extra :bigpimp: