BMW Adds Manual Option to M5

M5 Photos

Now that the M5 is being offered with a true manual transmission, its one step closer to perfection. (Photo: BMW)

SMG III will remain a no-cost option. (Photo: BMW)

No loss in power for the manual version, which means this will be the exclusive view for many vehicles. (Photo: BMW)

Now, if only they could make the rest of the car less complicated... (Photo: BMW)

6-Spd Manual Only Available in North America

The BMW SMG III gearbox found in the M5 sedan and M6 Coupe and Convertible is one of the most advanced gearboxes on the face of the planet. In fact, if it werent for Volkswagens DSG (and Audis S-Tronic) it would indeed be the pinnacle of cog-swapping devices for production automobiles. Though a number of different manufacturers - Porsche included - have attempted to develop a twin-clutch system of their own, BMW is determined to stick with its sequential shift gearbox, and has upgraded it from the impressive second-generation unit, which was available as an option on the M3. The M5s transmission has seven gears, and is capable of performing upshifts 20-percent faster than the M3.

One of the main complaints that consumers had with the SMG II gearbox was that it was too choppy when changing gears. With SMG III, the main complaint is that the system is just too complicated. BMWs new “Drivelogic” gearbox program, offers 11 adjustable settings; 6 for automatic mode, 5 for manual mode, and an additional setting to prep the car for a drag-style launch like a Ferrari or Lamborghini. Talk about complicated! It allows the M5 to have ultra-quick but choppy gearchanges when the driver wants to embarrass Porsche 911s, but is also capable of slowing the gear changes down for a smoother ride.

Then there are the electronic aids to contend with. Its 16-bit microprocessor is in charge of the gearboxs safety protection systems that stop any downshift that would cause damage by over-revving; it also puts the car into first gear when stopped for easy start-ups. Then theres the 2nd-gear startup in D1 for slippery conditions, Hill Detection, which senses whether the car is on a hill to optimize up and downshifts, Start-Off Assist which automatically holds the brake pedal to prevent the car from rolling back when starting on a steep incline, and Slip Control which disengages the clutch when downshifting on a slippery surface as to not upset the balance of the car when cornering, also come as part of the SMG III package.

For some buyers, the SMG III gearbox is perfect, providing the best of the automatic and manual worlds; however, others view it as the M5s biggest flaw, as BMW insisted on making it standard fare for the M5. After continual complaints from critics, particularly those in North America, BMW has introduced a six-speed manual gearbox (with a foot-clutch) as a no-cost option for the North American market only, for model-year 2007. As with the previous generation M5, the shifter gates and the M-logo on the shift knob are backlit. Since BMW has not made a manual gearbox for a V10-powered car before, it built the six-speed gearbox off the one used in the old M5, but has upgraded it to deal with the extra horsepower and torque. The manual gearbox will only be offered on the M5, not on the M6.

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