Le Chef

The next generation BMW M5 will only be available with SMG, as may the next M3. Ferrari sells more cars with the F1 gearbox than with traditional stick. Aston Martin does the same.

If Porsche had their version of the DSG gearbox available at launch how many of you would have ordered it and why would you have ordered it over the traditional stick?

CO997

MY wife has the SMG in her BMW, while it is fun to drive I still MUCH prefer a good old manual with the 3rd pedal. It just feels more natural to me. I imagine if you live in traffic it's easier to live the SMG ,but then, if you are always in traffic how can you really enjoy the car??

Tse-Tse

One of the most prevalent reasons I am skipping the new M5 and buying a Porsche is the lack of stick. Of course, I cannot shift as fast as an SMG - but I don't care. I like to be part of the action; I like to play. A four door would have been nice - but I think I will have a great time with the Turbo "S".

JS

At the present time, stick.

Truble10

I think the anwser depends on your driving style, how and where the car will be driven. I will only have a stick for my sports car - 02 996 TT but this is not my daily driver. I have a Cayenne TT for my daily and love the Tip. I would go nuts driving a stick in our Scottsdale traffic daily. So for me the answer is both.

graham_mitchell

I will definitely go for DSG. It almost completely eliminates gear-change times, which is more significant than people might think. It also prevents a 'dollar shift', which means I could actually trust a girlfriend to drive it

I probably will miss the manual clutch and gear shift, but one day I'd like to get something like a 356 as a fun second car which is all about getting back to basics, rather than performance.

designman

SMG is useless on the street. You get the edge on the track but only if you are a top driver to begin with. Also, try shifting with paddle shifters in the hairpins… like throwing darts at a moving board.

The third pedal makes the driver part of the drive train. Some people choose motorboats, others appreciate the sophistication and connection to nature with wind and sail. That’s the three pedal car.

Ferraris with “F1 gearbox”? When was the last time you saw a Ferrari even close to digging in on the street? Furthermore the Ferraris with stick maintain their value better.

SMG and such are automatic transmissions. No thanks, not in a sports car.

nyca

the DSG is badly needed on this car, I don't think the Tip cars will sell that well - the Tip is a dinosaur, and for $3400, its not worth it.

djantlive

No stick for me. Don't really like the hassle and I drive better with an auto. There will always be those that want a stick, even if a computer can shift faster and you can control the gear. I didn't grow up driving a stick and probly will never be. However, I won't be changing my clutch every few years and having synchro issues.

fahren affair

It also prevents a 'dollar shift', which means I could actually trust a girlfriend to drive it



i'd take a semi-auto 'box if it were available. no more missed shifts, worn clutches, heel-toe down****fs, etc, etc. with dsg, you loose far less revs between shifts and can exploit the available powerband to the fullest...why wouldn't you want that? you can concentrate more in using your newfound speed in putting together a faster lap--if thats not increased driver involvement, then what is.

raclaims

No doubt about it...I would only get a stick.

j09333

Before I got exposed to stick, I never knew i would love it.

Now, whatever car I would own for fast sport driving, I will go for stick even if it means I lose time over computer shifting.

For me, it is a matter of how my car will react upon my effort of input and only stick will give the direct feeling of this.

I just love when my car appreciate if I do the 'right' down shifting and up shifting.

No matter how many mode SMG shift offer, with your foot, you can have 356 and more shift mode for yourself per year.

M3 with SMG...big no no....trust me I had M3 with SMG before my stick 993

graham_mitchell

I think DSG is quite an improvement over SMG, but time will tell

Carlos from Spain

I enjoy operating the clutch in sporty driving, bypassing that may make me marginally faster or make it more confortable, but for me... stick.

Moogle

the SMG2 tranny, as featured in the M3, is an awesome thing. it is VERY close to a manual in terms of driver involvement, and is actually faster to shift.

that said, personally i would still take a manual in a pure sports car like the GT3, and perhaps the DSG/SMG in a GT style car.

as for the person who said the SMG isnt that good, i see you have a 325, the SMG in that is quite different (much simpler and older) than the one in the E46 M3s.