Jan. 16, 2007

“With the six-speed [manual], you become more confident that you can sort out this bastard” than with SMG, says Automobile magazine of the BMW M5.
BMW’s M5 “is slower and even clumsier with a conventional six-speed manual gearbox and a clutch pedal” than with the standard seven-speed sequential manual gearbox (SMG), says Automobile magazine (February 2007). “But the six-speed M5 is also better to drive in almost every way.”

Gerhard Richter, development chief of the BMW M division, says BMW added the six-speed because American customers complained about the clunky nature of the standard SMG. But if you order the M5 with the six-speed, BMW removes the ability to fully disengage traction control. So there.


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