Squizz

Guys,

I drove an M3 on Saturday at Rockingham and frankly wasn't impressed at all !

More understeer than I imagined, more body roll, less power and a horrendous quality gearshift using the SMG system.

Admittedly, all the DSCD, ESP, ABS, MILF ( ) stuff was turned on and that's probably what made the car feel sluggish and underpowered in my eyes.

Mr. Felstead informs me the SMG has a switchable mode, so the shift quality can be slow or very fast, and that I was proably using it at the lowest setting. Quite frankly the upshifts were painful at times, not unlike whiplash effect. The box also wouldn't change down into second for a hairpin until I was almost at a dead stop - Was I supposed to blip the throttle???

Anyone own one? Frankly I still think it's an expensive way of ruining a nice car.

Squizz.

UKType

If you just started it up and didnt adjust it then you would be in Automatic mode until you used the flippers on the steering wheel. Once you used the flippers then you would be in S3 mode which gives pretty slow changes. I always drive my CSL in S5 mode which gives you the fastest changes. To get used to SMG you really need to drive it for several hours and once you have got used to it you wont want to go back. Looking forward to the SMGIII in the new M5 which has 7 gears!!

Steve PPP

Borrowed a M3 CSL for 1 day from local dealer.
What an awesome car (Bear in mind I have STi7 PPP + PHP!)!
The gearbox (SMG) was one of the most impressive parts of the car.
I expected not to like it after many negative comments in Autocar and the like, but it was fantastic. :-))

In auto mode the changes were slightly jerky, but they ease out with practice. I drove it for half a day like this and thought it was great. Then I decided to try it in full manual using the paddle shifters. WOW it was like a rocket ship, instant upchanges, like watching the WRC cars and their sequential boxes.

I really want one now, it was that impressive.

Steve W

John STI 8

I can't speak for the SMG because I haven't tried one of those, but have driven several manual M3's. They understeer a little, but you can get over that by trailbraking (sp?), I think they're awesome cars, super fast, 161mph restricted (171 on the clock), and pretty refined too. J

SJJ84

Yes the SMG gearbox has a button to adjust the gear changes. Also it has a 'sports' button, so if you've just got in the car and started it up and haven't pressed this button, the car does feel a little sluggish. It's designed to be driven on the road safely with all the electrical gubbins turned on, if you're on the track turn them off and it'll be a different car.

Squizz

Humph - In which case, I'm glad i didn't pay for the experience... The instructor had contol of all the settings, and I was just allowed to change gear and drive.

Others on the same experience weren't even allowed to change gear, and had to drive around in auto-mode.

Shame, really.

DazV

SMG2 is fantastic!! Software has improved greatly since the first e46 SMG2 equipped cars. The latest ones (03 onwards) are brilliant.

As someone has pointed out, its got 2 main modes

1) Auto - acts like an automatic car
2) Manual - paddle or stick shift with a slider to set the aggression of the change

You have to fully explore this, and find the setting thats right for you.

Ballistic

SMG2 is what made me buy one.
I thought it was great and it allows you to concentrate more on steering/braking when approaching a corner.
If you time the downshift right it will give a nice throttle blip replicating a heel & toe downshift.
S5 can be a bit violent if you keep the throttle planted, I found it best to just lift slightly, then it feels pretty smooth.
I've been told the SMG software on the CSL is even faster.