Re-evaluating BMW's SMG Transmission in 2023
I recently spent a weekend driving a BMW E46 M3 (yes, again), but this time it was a little different: this one was equipped the oft-derided, frequently mocked, resale-value-poisoning Sequential Manual Gearbox (SMG).
A slow-shifting paddle-shift gearbox with Pentium-age processing power must be even worse to drive today... right? Or maybe it's a revelation: an electro-hydraulic gem of analog wizardry, perfectly-matched to the M3's raspy inline-six.
You can read my in-depth impressions over on FCP Euro:
Rediscovering The BMW SMG Transmission: A Hidden Gem or Obsolete Relic?
Thanks for your insight and appreciate the comment! It’s definitely a unique gearbox, and I’m glad to have had the experience with it.
I enjoyed your article about SMG transmissions! Believe it or not, BMW put them in regular 325i’s. Not sure how many but I know of one 2004 model. My now wife had it when we started dating. When I first rode it in she was flicking the shifter constantly. I wondered, what the hell?? As I got to know her and the car ( l did a lot of work on that needy thing) I actually liked it. Once I realized you have to drive it like you would a 3 pedal manual the experience improved. We rarely drove it in auto mode because of the jerkiness. On hills I would hold the brake with my left foot to give it time to let the clutch out. At about 150k miles the engine started drinking oil so we ditched it.