The latest generation sequential gearbox on the M3 features technology from the BMW Williams F1 transmission, including 11 separate selection programmes and F1-style launch control.
BMW has introduced the second generation of its sequential “M” gearbox, based on Williams F1 transmission technology, on the M3.
The SMG II gearbox features 11 separate programmes, which can be operated by two paddles behind the steering wheel, or alternatively by the traditional gear selector – or by both.
Otherwise the car can also be driven in self-selecting mode where the gear changes take place automatically. The SMG II option costs the equivalent of R28 800 in the UK and BMW anticipates that at least 50 per cent of customers will opt for the smart transmission.
According to Autowired, BMW was the first manufacturer to offer a clutchless manual (sequential) gearbox on a road car in 1996. SMG II, the latest system on the new M3, offers a significant leap forward from the system first used on the previous generation M3.
Declutching and gear shifting is carried out electro-hydraulically following computations made by the engine management system and a new transmission control unit.
The fastest gear changes take place in 80-milliseconds. Other similarities to the cockpit of a Formula 1 car include shift lights in the tachometer, which light up to indicate the optimum shift point.
A system unique to the M3 is “acceleration assistant”, which allows the driver to use the maximum possible acceleration from a standing start – rather like launch control in an F1 car.
An additional, practical function of the SMG is the “climbing assistant”, which ensures that the car will pull away on slopes without rolling backwards. This system can be used in both automatic and sequential mode.