German Car Zone

Hmm…To be honest I’m actually kind of confused and don’t really understand much that is going on. I can only guess they have something else in store for the SL, perhaps in a year or so? I’m certain that if something special does indeed arrive it will not be the rumored turboed V8 (M157); which was later rumored to be canned due to the high costs of the new design.

Here’s what I’m hoping. If you take a look at the M5 I think it is pretty clear how much of an impact a transmission can make. Of course Mercs’ new 7G-Tronic is a fine transmission in a S550, but if you want to get the best out of your AMG performance engine you’re going to need a performance transmission to compliment it rather then bottleneck it. A modern clutched semi-manual is the one and only way to go these days, and they are not the clunky jerky things they used to be. So I only hope this is what’s holding Merc up with the SL.

Just curious, anyone have any weight numbers on the M5’s SMG and Speedshift 7G-tronic? I’ve always been told manuals were considerably lighter then autos.

I'm getting the vibe that Martin was being friendly - strange as it may seem. If at least in Australia, you might refer to your enemy as "a bad sort", but you might call your good friend a "bloody bastard"

The internet loses most nonverbal language, meaning that things you would otherwise have seen in body language, like winking or a smile, or in the actual tone of voice, are lost. Emoticons are only a partially effective solution..

Anyhow, I believe the 7G-Tronic is a normal torque convertor automatic that happens to have seven gears. You can control its gears simply as with any other modern auto - by using the paddles to tell a computer what to do, which will process your commands etc. etc.; whereas the SMG is a true sequential manual gearbox, with (roboticised) clutch. I guess you still have to go through a computer to control the gears though.

Bum-man, I thought that manual trannies would be lighter because of them having fewer components, mainly. The BMW SMG is hydraulically actuated, IIRC? So there's added weight compared to conventional manuals, already. Apparently the ZF and Aisin 6-speed autos are lighter and smaller than existing 5-speed autos due to the gearset they use, which has less gears; but I don't imagine it would be easy to find information on the gearboxes alone for those cars.

Anyhow, I believe the 7G-Tronic is a normal torque convertor automatic that happens to have seven gears. You can control its gears simply as with any other modern auto - by using the paddles to tell a computer what to do, which will process your commands etc. etc.; whereas the SMG is a true sequential manual gearbox, with (roboticised) clutch. I guess you still have to go through a computer to control the gears though.

This is correct. Mercedes doesn't yet have a true SMG/DSG type gearbox.

The 7G-Tronic is just the best automatic tranny going IMO, but it is just that an automatic.

M

Martin always put a smiley if he isnt serious. I didnt see one this time, so it sounded very harsh to me. Sometimes I have trouble to understand when he means business or not. Martin and me usually get along with each other but I didnt feel it this time. This sounded very serious to me. If he dont tell me otherwise, then I unfortunaly feeling some bad vibes here.

He'll tell you otherwise, be sure, but in "Mr. Boruvka's way"...

you mean, with words my dictionary cant translate

Lol, no, he didn't mean harsh and he'll explain you that in his own way.

I'll answer my own question...they are retarded...however this car still looks stellar and IMO the best Mercedes made