Quote:
Originally Posted by kyrix1st
Based on the street logic, it would make more sense to get a Mercedes C63 if I wanted a slush auto RWD; it would ride better and have better interior. Funny enough, the AMG 9-speed's manual shifts are much crispier and quicker than any iteration of ZF8 on the market. I don't care about tranny for AWD models because I will never buy AWD M3 so they can put whatever slush box they want. 
But if BMW thinks it could get away with ZF8 because most customers don't have sufficient technical knowledge to understand the difference, they are gravely mistaken. Anyone who's used a paddle shifter will immediately feel the much slower response and numb engagement of ZF vs. DCT.
BMW M's core strengths were that it felt like a supercar/racecar at times at less than a third of the price, and these cars are not just about the speed. There are plenty cars faster than F40 but people don't necessarily rate them higher than the Ferrari. It's the exotic experience that separates the great from the good.
Plain speed is boring. |
I test-drove a 2019 AMG C63S recently. The improved "multi-clutch" 9-speed (MY2019 onwards) was actually not too bad to drive. Paddle response for downshifts was much better than I expected, and a *lot* better than the new X3M. Also, the paddles themselves were made of metal not plastic and felt like they were there to be used.
My biggest problem with the C63S was that the red-line was quite low and with a 9-speed transmission the ratios were very short. You *really* had to be on the ball to drive it well in manual mode. I kept hitting the rev limiter which I found very harsh and intrusive.
Another thing that made a huge difference was being able to hear the engine revs clearly (with the exhaust in sport mode). Makes it much easier to time downshifts, know exactly when a shift happens, and to keep track of gears. Not to mention, very satisfying as a driver. In contrast, the X3M Comp I drove was very muffled, and forced me to look at the dashboard all the time to check gears and revs.