aznb128

well its me agian, um i was just wondering whats the time on a stock sc4 on a 1/4 mile?, and is it a disadvantage for it to be a automatic, since i always wanted a stick, but the sc4 was just too hard to pass up

DIrEctQL

I belive it varies on different years of the SC400. It is always a disadvantige for an automatic unless it's a build automatic tranny. For example, getting something like a torque convertor and a shift kit will improve the 1/4 mile times substantly. Also, for example, in a Supra, usual drivetrain power loss in an automatic is around 20% and in manual 15%.

lex400sc

The white paper quarter mile for the SC400 is 15.2 for the pre-98s and 14.7 for the 98+. Expect to be getting closer to 15.7 if you have an older model with high mileage. Autos are inferior to manuals, especially the smooth, lossy SC400's. I heard the new E46 M3 has a clutchless manual?? It shifts just as fast as a convention stick-shifter without having to manually disengage the clutch. Cool!

supercoupes

lex400sc,

I think your talking about BMW's SMG transmission. That's a sequential transmission, so you don't shift it like a standard stickshift. You just use the stick or the paddles on the steering wheel to shift up or down one by one. The difference to a shiftronic auto transmission is that there is a clutch which is operated electronically.

Have test driven a M3 with the SMG and wasn't really impressed. It's not very smooth but also not very fast. Takes approx. 0.7 seconds to change the gear, which is kind of slow for a sequential transmission.

Lexgendboi

iTrader: (1)

Cool...thanks for the info. I knew about the BMW SMG through the magazine and thought that it would be really fast, but well....I guess nothing(i think) beat the old shifting stick. Not even the tiptronic from the Audi, hey...they didn't put it in the S4 right??? Thank god...

supercoupes

Audi's tiptronic is just an automatic tranny with e-shift. Nothing spectacular about it at all. I like the (newer) Audi's logic built into the ECU though ... they manage to hold RPM when braking for and going through a corner. It even downshifts automatically when going downhill.
Don't know if the newer Lexus have that as well, but I would sure like to have that in my SC.

kschiu

I drove the SMG M3 and find that to be amazingly fast. The drive programs that is in the ECU is amazing. I use the more aggresive S5 shift map and it is just amazing. I drove the standard 6 speed and found the SMG faster in most respect.

supercoupes

Hehe ... I guess it all depends on how good your shifts are (j/k).
Sure, it is neat compared to a shiftronic or e-shift. But for a sequential tranny, .7 secs IS actually quite slow. But obviously, it's still a lot faster than your average, day to day shift.

Lex Luthor

And how did you calculate the .7 sec it took to shift?

supercoupes

I didn't caculate than No. Read it in a magazine, and it's also BMW's official figure.
The mag measured it from the moment the clutch deengages until the next gear is selected and the clutch is fully reengaged again.

supercoupes

Just checked the # again at BMW, and they now have what they call 'SMG Drivelogic', obviously SMG V2. They now claim that the fastest gear change only takes 0.08secs :eek: :eek:

Now if that's true it's VERY fast. Don't know since when they have it, but I know that the M3 I drove had the original SMG with the 'slow' shifts.

kschiu

Frankly, speaking my shift and foot work are not particular specticular. However, at least 3 driving schools instructors have the SMG equipped M3 faster around the track than the manual. May be that SMG M3 is in a better tune. For me it is hard to beat the SMG at least not consistently. I did not time the shift, but it feels instantaneous with no lag at all. Their launch control is even harder to beat. Yes, it takes away part of the fun but it do give you the best launch time.