Compare Corvette AT with BMW Steptronic?

[Rubber Ducky]

Anyone out there who's had seat time with both the Corvette 6-speed AT and the current BMW Steptronic AT (as in E90 3-series, 535i, etc.)?

Would love to know your impressions on manual mode, shift speeds up and down, etc. I know the BMW (in a 335i 'vert) and - long an MT user - love the AT's speed and flexibility.

How does the Vette's compare? Thanks.

 

[Tuna]

Welcome to the CAC.

Never driven a BMW but I do have an '06 A6. There is a little bit of a delay between pressing the paddles and it actually shifting in the '06. It's supposed to be a lot faster in the '08 but I have not driven an '08 A6 yet - my '08 is a stick.

I find the A6 works great on an autocross run or on a road course - or twisty road. It also works great in the snow in paddle mode. As a daily driver, using one of the full auto modes is better.

 

[Rubber Ducky]

Welcome to the CAC.

Never driven a BMW but I do have an '06 A6. There is a little bit of a delay between pressing the paddles and it actually shifting in the '06. It's supposed to be a lot faster in the '08 but I have not driven an '08 A6 yet - my '08 is a stick.

I find the A6 works great on an autocross run or on a road course - or twisty road. It also works great in the snow in paddle mode. As a daily driver, using one of the full auto modes is better.

At what RPM does the C6 A/T torque converter lock up? Tks

 

[c4c5specialist]

At what RPM does the C6 A/T torque converter lock up? Tks

HI there,
TCC lock up can vary dramatically.
Fact is, engine load, temperaure and other factors decide when to engage it.
There is NO set guidelines to when it engages.
Allthebest, c4c5

 

[NORTY]

I flogged a 330I from Carlsbad to Palm Springs by taking all mountain twisty roads. The BMW auto was ok but not THAT much better/faster than anything else on the road. There is still a fair amount of "slop"(timewise) in shifting the Bimmer. The tremendous torque of the Corvette will overcome the time delay between gears in comparison to the BMW.

 

[LoyalSince72]

6AT comparison

Anyone out there who's had seat time with both the Corvette 6-speed AT and the current BMW Steptronic AT (as in E90 3-series, 535i, etc.)?

Would love to know your impressions on manual mode, shift speeds up and down, etc. I know the BMW (in a 335i 'vert) and - long an MT user - love the AT's speed and flexibility.

How does the Vette's compare? Thanks.

I currently drive an '08 Corvette with the 6AT, and have some limited left seat time in a couple of BMWs: the new 335 and 550. The paddle shifter in the new Corvette is much more responsive than the '06 and '07 (I had an '07). The downshifts are crisp and responsive (like the BMW). My biggest challenge in driving it in the paddle shift mode is that I have a Z51 with the lower rear-end gearing, and first gear is a bit too low under normal acceleration. But, the transmission compensates for this by downshifting only to 2nd when you come to a stop. If you want first, you must paddle into it. Otherwise, they seem comparable to me.

I really liked the 335 - but coming from 400ho + it just wasn't quick enough for me, so I didn't bother to drive the 535. I liked the 550, but y big complaint with the automatic had to do with the way the engine and transmission work together when starting out in full automatic mode. The car seemed jerky. Try as I might I couldn't bring it off the line smoothly. I thought seriously about buying one for the family until I drove two and found them to be the same.

Good luck. If you buy the Vette, you WILL love it . . . unless you've been injected with the Euro bloodline. My beef with BMW is price: a well equipped 335 costs about the same amount as my loaded C-6 - which will blow it's doors off and has a much nicer interior (I opted for the 4LT interior, which is well worth the price).

 

[JACS VET]

I have a 2007 X3 with the M package, (AWD with Steptronic) Tranny lag is terible in the Automatic mode. Performance is fine in the manual mode. I also had the latest software loaded and the results are marginal! Fortunately, I seldom drive in the Auto mode. I hope GM is doing a better job than BMW. I hope GM will always offer a manual stick on the Vette, I absolutely love mine on my 2003.