The manual transmission versus dual-clutch debate is certainly not new, but with the 2013 BMW M5 including a row-your-own transmission option, Motor Trend‘s Ignition crew takes a closer look. Manual transmissions are an ever-dying breed, but there are many among us that still enjoy the feel and driving experience of shifting your own gears. But should that enjoyment apply to a heavy German sports sedan?
Supercars have all but done away with the manual transmission, opting for the quick-shifting paddles of newer, quicker
and far improved automatic transmissions. Supercars such as the Ferrari 458 would lose a little bit of that “super” factor once you push back performance numbers for the manual-transmission shifting-lag. The BMW M5 is not an exception. With a manual, Bimmer’s sedan is about a half-second slower from 0-60 mph than with the dual-clutch transmission. Purists will argue that it’s about the experience, but as host and Motor Trend editor Carlos Lago points out, are purists interested in a heavy, fast German sports sedan?
Source: Motor Trend
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