Does the manual mode vs automatic mode make a difference in the 0-60 of the 3.0si? If so, what are the times?

Manual mode is listed at 5.6 secs, automatic at a dreadfully slow 5.7. YMMV

The slow auto is 5.7 every time though:D

Does the manual mode vs automatic mode make a difference in the 0-60 of the 3.0si?

No.

To get the minimum 0-60 time with a manual you have to "launch" it, whereas such hard launches are not possible with the smg. So the smg is slower off the line. I think comparing 5mph-60mph times between manual and smg and you will find they are very close.

Z4 3.0si with auto is really sluggish car. Even SLK will be faster, although it has a similar engine.
MB SLK with auto 0-60 5.1s
Saturn Redline 0-60 5.0s

If you concerned about 0-60, then only Z4M manual
0-60 4.8s

I came out of a 2003 350Z with manual trans which has hp and torque that tops the 3.0si, but my seat of the pants measurement says the auto trans BMW is quicker to speed with less drama than the Nissan. Publications say the Nissan is about 3/10ths faster to 60, but in sport mode and manual shifts of my auto trans, I think I'm quicker. Maybe I was a lousy manual transmission user, but I have to hand it to BMW: doing more with less has been a hallmark of the straight six for decades.

I'm so glad to be back in a BMW.

Sorry, I meant to specify, some understood though - Does the manual mode on the StepTronic make a difference in 0-60 vs. the Automatic (with DSC) on the StepTronic.

Motortrend reports 6spd Manual on Z4 3.0si as 5.1 0-60. BMW says 5.6. BMW has been known to report slower 0-60.

Good question. I suspect that the 0 - 60 time is using the StepTronic. Wouldn't BMW put an asterisk if the 0 - 60 time required using the manual mode.

I am beginning to prefer the SD mode over the manual mode in my Z4 coupe. It may be my imagination, but in the SD or SD/sport mode the upshifts seem a little firmer.

youtube.com/watch?v=fK0cKOfU4RY

Wouldn't BMW put an asterisk if the 0 - 60 time required using the manual mode.

No because it makes absolutely no difference whatsoever of your 0-60 time regardless of what mode you're in, be it manual, sports, or regular drive, on the automagic, and it doesn't even matter if you have sport mode (if your car has it) turned on or off. You'll get the same result.

I believe SD mode makes a difference in 0-30, or 5-20

I believe SD mode makes a difference in 0-30, or 5-20


You believed wrong.

It makes ABSOLUTELY no difference in 0-30 time or 5-20 time, no matter what mode the transmission is in and if sports button is pressed or not. The transmission doesn't give a rat's @ss where and when to shift when you're full throttle, and neither does the sports button.

As far as any of the acceleration stats are concerned, you will achieve the same result (accounting for statistical differences) in full auto, sports, and manual modes, period.

Let me repeat that again. There is absolutely no difference in any acceleration stats in any of the transmission modes. No matter what speed you're on, the second you press the gas pedal all the way down, regardless of what gear you have currently selected or mode, the transmission will shift down to the lowest gear possible and up-shift when it hits 6,250 RPM in 1st and 6,500 RPM in any of the other gear.

Z4 3.0si with auto is really sluggish car. Even SLK will be faster, although it has a similar engine.
MB SLK with auto 0-60 5.1s
Saturn Redline 0-60 5.0s

If you concerned about 0-60, then only Z4M manual
0-60 4.8s

Is that Saturn time for real? I test drove one of those before I got into the Si and it seemed so much slower. Where are you pulling those stats from?
:eek:

Is that Saturn time for real? I test drove one of those before I got into the Si and it seemed so much slower. Where are you pulling those stats from?
:eek:I read Saturn forum (probably I mistake it with
Pontiac). Anyway the cars are very similar. The number were confirmed but several members, so I hope they are objectives.

You believed wrong.

It makes ABSOLUTELY no difference in 0-30 time or 5-20 time, no matter what mode the transmission is in and if sports button is pressed or not. The transmission doesn't give a rat's @ss where and when to shift when you're full throttle, and neither does the sports button.

As far as any of the acceleration stats are concerned, you will achieve the same result (accounting for statistical differences) in full auto, sports, and manual modes, period.

Let me repeat that again. There is absolutely no difference in any acceleration stats in any of the transmission modes. No matter what speed you're on, the second you press the gas pedal all the way down, regardless of what gear you have currently selected or mode, the transmission will shift down to the lowest gear possible and up-shift when it hits 6,250 RPM in 1st and 6,500 RPM in any of the other gear.
In Sport mode, the Steptronic shifts MUCH faster than in normal mode (you can actually feel the difference). And to reach 60 mph, the transmission will have to shift two times to reach third gear. The difference in 0-60 time might be very small, but there IS a difference.

You believed wrong.


Cool, thank you for clarification. So transmission is completely hype, it doesn't matter how many speeds it has, pattern of shifting and so on. Actually I knew a girl who always started from 3 and never shifted it (stick of course). She believed that the car has a good engine and speed can vary just changing rpm.

In Sport mode, the Steptronic shifts MUCH faster than in normal mode (you can actually feel the difference). And to reach 60 mph, the transmission will have to shift two times to reach third gear. The difference in 0-60 time might be very small, but there IS a difference.

There's 1 shift to get to 60. 2nd gear will reach 64mph.

And there's no difference in "shift speed" when you're at full throttle. If you push the pedal past the kick-down point all three mode shifts the same. So I repeat, there is absolutely NO DIFFERENCE between any of the three modes in any acceleration stats.

Exactly, the same happens for manual. You do not shift to get 60. So there is no difference as well. I mean auto and manual gives the same result for 0-60. There is no surprise.

for 3.0si, there is only 0.1sec difference, but for 3.0i there is a .5sec difference. why is that?

for 3.0si, there is only 0.1sec difference, but for 3.0i there is a .5sec difference. why is that?

Sigh...

If you're wondering why there's a difference between steptronic and manual transmission, that's for another discussion all together. The Original Poster was wondering, on a Steptronic equipped car, which mode (drive, sports, or manual) would net the fastest 0-60 time, and the answer to that, is they'll all produce the same 0-60 times, manual mode, sports mode, and drive mode, at full throttle, all behave the same and shifts the same.

Now, the difference between the 3.0Si and 3.0i and its manual (3 pedals) and automagic (2 pedals) counterparts is quite simple. The Si uses an updated ZF automatic transmission mated to a torque converter that "locks up" sooner and behaves more like a direct clutch once locked up. The 3.0i still uses the older Getrag (if I'm not mistaken) auto. The Si uses the same 3rd generation Steptronic transmission that's present in the newer E92s resulting in smaller gap between the performance numbers between a 3 pedal car and 2 pedal car.

Please don't throw more variables and mis-information in this thread, it's hard enough to convince anyone here that the fastest way to drive a Steptronic equipped BMW is to just mash the pedal to the floor (well, turn off DSC first) and let the car do its own thing.

It looks you never drove auto. Indeed I had a lot trouble trying to drive car with auto 1st time. I use two legs, so car moved funny. Anyway, auto starts shifting far away from full throttle, so there is a problem to keep it on lower gears.