patrick_y[PuristSPro Moderator]
28422
The ZF 8 is amazing...
Mar 04, 2015,14:37 PM
I've driven the ZF 8 speed in multiple guises, most BMW products. It's a great transmission. Smooth, extremely fast shifting, highly efficient, direct-feeling, and high percentage of full lock up with the torque converter. A great transmission product from ZF. You no longer need nor want a dual clutch system.
Also, does the ZF 8 speed start in 2nd gear in ECO mode on the 120d? In the USA, the public literature on this is not clear.
I used to compare the BMW and Mercedes-Benz vehicles and the BMW cars always felt a tad bit more dynamic in multiple ways. Most people don't realize the main difference is in the transmissions BMW choose to put in their cars. Most Mercedes-Benz vehicles have an in-house transmission that was built and designed by Mercedes-Benz themselves. Mercedes-Benz transmissions until recently usually shifted very slowly (among the slowest in the industry), some units had some torque converter flex due to slow torque converter lock up, and even the AMG models with 35% faster gearshifts were still slow shifters.
I drive a vehicle with a ZF 6 speed transmission, it's a good transmission, not perfect, torque converter flex, not a very fast nor consistent locked torque converter, shifts can be fast or slow, and the car is capable to start in 3rd gear by manual selection! But if I had the 8 speed, I think I'd be even happier!
The only thing I wished I could do with the BMW ZF 8 transmission is to start in 2nd gear manually. I like to minimize the gearshifts in stop and go traffic to promote smoothness and to reduce overall gearshifts. Even in ECO mode, the 328i sedans I've driven in the States always downshift to M1 (first gear) in manual mode. I want it to downshift to M2 as I slow to a stop and stay in M2. But it always goes to M1. Very frustrating!