Have 320d 163hp and also manual gearbox and it is not smooth I must say
Especially first gear goes very hard and you must almost completly stopp the car to make it go in.
Also I must say that acceleration of automatic vs. manual (the same engine) is IMO better. Of course numbers are numbers but drivers impresions is that car with autoomatic gearbox is much softer, not as heavy , and faster than manual.