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Originally Posted by digivue
I don't know what BMW is thinking about DCT. Playing catch up with competition (AUDI), which had DSG for years now... Anyways, they playing catch up in general and iDrive's controller shift towards Audi's MMI style is a proof of that. And it seems they're doing it veeery slowly. Why not get it right from the first time. Maybe they think that bimmer loyalists would eat anything they feed them? A bit of neglection from their side IMO.
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The Audi DSG can not be compared to the BMW unit, plain and simple. It (Audi) would not support anything but transverse engines (BMW has NONE) and could not handle the torque of a 6. Audi did not develop (or oversee the development) of the DSG, it was and is property of Borg Warner and Audi had the sole license with them until recently, so other FWD cars will now have the same box.
BMW has had their version of the DSG since late 2005 early 2006. It has been tested in the real world for over 2 years and tweaked a bit so it will provide the most in terms of reliability, efficiency and performance. It can handle power across the entire lineup.
BTW-The current sport AUTO 335 by ZF will meet almost the performance of the Audi unit at a lower price point, it is not a DCT but the most advanced auto in the market, this was a stop gap until the DCT was finalized and very successful and will continue to be so.
The original iDrive concept did indeed include buttons like the MMI, but was changed when Siemens VDO developed the original system. They added haptic feedback and the "slide" which made sense but the processing power was weak and could not support the necessary speed. (
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BMW has focussed their current attention and design efforts to Efficient Dynamics, to increase performance and Efficiency at the same time. Audi or any other manufacturer can not match that and with the newer engines, regenerative braking, start/stop etc.
Those in the EU can especially comment on all of that.
BMW has reduced there emissions and increased their efficiency more than any other over the last decade. BMW has stated they rather increase the entire brands efficiency than just have one efficient car. They have been very successful in this regard and recent sales/tax brackets in the EU show this. Mercedes is now following suite with their "Blue" line do similar things the BMW. VW/Audi will start their program soon as well.
So in the grad scheme BMW is ahead of the curve where it counts NOW, they saw an issue and chose to address it proactively. They could not change the iDrive b/c of the contract with the original vendor and the proprietary software the vendor had the sole rights to modify....
BMW has wanted improvements but has been at the mercy of the vendor (I was told this many times over the past year as Becker developed the new system). BMW and Audi worked together originally on the over system concepts for MOST and the nav and interfaces.
The real issue is that BMW and other markers will concentrate less on the US market b/c of the weak dollar and the poor economic conditions. Other markets are more valuable as they will make more money per unit sold, Selling one car in the ROW= 10 cars sold in the US, not real tough to figure out where they care about more.
The US will see this more until things improve.
Is BMW perfect, NO but at the same time neither is any other brand. They can not always be first with technology as it is not cost effective and they would need to charge and even greater premium, and being first or initiating a concept can also lead to growing pains (SMG) and you need to know when to cut your losses and try something else.
BMW is the first with full in car internet, first to allow maps being sent to the car, not to mention BMW Assist etc (all with older iDrive) Was the first with Bluetooth, First Xenon, Active steering, LIVE owners manual, REAL torque vectoring (not SHAWD junk) etc. It is not like they have not introduced anything and there is some amazing stuff coming..... you will see and be very surprised.