Merz & Pabst are developing a paddle conversion, there may be others developing one as well, with a known German BMW tuning company. This is for the ZF-automatic box in the S4 (et al), the SMG (sequential manual box) box in the M3 is an electronically controlled manual, a normal 6-speed manual with electronics organising the changing - despite the sequential moniker, if I remember correctly - perhaps Simon or someone else can confirm. Not quite the same thing as the ZF-automatic Morgan use, which has more similarities to the box in the Maserati and the Jaguar XJ (both with paddles).

Main difference is that with no torque converter the F1 style gearbox will not hold itself on a hill whereas a conventional auto will. That can be a bit of a nuisance. The BMW SMG gearbox gets around this by a mechanism triggered by holding left hand paddle (if my memory serves me correctly) for a few seconds which gives a further few seconds of hill hold.

I would love paddle shift on my S4 and believe from the factory that this will be introduced at some point.

With respect Robert, I don't think you have driven a Porker PDK-box as the game has moved on. It's a twin-clutch electronically controlled manual box (1,3,5 and 7th in one gearbox and 2,4 and 6th in the other) and it is just as good as a normal auto - at being an auto, as it holds it's position on hills, etc, having a degree of creep built into it.

However, as it acts almost as a pre-selector box (clever these electronics) and consequently, it is much faster than the ZF-autobox in the Aero both in everyday use and especially in extremis and imho has really moved the game on. It is much better solution than the F1/SMG boxes that the competition offers.

I have been told that it is in fact built by ZF for Porsche, I'm not sure if this is true, but really this is the box that the Morgan works need to move to, though whether they can now afford the development cost on their low volumes is another question.

Thanks for your note Brian.

I hadn't really expressed any opinion as to which type of gearbox I preferred. My intention was hopefully to add some factual knowledge as well as broadly agree with you. I am sure that your comments about the Porsche Doppelkupplung gearbox are correct and you are indeed perceptive in stating that I haven't driven a Porsche so equipped. It has been widely praised in the press despite it's counter-intuitive steering wheel shifters. It's history can be traced back to Audi quattro rally cars of the mid 80's. I would suggest that the absolute pinnacle of gearbox engineering at present must be the Ricardo engineering designed and built DSG gearbox fitted to the Bugatti Veyron.

I have had extensive experience of a wide variety of double clutch gearboxes (Audi DSG, VW DSG, Mitsubishi SST) and F1 style gearboxes (Challenge Stradale, 360 Modena, F430, BMW M3 SMG). I personally still think in my experience the F1 gearbox of the Stradale outstrips anything. Have to say that the ZF gearbox in the S4 is more than acceptable and in terms of driveability streets ahead of the R8 V10 R Tronic I had on loan last week.

As regards the potential fitting of paddles to the Aero 8 SS I have it on good authority from the factory that it is very likely to happen. It isn't a massive engineering task.

I have had a few cars with manual paddle shift, having just sold my stradale and replaced it with a lamborghini gallardo spyder with the e-gear paddle shift the stradale is by far the best paddle shift i have driven.
However everyone may have their own preference, mine is for my aero 8 a manual.

Robert - a no brainer with the DSG in the Bug, I haven't driven one (I wish!), but down in the world of cars I can afford I haven't experienced a better auto-box than the PDK. According to Porsche themselves, the box is the road going version of the double clutch (PDK) unit pioneered by Weissach’s Le Mans cars in 1982.

The paddles are only counter-intuitive in my experience if you do not drive it on a regular basis, though I agree that the 'paddles' would be much nicer if they were carved from an aluminium billet rather than made from pressed aluminium sheet.

The fact that they act as 'switches' compared to the longer travel of most paddles, means instantaneous changes. Can I suggest you test drive one and then I'm sure you will be impressed.

Regarding Morgan fitting paddles to their automatic, like you I believe this will happen sometime in the future. The current steering column in the Aero has to be changed, more than likely on the new Aero SS, and this will make the fitting of them much easier. The only point I was making was that with new electric seats being developed, the targa panels still to be finalised, together with a myriad of other development issues on the SS, it may take a while before we see paddles being offered, if they are to meet the January targeted delivery date.

Like many small British manufacturers, MMC do not have unlimited development budgets and consequently, tend to prioritise developments. Hopefully, they will regard paddles as being of a high-priority - let's hope so!

I have had a few cars with manual paddle shift, having just sold my stradale and replaced it with a lamborghini gallardo spyder with the e-gear paddle shift the stradale is by far the best paddle shift i have driven.
However everyone may have their own preference, mine is for my aero 8 a manual.