The Auto box is a proper Auto with a manual facility via the lever (no paddles). It is not an automated manual ala Ferrari etc.
The box is BMW's latest 6 (or was it 7?) speed auto as fitted to the X6. Someone will hopefully come along and give you the correct model designation. It will change up at the top of the rev range and I am guessing will also drop down if you slow and engine revs drop too low.
I drove a very early prototype at St Tropez last year and it was very responsive easily dropping down two cogs on kickdown. The car I drove did not have the full electronics update and did not blip on manual downchange as the box is supposed to do.
BtG
As you say, the box is the latest iteration of the automatic box ZF-box fitted in the BMW X6, it is similar to the DB9 box and also the one in our Maserati (which incidentally does not blip on down-shifts).
The six-speed prototype box was very responsive on kick-down, but we were not allowed to change gear manually as the software was still being developed. However, I am highly impressed with the similar automatic in the Maserati and so far, it has not refused to go into a lower gear when using the paddles. In Sports mode, the box is very lively and if anything hangs onto the lower gears too long in urban situations.
In the end, whilst the PDK type of box is really the ideal the CC gearboxes in Maserati's (and Ferrari) are great on track, but have very high maintenance costs and can be unacceptably jerky in everyday operation.
At the end of the day its all a matter of personal choice
Subject to a test-drive of the latest Morgan version of the auto box, this will probably be my choice for the new Aero.
Aeroman
