Talk Morgan Forums Morgan Sports Cars Morgan Aero 8, 2012< Plus 8, SuperSports, Coupe & Aeromax The BMW Engine

Of course only Morgan and, I hope, BMW, know the programming used on the Aeros.

I suspect it is bespoke as the paddle shifts don't function in "normal" gear box mode, but are active only when the box is in "sport" mode. On a standard BMW the paddles work in both normal and sort mode.

Shift points are very different, the car is much nicer to drive in sport mode. I tend only to use normal mode in traffic as the throttle response is softer and it is easier to waft gently along.

Also in sport manual mode the box will not force a change up until the red line is reached. When changing down there is a very noticable "throttle blip", not needed but very nice!

The Auto box has very different ratios from those in the manual box, with 4th as 1:1, so both 5th and 6th are overdrive ratios, resulting in quite acceptable fuel consumption. It is no worse than I got from the Roadster. The manual box has 5th as 1:1 (differential ratios are the same). With the amount of torque available and the light weight of the car I feel that the auto box matches the car better than the manual one.

I support that perspective...

But I doubt that would....

Have you got that on your Supersport Ken?

The wifes 4 new 4 series has an 8 speed ZF box which makes the aero seem agricultural.

I've got that box in the 320i, I don't like it, too refined and smooth you don't really know when it has changed gear.
It is programmed to keep the car running in the most efficient, narrow rev range rather than to assist in driving for fun!

Nope - ZF 6HP 26 was used the in E9x B3 and E6x B5/6 ranges. The shifts are noticably quicker than the standard BMW version. Manual mode is available in both normal and sport mode. In the B5S it defaults to 2nd gear for pulling away - mind you with about 500nm available from tickover its not really surprising.

(I used to have a B3X and have recently tested a B5S)

Not when you switch off all the nanny electronics

With 184 bhp and 4 wheel drive believe me it is still tedious!

I've managed to get the back end to step out about 2 feet just the once. That was with effort, wet road and everything "off", or as least as much "off" as BMW will allow.

It needs another 50bhp, as soon as it is out of warranty that is what it will get.

My 8 doesn't seem to 'blip' on down changes.... a tiny amount, but not so you'd notice.

Yours is a pre-paddleshift model Neil?

I think the rev-matching (downshift blips) was introduced alongside the paddles and operates only in sport mode. This was explained to me whilst going up the hill at TOTH14 in the Speedster, but I was a little too terrified to take it all in...