cue

I just the Fisker at the LA auto show. The Fisker uses an SL55 with a different body. They modified the steering wheel to add real paddle shifters. Anyone seen this done on SL55?

Tomsilver

Paddle shifters are at least announced for the facelifted SL500 (aka SL550) in Germany, so I think that the new SL55 will get them too. Today is sales start in Germany for the upgraded SL's.
I don't know if it's possible to upgrade your existing SL55 to paddle shifters, but why shouldnt it work? Maybe you have to exchange the complete steering wheel.

SLcharger

I have some racecar experience, and i dont like paddleshifters on road cars. When you drive an allday drive, both hands on the wheel, turning a max. of a quarter turn, paddleshifters are ok, you have em right at hand where you want them.

If you drive a racecar the ratio on the steering wheel is high, so you have a max of +- a half turn from side to side, wheels fully engaged, paddleshifters are ok, you have em right at hand where you want them.


If you drive a normal roadcar, and getting into trouble, lets say the rear end is drifting out, you have to turn the wheel fast to the same side as the car is drifting, this is when you get in trouble with the paddleshifters. You grab the wheel fast, move your hands fast, turn the wheel fast, and during this proces you hit the paddleshifter(s) with the result that now suddenly the gearbox starts changing gear as well.

If you try to get hold of the car, and you might even use the engines horsepower to try stabilize the drift, and the gearbox suddenly changes gear, you might loose the car, if you are not an experienced driver.

The shifters integrated in wheel, as today, are far better, in my opinion. It is unlikely that you hit them by accident, and they are never in the way.

Schiznick

Like this one on the SL55?

ClayJ

I agree.

I have heard that the 2007 SL will get steering column-mounted padddle shifters:

Schiznick

Or this view on the SL65?

SLcharger

That makes things even worse.

ClayJ

I didn't say that it made things better! LOL

I hate column-mounted paddle shifters!

Xeron

When making a turn it was difficult to shift gears. Often had to use the gear shift lever. On the SL55, I never use the damn things. I find that they shift too slow anyway tto be useful.

IngenereAMG

I was never a fan of F1 or SMG gearboxes. However, after driving them in anger at the track and on mountain roads, I find them brilliant. Much more in control. I can easily left foor brake as well. It just requires a different skill set.

AMG_55

^ i agree, i was driving my brothers smg m3 and its unbelievable how deep u can go into corners and just slam the gears one after another... almost imposible to do w/ a stick unless u really know how to heel and toe.

i would still take a stick though