Patent Images Reveal that BMW is Exploring a 7-Speed Manual Gearbox

six_points · Post time 9-6-2012 12:45 AM

Automakers in general but even more so German brands among themselves, tend to waste no time to replicate technologies or features developed by their rivals.

When Porsche debuted the world's first production 7-speed manual gearbox on the new 911 series last year, we knew that it was only a matter of time before one or more of its German adversaries would do the same.

If these patent images that were discovered by E90 Post are real, then BMW could be the first brand to follow Porsche's example.

The patents were filed last year and show that BMW is trying to address one of the main problems with manual transmission sporting more than six speeds: the fact that the gears are positioned too tightly increases the risk of a wrong gear change.

According to the author of the report, BMW's solution is a manual gear shifter that doesn't allow a catastrophic gear change.

This is achieved by surrounding the shift gates in a magnetorheologic or electrorheologic fluid with an electronic system that relies on various sensors applying an electric voltage to change the viscosity of the fluid, thus allowing or blocking certain gear shifts.

This technology is said to be suited for use on both a traditional manual gearbox with up to eight gears, and a Shift by Wire transmission without a clutch pedal.

Thanks for the tip Declan!

[size=85%]Photo Credits: BMW via E90 Post
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Credit: carscoop.blogspot.com