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The SAT's main feature is the shift paddles. I do like my shift paddles but I hardly ever use it. I do use it for passing once in a while but mashing the gas with the car in sport mode yield faster results.
There's a few things to note about SAT:
1. You can use it even in Drive. You don't have to put it in manual.
2. It's fast, much faster than my normal shift with a manual. I'm not sure I can beat it unless I have a short shifter and concentrate on the shift. But I can't drive like that all the time.
3. Rev matching works.
4. In fully automatic mode, I'm not sure there's much difference between SAT and nonSAT in sport mode. At least the cars I test drove both shifted fast and I can't tell the difference from the seat. Maybe there's a difference of 20ms but that's not something most people can feel from the seat.
Why I would get it:
1. The leather wrapping is much better looking. The nonSAT shifter is plastic.
2. The paddle shifter does add aesthetically to the look.
3. It is useful in certain scenarios. For example, if you mash the gas then the car likes to hold the gear even after you let up. I upshift with the paddles so I don't have to drive at 4000rpm for the next few seconds. You can do it with shifter in manual too but it's faster with the paddles.
Why rev match is needed in manual mode.
Rev match works when the computer doesn't have to think of everything for you. If you mash the gas in full auto, the computer decides what gear you're in, how much fuel is injected in the engine and what rpm you should be at. Rev match is not necessary here since the computer determined everything matching it perfectly. In a way, it is rev matching but with everything. When you're in manual mode, the computer doesn't know what you're going to do. If you upshift or downshift, it is not by the gas pedal. Therefore, it only has a millisecond to activate rev match as soon as you pull the left or right pedal. Else, you get those undesired effects like when you're still a newbie at driving manuals.
Why rev match does not matter to most 5 series owner:
1. The average age for BMW buyers are closer to 60, and they tend to like full autos.
2. People who can afford it are mostly not enthusiasts.
3. The automatics work so well that you most likely won't be in manual.
4. 8 gears is a lot to do manual shifting so less reasons to be in manual.
5. With different modes, most people will find it's everything they need.
Why I have SAT? Aesthetics. A 550 without shift paddles and plastic shifter looked weird.
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