What was Wrong with Column Autobox Shifters

[sideways man]

My dad's 1965 ford corsair had a column change manual, with bench front seats. A lovely relaxing thing to drive, but corners meant you had to grip the steering wheel as the seat had no lateral location. Loved the gearchange though.

[Clivey]

john2443 said:

A schoolfriend used to drive his dad's Renault 16 with a column change - he swore that it was better than a floor change because you didn't have to move your hand far. I was never convinced!

Anyone know which cars were the latest / are the newest that were fitted with column change manuals? They'll probably be my best chance to try one.

[jamiebae]

My late 90s Honda CRV had a column shift auto box, and I agree it makes more sense than putting it on the floor. Personally I never had a problem with it being there, just pull towards you and push down and the indicator on the dash changed to show the gear you'd selected.

I do like the rotary selector and paddles in my Range Rover, but that's mostly because I'm a tart and like to see the dial rise up when I start the engine.

[Mr Taxpayer]

Viking/Cougar/Ridgeback/Mastiff has push buttons on the dashboard. The MAN SV family all have a rotary switch (a bit like a VW/Audi/Skoda headlight switch) on the dash. Some Scanias have a Column stalk (about the same size as the indicator stalk) that you flick towards or away to change up/down the box when in Manual mode. Some of the plant has a rotary switch on the end of the indicator stalk.

Jackal/Coyote still use a big lever on the centre console. Though the 'clucth'pedal on the JAckal is a dupliacte of the brake pedal so the commander can control the vehicle if the driver is incapacitated. Some varients ahve a hand throttle too, so the vehicle can be driven fully from the Commander's seat.

[mph1977]

john2443 said:

mph1977 said:

Clivey said:

I've never driven a car with a column chance manual box...I'd love to try it out of interest because they just look so quirky.

evil devices ...

A schoolfriend used to drive his dad's Renault 16 with a column change - he swore that it was better than a floor change because you didn't have to move your hand far. I was never convinced!

column change or a poke out the dash umbrella handle change ? ( or is that renault 4s)

[MadmanO/T People]

Hol said:

The yanks do seem to like coulmn shift though. Every people carrier I have had on my holidays there has had a column shift. Including this years big Toyota jobbie.

Toyota's big US people carrier, the Sienna, hasn't had a column shift since 2002.



The current third generation (2011-present) Sienna has a Tiptronic-style shift poking out the middle of the dash...





Even it's predecessor, the 2003-2010 Toyota Sienna, had a Mercedes-style zig-zag autobox sprouting from the middle console...





You have to go all the way back to the first generation 1997-2002 Sienna to find one with a column shift...





Even in the US, it's hard to find a column shift these days.

[Baryonyx]

The E65 Seven Series has one, which seemed well received.

[powerstroke]

mph1977 said:

Clivey said:

I've never driven a car with a column chance manual box...I'd love to try it out of interest because they just look so quirky.

evil devices ...

Oh dear!! Another who can't manage anything slightly unusual!! No wonder cars are so dull and uninvolving these days!! I had a hiace van with column change was very disappointed when the new one came with a floor mounted one which wasn't close at hand and cluttered the floor for middle seat passengers ..