Weird thought re auto box

[DonkeyApple]

Instead of flappy paddles or the normal in line lever, it strikes me as odd no one has ever made a lever in the design of a conventional H box as a marketing gimmick.

[groomi]

Closest was probably the old Jag 'Randle Handle' J-Gate.

[CraigyMc]

DonkeyApple said:

Instead of flappy paddles or the normal in line lever, it strikes me as odd no one has ever made a lever in the design of a conventional H box as a marketing gimmick.

UNSAY THIS or it will happen.

[Huff]

Steptronic boxs (BMW) were a small approximation to the idea of a sequential selector. Neither nowt nor summat as my Gran would put it. If you have an auto, at least the greater half of the pleasure is simply leaving it in D and letting the large lump it is attached to do the work. Pour a gin, and waft on.

I have a car with a straight ZF 5sp auto, and one more frentic with a sequential dog box: different strokes for different uses, entirely. When driving one I don't miss the other!

[DonkeyApple]

groomi said:

Closest was probably the old Jag 'Randle Handle' J-Gate.

Yup. But all the forward gears were still in a line.

BMW do one that notches forward and back but I'm just surprised that a marketing guru hasn't made a proper H pattern for that real Fast and Furious driving dynamic without the hideous complexity and terrifying confusion of moving the left leg.

[CraigyMc]

DonkeyApple said:

BMW do one that notches forward and back but I'm just surprised that a marketing guru hasn't made a proper H pattern for that real Fast and Furious driving dynamic without the hideous complexity and terrifying confusion of moving the left leg.

Say someone did this and moved from 6th gear to reverse at say 150mph. What would the car do?

C

[groomi]

DonkeyApple said:

Yup. But all the forward gears were still in a line.

Nope. Park, reverse, neutral, drive, 2nd down the right, then across to 3rd and up to 4th and 5th on later models.

Not very natural in reality.

[EDLT]

CraigyMc said:

DonkeyApple said:

BMW do one that notches forward and back but I'm just surprised that a marketing guru hasn't made a proper H pattern for that real Fast and Furious driving dynamic without the hideous complexity and terrifying confusion of moving the left leg.

Say someone did this and moved from 6th gear to reverse at say 150mph. What would the car do?

C

It wouldn't go into reverse.

The best development of auto gearboxes was Jaguar getting rid of the lever altogether, it has had no reason to exist for at least 15 years.

[jon-]

Pretty sure this was a feature of Sega Rally arcades. Felt odd having a H box and no clutch.

[CraigyMc]

EDLT said:

CraigyMc said:

DonkeyApple said:

BMW do one that notches forward and back but I'm just surprised that a marketing guru hasn't made a proper H pattern for that real Fast and Furious driving dynamic without the hideous complexity and terrifying confusion of moving the left leg.

Say someone did this and moved from 6th gear to reverse at say 150mph. What would the car do?

C

It wouldn't go into reverse.

The best development of auto gearboxes was Jaguar getting rid of the lever altogether, it has had no reason to exist for at least 15 years.

On the first point, I didn't ask what it wouldn't do. I asked what it would do.

On the second point, I agree. I'm just asking for devil's advocate type reasons.

[Mr Sparkle]

DonkeyApple said:

Yup. But all the forward gears were still in a line.

BMW do one that notches forward and back but I'm just surprised that a marketing guru hasn't made a proper H pattern for that real Fast and Furious driving dynamic without the hideous complexity and terrifying confusion of moving the left leg.

Do you mean a manual sequential box like on a touring car? The Ascari A10 has a manual box where all the gears are in a line in a ratchet system, as did the Mosler MT900.

Some kitcars that take their gearboxes from motorbikes also use a lever in place of the foot pedal so you just go forwards and back.


Edit: Or do you mean where a manual gearbox has 6 different positions but in a line? It might require a lot of travel on the stick.

Edited by Mr Sparkle on Thursday 27th September 01:23

[The Moose]

I seem to remember something similar on the original A-class...or have I got myself confused here?!

[The Moose]

Yep - there was. Called the ACS - auto clutch system I believe

[Truckosaurus]

I seem to recall that Alfa also had a traditional auto which had an H-pattern shifter (and no true 'Drive' mode?).

[anonymous-user]

Didn't the old SAAB 9-3 (the first one to use tha name following the 900) have a clutchless-manual type gearbox option where you had a gear lever but no clutch?

[DonkeyApple]

CraigyMc said:

Say someone did this and moved from 6th gear to reverse at say 150mph. What would the car do?

C

Whatever the computer was programmed to do. Selectors are just electronic switches so this would be a none issue just as it is now on autos.

[DonkeyApple]

Mr Sparkle said:

Do you mean a manual sequential box like on a touring car? The Ascari A10 has a manual box where all the gears are in a line in a ratchet system, as did the Mosler MT900.

Some kitcars that take their gearboxes from motorbikes also use a lever in place of the foot pedal so you just go forwards and back.


Edit: Or do you mean where a manual gearbox has 6 different positions but in a line? It might require a lot of travel on the stick.

Edited by Mr Sparkle on Thursday 27th September 01:23

None of that. Just a completely standard auto box but instead of the buttons being inline they would be laid out to replicate a manual gate.

[DonkeyApple]

groomi said:

Nope. Park, reverse, neutral, drive, 2nd down the right, then across to 3rd and up to 4th and 5th on later models.

Not very natural in reality.

I had an XKR for a few years and just can't remember the layout.

[DonkeyApple]

EDLT said:

It wouldn't go into reverse.

The best development of auto gearboxes was Jaguar getting rid of the lever altogether, it has had no reason to exist for at least 15 years.

That's really the point. The lever is a legacy of autos being controlled mechanically. Now they are all electronic the lever concept is just an archaic legacy. You are free to control the box by whatever type of switch concept you wish, hence flappy paddles, steptronic or Jags system.

[themanwithnoname]

yellowbentines said:

Didn't the old SAAB 9-3 (the first one to use tha name following the 900) have a clutchless-manual type gearbox option where you had a gear lever but no clutch?

Yes, but that was a manual gearbox with an electronically actuated clutch, and bloody awful.