Performance Automatics

[chris182]

Lightweight 'sporty' performance cars with autos is just wrong, in the same way that big Uberbarges and GT cars with manuals is wrong. I love the sound of a big V8 or V12 with an autobox and they could be referred to as performance cars.

[Matt Harper]

St John Smythe said:

You need a gearbox that lets you manually select the gear AND locks the Torque Convertor up to do this with an auto.

Edited by St John Smythe on Friday 20th April 15:31

MB/Chrysler 5 G-Tronic/NAG has this capability.

[anonymous-user]

300bhp/ton said:

St John Smythe said:

You need a gearbox that lets you manually select the gear AND locks the Torque Convertor up to do this with an auto.

Edited by St John Smythe on Friday 20th April 15:31

I've never seen one, but all it really needs is a switch to disable the kickdown so you can use WOT in the gear its in. Combine this with a ratchet shifter and I think it would actually offer quite a nice level of control.

Mine does. The box in my mate's AMG did the same.

[cerb4.5lee]

I much prefer a manual box, we have two manuals & one auto(330d) & the 330d is quite suited to that box tbh, but autos hardly involve you in the process of actually driving, i also like blipping the throttle on down changes.

I have drove a dsg box & that was good, but given the choice i would always go manual, autos are good if you are aged about 75 & dont really enjoy driving!!

I am happy to live in the dark ages & i will continue to enjoy a manual box while i still can.

[stuartmmcfc]

cerb4.5lee said:

autos are good if you are aged about 75 & dont really enjoy driving!!

or if you're in your mid 40s your left leg doesn't work but you still enjoy driving.

[300bhp/ton]

St John Smythe said:

Mine does. The box in my mate's AMG did the same.

That's pretty cool didn't know any did. How is it activated/deactivated?

[Spoof]

300bhp/ton said:

St John Smythe said:

Mine does. The box in my mate's AMG did the same.

That's pretty cool didn't know any did. How is it activated/deactivated?

E63 with 7G tronic has Comfort/Sport and Manual for the auto box, stick it in manual and you flip the paddles with the torque converter locked, it will bounce off the limiter all day long and hold your selected gear.

[Camaro91]

For the 1% of the time when you're masterfully cutting through the twisties "blipping" your wotsit and "snicking" into gears, manuals are great.

For the other 99% of the time when you're on the motorway or stuck in some dismal traffic jam, autos reign supreme.

[Dave Hedgehog]

stuartmmcfc said:

cerb4.5lee said:

autos are good if you are aged about 75 & dont really enjoy driving!!

or if you're in your mid 40s your left leg doesn't work but you still enjoy driving.

or you spend 3 hours a day in traffic

[Matt Harper]

300bhp/ton said:

That's pretty cool didn't know any did. How is it activated/deactivated?

I can't speak for Merc application, but in the Mopar NAG, using 'auto-stick' mode, the transmission control module locks-out the valve body to prevent automatic (road or input shaft speed induced)up/down shifts and locks the converter clutch.

[anonymous-user]

Matt Harper said:

300bhp/ton said:

That's pretty cool didn't know any did. How is it activated/deactivated?

I can't speak for Merc application, but in the Mopar NAG, using 'auto-stick' mode, the transmission control module locks-out the valve body to prevent automatic (road or input shaft speed induced)up/down shifts and locks the converter clutch.

Sounds the same as the Alpina Switchtronic in my B3.

[Matt Harper]

Mopar NAG and Mercedes 5-GTronic is the same transmission. The converter and TCM is where they differ. Very capable trans that can handle 650hp without modification.

[cerb4.5lee]

Dave Hedgehog said:

stuartmmcfc said:

cerb4.5lee said:

autos are good if you are aged about 75 & dont really enjoy driving!!

or if you're in your mid 40s your left leg doesn't work but you still enjoy driving.

or you spend 3 hours a day in traffic

I admit that when i am in a nice laid back mood, our 330d auto hits the spot as autos tend to make you feel as you are not actually driving the car they are that easy & i totally agree with traffic the missus does 40k + miles a year, her left leg would murder her if it was a manual box.

[jmcc500]

My experience has lead me to the conclusion that anything up to a 3 series suits a manual, 5 series and bigger suit autos.

With supercars, I have limited experience - 1990 Esprit Turbo and McLaren 12C - but I would take the dual clutch auto over a manual box every time. Manual shifts are frustrating in the Lotus (probably reflection of car, but that's my experience), whilst I just don't have the capacity to deal with the performance of the 12C AND think about shifting gears. Why would you want to be slower for 99% of the time, and have to take your hand off the wheel every couple of seconds?

Having said that, if in something slower (MX5 for example) I'd definitely take a manual and enjoy a different challenge in the driving.

[jmcc500]

Repeat post deleted

Edited by jmcc500 on Saturday 21st April 18:59

[jmcc500]

Repeat post deleted

Edited by jmcc500 on Saturday 21st April 18:59

[paulmoonraker]

Grey Ghost said:

AMG

'nuff said

This

[james280779]

Camaro91 said:

For the 1% of the time when you're masterfully cutting through the twisties "blipping" your wotsit and "snicking" into gears, manuals are great.

For the other 99% of the time when you're on the motorway or stuck in some dismal traffic jam, autos reign supreme.

I think thats probably why I feel the way i do, I will avoid any motorway at any excuse. I hate them, I get bored so easily. I will find any excuse to find a country lane and use the 911/ lotus to its full potential (obviously lower gears as I dont speed lol)

I just find auto's (and I have driven VW's/ Vauxhall V6's & V8's/ BMW's/ Fords/ jeep/ Toyota/ Suzuki) totally uninvolving and boring. I am lucky enough to be allowed to drive the first four makes of the above at 100mph plus but still find them painfully dull.

[300bhp/ton]

james280779 said:

I think thats probably why I feel the way i do, I will avoid any motorway at any excuse. I hate them, I get bored so easily. I will find any excuse to find a country lane and use the 911/ lotus to its full potential (obviously lower gears as I dont speed lol)

I just find auto's (and I have driven VW's/ Vauxhall V6's & V8's/ BMW's/ Fords/ jeep/ Toyota/ Suzuki) totally uninvolving and boring. I am lucky enough to be allowed to drive the first four makes of the above at 100mph plus but still find them painfully dull.

As I said earlier, I do personally prefer manuals. But I think you are being a little over dramatic and some what unrealistic. An auto doesn't alter how a car handles, or even the general feel of the entire car, it also doesn't usually alter how the engine feels and responds.

[Jaguar steve]

Krikkit said:

Podie said:

Have Jag ever done manual R cars?

There were a few XJ40-R manuals, but not recently. Imo Jag R's are more fast GT's than proper sports cars - like an M5 they waft when needed and set your hair on fire when you fancy it.

Tha last manual R cars were the supercharged 6 cylinder XJs sold between 1994 and 1997. I believe there were/are 103 XJR manual saloons sold/left, the rest are automatics.

Jaguar abandonded manual boxes alltogether on all the V8 engined cars when the 5 speed ZF/Mercedes auto boxes was introduced in 1997.