RE: Alpine A110 - Geneva 2017
Discussion
nickfrog said:
No idea what a purist is - different people like different things so making judgements of value just because someone prefers (or can live with) a turbo or an auto box is odd IMO.
Proper purist walks everywhere barefooted carrying a flintafter that the purity of transport is diluted with every passing invention
blueg33 said:
nickfrog said:
No idea what a purist is - different people like different things so making judgements of value just because someone prefers (or can live with) a turbo or an auto box is odd IMO.
Proper purist walks everywhere barefooted carrying a flintafter that the purity of transport is diluted with every passing invention
anonymous said:
[redacted]
I have a better idea of your definition of what a purist is now though so I won't need to use the " " either side of the word anymore.Again, having a turbo or an auto box doesn't make the driving experience more or less pure in my experience, it makes it different. Hence my previous post.
I think it's great looking, I hope they have lots of success with the car and it paves the way for more,
Just a shame that there is no gearbox choice, not really interested in anything other than working the controls in a sporty car
As that's what I enjoy the most about driving, and it doesnt matter how fast or smooth those changes are but pushing a
Button can never ever ever replicate using a clutch and gearleaver, driving this car won't change my mind on that front because ultimately it's just pushing a button,
Just a shame that there is no gearbox choice, not really interested in anything other than working the controls in a sporty car
As that's what I enjoy the most about driving, and it doesnt matter how fast or smooth those changes are but pushing a
Button can never ever ever replicate using a clutch and gearleaver, driving this car won't change my mind on that front because ultimately it's just pushing a button,
Comments about pushing a button are interesting and IMO may be a little incorrect.
I have recently moved to a flappy paddle gearbox from a manual, and its a bit like learning to drive again. The box changes quicker than I ever could so I can leave the change later especially when going down through the box. This fundamentally changes the entry and exit speed into bends meaning that you have to set the car up slightly differently and use the brakes differently. I can drive to the rev limiter and the car won't change gear for me it just bounce on the limiter showing all three shift lights until I pull the paddle for the next gear.
I would say that its neither better or worse than a manual, just different, and no less engaging.
I have surprised myself, because until this car I was a die hard manual fan in a sports car, I even passed up a great deal on a Cayman GTS because it was PDK and I thought it was the PDK box that dulled the driving experience for me, now I am less sure.
So, don't let the box put you off an Alpine, a 4c or even a Ferrari.
I have recently moved to a flappy paddle gearbox from a manual, and its a bit like learning to drive again. The box changes quicker than I ever could so I can leave the change later especially when going down through the box. This fundamentally changes the entry and exit speed into bends meaning that you have to set the car up slightly differently and use the brakes differently. I can drive to the rev limiter and the car won't change gear for me it just bounce on the limiter showing all three shift lights until I pull the paddle for the next gear.
I would say that its neither better or worse than a manual, just different, and no less engaging.
I have surprised myself, because until this car I was a die hard manual fan in a sports car, I even passed up a great deal on a Cayman GTS because it was PDK and I thought it was the PDK box that dulled the driving experience for me, now I am less sure.
So, don't let the box put you off an Alpine, a 4c or even a Ferrari.
How can pushing a button be remotely like controlling a clutch and gear-lever ?
It's laughable that people can even try to explain pushing a button on the steering wheel being anything other than pushing a button,
You don't control any of it, there is a circuit board doing all the work
You are right though I wouldn't buy a Ferrari unless it had a manual gearbox
It's laughable that people can even try to explain pushing a button on the steering wheel being anything other than pushing a button,
You don't control any of it, there is a circuit board doing all the work
You are right though I wouldn't buy a Ferrari unless it had a manual gearbox
loose cannon said:
How can pushing a button be remotely like controlling a clutch and gear-lever ?
It's laughable that people can even try to explain pushing a button on the steering wheel being anything other than pushing a button,
You don't control any of it, there is a circuit board doing all the work
You are right though I wouldn't buy a Ferrari unless it had a manual gearbox
I thought the same, but its not laughable at all. I didn't say that its pushing a button, its pulling a paddle It's laughable that people can even try to explain pushing a button on the steering wheel being anything other than pushing a button,
You don't control any of it, there is a circuit board doing all the work
You are right though I wouldn't buy a Ferrari unless it had a manual gearbox
obviously its not the the same pulling a paddle as compared to clutch and a gear stick, what I said is that its no less engaging and needs you to improve and change other aspects of your driving.You probably need to try it properly in the right car, not some warm hatch or exec diesel.
Its actually not that clever to totally dismiss a car that you haven't driven purely on the basis of a gearbox you haven't used.
It's nothing to do with being clever, I have driven lots of automated boxes
But none not one involve my foot my leg or my left arm other than twiddling a switch, if you like them then great but I don't
There is no involvement because well there just isn't your not controlling it will it let you select first gear at 80mph
Or 3rd at 120 no it won't because you have no involvement in the process of gear change other than pressing a switch
I like the process of balancing a clutch and using a leaver that can never ever be replicated by pulling or pushing a micro switch, I you Prefer automated boxes than that is fine, but trying to Justify they are just as involving compared to a manual box is just pie in the sky ain't ever possible
But none not one involve my foot my leg or my left arm other than twiddling a switch, if you like them then great but I don't
There is no involvement because well there just isn't your not controlling it
will it let you select first gear at 80mph Or 3rd at 120 no it won't because you have no involvement in the process of gear change other than pressing a switch
I like the process of balancing a clutch and using a leaver that can never ever be replicated by pulling or pushing a micro switch, I you Prefer automated boxes than that is fine, but trying to Justify they are just as involving compared to a manual box is just pie in the sky ain't ever possible
For me, I think it's great they a reviving the Alpine name. I'm old enough to remember drooling over A110 rally cars back in the 70's. It's giving people more of a choice, not everyone wants to own or drive a Cayman. It's nice to own something a bit different, that's one of the reasons for me owning a GT86...!
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