[TurgidPie]

I have a question about the transmission on the Impreza WRX....

Is it possible to get semi-automatic transmission on a regular WRX, or only on the WRC? And which would it be better on, the Impreza WRX Sedan, or the Impreza WRX STi Sedan? Paddles rock, and its much easier to handle than regular manual transmission.

Thanks

[ldivinag]

5zigen had a 5 or was it 6 speed manu matic...

[TurgidPie]

what car was it in?
and is it possible to buy an Impreza with manu-matic transmission?

[sakura-iro]

o.k., i'll bite.

subaru does not offer a "manu-matic" transmission at this time. there is possibility that there will be one in the near future (like three years). if you really think that "paddles rock" i suggest that you shop for a ferarri as most other paddle shift transmissions are not that good. either that or just keep getting the newest release of gran turismo and save yourself some money.

[CloNeGTS]

This type of transmission would never be necessary on a street car. The advantages are so small that they really only belong in high end race cars, such as WRC, F1, or Ferraris.

Yes, they rock, but if you want to spend multiple times the purchase price of the car just so you can have paddles....hmmmm, go for it. Someone found a sequential shifter (not paddles, just the sequential) for 60k the other day. Now have fun finding the electronics to run the thing like a Ferrari.

[titsataki]

the only real clutchless manuals are the ones in the BMW M3 and the Toyota MR2. Audi is coming with one th DSG. And of course Ferrari, Lambo etc....(these are in the dream car category for me :-) )

They usually have a fully auto mode and then a manual mode. SMG in M3 (and Z4 I think now..) has multiple modes, launch control etc... No wonder they are very pricey. The one used in WRC cars are very exotic and I have heard somewhere that used WRC gearbox from Prodrive (that has been beaten to death all race season and made it...) will cost tens of thousands of dollars. Then some more to install an configure.

I think a nice H pattern 6sp is much more reasonable for everyday driving.

Cheers

Nick

PS: Hey I saw the car and driver show that they test the Enzo and they did mention that its tranny is 6 sp sequencial and it is much improved vs the F50 (just in case anyone is wondering )

[RiX]

This is something I struggled with when I had a manumatic car (Merc). How do you rev match in a clutchless car? Brake & gas at the same time (which I did to the demise of my brake pads)?

I don't know about you, but I really like the clutch! ;-)

[sakura-iro]

clutchless transmissions match the revs for you, much better.

also wrc transmissions are more in the hundreds of thousands range.

[crazytrain]

An manumatic does not have a clutch because it is an automatic. It's a bit inaccurate to say that it matches revs for you, because it doesn't. It doesn't need to because a planetary gear set never has to disengage/re-engage gears like a stick-shift. The gears in an automatic stay in contact with each other at all times in forward gears. The gear ratio is changed by allowing or preventing the reletive rotation of certian gears within the planetary setup by means of many individual clutch setups. In a traditional automatic transmisions, the engagements of these clutches is controlled by a complecated hydrolic system that is governed by throttle pressure and vehicle speed. In a manumatic transmission, the clutches are engaged by the vehicle computer, which has inputs from the driver.

Whether this system is "better" than any other depends on what you are trying to do. I would say that from a cost perspective, it is better than a paddle-shift H-pattern or sequential (which have price tags in the many 10's of thousands), and worse than a traditional manual (shich requires many fewer parts and less material). From a performance perspective, it depends on the type of performance you are aiming for. In drag racing, a manumatic gives the advantage of quicker shifts than a manual, but more weight. In road racing, you gain the ease of gear changes and the simplicity of pedal work, but you lose in the wieght category and lose in the fact that you do not have the control that comes from direct drive from engine to wheel (a manumatic requires the use of a torque converter).

I think manumatics are a neat idea, but not worth messing with. For one, you have all the disadvantages of an automatic (weight and torque converter), but you give up the best advantage (the fact that it can shift for you). Also, it's a cheap imitation of true paddle shift sequential, and that seems kindof insulting.

I would like to see true paddle shifts make their way into more affordable cars. If a car manufacturer (like Subaru?) would take the effort to design a simple computer controlled model, the price would start to dramatically drop when placed into thousands of road-going vehicles. Maybe I ought to start working on some designs...

[eatV8]

huh, i always thought automatics did have clutches, but of course not controlled by human input (ie:clutch pedal)

[darwood]

Nope automatics are all about the torque converters. Mmmm slush.

Check out http://www.howstuffworks.com for more info.

[wewu]

the e46 m3 smg does use a clutch, tho is is controlled by the ecu.

[ldivinag]

ditto the ferrari system. electrically controlled or activated clutches...