Project car/hardtop

[leamyj]

I don't reckon there's too many auto rally cars competing out there??...or is there?

[sidewaysreilly]

no johnny boy,
all these questions about autos, RWD V FWD are answered by looking at the top forms of motorsport, eg Rallying, F1 etc etc.
They all have manual transmissions albeit sequential or paddle shift with electronic clutch control, but they use clutches.

[satfan54]

Because auto boxes dont connect the engine to the rear wheels in the same way so dont offer the same fun factor .

Thanks. I was not aware of this fact.

[Ivan]

no johnny boy,
all these questions about autos, RWD V FWD are answered by looking at the top forms of motorsport, eg Rallying, F1 etc etc.
They all have manual transmissions albeit sequential or paddle shift with electronic clutch control, but they use clutches.

yeah but they are still autos they don't have a clutch pedal.
They are semi auto but are not manual. It's certainly not the same feel as a
manual and the gear box weighs a lot more.

An auto mx5 also has less power than the manual.

[Stig]

I test drove one when I was looking for a 5 and I was underwhelmed by the box in it.
It'd be grand for tootiling around I guess, but for spirited driving like you want to do in a 5, it's the manual you want as its got a nice slick notch change, and it suits the engine. The auto is harder on fuel and is less powerful. Auto's imho suit large 6cylinder cars like my old 530D, it suited it perfect and was tiptronic for when you wanted to lash it around a bit.

[sidewaysreilly]

Ivan they have clutches, just electronically controlled. Engine.......clutch.......prop shaft........diff.....wheels.!!!!!!!

[Ivan]

Ivan they have clutches, just electronically controlled. Engine.......clutch.......prop shaft........diff.....wheels.!!!!!!!

Yeah but they don't have clutch PEDALS. The pedal gives part of the
feel. No pedal might as well be auto.

[sidewaysreilly]

rally cars do and F1 just use a button i think.

Wikipedia;

Transmission
Formula One cars use semi-automatic sequential gearboxes with six or seven forward gears and one reverse gear. The driver initiates gear changes using paddles mounted on the back of the steering wheel and electro-hydraulics perform the actual change as well as throttle control. Clutch control is also performed electro-hydraulically except from and to a standstill when the driver must operate the clutch using a lever mounted on the back of the steering wheel. By regulation the cars use rear wheel drive. A modern F1 clutch is a multi-plate carbon design with a diameter of less than four inches (100 mmn], weighing less than 2.20 lb (1.00 kg] and handling 900 hp (670 kW) or so.

[VDubbin]

For me, half the fun in driving is the gearchange. One of the nicest things about my 5 is the snicky gearbox and well laid out pedals for heel and toe gear shifts. A well timed blip of the throttle on the approach to a corner, coordinated with the brakes, before powering out of the apex again is the epitome of sports car driving.

Having owned and driven a few slushboxes in the past, I can't image how it could be any more fun waiting for the torque converter to change gears for me.

Automatics are fine for city driving, traffic jams and Americans, but on a road like the N71, (which I had the pleasure of traversing twice this weekend) I can't see an auto offering as involved a driving experience as a "proper" gearbox and clutch.

[Ivan]

rally cars do and F1 just use a button i think.

Wikipedia;

Transmission
electro-hydraulics perform the actual change as well as throttle control. Clutch control is also performed electro-hydraulically except from and to a standstill when the driver must operate the clutch using a lever mounted on the back of the steering wheel.

Not according to that they don't
"except from and to a standstill"
Thats still an auto in my book.... You don't use the clutch pedal driving along.

[sidewaysreilly]

yes Ivan......but no human could change gears quicker, hence the electronics.

[Stig]

yes Ivan......but no human could change gears quicker, hence the electronics.

Ivan can, but then he's superhuman, he wears his underpants on the outside of this trousers!!

[sidewaysreilly]

[Ivan]

yes Ivan......but no human could change gears quicker, hence the electronics.

yeah i think i know that
The point is Manual in IMO gives a better feel driving than auto.
As regards racing cars it's about going fast so whatever makes it go fast is better
but does not relate to the road and driving experience, if they could put a robot in there, they would.


Stig nothing wrong with unpants outside your trousers
at least i dont wear womens underwear...eh stig
I know what you are going to say
"purely for comfort at the end of a long week"

[Stig]

yes Ivan......but no human could change gears quicker, hence the electronics.

yeah i think i know that
The point is Manual in IMO gives a better feel driving than auto.
As regards racing cars it's about going fast so whatever makes it go fast is better
but does not relate to the road and driving experience, if they could put a robot in there, they would.


Stig nothing wrong with unpants outside your trousers
at least i dont wear womens underwear...eh stig
I know what you are going to say
"purely for comfort at the end of a long week"

Ivan, I told you that in confidence.