Car Buyers Falling Back in Love with Manual Transmissions

[Raza]

Unenthusiast loser.

See, if you ain't rowing the gearbox better suited for a '48 Ford, if you ain't driving RWD without any sort of electronic nannies, if you otherwise ain't driving from the pre-approved 'SPIN list of "enthusiastic" vehicles - anything from a Focus wagon, to a Jetta, to 125 hp Miata, you by definition are an unenthusiast.

[Eye of the Tiger]

No.

[GoCougs]

Too late.

[nickdrinkwater]

I've got a long ass rant about how manual transmissions need to die, but I'll spare you guys.


But outdated manuals need to die.  Dual clutch for everything.

Not sure if serious

[AutobahnSHO]

Not sure if serious

ban if he is

[Raza]

He is.

[hotrodalex]

They do; even at cruise well under 60 mph (i.e., gear spread does exist to run at 1,000 rpm) you'll not see a CVT hover at 1,000 rpm even though there is enough power to keep the car moving.

The engine might be making enough power to move the car, but will it accelerate at a decent pace with that gearing?

[Morris Minor]

In other news, I think CVT development should go even further.

I think modern auto transmissions with 7, 8 & 9-speeds largely do the job of CVTs.

[sportyaccordy]

I think modern auto transmissions with 7, 8 & 9-speeds largely do the job of CVTs.

There has to be a point at which CVTs are cheaper. I.e. a 100 speed auto is prob way more expensive than a CVT. I feel like we've passed that point long ago. Though I guess they don't do CVTs in big cars because of the inability to deal w/big loads.

[Morris Minor]

I don't know much about the latest gen of CVTs. I'd thought that the belt & variable diameter pulley types involved power loss, in that the engine has to push against the spring action closing the two halves of the pulleys.

[Raza]

inability to deal w/big loads.

[3.0L V6]

I think modern auto transmissions with 7, 8 & 9-speeds largely do the job of CVTs.

I think that CVTs can engage the lockup clutch in the torque converter at much lower speeds than conventional automatics (IIRC, the Nissan CVT locks around 15 mph or so versus 40+ mph for conventional automatics), which might account for some of the improved efficiency as well.