Kyle's Corner (FYI) What Transmission Shifts Your Gearbox?

The automotive marketplace
is on the move! It is the usual
practice that rather than make
'major changes,' automakers
make 'useful improvements'
to their vehicle offerings.

For example, direct fuel injection,
electric water pumps, internet
and electronic interface systems,
and cutting edge transmissions
to name just a few. And once
something is offered by one

vehicle manufacturer the very competitive nature of the business demands that the
others quickly follow to maintain sales.

Most all vehicle manufactures are offering or will very soon offer automatic
transmissions that can be shifted manually with buttons or paddles on the steering
wheel. Not only are such transmissions responsive and enjoyable to use but they
offer excellent fuel mileage that equals or betters even the current six-speed manual
transmissions. Oh, some manufacturers are still providing some 5-speed manuals,
however, the six-speed gearbox will soon be leaving the 5-speed in the dust.

So which transmission choice is better for you? In the past, enthusiasts and
performance junkies almost always preferred the manual gearbox with a
clutch pedal because of its driving involvement and fuel mileage. However,
the manumatic automatics provide many of the manual's benefits but the
convenience and ease of use in urban traffic.

How do the two transmission stack up at the test track? Cars equipped with
manumatic automatic transmissions and five and six-speed manuals were
compared at a short and tight autocross track that included many curves. The
comparison focused on shift times, ease of operation and how well the
transmissions met drivers' expectations.

The cars tested included a pair of 2009 Mitsubishi Lancer Evolutions
equipped with a 5-speed manual gearbox and a 6-speed sequential twin-clutch
(but no clutch pedal) that could be left in automatic mode or manually shifted
with paddles on the steering wheel or with a console-mounted shift lever.
Additionally, a pair of 2009 Porsche Cayman S cars with a six-speed manual
and a PDK dual-clutch (no clutch pedal) system. Last, but not least, a pair of
2010 Lamborghini Gallardo Balbornis equipped with a six-speed manual as
well as a six-speed dual clutch (no clutch pedal) system.

The results indicated that the manumatic automatic transmission Mitsubishi
was about one second faster getting around the 50 second race track than its
manual transmission brother. The data also showed that the manumatic
automatic was quicker during all the hard acceleration points on the track.
With this transmission, the driver did not need to focus simultaneously on
the steering wheel, the clutch, and the shifter. Additionally, through the
turns, the driver was able to keep both hands on the steering wheel as the
transmission could be shifted at the steering wheel.

The results were also the same for the Porsche Cayman and the Lamborghini
as the manumatic transmissions came out on top. On average a manual
gearbox took the driver about .40 second to shift and the manumatic automatic
took .25 second or almost one-half the time to shift! This is understandable
when you realize that in a dual-clutch semiautomatic transmission, when the
transmission is being driven in one gear, the other bank of the gearbox is
preparing the next gear. Thus, when the driver hits the steering wheel paddle,
the other clutch hydraulically engages and the clutch being used disengages
at the same time. On the manual transmission, however, after the clutch pedal
is pressed in, the driver needs to push the shift level forward or pull it back and
then let out the cutch. Such movement indeed takes time!

Of the manumatic automatic transmissions, it must be mentioned that the
Porsche and the Lamborghini shift times and shift quality (some shifts
become a bit lazier and sometimes the computer shifted earlier than optimal)
varied somewhat as the units heated up. Regarding these 'variations,' such
transmissions are quite new and these small glitches should soon disappear.
Another aspect of these 'new and future' transmissions is the great number
of parts including computers needed in their operation. If one of these
transmissions goes out, what will be the cost to have it repaired? The
(CVT) continuously variable transmission has a much simpler design
and only a few parts compared to the manumatic automatics.

To summarize, the new manumatic automatic transmissions offer the
quickest time at the track (this is why all Formula 1 cars are equipped
with such transmissions and the manual gearboxes in this sport have long
disappeared). Additionally, such transmissions provide no sweat in
stop-and-go traffic.

Many younger drivers cannot drive a manual transmission (I started to drive
one successfully without being taught. I worked at a machine shop when I was
asked to make a delivery in a manual transmission truck and off I went!).

If you are a driver that likes to be involved in driving and interacting with your
machine to the greatest extent, the manual transmission may will provide the
most driving pleasure. I guess it comes down to what driving experience 'you'
want!

As it is difficult for one vehicle to do everything well, I maintain that a driver
might want to have an automatic transmission when he will be doing mostly
stop-and-go driving and a manual gearbox for open road and interstate driving.
It would be similar to having an all-wheel drive crossover for carrying cargo,
towing, or winter driving, and a manual transmission car for summer driving.
It would be the best of both transmissions to be enjoyed to the fullest extent.

Well, this is a good reason to have another vehicle. And such might be
a great thing at that!

Kyle Busch is the author of "Drive the Best for the Price..." He
welcomes your comments or car questions at his auto web site:
www.DriveTheBestBook.com.