Why isn't 6th gear super tall?

[Ecky]

Originally Posted by Baltothewolf

Yea but no car is going to lug at 2500-2750rpm. Even going up a 10% grade in top gear at WOT. Even the insight won't.

My Insight seems very happy at 1200rpm. It's only when it dips down to 1000 or below that it starts to sound/feel rough.

That said, a taller 5th wouldn't be of much use in this car on level ground, much less hills. I feel like Honda nailed the top ratio. I wouldn't mind closer spacing and an extra gear where the current 1-2-3 are though; RPM nearly halves with each shift.

[jcp123]

I've never had much luck with the skip shift, maybe because my Civic has as much torque as an electric toothbrush. But lugging is rare, and despite the engine's smooth yearning for high RPM, it's fine from about 1200 or so RPM, provided you aren't being super aggressive. Pulse and glide feels like it needs 1300rpm to keep from being too weirded out by heavy throttle inputs.

[freebeard]

In high school and college I drove International box vans ('54 to COE) that had a five-speed box and two-speed rear axle with an electric mushroom switch strapped to the gearshift lever.

Split shifting up and down. ...or not.

[Piwoslaw]

Originally Posted by freebeard

The advantage came in having one more choice for gearing driving around town.

When PSA (Peugeot/Citroen) moved from 5- to 6-speed trans with the 1.6HDi engine, the new 6th gear was only like 2% taller than the old 5th, but you had more intermediate choices, making it easier find the right gear for the speed and load.

[freebeard]

VW Beetles have a high fourth anyway, the conversion used a 'low-fourth' with a 'high-fourth' kludged on. I have the build sheet around somewhere, I don't recall if third was moved.