Quote:
Originally Posted by LostCause
I think the future trend will be servo-operated manuals. I believe the automatic Smart Car has an computer/servo controlled manual, clutched gearbox. To the layman, you get the best of both worlds.
- LostCause
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Yes, the smart car has a servo operating clutch, and and is an automatically shifted manual transmission. I had a 6 speed version. It came with a racing style slap stick shifter type dealie. You hit the stick forward, you got the next higher gear. And again to get the next. Pull it back to get the next lower. It also had a button on the side to get the automagic shifting happening. I've been driving stick for years, and it taught me a thing or two about driving stick! No word of a lie. All the efficiency of a manual, all the convience of an automatic. Too bad the linear actuators in them couldn't last more then 100k miles at a time, and cost $2000 a pop. Give me a real clutch anyday.
I think the automagics are generally getting better because of things like lock-up torque converters, and more speeds. Back in the day, autos were 3 speeds. Now my fathers sienna is a 5 speed, and Mercedes has a 7 speed. If manuals start coming with 6 speed double-overdrive trannies, and people learn that they have to downshift to 5th to pass on the highway, manuals will once again rule in FE.
-Steve