Quote:
Originally Posted by Isaac Zachary
I find it funny that we compare the modern automatic to the not-so-modern manual. Manual transmissions haven't changed much since synchromesh was introduced. Automatics are totaly differnt animals than what they used to be.
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I also find it funny that automakers almost never made a manual transmission (at least in the North American market) with a truly "tall" top gear (meaning: one that would satisfy an ecomodder). In other words, something analagous to the very tall top gears in some modern automatics for extra highway fuel savings.
I recently drove a Chrysler 9-speed automatic, and top gear didn't even engage until somewhere around 90 km/h (55 mph) on level ground.
Apparently a manual "economy" top gear that might require downshifting for any reason once at highway speeds is verboten by the product planners.