CVT Disadvantages

[jamesqf]

Originally Posted by extragoode

Sports cars have buttons for their automatics...

Sorry, but sports cars don't have automatics, by definition. Put an automatic in one, and it stops being a sports car.

[DifferentPointofView]

...technically isn't a sports car with paddle shifters technically an automatic?

[dichotomous]

Originally Posted by jamesqf

Sorry, but sports cars don't have automatics, by definition. Put an automatic in one, and it stops being a sports car.

tell this to ferrari and porcshe.... I think they are pretty well set in the definition of "sports car" and so anything they do, automatically means its a sports car.

or do you want to call the 4 wheel drive, selectable automatic, rear engine ungodly fast cars they produce "non-sports cars"?

I remember hearing that "sports car" was defined by a manual transmission, front engine rear drive 2 door car. which would make the top sporty cars, not sports cars, but the miata fits... seems a little backwards.

or wait, well, they DID come up with another term..... "super car" which I belive the ferraris and porcshes and the lambo's fit into (well the lamb is more of a hypercar - all show with a big engine but not "fast" like a supercar)

[jamesqf]

Originally Posted by dichotomous

or wait, well, they DID come up with another term..... "super car" which I belive the ferraris and porcshes and the lambo's fit into (well the lamb is more of a hypercar - all show with a big engine but not "fast" like a supercar)

Exactly. Going ungodly fast is not a requirement for a true sports car. I could argue that it's even a detriment: I doubt my old Austin-Healey Sprite could hit 100 mph even on a downhill, and many classic sports cars weren't all that much faster. It's the difference between autocrossing and drag racing...

[dichotomous]

Originally Posted by jamesqf

Exactly. Going ungodly fast is not a requirement for a true sports car. I could argue that it's even a detriment: I doubt my old Austin-Healey Sprite could hit 100 mph even on a downhill, and many classic sports cars weren't all that much faster. It's the difference between autocrossing and drag racing...

no, its the difference between autocrossing and track time trial racing. drag racing favors rwd cars. oddly enough, the 4 wheel drive aspect is only better at lower speeds, its the higher speeds you dont want your front wheels under power. ever see a 4wheel drive formula 1 car? or can-am car? nope

[MetroMPG]

DPV - can you coast engine-off with the Caliber's CVT? What does the user manual say about towing?

[DifferentPointofView]

... I'd have to check that out actually. I'll make a note of that in the back of my noggin...

I know that when you have your foot off the gas fuel cutoff is pretty much instant and it doesn't seem to kick back on until around 15 or so mph. once in MO i was going down a steep grade using no gas for about 2 miles and it kept around 65-70mph, but the thing slows down so much when you take off the gas pedal you never really have to use your brakes if you slow down early like I do (save money 2 ways! woo)

[wagonman76]

Originally Posted by DifferentPointofView

"have been proven to support any amount of torque in production vehicles, including that used for buses, heavy trucks, and earth-moving equipment."

New CVT's use advanced lubricants that allow them to do this. Tractors now Use CVT. Old CVT's before 2005 had the low torque problem, but that has now been fixed.

Sure it can be designed to handle the torque. But will it fit under the hood?

[DifferentPointofView]

CVT tranny's are lighter and smaller than their automatic counterparts.

And the Caliber uses these type of lubricants, so its not just earthmoving equipment that uses the "new" lubricants.

[andylaurence]

Originally Posted by MazdaMatt

Bleh, that's gross... i want a smooth lever that allows me to control the CVT ratio infinitely. Why on earth would anybody who knows anything about driving a sports car WANT to force the tranny to a ratio where the revs drop out of the prime zone?

I had a Ford Focus CVT that had a virtual 7 speed semi-automatic gearbox. The automatic function had three possible modes; Economy, Normal and Sport. The difference in the three modes was how eager the 'box was to keep the revs high. In Economy (my favoured mode), the revs dropped off immediately when the throttle was closed. It was great for economy but awful for a sporty drive. The semi-automatic mode meant that I could control the revs as I saw fit, either for economy or for performance (holding the revs through the bends). Sadly, the gearstick was crappy, so it was hard to use.

Usefully, when changing virtual gears, the change was slurred. This allowed the revs to stay within about 2-300rpm when going through the gears. Aside from the awful 5 second pre-programmed start routine, the gearbox was the best I've ever driven. Here's a clip of the car in action:

Focus CVT in action

Cheers,
Andy