[BiturboS4] re: transmissions (mrdezign@netscape.net)

[john sonty]

Best feeling shifter I've ever driven is the new
RSX---unbelievably smooth and very accurate.. simply amazing.
Does the Miata feel better than that, anyone??

--- Ian McCloghrie <ian at codrus.com> wrote:
> On Dec 31, 2002 "Erik J. Engstrom" wrote:
> > You know, that I can believe. I would be CRUSHED if Getrag
> designed and
> > built the gearbox in my car. It churns like butter, the
> throws are
> > incredibly long. Considering I had both a "Getrag-5" and
> "Getrag-6" in new
> > bimmers in the past two years, the entire mechanism feels
> distinctly
> > different. The BMW clutch/gearbox is smooth, clicks and
> never has any
> > delay - very direct and clean. In the S4, toe-heel is
> impossible without a
> > neckbrace and divine intervention.
>
> Heel-toe is made very difficult in the S4 by the drive-by-wire
> throttle.  The throttle doesn't respond the same way that it
> does in a
> car with a mechanical linkage, especially when the computer
> thinks
> you're applying both brake and throttle at the same time.
>
> It sounds to me like you're complaining more about the shift
> LINKAGE
> than about the transmission itself.  On a traditional front
> engine/rear drive car, the transmission is located such that
> the
> shifter is directly connected to the transmission.  On the S4,
> the
> engine is pushed very far forwards, such that the transmission
> box
> (which includes front and center differentials) can have the
> two front
> driveshafts coming straight out the sides and driving the
> front
> wheels.  This means that there needs to be a linkage mechanism
> to
> translate movement of the shifter to the transmission.
>
> In any event, the S4's shift feel is pretty crummy.  I'd still
> take it
> over a slushbox tiptronic ANY day of the week though.
>
> For transmission shifting feel, there isn't much that beats a
> Miata.
>
> --Ian
> '01 Nogaro Blue S4
> '99 Mazda Miata FM2 Turbo
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