[s-cars] Mmmm, shifty business...

[QSHIPQ at aol.com]

Taka
I believe that you find the goodness of the machine, and that a   manual 
trans can make some machines better, but many times it doesn't do a  thing, and 
more often (these) days, a manual can take away from the  goodness of the 
machine.
 
I use weight as my main argument, because manual shifting causes weight  
shifting.  When you have a heavy luxurious sports sedan, shifting can  redefine 
luxurious and sport.  As a former Saab salesman when the SPG and  the 9000t came 
about, I agree with David E that the 9000t auto was a  monster.  There is a 
lot less wastegate and bypass valve intervention on a  auto turbo, the torque 
converter becomes the bypass vavle, read no lag between  shifts.  The 9000t 
auto did a great job of banging the turbo at full tilt  into the next gear.  
Racing the manual against the autobox wasn't even  close.  Maybe with a drop 
clutch burnout, but not in any comparo you would  do to your own car.
 
It's your preference Taka, that's all, and I can respect that.  I also  
understand that there is a long list of cars I could take in a autobox, a long  
list in a manual, and a short list I could take in either.  I believe that  is 
because the trans defines the character of the car.  If it's 'out of  
character', it loses it's appeal.
 
I've learned to respect the choice by some of the manufacturers to  recognize 
that as well.
 
cheers
SJ
In a message dated 4/20/2007 10:17:19 A.M. Central Standard Time,  
t44tqtro at gmail.com writes:

I've  driven a Roush 360R, Corvette Z06 and Audi RS6- all of those cars have
tons  and tons of torque and
there is no way I'd take an automatic in any of  them.

How much torque does a blown TLC make?

I disagree with  David E Davis as well, then. Anyway, that's a terrible
point- Saab 9000  Turbo with a slushbox? Yuck.

Something like a Bentley Turbo R, Arnage,  MBZ S600, that's where a slushbox
might not be really annoying- something  that you're going to drive rather
sedately and has such immense power  reserves that you don't need to
downshift hardly ever. However, change that  to a MBZ E63 and I'd still want
a decent manual transmission over a  superlative autobox (and I like MBZ
slushboxes as far as automatics  go).

Taka


 



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