Re: Sequential vs. Tiptronic

[Bob Davis <bob@segNET.COM>]

>From: ScharfR@aol.com
>
><< I don't know how the Tiptronic is implemented - but the sequential box 
> (certainly the one on the 1995 practice A4) is exactly what it says.  It's
>just 
> a gearbox (the clutch is normal) with the gears arranged sequentially rather
>
> than in an "H" shape.  The shift lever only moves fore and aft. >>
>
>
>Like a typical motorcycle transmission.
>

If any of you are familiar with the Formula SAE competition, this might
ring a bell.  They build open wheeled race cars around (typically) a 600cc
motorcycle engine (super hot honda/yamaha/etc) and generally use the
motorcycle's transmission out for simplicity's sake.  Imstant 6-speed
sequential gear box.

Several of the guys who have done well in this competition (all college
students) have gone on to work at GM, Lotus, and other places where they
might have brought some of this information.

BTW, these cars are seriously fast - even with the mandated 23mm restrictor
plate.  The guys at WVU had a supercharged 600cc Yamaha (?) motor in theirs
about ten years ago and it couldn't get rolling in first gear without a lot
of wheel-spin (racing slicks!).  It also had a programmable EFI system in
it, and I think it ran on Methanol.  Very cool.  There should be
information about these monsters at http://www.sae.org  .


Bob Davis
bob@seg.net