Re: Non-Audi Five Cylinder Engines, Honda!: Now CVT

[Paul_Royal@idx.com]

>> Gotta give honda a little credit with designing the ultimate
>> nightmare, the CVT (continually varying transmittion.)
> Wasn't that DAF?
>>If my memory serves, Subaru is the pioneer of using CVT on mass
production
>>car(anyone remember the little econ car, Justy). Even today, they are
still
>>using CVT on some of their models in Japan with the addition of the
>>sport shift function(sort of tiptronic like shifting).

I recently read an article about the CVT in the Honda and if _my_ memory
serves me right this technology goes back as far as WWII where Germany
attempted to use a CVT in some military applications with only partial
success (like so many other things fortunately).  The CVT technology that
Honda adapted was (and I believe still is) partly patented by a German
concern today...and the CVT was the result of Honda's and their
collaboration. The "perfection" of the CVT is pretty darn nifty actually.
This brings to mind a personnal observation.  The Germans really do come up
with some engineering marvels and the Japanese have yet to come up with an
original thought (flame away).

Royal