RE: real sports cars

["Nathan B. Thomas" <nathan@huxley.baz.com>]

I recall reading a review of the F355F1 that, while complimentary of
the system in general, had negative things to say about how it handled as a 
daily driver.  Basically, there are a lot of minute adjustments the average
manual driver makes that the computer can't anticipate or understand,
predominately in very slow situations, such as parking or backing up.
There is more to a clutch than just shifting.  Don't get me wrong, I have
plenty of faith in the automakers that one day they will either give us
a more efficient torque converter or a really effective pedal-less manual.
Probably the surest sign of this is continued development in that direction-
in some other magazine (BMW Power by EC?) I read that BMW has produced several
3-series models with F1-style shifters and is pleased with the results on
the whole (similar 0-60 times to the manual).  On the slush-box front I
remember in R&T or C&D there was a comparo with a RennTech modified Merc 600
series coupe that was an auto but did 0-60 in about 4 seconds...not too
shabby.  Of course, I can just hear everyone telling me it would have done
it in 3.5 in a manual.  Realistically though, can anyone shift that fast?
I suspect there will be 'revolutionary' changes in both systems to push
the envelope even further...but there is no doubt that if we want to go
_really_ fast/quickly the driver is going to have to give a large portion
of control up to a computer.

One other minor thing- I saw a 4000 series with a big 4E badge on the right
hand side...does this equate to the 100E?

nate

1985 4ksq 100k miles
1990 V8 67k miles <vaporware...hopefully arrives this month>
1998 adzaM Protege <hopefully going away this month>

-- 
Nathan B. Thomas
nathan@baz.com