Re: Audi's CVT

["Michael Theuri" <mikesoft@europa1.conwaycorp.net>]

Thanks for pointing out that CVT's have long been used in Europe. 
Reading the article again, I initially skimmed through it, reveals that
that CVT in the Cedric is a toroidal CVT. And the article notes that 
most pre-existing CVTs were based on a metal belt that rode between
two pulleys that changed in diameter to produce the ratio variation. 
The new toroidal concept uses rollers that ride btwn two discs shaped
such that when the rollers tilt the gear ratio changes resulting in a 
more compact CVT that can handle a higher amount of torque.

Thanks for the history of the CVT. Learned quite a bit more than on 
just CVTs. For instance I didn't know that DAF had at one time made
cars. I guess DAF then made its success in buses and trucks. 
Manual's are fun to drive but I think CVTs definately will be a hit with
their faster speed than manuals especially in traffic gridlock areas. If
you need a pic of the toroidal CVT, I can scan it and email it to you. 
Let me know and thanks for the info. 

Mike 

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Tom Nas" <tnas@euronet.nl>

Sorry to disillusion you, but in Europe we've hardly been without a CVT
since its invention in the '50s (although popularity was so low you
wouldn't know it). When DAF (the inventor) went belly-up in '76, the
production-ready DAF 77 was made into the Volvo 343- Europe-only. This had
an evolutionary version of the CVT. Be very glad this car (motorized Zimmer
frame) didn't come to the US.
Meanwhile, the metal drive belt CVT (DAFs made do with less-reliable
rubber, nicknamed 'garter-belt drive') was productionized by a separate
company and CVT versions of the Fiat Uno, Nissan Micra and other small cars
appeared on the roads. A downside of the CVT was that engines larger than
1.8 litres had too much power to use it- a problem which was fixed only
last year. Now Nissan has introduced the first CVT with fixed ratios in
their Primera (European version of the Infiniti G20), just ahead of Audi.
Maybe Europe is finally ready for this radical concept to replace the old
power-sapping auto transmission. It's indeed smooth (being stepless), quick
and lightweight compared to a conventional auto trans.
Not that I'm considering giving up my manual transmission...

Tom