• Protip: Profile posts are public! Use Conversations to message other members privately. Everyone can see the content of a profile post.

Next-Gen NSX to have a 7spd Paddle Shifter?

yeah, when I was young when the Tiptronic just came out and those BTCC/JTCC cars screaming around with those "Sequential". I already foreseen that the Manual trans or people driving it beautifully will be a lost of art.

Interestingly, this issue of EVO evaluating the CSL M3 and they have the same point there talking about Manual vs SMG and the Race Rubber vs. the Stock Hi Performance tires... Do we really need a race car for the enjoyment of street driving? ( Mountain, Backroad driving, actually.)

I don't know how many people would like the involvement of driving, seems like more and more people only cares about the bragging right of owning a "fast" car and beat the guy next to him at the stoplight. For those, which is probably the majority of the population, will push the Manual transmission to death. If you really think about it, cars in 50's /60's, people used to race with double de-clutching, and match rpms everytime they shift up/down. What a hassle, but probably will make us smile even when just going out for a gallon of milk. The syncro take care of that for us nowadays. (Even we die-hard nsx'ers still worshipped the lost art wholeheartly. )

For decades, even Automatic was being labeled hp robbing device, and only for those who doesn't know how to drive, I'll say, at least half of the drivers on the road will drive faster with Auto than Manual in a competition manner... Now that the SMG not just narrowed the gap, it actually shifts faster than any human can do. That's an Evolution. But in a sad way.
 
BMW M SMG (Sequential Manual Gearbox

“With SMG, you can shift faster and it is better for the engine, the clutch and the transmission,” says Scheibner. “With the M cars, top performance is the key, and with SMG, it is the top performance.”

A workmate of mine has a new M3 SMG and while it shifts faster, there is a delay as you come off hard from a standstill. Anything will beat it off the line. Also its a trick to shift using paddles on steering wheel as you are in a hard turn.

But the main thing, as someone else already mentioned, the driving experience is weak, you feel like you are missing out on something for your left leg to do...

Another, selfish reason for a manual, is that my wife cannot drive my cars!
 
Re: BMW M SMG (Sequential Manual Gearbox

ubenergy said:
[ Also its a trick to shift using paddles on steering wheel as you are in a hard turn.

I don't know of any reason you should be shifting during a turn:confused: You should already be in the appropriate gear before you make your turn, that is why racers use heel and toe before the turn so they will be ready to be on the gas at the apex, or sometimes before the apex.
Click to expand...
 
that feeling of shifting coming out of corner just cant be beat. I dont like paddling, but looks like its something were all going to have to get used to. :(

7 speed gearboxes we're turning cars into mountain bikes!:D
 
Just curious...what do you think todays F1 driver would say? Have they lost or gained any driving experience?
 
well i read somewhere that f1 was becoming boring because of all the computer controlled enhancements. The drivers' skill was becoming less and less of of a factor. I think in this case they were referring to the start of the race, where the driver just pushed a button and the computer to care of the acceleration and take off etc.
 
Back
Top