Basically using your engine to slow down the car. You simply downshift into a lower gear and allow the RPMs to decrease without your foot on the throttle.

 

^^ Thanks.

 

in most large cities engine braking is actually considered illegal in certain residential and commercial areas. due to the amount of noise that it creates when large trucks and 18 wheelers do it. i dont know about where you are at but if you drive around austin texas you can always spot signs that say "no engine break" along the roads.

 

Lol, i think the 09 lancer does, but that car doesn't really do it for me, no where near as cool or as practical as the fit IMO

LOL i'd laugh so hard if someone in a fit got pulled over for it

 

I believe that the no engine brake signs are in responce to a technology developed on large diesels called a exhaust brake. Whenever you hear a large truck barking at you in traffic, that thing is using this brake. If large trucks did not gear down to slow them selves they would absolutely destroy brake shoes. that is the reason for the highway emergency lanes in the mountains as well, if trucks dont gear down, they will flat out loose all wheel braking.
This may not be a problem in truly residential ares, but I have a hard time believing that a court would allow such a law to stop a major part of driving a large truck safely.
edit: found the name of the mechanism Jake brake
Jake brake - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
the jake brakes are really loud, and I have seen some signs outlawing their use, but I have never heard of no engine braking in the downshift definition.
really cool technology.
Andrew

 

Me And A Couple Of My Buddies Were Told That If The Fit Sport Auto Came With A Double Clutch.....that Our Shifts Would Be Faster Than Any Manual Alive..idk If This Is True....hondajunkie..do You Still Need Pics?

 

Pretty much any automatic will do that if you shift it into "2". Useful for getting away from a stop in slippery conditions.

Does the ECU blip the throttle to match revs on downshifts with the paddle shifter?

 

This post is hilarious considering your avatar.

 

^^ Its also funny that i can't even drive!!!!!
I think i had a general idea of what it was, but i never really knew. Sorry that i don't meet up to The Stig's expectations.

 

They mounted the paddles on the steering wheel because you should never... under any circumstances with performance driving, shift during a corner, always downshift before, hit the apex, follow through, upshift... honda knows what they're doing

 

^^^ that was very well answered

 

This is true in racing situations, but realistically in regular driving, steering column-mounted paddle shifters are definitely smarter. You even said it yourself, "performance driving." ;] Canyon/valley driving the paddle shifters on the wheel are a god, though. I mean even MCR complained about the R35's paddle shifters being on the steering column, right? But what kind of use will the car see? Sure as hell isn't regular driving... :b

 

Well said!... However, maybe they figured most people would just use D for normal driving as it was intended and S with paddles for Sport/performance driving

 

Thank you!

 

Haha I'm sure this was definitely the case. :b I bet they weren't expecting people getting better mileage using the paddle shifters! :] Plus it's just way too fun.

 

Definitely! I can't get over how quickly this transmission shifts, I mean honestly it's not too far off from DSG in my friends GTI. The fact that you CAN blip the throttle once you hit the downshift paddle is really neat too!

 

And for all of those Manual supremacists out there.. this dude is actually shifting into S----------->

 

what do you mean blip the throttle? you mean you can blip the throttle when you downshift? like simulaneously? i've never tried this? can anyone explain please?

 

i to an interested in what exactly it means to "blip" the throttle.

 

I believe Arashi meant that the RPMs will raise as if someone was double clutching the car.