Does anyone have any information about the technical details of the paddle shifting automatic tranny that will be available on the Sport in the US?

Specifically, is it a traditional "manumatic", i.e. a plain old automatic transmission with a torque converter that happens to have paddles to shift it, or is it a "real" manual tranny with a computer-controlled clutch?

 

I'm sure that it's a manumatic.

If it was a real SMG, they'd have advertised it as such, but they're calling it "automatic transmission with paddle shifters"

Still, better than a normal automatic.

Real SMG's are too expensive for a car in this class.

 

I feared the same, and was hoping someone would prove me wrong.

On the other hand, VW advertizes their DSG as an "automatic" quite often, while I'd consider it to be probably the best computer-controlled manual box on the planet. So perhaps there's still hope.

Does Honda sell the paddle-shifting box anywhere else in the world on a current Fit/Jazz?

 

The US is getting shafted on the auto transmission. The 7-speed CVT trans the rest of the world is getting is much better than the auto slush box the US is getting.

But seriously how could you honestly expect a SMG style trans out of a $13K car??? Get real folks!

 

. . . if they can do a 7 speed CVT for $13k, I'd think throwing a few servo motors on the manual box would be cake.

Regardless, I wasn't "expecting" anything, just asking a question, since the details of that tranny are not even remotely clear in any of the literature I've seen to date. Hopefully they'll clear that up some time soon. Otherwise, I'll just have to go drive one in a few months and find out.

 

The 5AT in the Fit is a regular automatic (with a torque convertor) where you can shift on demand electronically.

There is really no performance advantage to this transmission, unlike a SMG gearbox or even better the DSG transmission.

 

Thanks corey!

 

interesting article thanks to vividjazz

http://www.thetruthaboutcars.com/con...4331/index.php

 

Mexico is getting he 7 speed CVT now (made locally), while we wait for the 5 speed 'slushamatic' to cross the big pond (the Pacific)- how's that for being the number one cunsumer buying nation in the world- screwed! Wake- up Honda . . .

 

They are still pissed about the whole WWII thing

 

Well, there is a performance advantage compared to a normal automatic, and that is that you can choose to downshift to whatever gear you choose at whatever time you choose, which IMO is a huge advantage.

An auto with a manumatic is infinitely more usable in a performance driving situation than is a normal "hands-off" slushbox. Granted, it isn't as fast and smooth as the SMG's and DSG, but it's a helluva lot better than letting the car make it's own decision regarding what gear to be in at corner entry.

The DSG is an expensive proposition, as I understand it. I think it involves two clutches, or at least it does on the RS6.

The normal manual will certainly be BETTER than the 5AT's paddle shifters in a performance-driving situation, but then you also have to live with the clutch in heavy traffic. For those of us who also own other manual cars, the 5AT w/paddles is a neat option.

 

Indeed it has two clutches, but i'm not sure I'd call it expensive - it's only a $1,075 (VW GTI) to $1450 (Audi A3) option in the US.

And FWIW, the RS6 was available only with a conventional manumatic - i.e. a slushbox with a torque converter that could be forced to shift. It was the unit that had been developed for the W12 A8 and Phaeton. Audi didn't want to develop a transmission soley for the RS6, and that was the only one they had that could handle those power levels. None of the production versions of the DSG could have come close to holding together, they're rated for at most 250 lb-ft of torque. VAG was so worried about that rating that the TCU (transmission control unit) will tell the engine's computer to cut throttle if it detects torque higher than that - i.e. if the car's owner has installed a chip or other aftermarket tuning.

The "real" DSG is/has been only available in VW's GTI and Jetta GLI, and Audi's A3 S-line and TT, as far as the US is concerned. Elsewhere, it was at least available in the R32 as well.

 

I stand corrected. Excellent information!

 

You must forgive me if I get picky when it comes to VW/Audi! I think it runs in my blood.

 

is there a general consensus on the new gti in the vw cult yet? From what I have seen it looks to be a solid car, although 200 hp turbo seems pretty weak.