Anyone else think that 8 speed automatics will kill paddle shifting? Who wants...
01-09-2007, 05:35 AM
#1
AudiWorld Super User
Thread Starter
Anyone else think that 8 speed automatics will kill paddle shifting? Who wants...
... to paddle shift that much? Entering a highway could require shift, shift, shift, shift, shift, shift, shift! Like driving a Peterbilt!
And with 8 possible gears (new Lexus), it's going to get very hard to keep track of what gear you are in. Even with 5, I get lost. I hope they put a HUGE LED indicator showing the gear.
Seems to me that the ability to shift yourself will become less appealing as the number of ratios goes up.
In part I base this on my experience with our TT. It's the first 6 speed manual I've driven. I find myself a little lost entering turns and downshifting. 4th or 3rd? 3rd or 2nd? Too many choices! In a 5 speed, 3rd gear was always a nice "home base".
And with 8 possible gears (new Lexus), it's going to get very hard to keep track of what gear you are in. Even with 5, I get lost. I hope they put a HUGE LED indicator showing the gear.
Seems to me that the ability to shift yourself will become less appealing as the number of ratios goes up.
In part I base this on my experience with our TT. It's the first 6 speed manual I've driven. I find myself a little lost entering turns and downshifting. 4th or 3rd? 3rd or 2nd? Too many choices! In a 5 speed, 3rd gear was always a nice "home base".
01-09-2007, 06:00 AM
#4
Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2006
Posts: 6,469
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
goes up... or disappears!
Luckily, I've never shifted it back down to 1st by mistake on the tip, but I do find myself checking if I'm in the gear I think I am!
Then again, this may be due to the fact that I can't hear the little 3.0 that well. In a previous car I just sold, I always knew the gear I was in (5 spd manual) because I could hear the engine better.
Then again, this may be due to the fact that I can't hear the little 3.0 that well. In a previous car I just sold, I always knew the gear I was in (5 spd manual) because I could hear the engine better.
01-09-2007, 06:01 AM
#5
AudiWorld Super User
Join Date: Jul 2005
Posts: 5,110
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Unfortunately, I think they're trying to take the driver out of the equation. A computer is there
to select the ideal gear for you. Several of the people I've met at track events have sufficient confidence that their DSG/auto/whatever will make the right gear choices for them. Randy Pobst couldn't say enough good things about the DSG in the VW GTI.
However, as long as F1, CART/Champ Cars, and others are using paddle shifters - we'll still see them for a while. Though I cringe at the thought of an F1 car with a fully automatic transmission. <shudder>
However, as long as F1, CART/Champ Cars, and others are using paddle shifters - we'll still see them for a while. Though I cringe at the thought of an F1 car with a fully automatic transmission. <shudder>
01-09-2007, 06:01 AM
#6
AudiWorld Super User
Join Date: Jul 2006
Posts: 5,641
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
same feeling regarding gear memorization/selection
on my '04 A4 w/ 6-spd... ended up w/ a habit of frequently reaching down to confirm which gear I'm in via touch... esp on the track. A nice LED would definitely help!
Trend of keep on adding more gears and eventually it will end up as CVT. Can't wait 'till CVTs are durable enough to handle the higher power. ...plus great coupled w/ turbo as well. But it would take away the hand shifting and hearing of rpm rev, that we're so conditioned to associate as part of the fun.
Trend of keep on adding more gears and eventually it will end up as CVT. Can't wait 'till CVTs are durable enough to handle the higher power. ...plus great coupled w/ turbo as well. But it would take away the hand shifting and hearing of rpm rev, that we're so conditioned to associate as part of the fun.
01-09-2007, 06:02 AM
#7
Member
Join Date: Jul 2002
Posts: 3,438
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I know for me, I have to shift myself in order to remember the gears that I'm in. And only if
it's a stick. If I'm using a paddle shifter, it's easy for me to lose track of the gear.
Slightly off on a tangent, but I wish they would make paddle shifters that were attached to the column instead of the wheel. Easier to keep track of up/down when the wheel's turned. Just make the paddles longer so they're easy to reach. Also, instead of having left (-) and right (+), they should make both sides work either, pull to shift up, push to shift down, like in F1.
Slightly off on a tangent, but I wish they would make paddle shifters that were attached to the column instead of the wheel. Easier to keep track of up/down when the wheel's turned. Just make the paddles longer so they're easy to reach. Also, instead of having left (-) and right (+), they should make both sides work either, pull to shift up, push to shift down, like in F1.
Trending Topics
01-09-2007, 06:13 AM
#8
AudiWorld Super User
Thread Starter
Some makes have the paddles on the column. They get criticized for NOT following the hands.
On track, I used my tip and I use my current auto-stick solely to downshift before turns. If I didn't do that, the drivetrain would stay in a higher gear until I coaxed a downshift with the gas pedal. So I just pre-select a lower gear. Upshifts almost always make sense at redline with one exception. In a long sweeper, it's sometimes better to be in a higher, lower-torque gear and avoid an upshift in mid-turn. There was a turn at Summit Point Shenandoah (after the wicked slow right turn) where it helped to upshift early.
01-09-2007, 06:21 AM
#10
Member
Join Date: Jul 2002
Posts: 3,438
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
If they make the paddles F1-style (up/down with either side), then having them on
the wheel would be fine. My main concern is losing the paddles when I'm coming out of the turn and straightening out the wheel, and needing to upshift at that moment.