Given the sophisticated transmissions that F1 and CART cars have, how do Honda engineers go about translating the lessons learned into the tight transmission of the S2000's?

F1 transmissions are pretty much automatics (or clutchless) to some extent aren't they? I guess is not too far of a jump to turn that into a manual system.

Just wondering.....

 

BMW, Mercedes and Porche have triptronic/steptronic trannys in them, they are actually automatics and not manual transmissions. They have a torque converter and that box of rubber bands - how the hell it works, I dunno, springs and rubber bands, no idea.

F1 cars use an electronic clutch of sorts - not sure on the details but it actually has a clutch to the best of my knowledge, so it isn't an automatic.

Other cars have similar shifting, but the price needs to come down for you and me to have one on our daily drivers. The 360 and 355 F1 cars have the paddle shifters, although not movable with the steering wheel, it woks very well.

A French company called Valeo (pron. - val-E-O) came up with electronic clutches years ago and implimented them into Subaru rally cars and eventually it went into the Ferrari Mondial. When you shift, you put your hand on the shifter, it senses pressure and then as you pull back out of gear it does the rest of the clutch work. I believe it still came with a clutch - to start up the car, but that was the extent of the clutch usage.

I hope Honda will translate the transmission into daily drivers, give it a few years, you never know what they are working on.

 

I'll take a sequential box and a clutch pedal before I take a semi-automatic and some paddles near the wheel, just label me as someone who likes to shift. I also suspect the technology for a street application would be a LOT of money and that would go against the S2000 objective.

Honda has the technology and has had for a long time to build a sequential box for the street but I think there is the fear that people are not going to have the skill sets to use it and they don't want all those blown engines on their hands. Just imagine in a sequential box shifting from 1 to 2- pull the lever back once. Shift 2 to 3- pull the lever back again ONLY you have brain fade and think 2 to 3 in a traditional H pattern and push the lever forward. BANG. You just down shifted into 1st gear that will ruin your day!

 

That is my next wonderment.

How many S2000 drivers would like a "push-button" tranny? I think I'm the more classical guy myself. I like the idea of pushing in the clutch and ripping through the gears. It's part of the joy of driving the S2000.

 

Need the clutch, otherwise it's still bullsh!t automatic.

 

I completely agree with this statement!!

girlzrace2
white/red 01'

 

The Ferrari 360 Modena and Spider have electronic clutch paddle shifter option. I rode in a 360 Modena recently -- pretty cool. The clutch bites with transmission shift, just like a manual clutch. This is definitely not an automatic. The paddle shifter is a tiny little thing. It would take some getting used to. It would definitely increase the cost of the S2000 significantly.

 

[QUOTE]Originally posted by The Raptor
[B]The Ferrari 360 Modena and Spider have electronic clutch paddle shifter option.