Whatever, Ian.

Your posts always seem to have a tone, Ian. I suggest you get that chip off your shoulder.

 

"Whatever?" Read the thread and the other like it. Many people think a sequential transmission does not have a manual clutch, which is not true. So when someone says sequential thinking that there is an automatic clutch would be disappointed.

Maybe it is the lack of attention that is pad to the details, like you seem to be doing.

 

While an SMG would probably be ultimately faster, I feel that it would take some of the fun out of driving the S2000. There's this great feeling I get from a well executed downshift that I think I would miss if a computer did the rev matching for me. Not matter what, I hope they always have a manual transmission option...give me some gears, a clutch pedal, and a shift stick over some paddles anyday. And if the SMG equipped S2000 on the track is lapping faster than me, so be it. At least for me, I'm having more fun.

 

Ian, name a single car that has a sequential shifter and a clutch pedal?

What's your problem?

 

Well all I care about if the Paddles shifters are like Formula 1 and if there is a advantage over the clutch type system Ill take it at 9000 rpm we cannot shift as fast as a F1 car...... and for the most part is trying to keep the motor in VTEC and a F1 paddles system would have great advantages.... By the way isnt the S2000 based on Formula 1 Technology hmmmmmm

 

I don't have a problem; you are the one confusing two terms. Sequential means in sequence, consecutive order, etc. Let's look at the SMG from BMW. It has a sequential transmission plus other bits to it, like all the electronics, hydraulics, etc. The SMG is a complete system that includes a sequential transmission. If you asked for a sequential transmission, it would be just the transmission and not all of the other parts that encompasses the SMG. There are many race cars that have sequential transmission AND a manual clutch. Most of the drivers do not use the clutch to shift, electronics take car of that if they are allowed. Power is cut briefly and the gear change is made and power is restored, that is down either through electronic measures or manually. There is not computer controlling the clutch or hydraulics actuating it either. Before they come to a stop, they must pull the clutch in or they will stall it, same for coming out of the pits, not enough throttle and too much release of the clutch and they will stall. The transmission is a sequential, but not what you are thinking of. Then you have racecars that have the SMG style where the computer controls the clutch. It too has a sequential transmission though.

I have had people try to explain problems to me and they decide to use terminology that they do not know how to use correctly. When you go to correct them, they say no, I want this. Once again, they used the terminology incorrectly. Do you know what happens when they get what they asked for? Surprise, it was not what they wanted, but yet it is what they asked for.

Once again, a sequential transmission is just that, a transmission. SMG is a system that includes a sequential transmission.

 

The problem is that "SMG" is a BMW trademark, so you can't use SMG to define all sequential transmissions with automatic clutch actuation. Other manufacturers have different names for it. What is needed is a generic name for that concept, but I can't think of a good one that doesn't sound synthetic. "Sequential" works as a generic word for it. I doubt that there will be a street car with a sequential transmission and manually operated clutch, so there's no danger of confusion on that point. Why split hairs?

 

You can buy sequential transmissions for FWD and RWD road cars. A company called Quaife makes them. These are sequential transmissions, not SMG like BMW has.

How is it splitting hairs? If someone asked for a sequential transmission and got it, but they wanted one without a clutch, they did get what they asked for but not what they wanted.

How about semi-manual transmission?

 

I think we are all on the same page with the general concept. There seems to be different ways of implementing this technology, and I certainly do not know the details of how it is done, which is why I said "computer-controlled auto-shifted sequential manual" instead of SMG or F1. Maybe all those words are not appropriate in every case.

IIRC, Ferrari's version of this is different than BMW. I think the Ferrari F1 option does use a computer operated clutch system and the BMW does not?? No matter, we seem to all agree that a manually shifted automatic transmission is NOT what we want. I think the max-performance launch option would be a lot of fun - I have read that the Ferrari (maybe the BMW too) has some kind of feature where you pull both paddles, rev it to some RPM, then release and hang on. I suppose you could do the same with a 1st gear clutch drop, but somehow it seems more legitimate (safe?) if there is a routine in the computer from the factory.

 

The BMW does have a clutch, when is hydraulically controlled by the computer. Ferrari uses hydraulics too. On the Ferrari, pulling back both paddles puts the car into neutral., I believe. If you let the computer take care of everything, when you are stopped, if you nail the throttle, it lets the RPM's rise before the clutch gets released. If you apply light pressure, you get a gentle start with no tires spinning. The computer looks at how the pedal is applied and goes from there.

I would prefer a clutchless manual with a sequential shift transmission. I would not want a computer making the shifts for me. The BMW has the option where it can shift or you can, which is more ideal then an automatic only mode. The clutch is still automatic though.