"Automatic" transmissions
Former Moderator
Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 17,122
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From: Houston/Durango
^^^ Ya, it just didn't make much sense to me that BMW would drop the DCT from the little 1, 2 Series cars. But the extra gear and the price of the tranny must have played a role. Anyway the reviewers ^^^ did like the 8 speed paddle shifted M235i. And, dammit, these car companies just can't resist growing the smaller cars year by year. So it turns out that the new version of the 1 Series (the 2 Series coupes and convertibles) are almost identical in size to the corresponding 3 Series cars of just a few years ago.
Joined: Jul 2002
Posts: 37,541
Likes: 6,355
From: bolton
I find it hard to believe I'm defending an automatic... but ....
I certainly understand the driver involvement that comes with rowing through the gears yourself.
i understand If you're pushing the edge and want that little bit of throttle balance you get with a manual.
The "good" autos have lock up transmissions and you get that balance.
The good autos have accelerometers that sense lateral G's and steering wheel input and don't "just bang the next gear
while your approaching the apex.
Especially with motors that have really wide power bands, rowing the gears isn't as required or as satisfying.
In think back to a comment from Teo Fabi back in the early 90's about driving an aero car.
I don't remember the exact quotation but in effect he said you use the gas to go fast and the brakes to slow down.
The automatics now just seem to already be in the right gear. Rarely I take over on the paddle shifters.
In daily driver situations I just don't get the operating envelope to where it makes a difference.
As it is I'm already substantially out of the legal operating environment without getting to that point.
of course with all of that said, it depends on what you're pairing it with.
I suspect that little 3 cylinder ford eco-boost probably wants a manual box to be satisfying.
That GT350 that bill is drooling over, nah not-so-much.
I certainly understand the driver involvement that comes with rowing through the gears yourself.
i understand If you're pushing the edge and want that little bit of throttle balance you get with a manual.
The "good" autos have lock up transmissions and you get that balance.
The good autos have accelerometers that sense lateral G's and steering wheel input and don't "just bang the next gear
while your approaching the apex.
Especially with motors that have really wide power bands, rowing the gears isn't as required or as satisfying.
In think back to a comment from Teo Fabi back in the early 90's about driving an aero car.
I don't remember the exact quotation but in effect he said you use the gas to go fast and the brakes to slow down.
The automatics now just seem to already be in the right gear. Rarely I take over on the paddle shifters.
In daily driver situations I just don't get the operating envelope to where it makes a difference.
As it is I'm already substantially out of the legal operating environment without getting to that point.
of course with all of that said, it depends on what you're pairing it with.
I suspect that little 3 cylinder ford eco-boost probably wants a manual box to be satisfying.
That GT350 that bill is drooling over, nah not-so-much.
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