aussie_eagle2512 wrote:The technology might be impressive, but overtime I could just see it becoming boring like a lot of things. It cannot possibly be as impressive as a person personally manipulating the machine.
watkins wrote:An auto is an auto is an auto. Dont care how fast or smooth it is.
If it doesnt have an H pattern I dont want hide nor hair of the beast.
I agree. This AMG transmission does all the cool things which we do, DD and HT etc. Difference is that we don't do it.
But for the high end poseur, approaching a corner near a sidewalk, just downshifts and gets 2 throttle blips per downshift, impressing all the petrolheads around... priceless!
I don't know about you, but I haven't looked at a Mercedes-Benz twice in 10 years at least. All their cars are overweight, and most are auto.
An auto is an auto regardless of whether or not its actually a slush. I would be just as bored driving that AMG as I was driving my old auto Camaro. After a while HP doesn't even matter, my left leg and my right hand get bored after a while.
Automakers seem to be losing their way with 'enthusiast cars', what with the BMW M5 and the new GT-R being offered with these stupid automated transmissions. Granted, BMW gave in and began to offer a regular 6-speed manual on their M5 after market pressure forced their hand, but I highly doubt Nissan will go the same way. The Evo X is only offered with the TC-SST thing on the higher trim levels. Dual clutch this, 8-millisecond shift that, etc.
I guess the 'market' has decided that these stupid computer-controlled transmissions are sportier and have a racier feel. Automakers are just going after what sells. But what really gets me is how they have the ability to offer a choice of which transmission goes in their cars, yet decide to stick with the seemingly 'superior' and technologically advanced crap simply because it's more impressive (equals sales). Take this new AMG transmission, for example - I'm sure Mercedes-Benz/AMG could offer a 6-speed manual on their cars if they wanted to, but don't because the kinds of people who buy these cars probably aren't remotely interested in shifting for themselves.
I drive a 6-sp manual and use all the tricks. Even so, I have no doubt that driving a BMW M3 manual around any track, I'll go slower than driving a BMW M3 DSG. I've never done a back to back test manual and DSG with similar cars, but I've done simulations (read computer games) and it's consistently a given.
In my current car, a Cayman, 50% of the involvement, possibly more, comes from the gearbox, but that's on street. on track, the manual gearbox is sometimes irritating and gets in the way of speed, though it's hugely rewarding doing a 5-2 double declutch and heel toe clutch release perfectly. But that's when you don't care about speed, and on a track, the ultimate rush comes from getting good lap times.
There are many types of enthusiasts. Doesn't mean that a non-stick shift transmission will be anathema to the idealized enthusiast car. Yes, automated transmissions open the door for poseurs to come in, but there are standard shift poseurs too who revel in the attention they get when people marvel at them driving the standard shift.
