[OFFICIAL] Manual v. Automatic Thread

b15 · 11-12-2014, 06:53 AM

When Top Gear coined that phrase they were reviewing automated manuals and dcts in very high end sports/super cars, not conventional ATs with paddles.

Then manufacturers got in the band wagon and threw paddles onto their slushboxes as a 'sporty option'. The 7at comparisons, referencing Ferrari, Lamborghini, Porsche, etc. are comical. Yes these high end sports cars are shifting away from manuals but they certainly aren't shifting towards a torque converter. My Maxima rental this week has paddles, by literal interpretation of the phrase, that makes this CVT a flappy paddle gearbox, correct? Even though it has no gears? Or how about the 7at in the g37x I had. Essentially the same transmission without paddles but does the exact same thing via the shifter as the Z with paddles? Is that just an automatic?

Again, I think the 7at is a good trans, I've driven it in Z, G, and FX applications, but it's not 'flappy paddle gearbox', at least by my definition and what Top Gear was testing when they coined the phrase.

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11-12-2014, 06:53 AM	#11 (permalink)
b15 A True Z Fanatic Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: Chicago Posts: 3,229 Drives: 4drz Rep Power: 36572	When Top Gear coined that phrase they were reviewing automated manuals and dcts in very high end sports/super cars, not conventional ATs with paddles. Then manufacturers got in the band wagon and threw paddles onto their slushboxes as a 'sporty option'. The 7at comparisons, referencing Ferrari, Lamborghini, Porsche, etc. are comical. Yes these high end sports cars are shifting away from manuals but they certainly aren't shifting towards a torque converter. My Maxima rental this week has paddles, by literal interpretation of the phrase, that makes this CVT a flappy paddle gearbox, correct? Even though it has no gears? Or how about the 7at in the g37x I had. Essentially the same transmission without paddles but does the exact same thing via the shifter as the Z with paddles? Is that just an automatic? Again, I think the 7at is a good trans, I've driven it in Z, G, and FX applications, but it's not 'flappy paddle gearbox', at least by my definition and what Top Gear was testing when they coined the phrase.