Re: Automated Manual Transmission (AMT): The new buzz in India Quote:
Originally Posted by kaushik51094 ![LOL](https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/images/smilies/LOL.png) Same thing happened when i went for the test drive of celerio. The SA pointed out that the celerio doesn't have a clutch for atleast 15 times in the short span i spent with their TD car. I was like "Oh ya, big deal" but my uncle who accompanied me was amused with it. One TD, and i vouched never to settle for an AMT.
The points you highlighted are indeed the pros of AMTs, but in my opinion, for driving enthusiasts (or atleast me for that matter), stick shifters are the best. Nothing gives a feel of manually shifting gears. Though AMTs do provide a manual mode, the absence of clutch makes it boring. For lazy people who don't like to change gears, it's a boon. But, for driving enthusiasts, manual gearbox makes the day.
If i ever buy a celerio (why would i? There's a swift zxi at home ![Big Grin](https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/images/smilies/biggrin.png) ), i would get the zxi version rather than the vxi amt. Hope many here in this forum will accept my views. |
I do not agree with you at various levels.
I do not understand why everyone keeps saying "feel of a manual mode" ?
All auto boxes will provide you a 100% feel of a manual mode as most of them have triptronic versions. You could have driven the amt in a manual mode sans pressing the clutch and gotten your "feel".
You would get whatever gear ratios you wanted and fuel efficiency according to your need. Any car with triptronic would do that. I have driven manuals most of my 20 years of driving and have changed to auto boxes since the last 2 years.
Believe me I am never going back.
I totally agree with my delhi friend that modern automatics are quite superior in handling and fuel efficiency. and that most drivers cannot match a computer in deciding the gear ratios.
You can prove yourself that on your next text drive. When you drive in a manual mode to extract maximum fuel efficiency you will upshift early and downshift late. Many times you do that you are putting undue strain on your engine just to extract more fuel efficiency or merely being lazy to change the gear in crowded traffic. Honestly tell me how many times do we avoid shifting a gear in crowded traffic just feeling that we ll pull through.
Now compare that with an automatic which knows the limits of the engine and downshits at the right time. Most people do not know how to drive an automatic and derive maximum fuel efficiency from it. Most automatics can be used to change gears by using the accelerator which has to be learned. Suddenly you will see a 25 % rise in fuel efficiency in the automatic.The autogear senses whenever you reduce pressure on the accelerator that a gearshift should be done provided the engine can pull it. You can clearly see that happening through the instant fuel efficiency and the rpm meter. Once you start doing that you will realize what a futile exercise the manual was.
Even if you are a hardcore enthusiast you can always use your automatic like a manual with the triptronic in proper conditions. But you will agree with me that when the traffic is stop start even the biggest enthusiast will love the autogear.
so why not have both options.
Having 2 automatics in my stable and learning slowly how to derive maximum mileage out of them I can vouch that you will get very similar mileage with a manual that with the automatic within the engine limits and driving with a light foot when required.
I have tried to overdo the computer by trying manual modes and compare the fuel efficiency and failed on many accounts on different cars.Maybe some people can outsmart it but for majority automatic works better.
The reason maruti is trying to sell this technology is because people have a fixed mindset in India that automatic = very bad fuel efficiency and if you can get that fixed it should sell. |