Paddle Gearshifts

[greeneyes]

Has anyone come across hydralic gearboxes, as on the latest MR2 Spyders, and used them in their Lexii??

These are in the F1 & WRC cars, some of the new Audis and probably a few other high-performance very expensive bits of machinery.

They have hydralic servos to move the gear selectors and the clutch, and computer-controlled throttles to match the revs. The Audi is a beaut with two clutches and two half-gearboxes. This allows 2nd gear to be driving and third gear to be already selected. When you push the paddle the computer just pops one clutch out and the other in, then pre-selects forth gear for you.

I see quite a few of the local rally cars in the International rally now have them.

Any ideas out there??

keith

[RESIST]

Sounds like one hell of an Altezza there Keith.

Saw something on TV tonite with a Masarati and it had paddles for gear change, to top it off even the PS2 Speedster3 wheel uses paddles.

It would be an interesting transplant, and it would be great for those peak hour traffic spots!!

Look forward to reading all the ideas on this topic.

Stephen.

[TTEis200]

Howes it Keith?

One drive of an MR2 and youl wish they had of stuck

to the old clutch and stick shift...

BMW uses a complex system called 'SMG' and most say

its not as good as the coventional manual.

On the track in a race car it would be tops.

From what I can gather its a gimmic on raod cars

to show off.(much like tipronic being branded as sequential) <_<

A driving purist would still go for the good old manual box!

Thanks:graham

[greeneyes]

Yeah, I did a bit of searching Graham, and a lot of MR2 uses said the box was no quicker and a pain to use...

I was expecting an instant gearchange like a WRC car!!

There are a lot of different types around, from putting a motorbike style rolling shift cylinder onto an ordinary box to the hydralic cylinders on the strandard box.

No doubt they will get more common in the next year or two.

keith