Page 2 of 2 FirstFirst 12
Results 16 to 26 of 26

Thread: Audi TT ultra Quattro Concept 2013

  1. #16
    Join Date
    Feb 2005
    Location
    Barcelona
    Posts
    33,489
    Quote Originally Posted by RacingManiac View Post
    I still always find it ironic that US market has the pull to make BMW and Porsche keep offering manual transmission. I mean BMW doesn't make manual M5 for anywhere but US...

    This is a country where most people drives auto and a huge chunk of population has no idea how to drive manual.
    Quote Originally Posted by jcp123 View Post
    That is kind of strange. Manuals for me trascend absolute performance...I just like the control. Keeps me engaged too. It's actually kind of cathartic to work the clutch, keep it coordinated, try to always get the smoothest lauch or shift. And when I'm lazy I can shift without the clutch pedal at all. Automated manuals which supposedly sharpen a manual's high points just feel too, well, automated.

    It is curious though that the US, a market which has long favoured automatics over manuals, is the one keeping the "traditional" manual in play. How the hell are Europeans becoming automatic-crazy?! My own aunt in Austria told me basically that automatics, in her mind, are for old and disabled people...

    Can we thank Car and Driver's stupid and contrived "save the manuals" campaign?
    Quote Originally Posted by clutch-monkey View Post
    even your small chunk of manual drivers represents a bigger market than most others
    I think we have to establish a crucial difference here: Manuals for performance cars and manuals in mainstream cars. In the second case they still rule supreme. I think this has to be the continent where more normal cars with manual gearboxes are sold all over the world.

    However as is often the case, grass is greener on the other side, and automatics are seen here as magical and cool. So when someone progresses to a good job and earns good money it is possible that he/she will think of an auto as something that enhances the car.

    That doesn't mean that if we want a car a can't afford the automatic gearbox (or prefer other extras) we will not buy, we will; after all everyone knows how to drive a manual car here.

    And then there are also those people who find automatics contrived, difficult and basically witchcraft, like my mother; who simply refuses to drive a car that has an automatic gearbox. This behaviour is more extended than you might think.

    However, for performance cars the story is very different. It is a lost battle. Thanks to F1 and paddles and Play Stations the automatic gearbox is a better option than manual because it is faster and more efficient and look I'm like Fernando Alonso! Therefore no one wants a manual and they look at you like you might be an imbecile if you want one (that happened to me not that long ago in a BMW dealer).
    Lack of charisma can be fatal.
    Visca Catalunya!

  2. #17
    Join Date
    Apr 2003
    Posts
    5,456
    The rumor is that Porsche will abandon Manual for the next Turbo also...I guess if they did it to GT3 then nothing is sacred anymore...
    University of Toronto Formula SAE Alumni 2003-2007
    Formula Student Championship 2003, 2005, 2006
    www.fsae.utoronto.ca

  3. #18
    Join Date
    Jun 2005
    Location
    East Coast of the United States
    Posts
    11,994
    Quote Originally Posted by Ferrer View Post
    A good tribute to the last ever italian supercar with a manual gearbox.

    It has to be ironic that one of the countries that has never understood the automatic gearbox is waving goodbye to the manual gearbox for high performance cars, while others which have mastered the automatic gearbox (US, Germany) still insist with the old-fashoned three-pedal arrangement.
    Not really true, I'm sure Pagani will build you something with a manual if you pay them enough.

    Lewis Hamilton got a manual in his 760 RS.

    But that is quite an extreme example.

  4. #19
    Join Date
    Oct 2006
    Posts
    10,227
    Quote Originally Posted by Ferrer View Post
    A good tribute to the last ever italian supercar with a manual gearbox.

    It has to be ironic that one of the countries that has never understood the automatic gearbox is waving goodbye to the manual gearbox for high performance cars, while others which have mastered the automatic gearbox (US, Germany) still insist with the old-fashoned three-pedal arrangement.
    Two things. One. Ironic:



    Two: The Gallardo is not a supercar, and there is no such thing as a hypercar.

    Quote Originally Posted by Ferrer View Post
    I think we have to establish a crucial difference here: Manuals for performance cars and manuals in mainstream cars. In the second case they still rule supreme. I think this has to be the continent where more normal cars with manual gearboxes are sold all over the world.

    However as is often the case, grass is greener on the other side, and automatics are seen here as magical and cool. So when someone progresses to a good job and earns good money it is possible that he/she will think of an auto as something that enhances the car.

    That doesn't mean that if we want a car a can't afford the automatic gearbox (or prefer other extras) we will not buy, we will; after all everyone knows how to drive a manual car here.

    And then there are also those people who find automatics contrived, difficult and basically witchcraft, like my mother; who simply refuses to drive a car that has an automatic gearbox. This behaviour is more extended than you might think.

    However, for performance cars the story is very different. It is a lost battle. Thanks to F1 and paddles and Play Stations the automatic gearbox is a better option than manual because it is faster and more efficient and look I'm like Fernando Alonso! Therefore no one wants a manual and they look at you like you might be an imbecile if you want one (that happened to me not that long ago in a BMW dealer).
    I was thinking along these lines. All drive stick in Europe, and I think as I said a large part of this is due to the relatively higher price of vehicles on the continent vis-a-vis the land of the true north strong and free, and the freest country to every free free free freedom F-Yeah!

    I could see an auto being "luxury," for richer buyers, who would want higher end cars (including sportscars) with a computer gear rower.

    In Northern North America, the ubiquitous manual is despised by the gearhead and so if you have the scratch, sometimes you want a higher end sportscar with a stick.

    Quote Originally Posted by RacingManiac View Post
    The rumor is that Porsche will abandon Manual for the next Turbo also...I guess if they did it to GT3 then nothing is sacred anymore...
    No surprise as the Turbo is softer than the GT3. Hey, at least you can grab a Carrera S with a 7 speed stick!

    Quote Originally Posted by NSXType-R View Post
    Not really true, I'm sure Pagani will build you something with a manual if you pay them enough.

    Lewis Hamilton got a manual in his 760 RS.

    But that is quite an extreme example.
    Is that built yet? I also thought to myself unless he goes back to McLaren, Ron ain't giving him that McLaren F1 prototype XP1!

  5. #20
    Join Date
    Feb 2005
    Location
    Barcelona
    Posts
    33,489
    Quote Originally Posted by NSXType-R View Post
    Not really true, I'm sure Pagani will build you something with a manual if you pay them enough.

    Lewis Hamilton got a manual in his 760 RS.

    But that is quite an extreme example.
    I'm sure that if you gave Daimler enough money the'd also build an SLK 55 AMG with a manual gearbox...
    Quote Originally Posted by Kitdy View Post
    I was thinking along these lines. All drive stick in Europe, and I think as I said a large part of this is due to the relatively higher price of vehicles on the continent vis-a-vis the land of the true north strong and free, and the freest country to every free free free freedom F-Yeah!

    I could see an auto being "luxury," for richer buyers, who would want higher end cars (including sportscars) with a computer gear rower.

    In Northern North America, the ubiquitous manual is despised by the gearhead and so if you have the scratch, sometimes you want a higher end sportscar with a stick.
    The price is one thing, but there's also the fact that the automatic has never been regarded too highly.

    Back in the day automatics were slow, thirsty and had at most two or three gears. We also have corners which meant you needed control over what the car was doing and braking systems weren't as good as they are today. Therefore the manual was the obvious option for everyone. This thought still is in the mind of many people. You also have to factor in that autos are usually worse on petrol (even today) than manuals are, and in a continent where fuel is expnsive that's rather important.

    It's curious to see many people (well women/girls mainly if we are honest) for whom the manual is clearly a nuissance and that they couldn't change gear properly even if they practised for 10.000 hours and still find the manual gearbox as normal and the automatic as something from another planet...
    Quote Originally Posted by Kitdy View Post
    No surprise as the Turbo is softer than the GT3. Hey, at least you can grab a Carrera S with a 7 speed stick!
    So can the sportscar from the land of the free, the Corvette.

    But if you want an Alfa, sorry sir automatic only.

    Madness.
    Lack of charisma can be fatal.
    Visca Catalunya!

  6. #21
    Join Date
    Oct 2006
    Posts
    10,227
    Was it not I that said the Mustang and Corvette will be that last high performance sticks? 'Murica!

    Are not autos past sticks now on fuel economy on basic cars?

    And finally, sad news: I have yet to see a single SLK55 AMG on the lot, even having seen far too many SLSi to count. I may yet drive one.

  7. #22
    Join Date
    Sep 2004
    Location
    Californian by nature, living in Teggsas.
    Posts
    4,130
    Autos surpass sticks much (though not all) of the time on the gub'ment ratings nowadays, but a real fuel miser will still get 10%+ better numbers out of a real manual trans.
    An it harm none, do as ye will

    Approximately 79% of statistics are made up.

  8. #23
    Join Date
    Feb 2005
    Location
    Barcelona
    Posts
    33,489
    Quote Originally Posted by Kitdy View Post
    Was it not I that said the Mustang and Corvette will be that last high performance sticks? 'Murica!

    Are not autos past sticks now on fuel economy on basic cars?

    And finally, sad news: I have yet to see a single SLK55 AMG on the lot, even having seen far too many SLSi to count. I may yet drive one.
    The last performance car with a manual gearbox will definitely be a muscle car, or perhaps a hot hatch.

    As for official fuel economy figures, it's a bit of a mixed bag, some autos better their manual equivalents, some don't. In the real world though, as jcp says, a manual is usually better in terms of fuel economy. Also, for normal people it's easier to get better mileage from a manual than from an auto.
    Lack of charisma can be fatal.
    Visca Catalunya!

  9. #24
    Join Date
    Apr 2003
    Posts
    5,456
    Well Autos are doing it with the 7-8-9 speed thing....or CVTs. Better use of powerband to maximize economy...no one wants to row a 9 speed box...
    University of Toronto Formula SAE Alumni 2003-2007
    Formula Student Championship 2003, 2005, 2006
    www.fsae.utoronto.ca

  10. #25
    Join Date
    Feb 2005
    Location
    Barcelona
    Posts
    33,489
    Yes, but the thing is with an auto (especially the newest million speed gearboxes) if you are not careful with the throttle it quickly downshifts therefore ruining your fuel economy.
    Lack of charisma can be fatal.
    Visca Catalunya!

  11. #26
    Join Date
    Apr 2003
    Posts
    5,456
    To be fair, its the same with EV and hybrid....

    A driver who is keen on getting good MPG will be able to do it on either type, and a lead foot will get crap on either...
    University of Toronto Formula SAE Alumni 2003-2007
    Formula Student Championship 2003, 2005, 2006
    www.fsae.utoronto.ca

Thread Information

Users Browsing this Thread

There are currently 1 users browsing this thread. (0 members and 1 guests)

Similar Threads

  1. Audi TT RS (8J) 2009-2014
    By Yeahone in forum Matt's Hi-Res Hide-Out
    Replies: 21
    Last Post: 06-17-2012, 12:53 PM
  2. Audi TT GT4
    By Ecnelis in forum Matt's Hi-Res Hide-Out
    Replies: 3
    Last Post: 11-28-2010, 06:04 AM
  3. Audi Metroproject Quattro
    By Sledgehammer in forum Matt's Hi-Res Hide-Out
    Replies: 15
    Last Post: 11-03-2007, 03:08 PM
  4. Audi Teams Face Tough Task At Le Mans
    By QuattroMan in forum Racing forums
    Replies: 3
    Last Post: 06-19-2005, 10:55 AM
  5. 250,000th Audi TT Leaves Production Line
    By McLareN in forum Miscellaneous
    Replies: 5
    Last Post: 10-17-2004, 01:42 AM

Tags for this Thread

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •