Very technical article going into the details of how the clutch as we know it is on it’s last leg, especially with most of the supercars starting to use the Tiptronic more and more since it’s superior in almost every way.
Automatic used to be always looked down upon by enthusiasts since it had no control and it was slower. Then the control came in with the ability to select the gear as you’re driving but it was still slow, however with the tiptronic double clutch gear box the enthusiast who is always after quicker lap times or ET has a better platform.
Being a superior performance platform it will slowly move the clutch out of the way entirely, with it being rare nowdays to begin with. The next generation will see no benefit in it and will write it off along with such things as a carburator.
I’ll probably write this one unless somebody really wants to.
I dunno, but I think I might be the only one of us who has driven a car with such a gearbox (R32) that’s good enough to be considered a ‘performance’ automatic.
It is, which is the exact point I’m trying to make. You make have misunderstood what I was trying to say.
It is a better transmission from a performance view point, period, but as far as the enthusiast feel is concerned, it’s not and they want to feel in complete control which includes the amount of grip the clutch gets and playing with the shifter lever.
Regular people don’t want to deal with a manual, car manufacturers who are after numbers will chose a faster shifting transmission once the price is affordable and slowly that will replace manual being offered at all and it will seem like a novelty item.
Some notes I decided to throw together for personal future reference towards the article.
Large majority of cars on the road are minivans, Suv’s and 4 door sedans.
Motorcycles still only come with a manual transmission for a good reason
Even performance oriented manufacturers don’t stock manual vehicles (BMW)
Exedy the clutch company is producing more parts for auto transmissions then manual
High end exotics such as Ferrari’s and Lamborghini’s generally sell to rich populations that are looking to cruise and park, for which the DSG is a better option, plus it’s faster and sells for more - $$$, win win all a round.
Large percentage of population cannot drive a manual car
Manufacturers won’t have to spend extra time and money designing a vehicle that has to accept both options
Fly by wire gas, brakes, stability control, abs, traction control all controlled by the ECU, third brake pedal and shifter are some of the last remaining components still under the control of the operator. Engineers would love to eliminate that option to give them total control of the vehicle by programming the ECU.
Enzo, Scudaria, Superlagerra, Nissan Skyline Audi TT (only way to get one is AWD V6 version) and I’m sure many more are only offered in two pedal format.
Draw a line between Automatic, Automated Manual, DSG and like, and Stick and clutch manual.
At the end of it all could the switch has have already happened right under our eyes? Is this the most manuals we will get and we will have this share of the market. By 1980’s most cars were already automatic and manual could have actually made an increase in sales since (gotta look it up for the facts).
It’s like somebody coming out and saying that people won’t ride horses in the near future. That would be absurd at a glance, but true to the point that horse riding is nearly dead and is only used on few rare specific occasions. Same could be said for manuals, that true manuals remain only in specific market niche where they will never die such as racing, but as far as general public is concerned, manual is dead and there are only two variants - typical auto or clutch-less manual.