Fri, 28 Oct 2005

Do stick shifts have a future? BMW's view

I've always preferred manual transmissions, as I feel they give me more control over a vehicle. I even managed to pass this on to my youngest daughter, who actually specified a manual when she bought her first new car. The salesman was amazed to see her hop right in and take off - it's not a skill many girls of her age (23) possess anymore.

I'm not sure how I'd take to a "clutchless" manual - or to paddles as shift levers. But, given the apparent trend, I'll probably get an opportunity to find out one of these days.

With the advent of new "clutchless" manuals, known by names such as Tiptronic or, in BMW's case, Sequential Manual Gearbox, some purists worry that the old stick- shift-and-clutch arrangement is headed for the finish line. The clutchless manuals, after all, offer almost the same advantages, allowing drivers to shift gears using a special mode on the automatic transmission lever. BMW's SMG also features Formula One-style shift paddles on the steering wheel.

(link) [U.S. News & World Report]

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