Anyone Else Considering an Automatic FR-S?

[Sport-Tech]

I've read several car reviews in which the reviewers noted that after a while "manually" shifting via paddles just started to seem pointless, and they would up driving the car in full auto mode (supercars excepted). When I drive my dad's automatic Corolla SRX I find the same thing - while it does not have paddles you can shift up/down using a pseudo -sequential mode via the floor shifter. It shifts very promptly, but after a while the lack of a 3rd pedal (and the crappy shift lever) makes the whole exercise seem futile and boring, and I just leave it in full auto.

That said I find fast cornering somewhat impeded in a fully manual car, since I have to downshift during the braking phase prior to corner entry in order to power out past the apex, and without mad heel-toe skillz you've got to get off the brake to adjust the throttle opening for the shift. I'm unwilling to risk my clutch/tranny to learn heel-toe; there must be many like me who would LOVE to see a version of the 370's synchro-rev system on the FR-S. I'd gladly fork over a few grand for it.

[madfast]

Originally Posted by Scion FR-S

I've read several car reviews in which the reviewers noted that after a while "manually" shifting via paddles just started to seem pointless, and they would up driving the car in full auto mode (supercars excepted). When I drive my dad's automatic Corolla SRX I find the same thing - while it does not have paddles you can shift up/down using a pseudo -sequential mode via the floor shifter. It shifts very promptly, but after a while the lack of a 3rd pedal (and the crappy shift lever) makes the whole exercise seem futile and boring, and I just leave it in full auto.

That said I find fast cornering somewhat impeded in a fully manual car, since I have to downshift during the braking phase prior to corner entry in order to power out past the apex, and without mad heel-toe skillz you've got to get off the brake to adjust the throttle opening for the shift. I'm unwilling to risk my clutch/tranny to learn heel-toe; there must be many like me who would LOVE to see a version of the 370's synchro-rev system on the FR-S. I'd gladly fork over a few grand for it.

depends. if the tranny auto upshifts at redline, or autodownshifts at WOT then yes that totally defeats the purpose of manual mode. on the other hand, if it doesnt, then its exactly like a manual minus the minutia of shifting with clutch and stick.

[Sport-Tech]

Originally Posted by madfast

depends. if the tranny auto upshifts at redline, or autodownshifts at WOT then yes that totally defeats the purpose of manual mode. on the other hand, if it doesn't, then its exactly like a manual minus the minutia of shifting with clutch and stick.

If you are forced to shift manually, maybe it's more engaging. The Toyota does auto-upshift at red line; can't remember off hand if it auto-downshifts, but I don't think so.
Another factor is not having paddles - using the floor shifter for an auto (at least Toyota's) just feels wrong.

[dominican]

Originally Posted by madfast

you have never driven in NY, LA, or DC traffic... FACT!

Oh, sorry, when I say "the city" I mean the best city in the world, meaning NYC. I did consider the auto, but the manual is so much more involving.

[Sabastian]

It always puzzles me when people say, "I bought my [sports car] with an automatic transmission because I live in the city, and a manual would have been too much hassle." If so much of your driving is stop and go, why buy a sports car at all?

[serialk11r]

For show, duh.

[madfast]

Originally Posted by Sabastian

It always puzzles me when people say, "I bought my [sports car] with an automatic transmission because I live in the city, and a manual would have been too much hassle." If so much of your driving is stop and go, why buy a sports car at all?

sportscar with auto is better than no sportscar at all...

a car like the E90 M3 with M-DCT can be daily driven in traffic AND taken to the track. manual snobs would have you believe once you get an auto/dct/etc then its no longer a sportscar

[Mr.Jay]

Originally Posted by madfast

sportscar with auto is better than no sportscar at all...

a car like the E90 M3 with M-DCT can be daily driven in traffic AND taken to the track. manual snobs would have you believe once you get an auto/dct/etc then its no longer a sportscar

No. Manual pro people just believe that if you buy a sportscar wouldn't you want to actually drive it as oppose to steering and letting a computer control the car

[82mm 4g63]

It always puzzles me when [random person] cares so deeply about which transmission [total stranger] has in his/her car.

[madfast]

Originally Posted by Mr.Jay

No. Manual pro people just believe that if you buy a sportscar wouldn't you want to actually drive it as oppose to steering and letting a computer control the car

manual mode that doesnt automatically up or downshift lets you "actually drive" the car. i guarantee at least half the haters have never even driven a car with a proper automanual. and i dont mean the manual mode in your mom's camry.

[Sabastian]

Originally Posted by 82mm 4g63

It always puzzles me when [random person] cares so deeply about which transmission [total stranger] has in his/her car.

[Mr.Jay]

Originally Posted by 82mm 4g63

It always puzzles me when [random person] cares so deeply about which transmission [total stranger] has in his/her car.

Doesn't matter to me what someone else choose but makes me feel sad to see a sportscar without a manual

Originally Posted by madfast

manual mode that doesnt automatically up or downshift lets you "actually drive" the car. i guarantee at least half the haters have never even driven a car with a proper automanual. and i dont mean the manual mode in your mom's camry.

I wasn't refering to the car shift up automaticly but it does the whole involvement part I mean pulling on the up shift paddle is nothing compared to clutch and stick.

I have driven both a Lamborghini Gallardo and Ferrari 430 Scuderia so yea I've had some time with real automanuals and yea they are fast but I never felt like I was the one driving the car as well as it wasn't as much of a pure drivers feel as compared to ripping around in a 6 speed S2K. I drove the Evo with paddles too and I just find it makes driving boring to me I don't enjoy it nearly as much

I am of course only speaking in terms of how I feel but no automanual in my opinion compares to the feel of shifting your own gears and the involvement feeling you get from a good ol stick shift.

[ryun84]

Originally Posted by Mr.Jay

I have driven both a Lamborghini Gallardo and Ferrari 430 Scuderia so yea I've had some time with real automanuals and yea they are fast but I never felt like I was the one driving the car as well as it wasn't as much of a pure drivers feel as compared to ripping around in a 6 speed S2K. I drove the Evo with paddles too and I just find it makes driving boring to me I don't enjoy it nearly as much

And this is what makes me sad regarding super/hyper cars produced these days. So many are moving away from the traditional manual transmission.

[madfast]

Originally Posted by Mr.Jay

I wasn't refering to the car shift up automaticly but it does the whole involvement part I mean pulling on the up shift paddle is nothing compared to clutch and stick.

I have driven both a Lamborghini Gallardo and Ferrari 430 Scuderia so yea I've had some time with real automanuals and yea they are fast but I never felt like I was the one driving the car as well as it wasn't as much of a pure drivers feel as compared to ripping around in a 6 speed S2K. I drove the Evo with paddles too and I just find it makes driving boring to me I don't enjoy it nearly as much

I am of course only speaking in terms of how I feel but no automanual in my opinion compares to the feel of shifting your own gears and the involvement feeling you get from a good ol stick shift.

did you drive them on a race track? on the street sure, you have nothing better to do than play around with a clutch and stick, but on the track you have a lot more to care about than shifting. sure manual will always feel better no matter where you are, but so does no power steering...

i wouldnt want to see manuals go away, but i also dont want to see automanual tech stay stagnant because closed minded people dont see them as sportscar worthy.