The Automatic That's Faster Than a Manual

[rpn453]

The short test of the Saturn Sky Red Line with a 5-speed automatic in the latest Car&Driver produced a 0-60mph time of 5.2 seconds, while the mechanically identical Solstice GXP with a 5-speed standard could only do it in 5.6 seconds. There's certainly a potential benefit to having an automatic transmission coupled with a turbo to avoid losing boost between shifts, but this is the first time I've actually seen an automatic version of a production car that's faster than the manual version. Even if it is faster, I still don't think I'd want my roadster to have an auto!

I figured I'd soon see this happen when the Lexus IS350 came out as the fastest car in its class with only a 6-spd auto offered.

 

[The Critic]

I think you forgot about the VW DSG transmission, which is known to shift faster than a MT.

 

[Auto-Union]

DSG is awesome.

 

[moribundman]

... until it needs to be fixed.

 

[The Critic]

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... until it needs to be fixed.

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Or until it needs service...

The mandatory 40k service interval requires a service kit that runs $200 online...7L of DSG specific fluid and a filter element.

 

[windnsea00]

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... until it needs to be fixed.

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Or until it needs service...

The mandatory 40k service interval requires a service kit that runs $200 online...7L of DSG specific fluid and a filter element.

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At least they recommend a service unlike some manufacturers who say 100k and/or lifetime fluid!

Autos being faster than manual is nothing new, they are consistant and obviously it's easy to sit there and push a pedal instead of having to get off the line w/o bogging or spinning too much and knocking off each upshift correctly.

However, automatics are still boring IMO and I've driven some of the latest ones offered by the Germans...either manual or sequential manaul for me

 

[JeepZJ4.0]

There are a few autos that are faster than the stick shift because there are more gears with shorter ratios.... take the 7 speed auto Merc vs a 5 speed auto merc... big difference in speed. I'll still take a stick over an auto just for fun...

 

[CBDFrontier06]

The Porsche 911 Turbo w/tiptronic is also faster than it's manual brother, as you can pre-load the turbo before launch. I just can't imagine driving an automatic 911.

 

[rpn453]

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I think you forgot about the VW DSG transmission, which is known to shift faster than a MT.

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I just haven't seen any test results for VWs or Audis that offer both a DSG and a manual. I'll have to look for some numbers on that, and the Mercedes and Porsche too. I've seen tests where I didn't think a standard would be faster, but the Sky/Solstice was the first time I'd actually seen the same magazine test (basically) the same car with both and get a faster time with an auto, and it's even a conventional one!

 

[Mustang_Cougar]

I could be wrong about this, but I think the Camry Hybrid w/CVT (0-60 = 8.6s) is faster than the regular 4cyl Camry w/5 spd. Sort of an apples & oranges comparison, but it's funny that the hybrid is faster and gets much better gas mileage (allegedly). And of course, there is the $8K price premium...

 

[Bryanccfshr]

A tip/step-tronic automatic can do some wonderfull things. If you want to really push out of a corner and you forget to upshift because you are trying to hold the line it will pop it up a gear when you hit redline(best keep both hands on the wheel). you can also get great compression breaking with these newer transmissions. Having grown up with a manual I no longer have any use use for a clutch. No more heel/toe, no more albeit occasional but very frustrating botched shifts. Yes it's fun to shift, but if you really want to go fast , try one of these newer automatics with the paddles or with the steptronic type gate shifter. The Z4 I had had a casual drive mode, a sport mode and a manual mode. Rarely did I leave it in drive.

 

[HappyHyundai]

Manual=Fun. In a sports car, it should only have a Manual. If you want an Automatic, go buy a Cadillac.

 

[The Critic]

Automatic with Manual shift= Fun

Manual= Ancient
Automatic= Better fuel efficiency in some vehicles, compared to their Manual counterparts.

 

[Gary Allan]

Automatics, even back in my teenage years (the 70's), were faster off the line ...and no human could shift faster then an automatic. The only detractor to automatics was the hp losses. They apparently have worked a great deal on that in 30 years.

 

[Bryanccfshr]

All I can say is locking torque converter. they don't feel like slush boxes in the models designed for sport.

 

[Matt_S]

I seem to remember a Motor Trend review of a Camaro or Firebird from a number of years ago, when GM first started coming out with electronically controlled automatic transmissions, that found the 4 spd. auto either slightly outperformed or matched the 5 spd. manual in straight line acceleration.

 

[HappyHyundai]

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Automatic with Manual shift= Fun

Manual= Ancient
Automatic= Better fuel efficiency in some vehicles, compared to their Manual counterparts.

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Can you even drive a Manual? Just because Manuals is old school, doesn't mean it's not fun.

No other transmission matches the enjoyment in driving.

You think an Automatic with manual shift is fun? Trust me, you'll learn a couple of things when you get older.

 

[rjundi]

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Automatic with Manual shift= Fun

Manual= Ancient
Automatic= Better fuel efficiency in some vehicles, compared to their Manual counterparts.

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Too generalized. It varies on the vehicle itself. Some auto's are just plain bad. I own two performance Subaru's and the slushbox I tried in each 2004 WRX and 2005 Legacy GT (Sport Shift) ruined the driving experience when driven spirited. No thanks.

It really depends on the motor/tranny combo as a whole. I loved the 5speed SportMatic(aka auto) in a Mercedes C220 diesel I rented in Italy recently. The tranny was perfectly coupled to the engine.

 

[Bryanccfshr]

Yes, there are some ________ autos. And manuals are fun for the same reason that I have a manual reel mower that I use on my lawn for sport, but a really well matched auto will remove all doubt if performance is the goal.

 

[Carbonics]

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Can you even drive a Manual?

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from the rest of the content of the post you can deduce from that, that the answer is a solid no

the only way an auto with manual shift is fun is because you can't drive a manual and when people ask you - you can always say "yeah dude, sometimes I just shift on my own", so you get the best of both - you can drive because it's an auto, and you can be a poser cause it's a manual.