Ferrari Mailing List: Re: NFC: Comparing manual to auto trans on race track

[Michael James (cavallino_rapante]

I think the article might be misleading because the Tiptronic transmission, I 
recall, required a semi-auto engagement of 'up' or 'down' via the gearlever on 
the floor/console.  This required the driver to remove their hand from the 
wheel to shift, losing driver focus to fumble with a narrow-gated lever out of 
the field of view.  It is/was almost as bad as Ferrari's Valeo system - we all 
know how successful THAT was.  
 
I also recall the driver not having full-use of the rev range of the engine 
with the Tiptronic tranny, when the revs reached a certain value, the car 
up/down shifted automatically regardless of driver intent as a matter of 
preservation, so taking the car to max-revs before shifting wasn't possible.  I 
never saw a Tip-equipped Porsche do well on the re-sale market, and everything 
I've read or heard about them from owners said 'shite box'....YMMV.
 
M

--- On Wed, 3/11/09, Fellippe Galletta <fellippe.galletta [at] gmail.com> wrote:


From: Fellippe Galletta <fellippe.galletta [at] gmail.com>
Subject: [Ferrari] NFC: Comparing manual to auto trans on race track
To: "Michael" <Cavallino_Rapante [at] yahoo.com>
Cc: "The FerrariList" <ferrari [at] ferrarilist.com>
Date: Wednesday, March 11, 2009, 1:21 AM


More car magazine clean up yields other legendary issues....perhaps some of
these I should keep. :)

May 1995 Road & Track did a comparo of the transmissions with the Acura
NSX-T, and Porsche 911. I figured this was worthwhile putting on the record
as some have probably wondered what the real world difference is between the
two on a road course (Willow Springs Streets in this test).

Avid R&T readers will recognize Sam Mitani and Joe Rusz....neither of which
are true pro racers if I'm right, so I have a feeling these gaps between
transmission types should be wider still as the skill level rises.

NSX-T (Joe/Sam):

Manual 66.20        68.81
Full Auto 68.69     70.51
Semi Auto 68.41   70.09

911 (Joe/Sam):

Manual 66.53        66.91
Full Auto  69.07    72.91
Semi Auto 68.98   71.25

R&T notes "While the manual versions are quicker for both drivers, they are
also quicker in semiautomatic than full automatic. Notice that Sam Mitani
benefits more than the experienced Joe Rusz from using the buttons."

Also weird is how Sam is only about 4 tenths slower than Joe in the 911, but
his auto times are dramatically slower??

FG
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