Manual Or Automatic Gearbox?

A lot of vehicles are referred to as having an automatic or semi automatic gearbox.

Most may have a choice to manually switch gear utilizing flappy paddles at the rear of the steering wheel – the creation, by the way, of the mysterious and secretive German born engineer identified only by his initials, DSG. It’s the time of the techno motor vehicle and everyone appears delighted over it.

Hold on! In the United Kingdom, at the least – leaving apart the emotive problems with emissions and petrol economy at least – how come we want seven and eight speed gearboxes if the posted speed limit is simply 70mph? Enthusiasts will question what was so completely wrong with four speeds plus an overdrive switch which lowered engine revs when travelling while in the highest gear.

The fact is that you have all gone gentle and wimpy, to say the least. Perhaps you have overlooked what driving a vehicle is about? Perhaps you have forgotten about the sense of a proper sprung clutch below your left foot (the only real appropriate appendage to do the job) the industry of effortlessly shifting a lever? Do you not miss out on the shout of “sort them out!” whenever you miss your gear choice or even the fatal noise of stripping synchromesh? How rapidly you forget.

Effectively, Jaguar have not overlooked that specific sporting need simply because in approximately a couple of years they intend to offer complete manual gearboxes against the automatic gearbox, being an option on a selection of their vehicles. They realize that sports motor vehicles require a manual ‘box for the real experience. Chances are it will be made available initially on the forth-coming F Type and consequently on the prestige XF. The corporation has witnessed that in addition to additional driving fun there’s also cost advantages too. It far too expensive to design, build and supply an automatic gearbox.

It is certainly not for everyone though considering that the company will also be thinking of a brand new nine-speed ZF automatic gearbox, not only to Jaguars but in addition some Land Rover versions.

There is to date no proof they intend to provide newer and more effective gadgets to those discerning motorists that like the manual alternative. These might or might not consist of some wonderfully old style string-back driving hand protection, Hermes scarves for female passengers, a classic but brand name wickerwork picnic hamper and perhaps a humorous stick-on handlebar moustache.

Jaguar is not completely wrong though. There’s something massively satisfying about driving a manual sports vehicle that simply cannot be replicated by means of paddles.