Types of transmissions
I have to open a can of worms and ask – to clutch or not to clutch? I’m talking about street cars, not race cars for the purpose of this discussion. Before we get started, here’s a listing of a few types of transmissions I will compare:
- Automatic transmissions that don’t require the use of a clutch pedal by the driver, and are also called torque converters. These tend to be very lossy (losing a lot of power from the engine to the transmission) and they tend to be really slow (for changing gears).
- Manual transmissions (Manual Type 1) that do require the use of a clutch pedal by the driver. When shifting gears, there is a lag, when the clutch is used to disengage the engine from the transmission. And of course the driver has to rev match for downshifts.
- Sequential manual transmissions (Manual Type 2) that DO require the use of a clutch pedal by the driver. The difference between this and a manual transmission is the H-pattern is missing, and replaced with a simple up/down pattern… gears can only be moved one at a time. Lots of race cars have this setup. Same as manual transmission, just no H-pattern. I’m not even listing this as a preference below (since it’s only available on race cars).
- Sequential manual transmission (Manual Type 3) that do NOT require the use of a clutch pedal by the driver. This is just a sequential manual transmission with no clutch pedal; the clutch is automatically engaged. Most manual type 3 transmissions can be shifted automatically or manually, the latter using a shift lever or paddles on the steering wheel. They have one major disadvantage, same as a manual: power must be interrupted while the transmission changes gears. Older BMW M cars have the SMG I or SMG II gearbox that is like this, and so do Ferrari’s including the Enzo.
- Twin-clutch, dual-gearbox transmission that do NOT require the use of a clutch pedal by the driver. There is also no lag when shifting gears! The DSG/PDK transmissions can up or downshift without interrupting power. Porsche (PDK), Audi (DSG), and all the new BMW M (DKG) cars have this transmission. Ford has announced that it will be using dual clutch gearboxes in all its cars in the future as well. The advantage is the speed of gearchanges: DSG takes about 8 milliseconds to upshift, while the manual type 3 transmission in the Ferrari Enzo, takes 150 ms to upshift.
How they impact the driving experience
| Transmission type | Has Clutch Pedal | Used In Racing Applications | Power Lag when shifting | Ability to select the gear you want precisely | Shift time |
| Twin-clutch, dual-gearbox | No | Yes | No | Yes | in the order of 10 ms |
| Manual Type 3 | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | in the order of 100 ms |
| Manual Type 1 and 2 | Yes | Yes | Yes (except for some race cars) | Yes | Driver dependent, no less than in the order of 100’s of ms |
| Automatic/Slushbox/Torque Converter | No | No | Yes | Sort of | Slow |
Which gearbox do you prefer and why?
| 1. A traditional manual transmission (Manual Type 1 or 2), like so (manual with clutch pedal): | 2. An automatic gearbox/torque converter, shown below (no clutch pedal or manual transmission): |
 Pagani Zonda S |
 Aston Martin Vanquish |
| 3. A sequential manual gearbox (Manual Type 3), ie, a manual gearbox minus the clutch pedal, as per Ferrari: | 4. Twin-clutch, dual-gearbox transmission (manual minus clutch pedal), ie, Audi DSG or Porsche PDK or BMW DKG: |
 Ferrari 612 Scaglietti |
 Porsche PDK in Cayman S |
My preference (Twin-clutch, dual-gearbox OR Manual Type 3)
Here is my 2 cents on this subject, I prefer the Manual Type 3 or Twin-clutch-dual-gearboxes simply because I want to select the gear the transmission is in, but I don’t want to use a clutch pedal. Here are the details:
- I want to be able to select the gear the car is in but I want the car to put itself in that gear for me!!!
. I feel that a stick shift (Manual Type 1 and 2) is old fashioned and that a car should be able to handle something like shifting for me. With all the technology available today, I feel that shifting on my own, like manually putting it into gear is just silly. I mean I don’t want to work my left leg and right wrist unnecessarily in order to drive around. I already have enough RSI (repetitive stress injury) from typing 10 hrs. a day and I don’t need to further agitate it by shifting, and yes this does actually agitate it, I am not just making this up . - BUT I do want control over the car, and more control than MOST automatics/torque converter (this is not true in some sports cars like Porsche that have a VERY aggressive shift map optimized for performance). But most automatics are “lossy” and have stupid shift maps that are optimized for fuel economy and not performance. With an Manual Type 3 and/or Twin-clutch-dual-gearbox, you can put it into “automatic mode” which is GREAT for driving in heavy traffic, in bad weather, and on days when you are tired or sick and have to go work or the store to get flu medicine . Sometimes… I just want to get somewhere and I don’t want to be involved 100%.
I am sure you are thinking, well Izabel, why don’t you just drive a “normal” car to do such errands and on days you are tired or sick and leave your 911 at home for god’s sakes!! Well, that would make way too much sense now wouldn’t it and I have never claimed to be an overly practical person. What fun would life be if I didn’t complain about the “troubles” I have owning a 911. Plus, I guess you could consider me to be SUCH a Porsche purist that I wouldn’t have the audacity to own another car and “cheat on” my 911 by not gving it all my love and attention, so see… it all makes perfect sense… you can see it right… ?? .
Anyways, back to the Manual Type 3 and/or Twin-clutch-dual-gearbox. It can shift faster than any human can, and if you disagree with this and think you can shift better than the computer you need to re-assess your driving abilities, because it isn’t true . The PDK would be so perfect for the track and racing. Lots of race cars have Manual Type 3 transmissions. It isn’t just my opinion that Manual Type 3 and/or Twin-clutch is superior on the race track, it is also the option of many racing teams .
Do you agree with me or am I smoking crack, LOL ??
Hmm … everyone has an opinion, so here is my $0.02 worth: I’ve had (or currently have) autos, manuals and sequentials. If you’re going to be stuck in stop start traffic all day, it’s got to be an auto.
But if your daily commute is through winding hills on an open road, go for a manual.
I’m not a big fan of sequential, but that is probably due to me experiences with it – I drove a 2002 Maserati with a crappy sequential – it was hopeless in auto but OK in manual.
Hi Nick
Welcome to the DLG community.
That sucks that the sequential manual gearbox experience you had sucked. They’ve improved since then (I’m not speaking for Maserati). The current generation Ferrari, Porsche, Audi, and BMW transmissions rock. Early Ferrari transmissions had all kinds of problems, that they’ve addressed, and made it awesome. BMW has gone from SMG I, which was ok, to SMG II, which was very good, to DKG, which is awesome. Audi’s DSG is great. And PDK rocks… so circa 2002, this kind of transmission wasn’t that great… but circa 2009, all the one’s I’ve mentioned rock and roll
. Personally, I don’t care for Maserati, like I don’t care for MB or AM… they are not what I consider to be performance cars.
Expression of driving passion, skill, and art
For me, I would have to go with a Twin-clutch, dual-gearbox gearbox, and here’s why… not that I don’t mind shifting, but it gets old. Especially on the track… I want to focus my energy on my line, and steering and throttle inputs… I don’t want to think about rev matching, when I’m trail braking down from 120/130mph into a a bunch of downhill esses… and I don’t want to take my hands off the wheel… and I don’t like the H-shift pattern on street cars… annoying as hell, and very prone to making a simple mistake, that can really hurt your engine and your bank account! For me, the art of driving, and car control, is all about input modulation, and not repetitive tasks that don’t require any thought once you get good at it. I don’t think when I’m shifting… I can downshift/heel-toe, rev match, and upshift, super smooth and fast… I don’t care to do the same thing over and over again; where’s the excitement in it? There’s no more time to be found in optimizing shifting technique, once you’ve mastered it. I’d rather work on left foot braking, for example, if I wanted to do something different to improve my lap times. Or go rally racing… if I got sick of the track (LOL). Shifting well is not an expression of my skill or passion. However, trail braking, controlling the line, finding more grip on the road, finding a better line, working on my vision, driving better in the rain, and soon race craft is what it’s all about for me… Make sense? For many others, their interest might lie elsewhere, but I’ve articulated why I don’t like slushboxes, and old-timey manual transmissions… And an added bonus of this new type of transmission is that the car is very streetable as well! Best of all worlds, for moi
. It’s like asking a soldier, what is you weapon of choice for close range combat: do you want an old timey single shot black powder rifle that you muzzle load, or would you like an HK MP5 
. Every non-functionally-retarded solider will tell you, it’s a stupid f**king question 
. What is your objective? To nail your target, consistently with minimum effort, or to f**k around and “be engaged in the shooting experience” while muzzle loading a lead ball with black powder and grease 
.
Don’t bring a knife to a gun fight
For me, the older manual transmissions with clutch pedals, are like the vestigial remains of a past automotive engineering era… cars used to have hand crank starter motors… well, they are gone now! I’m all for progress. Just like I love the use of composite materials in making car chassis and bodies, I am all about improving the drivetrain and engine as well… it’s an amazing feat of engineering to have 2 transmissions mounted in one car, and a computer selects which gear/transmission to engage next. Wow. Seamless power delivery during up and down shifts. Wow. As a track junkie, with a need for speed, I can’t ask more of a transmission
. If cars go all electric, I’m looking forward to that as well… it would be awesome to drive a car with a flat torque curve 
. 100% torque all the time 
. I’m very progressive, and not close to being a purist in this sense… However, I’m not willing to sacrifice on driver feedback… I guess it’s a fine balance… one person’s criteria for a pure driving experience differs vastly from another’s. I’m just happy that we have such a wide variety of performance cars to choose from!!! I remember when I first got into the sports car world, in the late 90s in the US, I can’t remember having such a great selection of cars to choose from, at just about every price segment! It’s a good time to be a track junkie 
. So many awesome cars to pick from!!! Drooool! 
. I hope the eco regulations that are coming down the pike are going to be “reasonable” and not extinguish the performance car market… but I digress…
Purist, or unreasonable crazy person
I used to have a 996 C2 without PSM or any electronic driver aids, as I wanted to DRIVE my car. I drove it in all weather conditions, track, road, etc. with all kinds of tires… I eventually realized that PSM wouldn’t have taken away from my driving experience, and would have merely added a safety net… and after having logged many hours at the track, I don’t see the point in shifting… I’d rather that the car do it for me, so that I can carry more momentum and speed through corners
. I currently have a 997S, which is the fastest car I’ve ever driven. Makes my 996C2 look like a slow poke. However, when I think of a GT3 with PDK, I want to get rid of my car as soon as I can and get in debt to get one 
. Hopefully I won’t have to get in debt to get a GT3 with PDK, if/when they make them 
. There’s always Ferrari 
. Hmmmm, F430 Scuderia…
Just my 2 cents as well
. Sure, everyone has an opinion, but I want to know why you have that opinion?
Take care
Nazmul.
Hi Nick,
Welcome to Drivelikeagirl! I hope you like my post, i have been updating it and adding even more info on the types of transmissions…so please check it for updates. Also, if anyone finds any corrections or would like to add something to the definition of terms, please let me know, and I will add it in there.
I have to ask you some questions to better understand what you mean here…
1. What kind of car are you talking about here, a sports car like a 911, or a 3 series, or an Infiniti? I guess that makes a difference because all cars aren’t annoying to shift while in traffic and not all of them have the same power, torque, heaviness of the clutch, etc. Like the 3 series, the clutch pedal is like non-existent and you don’t really have to try to shift in it… I actually don’t mind that one too much.
2. What is it about shifting that you like on the curvy roads? Why do you prefer a stick over paddles for curvy roads and “fun” non-trafficy driving?
3. What specifically does the stick give you that the others don’t?
I do think that the choice of your transmission depends on what you are looking to do and your driving style. It is really no fun to drive a stick in traffic, unless you have a really short commute maybe…but “city” driving and stick shift don’t really go together in my opinion
. Regarding the SMG car you drove, i have also driven a lot of crappy ones too…where when you shifted it would shift like a year later and feel all weird. But don’t worry, they have gotten a lot better and a very nice now, and are very intuitive.
I saw on your linkedin page that you are in the A Passion for Watches group. What watch do you like the best? There are lots of posts on Drivelikeagirl about watches so please feel free to check those out and comment, I think you will enjoy
.
Izabel
Give me an old-fashioned clutch-and-manual, or give me a continuously variable transmission (CVT) (http://cars.about.com/od/thingsyouneedtoknow/a/CVT.htm), which allows the engine to always run at the optimum speed for power or fuel economy. In other words, either let me do the shifting, or eliminate shifting altogether! — Aaron
BTW, and I know I’m in the minority on this, but the CVT is one of my favorite transmissions on the track. I’ve done track events with a couple of Nissans, and if you leave the transmission in Low range, the engine just stays between 5000 RPM and redline, no matter what you do. Slowing for a hairpin? 5000 RPM. Tear-assing down the straight? 5000 RPM. It’s great, because you can concentrate on your line without giving a second thought to what the engine is doing, and the power is always there.
Hi Aaron,
Welcome to the DLG community and thanks for your comments. CVTs are very interesting. I don’t have any experience with them at all. What Nissan cars have such a transmission? What were you driving at the track with CVT? That’s pretty cool!
I’d love to hear more on how the drive is different with CVT… good stuff 
. Have you considered writing a post on this subject, http://drivelikeagirl.com/?page_id=32#tutorial?
Take care
Nazmul
Hey Aaron,
Thanks so much for stopping by my site
. I hope you like it. I am reading about the CVT right now…very cool so far..still reading. I also saw your profile on Cars.about.com, I really like this part: “Bayla the dog; Fifi the tarantula; and three unnamed fish, all of whom — except the dog, the spider and the fish — contribute their opinions to Aaron’s car reviews.” LOL. You have a tarantula??? woah…thats scarey. Can you post some pics of Fifi? He can be the DLG mascot!!! 
.
Izabel
Well, Izabel, in my humble opinion, there is no other way to enjoy driving than having a car with an automatic gearbox.
I do not like to ’stir gas’ anymore. Traffic being what it is thanks to too densly populated roads over here.
Give me my automatic gear box, my speedcontroller and my leather seats and I am a happy man.
With a heartfelt ‘vroom’ from the Jurassic Mountains Range in Switzerland
James
Hi James,
Thanks so much for posting a comment and welcome to the community
. I totally understand and traffic is bad here too. That is why i am partial to PDK, it has paddle shifters and you can put it in automatic mode in traffic. I dont enjoy driving stick at all, it just makes me tired by the time i get where i am going, LOL.
hehe. What car do you have? And I think i can guess what brand of watch you have 
. Do you match your watch to your car? or match your watch band to your seats…anything like that? I am all about accessorizing 
.
Nice leather seats are MUST, too
Please stay warm in Switzerland,
Izabel
You left out one:
Dog-box/Crash-box/Dog-engagement Manual – H-pattern shift, but where the dogs are designed in such a way that the clutch is not needed for shifting. Rather than closely meshing teeth, the interface is teeth that fit into slots. This allows them to be at different speeds, and then “crash” into the next gear. The clutch is only used for starting and stopping, and sometimes for downshifts if your throttle-blipping isn’t perfect…
This was used in the first few years of the ETCC under Super2000 rules, and is also very popular in Regional and National Rallying, world-wide.
Also, type 2 and type 3 should be further clarified.
Sequential – Needs clutch. Either motorcycles without dog-engagement, or some manual transmissions that have an aftermarket sequential shifter kit adapted.
Dog-Engagement Sequential – Same technology as mentioned for the H-pattern Dog-Box, but this time with a sequential gear activation. No clutch needed, except for starting or stopping, or for those unsure of their downshifting. This is what is very popular in motorsport, used in ALMS, IndyCar, FIA GT, WTCC, BTCC, some WRC cars, etc, etc.
Semi-automatic (performance) – This is either a manual or sequential transmission that is controlled electromagnetically or electrohydraulically. The driver just presses a button or activates a paddle, and the electical system either activates a magnet or a hydraulic system that changes the gear. It either has a computer-controlled clutch, dog-engagement or both. This is used in WRC, older F1 cars, etc.
Semi-automatic (luxury) – This is an automatic/slushbox that instead of the shift being computer or pressure activated, the driver selects the gear via a button, paddle or optional mode of a gear lever, and the computer reads the input and changes the gear accordingly.
Also, for twin-clutch gearboxes, you should clarify that not all have two separate transmissions; one is the twin-shaft version that basically contains two separate transmissions (like the Audi DSG) and the other is the single-shaft twin-clutch arrangement where there is an inner and outer shaft and clutch arrangement.
For racing, I like the dog-engagement sequential, whereas for driving on the road, I prefer a regular manual so I can heel-and-toe on all of my downshifts.
Definately Manual. More control on snow and ice here in the NE! Even beats 4WD by itself but best in the weather when Manual + 4WD.
Hi Tom
What kind of tires are you running in the ice/snow? Are you using the same type of tire on the automatic and manual and 4WD cars that you mentioned?
haha your like my perfect women
…………….I prefer to have a stick and no clutch pedal but the stick should be pull to shift up and push to click down, just like in a gt racer, its perfect!
Seriously
Thanks Jack. I agree about the stick being in a different pattern. The up and down would be best, if i had to have one. I would prefer the paddle shifters tho. Having to reach down to shift messes up my flow and rhythm. I dont like taking my hand off the wheel either.
Izabel