Why Automatics Are Better Than Manuals

[D K]

Sure as hell hope not.

They have promised not to be fully electric. We will see!


I don' t understand why they don't utilize Ethanol - clean burning, renewable and still an internal combustion engine

Prediction: within the next 10 years, Formula 1 will become full time Formula E.

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[SheepDog]

I've had a manual car every single day for 25 years, and will continue to do so as long as they are allowed on the street. to me it is more fun, more engaging, and more challenging.

Anybody can drive an automatic car fast, but making a manual car perform at its highest level takes experience, skill and practice.

All of that being said, there really is no denying that electric cars, especially performance cars will be the future.

https://www.caranddriver.com/lotus/evija

Anyone here driven a Model S Performance? I had that opportunity and I will say, the power delivery is amazing and intoxicating. The combination of a non existent power curve, mixed with the constant acceleration of not having a transmission is just nuts. Specifically when talking street cars, the electric performance and traction of all wheel drive is really impressive. Another huge advantage is that you get all of the power at any elevation, so for those of us at high altitude, you get an even larger advantage over the internal combustion counterpart.


Automatics for daily driving, and going really fast in a 1/4
Manuals for driving enjoyment and actually developing a skill
Electric for overall speed and crushing GT500's at a stop light.

 

[D K]

Electric cars is doing to sports cars what CGI did to movies.

 

[SheepDog]

Electric cars is doing to sports cars what CGI did to movies.

Yup, making them better.

 

[Norm Peterson]

Yup, making them synthetic.

Fixed.


Norm

 

[SheepDog]

Fixed.


Norm

Lot's of things are better when synthesized. synthetic motor oil, synthetic boobies, and cars that will destroy anything with a transmission or ICE. Don't get me wrong, I love my Mustang, the noise it makes, the excitement and danger of 800 hp and 3.73 gears with a manual, but the reality is that when we are talking performance, Electric cars will soon leave everything else far far behind.

 

[Norm Peterson]

You do know that movies aren't documentaries? Everything in them is synthetic from the celluloid to the sets. Or is does it only count for you if they use "real" fake things? Go ahead Norm, tell me how the experience of the movie is ruined because it wasn't filmed on a plywood set with paper maché props and polyester costumes.

One less layer of 'fake' ought to count for something.


Norm

 

[mindo389]

Driver's education used to be given in our sophomore year in high school. My driver's ed teacher told us to steer with our left hand & use our right hand for shifting, or if out on a date; to use our right hand for other activities, thus the automatic transmission was better than a standard.

 

[2018OFPP1?2]

Lot's of things are better when synthesized. synthetic motor oil, synthetic boobies, and cars that will destroy anything with a transmission or ICE. Don't get me wrong, I love my Mustang, the noise it makes, the excitement and danger of 800 hp and 3.73 gears with a manual, but the reality is that when we are talking performance, Electric cars will soon leave everything else far far behind.

As far as I could find, the fastest quarter mile time set by an EV (motorcycle) to date is 6.9 seconds, which while impressive, is nearly double the time it takes the fastest top fuel dragster.

For further reference, the fastest EV dragster just passed 200mph in the quarter (7.2 seconds) while the top fuel dragster easily hits 332mph (3.6 seconds).

Seems in terms of absolute performance, ICE had plenty of room to breath. Further, electric cars are boring, just like automatic transmissions.

 

[SheepDog]

As far as I could find, the fastest quarter mile time set by an EV (motorcycle) to date is 6.9 seconds, which while impressive, is nearly double the time it takes the fastest top fuel dragster.

For further reference, the fastest EV dragster just passed 200mph in the quarter (7.2 seconds) while the top fuel dragster easily hits 332mph (3.6 seconds).

Seems in terms of absolute performance, ICE had plenty of room to breath. Further, electric cars are boring, just like automatic transmissions.

Sure, for now.

Modern electrics are in their infancy and ICE's are pretty much maxed out. Tesla's new roadster slated for 2021 will do the 1/4 in 8.8 seconds, and cost a fraction of what other street legal cars that have that type of performance can muster. The Lotus Evija will hit 186 MPH in 9 seconds. This technology will trickle down to normal consumer type vehicles, just like your Dual overhead cam V8 and dual clutch transmissions did from racing applications back in the day.

Especially when considering normal street cars, with street tires, on crappy roads, the electrics are far faster day to day.

In 10 years, that 3.6 second 1/4 will still be the best an ICE can muster, but I would wager that Electrics will close that gap and surpass it. Batteries will become lighter and more powerful, while modern fuels like Ethanol, methanol, Nitromethane etc, are pretty much tapped.

 

[SheepDog]

And,

Go test drive a Model S performance and tell me that it's "boring" when you stomp the accelerator and it tries to break your head off. On the street, with street tires.

 

[SheepDog]

The boring part is the battery.

Sure I get that. The noise and vibration that a hi performance V8 makes is something special.

Eventually Electric cars will have photovoltaic body panels, and will be able to charge themselves, and rip off a 9 second 1/4 on any road. Also, the electrics aren't totally silent, the motors make sort of a high pitch whining or whirring noise that sounds pretty cool and futuristic.



The purpose of this thread was to get peoples thoughts on whether an auto or manual is better. The reality is that when talking performance - No transmission is king.

 

[SheepDog]

They do indeed. Porche's PDK is fuggin magical.

 

[Norm Peterson]

Go test drive a Model S performance and tell me that it's "boring" when you stomp the accelerator and it tries to break your head off. On the street, with street tires.

The rest of the time it'll still be boring, and after the first few rushes you get from using everything it's got you may realize that the car is still an uninvolving and pretty boring thing to drive, overall. Even that straight line "wow" loses some of its lustre once you realize that it was sanitized for your protection by torque management, TC, and ESC; that any skill on your part was strictly incidental.


Norm

 

[D K]

Battery technology will surely get better. Thats a fact.
But, to say the ice is maxxed out.....that's not NECESSARILY true.
There is A LOT of development going on in the ice world and I'm going to venture out and say the best is yet to come.
Think homogenized, stratified ignition, etc.. A lot more stuff coming.
Look at direct injection. Before that we thought the ice was done. Now look at what has happened.
Then there is the fuel issue. Sure we have corn juice but its still relatively expensive to manufacture. Maybe some genious will figure out how to produce it cheaper?
Think how happy all the farmers would be if they could make money making ethanol.

Then there is the argument on the EV side.
It is a fact that mining cobalt and lithium is having it's own impact on the environment. It's not nearly as 'clean' as everyone says. Something has to happen.

I came up with an idea a long time ago to have 'gas stations' where the battery drops out and a new one gets swapped in instead of waiting for it to charge. I drove a BMW i3 for a while and that was a good car. But, it has a lot of limitations.

So, while I think there is a place for electric transport in the future, I don't necessarily think it's in motorsports. Look at the difference in F1 and FE... They are not even on the same planet.
Getting 1000 hp out of 1.6 liters is extremely impressive. And its economical and green.

Sure, for now.

Modern electrics are in their infancy and ICE's are pretty much maxed out.


Batteries will become lighter and more powerful, while modern fuels like Ethanol, methanol, Nitromethane etc, are pretty much tapped.

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