Sketchley said:
Still for a computer to change gear is not so easy!
I mean: If you look at a dsg, they can only preset 1 different gear. Some say these boxes are really fast, but some say they are even rubbishly slow. That all has to do with how the computer can predict the road, with it's only input speed, gaspedal data and brake data (maybe steering but than it's already too late for my point at least).
So if you're accelerating, it presets the next gear, and the shift is instananious (just switch 2 clutch plates).
But if you're accelerating, and immediately brake hard to get a corner, and very rapidly want to downshift, the computer could have preselected a higher gear (expecting acceleration) and suddenly has to select a lower gear. Not all dsg/dct boxes (or whatever the brand calls it) are good at those conditions. For those conditions the computer programming is very important.
An automatic (you know, with the torque converter etc) does not have this problem I think because all gears are permanently engaged. But there are an array of clutches (and the torque converter can be slow/a bit incosistent too, especially on the point that the impellor changes direction). Also with these systems they tend to be faster on the upshifts, and sometimes considerably slower on the downshifts (also when using the tiptronic). I don't know if that is a design limitation, it's something that sometimes grabs my attention when driving one.
Formula 1 cars and wrc ralley cars still have a more conventional manual setup (no dual clutch!). They use a dogbox (which is an unsynchronized conventional gearbox) with a shift selector drum. (like a motorcycle has, the complete system looks like that, and you can shift clutchless when pausing the throttle)
Maybe we'll see triple clutch gearboxes in the future. They do not have the above mentioned problem I guess. (I don't think dogboxes with shift selector drums will make it into passenger roadcars :lol: )
But both automatic gearboxes and dual clutch systems are shure making a lot of progress in the last years.
Still for a sportscar with 'spirited driving' the conventional manual gearbox gives me the most joy. Not only 'getting the shift just right', but also the feel of control and feeling more connected to the driveline (especially compared to an automatic), and having the feeling that 'you operate the machinery' instead of just driving the car.
It does include all the above in my book. Though ABS, in particular, does make the car a lot safer in certain conditions and does not detract from the driving experience IMO, so i'll let that one through. As for TC is off as soon as i'm sat in the car. 
