Auto / Manual Q'

[Goon]

Hey all

Just one simple question an Automatic vs. a Manual gear box which ones faster off the mark? Or starting at a halt position?

Though I guess it would depend if the automatic pedal was flat or not, or with the manual the outcome will be determined on how the clutch is dropped followed by 2nd shift.

Just picture the same car just with the diff gerbox.

Cheers

[SL/ENUT]

Auto is quicker off the line, manual has more top speed though

[vkberlina]

It depends on a whole heap of things such as the car, gearing, engine, road surface, driver, traction etc.

There are driveline power losses with an automatic due to the torque converter, on a normal street car after 1st gear I think a manual would win over a quarter mile with good shifting & clutch control.
Early model commodore autos such as the trimatic give alot wider gear ratios, so when it changes gear you may not be in your optimal RPM range for power where as a manual with closer gear ratios would be or at least closer to the power band of the engine.

Top speed wise in early commodores auto gearboxes such as a trimatic or manual such as an aussie 4 speed both share a final drive of 1:1, and auto would only have a lower top speed due to the torque converter. More modern cars have a lockup converter which reduces this loss.

cheers
Scott

[Goon]

Thanks for the infomation lads