CVTs

[Ryan Fellini <rfellini@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Hi all,

Has anyone had a chance to drive one of the Fiat Group
automobiles that uses the 'Selecta' transmission (500,
Punto, Y, etc)?  I would like to know your impressions
of the system.  Thanks in advance.

Related to this, I have seen some test cars that use
a CVT (Continuously Variable Transmission) that can
also be setup to use a tiptronic/F355-F1 style of
shifting.  The only CVT car I know of for sale in the
US is the Honda Civic coupe that has a CVT, but no
'tiptronic' option.  I believe this car has not sold
very well in the US, primarily because of the lack of
acceptance of new technologies here.  One strange thing
consumers don't like at first is that with a CVT you
floor it.. and it stays at one RPM as you accelerate.. :)

With the continual push for fuel efficient cars, I wonder
if it will come down to CVT vs. automatics.  Sad as it may
be, I don't think that manual boxes will last much longer.
However, hoping for a bright future, I think I could live
with an Alfa Romeo 145Q, for example, that uses the CVT/
tiptronic style.  With that CVT in performance mode, you
could certainly blow away cars with similar displacement.

Hope this starts some constructive dialog, take care.

Ryan
Viva il Cuore Sportivo!
Bertone, Vespa & Ducati
Saab 900 Turbo

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