Re: Automated Manual Gearboxes

[ALLSTEELDA@domain.elided]

Hello All:

I thought I might chime in on this one as I work for a Ferrari, Maserati dealership and have experienced the following cars with the F1 (Ferrari) and CambioCorsa (Maserati) gearboxes:  Ferrari 355, Ferrari 360, Ferrari 360 Challenge, Maserati Coupe and Spider and 575M.  These gearboxes essentially work as intended and are actually very reliable in our experience.  Each generation improves and become more and more intuitive in operation.  The new 575M box is simply outstanding.

Keep in mind that the system uses the exact same clutch and transaxle as the full manual version of the the car.

In operation, the system can be rough, jerky for the first time driver.  The more sensitive driver will become smooth in a week or so of driving the less skilled never get smooth.  Over time, one tends to get a feel for the way the car shifts under various driving conditions.  As a result, you have nearly as much control as a manual transmission.  This is a great option for the customer that drives in traffic or the customer that drives on the track.  In fact the track is probably the best environment for this system.  Under full throttle at high rpms the shifts are immediate (ok, .15-.25 seconds).  Downshifts are perfectly executed with proper throttle blips. Having said all of those positive things, here is my conclusion:  If you value the involvement and control that a manual transmission offers, buy the manual.  If you like automatics, this system is alot more fun.

Myself, make mine a manual.

David Alexander
Riverside, IL

76 Alfetta GT w/3.0 v6
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