Re: Volkswagon unveils car that gets 282 miles to the gallon.
 

On May 23, 10:26 am, "jp2express" <jp2mail-tempfo...@noSpamyahoo.com>
wrote:
> I guess it boils down to the way each individual views things.
>
> I tend to think along the same lines as Jeremy: If the insides of the
> transmission are fully automated, fluid controlled, and use a torque
> converter instead of a clutch, I call it an automatic transmission. On the
> other hand, if the gears are physically enguaged/disenguaged with levers and
> actuators and/or requires a clutch, that is a manual transmission in my
> book - no matter how many gismos are bolted on top to do the shifting.
>
> Back to the main article: Greg Wilson (the author) says the VW has a "
> 6-speed manual transmission that shifts automatically." It sound like Mr.
> Wilson also views this as a manual transmission, but is pointing out that
> the operator may have no control over the gear selection (other than Park,
> Reverse, Neutral, and Drive).
>
> The lesson here is: If someone is trying to sell you a car that says it has
> an automatic transmission, the Buyer may want to ask for more details.
> Otherwise, he may get a vehicle that comes with someone in the passenger's
> seat to shift the gears for him! :)

yeah, seems to be basically a semantics issue, to me "automatic
transmission" is a specific methodology, as different from a
hydrostatic, a centrifugal, or any of the other methodologies that
alter gear ratios without intervention from the driver, and a manual
transmission is likewise a specific methodology. however, that's the
engineers perspective, the english majors perspective is "what does
the word manual mean?" and that's fair too, and no call for insulting
anyone.