Quote:
|
Originally Posted by DaveK
I understand your dislike now Jeff. I assumed it was a clutch based affair like the European semi-autos I've seen - might as well have a regular auto in that case.
|
It is a regular hydra-matic, torque-converter auto. I believe you still can put it in Drive, etc, and toodle on your way. The paddles are just a way to give the driver more control over the automatic if they want. I don't see how it's a bad thing, you don't have to use them. It's simply a 6-speed instead of a 4-speed. I guess I don't see the problem with that?
I agree though that GM should look into some of these more modern semi-manual trannies like the dual clutch stuff, etc. I don't think GM manufactures any (certainly not many) manual trannies, so it wouldn't be a case of them developing anything, rather of them buying it. I seem to recall stuff like the DSG VW/Audi uses can't handle a lot of power? They don't use it on any V8s or bigger I don't believe.
If they had gone with something like the F1-style tranny Ferrari uses in lieu of the 6L80, I suspect many Cadillac owners would be pissed off. The 6-speed auto is also used in the STS-V and XLR-V. Those auto-manual things are reportedly not at all smooth for everyday driving. They are purely a performance item with a rather stiff trade-off. In fact, Maserati is now introducing a traditional automatic tranny on their Quattroporte due to the roughness of the Cambiocorsa (paddle-shift automatic clutch like Ferrari) transmission.