Jeff Johnson Interview - Autoline After Hours #347 - 9/16/16

[Build it RIGHT!]

I believe that the MT and the AMT are the same transmission. However, switching them back and forth would be problematic. There are many differences in the control of the transmission: clutch, shift computer, and linkage to mention only the beginning. Others will be more informed than I.

What could be done is:

All ELIO's get Auto trans and Paddle shifters on steering wheel and manual trans pedal assembly minus the clutch pedal.
Manual trans orders, the same except clutch pedal is installed.
(Clutch pedal would be fly-by-wire type.. potentiometer sends pedal position to trans ecu.
Installing clutch pedal tells trans ecu driver is doing the shifting.
* Alternatively, a ELIO with clutch pedal installed, could be by the touch of a button or the flip of a switch on the fly be a automatic...OR a manual.

Vs versa, a auto ELIO could be shipped with the clutch pedal in a box...and once it's installed owner has manual/auto option... Useful when one driver prefers auto, cant drive a stick...and the other driver wants a manual.

EDIT: Thinking about this more, All ELIO'S get a clutch pedal which have a latching mechanism which in AUTO MODE the pedal is in the fully depressed state so pedal is out of the way... and pedal can be released within a couple of seconds easily, when released it's a manual clutch trans with PADDLE SHIFTERS.

This could be done easily and would save ELIO tons of money as they would only have to make (7) vs (14) variants.
(I bet when you run the numbers, look at all the angles Elio might be able to waive/greatly reduce the price difference between the transmissions.)

 

[electroken]

What could be done is:

All ELIO's get Auto trans and Paddle shifters on steering wheel and manual trans pedal assembly minus the clutch pedal.
Manual trans orders, the same except clutch pedal is installed.
(Clutch pedal would be fly-by-wire type.. potentiometer sends pedal position to trans ecu.
Installing clutch pedal tells trans ecu driver is doing the shifting.
* Alternatively, a ELIO with clutch pedal installed, could be by the touch of a button or the flip of a switch on the fly be a automatic...OR a manual.

Vs versa, a auto ELIO could be shipped with the clutch pedal in a box...and once it's installed owner has manual/auto option... Useful when one driver prefers auto, cant drive a stick...and the other driver wants a manual.

.

If this approach was taken I'd walk away from my $1000. I want an actual manual transmission while they still exist. An automatic transmission dressed up like a manual is still an automatic.

 

[Ty]

If this approach was taken I'd walk away from my $1000. I want an actual manual transmission while they still exist. An automatic transmission dressed up like a manual is still an automatic.

I agree. Since Aisin makes both the AMT and MT AND we know the model numbers, it isn't hard to see that the MT will be a traditional manual.

 

[Mel]

AND, with this approach, people wanting the manual transmission would have to pay for the automatic.
I don't see this as practical on any level.

 

[WilliamH]

If this approach was taken I'd walk away from my $1000. I want an actual manual transmission while they still exist. An automatic transmission dressed up like a manual is still an automatic.

With you 100%. The manual transmission was the feature that got me interested to start with. Take that away and you can keep it. Why would I want to spend $1000 extra for a feature I neither want nor need in a car I'm buying for the fun factor

 

[AriLea]

EKH are you going over to the dark side? Oh NO, we're all doomed....

lol, nope. He's just defending his assessment that he feels are reasonable projections given the evidence.
But you knew he wasn't becoming Ekh-Vader. More like oh-bee-wahn-Eric.

 

[AriLea]

I'm hopeing the quietness from EM is like the "Lull before the storm".

It may well be something like that. We may all have underestimated the effort to get those new steel panels set up in design and tooling. Once that's done it's -relatively- trivial to 'bang' out the parts and attach them, but there is quite a few of them. And indeed, we don't know how the current cash is impacted by that changeover.
What I know for sure is, to have a E-series show up at LA, if it has the new panels, one whole set of tools will need to be done. It will be very informative if it's not in a full metal jacket. At some point the E-1C must have it, as well as any E-Series that is going to actually be crashed.

For myself, if I'd gone to the trouble of making a tool set and the first part, I'd 'bang' out all 23 (or now 21 ?) at once. How many tool sets are we talking? At least 7 I would think.

 

[WilliamH]

It may well be something like that. We may all have underestimated the effort to get those new steel panels set up in design and tooling. Once that's done it's -relatively- trivial to 'bang' out the parts and attach them, but there is quite a few of them. And indeed, we don't know how the current cash is impacted by that changeover.
What I know for sure is, to have a E-series show up at LA, if it has the new panels, one whole set of tools will need to be done. It will be very informative if it's not in a full metal jacket. At some point the E-1C must have it, as well as any E-Series that is going to actually be crashed.

For myself, if I'd gone to the trouble of making a tool set and the first part, I'd 'bang' out all 23 (or now 21 ?) at once. How many tool sets are we talking? At least 7 I would think.

Interesting question.
Various speculation has said the following parts will remain SMC.
Front clip
Front fenders
Rear (black thingy)
But obviously, all just speculation

 

[Build it RIGHT!]

With you 100%. The manual transmission was the feature that got me interested to start with. Take that away and you can keep it. Why would I want to spend $1000 extra for a feature I neither want nor need in a car I'm buying for the fun factor

(Quote function didn't get everyone)

I would prefer the manual to be a true manual as well.
Suggestion was given to address the issue of persons who have ordered manual getting their ELIO before those who have ordered the auto trans.

It also adds PADDLE SHIFTERS to the vehicle which a lot of people desire.

Another pro to the idea is that is allows conversion between auto/manual VERY easily.

Oh, another idea I had right after posting would to ship ALL ELIO's with the clutch pedal installed.. and there is a latch that holds the pedal in DOWN position so clutch pedal isn't in the way when in Auto mode with latching mechanism designed so swapping between modes can be done in less than 5 seconds.

Oh, on the cost aspect...say the cost was the same, the trans was 110% reliable, etc with the only objection then being theres no gearshift lever..which by it's omission gives a little more interior room, and saves ELIO the cost of making, stocking, distribution of (2) different versions of the ELIO you have to admit with say two drivers of the car, one that can't or won't drive a stick the idea solves a few problems, and saving ELIO MOTORS $$$$$$ money and could actually INCREASE sales.
Such might allow them to make ELIO's in in YELLOW.

PS: I'm proud of you guys for not saying the idea would delay production starting.

 

[WilliamH]

(Quote function didn't get everyone)

I would prefer the manual to be a true manual as well.
Suggestion was given to address the issue of persons who have ordered manual getting their ELIO before those who have ordered the auto trans.

It also adds PADDLE SHIFTERS to the vehicle which a lot of people desire.

Another pro to the idea is that is allows conversion between auto/manual VERY easily.

Oh, another idea I had right after posting would to ship ALL ELIO's with the clutch pedal installed.. and there is a latch that holds the pedal in DOWN position so clutch pedal isn't in the way when in Auto mode with latching mechanism designed so swapping between modes can be done in less than 5 seconds.

Oh, on the cost aspect...say the cost was the same, the trans was 110% reliable, etc with the only objection then being theirs no gearshift lever..which by it's omission gives a little more interior room, and saves ELIO the cost of making, stocking, distribution of (2) different versions of the ELIO you have to admit with say two drivers of the car, one that can't or won't drive a stick the idea solves a few problems, and idea could actually increase sales.

PS: I'm proud of you guys for not saying the idea would delay production starting.

...."It also adds PADDLE SHIFTERS to the vehicle which a lot of people desire."....
Damn! And I want to young, rich, and handsome with lots of Hollywood harlots... er ah... starlets chasing after me...
But I guess that ship sailed over 50 years ago.
We're talking about a $7000 car (autocycle).
We're talking reality, not dreams.