The Elio Automatic Transmission

[CrimsonEclipse]

????? - The CVT is the same transmission as the manual.....

Negative.
CVT's use a belt and 2 adjustable pulleys. Ratio is controlled by a computer.

The writing is on the wall. Manual transmissions will totally disappear shortly.

No they won't, there's actually a slight manual transmission resurgence going on that will likely be boosted by the elio.

The auto manufacturers are TRYING to kill the manual. Why? because they don't break. No breakey, no fixy, no money.

Also, drive a modern manual transmission vs a 10-20 year old one. They 2015 Corolla shifts like CRAP (as does the Honda Fit).
They need it to feel bad so normal people abandon them. I drive an Echo and it shifts MUCH better and is 10 years old.
Try to order a car or truck with a manual transmission and see how much resistance you get.
It's available with ONLY a high performance model or limited edition.
Try to buy a "work truck" version of a ford F-150 with a manual transmission. Tell me how it works out for you (unless you buy 15 of them).

The dealers and manufacturers need you to buy 10 speed double clutch automatic transmissions to they fail in 100k miles so you thinks it's worth it to get a new car instead of paying $5000-8000 for a new transmission.

Elio is fighting a LOT of establishment and will spur a noticeable change in the industry.

 

[Anderson Howard]

I drive an 2009 Colorado with a 5 speed and its a great driver.

 

[IdahoDuffer]

"Serious race cars (like all formula cars, for example) have abandoned the manual years ago. Any racer using one would be at a significant disadvantage in today's racing environment."

As a NASCAR fan I find this statement to be highly untrue. All NASCARS run a manual transmission, as do most amateur racing classes. Pretty sure racing motorcyles and dragsters also run manual transmissions. Perhaps you need to expand your definition of "serious race cars".

Not trying to start anything, just clarifying.

 

[NSTG8R]

One item on my bucket list is to teach my 26 year old son how to drive a Manual Transmission . You simply can't rent them anymore and was hoping to buy my Elio with a proper clutch/shift setup . Alas , best laid plans and all that ....... I will probably buy a cheap Wrangler , teach my boy and sell off the Jeep quickly . Then , on to teaching him how to play Poker

Taught my son (now 28) how to drive a manual back when he was 13. I had a Jeep Wrangler, and he got his schooling at a campground we used go to regularly. He had it pretty well down in 15 minutes. All of his vehicles since he got his license have been manuals, and he drives a '03 Subaru WRX 5-speed manual right now. I've always preferred manuals, but the knees are making it hard to operate the clutch in an hour+ of rush hour traffic every day.

 

[Coss]

"Serious race cars (like all formula cars, for example) have abandoned the manual years ago. Any racer using one would be at a significant disadvantage in today's racing environment."
As a NASCAR fan I find this statement to be highly untrue. All NASCARS run a manual transmission, as do most amateur racing classes. Pretty sure racing motorcyles and dragsters also run manual transmissions. Perhaps you need to expand your definition of "serious race cars".
Not trying to start anything, just clarifying.

NHRA Top Fuel dragsters and Fuel Funny Cars don't have transmissions, they are a direct drive with multi application clutches; they have multiple "fingers" and plates that will apply more pressure as the car goes forward; it's a "slip the clutch" drive.
Pro Stock uses a 5 speed sequential shift transmission that only uses the clutch on the start
Sportsman classes of Top Alcohol dragsters and funny cars use a 2 speed automatic; specifically built for racing.
NASCAR does use a sort of regular 4 speed; but they are designed so that you don't need to use the clutch to shift (but you can if you want to).

 

[Maurtis]

Also, drive a modern manual transmission vs a 10-20 year old one. They 2015 Corolla shifts like CRAP (as does the Honda Fit).
They need it to feel bad so normal people abandon them. I drive an Echo and it shifts MUCH better and is 10 years old.
Try to order a car or truck with a manual transmission and see how much resistance you get.

My last three cars were all sticks.
- 2006 Kia Rio LX, stick feel was a little rubber bandy but better than I would expect from what was at the time the cheapest new car available. Aftermarket short throw shifter and bushings made a huge difference for less than $100.
- 2008 MINI Cooper S, shifter action was nice and tight, loved it. Would have kept her but she spent almost as much time in the shop as in my garage, so she got traded in when the warranty was up.
- 2012 Hyundai Veloster, loved that shifter too. Tight and pleasantly notchy. One of the nicest non-premium manual trannys I have driven. The ECU is what killed the experience with that car (non-turbo), there was a HUGE power hole when shifting into second aggressively. There was an ECU reflash from the dealer that made it a little better, but it was still there even with traction control off. I wonder if they ever fixed that? The 1st-2nd shift power dip was my only complaint with that car. So much to love for a cheapo econo-box.

My first car was a 1987 Mustang with the 2.3L, great car to learn a stick on but the transmission did not feel nearly as tight as my newer cars have.

Do we know if the US Toyota Yaris uses the Aisin BC5 and MC5? If so, test driving those would give us an idea of how the Elio will shift. Not identically, but a ballpark idea.

 

[Steve817]

I do know from many years of shifting gears in muscle cars, there is no better way to feel "connected" to the driving experience.....however, the purpose to my Elio is convenience, efficiency and safety. Get in and go is the motto!

 

[Maurtis]

I do know from many years of shifting gears in muscle cars, there is no better way to feel "connected" to the driving experience.....however, the purpose to my Elio is convenience, efficiency and safety. Get in and go is the motto!

While new dual clutch automatics (and even the new slushboxes) can give you better performance numbers, I still like rowing the gears myself. With a shifter, not a paddle. I am not expecting the manual shifter in the Elio to feel great since we are looking at a bottom dollar vehicle where costs are being kept down intentionally, but I am always open to be pleasantly surprised! And there may be bushing replacements and such available aftermarket to tighten the feel.

Even though my Elio will spend most of its life in traffic, at least with a manual I can feel sporty

 

[Ray O]

I think they chose to go with a traditional automotive tranny over the CVT, because CVT requires more maintainence and isn't going to have a 200,000 mile lifespan.

And they are offering Manual and Automatic because the expense is worth the sales they can get. But the physical transmission is the same in both, the only difference between the Manual and the MMT is that one has a cable linkage with clutch pedal, and the other has an electronic box bolted onto it.

Thank you for your explinaton

 

[Lil4X]

Even though my Elio will spend most of its life in traffic, at least with a manual I can feel sporty

If it's like my commute, it'll be a one-legged stair climber . . . six feet, stop, six feet, stop . . . . The Elio Nordictrak . . .