Last December I mentioned how our 2008 Smart Fortwo upshifts on its own, even when you're in manual mode. But another thing I found out that it does is downshift when you stomp on the throttle looking for more power in a hurry. Sure, automatic transmission cars do this anyway but I don't think I've ever seen an automanual car do it in manual mode.
This weekend when I was trying to follow a friend who was driving a Lexus SUV to a restaurant via the freeway, they jumped on the on-ramp and just gunned it. Since I was in the Smart (um, hello!), there was no way I could catch up with them but at the same time I didn't want to get lost. So I stomped on the throttle while in 4th gear. Wait for me!
Suddenly it seemed like the Smart was trying to muster all the strength it had and I saw that it downshifted to 3rd gear. Its little engine roared and strained. I thought for sure once it hit redline it would upshift itself to 4th as it had before. But nope. So I upshifted. Eventually I caught up with my friend...but that was just because when they realized they lost me they slowed down and waited for me in the slow lane.
Apparently the Audi R8 does this, too, in manual mode but the Nissan GT-R and Mitsubishi Evo X don't. Not that I'm saying the Smart in the same league as those cars. Pshaw! Just thought it was interesting and wondered which other cars do the same thing.
Caroline Pardilla, Deputy Managing Editor @ 13,471 miles
dougtheeng says:
01:22 PM, 02/ 2/09
Old-fashioned manual transmissions ftw!
tsuic says:
01:29 PM, 02/ 2/09
My last-gen BMW M3 SMG also did this. The accelerator pedal has a kick-down switch at the end of its travel - just like the version BMW puts on its slushbox models.
Although SMG doesn't usually downshift automatically when in manual mode (other than when you come to a stop), flooring it and engaging the kickdown switch will drop the transmission to the lowest possible gear given the current speed.
It was a nice tool for urgent passing, since using the shift knob or paddles to do a multi-gear downshift was a bit slow (it would stop at each intermediate gear unless you timed it perfectly). With the kick-down switch, you could go from 6th to 2nd in one step.
And, yes, I've since switched to a car with a conventional 6MT.
jbqueru says:
01:38 PM, 02/ 2/09
I've driven a Euro-spec Audi A6 Tiptronic (with the 2.4 V6) in the late 90s that did exactly that when in "manual" mode.
MS3lvr92 says:
02:04 PM, 02/ 2/09
So do you think that the Smart would be a much more appealing car with a better developed automanual... or with a traditional manual? It seems if Mercedes just addressed a few things (brake pedal, transmission, maybe a few more mpgs) it would be a perfect little city car.
ddoouugg says:
02:20 PM, 02/ 2/09
That is just terrible. Especially how it downshifts but then but wont upshift at redline again.
johnnyturbo says:
02:29 PM, 02/ 2/09
I've said this before, but it's worth repeating:
If the U.S. market Smart could be had with a little turbodiesel and a six-speed manual (as in Europe), it would make a much stronger case for itself here.
Imagine smooth (not herky-jerky), torquey performance along with 60-plus mpg...
skylinekure says:
05:43 PM, 02/ 2/09
I have an 08 Sequoia Limited with tiptronic transmission. And yes, it also downshifts itself even on manual mode, but the display does not! Upshifting-wise, on manual mode, there's at least a 1-sec delay in response. My Lancer 98 Invecs trans (asian version) is totally different. In manual mode, trans is indeed manual. It is responsive. When it downshifts, the display corresponds.
roar02ram says:
07:48 PM, 02/ 2/09
skylnie- Toyota's don't have a genuine manual mode. All that mode does is lockout the gears above the one you've selected manually.
carfreak8394 says:
07:55 PM, 02/ 2/09
Caroline,
I'm sure you would have been able to keep pace with the Lexus in the R8 or GT-R. (;