Hey, hotshoe. Think you're good at matching revs when you're downshifting? The 2009 Nissan 370Z's SynchroRev Match can do it better.
And if you're one of those drivers that has wondered why all this "heel-toe" business requires your two feet to do three things simultaneously, then you, too, can benefit from SynchroRev Match.
SynchroRev Match is a feature that automatically "blips" the throttle when the driver initiates a downshift in manual transmission-equipped 370s. If you depress the clutch, lift off the throttle and move the gearchange lever to a lower gear, SynchroRev Match zips the engine up to precisely the right speed for that gear.
The result? Perfectly smooth rev-matched downshifts every single time, and drivers that look like heroes.
Rev-matching is common among automatic- and automated-manual transmissions, but the 2009 Z-car marks the debut of such a feature in conjunction with a real-life, stick-in-the-palm manual gearbox.
Now, come with us to the other side of the jump to learn how it works.
SynchroRev Match is all zeros and ones--there is no black box or additional hardware. The 370Z's engine controller simply compares the engine speed to the data being fed by the rear wheel speed sensors. Since it "sees" the gear lever position and "knows" all of the gear ratios in the transmission, simple math dictates what the engine speed needs to be when you go for, say third gear at 60 mph.
Once the clutch is depressed and the lever slotted into the 3rd gear gate, the engine controller jumps into action. It snaps the throttle open exactly the right amount to achieve that target engine speed. By the time the clutch is re-engaged, the shafts at both ends of the transmission are already spinning at the same speed.
On the track, this allows you to better focus on your braking points while still impressing that hottie in the paddock with your snappy downshifts. Engine braking in slow-and-go street driving is much easier, too, thanks to the way that the system allows seamless engagement of first gear.
No adjustment by the driver is necessary, either. You can continue to go through the motions of manually blipping the throttle during downshifts if it makes you feel better. SynchroRev Match operates transparently so that you just drive the way you normally would.
Of course, there will always be the traditionalists that lambast electronic features such as this one for interfering with the driving experience. That's why Nissan fitted an "off" switch that remains in the setting you choose, even if you turn the car off. Take that, Luddites.
According to Nissan insiders, the company created SynchroRev Match "because they could," and is an idea they've been refining for a few years. That the system undoubtedly reduces wear and tear on the transmission's synchros must create a nice warranty upside, too.
The brilliance of the system is its simplicity and that it can benefit drivers of all stripes. Basically, any car with an electronic throttle, anti-lock brakes and gear position sensors in the transmission could conceivably offer this feature. That list doesn't preclude many cars these days.
It's one of those ideas that is so obvious that nobody else thought to introduce it.
Jason Kavanagh, Engineering Editor
subytrojan says:
11:05 AM, 01/30/09
Cool blog entry, Jay! I'm curious how well SynchroRev works on shifts from 6th to 4th, 6th to 3rd, 6th to 2nd, 5th to 3rd, 5th to 2nd, and 4th to 2nd. Perhaps one of ya'll can give me a ride? :o)
What would be even better is a rally car semi-automatic sequential transmission!
jkavanagh says:
12:13 PM, 01/30/09
You can skip as many gears as you like and it always blips to the correct engine speed. It won't try to over-rev the engine, of course.
The gear position sensors detect the gear you choose as the lever enters each gate. From there, the system just calculates the rpm needed and makes it happen.
slickersdrip says:
02:14 PM, 01/30/09
I have to admit something like this could be a key feature that would make me consider this car over the new Camaro SS or Mustang GT (once it has a 5.0L, EcoBoost, etc.) as a replacement for my current vehicle.
firstwagon says:
03:14 PM, 01/30/09
Where's the fun in that? Why won't people take the time to learn a skill themselves anymore?
jackson611 says:
03:25 PM, 01/30/09
the fun is that the car is faster and able to attain better lap times because of technology. the car industry is always changing. i'm sure people asked Karl Benz "where's the fun in not riding a horse?"
formula 1 hasn't used manual gearboxes in 20 years, its time to move along in the main stream.
lukemc01 says:
03:51 PM, 01/30/09
The computer could also help with missed downshifts- and grenading the engine.
firstwagon says:
04:24 PM, 01/30/09
"the fun is that the car is faster and able to attain better lap times because of technology"
What if the computer could do the steering and braking too and get better lap imes without a driver? Would that be an improvement too?
If the sole purpose of racing (or driving ) is to get the best times then I'm sure they will soon have a computer that does it better. Won't that be fun?
It's a lovely sunny day, I think I'll send the car off to do some canyon driving. Hope it has fun. Maybe I'll just sit in the back seat and watch it work.
No that would involve getting my big lazy butt off the couch. I think I'll sit here and monitor it on my Ipod.
If they want to have in Formula1 where money from winning is the primary focus then that's fine.
The 370Z is a street car and the reason you bought it is for the joy of driving.
The "main stream" is stagnet. Full of people who won't bother with anything that takes effort to learn.
carlisimo says:
06:30 PM, 01/30/09
firstwagon, I know a great many stick drivers who don't rev-match. Some have never heard of the concept - maybe their parents weren't stick drivers, they just learned from inexperienced friends and tried to learn most of it on their own. Others tried, but let's be honest, it's not that easy or quick to learn.
I think this might encourage some drivers to try doing it the old fashioned way. Those who haven't heard of it will see how nicely it smoothens shifts, and those who think it's hard will receive a bit of coaching from the machine (just watch the tach and try to match how much it revs). I wish I had help like that when I was trying to figure it out.
estreka says:
06:56 PM, 01/30/09
I'm not so concerned about lap times as I am enjoyment, but I have to say this technology is awesome. That's coming from a guy who's a staunch traditionalist (machine + man, nothing else).
iancar says:
09:40 PM, 01/30/09
I wonder: if anyone of the sensor wizards die prematurely, who will pay for the wack tranny?
stovt001 says:
01:12 PM, 01/31/09
Brilliant idea. Even more brilliant for a car company to actually realize some manual drivers don't care about that and incorporated a way to really turn it off and leave it off. I am more and more impressed with this car every time I read something new about it. Definitely worth consideration.
rsholland says:
04:35 PM, 01/31/09
"Others tried, but let's be honest, it's not that easy or quick to learn."
Yep, you can count me among those. I've tried, but have never really mastered the art of heal-and-toeing. Oh, I can do it, but it really feels unnatural, and because of that, I rarely if ever practice it. I would definitely welcome this SynchroRev Match.
bbechtel16 says:
01:55 PM, 02/ 2/09
I freaking love Nissan. It's a no brainer for setting like this to by default stay where you set them, but no one else bothers to do the same it seems. (Traction control settings, stability control settings, transmission mode settings, nearly always change back to whatever when you start the car next.)