Autoblog http://www.autoblog.com Autoblog http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/www.autoblog.com/media/feedlogo.gif Autoblog http://www.autoblog.com en-us Copyright 2009 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/<![CDATA[Push Me, Pull You: R&T investigates the comings and goings of gear changes]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2009/12/01/push-me-pull-you-randt-investigates-the-comings-and-goings-of-ge/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/12/01/push-me-pull-you-randt-investigates-the-comings-and-goings-of-ge/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/12/01/push-me-pull-you-randt-investigates-the-comings-and-goings-of-ge/#commentsFiled under:



When it isn't unusual to get into five or six different cars a month, you realize you spend a lot of time figuring out how, and how many ways, one can shift the gears in an automatic or double-clutch car. Where is the shifter? How many settings does the shifter have? How do I get into manual shift mode? Once there, how does it work? Are there paddle shifters as well? Do the paddle shifters move with the wheel or not? And so on...

Road & Track surveyed a number of automakers about how they set up their manual shifting modes. Some require you to push the lever forward to upshift, while for others that's a downshift, and a couple demand you move the lever side-to-side. The 13 makers examined all have their reasons, the loose consensus being that the forward-for-downshift bunch is modeled after driving dynamics, the forward-for-upshift bunch based on intuitiveness and customer feedback.

At least two makers have two cars that use different shifting methods. And if not for Subaru, Audi, and Porsche there'd be a nice way to classify the forward-for-upshift crowd as being for buyers who aren't into sporting driving. As far as we're concerned, forward should be for downshifts, and single-function paddles should be mounted on the wheel, not the column. But you can tell us what you think in the comments.

[Source: Road & Track]

Push Me, Pull You: R&T investigates the comings and goings of gear changes originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 01 Dec 2009 08:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Photo by Bruce Benedict

The arrival of the Nissan GT-R has not only clogged up the automotive news headlines, it has sparked the creative juices of many journalists. Every publication is scrambling to concoct a unique comparison test for the new Godzilla. In the past, typical comparisons consisted of nonsensical number ratings calculated through a formula that only had meaning to folks offering their opinion based off their butt cheeks. Now the objective seems to have shifted towards streamlining variables and logging repeatable data for direct overlay between vehicles. First Inside Line brought us unbiased measurements of power output, now Road and Track gives us measurements of time. They did not quite eliminate the use of their own point scale to add up the results of various tests, but at least they provided the actual time results, as well.

The crew from R&T recently transported a U.S. market version of the 2009 Nissan GT-R, a 2008 Porsche 911 Turbo and a 2008 Chevrolet Corvette Z06 to Buttonwillow Raceway in California for a little fun. Don't worry about inconsistent journalist drivers either, as they also brought veteran 12 Hours of Sebring race winner Steve Millen along to be the pilot. Their plan saw each car take a few laps of race configuration 13, which has quickly become the circuit of choice for various media outlets. The typical 0-60 mph, 1/4 mile, skidpad, slalom and braking tests were also performed, but proved to be ill-equipped in distinguishing the competitors. The lap times really told the story with the Porsche clocking in at 2:02.1, the Z06 right on its tail at 2:02.2 and the GT-R well ahead at 1:56.9. Thanks for the tip Chuck!

[Source: Road and Track]

Porsche 911 Turbo, Chevrolet Corvette Z06 and U.S. spec. Nissan GT-R hit the racetrack originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 20 Mar 2008 19:32:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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When the newest issue of Road & Track arrived in our mailbox, we were impressed that the 60th anniversary issue was sport compactalicious. The cover sports the new Mitsubishi EVO X alongside a photochopped '08 Impreza STI, and the inevitable shootout consists of the Civic Si, MazdaSpeed3, MINI Cooper S, Sentra SE-R Spec V and the VW GTI.

What was more interesting was one of the subtitles proclaiming that a new RX-7 is in the works by Mazda and that Toyota is (finally) beginning to develop an honest-to-God sports car based off the Lexus IS platform.

As for the RX-7, R&T's inside sources say that due to slowing sales of the RX-8, the engineers at Mazda are hard at work improving the 13B rotary's output. If (when?) the new RX-7 debuts, it will be powered by this new and improved Renesis, supposedly sporting an electrically assisted supercharger, much like the one found on the RX-8 Hybrid that debuted in Tokyo in 2003.

Additionally, the rumored RX-7 will grab styling cues from the Kabura concept (pictured) that was unveiled at Detroit in 2006 and will be built on the platform that underpins the MX-5/RX-8. Whether or not the next gen. 7 will come in a 2+2 configuration remains to be seen, but regardless, don't expect anything until the end of the decade.

[Source: Road & Track]

Road & Track rumormill: Mazda RX-7 development underway originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 30 Apr 2007 11:51:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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