In manual mode, it shifts only when you tell it to. Full manual shift control that can be instantly accessed by moving the console-mounted shift lever to “M” and then using either the steering wheel-mounted paddle shifters or the shift lever.An incredibly fast shift time - at about 0.1 second (upshifts).To illustrate the point, let’s get right to the qualities that make it so: In the process of creating a maximum performance car, Lexus has done nothing less than turn what is typically thought to be a weakness into a solid advantage. Why? The IS F would not meet their lofty goals - goals that included scintillating track performance - with anything less than a complete re-think of the gearbox. It’s an arrow through the heart of conventional wisdom.īut why go to the trouble of creating an automatic transmission that performs better and faster than a manual? After all, the simple yet effective manual transmission is held in high esteem by driving enthusiasts everywhere.Įngineers love a challenge and when the IS F Chief Engineer dared his staff to build a paradigm-changing high-performance car, the conventional automatic transmission was a ripe target. Fast, direct, fully controllable and predictable–exactly the qualities desired in any “driver’s car” and precisely those that describe the new Lexus IS F’s 8-Speed Sport Direct Shift transmission. CVTs are great at giving you efficiency, but not great at giving your performance.Conventional wisdom has long held that a good manual transmission is always faster and more fun than an automatic transmission: faster because it directly transfers power without the typical power loss of a torque converter, and more fun because it responds exactly to the driver’s commands with no delay. Sporty cars don’t typically use CVTs, and at no point will a supercar utilize a CVT, at least in the foreseeable future. Some CVTs have individual speeds, and though these are really just simulated, there’s no reason why one couldn’t be fitted with paddles.Ī manufacturer building a system like this is unlikely. Though they are not found on CVT or continuously variable transmissions, they could be. They are certainly used on regular automatic transmissions with planetary gears, but they are also used with automated manual transmissions and dual clutch transmissions. What transmissions work with paddle shifters?Īlmost any transmission can be made to work with paddle shifters. In most passenger cars, this doesn’t matter, unless you are talking about something like a Lamborghini supercar such as the Aventador SVJ. In racing, this is vital as the forces at the wheel, especially in a turn, can be extreme. They have the hardware to shift themselves, they just need the software, and nearly all passenger vehicles equipped with paddle shifters have the software simply for greater ease of use.Īnother advantage is that it keeps the driver’s hands on the wheel. However, it also means that any vehicle with paddle shifters is also capable of shifting itself.Įssentially, paddle shift vehicles are both manuals and automatics. When it comes to racing, they were introduced to automate the clutch and make shifting gears physically quicker and simpler. There are several advantages to paddle shifters. Though the history of paddle shifters dates back 1912, they weren’t properly being explored until racing in the 1970s, and later with more success in the late ‘80s and early ‘90s.īy 1994, paddle shifters were pretty much the only game in town when it comes to Formula One. Want to learn more? We can fill you in on all the details including some history and more. No clutch is required in these types of vehicles. Shifting up is typically done via the right paddle, and down via the left paddle. Do you want to know more about paddle shifters? How do paddle shifters work? Essentially, they are paddles that let you shift sequentially through the gears.
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