.......Interestingly the Jag F type uses a more conventional automatic box re-designed to give better fuel economy by locking gears to prevent slip, and to give faster flappy paddle type changes. Effectively what seems to have happened is that modern electronics has allowed a "comoing together" of the old style manual and auto gearboxes so that both now offer the choice of manual or auto operation.
The AMG Box in the C43 is similar, a Mercedes/ZF 9 speed torque converter box that locks out the torque converter after every shift and disconnects the box from the engine in ECO Mode when you take your foot off the loud pedal, effectively coasting in neutral.
So the torque converter acts as a clutch and the box changes gear VERY rapidly. It also links to the engine ECU so in sport mode the throttle blips to rev match on down shifts.
Unlike normal Mercedes engines there is no soft rev limiter and in manual mode the box doesn't change up when you hit the hard rev limiter.
All in all in sport mode it is as close to a normal gearbox as is possible but in Comfort it is a well managed fully automatic box.
Unlike the previous Merc the differences between the various modes are profound, altering suspension, steering weight, gear change points, auxiliary device load and exhaust noise. These are all individually selectable, so using the "Individual" setting one can mix and match engine, gearbox, suspension, steering and ancillary load settings. Really rather clever.
