Talk Morgan Forums Morgan Sports Cars Morgan Aero 8, 2012< Plus 8, SuperSports, Coupe & Aeromax Auto vs Manual in a S4

Hi All,

Nothing like starting a new religious war !!!

I guess the traditional sports car driver would always say Manual, but I heard that 70% of new orders are for Auto's.

Who has compared the Auto and Manual ?

I have an auto in my RS6 but it tries to be too clever, when you drive it in manual mode, and changes up and down depending on the rev range. This tends to diminish one's control of things.

Hopefully the Morgan Auto, in Manual mode doesn't try and take over.

What's the latest Manual box like ?

I guess there will be no right answer, but I would love to get your feedback.

hi Steve,

I ordered an aero 8 get it on monday got pictures e mailed to me yesterday looks awesome. I ordered mine as manual, as it is a tradional sportscar, and in my opinion should be manual. I have driven lots of paddle/automatic. however iam told its a sequental gearbox.I have a Ferreri Challenge stradale which is an F1 shift/paddle which is the best manual paddle on the market in my opinion. recent road tests on various magazines testing both manual and aotomatic versions on the aero 8 reccommend the manual option.

The Auto box is a proper Auto with a manual facility via the lever (no paddles). It is not an automated manual ala Ferrari etc.

The box is BMW's latest 6 (or was it 7?) speed auto as fitted to the X6. Someone will hopefully come along and give you the correct model designation. It will change up at the top of the rev range and I am guessing will also drop down if you slow and engine revs drop too low.

I drove a very early prototype at St Tropes last year and it was very responsive easily dropping down two cogs on kickdown. The car I drove did not havethe full electronics update and did not blip on manual downchange as the box is supposed to do.

I also passengered Chris Harris in the auto Aeromax who said he would definitely have the auto, use the manual function for downchange only and let the box change up of its own accord in its most efficient way.

At the end of the day its all a matter of personal choice

Hope it helps

BtG

The Aero 8 auto uses a ZF box.

An auto transmission does not have a clutch, it has a torque converter and this is why they can be smoother and more economical than a manual transmission. The optional system in the Aero 8 is similar to the one fitted to the Aston Martin DB9.

However, an auto transmission should not be confused with a semi-auto (or F1) box as is optional on current Ferraris, Lamborghinis, certain M-Power BMWs (M5 and M6) and the recent release of PDK for the Porsche 911. These systems all have clutches (in the case of the Porsche a dual clutch system as used in the Veyron and uprated from the Audi / VAG systems) but they are computer controlled.

The limitation of an auto box is that the system will not allow you to downshift if the RPM/torque is too high; where as a semi-auto box will (as I found many a time in my E60 M5 ). With this in mind, if you plan to use the Aero 8 on track, or very spirited road use, you may find you lack some gear control of the car. However, if you are spending a lot of time in traffic and driving leisurely, you may find it a godsend.

As BtG states, it is personal choice; however, a programmed ‘blip of the throttle’ on downshift should not be confused with the transmission allowing you to select a lower gear at any point you wish.

As you say, the box is the latest iteration of the automatic box ZF-box fitted in the BMW X6, it is similar to the DB9 box and also the one in our Maserati (which incidentally does not blip on down-shifts).

The six-speed prototype box was very responsive on kick-down, but we were not allowed to change gear manually as the software was still being developed. However, I am highly impressed with the similar automatic in the Maserati and so far, it has not refused to go into a lower gear when using the paddles. In Sports mode, the box is very lively and if anything hangs onto the lower gears too long in urban situations.

In the end, whilst the PDK type of box is really the ideal the CC gearboxes in Maserati's (and Ferrari) are great on track, but have very high maintenance costs and can be unacceptably jerky in everyday operation.


Subject to a test-drive of the latest Morgan version of the auto box, this will probably be my choice for the new Aero.

Aeroman

Quite agree - the prototype @ St Tropez was great to drive - despite being unable to change gear manually. Eric Sturdza showed off a bit on the roads!
In passing, I have been just informed that the chassis for the auto box differs from the manual hence the delay in delivery of my car!
Fingers crossed for august

They are exactly identical with just one exception of a much wider transmission tunnel to accommodate an autobox, which actually reduces the leg room...

Good luck with the delivery Bill, I am really looking forward to seeing it.

Hopefully it will arrive in good time for the St. Tropez trip this year?

Brian