Manual VS. Automatic

[RobcioPL]

Did anyone run a manual car on a drag strip,recorded the time, and then ran a automatic car and recorded the times? I wonder if the manuals are faster like most are in real life(depends if you are a good driver)

 

[illegal]

That's useless, since GT automatic gearboxes don't act as real life auto gearboxes.

 

[erab610]

the automatic transmission in GT acts just like a manual transmission, but it shifts for you automatically.. the autos will still shift at the redline, unlike real-life autos.

 

[Eric.]

the automatic transmission in GT acts just like a manual transmission, but it shifts for you automatically.. the autos will still shift at the redline, unlike real-life autos.

Even then, some cars can get some use out of the extra 500-1000Rpm after the redline with a manual, while others may be better shifting earlier. Of course, you can always override the upshift by holding R2, and a downshift with L2.

 

[sumbodycool]

Well, in GT3 manual made a noticeable difference (I checked the replay ghosts in the 0-400m tests at the test track), so I assume a manual car compared to the same make driven in automatic would be faster if you use manual transmission in GT4 as well... pretty dumb question, but thats ok

 

[Slip]

In Tokyo Xtreme Racer, the automatic transmission acted like a real one, redlining some 1500-2000rpm below the actual redline, thus rewarding players who used the manual transmission.

You even had to let off the throttle before shifting because while the revs dropped to the rpm in the next gear, the clutch was in, so if you held the throttle down your revs would max out before dropping, increasing shift time.

I believe they should have carried this principle over to GT4, but I guess they want it to appeal to as many people as possible. Even so, I would prefer to use MT over AT because it gives you a physical indication of what gear you are in.

That's just me though..

 

[Jedi2016]

Manual is generally always faster. You can either take advantage of a little bit of extra power beyond the redline, or, in certain cars, you can shift early to take advantage of the peak powerband.

 

[king jame II]

Manual is generally always faster.

Well, in drag racing Automatic gearboxes are better. But, for the track, a stick is better. And since this thread is about drag racing, in reality, the auto would be a better choice everytime. Thats is for cars that have HP.
James-

 

[usernamed]

Thats is for cars that have HP.

Hmm...I thought all cars had HP.

 

[king jame II]

Hmm...I thought all cars had HP.

Wow, smart guy. You get the prize.

If your driving a stock Honda Civic, an auto wouldnt be good would it? Why? Crap for HP.
James-

 

[thegreatms]

there is a think called the "gear cheat" that lets you get faster 400m times look here:

http://boards.ign.com/Gran_Turismo/b5208/71794609/?3

i never tired but it looks interesting.

As to the auto/manual debate, It seems very few cars in gt series have a power band that stops before redline. Meaning you should shift before redline. In real life many cars are like this, almost all v8's, v6's and I6's. Plus some 4 bangers. I know for a fact that 2g dsm's with stock turbo need to shift about 1000-1500 rpm before redline to get best 1/4 mile numbers. When a bigger turbo goes on you want to shift as high as possible.

That is why i used to just use auto with L2. To get that little bit higher redline. (except for a few cars like vipers that need to shift earlier).

I just resently switched to using manual everywhere. For me it is just more fun, i haven noticed any faster times.

 

[SlipZtrEm]

I found quite a few cars that needed to be shifted before redline. The WRX and Evo, iirc, needed to, as well as the Viper like you mentioned. Most noteable are the Zondas. Any of the Rally Cars other than the Xsara also benefitted greatly from shifting far before redline.

 

[thegreatms]

I found quite a few cars that needed to be shifted before redline. The WRX and Evo, iirc, needed to, as well as the Viper like you mentioned. Most noteable are the Zondas. Any of the Rally Cars other than the Xsara also benefitted greatly from shifting far before redline.

well maybe i shouldn't have said "very few", a better description would have been simply "few" or "far less cars than in real life"

 

[Akina Racer]

I found in prologue that if you shift while redlining, the overall gear change is slower. Anyone else notice this?

 

[turbo-d]

What about VWs dgs in the mk5? its faster than the 5 speed

But it still works like a 5 or 6 speed but it has 2 clutches so when you go into the next gear it’s already selected. Its buttions

 

[gmartin]

That one mercedes (I think the SLR) has a "real" auto tranny in GT4. I heard it in a video.

 

[SlipZtrEm]

Actually, turbo-d, you bring up an interesting point. Whether the GTi is modelled with the DSG or not, the TT 3.2 definitely is. I wonder if this is shown in it's shifting; it should be far faster than any of the other street cars.

 

[ing2ning]

I thought it was common knowledge when you are driving an unfamiliar car to shift at redline for forced induction vehecles and all the way up to the rev limiter for naturally aspirated cars.

 

[yeti]

I found in prologue that if you shift while redlining, the overall gear change is slower. Anyone else notice this?

When you shift (In GT not in real life) the revs have to fall to the correct place in the gearing for the speed that you are going and then the clucth will be let out... sometimes shifting beyond the redline can mean that the revs have to fall further to hit the optimum rev point for the clutch to be letout... generally though the speed that you gained for staying in the redline outweighs this minimal extra time (But can be car dependant).

C.

 

[Rezonance]

When you shift (In GT not in real life) the revs have to fall to the correct place in the gearing for the speed that you are going and then the clucth will be let out... sometimes shifting beyond the redline can mean that the revs have to fall further to hit the optimum rev point for the clutch to be letout... generally though the speed that you gained for staying in the redline outweighs this minimal extra time (But can be car dependant).

C.

Just to add an obvious point to that statement...the lag between shifts can be reduced by adjusting gear ratios to be closer; hence, "close ratio gearbox".

 

[Rezonance]

Well, in drag racing Automatic gearboxes are better. But, for the track, a stick is better. And since this thread is about drag racing, in reality, the auto would be a better choice everytime. Thats is for cars that have HP.
James-

I'm not sure if you're talking about GT or real life, but auto transmissions in my experience are only good for one thing - isolating the driver from actually having to drive.
If you're talking about real life, every purpose-built drag car I've seen has a sequential "dog box" (similar in design to a motorcycle gearbox). These allow clutchless full-throttle upshifts that must be made manually, or with an air-shifter setup. I'll spare you the technical description of the innards, unless you'd like one. More street-oriented drag cars that have auto transmissions are usually modded to act like manuals; they're manually shifted from gear to gear with high-stall fully locking torque converters. From the factory, a lot of those really high HP/high torque cars end up with autos only simply because the manufacturers don't have manual transmissions heavy-duty enough to deal with the stresses of a full-throttle launch.
If you're talking about GT, I've always had better luck with MT than AT in dragraces as well as on roadcourses.