Electrohydraulic manual transmission
Encyclopedia
Electrohydraulic manual transmission is a type of semi-automatic
transmission
system, which uses an automated clutch unlike conventional manual transmission
s where the driver operates the clutch. The clutch is controlled by electronic computers and hydraulics. To change gears, the driver selects the desired gear with the transmission shift lever
, and the system automatically operates the clutch and throttle to match revs and engage the clutch again. Also, many such transmissions operate in sequential mode where the driver can only upshift or downshift by one gear at a time.
Depending on the implementation, some computer-controlled electrohydraulic manual transmissions will automatically shift gears at the right points (like an automatic transmission
), while others require the driver to manually select the gear even when the engine is at the redline. Despite superficial similarity, clutchless manual transmission differ significantly in internal operation and driver's 'feel' from manumatic
s, the latter of which is an automatic transmission
(automatics use a torque converter
instead of clutch
to manage the link between the engine and the transmission) with ability to signal shifts manually.
s since the late-nineties, beginning with the F355 F1
. Their system, the most current version of which is called "F1-Superfast," with shift times of 60 ms is designed to serve as a link to their Formula One
efforts. This technology has also trickled down to the cars of their sister company, Maserati
where it is known as "Cambiocorsa". Alfa Romeo
's Selespeed
in 1999 was the first sequential transmission in a mainstream car, derived from the Ferrari system.
BMW
offered a system simply called "sequential manual gearbox" (SMG) on the E36 M3, and later "SMG-II" on the E46 M3. The BMW SMG transmission has both automatic and manual shift modes. Inside the different modes there are different programmes, with six settings to control the upshift/downshift speed for manual operation, and five settings for automatic mode.
Later the 3rd generation Toyota MR2
used Toyota's version, known as the "Sequential Manual Transmission" (SMT). Although it does not perform as well as the European-designed transmissions, Toyota's is the cheapest system to manufacture, and the MR2 is the least expensive car to possess a true sequential gearbox.
Finally, Volkswagen Group
(parent owner of Lamborghini
) introduced a sequential transmission to the Lamborghini Gallardo
(E gear), and then adding it to the Audi R8 (R tronic).
BMW has since switched over to a Getrag
dual clutch transmission
in the latest M3, and Ferrari as well in 2009 with the California
and 458 Italia.
Semi-automatic transmission
A semi-automatic transmission is an automobile transmission that does not change gears automatically, but rather facilitates manual gear changes by dispensing with the need to press...
transmission
Transmission (mechanics)
A machine consists of a power source and a power transmission system, which provides controlled application of the power. Merriam-Webster defines transmission as: an assembly of parts including the speed-changing gears and the propeller shaft by which the power is transmitted from an engine to a...
system, which uses an automated clutch unlike conventional manual transmission
Manual transmission
A manual transmission, also known as a manual gearbox or standard transmission is a type of transmission used in motor vehicle applications...
s where the driver operates the clutch. The clutch is controlled by electronic computers and hydraulics. To change gears, the driver selects the desired gear with the transmission shift lever
Gear stick
A gear stick is the lever used to change gear in a vehicle, such as an automobile, with manual transmission or several common forms of automatic transmission.The device is used to change gear; in a manual transmission vehicle this will normally be done whilst depressing...
, and the system automatically operates the clutch and throttle to match revs and engage the clutch again. Also, many such transmissions operate in sequential mode where the driver can only upshift or downshift by one gear at a time.
Depending on the implementation, some computer-controlled electrohydraulic manual transmissions will automatically shift gears at the right points (like an automatic transmission
Automatic transmission
An automatic transmission is one type of motor vehicle transmission that can automatically change gear ratios as the vehicle moves, freeing the driver from having to shift gears manually...
), while others require the driver to manually select the gear even when the engine is at the redline. Despite superficial similarity, clutchless manual transmission differ significantly in internal operation and driver's 'feel' from manumatic
Manumatic
Manumatic is a portmanteau of the words manual and automatic, that applies to a class of automotive transmissions.Manumatic refers to an automatic transmission that allows convenient driver control of gear selection. This type of transmission was introduced in the 1990s...
s, the latter of which is an automatic transmission
Automatic transmission
An automatic transmission is one type of motor vehicle transmission that can automatically change gear ratios as the vehicle moves, freeing the driver from having to shift gears manually...
(automatics use a torque converter
Torque converter
In modern usage, a torque converter is generally a type of hydrodynamic fluid coupling that is used to transfer rotating power from a prime mover, such as an internal combustion engine or electric motor, to a rotating driven load...
instead of clutch
Clutch
A clutch is a mechanical device which provides for the transmission of power from one component to another...
to manage the link between the engine and the transmission) with ability to signal shifts manually.
Use in road cars
The most famous application of a sequential transmission on road-cars would be their use in some FerrariFerrari
Ferrari S.p.A. is an Italian sports car manufacturer based in Maranello, Italy. Founded by Enzo Ferrari in 1929, as Scuderia Ferrari, the company sponsored drivers and manufactured race cars before moving into production of street-legal vehicles as Ferrari S.p.A. in 1947...
s since the late-nineties, beginning with the F355 F1
Ferrari F355
The Ferrari F355 is a sports car built by Ferrari from May 1994 to 1999. It is an evolution of the Ferrari 348 and was replaced by the Ferrari 360. It is a mid-engined, rear wheel drive V8-powered 2-seat coupe...
. Their system, the most current version of which is called "F1-Superfast," with shift times of 60 ms is designed to serve as a link to their Formula One
Formula One
Formula One, also known as Formula 1 or F1 and referred to officially as the FIA Formula One World Championship, is the highest class of single seater auto racing sanctioned by the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile . The "formula" designation in the name refers to a set of rules with which...
efforts. This technology has also trickled down to the cars of their sister company, Maserati
Maserati
Maserati is an Italian luxury car manufacturer established on December 1, 1914, in Bologna. The company's headquarters is now in Modena, and its emblem is a trident. It has been owned by the Italian car giant Fiat S.p.A. since 1993...
where it is known as "Cambiocorsa". Alfa Romeo
Alfa Romeo
Alfa Romeo Automobiles S.p.A. is an Italian manufacturer of cars. Founded as A.L.F.A. on June 24, 1910, in Milan, the company has been involved in car racing since 1911, and has a reputation for building expensive sports cars...
's Selespeed
Selespeed
Selespeed is the name of an electrohydraulic manual transmission used in Alfa Romeo cars, developed by Italian company Magneti Marelli. The Selespeed is a robotized manual gearbox with electronic clutch. In its current incarnation it can be operated via paddle shifters from the steering wheel or...
in 1999 was the first sequential transmission in a mainstream car, derived from the Ferrari system.
BMW
BMW
Bayerische Motoren Werke AG is a German automobile, motorcycle and engine manufacturing company founded in 1916. It also owns and produces the Mini marque, and is the parent company of Rolls-Royce Motor Cars. BMW produces motorcycles under BMW Motorrad and Husqvarna brands...
offered a system simply called "sequential manual gearbox" (SMG) on the E36 M3, and later "SMG-II" on the E46 M3. The BMW SMG transmission has both automatic and manual shift modes. Inside the different modes there are different programmes, with six settings to control the upshift/downshift speed for manual operation, and five settings for automatic mode.
Later the 3rd generation Toyota MR2
Toyota MR2
The Toyota MR2 is a two-seat, mid-engined, rear wheel drive sports car produced by Central Motors, a part of Toyota, from 1984 until July 2007 when production stopped in Japan...
used Toyota's version, known as the "Sequential Manual Transmission" (SMT). Although it does not perform as well as the European-designed transmissions, Toyota's is the cheapest system to manufacture, and the MR2 is the least expensive car to possess a true sequential gearbox.
Finally, Volkswagen Group
Volkswagen Group
Volkswagen Group is a German multinational automobile manufacturing group. , Volkswagen was ranked as the world’s third largest motor vehicle manufacturer and Europe's largest....
(parent owner of Lamborghini
Lamborghini
Automobili Lamborghini S.p.A., commonly referred to as Lamborghini , is an Italian car manufacturer. The company was founded by manufacturing magnate Ferruccio Lamborghini in 1963, with the objective of producing a refined grand touring car to compete with established offerings from marques like...
) introduced a sequential transmission to the Lamborghini Gallardo
Lamborghini Gallardo
The Lamborghini Gallardo is a sports car built by Lamborghini. The Gallardo is Lamborghini's most-produced model to date, with over 10,000 built in its first seven years of production...
(E gear), and then adding it to the Audi R8 (R tronic).
BMW has since switched over to a Getrag
Getrag
Getrag is a leading manufacturer of automobile manual transmissions. The company was founded on 1 May 1935, in Ludwigsburg, Germany, by Hermann Hagenmeyer; as the Getriebe und Zahnradfabrik Hermann Hagenmeyer GmbH & Cie KG...
dual clutch transmission
Dual clutch transmission
A dual clutch transmission, commonly abbreviated to DCT , is a differing type of semi-automatic or automated manual automotive transmission. It utilises two separate clutches for odd and even gear sets...
in the latest M3, and Ferrari as well in 2009 with the California
Ferrari California
The Ferrari California is a grand touring sports car that was launched by Ferrari at the 2008 Paris Motor Show. It is a two door "2+2" hard top convertible. The California is powered by front-mid mounted gasoline direct injection V8 with...
and 458 Italia.
Applications
- Alfa Romeo 156Alfa Romeo 156The Alfa Romeo 156 is a compact executive car introduced by Italian automaker Alfa Romeo at the 1997 Frankfurt Motor Show as the replacement for the Alfa Romeo 155...
JTS/GTA - Alfa Romeo 147Alfa Romeo 147The Alfa Romeo 147 is a small family car produced by Italian automaker Alfa Romeo from 2000 to 2010. The 147 was voted European Car of the Year for 2001, beating the Ford Mondeo and the Toyota Prius....
TS/GTA - Alfa Romeo GTAlfa Romeo GTThe Alfa Romeo GT is a sports car produced by the Italian automaker Alfa Romeo between 2003 and 2010. A total of 80,832 units were produced. The GT was introduced in March 2003 Geneva Motor Show and it came for sale in Italian markets January 2004...
- Alfa Romeo 159Alfa Romeo 159The Alfa Romeo 159 is a compact executive car produced by the Italian manufacturer Alfa Romeo between 2005 and 2011. The 159 was introduced in production form at the 2005 Geneva Motor Show as a replacement for the successful Alfa Romeo 156. The 159 uses the GM/Fiat Premium platform, shared with...
- Alfa Romeo BreraAlfa Romeo BreraThe Alfa Romeo Brera is a sports car produced by the Italian automaker Alfa Romeo between 2005 and 2010. The Spider roadster was produced between 2006 to 2010. Both cars were manufactured by Pininfarina. Only 12,488 units of Spider and 21,786 units of Brera were built. Production of both models...
- Alfa Romeo SpiderAlfa Romeo BreraThe Alfa Romeo Brera is a sports car produced by the Italian automaker Alfa Romeo between 2005 and 2010. The Spider roadster was produced between 2006 to 2010. Both cars were manufactured by Pininfarina. Only 12,488 units of Spider and 21,786 units of Brera were built. Production of both models...
- Aston MartinAston MartinAston Martin Lagonda Limited is a British manufacturer of luxury sports cars, based in Gaydon, Warwickshire. The company name is derived from the name of one of the company's founders, Lionel Martin, and from the Aston Hill speed hillclimb near Aston Clinton in Buckinghamshire...
(certain models) - Audi R8 (R tronic)
- 1997 BMW E36 M3 (SMG)
- BMW E46 M3 (SMG II)
- BMW E60 M5 (SMG III)
- BMW E63/64 M6 (SMG III)
- BMW E85 Z4 (Optional SMG)
- Fiat StiloFiat StiloThe Fiat Stilo is a small family car available as a 3-door and a 5-door hatchback, as well as an estate , produced by the Italian automaker Fiat Automobiles. The Stilo 3-door and 5-door were launched in 2001 to replace the Fiat Bravo/Brava, with the Stilo MultiWagon following in 2002...
AbarthAbarthAbarth is an Italian racing car maker founded by Austrian-Italian Carlo Abarth and Italian Armando Scagliarini in Turin in 1949. Its logo depicts a stylized scorpion on a red and yellow background.- History :...
(SelespeedSelespeedSelespeed is the name of an electrohydraulic manual transmission used in Alfa Romeo cars, developed by Italian company Magneti Marelli. The Selespeed is a robotized manual gearbox with electronic clutch. In its current incarnation it can be operated via paddle shifters from the steering wheel or...
) - 1997 Ferrari F355Ferrari F355The Ferrari F355 is a sports car built by Ferrari from May 1994 to 1999. It is an evolution of the Ferrari 348 and was replaced by the Ferrari 360. It is a mid-engined, rear wheel drive V8-powered 2-seat coupe...
(F1) - Ferrari FXXFerrari FXXThe Ferrari FXX is a high performance race car built by automobile manufacturer Ferrari in Maranello, Italy. The FXX is based on the street-legal Enzo. Production of the FXX began in 2005.- Overview :...
- Ferrari 360Ferrari 360The Ferrari 360 is a mid-engine midsize two-seater sports car produced from late 1999 until 2005. The 360 replaced the Ferrari F355 and was itself replaced by the fairly similar Ferrari F430...
- Ferrari Enzo
- Ferrari F430Ferrari F430The Ferrari F430 is a sports car that was produced by the Italian automaker Ferrari from 2004 to 2009, as a successor to the 360. It debuted at the 2004 Paris Motor Show...
- Ferrari 612 ScagliettiFerrari 612 ScagliettiThe Ferrari 612 Scaglietti is a grand tourer produced by Ferrari between 2004 and 2010. It is a large two door fastback coupé. The 612 Scaglietti was designed to replace the smaller 456 M; its larger size makes it a true 4 seater with adequate space in the rear seats for adults.The design,...
- Ferrari 599
- Lamborghini GallardoLamborghini GallardoThe Lamborghini Gallardo is a sports car built by Lamborghini. The Gallardo is Lamborghini's most-produced model to date, with over 10,000 built in its first seven years of production...
(E gear) - 2010 Lexus LFALexus LFAThe Lexus LFA is a 2-seat exotic sports coupe produced by Lexus as a concept car, "halo" vehicle, racing prototype, and production model. It is the second model in the F marque line of performance vehicles from Lexus, following the IS F...
(ASG) - MaseratiMaseratiMaserati is an Italian luxury car manufacturer established on December 1, 1914, in Bologna. The company's headquarters is now in Modena, and its emblem is a trident. It has been owned by the Italian car giant Fiat S.p.A. since 1993...
(certain models) - 2001 Toyota MR2 (SMT)