In article ,
NY wrote:
I'd be interested to try a DSB (automated manual gearbox) where I could
control *when* the car changed gear but the gearbox took the hassle out
of *how* the gearchange was achieved, giving a smoother up- or down-
change. I wonder how good DSGs are at doing block-changes - eg brake
into a hazard while remaining in 6th, and then change directly into the
correct gear for accelerating out of it, without the need to change
sequentially down through the gears (like I was taught for my normal
test in 1980, before that test adopted the IAM technique of block
changes as I did for my 1990 IAM test).

The 7 speed PDK box on my car will drop as many gears as needed, depending
on how much acceleration you want. In practice, dropping one gear gives
plenty acceleration. Or even the gear it's already in.

My ideal car would be a DSG with a manual clutch pedal that was only
used when setting off from rest, and where an automatic clutch or
torque converter can engage a bit jerkily.

No TC transmission I've ever driven jerks away from rest, unless faulty.

Several of my last cars have had a manual option. This one via steering
wheel buttons, or the gearchange. They tend to be a 5 minute wonder, as
the programming is so good.

--
*Honk if you love peace and quiet*

Dave Plowman London SW
To e-mail, change noise into sound.