In recent years the automatic gearboxes They have evolved by leaps and bounds. They work better and faster and the transmissions with double clutch or torque converter are more advanced. The ugly duckling here has always been the boxes of continuously variable transmission, CVT. On paper they are undoubtedly the best option and although in the past they were not satisfactory to drive and were the protagonists of reliability problems, many manufacturers are betting on developing these transmissions as a way to reduce consumption. Instead, Audi ditched CVTs.
Ford is the one who is now rethinking incorporating this technology back into its vehicles, despite not having had good results in previous attempts. The manufacturer recognizes that these gearboxes are getting better and that they allow consumption to be reduced significantly. would be thinking insert them into engines with low torque. For powerful models, Ford already has effective PowerShift and also automatic converters.
Subaru Lineartronic CVT gearbox dissected
Manufacturers such as Nissan, Honda, Subaru and Toyota are currently the most committed to this technology, while Audi ditched CVTsIf On paper a CVT box is the best solution, since it allows infinite relations between the shortest and the longest possible. Thus, the engine can always turn at the optimum speed, making the most of the available torque and reducing consumption. The main problem with these changes is in the pleasure of use. More and more manufacturers are staggering gear changes during strong accelerations to avoid that unpleasant sensation of the engine going up in revolutions and sounding incessantly, as if it were a vespino.
Source – Automotive News
