Why isn't there an MTX SHO?

[roland]

Audi RS6, S6, BMW M5, and E63 all come with Auto's only now too. I think you can still get the 550i as a 6 speed manual though which seems a little weird to me but hey why not.

The question you should be asking is why don't they make a *better* auto transmission for the SHO!

 

[stephen newberg]

Ok.... but can i have solid lifters and a carb?

One moment, I am sure I have a spare Holley 4 barrel out in the back somewhere...



pax, smn

 

[zak]

Because, as SuperHo mentioned, you would need to design a new from scratch trans, plus package it in there, which not only costs millions of dollors in development, but countless hours of development time and since the 2010 Taurus program was on a fastrack development schedule per Alan Mullaly's direct orders, there was absolutely no time for it.

Tuning has also made it to the point where they can program an automatic to get better fuel economy than manuals too, especially with DSG style boxes.

Didn't an Audi get produced sometime in the mid 2000's with an AWD/manual setup?

Also, the Volvo V/S60R cars got the Getrag M66 and Haldex AWD in the mid 2000s (given these were 300 hp cars that are lighter than the (ahem) portly new SHO).

 

[93rev2sev]

the more expensive the car, the less likely the people in the market for that car will even know how to drive....let alone drive a stick shift.

 

[RonPorter]

Audi RS6, S6, BMW M5, and E63 all come with Auto's only now too. I think you can still get the 550i as a 6 speed manual though which seems a little weird to me but hey why not.

The question you should be asking is why don't they make a *better* auto transmission for the SHO!

The stats from maybe 10 years ago were: USA 7% manual, 93% AT and ROW (rest of the world) 93% manual, 7% AT, with the percentage of autos rising every year.

If a car is designed as a true ROW car, or is sourced in Europe, adding a manual makes sense. Hence the Audis/BMWs/VW with manuals. OTOH, MB only has manuals on their low-end (relatively speaking) models.

 

[RonPorter]

Didn't an Audi get produced sometime in the mid 2000's with an AWD/manual setup?

Also, the Volvo V/S60R cars got the Getrag M66 and Haldex AWD in the mid 2000s (given these were 300 hp cars that are lighter than the (ahem) portly new SHO).

The S60R was 3800-ish. Lighter, but not by much. Also smaller. I considered one, but it was too tight for what I needed in passenger & trunk space.

 

[EcoBrick Bob]

We need to be talking about W/M systems, better breathing front clips or bigger radiators, and 3 bar MAPs!!!!!! Unless someone has a big weight loss transplant!

Zoom Zoom Zoom!

 

[jedhead]

Which has become true all over the place. F1 switched to automatics ages ago. It seems strange to me that the street seems to have missed what the real racing people figured out a long time ago. Automatic transmissions have come a long way and simply are better than manuals in a number of areas now, so on top of the economics of creating a transmission just for one model, which are not going to fly in this case, its very possible that the automatic that comes with the car is going to produce better performance than any manual mated with it would anyway.

Time for people to come into the 21st century about transmissions. Well designed automatics are the way to go.

pax, smn

I agree with you that the new automatics are very good. My STS-V only came with an automatic. The 6 speed auto in manual mode performs rev matched downshifts and the torque converter stays locked most of the time. With the all the torque nannies removed the shifts in manual mode is very quick and firm, breaking the tires loose shifting into second and third gears. The only annoying thing with this GM tranny is a short delay between when push the lever for upshift and when the shift takes place; I have to be careful especially in first not to hit the rev limiter before shifting. I have driven the car over most all the twisty mountain roads in the area and it is nice that I only have to concentrate on my line instead of what gear I am in. When the transmission is in sport mode and driving the car hard, the transmission will hold the gears and will perform smooth rev matched downshifts while I am braking hard. There are times that I do miss shifting my own gears, but soon as I am stuck in stop and go traffic I don't miss the clutch.

Bob

 

[SHOtime2511]

Most Americans are fat,cheese burger eating slobs that love to pay as little attention to driving as possible.
This is accomplished by putting the shifter in (D),cell phone in one hand and a burger in the other.

 

[thebigjimsho]

Most Americans are fat,cheese burger eating slobs that love to pay as little attention to driving as possible.
This is accomplished by putting the shifter in (D),cell phone in one hand and a burger in the other.

Well this fat guy rows his own...

 

[SHOtime2511]

Well this fat guy rows his own...

This one too,wouldn't have it any other way.

 

[SHOCH]

Save the Manuals! us fat guys have to work out something.

 

[RonPorter]

Most Americans are fat,cheese burger eating slobs that love to pay as little attention to driving as possible.
This is accomplished by putting the shifter in (D),cell phone in one hand and a burger in the other.

Nah, I can still drive a manual with a phone in one hand and a burger in the other!!

 

[Shoman594]

Look what Buick was able to do. If you ask me this car is pretty neat! I bet it is fun to drive too.

 

[RonPorter]

Look what Buick was able to do. If you ask me this car is pretty neat! I bet it is fun to drive too.

IIRC, that car is a European platform. Which means it had a manual planned from the start.

 

[SHOtime2511]

That is the first Buick since the GN that I would even give a second look at.

 

[thebigjimsho]

The show car with white diamond paint and black interior w/ Recaros is stunning...

Too bad they're not going AWD.

 

[Toolman]

Which has become true all over the place. F1 switched to automatics ages ago. It seems strange to me that the street seems to have missed what the real racing people figured out a long time ago. Automatic transmissions have come a long way and simply are better than manuals in a number of areas now, so on top of the economics of creating a transmission just for one model, which are not going to fly in this case, its very possible that the automatic that comes with the car is going to produce better performance than any manual mated with it would anyway.

Time for people to come into the 21st century about transmissions. Well designed automatics are the way to go.

pax, smn

F1 does not use automatic transmissions. A car sans a clutch pedal does not an automatic make.

 

[32MTX]

That is the first Buick since the GN that I would even give a second look at.

I'd take a buick regal GS with the m90 supercharger! They sound like total ****, but they are a good street driver with the right mods

 

[TimboSHO]

Look what Buick was able to do. If you ask me this car is pretty neat! I bet it is fun to drive too.

I'm disappointed that we haven't gotten one in our dealership yet. I want to flog it! We have gotten turbo regals with autos, but it's just not the same....