I was just reading in Car&Driver that the New R/T Calibers will come with the 2.4L engine and the CVT transmission with AWD. As i read further, they claimed the R/T's were also coming with an AUTOSTICK that simulated a 6 speed. WHAT THE HECK???? CVT's dont have gears!!! unless the computer is programmed to lock the CVT and make it simulate gearshifts, how is this possible? and why would DC try and simulate a 6spd when the CVT would be faster and more economical functioning as it is supposed to? I'm baffled... does anyone have any info on this?
Hercules
03-09-2006, 05:12 PM
There are lots of time where you'd want to hold a gear so to speak.
Going down steep inclines, or starting from a stop in slippery conditions, or while in certain turns...manuals have control advantages over automatics, so it is nice to have that in a performance platform, and is important to performance drivers.
rice_eater
03-10-2006, 06:01 PM
Most people who want a stick order a stick, and those who dont get automatics. I just dont get why Dodge is turning a CVT into a normal ATX, it defeats the purpose of the CVT.
VulnoX
03-13-2006, 05:36 PM
You have the option to use it as a manual. It isnt required, and I cant wait to be able to use it. My R/T should be here by the end of the month.
Here is a scenario for you. I drive an 05' Explorer, its an Automatic of course, and there is a big turn coming off the road near my college, and then you get on a major road. Well it usually dumps you right onto this road which is 50 MPH speed limit, with most people doing 60. So you have to get from 25-30 to 55-60 to keep from messing with traffic and possibly causing an accident. The Explorer will kick down the gear, which takes time, and begin to accelerate, but it usually has to be harsher than required.
Then you have our 06' Ford Fusion, every option available, except we stuck with a manual. With this car I can come around in second, and then be up to 50 before the car even comes within a thousand RPM of redline, shift to third and be on my way, nice and smooth merge into traffic and less stress on the engine and gearbox.
But I dont want to mess with a manual all the time, so I want an automatic, its just something that I will use on some rare occasions, and I believe if it is executed well by Dodge, will be a welcome addition.
rice_eater
03-13-2006, 07:45 PM
You will get to 55-60mph faster if you leave the CVT alone to function as a "gearless transmission" as it was designed rather than overriding it with the "manual funtion". It is not an automatic, but if you feel it makes the car faster by imitating gears.. go for it.
VulnoX
03-13-2006, 08:10 PM
The CVT keeps the vehicle at the best RPM for gas mileage/performance. Its a combination, it does not keep it at the best "gear" for the quickest response to sudden requests for acceleration, for this it would have to alter the CVT's "Gearing" and then the engine RPM would have to increase.
Having a set "2nd gear" would have the engine already at a higher RPM than with the CVT working on its own, which means, especially with a 4 cylinder, that you WOULD have a much quicker and more responsive acceleration.
So yes, it would matter.
rice_eater
03-16-2006, 11:56 PM
If the CVT is functioning properly, wouldnt it rev up to the peak power rpm when you plant your right foot? The "gear" variation is controlled by centrifical force and torque if i understand it right. when you are at partial throttle, there will not be enough torque to apply force to the mechanism that changes gearing. as you increase throttle, torque increases, causing the cones to move, changing to a lower ratio (numerically higher). Centrifical force will try to raise the ratio (numerically lower) as you accelerate, but the torque curve will keep it from rising too fast bogging the engine. The effect is at WOT the engine stays at peak power and the transmission does the accelerating. At least that's how it works in snowmobiles, I'd assume the Caliber's CVT is probably ECU controlled, so it would have a set peak rpm, which the trans should allow the engine to rev up to at full throttle. But it sounds like you understand the concept of CVT's (few do) so I dont need to explain it. As for the responsiveness issue, i was under the impression that the CVT was going to be available with a manual override shifter, but not a "fake 6 speed", which was what i was questioning. I had first heard the autostick could select between 'economy' and 'sport' modes, economy obviously being a less responsive, lower rpm mode for daily driving, and sport being a more responsive, higher rpm mode that would be quick, but quite sensitive to thottle, thus becoming tiresome if it was in effect 24/7.
rhockjr
05-29-2006, 06:05 PM
I have the R/T with auto stick and I can tell you from experience that it does make it alot quicker 0-60 if you control the shifts and not let it change gears till about 4k rpms or so ............also you can just use it as normal if you want ........it isnt a requirement to shift with the autostick........just put it in drive and go.........just not as quick that way, thats all.
Roger
mojaveskies87
08-22-2006, 08:32 PM
CVT has all the gears as any other automatci transmission. What makes CVT different is that a belt with a computer controlled tensioner is inside the transaxle that adjusts
gear ratios, not gears. CVT has I believe eight different gear ratios to chose from, with inputs from, of course, your lead foot. Thats how it seems to be 'shiftless' or 'gearless'. Think ratios.
