Manual transmission anxiety

[PaulP]

Background: I’ve never owned a Lotus. I’ve driven manual cars years (decade+) ago but none recently. I drive BMW cars for awhile now all standard auto (no dct). I’m apparently dyslexic in choosing what kind of cars I like because I really want an electric Taycan but I also am debating the manual V6 Emira. I enjoy the silent high tech electrics but also find the sound and experience of a car like this exciting. Unfortunately I don’t have Jay Leno money to buy them all - I own 1 car for everything that i do.

After all that, after going to the Lotus event close to me recently I’m 90% sure I’m going to buy one. I want to wait another generation before spending 150-200K on a Taycan and the main competitor is the 718GT4 for me but the Emira just makes my heart skip visually which the 718 does not.

So now I’m stressing out over engine/transmission. I originally planned I4/DCT because I will be a daily driver. But sitting in the car at the demo and throwing a few shifts brought back some fond memories…

The clutch felt a bit stiff and the throws seemed a bit long. Does anyone have any feedback on previous lotus manual models for day to day driving?

I’m ignoring all my exterior and interior color anxiety for today….

 

[Pegasi]

My own personal philosophy is if you have access to open roads like in the Jay Leno videos then either a manual or auto will be fun. If you struggle to find open roads then it is fun to have a manual. Manuals are much more fun to drive slow than an auto. Just my .02.

 

[ADC]

Manuals are much more fun to drive slow than an auto.

... unless "slow" actually means "every day in traffic"

I have nothing but love for the manual, and have no doubt it will be glorious, but I have come to realise I just Cannot Be Arsed rowing a gearbox in stop-go traffic any more. I plan to practically live in my Emira (the missus will be glad, as it will muffle the snoring), so DCT seems like a decent compromise for my use case.

I've made my peace with the transmission. What I'm really sweating is how the i4 is going to sound... I'm am really big into how cars sound, so here's hoping the gang at Hethel pull off some sort of minor miracle to make it sound sweet!

 

[TXEMIRA]

Got the ‘18 Evora 400 for the “tweener” period before the Emira is here.

Got it manual. Roads here are great and traffic is minimal. Glad I did it!

This is helping me decide a manual Emira is for me.
It’ll be a rare one I think.

 

[Johnson]

Manuals to me are all about the downshift: blipping it from 4th to 3rd on a corner approach, or just before overtaking. Rowing up the gears is academic… often “automatic” as I’m not really thinking about it.

 

[FederGigant]

why do you all only consider V6 manual or i4 DCT? You could also go for V6 automatic which is my actual choice. I might switch to manual as well, but I also really enjoy shifting via paddles and get those perfect downshifts all the time even on a normal commute.

 

[PaulP]

I originally planned i4 dct until I saw how much it was detuned and also I believe I will have to make a choice before anyone has heard the i4 exhaust notes. If I could hear them both and see performance numbers first I would feel much better.

 

[Bilbao-Emira]

why do you all only consider V6 manual or i4 DCT? You could also go for V6 automatic which is my actual choice. I might switch to manual as well, but I also really enjoy shifting via paddles and get those perfect downshifts all the time even on a normal commute.

I´m in the same page. I chose V6 Auto too. Maybe I'm getting old. 🤣

 

[ADC]

why do you all only consider V6 manual or i4 DCT? You could also go for V6 automatic which is my actual choice. I might switch to manual as well, but I also really enjoy shifting via paddles and get those perfect downshifts all the time even on a normal commute.

Originally, I would have said part of my reasoning was that the tax in the UK (based on emissions band) for the V6 was going to sting like a mother compared to the i4, but I went to check the figures, and it turns out I'm well behind the times, as it changed a few years ago... to just an initial large punch in the face, followed by both engine types being squeezed for an equally chunky amount based on vehicle price. Yay.

I think what really tickles my fancy about the i4+DCT over the V6+slushbox is that it will be so much more environmentally friendly and frugal. Certainly I do not factor in the huge tuning potential of the AMG drivetrain if you have the stomach to modify things. Nope. No sir. Definitely not. :bad-poker-face:

From all accounts, the auto box with the V6 is actually supposed to be pretty good... but the idea of running a hand-built highly-strung 2 litre boosted to the moon just intrigues me Here's hoping that there is really no bad configuration, and everybody wins!

 

[Tonyshepp]

Originally, I would have said part of my reasoning was that the tax in the UK (based on emissions band) for the V6 was going to sting like a mother compared to the i4, but I went to check the figures, and it turns out I'm well behind the times, as it changed a few years ago... to just an initial large punch in the face, followed by both engine types being squeezed for an equally chunky amount based on vehicle price. Yay.

I think what really tickles my fancy about the i4+DCT over the V6+slushbox is that it will be so much more environmentally friendly and frugal. Certainly I do not factor in the huge tuning potential of the AMG drivetrain if you have the stomach to modify things. Nope. No sir. Definitely not. :bad-poker-face:

From all accounts, the auto box with the V6 is actually supposed to be pretty good... but the idea of running a hand-built highly-strung 2 litre boosted to the moon just intrigues me Here's hoping that there is really no bad configuration, and everybody wins!

The I4 should be a great car but the V6 noise and manual swayed me. I'd have either to be honest and be happy. In fact I'd be happy to have the demo blue car just sat on my drive right now ☺️

 

[TomE]

I drove an Evora 410 Sport with IPS (auto) again last week and it reminded me that the auto is actually rather fun.

In full auto mode it looks after itself well, with maybe the odd early/late shift compared to when I'd do it manually when pressing on a bit, but for everyday usage it was fine. In Sport mode with manual shift-by-paddle it was a hoot, particularly on a familiar cross-country route and braking hard into some tight corners with the auto-blip on downshifting. The aftermarket exhaust added to the experience too. As I posted elsewhere, I prefer Touring rather than the Sports suspension but overall a very enjoyable car.

 

[Balboa]

My own personal philosophy is if you have access to open roads like in the Jay Leno videos then either a manual or auto will be fun. If you struggle to find open roads then it is fun to have a manual. Manuals are much more fun to drive slow than an auto. Just my .02.

I was in agreement with you until I bought my F-Type with the 8 speed ZF Paddle. I used to drive a Viper 6-speed and hardly ever got it out of 3rd gear without going over 90MPH. I originally ordered my F-Type with a 6-speed manual but found an 8-speed auto dealer demo on sale with a 30% discount so opted for it instead. Even tho the auto was my 2nd choice I have to say it is more engaging and fun to paddle thru 5 gears to 90MPH than it was rowing through 3. And when you factor in the cracks and pops that are dialed into the ECU on downshifts and throttle-lift (more so than you'd get with the manual) it's the icing on the cake. That being said I'm ordering my Emira with the Manual (since it's offered and will probably be the last manual I ever own) but I'm not deluding myself that it will ever get out of 3rd except for highway cruising.

 

[Magma]

I was in agreement with you until I bought my F-Type with the 8 speed DCT. I used to drive a Viper 6-speed and hardly ever got it out of 3rd gear without going over 90MPH. I originally ordered my F-Type with a 6-speed manual but found an 8-speed auto dealer demo on sale with a 30% discount so opted for it instead. Even tho the auto was my 2nd choice I have to say it is more engaging and fun to paddle thru 5 gears to 90MPH than it was rowing through 3. And when you factor in the cracks and pops that are dialed into the ECU on downshifts and throttle-lift (more so than you'd get with the manual) it's the icing on the cake. That being said I'm ordering my Emira with the Manual (since it's offered and will probably be the last manual I ever own) but I'm not deluding myself that it will ever get out of 3rd except for highway cruising.

Are you sure about the F-type having a Dct? Isn't it the ZF?

 

[Balboa]

Are you sure about the F-type having a Dct? Isn't it the ZF?

TY for correction (edited)

 

[TXEMIRA]

@TomE never seems to help on this stuff. Clearly he’s just tossing a coin!

I can read his posts for the manual and change my configuration - then I see another on the auto with paddles and I’m right back to the config…

Hey Siri - find garage expansion companies.

#ForTheChoices #ForTheConfigurator

 

[TomE]

@TomE never seems to help on this stuff. Clearly he’s just tossing a coin!

I can read his posts for the manual and change my configuration - then I see another on the auto with paddles and I’m right back to the config…

Hey Siri - find garage expansion companies.

#ForTheChoices #ForTheConfigurator

I thought I was very helpful

Manual V6 with Touring suspension FTW (at least for my intended usage)

But V6 auto is great if you want an auto and the V6 noise and an early car.

The i4 AMG DCT will probably be fun too (it was the engine the Lotus project team had as their first choice after the Toyota) and will be lower emissions and cheaper to run. The AMG-engined car will be a bit lighter and the engine will be more tuneable but I'm not sure it will sound as good, even after Lotus have worked their magic.

So, horses for courses.

 

[TXEMIRA]

I thought I was very helpful

Manual V6 with Touring suspension FTW (at least for my intended usage)

But V6 auto is great if you want an auto and the V6 noise and an early car.

The i4 AMG DCT will probably be fun too (it was the engine the Lotus project team had as their first choice after the Toyota) and will be lower emissions and cheaper to run. The AMG-engined car will be a bit lighter and the engine will be more tuneable but I'm not sure it will sound as good, even after Lotus have worked their magic.

So, horses for courses.

See! Within one space bar click we are on heads from tails. Hahaha !!!

I’m thinking V6 for the FE, Manual, Sport - just because it’s not a daily driver and we may as well go all-in on the “sport” factor and resale values.

Texas roads are nice where I am. Put me in either Touring or Sport and I don’t know if I could feel the difference but I think the next buyer may. #ForTheNextDriverToo

 

[DJW]

why do you all only consider V6 manual or i4 DCT? You could also go for V6 automatic which is my actual choice. I might switch to manual as well, but I also really enjoy shifting via paddles and get those perfect downshifts all the time even on a normal commute.

Have had 4 Lotus v6 manuals but then in last Evora 400 had the auto which I found was excellent and preferred for that type of car. I never drove the car in full auto, as enjoyed driving with paddles too much.

On that basis I’ve gone v6 auto for the Emira as perfect for road hoons.

 

[Pegasi]

I was in agreement with you until I bought my F-Type with the 8 speed ZF Paddle. I used to drive a Viper 6-speed and hardly ever got it out of 3rd gear without going over 90MPH. I originally ordered my F-Type with a 6-speed manual but found an 8-speed auto dealer demo on sale with a 30% discount so opted for it instead. Even tho the auto was my 2nd choice I have to say it is more engaging and fun to paddle thru 5 gears to 90MPH than it was rowing through 3. And when you factor in the cracks and pops that are dialed into the ECU on downshifts and throttle-lift (more so than you'd get with the manual) it's the icing on the cake. That being said I'm ordering my Emira with the Manual (since it's offered and will probably be the last manual I ever own) but I'm not deluding myself that it will ever get out of 3rd except for highway cruising.

My main reason for the manual is not to be able to shift gears but to use the clutch to play around. Whether it be engine braking or taking a long time between gears. Paddle shifters are just as fun in their own right. I enjoy hearing different perspectives because it may open up skill or know how I don't have or just other ways to have fun. I actually enjoy a manual in traffic better because you work the clutch and downshift and pick a good slow speed without having to keep hitting the brakes. I guess more of a game for me. I don't have to sit in traffic every day though, that would change things if I had to hit traffic daily.

 

[Balboa]

My main reason for the manual is not to be able to shift gears but to use the clutch to play around. Whether it be engine braking or taking a long time between gears. Paddle shifters are just as fun in their own right. I enjoy hearing different perspectives because it may open up skill or know how I don't have or just other ways to have fun. I actually enjoy a manual in traffic better because you work the clutch and downshift and pick a good slow speed without having to keep hitting the brakes. I guess more of a game for me. I don't have to sit in traffic every day though, that would change things if I had to hit traffic daily.

I like to rev to the meaty part of the powerband in every gear. Very hard to do in a powerful 6-speed manual without going to jail. i have the V6 Jag and paddling up and down the first 5 (of 8) gears is very engaging. I had a chance to drive the 500HP V8 and surprisingly wasnt as much fun in some respects because you couldnt gat past 3rd gear without having to keep revs way below where the fun was. Best setup Ive ever had was a 5-speed manual twin turbo RX7. Perfect 'HP to gear' ratio IMO. You could rev up to spool up the 2nd turbo in every gear before upshifting (analagous to opening up a 4-barrel 'in the olden days'.) My wife's Miata was another nicely balanced 5speed. i've had my fun w paddles for the last 6 years w the Jag so Im ready to row gears again. I'll buy the 6-speed manual Emira but I'll drive it like a 4-speed.