If you are a car enthusiast, you must have watched the Fast and Furious series. You may not have liked the movies but your heart was sure to race like the racing cars every time the camera pans on an actor jumping on the clutch and shifting a gear. Many people want to enjoy the adrenaline rush of the gear-shifting action but not all of them are willing to do it at the cost of the advantages of an automatic transmission. Tiptronic transmission can solve this dilemma by offering the benefits of both worlds!
Automobile enthusiasts will literally divide into two groups when it comes to choosing between automatic and manual transmissions. Both types have their zealous supporters but there is no denying that each one has some unique perks that the other type cannot deliver. Tiptronic transmission can be the bridge between both types. Let’s find out what is Tiptronic, how it works, and its edge over the automatic transmission.
Packard and Chrysler were the first automakers to experiment with the concept of a Tiptronic shift in the late 1930s. They developed a semi-automatic mechanism that could automatically move the clutch during gear shifts.
In the modern world, the Volkswagen-Audi group takes the Tiptronic shift as a brand-specific automatic transmission. You will see this variation in some luxury, first-class brands such as BMW, Mercedes-Benz, Audi, Porsche, and as well as in some standard vehicles such as Citroen Sensodrive, Honda iShift, Chrysler AutoStick, and more.
This particular type is similar to automatic transmission but has an option for the driver to shift the gears manually. It allows you upshift and downshift in that mode by using the gear lever or the paddles behind the steering wheel. It was developed with the idea of extracting the best performance from a vehicle.
In contrast to the semi-automatics, the technology in Tiptronic transmission utilizes a torque converter instead of a clutch. It also incorporates some manual functions in an automatic mechanism.
A Tiptronic gearbox allows the driver to manually handle the nuances of two options – upshift and downshift. After overriding the automatic mode with the manual option, the driver can make the shifting decisions. So, it is quite possible to enhance the braking output with a deliberate downshift or increase the acceleration by using the upshift while also enjoying the traditional auto transmission features. The unique benefits of Tiptronic technology are:
The working mechanism of this system may seem a complex because it makes use the techniques of both transmission types. It’s a no-brainer to tell that it has two modes – automatic transmission and manual shifting.
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The ECU still retains much of the control (for safety purpose, of course) when you switch to the manual mode. For example, Audi’s Tiptronic transmission keeps shifting from first to the second gear automatic during the manual operation. It’s also evident from the safety measures performed by the vehicle’s central computer system. Most of the models featuring this transmission have inbuilt protections for high and low RPMs. If the RPM crosses the maximum limit, the ECU swoops in to correct the gear shifting. Similarly, it performs a downshift when the RPM crosses the lowest limit. Many modern cars feature the Tiptronic S version of this transmission that automatically switches into the automatic mode if the drive gives no input within 8 seconds. All of these features are standard safety measures that prevent a failure of the engine.
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Tiptronic is a kind of automatic transmission but it has some differences from a standard automatic system.
A Tiptronic system gives the drivers the freedom to choose how they want to drive. They can enjoy the hassle-free and easy driving of automatic navigation and the thrill of shifting gears in the manual transmission. Although it allows speeding up or slowing down, the ECU always oversees whether the RPM crossing the danger limits. It takes control if anything goes wrong or the driver does not use the shifting for a specific period. On the contrary, the automatic transmission is always in control of gear shifting and RPM.
There are various advanced versions of Tiptronic transmission. For example, the Porsche Cayenne has an 8-speed Tiptronic S version that learns the driver behavior and acts in accordance, according to the manufacturer. Many modern cars have advanced versions of the automatic transmission but none of them has this feature.
Both the transmissions are similar in the sense that they are easy to operate. Even a new driver can operate and make routine trips across city areas.
A Tiptronic transmission hands down a driver the best of both auto and manual shifts. You can shift gears without pressing a clutch and stay worry-free because of the built-in safety features. There is almost zero possibility of making a driving error while running a car with a Tiptronic system.
