The Elio Automatic Transmission

McBrew said:

Nothing has changed. It's an automated version of the manual transmission. It will clutch and shift using actuators on the transmission. This sort of transmission is more popular with smaller cars overseas. The only car I know of that has this type (but not the exact one) in the U.S. is the Smart car.

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So this is the one referred to as MMT?

AMT ---- automated manual transmission

Multimode Manual Transmission (MMT or M/M, also Multimode Transmission) is a type of sequential manual transmission offered by Toyota. It uses a traditional manual gearbox with an electronically controlled clutch.

A semi-automatic transmission (SAT) (also known as a clutchless manual transmission, automated manual transmission, flappy-paddle gear shift, or paddle-shift gearbox) is an automobile transmission that does not change gears automatically

Automated Manual Transmission (AMT, also called Freechoice) from Magneti Marelli is a electro-hydraulic mechanism for automating manual transmission which derives from Formula 1. It combines comfort of use with a reduction in consumption, and can be applied to any transmission, with production costs that are consequently lower compared to traditional automatic transmissions.

The automated manual transmission (AMT) is an intermediate technological solution between the manual transmission used in Europe and
Latin America and the automated transmission popular in North America, Australia, and parts of Asia. The driver, instead of using a gear
shift and clutch to change gears, presses a + or – button and the system automatically disengages the clutch, changes the gear, and
engages the clutch again while modulating the throttle; the driver can also choose a fully automated mode. AMT is an add-on solution
on classical manual transmission systems,

I guess it's a pick which TLA you like

Anyone that expounds how great the old cars shifted did not spend any time behind a Muncie (or munchie as we used to call them) shifter. 'Vague' is a good description.
The shifter is the biggest part of solid feeling shifting.
We bought a Nissan Versa with the CVT and while it is 'different' you get used to it. You can vary the gas pedal and find the sweet spot in the torque range and keep it there. Nice! True stick shift for me though on the Elio. Wife and I have not had a stick in 10+ years. It will be fun!

Tre' said:

Anyone that expounds how great the old cars shifted did not spend any time behind a Muncie (or munchie as we used to call them) shifter. 'Vague' is a good description.
The shifter is the biggest part of solid feeling shifting.
We bought a Nissan Versa with the CVT and while it is 'different' you get used to it. You can vary the gas pedal and find the sweet spot in the torque range and keep it there. Nice! True stick shift for me though on the Elio. Wife and I have not had a stick in 10+ years. It will be fun!

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You can get used to most anything.
The only one I never mastered was split shifting an old Ford fire truck that had a 4 speed transmission and a two speed vacuum controlled rear end.

I just got a survey emailed to me from Elio. Asking if I would consider upgrading to automatic transmission for $1400 (no), then $1200 (no), or $1000 (no). Then it asked me why, and I stated I prefer a manual transmission.

DigitalDan said:

I just got a survey emailed to me from Elio. Asking if I would consider upgrading to automatic transmission for $1400 (no), then $1200 (no), or $1000 (no). Then it asked me why, and I stated I prefer a manual transmission.

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Hope I get that survey. I'll pay $800 for it, and that's all. It doesn't cost anything like that much to build and install, so I say B.S. to that kind of money. On the other hand, do you suppose they've deliberately made the clutch on the P5 super-stiff to build traffic for the AMT?

DigitalDan said:

I just got a survey emailed to me from Elio. Asking if I would consider upgrading to automatic transmission for $1400 (no), then $1200 (no), or $1000 (no). Then it asked me why, and I stated I prefer a manual transmission.

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I had the same responses. I drive a 5-speed Chevy Cobalt more because I wanted to get back to a stick shift. It just feels good to be shifting gears myself.

Ekh said:

Hope I get that survey. I'll pay $800 for it, and that's all. It doesn't cost anything like that much to build and install, so I say B.S. to that kind of money. On the other hand, do you suppose they've deliberately made the clutch on the P5 super-stiff to build traffic for the AMT?

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In the survey they state that according to their research of automatic transmissions in current vehicles the average cost is $1000.

BiloxiGeek said:

In the survey they state that according to their research of automatic transmissions in current vehicles the average cost is $1000.

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That means that some are more and some are less. Elio is supposed to be for the budget-conscious -- that's me. And it's also worth bearing in mind that only a small percentage of American drivers have a clue about driving a stick shift. So if Elio over-prices the AMT, they may sharply limit their attractiveness to the intended market.

As a percentage of the total price of the car, $1,000 is extravagant.