Re: Six-speed vs. Slushbox (archive)

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In Reply to: Six-speed vs. Slushbox posted by Paul Michael Brown on February 04, 2000 at 00:25:39:

I have my .02USD to add to the discussion regarding automatic vs. 6 spd. I find my 6 speed to be very easy to use in city or highway traffic (you should try driving my friends Lotus Esprit SE in the city, it's a point-and-shoot calf-busting clutch/manual). I do admit that probably 70-75% of the roughly 30,000 miles I drive per year are on smooth softly winding Oklahoma Highways with the occasional jaunt to Vegas. Perhaps that is why my clutch has now hit 127,500 miles with no replacement--and I AM NOT babying my clutch--I DRVE it hard when I get in the mood. However, there is another factor here. Romance. I am not talking about sexual romance, I am talking about the synergy of machine with man. The automatic removes some of the link between man/machine and in the classical romantic view (ask any European and espescially an Italian) about why they don't like automatics-- they will go on for hours about the fact that you should PILOT the car, not drive it. Also, the man/woman should drive the car, not the other way around. Like I said, it's all opinion, and everyone will have their own, so I just wanted to present an alternate view.

: The V-12 doesn't like to rev much above 4500 rpm unless you add a free flow exhaust and chip it. The engine doesn't breath very well, making it torque-intensive. Probably why they put such tall gearing in it (2.65 rear).

: True, but not as perjorative as it sounds. The M70B50 and the M73B54 V-12 powerplants were never intended to be high-revving, high HP at high revs, engines. On the contrary, they were designed to make lots and lots of torque at very low revs and to be utterly, totally, supremely smooth while doing so. This design philosophy for the engine tracked the design philosophy for the E31 and the E32 platforms that used it. In other words, the engine matched the car. (BTW, the final drive ratio on the autobox cars is 3.15 -- apparently to improve off the line acceleration.) But I digress. Back to the topic at hand.

: If buying the car for its intended purpose, cruising, I'd buy the automatic and call it a day, no modifications. If buying to drive in a spirited manner I'd get the six speed, but chip it, add a cat back exhaust and even change the rear ratio to the CSi's 2.93LS or even a 3.15LS ratio. Yes, sacralege to some, but much, much more fun to drive.

: In my view, the autobox is the better transmission for all E31s except for the 850CSi. First, anecdotal evidence suggests some premature clutch wear on the six-speed cars. I theorize that this is due to the heavy weight and high torque combination. Porsche had a similar problem with the 928 clutches. Second, the autobox is more in keeping with the Grand Touring personality of the E31. This is especially true if you encounter any significant amount of traffic.

: All things considered, I think the autobox is the way to go. (And it's virtually a moot point given how rare the six-speed E31s are.) And I must respectfully disagree with the advice regarding major modifications. I've said it before and I'll say it again: If you want a nimble, tossable car with a free-revving engine that makes good power at the top of the rev band, buy an //M3. Why attempt to modify the E31 into something it's not?

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