First off... I don't know the difference between Tiptronic/Steptronic/Shiftronic or even Sequential Manual Gearboxes as the matter of fact. So could someone explain to me the differences?

And in relation to that matter, I live in Malaysia and I was checking out the 8 in a showroom and noticed there was a tiptronic version available with shift paddles behind the steering wheel similiar to many cars and the Formula 1 cars. I've read a car magazine (Australian) and they said the 8 didnt come with a sequential or a tiptronic gearbox. I don't know if they sell it in the US but here's my main question. Because my dad is lazy and doesnt want to be stuck in a traffic jam driving a manual car, would the tiptronic be as good? There's a lot of power loss between the AT and the MT.... any thoughts?

Oh, btw can I redline with the tiptronic mode on?

 

The AT has a lower HP engine. the tiptronic is still just an automatic slush box. It allows you to put the car in a "manual mode" and shift when you want.

 

I'd be happy to, but to be honest I've explained this a bunch of times at length, and don't want to have to type it again. Would you mind searching for posts by my user name that contain 'SMG'? You'll find several threads where we've explained the differences between tiptronic, SMG, etc.

Regards,
Gordon

 

I have both on my cars.. The Porsche 993 has "switches" on the steering wheel, while the 8 has paddles.. The 993 is more like formula cars. Both can be driven in regular aut, or you can shift manuallyw/out a clutch. A big problem for me is that the 993 and the 8 shift totally in a different direction. Sometimes if i am in one car I make the mistake to shift up, when i wanted down.. ohh well.. no big deal.. I basically like the tiptronic for my south florida crappy traffic. It really is getting very bad here.. On the 8, you loose some HP with the auto, but I am no spped demon so i am ok w/ it. regards from miami..

 

Ooooh... okay thanks for the feedback.
One final question. What is the redline for the AT while on tiptronic mode? can I go to 9500? or does the torque converter limit me to 7500. If so, do I get a beep? I wanna hear it at least once.

 

7500 max at all times. The manual mode on the RX-8 is like any other automatic transmission shifting, with the exception of the shifting with cool like paddles on the steering wheel. If you get in to a Chevy/Ford/Dodge/ ect and pull the shifter in to the lowest gear and take off and accelerate to the redline then shift into the next gear, and subsequently all the way to OD, you have basically emulated the idea behind the RX-8's manual mode on the auto transmission.

 

The AT redlines at 7,500 and beeps at 7,000.

 

Do you know the mechanical differeces between an auto and a manual? If so, the simple answer is that a Tiptronic is merely an automatic with a different type of gear selector. While an SMG is a manual transmission in which the gears and clutch are manuevered via hydraulics.

Here is an attempt to explain if you don't know: a traditional manual has a clutch and a gear shift lever. To shift gears, you depress the clutch and move the shift lever. In an SMG, the clutch is automatically operated via hydraulics, as is the gear shift lever. Typically, you select the gears via switches on the back of the steering wheel. The 'sequential' part of the name means that the gears are selected in sequence. You can't go from 5th to 2nd, you have to go from 5 to 4 to 3 to 2. EDIT: Formula 1 cars use this type of transmission. In some in car views, you can see the driver flicking the back of the steering wheel with his fingers. That is the gear shift selector. The benefits on a race car are enormous--both hands are always on the steering wheel, you never miss a shift, and it shifts faster than any human is capable of doing. On the street, it just looks "cool" and also allows you to operate the car as if it were an automatic (i.e., stop and go traffic).

In a traditional automatic you have the PRNDL selector, which lets you select from Park, Reverse, Neutral, Drive, and the various gears (e.g., in a 4 speed auto, there will be places to select 3, 2, and 1.). In a Tiptronic (different manufacturers have different names for the same thing) the PRNDL has an additional setting, where you can sequentially go through the gears. It provides the illusion of a manual transmission with none of the benefits. Most automatics already have the ability to manually choose a gear (e.g,. when going up a hill you can force the auto to stay in 3rd instead of hunting between 3rd and 4th). The Tiptronic merely provides you with a different way of selecting your desired gear.