Each week, our German correspondent slices and dices the latest rumblings, news, and quick-hit driving impressions from the other side of the pond. His byline may say Jens Meiners, but we simply call him . . . the Continental.
Seven- and eight-speed transmissions are so 2010: The transmission gurus tell me that nine- and 10-speed boxes are around the corner. Why? To keep the engine where it’s happiest in the rev band, of course, without the inefficiency and dull driving characteristics of a CVT. (Audi’s multitronic CVT will be history in a few years.)
Not too long ago, five speeds were deemed more than sufficient. Have engines really become that inflexible? Not really, but there’s another reason, and it’s not a very good one: Marketing people believe that seven speeds are better than six, eight are better than seven, nine are better than eight, etc. Ad infinitum? Engineers are secretly worried, and so am I. I am not interested in having a choice of more than a handful of gears when negotiating a particular corner, and I’d ideally like to know which gear I am in without having to check the digital indicator (which doesn’t always tell you the truth, such as with a certain seven-speed dual-clutch box connected to an oh-so-torquey engine that pretends to take off in second gear when it actually briefly engages first).
Chrysler will be one of the first companies to use eight- and nine-speed transmissions, replacing some rather ancient slushboxes (and so it is partly forgiven). It will also be the next company to use a version of the clever MultiAir valve-lift system which was launched in Fiat and Alfa Romeo models. It will now be applied to the four-cylinder “world engine,” which sees duty in everything from the Dodge Caliber to the Chrysler 200, and I am guessing it will also make its way into the Pentastar V-6.
Accounting for Different Tastes
I found it curious that Ford’s Detroit display was largely dominated by European-developed and -styled cars such as the Focus, C-Max, and Fiesta, as well as the Vertrek concept. Another European, the Buick Verano, is a version of the hatchback-only Opel Astra, and so well-executed that I think it would sell in the old world, too.
My colleagues in Germany have noticed that the NMS (I’ll keep calling the U.S.-market Passat the NMS, as I have grown fond of the moniker over the years) is bigger, cheaper, and better-looking than the Euro Passat—that car is viewed as just a major face lift thanks to keeping an unchanged center section. Now VW must explain that we really don’t want the NMS in Germany since it is not as good as and is more cheaply engineered than the European Passat. In other words, that it deviates from the company’s engineering gospel under certain circumstances. Nice.
Mercedes-Benz displayed a pre-face-lift S-class concept car with plug-in technology right in front of a current model, to make it easier for you to spot the differences (hints: look for the old front bumper with Opel Vectra motif, LED-less headlights, jellybean side mirrors, and taillights with plastic strips). Add to that the fact that the B-class F-Cell (200 will be put on the road) comes in soon-obsolete, first-generation clothing and it underscores Daimler’s “new technology, old style” auto show theme.
Detroit’s Absentees, Real and Imagined
The Japanese didn’t shine in the Motor City. Toyota’s display was utterly charmless, and Nissan/Infiniti were simply absent. But they are coming back for next year’s Detroit auto show. Will they pull out of New York then? No. The strategy to be present at just one show per continent is history.
Tesla’s showing of a Model S body proved the company is moving forward and serious about getting it on the road. If you were surprised about the incredible performance promised at a reasonable price point, be advised that Tesla will offer several configurations; the standard Model S won’t come close to the promised 300-mile range.
Suspiciously absent was Fisker, which is in the process of getting the first Karma sedans ready for delivery. But I know for a fact that engineering work on the Nina sedan has started, and there is some likelihood of seeing the Karma folding-roof convertible on the road within two years.
Related posts: New Sketches of VW’s U.S. Passat Replacement Released; Will Debut at Detroit Auto Show2012 Volkswagen Passat Debuts @ Detroit Auto Show – VideoThe Continental’s Paris Notepad: Fully Aluminum Mercedes-Benz SL, Corrected Lambo Concept Weight, and the New VW/Audi/Porsche Mid-Engine Sports CarVolkswagen Teases 2012 Passat’s Detroit RevealFive Fun Debuts at the 2009 Detroit Auto Show – Feature
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