http://www.autoweek.com/cat_content...._code=05020737

 

That sucks, they are cheaper to make, and save gas mileage. They can have such potential... that is if they overcome the fact they can be destroyed with too much power but with them thats not much.

 

My old riding lawnmower had one of those. Damn thing always fell apart.

 

The future of CVTs, if there is one, is probably in the toroidal-type transmissions like Nissan's.

 

One car company to remember in the context of CVT...DAF and the Variomatic transmission. Any one up for some great nostalgiac DAF stories..?

 

After I read they are going to replace it with the 4 - speed ... I don't think I could have rolled my eyes more...but if they're going to replace it with the 6 - speed in a few years then that isn't so bad.

I wonder if this is due to the bean counters or lack of intelligence in their R&D department among engineers? Always seems GM slipping further and further back in technology. I hope this new 6 - speed is impressive with all thats going into it. If its just a standard 6 - speed hydromatic I'll have a pretty hardy laugh and go buy a Toyota.

 

One positive is that an energetic and wiley speculator or venture capitalist could really make a fortune in CTV tech. The world is your oyster my friend...
Rather than roll the eyes ... seize the prize!

 

The CVT was never ready for production, but GM didn't have a backup plan due to the rapid pace (for the time) they tried to bring the Vue to market. The change away from CVT is purely financial. CVT is/was the #1 warranty cost for GM. Oh to be in some of the meetings leading up to and including the decision to switch trannys....

 

I have a CVT in my 03 Saturn Quad Coupe and it been a very reliable tranny and so far its been more enjoyable then any standard slushbox I have owned. The cool thing is that Saturn/GM decided to give all those who have a CVT Ion Quad Coupe an extended 5 year warranty on the tranny for free which I thought was pretty cool.

 

Sweet deal John. I had one in my '02 Insight but only drove it for 10K miles so I don't really know about its long term reliability. There must be a huge hurdle that GM had to make with them that wasn't financially smart I guess... That would be kind of wierd if it ended up being reliable for you throughout even the extended warranty

 

Sounds alot like the GM Rotary Engine-Chevrolet Monza-AMC Pacer story of the 1970s, only the Rotary didn't make it to production.

(For those of you scratching your heads, the Chevy Monza & AMC Pacer were engineered around the rotary engine. AMC planned to purchase the engine from GM.)

 

The current RX-8 just goes to show that Mazda should have dumped the Wankel long ago, just like the "quitters" at GM. If the nearly torque-free demeanor of this normally aspirated rotary isn't enough to deter you, the rotten fuel economy is reason enough to stick with reciprocating engines.

While the CVT isn't as bad a concept as the Wankel rotary, GM is probably making the right decision - especially considering their partner is Fiat. Even Audi's use of CVTs is pretty much limited to FWD/longitudinal engine applications, and it looks like the twin-clutch gearbox is pretty much the way of the future in the VW group.