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I love my 335i coupe, but I think I would trade it for a Tesla in a heartbeat. I am so excited that a company is embracing alternative fuels (electricity especi

I love my 335i coupe, but I think I would trade it for a Tesla in a heartbeat. I am so excited that a company is embracing alternative fuels (electricity especially) in aims of making a supercar. Gear shifting slows down a vehicle, regardless of how fast it is, since you're disconnecting the engine from the powertrain. It also is another thing you have to bother with while driving.

PStamatiou 18y ago
"It also is another thing you have to bother with while driving." I think that's what makes driving fun.. you have greater control of your cars actions and are in touch with it. I could never see myself driving something where I never have to touch the shifter once its in a forward gear. As for the speed issue, you're right, it is slowing it down. (granted new paddle systems make that 60 milliseconds like the F430 Scuderia) But the Tesla only has 1 gear, which doesn't like going much past 100mph.
- kirse 18y ago
  I agree wholeheartedly. There's nothing like the thrill of attacking some twisties and pushing it to the limit. Nobody here is Michael Schumacher, but a manual car with a good sound will damn sure make you feel like him.
- DabAsteroid 18y ago
  the Tesla only has 1 gear, which doesn't like going much past 100mph. It is a 2-speed car. Tesla is planning on performing a recall to upgrade the transmissions of all of the delivered 1-speed cars to 2-speed. http://www.teslamotors.com/media/press_room.php?id=803 http://www.teslamotors.com/media/press_room.php?id=803
  - wilshipley 18y ago
    No, they originally delivered 2-speed cars that were locked in 2nd gear -- and now they're replacing that gearbox with a one-speed gearbox that's a lot stronger. They increased the power of the engine while waiting to fix the gearbox, and found the car now accelerates fine with only one gear. -W
    - DabAsteroid 18y ago
      Thanks for clearing that up for me, Wil. (And welcome to HN, though I am new here, also.) Do I understand correctly that the 1.5 drivetrain tends to get hot at high speeds and is automatically throttled to prevent overheating (thermal throttled, like some CPU's) and that that is the reason that though the car can indeed reach 120 or more MPH, it cannot sustain it for very long?
axod 18y ago
"It also is another thing you have to bother with while driving." It still surprises me how few manuals you see in the US, It's as if people aren't interested in driving + getting the most out of the car. If you don't enjoy driving, why not get a driver. If you enjoy driving, you want a manual. Nothing worse than speeding up an on-ramp, and the car refusing to budge out of 2nd.
- anamax 18y ago
  Curiously enough, many Americans see cars as transportation. They don't get drivers for the same reason they don't have chefs and other personal assistants.
- HeyLaughingBoy 18y ago
  In about twelve seconds from a standing start, my 350Z will get me to "lose your license" speeds. Even if I had an automatic transmission, I would still never be able to get the "most" out of the car without taking it to the track. Anyway, I agree that manual transmissions are outdated and sequential shift should be standard equipment on sports cars. Motorcycles have had clutchless shifting forever, why not cars? OTOH, I live out in the country and about 5 miles of my commute is on winding gravel roads. Turn off Traction Control and I have a blast without ever exceeding the speed limit!
  - DabAsteroid 18y ago
    Motorcycles have had clutchless shifting forever There is a motorcycle model with clutchless shifting?
    - HeyLaughingBoy 18y ago
      Guess it depends on your definition of "motorcycle" but my Honda Foreman 400 (a 4-wheeler) and so do many others.
- cbrinker 18y ago
  Oh, I highly enjoy driving, I just don't enjoy having another pedal to mash and fiddling around with a stick while in traffic. I live in Los Angeles. You ride the 405 freeway during rush hour in a manual. Regardless, I still wouldn't buy a manual. I drive my brother's old turbo Z and my dad's manual pickup sometimes. I've driven a friend's manual Porsche Cayman S on the tracks too. Clutches just aren't fun. An added bonus is the speed of SMG transmissions today. My 335i's "steptronic" transmission has a clutch-lock for that real direct connection to the engine feel, plus it shifts in 100ms; which I don't think any human could actually do. The perfect throttle blipping makes it extremely smooth. Further, the fun of using paddle shifters is a huge thrill as a FIA F1 fan! :D
dzorz 18y ago
I love my 1991 Golf "coupe", but I think I would trade it for a Tesla in a heartbeat. I am so excited that a...
- sethg 18y ago
  I don't love my 1999 Ford Windstar. When will Tesla come out with a minivan?

PStamatiou 18y ago

"It also is another thing you have to bother with while driving." I think that's what makes driving fun.. you have greater control of your cars actions and are in touch with it. I could never see myself driving something where I never have to touch the shifter once its in a forward gear. As for the speed issue, you're right, it is slowing it down. (granted new paddle systems make that 60 milliseconds like the F430 Scuderia) But the Tesla only has 1 gear, which doesn't like going much past 100mph.

kirse 18y ago
I agree wholeheartedly. There's nothing like the thrill of attacking some twisties and pushing it to the limit. Nobody here is Michael Schumacher, but a manual car with a good sound will damn sure make you feel like him.
DabAsteroid 18y ago
the Tesla only has 1 gear, which doesn't like going much past 100mph. It is a 2-speed car. Tesla is planning on performing a recall to upgrade the transmissions of all of the delivered 1-speed cars to 2-speed. http://www.teslamotors.com/media/press_room.php?id=803 http://www.teslamotors.com/media/press_room.php?id=803
- wilshipley 18y ago
  No, they originally delivered 2-speed cars that were locked in 2nd gear -- and now they're replacing that gearbox with a one-speed gearbox that's a lot stronger. They increased the power of the engine while waiting to fix the gearbox, and found the car now accelerates fine with only one gear. -W
  - DabAsteroid 18y ago
    Thanks for clearing that up for me, Wil. (And welcome to HN, though I am new here, also.) Do I understand correctly that the 1.5 drivetrain tends to get hot at high speeds and is automatically throttled to prevent overheating (thermal throttled, like some CPU's) and that that is the reason that though the car can indeed reach 120 or more MPH, it cannot sustain it for very long?

axod 18y ago

"It also is another thing you have to bother with while driving." It still surprises me how few manuals you see in the US, It's as if people aren't interested in driving + getting the most out of the car. If you don't enjoy driving, why not get a driver. If you enjoy driving, you want a manual. Nothing worse than speeding up an on-ramp, and the car refusing to budge out of 2nd.

anamax 18y ago
Curiously enough, many Americans see cars as transportation. They don't get drivers for the same reason they don't have chefs and other personal assistants.
HeyLaughingBoy 18y ago
In about twelve seconds from a standing start, my 350Z will get me to "lose your license" speeds. Even if I had an automatic transmission, I would still never be able to get the "most" out of the car without taking it to the track. Anyway, I agree that manual transmissions are outdated and sequential shift should be standard equipment on sports cars. Motorcycles have had clutchless shifting forever, why not cars? OTOH, I live out in the country and about 5 miles of my commute is on winding gravel roads. Turn off Traction Control and I have a blast without ever exceeding the speed limit!
- DabAsteroid 18y ago
  Motorcycles have had clutchless shifting forever There is a motorcycle model with clutchless shifting?
  - HeyLaughingBoy 18y ago
    Guess it depends on your definition of "motorcycle" but my Honda Foreman 400 (a 4-wheeler) and so do many others.
cbrinker 18y ago
Oh, I highly enjoy driving, I just don't enjoy having another pedal to mash and fiddling around with a stick while in traffic. I live in Los Angeles. You ride the 405 freeway during rush hour in a manual. Regardless, I still wouldn't buy a manual. I drive my brother's old turbo Z and my dad's manual pickup sometimes. I've driven a friend's manual Porsche Cayman S on the tracks too. Clutches just aren't fun. An added bonus is the speed of SMG transmissions today. My 335i's "steptronic" transmission has a clutch-lock for that real direct connection to the engine feel, plus it shifts in 100ms; which I don't think any human could actually do. The perfect throttle blipping makes it extremely smooth. Further, the fun of using paddle shifters is a huge thrill as a FIA F1 fan! :D

dzorz 18y ago

I love my 1991 Golf "coupe", but I think I would trade it for a Tesla in a heartbeat. I am so excited that a...

sethg 18y ago
I don't love my 1999 Ford Windstar. When will Tesla come out with a minivan?