Contenu
There are manual transmissions and automatic transmissions. Usually car buyers must choose one or the other. That is, of course, unless you are purchasing a Mitsubishi. If you are buying a Mitsubishi, then chances are that you may be able to get both standard and automatic all in the same vehicle. Mitsubishi Motors offers whats known as a Sportronic transmission on some of the vehicles. One such vehicle is the Mitsubishi Eclipse. The Sportronic transmission allows the driver to operate the vehicle in either automatic mode, or allows the drive to manually shift gears, if he chooses.
Identification
Basically, the Sportronic transmission is an automatic transmission with manual capabilities. The manual capabilities are that the drive can manually shift gears instead of having to depend on the transmission to do the work. You can drive in manual mode, however, there is no clutch in the vehicle. You simply use the gear paddle to shift manually.
Benefits
This sort of transmission is ideal for someone who wants to be able to control the power the vehicle has, by being able to down shift or shift up, when the driver deems it to be necessary. The Sportronic transmission will hold the gear you select for as long as you want it to, which is an advantage over traditional manual transmissions.
Capabilities
More power can be gained from your vehicle when using the manual shift mode on the gear-shifting paddle. The computer that controls this function will not allow the vehicle to redline, unlike traditional manual transmission vehicles. This feature also ensures that you will not experience problems with your power train due to redlining and poor manual shifting.
Differences
Even though the Sportronic allows the driver to shift manually, dont expect the vehicle to feel like a vehicle with a manual transmission. Not only does the vehicle not have a clutch, but you also do not need to take your foot off the gas pedal when you are shifting, as is necessary with a manual transmission vehicle.
Considerations
There is one drawback to having a Sportronic transmission. For one, tapping the gear shifter into place can be a bit awkward because the manual mode slot is located on the shift gate, which is on the passengers side. However, the benefits far outweigh the drawback. One benefit is that you can downshift in inclement weather to allow you better control of your vehicle. In addition, because the computer does not allow you to redline, you will avoid damaging your power train.
