I'll take a 911 T manual over a paddle shifter car any time of equal value.

 

Definitely no. 100 percent sure. Take my word for it. I got a direct line to Nissan 350Z Engineering.

 

Adding the Momo "Short" Shifter for the 5AT makes a huge difference in how the Z performs, Maybe they will offer a lower profile, slimmer shift **** for futer ATs? Maybe a 6AT too?

 

If they don't put 6sp A/T they will most definately be slacking. Lexus has 6sp in the IS and BMW is working on seven for the 3 series already found on the M5.

 

lol sq40

IMO paddle shifters suck unless you're doing some hardcore F1 style racing.

I don't care how fast they are. If the new Z did not have a regular manual transmission option - I would likely never own one unless I lost a leg. Paddle shifting in most cases is just as retarded as manual mode in an automatic. I have too much love for the traditional manual to give it up for some fairy paddling buttlove. JMO of course.

 

What does lol mean? I keep seeing it.

 

oh... lol - laughing out loud.... just means something was funny...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lol

 

You guys are slightly confused on the Sequential gearboxes and automatics.
There is a big difference between a silly tiptronic and a Sequential MANUAL gear box. A sequential gear box is a MANUAL transmission. The higher end sports cars with paddle shifters are manual transmissions with a computer controlled clutch [i.e the BMW SMG system, some of Aston Martins systems (they do have an auto tranny with paddle shifters in the DB9), and Ferrari's system] . Audi's DSG is a manual also, but it has a dual clutch design so that the next gear is already ready before you shift; the DSG system is not new with Audi though they used it in the 80s with their pikes peak cars and at the same time Porsche used a dual clutch design (PDK) in the 956 and 962C race cars.
GM on the other hand uses an auto it is just a tiptronic tranny with paddles placed on the steering wheel. Still just an automatic, and it is nowhere near as good as any of the sequential manuals.
I'd still take a standard manual any day over any of the sequential trannsmissions, but that is just personal preference.

 

 

If they add more gears to the Z and keep the TC is will be a 7AT. That would be the next step from 5AT. The TC transmission uses a planetary gearset instead of a dog gearset.

 

The US BMW market is the only market that calls the SMG the Sequential Manual Gearbox. Everybody else calls it the Sequential M Gearbox after the M Series BMW. BMW's official name for the transmission is Sequenzielles M Getriebe Drivelogic. Which loosely translates to Sequential M Gearbox with Drivelogic.

BMW, in their dealer guide, calls the SMG "the first all automatic gearbox using the parts of the parts of the manual gearbox". Just because it uses the same parts as a manual gearbox doesn't make it a manual transmission. Adding a manual-mode function doesn't make it a manual transmission, either. A manual transmission is a transmission where the driver manually controls both the clutch and the shift. If it requires electronics and/or hydraulic sub-systems, it's probably an automatic.

By definition, any transmission that can shift on it's own without any input from the driver is an automatic transmission. The last time I checked, the SMG, DSG, Ferrari F1, etc. all had the capability to shift without the driver touching any stick, paddle or button. The only recent transmission with an automatic clutch and no auto setting that I can recall is the Toyota SMT. If you ever get to drive the SMT you'll know why they don't make it anymore.

A sequential shifting process has nothing to do with being an automatic or a manual transmission. A transmission that shifts in a N,1,2,3...3,2,1,N is a sequential transmission because you have to shift in sequence. A non-sequential transmission is a transmission that will let you shift into any gear or skip gear sequences at any time, such as a standard H pattern in a real manual. The 5AT Z in auto-mode is a sequential transmission because it goes through all the gears in sequence. In manual-mode, it is semi-sequential because you can skip gears as long as you don't stall or overrev.

 

all this paddle shifting is bs cuz its not driver controlling the car its the computer. imo in futrue race it sould be still be driver race not computer race. i tried my friends is350 with paddle and either i was doing it wrong or it just sucked @ss. is350 or any paddle shift car are for older/ lazy people who let the computer do everything imo

 

Can't remember if it was Car and Driver or Road and Track but they quoted a Infiniti rep saying that the New G35 Coupe will be released in Spring 2007 (which should be around March or April)...

But I don't know what the sales figures are for the Z, maybe there still selling strong that is why where not hearing anything about a new Z

As far as the paddle shifters goes, just wait for the G35 sedan to come out and test drive one of those, I gurentee you the new 350z will have the same paddle shifters when it comes out.

 

Shumaucher still does it best.