Like if I own a muscle or foreign race car. Why are automatics frowned upon?I just don't get what's the big deal.
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Because a performance oriented car should peform...A traditional automatic weighs more than a similar manual gearbox: more weight to moves means the car is slower. The manual means less weight, more performance.A traditional automatic uses a torque converter and has a substantial amount more parasitic loss of power. Thus, a car with such a transmission may have the same engine as it's manual counterpart, but it gets about 10% less of that power to the rear wheels. So in addition to having more weight to move, the automatic has less power to move that weight. More weight and less power is not good for performance.A traditional manual will normally have less geas than a similar manual, meaning the gear ratios are wider. In many performance oriented cars, this can be an issue... albeit a small ojne, but one nonetheless. In a more practical sense (since you said "foreign race car"), in an actual race car, there are seldomly custom gearing available for automatic gearboxes making them vastly non-competitive (even after the whole weighs more and makes less power thing).From an enthusiast point of view, an automatic is less engaging for the driver and thus less fun. Since such cars are usually bought for fun, the idea is to purchase the car that is the most fun.Now, if you look at modern cars with double clutch systems and other options, you'll find some of these issues no longer apply... however, those are a small fraction of what is out there (and generally only among the higher end offerings out there). So while modern automatics may have as many gears and shift faster than a person can, they still get less power to the wheels, weight more, and are less engaging for the driver.
Other Answers:
- They are frowned upon because many people try to apply obsolete thinking to modern technology. At one time, the manual transmission would out accelerate and get better fuel economy to an automatic transmission. However, the technology of the manual transmission is obsolete. Other than adding a gear or two, the manual transmission really hasn't changed much in the last 60 years.The modern computer controlled automatic transmission will out perform the manual transmission in every way. Humans really can't shift gears as well as a computer. Most times they are guessing when to shift. The computer knows precisely when to shift in any given situation to be in the best gear at all times. The modern automatic transmission gets better fuel economy and will usually accelerate better than the obsolete manual transmission.Where I live, the automobile manufacturers must meet a Corporate Average Fuel Economy Standard (CAFE). Since their modern computer controlled automatic transmissions beat the obsolete manual transmissions in fuel economy, they are discontinuing the manual transmissions to increase their CAFE ratings. It is getting more and more difficult to find a car with a manual transmission where I live.As CAFE ratings increase by law, you will see even fewer manual transmissions sold. Driving a manual transmission will soon be a lost art.
- Usually frowned upon by Car enthusiasts. "If you drive an automatic, you're not the one driving. You're just steering" I don't mind, I prefer manual but I can see why people in the cities drive an automatic. But driving a manual you have much more control.
- Automatics have their advantages and disadvantages. For some people it's the control or feel of control. I know, as a professional driver, I have better control in ice and snow with a manual than an automatic. Of course for most people the opposite is true, but they like the feel of control. Manuals also have the reputation of lasting longer and being more efficient. These are a plus for those who are looking for something ecconomical.In your question you mentioned muscle and race cars. Some people frown on automatics because they feel that they are for inexperienced drivers or that they are slower than manuals. But in reality an automatic has better acceleration due to the quick shift times and no need of letting up on the accelerator. Of course the sequential manual transmission, a true racing transmission that can be shifted without using the clutch nor letting up on the accelerator, is currently considered the best transmission for most racing applications. Now if you had one of those then you would definitely frown on an automatic.
