I was hoping for a dual clutch unit like the DSG from VW.

 

No dual clutch box; believe me, if Mini had such a thing in the works, you would have heard about it. Every dual-clutch transmission I'm aware of adds significant compkexity, cost, weight, and size, so I'm not sure one could even fit in a Mini in a practical way. But, they do manage to fit one in the Golf, or whatever it's called, don't they?

 

Honda just introduced one on their motorcycles, if they can do it there, how long before it's on their cars?

Once you've driven one, it's hard to go back to a regular auto box, even a good one like the MINI uses.

 

Good automatic, there's an oxymoron... Like jumbo shrimp.

 

Well, I realize there is a significant prejudice against automatic transmissions out there, (completely unfounded IMHO) but as current autoboxes go, the one in the MINI is pretty darn good, and adding the flappy paddles makes it not only more fun but easier to use. I've driven sticks all my life and I'm perfectly happy with my current auto MINI.

But the dual clutch boxes are a whole 'nuther level, and there's a reason they use them in F1 and other racing series!

 

I don't want to start a flame war, but a dual-clutch is not an automatic transmission as that term is commonly used. There are two problems with a conventional automatic: 1) the power loss from the torque converter and 2) the loss of driver control from the transmission determining shift points.

A dual-clutch box has neither of these issues. The drive is through a clutch, not a torque converter, so there is no power loss. And the driver can, if he or she chooses, select the shift points. The only difference is that the clutch pedal and gear lever go away.

Now, I know there's a school of thought that says if you're not operating a clutch pedal and you're not stirring a gear lever, then you're not really driving. Tell that to Lewis Hamilton. I drove an M3 for years with the infamous single-clutch SMG, and contrary to public opinion, thought it was great, particularly at the track.

If you think more driver input on shifting is optimal, why not go back and eliminate synchromesh, so you have to double-clutch all shifts? That would really take a lot of skill. I prefer a manual to a conventional automatic, but the dual-clutch transmissions are a whole different thing and should not be demonized as just another automatic.

 

why demonize automatics in the first place? there are many MINI drivers that are disabled and cannot drive a manual, period. I know of two, with only two legs between them

 

what a juvenile and uninformed statement. is this what NAM is coming to? Better go and attend to your shrimp boat there, Forrest

Oh and to answer the original post, God forbid we should try, no. Why change such a good thing? that autobox is one of the few things that hasnt given MINI fits since introduced in 2005.

 

I'm not demonizing them, I just don't like them. I've NEVER driven one that actually works the way I want it to.

And a dual clutch tranny is not an automatic.

Disabled people can drive whatever they want.

Jeez

 

Someone calling someone else juvenile and following up with an childish insult. I guess you can add irony to this thread as well.

 

How about we ALL keep it on topic and respectful?

People have a right to drive whichever transmission they choose. If you don't like an automatic, don't drive one - bashing those folks here is out of line and won't be tolerated.

And perhaps in the future, rather than feeding the troll, we could just ignore it, and/or use the "report" feature.

 

Back to the topic:

2011 Automatic in non-sport mode will shift to neutral in traffic/at traffic light(save a little bit fuel in city driving), similar to what Audi first offered in A5. Push the sport button will disable this feature and give the car 100% off the line grunt.

Also the shift strategy has been altered for smoother shift quality in slow traffic.

 

Very cool This is my #1 complaint with my 2010 Cooper. I came from a 2006 w/CVT and the jerkiness is annoying. It took some time to get used to just *having* gear shifts but the jerks in 1st/2nd can be whiplash-inducing!

 

I wish they would allow it to go into 6th gear on the highway when the sport button is pushed - without having to move the lever over to manual and then shift it to 6th!

I wonder if the dealer can program it to do this?

 

Back to topic, this addresses some of the negatives of the Aisin. You hear a lot of owners having to manually downshift to 1st at stoplights, and generally choppiness at slow speed.

Dual clutch would be nice, but the Aisin, torque converter and all is still a great transmission. They need to put the paddles back on the standard Cooper, though.

 

At that point, will it go into 6th by itself if you just unclick the sport button?

 

Yes it will shift to 6th after 30 secs

 

My question is what happens to the paddles??
Are they the same convenient but not so sporty push/pull or bmw changed them to left - , right + like the new bmw models???

 

I would like to see a dual clutch transmission in a future Mini. I'm enjoying the Aisin I have right now but wouldn't mind dropping the torque convertor if it meant gaining a bit more power (look at the Alta tune results for auto vs manual).

BMW already has the SMG/SMG II. If they can fit one into a Z4 it is really unreasonable to assume they can wedge it into a Mini?

 

You are kidding right? A straight 6 and a 6 speed takes a lot of room. A transverse 4 and a transaxle... not so much.

Remember you have to mount the tranny sideways.

 

What he said ^

Still, they can make it small, as I noted before, Honda has one in a motorcycle now, one with a V4 engine mounted lengthwise in the frame too!

I prefer they keep the shifting arrangement they have now, rather than one hand for upshifts and one for downshifts - as it is now, I only use one hand to shift with the the flappy paddles, just as I did with my previous stickshift car. Old habits die hard I guess!

And to address an earlier question that wasn't answered completely.....

When you push the Sport button, but don't move the lever into the manual position, the transmission will not engage 6th gear, at least at any road speeds I've been able to legally drive. If you move the lever into the manual position and either hit upshift with the flappy paddle or the lever - it does not wait 30 sec to shift, it does it immediately. However if you're in Sport mode, lever in the normal position, and take it out of sport mode by pressing the button, it will shift into 6th within 30 sec, assuming your road speed is high enough to warrant 6th gear. Clear as mud, right?

Also, occasionally when you're in the normal mode, and you manually downshift by pressing one of the flappy paddles, the tranny can get "confused", especially if it was just about to downshift on its own, and go down one or even two gears lower than you intended. I only had this happen in the mountains, where the terrain changed rapidly, like on switchbacks. If I put it in manual mode (which I did most of the time I was in the mountains) it only does what you tell it to - as long as you're within the built-in limits for the gear you're using.

 

I hate hate hate automatics but I don't care if others like them, whatever, that's their choice. I just hate the squishy feel of a torque converter and the lag of shifting when you try to use tiptronic or paddles. Again, if you like it that's fine for you.

For the longest time I felt the same way about the auto-clutch setups until about two weeks ago. I had the opportunity to flog a dsg equipped vw scirocco for 5 laps around the nurburgring. My perception is completely changed now and I would consider buying something that works as well as the scirocco did. Still wouldn't touch an automatic though :P

 

My 2010 (w/ auto) suffers from lack of smoothness, especially when coming to a stop. My wife complains that I don't know how to drive an automatic (this IS my first to own, but I have logged many miles on automatics of various sorts, esp at work).

I am assuming electronics controls for up and downshifting, but the Aisin does an admirable job, including downshifting all by itself, without any paddle inducements, when it deems proper.

If I had a whole, painless, intact, left knee, I would still be driving my manual 2006 MCS. Said bad left knee has given me a whole new respect for automagic transmissions. When needed, the right tool for the job!

 

We have the select neutral feature in our Renault laguna with the aisin 55-50sn autobox, and I cant say I like it very much, it will engage neutral 2 seconds after the vehicle is stopped and foot on brake, its just if you are a bit quick off the brake & onto the gas, it can thump into gear, so you have to wait until you can feel it engage after you have took your foot off the brake before you hit the gas, its only a fraction of a second to engage, but for what it saves on fuel its not worth it, the saving grace though is it can be overidden by flipping it into manual.

As for our 2006 cooper s auto we have the same issue with the jerky low speed 1st to 2nd and the downchange 3rd to 2nd, its only done 24k, I have done 2 transmission fluid changes (drain/fill) and it has got a lot better, but you can still feel the change 1st to 2nd & 3rd to 2nd, all the other gearshifts are smooth up & down you can hardly feel them.
So some of you are still having the same hard shifting issue in the 2010 models, I would have thought by now BMW would have got a software update for us to cure this issue

 

I have the exact same issue with a 2008 cooper, rough/jerky 1st to 2nd, and 3rd to 2nd (any time 2nd gear is engaged the gear sort of pops or thumps?). The car has only 21k miles. Any permanent resolution? The Aisin ATF is expensive overhere and I'd hate to do 2 oil changes and start convincing myself it's gone or ignore it till it gets wor$e.
I don't think this is a software problem.
Up to ISTA/P 2.37 there aren't any updates for the EGS (transmission module), nevertheless the car's had all other modules updated to 2.37 and still problem exists.