M3This

No offense to those who have a current gen IS with an auto tranny, but do you guys think the new Auto is going to be similar? If so I'm over it ....

Here is my problem .... I love the new IS ... however I know the 250 is going to be too slow for me and I want the 350. The thing is I am not an automatic fan at all ... all of my cars since I was 16 have been stick (except for my old jeep) . I have driven the BMW M3 with the SMG trans and I have to say that was the first Auto I actually loved driving. Do you guys think the new Auto will be more like the SMG or just like the current auto or a mix of the two ? If its a mix of the two or like the SMG I think I could deal with driving an auto ... but if its just like the current auto I think I might have to go and get a G35 Coupe till the IS350 comes out with a 6 speed.

phillipin

I dont think it will be anything close to the m3 smg, or maserati smg, or ferrari smg. All those 3 smg trannys are pretty smilar and very very high end. Going on typical toyotoa performance auto transmission it will probably shift quick for a manumatic but I dont think it will be a true auto clutch like the higher end cars.

But then again... anyone else have any specs on the tranny?

Gojirra99

I think the automatic transmission on the IS350 still has a torque converter & is not comparable to the F1 type sequential manual transmission. The IS350 will have paddle shifters behind the steering wheel though.
For me, I probably will not trade my G35 coupe 6MT for an IS350 with an automatic transmission.

upbull340

You ask a great question. I think a better one is why is there NO 6sp MT on day one for the IS 350? On one hand Lexus appears to want to battle Infinity, Audi and BMW but just having the automatic available on the 350 for us that want the car now makes no sense.

Does anyone know when the MT will be available and why the delay?

M3This

Yea but didnt the MR2 or Celica All Track ... well one of them ... didnt one of them have that cool *** tranny the would rev match when shifting ???? you know kind of like double clutching ?

I know one of them had it ... so if toyota made a bad *** tranny like that there should be a chance that the new IS has one too.

They should have just offered a 6MT on the350 to start with

RohithT

The MR2 had an SMG transmission. Didn't sell very well, apparently, and, anyway, that transmission would likely not work with the IS, considering the massive power differential between the MR's I4 and the IS350's V6 and the different packaging, mid-mounted vs. front-mounted.
I remember reading a review about that car too, and reading that it was the worst of the SMG's available, so it wasn't even that great of an option back then.

Is the IS auto going to be like an SMG transmission? No. It's an auto. But it'll likely be a very good auto. If you don't like them then the G35 isn't a bad choice.

Manuals represent a small slice of sales in the U.S. (I want to say it's about 20%), a slice that gets smaller and smaller the pricier the car gets. Even Audi doesn't offer a manual with its 3.2L engine now in the A4 (still an auto, no DSG for a while in the A4).

CK6Speed

iTrader: (1)

If I read correctly the SMT (Sequential Manual Transmission) in the last MR2-S was a true SMG type trans, but it did not have an auto mode like the BMW SMG. You had to shift it manually all the time. In that case I think it was pretty useless since a manual lover would simply opt for a true stick shift, and since it can't be used in auto mode it wouldn't work for an automatic shifting person.

As for the Sequential Automatic in the IS350 I think it will be okay, but definately no SMG. I drove teh RL with the similar transmission and paddle shifters and it actually shifts a lot faster than previous offerings from almost any manufacturer I've driven, but still not as fast as a true SMG.

Vlad_Stein

BMW M3 transmission is a Sequential Manual Gearbox with a computer-controlled clutch (no torque converter). Apples and oranges.... I guess, you'll just have to drive the new Lexus for yourself to see if it meets your expectations. There is also a DSG (by Volkswagen / Audi, which will probably make its way into other brands as well). It is a manual transmission with dual clutches. This means that while the first clutch holding 1st gear disengages, the other clutch is engaging the second gear. The car keeps pulling in the process of changing gears. If you do a down shift though, it is going to be slower, like a regular auto - OK for regular driving, but not good enough to replace a manual (at this point), I guess.

spwolf

SMT is OK, its problem was that MR2 has only 140hp so any difference will be felt + it was more expensive, of course.

Toyota is actually using SMT variation called MMT (Multi-Mode-Transmission) a lot these days - new Aygo, Yaris, Corolla, Corolla Verso are all getting it in europe. It is very similar to SMT with the difference of having an Auto mode. Apperantly it works great with diesel engine because of torque. They are probably trying to move to MMT for their smaller AT cars in europe because of smaller cost (50% cheaper than Auto) and better performance/mpg.

Definetly look for SMT/MMT in future Toyota models anywhere, including US. However, SMG/DSG/MMT/SMT will never be as smooth shifting as an Auto and I really dont see it in Lexus, yet. It is not perfected technology yet, it shifts roughly under certain situations and DSG has its own problems (could stall on the traffic light).

It is kind of interesting, as there are now 3 different developments of "automated" transmissions:
- Standard Automatics, still preffed in the US because of the smoothness.
- CVT which are widely popular in the Japan and a lot less everywhere else, because of the cost and image (sound, feel)
- Clutchless manuals which are becoming very popular in Europe, as they are cheaper yet deliver better MPG than Auto's.

Toyota is doing it all, 5-6 popular models having MMT in Europe, all smaller cars having CVT in jJapan and new improveed 6 speed AT's in Lexus in US.

RohithT

I don't know, have you driven the A3? The DSG in that shifted as smoothly as the auto in the E90 330i I drove right after did, and that's one of the best shifting autos I've driven.

As for the tech being perfected, well, of course not, but I think with where it's at already DSG should be on its way to supplanting regular autos over the long term, and I hope to see them proliferate quickly out of the VW/Audi group.

biker

Is anyone else bothered by the fact that the preproduction reviews of the tranny feel in the 6MT was not exactly stellar? One reviewer mentioned that the inexact feel should be worked out by production - I'm getting the feeling that it might be wise to wait at least a couple of months before jumping in on the 6MT IS250 to make sure there's no issue with the tranny. I assumed they will use the same Aisin unit that is in the CTS - that's the best shifting 6MT I ever drove - better than 6MT in the E90 3 series.