You are right on one point: Manual transmissions use a clutch plate
The RX8 Automatic is infact an automatic transmission that can be shifted manually with the paddles.
Indy cars are not autos. They have a clutch and they use it. They only have to use it in the pits (or any other time they come to a complete stop) since a computer automatically blips the throttle when they pull the shifter. Indy cars have a sequential manual gearbox.
Automatic transmissions are planetary gear sets that shift by engaging different clutch bands and clutch packs with hydrolic pressure and use a torque converter to couple the engine to the transmission.
Manual transmissions use a clutch plate to couple the engine and transmission. A manual transmission doesn't use planetary gear sets, but actually has different sized gears inside.
Cars like Lamorgini's, Ferrari's, Aston Martins, or BMW's that have the SMG (Sequential Manual Gearbox) can be shifted with paddles without the driver using a clutch pedal, but they're manual transmissions and computers take care of blipping the throttle and engaging/disengaging the clutch.
Cars like the RX8, Acura TSX, Pontiac Grand Prix, and most other cars on the market with manual shift modes (push button shifting) are automatic transmissions that allow the driver to change gears. They have torque converters and planetary gear sets.
Just because there's no clutch pedal doesn't mean it's an automatic.[/QUote
Yea but logically speaking a manual is shifting the gear via a stick while engaging a clutch. Auto is the ability to have the car automatically change gears via the torq converter or computer feeling a change or stress within gears. Earlier cars used vacuum which was slowly than a person using a manuall. But with todays tech. autos are much faster than manuals.....
Thanks alot for the input......
