Sportshift 4 - Opinions
Discussion
Aston Martin says the following:
Aston Martin’s Sportshift™ transmission has undergone a series of specific changes to broaden the capabilities of the gearbox to offer customers enhanced comfort and convenience with sporting capabilities. Changes include a revised control strategy, allowing the transmission, rather than the engine, to dictate how best the engine torque should be deployed to optimise performance and deliver power smoothly and consistently.
‘Dual Throttle Map’ software is also featured. When ‘Comfort’ mode is selected the engine reacts in a smoother more progressive manner to driver throttle inputs and in the default ‘Sports’ mode the throttle mapping is more aggressive, delivering a more dynamic and sporting feel.
Sportshift™ now also has the capability to take inputs from the steering wheel enabling the current gear to be held when the car is negotiating a corner and hill descent detection, allowing a low gear to be held, maximising the effects of engine braking.
Has anyone driven the upgraded version of Sportshift (version 4?) and if so, what were your impressions. The Autocar video review says 'avoid it' stick with a manual, whilst the MSN Cars review says 'it's the only 'box to have'.
Aston Martin’s Sportshift™ transmission has undergone a series of specific changes to broaden the capabilities of the gearbox to offer customers enhanced comfort and convenience with sporting capabilities. Changes include a revised control strategy, allowing the transmission, rather than the engine, to dictate how best the engine torque should be deployed to optimise performance and deliver power smoothly and consistently.
‘Dual Throttle Map’ software is also featured. When ‘Comfort’ mode is selected the engine reacts in a smoother more progressive manner to driver throttle inputs and in the default ‘Sports’ mode the throttle mapping is more aggressive, delivering a more dynamic and sporting feel.
Sportshift™ now also has the capability to take inputs from the steering wheel enabling the current gear to be held when the car is negotiating a corner and hill descent detection, allowing a low gear to be held, maximising the effects of engine braking.
Has anyone driven the upgraded version of Sportshift (version 4?) and if so, what were your impressions. The Autocar video review says 'avoid it' stick with a manual, whilst the MSN Cars review says 'it's the only 'box to have'.
toohuge said:
TheDeadPrussian said:
Aston Martin says the following:
The Autocar video review says 'avoid it' stick with a manual, whilst the MSN Cars review says 'it's the only 'box to have'.
To be honest, i would go with autocar's verdict. I would personally go for a 'proper' manual.The Autocar video review says 'avoid it' stick with a manual, whilst the MSN Cars review says 'it's the only 'box to have'.
Stick or no stick that is the question?
Personally I want to heal and toe brake, blip the throttle going down the gears and do all the rest of what keeps me entertained whilst driving.
But that's me.
Flappys have a rep for being hard on clutches, only if you monster them from stand still a lot. If you want more longevity a suggestion of trailing throttle on the upshift can help with wear.
But at the end of the day it's down to personal choice, there's no real mechanical argument against flappys these days, they are precise and practically fool-proof but they do take away from the "whole" experience.
IMO of course.
F.C.
P.S. Also with a flappy you won't lunch your engine with an accidental max rev down shift!
Personally I want to heal and toe brake, blip the throttle going down the gears and do all the rest of what keeps me entertained whilst driving.
But that's me.
Flappys have a rep for being hard on clutches, only if you monster them from stand still a lot. If you want more longevity a suggestion of trailing throttle on the upshift can help with wear.
But at the end of the day it's down to personal choice, there's no real mechanical argument against flappys these days, they are precise and practically fool-proof but they do take away from the "whole" experience.
IMO of course.
F.C.
P.S. Also with a flappy you won't lunch your engine with an accidental max rev down shift!
Thanks for the opinions expressed so far, it seems quite evenly split between those for and those against.
I have always thought that I would not move from a manual 'box (I did experiment with a 12 month stint in an M3 with SMG, but soon returned to manual), but with the improvements being made in the manual automatics and the DSG 'boxes, it seems like time to give it a try (again).
I have about two more weeks before my specification will be set in stone, at the moment I have decided to go with the Sportshift.
Has anyone driven the revised Sportshift 4, is it a noticeable improvement over the previous software?
I have always thought that I would not move from a manual 'box (I did experiment with a 12 month stint in an M3 with SMG, but soon returned to manual), but with the improvements being made in the manual automatics and the DSG 'boxes, it seems like time to give it a try (again).
I have about two more weeks before my specification will be set in stone, at the moment I have decided to go with the Sportshift.
Has anyone driven the revised Sportshift 4, is it a noticeable improvement over the previous software?
I have sportshift on an 07 plate, so just after it was introduced. Find 1st to 2nd can be a bit jerky, otherwise OK, never use comfort or Auto, the paddles work great. Not sure what sportshift '4' is, if it is designed to make the whole transmission smoother can this be applied as a fix / upgrade on the early version.
alphonso said:
I've just test driven a v8v sportshift and got a bit annoyed with the paddles remaining in the same place when the steering wheel moves round... do you get used to this? I don't like the idea of fumbling for a paddle when coming out of a bend
what do y'all think?
It's not usually a good idea to change gear whilst turning. Upsets the car's balance.what do y'all think?
That said, I'm sure you'd get used to it and they're not that far away regardless of where you are
toohuge said:
TheDeadPrussian said:
Aston Martin says the following:
The Autocar video review says 'avoid it' stick with a manual, whilst the MSN Cars review says 'it's the only 'box to have'.
To be honest, i would go with autocar's verdict. I would personally go for a 'proper' manual.The Autocar video review says 'avoid it' stick with a manual, whilst the MSN Cars review says 'it's the only 'box to have'.
well I can honestly report that the sportshift does not ruin the car, perhaps you need to try it before you condemn it, works fine for me and enjoy the SS. In fact the sportshift box is the choice for me over the manual, 400 miles over the weekend to just check how much I enjoy the car.
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