F1
 

The F-1 style paddle shifter on the new Ferrari's and more and more luxury cars IS not an Automatic transmission. It is a transmission designed for racing that allows the driver to keep both hands on the wheel and allow for faster shifts with no error possible. There is a clutch, but is not the typical manual.

Manual
Automatic - (fully OR Tiptronic)
Sequential Gearbox (motorcycle or F1)

3 different transmissions......F1 does not equal automatic.

Just a rant because on some of the cars posted here say the car stinks because its an auto, when in fact it is not an auto, but F1.

Agreed. Sequential Manual Transmission =! automatic w/ the ability to shift.

However, most newer cars that are coming with a Sportronic or Shiftable automatic transmission is just that... a shiftable automatic transmission. You just take over for the computer and tell the car when to shift.

F1 is vastly different than Shiftronic (Sportronic, Tiptronic) though. Those have like a 3 second lag behind it and is mostly a novelty thing (located on the gearbox oppose to the paddles on the steering wheel) to have for cars. F1 paddle-shifting is the fastest way to shift gears in a car (manual, auto, shiftronic) and shifts in like milliseconds.

The Tiptronic is still an automatic at heart, complete with a torque convertor and all; while the sequential gearbox is NOT an automatic in any form.

MY 76 HONDA-MATIC 2 SPEED YOU HAD TO SHIFT WAS A...???
.....SEMI-AUTOMATIC ?...HA HA XOXOXOO

Is the Ferrari production model an actual sequential gearbox, or just a "regular" gearbox with electronics gizmos that make it work like an auto ot sequential?

It's still based on the 6-speed manual gearbox but with the traditional mechanical-link shifting mechanism replaced by an electronic clutch and a high-pressure hydraulic shift actuator.

In other words, it's wicked cool!

Well... YEAH! :D

Yeah, and it burns clutches in a trice. It also gives the impression you're playing a video game - another nail in the coffin of driver involvement, skill, and mechanical connection. Not what I'd call wicked cool, but then I'm an old stickshift-in-the-mud...

I think it would be a PITA to have one of these transmissions on anything but a dedicated race car. Slow speed maneuvering is horrible (multi-point turns...) on most of these systems, and you have to keep both hands on the wheel.

Not auto at all...

I WISH I had a paddle shifter!

For slow speed maneuvering you just flip it into automatic mode and forget about changing gears (though it's not as smooth as an automatic, because of the lack of hydraulic torque converter).