Scottish Elises

After seeing a very silly offroad toy i am wandering if the k-series every came with a auto box?

Pretty sure there is a 218 automatic ...

Cheers,
Robin

There was a CVT box on the MGF, it could imitate gears but was essentially a CVT

Steptronic it was called, had a full auto and flappy paddle setup. If it was a better box 9although alot of that was probably software) I would love one in an elise but without the flappy paddles just plane old cvt

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LlWYTnaDnK0
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ABaJidk9SJA

CVT would be ace

Looks tiny but is apparently rev-limited and couldn't cope with the VVC - I suspect it's power limited..

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/1996-MG-F-1-8-16V ... 588200685f

Apparently slower than a manual but would surely be down to the software being crap? I suppose it has a torque converter??

Add a manual clutch for starting off and some funky software then sit in the power band all day long and just change ratio??!

(EDIT Looks like it has a normal clutch throwout bearing?!)

Oh this is what got my brain thinking

http://forum.difflock.com/viewtopic.php?t=14499

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Tf1ioLc5fM

Done a bit of raking..
According to the MGF workshop manual the Steptronic has a VT1-11A gearbox. The 2001 MGF Sales Brochure says that a Steptronic (called Stepspeed in the TF due to BMW owning steptronic) has a maximum torque of 165Nm @3000 rpm and 120Ps @ 5500 rpm.

There are the three models of CVT gearbox that ZF make:

Type VT1 capable of 165 NM = 121.7 ft.lb
Type CFT 23 for max 250 NM = 184.4 ft.lb
Type CFT 30 for max 310 NM = 228.6 ft.lb

As fitted to the MG, the CVT 'box is already at the limit of what it will take in regards to the engine's torque output.
I had thought that the uprated design was fitted to the BMW MINI, but as far as I can find out the MINI uses the VT1 box in its VT1-F form.
Not a scooby if the MINI Cooper S variant comes with a CVT box. If it did then I would assume it was fitted with the stronger CFT 23 or CFT 30 types, seeing as the Coop S produces 240 NM @ 1600 rpm and 175bhp @ 5500 rpm. Could be something to look into.. I know a few folk running NOS on their MG's were looking into the Mini Gearbox a while back.

Rich H wrote: Apparently slower than a manual but would surely be down to the software being crap? I suppose it has a torque converter??

It has a torsional damper insyead of a torque converter, they do appear to be slower than a manual box (0-60 time is slower)

More info here

http://www.mini2.com/cvt/zf_vt1f_gearbo ... iption.pdf
http://www.mini2.com/forum/attachment.p ... 1097680293

you cannot tow a car with this type of gearbox (may rule it out for the elise )

the modern mini's come with a getrag 6 speed auto box

nice find!

Are those other boxes bolt-on fits?

They should "bolt on" reasonably easily as they are fitted to MGF steptronics but they are software controlled, that is what might cause the problems.

Where is Robin when you need him!

Could be 'interesting' to tune

The interesting bit will be the initial start off, how do you get engine revs/gearing to work together. I would think you could have a hand throttle - 3 settings: idle/start, max torque, max economy
Might get very tiring though having the lump buzzing at 4.5k rpm all the time though!

I would love to fit one in the car like you say a switch on the car to set whatever mode you want, the only problem I ccan see it the gearbox is setup to simulate gearchanges because "thats what the public want" when the throttle is depressed more than 85% it will "kickdown" for a race/track application it would work well.

Alas it will always be out of favour until the technology is used on track and that will never happen.

BiggestNizzy wrote:I would love to fit one in the car like you say a switch on the car to set whatever mode you want, the only problem I ccan see it the gearbox is setup to simulate gearchanges because "thats what the public want" when the throttle is depressed more than 85% it will "kickdown" for a race/track application it would work well.

Alas it will always be out of favour until the technology is used on track and that will never happen.

It wont' happen, as it's actually prohibited in most race regs. Pretty much everything specifies a fixed number of fixed forward ratios. I agree on the technical advantages of CVT, but jesus, it'd be boring to listen to...

moooooOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO (repeat until catatonic)

I think it was williams who tried it in F1 and even before a race it was banned. half the problem with F1 is the lack of inovation nowadays as the regs are so tight it's all a variation on a theme.

The sound thing wouldn't bother me and I get bored changing gears, maybe I'm getting old though.

Shug wrote:moooooOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO (repeat until catatonic)

Agreed it would sound properly sh!t but imagine the surprise when you zip off into the distance without a change in engine note and without evidence of a gearchange!
Would need to be silenced in the extreme though. Also you would need some sort of start off thing that didn't dump the clutch...

Can't believe they couldn't get the 0-60 down - there is an instant half+ sec advantage to not having to change gear!

I am suprised also apparently the williams CVT was several seconds a lap quicker and yes you would have to put a quieter exhaust on it as you would in effect go everywhere (when in sport/race mode) at full chat.

The Nissan CVT look a better bet too.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x3UpBKXMRto