what is tiptronic on a car?

Question

i have heard its manual and auto in one but does the car still have a clutch.

Answer 1

Tiptronic is a type of discrete automatic transmission developed by Porsche and used in its vehicles and those of its licensees. A Tiptronic transmission can operate just as the common type of automatic transmission, but it also allows the driver to override the automatic mode by moving the shift lever into a second (Tiptronic) shift gate equipped with two spring-loaded positions: "upshift" and "downshift". Once in this gate, the driver takes over most of the shifting decisions ordinarily performed by the transmissions computer, permiting, for example, the delaying of an upshift for increased acceleration or explicitly commanding a downshift to increase the braking effect of the engine. On some cars, the upshift and downshift operations can also be commanded by pushbuttons or rocker switches installed on the steering wheel and a display commonly indicates the current gear selection.

Though Tiptronic transmissions allow the driver a certain measure of discrete control, the Tiptronic design is implemented using a torque converter like other automatic transmissions. A Tiptronic is not a computer controlled clutch-manual transmission or semi-automatic transmission. Most Tiptronic implementations still make some shifts automatically, primarily to protect the engine and transmission. For example, as used by Audi, a five-speed Tiptronic will make the upshifts from 1 to 2 and 2 to 3 automatically when moving off from a stop even when in Tiptronic mode; the transmission then waits for the user's upshift command before proceeding from 3 to 4 and 4 to 5, although the transmission will still upshift if the redline is approached. On deceleration, the transmission will make all downshifts automatically to avoid running the engine at too-low an RPM although the user can accelerate any downshift (that would not violate the redline), thus allowing improved engine braking or preparation for future acceleration.

Most luxury vehicles with a Tiptronic transmission have two fully-automatic modes: One, identified as "Comfort" or similar, and another, usually called "Sport," which delays upshifts for a sportier driving at the expense of fuel, wear, comfort, and noise. Then, within each major mode there are additional hidden modes selected by the transmission itself; these modes adapt to the demands being placed upon the car by the driver. In this way, shift quality has been improved due to better electronic controls; these electronics modify the shift points to adapt to a given operator's driving style.

Some exotic marques such as Aston Martin, Ferrari and Smart offer paddle-shifters behind the steering wheel for controlling their similar transmissions.

Tiptronic® is a registered trademark, and it is owned by German sports car maker Porsche, who licenses it for use by others such as Volkswagen and Audi.

Other manufacturers use Tiptronic-like systems under different names:

Acura: SportShift
Audi: Tiptronic
BMW: Steptronic
Ford (Australia): Sequential Sports Shift
Hyundai: Shiftronic, H-Matic
Infiniti: Manual Shift Mode
Jaguar: Bosch® Mechatronic
Lexus: E-Shift
Mazda: Sport AT
Mercedes-Benz: TouchShift
Mitsubishi: Sportronic
Vauxhall/Opel: Easytronic
Peugeot: 2Tronic
Pontiac: TAPshift
Saab : Sentronic
Smart : Softip
Volvo: Geartronic.
Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tiptronic"

Answer 2

Tiptronic

Answer 3

Tiptronic is a type of discrete automatic transmission developed by Porsche and used in its vehicles

Answer 4

As far as I recall, it's clutchless & works a bit like the sequential gearboxes in BTCC/DTM race cars or the semi-automatics in a Formula1 cars.

Found a bit more blurb on them here:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tiptronic

Answer 5

It is a manual shifting option, a sort of paddle affair in which you can flip it up or down a gear at a time to drive an automatic in a manner similar to a stick shift experience without the clutch. Porshe has had them for years. Some others have adopted it.

Answer 6

a tiptronic car is a automatic which also has the feture of being able to setect gears but not useing a clutch push the lever back - the gears go up click it foward- the gears go down easy

Answer 7

it is a manual shifting option, a type of paddle affair wherein you could turn it up or down a equipment at a time to pressure an automated in a way similar to a stick shift revel in with out the take hold of. Porshe has had them for years. some others have followed it.

Answer 8

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tiptronic

Answer 9

Manual "paddle" type gear selector, on steering wheel. Don't need t ouse clutch.

Answer 10

Interesting thread!