The appeal of a sports car with a manual transmission is the driver’s feeling of power when shifting gears. Manufacturers like Porsche, BMW and other premium brands have used this mythical image to sell luxury cars throughout the world. Every driver who wants to cut down on money spent at the pump should leave the freedom of the gearshift behind in favor of responsible shifting.
Advances in automatic transmissions and indicator lights have helped many drivers avoid responsibility for gear shifting. The Environmental Protection Agency has done tests with Saab sedans that show a 9% improvement in fuel economy in vehicles with upshift indicator lights. Most manufacturers are moving toward continuously variable transmissions (CVT) that blend the precision of automatic transmissions with the fuel efficiency of a manual.
These technological advancements do not excuse drivers with automatic transmissions from gear shifting responsibilities. Every driver should learn to push a car’s auto transmission from one gear to the next by monitoring RPMs. A sluggish transmission may not be responsive enough to acceleration and braking to achieve a driver’s optimal fuel efficiency. These drivers should chart the speeds at which transmissions switch from one gear to the next for a smoother, inexpensive ride.
There are plenty of drivers in the United States who use manual transmissions in order to feel the rhythm of the road. These drivers need to follow some simple gear shifting tips to cut fuel consumption while enjoying road trips. The key to fuel efficient driving with a manual transmission is learning to slot each gear to a specific speed. Drivers should switch to second gear as they reach 15 miles per hour (MPH) and fifth gear by 30 mph without worrying about hitting every gear along the way.
The simplest way to think about gear shifting in manual transmissions is that lower gears require greater amounts of fuel. While drivers may not want to cut gas consumption constantly, they will need to bite the bullet by getting into low gears when traveling uphill. These drivers will be heartened that they can use high and overdrive gears to reduce engine strain at highway speeds. Motorists with manual transmissions should always keep their RPMs in mind whether they are traveling on interstate highways or mountain roads.
This is interesting. I don’t know what kind of transmission does the Smart car has, but when I drove it in Europe, it could be either automatic or manual, just with a switch of a button. I liked better the manual, because I felt more in control, and still, it was the most economic fuel efficient car I’ve ever driven.