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Post by EspadaIII on Oct 29, 2024 10:48:30 GMT
Yes, I remember about 25 years ago that diesels and autos were restricted to the Audi 100 (or A6) with the 2.5 5-cyl TDi engine, the odd Merc and the Peugeot 605 DTi (I know; I had one).
Then PSA matched their 2.0 engine to an auto and Ford borrowed that combo for the Mondeo/S-Max/Galaxy. I had the S-Max version for four years and it was excellent.
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WDB
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Post by WDB on Oct 30, 2024 11:17:06 GMT
But then the early 2000s were when diesel achieved maturity as a mainstream choice rather than a niche one. You could argue it was the sheer usability of common-rail TD engines that brought diesel into consideration for people who wouldn’t previously have looked at it — me, for one, in 2002. And some of those people — although not me back then — were used to automatic transmission and expected to continue with it, although it arguably undid a lot of the efficiency benefit of the diesel engine.
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Post by EspadaIII on Oct 30, 2024 15:20:25 GMT
Certainly for small automatics they rarely worked. It would be interesting to have seen the difference between an E350Cdi auto and manual (although they didn't produce a manual). We could look at Humphs E220 auto and see what others get in a manual although mostly motorway driving will show limited difference. Around town it could be much larger.
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Rob
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Post by Rob on Oct 30, 2024 18:02:34 GMT
My brother had a diesel Cavalier in the mid 80s and that was so so slow accelerating. He got rid of that quickly. Replaced by a Citroen with one of the early TDi engines of the time - the 1.7. Much more drivable than the Cavalier or the 1.9 normally aspirated version of the BX. But the car had problems.... the footwell got really really hot on long drives. It was eventually replaced with a Peugeot 405 Mi16... For the time that seemed rapid and I guess 160PS in what was quite a light car could accelerate well but it was only 0-60mph in 8 seconds.
Did MB ever make a manual E220? I thought they'd all be autos.
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Post by EspadaIII on Oct 30, 2024 19:13:44 GMT
I think at lot of Stuggart taxis were manual.
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WDB
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Post by WDB on Oct 30, 2024 19:55:22 GMT
Did MB ever make a manual E220? I thought they'd all be autos. Yes, and I've been in one, operated by my local airport taxi firm. It was entertaining watching the driver managing four pedals with only two feet, and certainly made me glad of having an automatic in mine. I think manual was the 'standard' spec in the E brochure, at least with four cylinders. They just delivered manuals in vanishingly small numbers. |
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Rob
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Post by Rob on Oct 30, 2024 22:18:39 GMT
Ah I remember now about the foot operated parking brake in MBs although I'd assumed that was C Class as a proper MB as in E Class would be an auto.
Probably few manuals due to the foot operated parking brake.
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bpg
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Post by bpg on Oct 31, 2024 6:13:59 GMT
Taxi spec E class is not the same as what a business or private customer gets. They have wipe down interiors, and pretty basic spec. An owner operator is not going to pay £2k for an autobox, that eats into margins.
In 2024 it's possible you cannot order a manual as that is now a cost option for sporty cars.
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