New Smart will become broader and more "premium"

[Carbon Brabus]

Originally Posted by Neonspinnazz

If the next fortwo has a CVT, I'll be greatly disappointed.

Manuals are fun, Automatics are convenient...CVTs aren't fun and repairing them takes convenient out of the equation...

You don't repair a CVT it gets replaced!

A couple of hours in the shop and it's done (not so inconvenient on a smart), and you have a brand spanking new trans to thrash!

I'd prefer the Jatco CVT over a pure automatic and most definitely over the herky jerky semi-auto trans currently in the smart.

[Stretchmobile]

Originally Posted by Carbon Brabus

You don't repair a CVT it gets replaced!

A couple of hours in the shop and it's done (not so inconvenient on a smart), and you have a brand spanking new trans to thrash!

I'd prefer the Jatco CVT over a pure automatic and most definitely over the herky jerky semi-auto trans currently in the smart.

I would consider this as long as the transmissions were lined up on the shelf at Walmart.

[BB Benz]

Originally Posted by Carbon Brabus

You don't repair a CVT it gets replaced!

A couple of hours in the shop and it's done (not so inconvenient on a smart), and you have a brand spanking new trans to thrash!

I'd prefer the Jatco CVT over a pure automatic and most definitely over the herky jerky semi-auto trans currently in the smart.

Yeah, but at $5000.00 plus like the engine...... NOT!

[Carbon Brabus]

Originally Posted by Stretchmobile

I would consider this as long as the transmissions were lined up on the shelf at Walmart.

Jatco CVTs are readily available in the U.S., Nissan uses alot of them.

Originally Posted by BB Benz

Yeah, but at $5000.00 plus like the engine...... NOT!

A CVT is very inexpensive compared the trans in the smart now, I think the last one I sent out when I worked at Jatco USA had a $2500 MSRP.

What I like most with a CVT is the almost unlimited number of gear ratios without the need to change any hardware it's all software.

The Toroidal CVT we had in our Nissan Gloria (Infinity M45) wasvery cool but the downside to the trans was it didn't like the cold and if the tech was alergic to shellfish the fluid could kill him! Shellfish was actually an ingrediant in the fluid used as a friction modifier in our test vehicle anyway.

[Karl Roth]

Not almost, a CVT has limitless ratio capability. I have driven two of them, other than a number of scooters over the years. One was a M113 APC and the other a DAF. Both used rubber belts like a scooter and they worked well but are not much fun. In theory they work great, until in the real world people use them wrong and they loose some of there efficiency.

A direct injected gas motor is what I would like to see.

[Mike T]

Modern CVTs are awful, unless you like hearing a cacophonous engine at 5000 RPM all the time when accelerating. They were good in 2 cylinder Dafs in the OLD days. Those were low-tech and lasted (though the rubber bands had to be changed every few years).

I am driving a Mercedes B 200 Turbo with 192 HP and CVT as a loaner car while mine is having new doors put on, and the CVT absolutely ruins the driving. They are fragile too.

[Pee-wee German]

If smart had a cvt, maybe it'd be a retrofitted unit from a Suzuki Burgman or
Honda Silverwing or sumtn.