So it appears as if the new 350GT in Japan has three transmission options: a 5AT, 6MT, and 8CVT. The 8CVT being continously variable transmission w/ paddel shifters! I could see this technology showing up in our '08s so keep a look out. (note the 6MT and 8CVT still have the same hp rating).

 

^lol...see i knew that struck your intrest last night when i told you.

 

theyve had this since 03 in japan only. i dont get it though, if its CVT why would you need to shift? there shouldnt be any gears at all.
http://auto.howstuffworks.com/cvt.htm

 

And I'm not sure if they dyno differently but we appear to have more power if I'm reading this right.

coupe:360nm=264lbft, 200kW=268hp
This also has their redline dropping off at 6,500 vs our 7,000 (for rev-up)

(note the graph does go slightly above the noted mark but its less than a 5nm or kW diff).

 

They've had 8CVT since '03? I don't recall seeing it on their site before. Granted it has been about a year since I looked last...

 

okay granted they do have 8 speed and about the same power as ours, how much more beneificial is have 8 speed vs 6 speed? Is it better performance? Better fuel mileage?

 

the 8spd is new, it used to be 6spd cvt. i remember when i first got my car last year, and posted info about the 6spd cvt on the coupe forum, everyone were like "this is old news " newho 8spd = better mileage and better acceleration. Id take the Sequencial M gear in the bmws

 

^+
More gears allows you to stay in the high end of your power band more, and having the final gear ratio set higher will increase your fuel economy (ex at 80mph in 6th we're around 3k rpm @ 21mpg in 8th they may be at like 2k @ 25mpg)

 

ahhh i see now...well its too late now for the current bodystyle of coupes in the US to get the 8 speed setup, but hopefully it will make it over the 08 coupe and the GT-R when released.

 

I dont get it. I thought the hole purpose of the CVT was not having gears?

 

I'm thinking that it allows you to get higher rpms, go higher into the power band. If you were setting an ECU for a CVT you'd have it change the ratio so that power/economy would be otopized, the effect would be simiar to shifting around 2-3k. But everyonce and a while you would want it to stay at a given ratio long enough to peak.
Note sure if thats what their doing, but thats my 2cents. That would explain why they have 8 gears, heck they could easily have 15 with the same setup if they really wanted...

 

Here is a shot of the CVT that Nissan is using.

 

Well that explains everything.... ^^

 

hahahaha. you mean to tell me you cant read that?

 

My right hand is broken. I had surgery to reattach the bone with pins and I'm in an immobilizing cast with no use of my right hand. I still managed to come to work shifting with my left hand. AT/CVT would be nice right about now as I almost got in an accident in Herndon driving to lunch while shifting with my left hand and the steering wheel ran free and I cut some poor guy off. If there is a God, he's a sicko sadist.