Help out a rookie... | FerrariChat

Help out a rookie...

Discussion in '458 Italia/488/F8' started by Joshua, Oct 6, 2009.

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  1. Joshua

    Joshua Rookie

    Oct 4, 2009
    9
    I looked and could not figure out the following...it is a paddle shifter, and you can clearly see that, but this does not require a cluth pedal? Also I dont see the shift stick...how do you go to the 'modes', parking, neutral, reverse and drive? Is there the parking mode like automatics posses which you can use on uphills, etc?

    Cheers
     
  2. TexasMike

    TexasMike F1 World Champ

    Feb 17, 2005
    10,446
    Austin, Texas
    Full Name:
    Michael C
    #2 TexasMike, Oct 6, 2009
    Last edited: Oct 6, 2009
    There is a button for auto & reverse and you pull back on both paddles to put it in neutral. When you pull back on the right paddle it engages 1st gear and then you can drive. There is no clutch pedal but there is a clutch that's operated by an actuator when you pull the paddle. Parking mode? Are you talking about an emergency brake?
     
  3. Joshua

    Joshua Rookie

    Oct 4, 2009
    9
    Auto? What is 'Auto'? I mean, in Europe, automatic cars have the following - P , R , N , D , and SD ...the P (parking) is what I meant...the mode which has a brake included...also is there the emergency brake? Thanks for the info on the clutches....I figured the buttons few minutes before...I supose 'Auto' is the 'Parking'...
     
  4. Joshua

    Joshua Rookie

    Oct 4, 2009
    9
    Also, I suppose reverse can be accesed thru neutral, opposing the auto...but I wonder now, what if you dont engage in the right clutch after starting the engine...you drive just like a normal automatic where the speeds are manually changed, or you stay in first gear? also does the car switch gear on its own if you go too high on rpm....
     
  5. TexasMike

    TexasMike F1 World Champ

    Feb 17, 2005
    10,446
    Austin, Texas
    Full Name:
    Michael C
    #5 TexasMike, Oct 6, 2009
    Last edited: Oct 6, 2009
    The "auto" mode is where the car drives like a normal automatic and the computer changes gears for you. The put the car in reverse, you press the "R" button on the center console. To engage the auto mode, you press the "auto" button on the center console. Yes, there is an emergency brake that probably has a button that you press to engage it.

    When you park the car and turn it off you probably just leave it in first gear, engage the emergency brake and turn off the key. I'm not sure what Ferrari recommends. They might say to leave it in neutral and then use the emergency brake. It's been a while since I drove an F1 Ferrari.

    Yes, if you rev the engine too high in "sport" mode it will shift the gears for you but it's not recommended that you do it on purpose. It changes for you to keep you from killing the engine so it's always better to change the gears manually or just put it in "auto" mode.
     
  6. Joshua

    Joshua Rookie

    Oct 4, 2009
    9
    Cool Mike, thanks...it is pretty much the same as any automatic car I've driven, apart the naming of commands, the buttons, and the paddle shifters...should be easy to adapt to...
    Cheers
     
  7. Doug_S

    Doug_S Formula Junior

    Apr 8, 2007
    450
    NJ
    Full Name:
    Doug
    Its not at all like an automatic. It has no torque converter.

    Automatic: put in gear, release brake, car will creep forward on level. Gear shifts will be smoothed by torque converter

    F-1 : put in first gear, release brake, you will be in the exact place of a manual with the transmission in first gear and your foot depressing the cluch. The car will even drift backwards on a hill. Gear shifts rely on matching engine speed hence some jarring shifts.

    Mostly: whenever it is not fully engaged in a gear or fully disengaged (as in gear with foot on the break) the clutch slips. In an automatic you could slip along in stop and go traffic a few inches at a time without harmful effect, with an F-1 you need to leave enough room in front of you to fully engage first gear whenever you move or you are feathering the clutch and wearing it out.
     

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