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What exactly is this speedgear system? I've seen a number of classified ads (on ebay) for these which describe them as 7 speed tiptronic manuals that can be used as automatics. I've not heard of any other car, auto or manual, with 7 speeds (unless you include reverse).
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I would like to know what the hell it is too! I would imagine a 7 speed gearbox on a tiny 1.2 engine to be kind of pointless, but the reviews seem very good of the system. Please fill me and Mental Mike in :-D
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It's CVT (continuosly variable transmission)automatic primarily, using a steel-belt-drive. Fiat call it Speedgear whereas Rover call it Stepspeed (was Steptronic). CVTs offer smooth stepless (i.e. no "gear change") progress.
The 6 or 7-speed manual gizmo in my opinion defeats the idea of CVT in the first place. A lot of punters are put off automatics/CVTs for various informed or non-informed reasons, so the manufacturers came up with the wheeze of making it SEEM like a manual by having 6 or 7 pre-selected ratios selectable by either push buttons on the steering wheel or by flicking the selector lever forwards or backwards.
I think it's fair to say that these steel belt CVTs have not enjoyed the greatest of reputations/reactions.
IMHO, the orignal daddy of them all, the DAF Variomatic, had the right idea - nice and simple, and generally effective and efficient (knowing look to HJ!) RB.
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Thanks for the explanation. I knew it was too good to be true (for £5K)!
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And if you DID want to buy one, Fiat have had quite a few with 'just of the boat' mileages,in the BritishCarAuction Fiat sales, for about half list price, recently!
Mark
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I've had one for 2 years and so far it's great.The manual change is largely a waste of time,it goes best on Drive economy which limits the revs to 4000 max.
If you need more acceleration the economy mode can be switched off with a button near the gera lever.
I bought the car from Trade |Sales at Slough and bought a 5 year warranty at the same time in case the gearbox fails.The warranty requires servicing by a dealer OR a VAT registered garage,so I use my local man who has looked after all my cars for about the last 20 years.
When he tried to get the internal and external flilters for the gearbox for the 24k service it took several days.The storeman at the dealer said they did not usuallly bother with them!!
What would happen if the gearbox faile d and the warranty co. had found that these filters had not been replaced,had I used the dealer for servicing.
The warranty co. is the same one Fiat use for their extra warranties.
By the way the Speedgear has 6 speeds, but in Drive the final drive is longer giving lower revs at cruising speeds.
At any speed the box always feels "in gear".
I've had autos for the last 28 years and to drive this is the best.
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