This is stepping over the line. It’s just too (how do I put it)… unnecessary.
Sure, six gears are just sweet for high speed cruising. Seven is overkill, even for luxury cars, while eight is just too damn much.
How many gears do you need to get from point A to point B?
Yes, you may get some boost in fuel economy, but what about the ‘oomph’? Having too many gears just gives you too little rpm range for engine braking, something that is completely necessary if you’re planning on crossing the 200mph mark.
Unless you’re a lightning-fast shifter, the time it will take to downshift from 8th to 2nd gear just in time to avoid hurtling off a corner will have gotten you in the hospital by then.
Even double clutches can’t shift as fast. Even if they were to become capable in the near future, it’s just a waste of energy.
It also gives more ‘free-wheeling’ time to leave you helpless in high speed cornering, a big NO-NO for hooners.
Well, all of this is from a performance perspective. Still, eight gears will surely do wonders of squeezing more miles out of each gallon.
Keep up the good work, Audi. You’re amazing.
Source: Autoblog
