[Vincent]

I just want to check with GS owners here on how hard it is to master this gearbox... I mean I have heard some negative stuff on how hard it is to use.

Many thanks for all the info...

V.

 

[MVP]

It depends on. My Father could not get it down at all. He's tried on an SMG and my CC. But a friend of mine who just bought a 360. Got my CC down first try. He drove the car better than me. It really just depends on the person. Some people will say it's easier then walking and others will say it's extremely difficult to master.

For me it was really easy to learn but a little harder to master.

Oh and I'm not a GS owner but don't see why it matters that much.

 

[RQ]

After some familiarity it is great...

 

[hmbgransport]

Just lift off the throttle a hair

I have driven with the guy from the Maserati factory and he said to me to drive in it sport mode as much as possible because it is easier on the clutch. You can feel this when driving in normal mode, the stop and go transition from first gear is the most evident because the clutch will disengage itself and engage itself.

While in sport mode, you will feel the clutch engage much faster and thats what you want to do, because if you keep on riding the clutch, you will have to replace the clutch very soon, and thats not a cheap service.

The guy from the factory also suggested that when you are at a stop, to let traffic go first, dont do a lil creep and then stop and then a lil creep again, because this wheres out the clutch more than anything.

When driving with these special transmissions, I have found that it smooths the shifting when you let off the throttle when you are just about to shift the gears and this usually does it. You know just think of lifting up your big toe when you are shifting....

HAPPY DRIVING

I have a 06 Nero Carbonio with black interior with red piping it looks good.

 

[Vincent]

any thanks guys, especially hmbgransport!

I live in Hong Kong so the traffice is chaotic most of the time. And to be frank I have not been with a cambiocorsa before... however I have ordered myself a gransport. actually quite a special as well - the MC Victory. Production will start in May and i think i m the first person around the world to have lodge a full complete order.

Pricing just came out and I have added a few options... man, you guys are lucky to not be in HK... the price of a gransport here is the price of a 430 in the US. Also for right hand drive version, you will need to wait for up to 2 years... scary.

I like the gransport ever since it was launched... not too keen on the 3200GT nor the coupe/spyder... i wanted something more special so that i wont face a steep depriciation when i have to sell her...

and now i have to be contend to drive my C4S until my new love is here.

 

[PacoSaca]

Vincent, there is nothing much to master on the Cambiocorsa, in fact after driving my Maser for two weeks instictively I was looking for the paddles even in my other cars.

These cars were meant to be driven with the paddles and not with the "automatic" button on.
Our cars were also meant to be driven on sport mode... the guys at the factory placed an "Automatic" button and a standard mode for when we let the wives drive it = NEVER

 

[Vincent]

Thanks PacoSaca... i test driven the gransport a few times before buying one... one thing i noticed is that the paddles are very very different to the tip S on porsches...

i do like the heel-toe thing when u downshift... i guess i can only grasp at this once my gransport is here.

 

[RQ]

Thanks PacoSaca... i test driven the gransport a few times before buying one... one thing i noticed is that the paddles are very very different to the tip S on porsches...

i do like the heel-toe thing when u downshift... i guess i can only grasp at this once my gransport is here.

Vincent, please do not compare a Porsche tiptronic to an F1 CC... I made that mistake on my 6th Porsche buy, and frankly tiptronic is just retarded and just a different thing altogether. IMO it made my 450hp car stupid enough that (maybe just because of software bugs) merging became an issue, silly as that sounds. Ended up being a safety concern. This is arguable by many I'm sure, and irrelevant to me today.

The F1 CC tranny is a bona fide one, outside of the strange concept that there is no clutch to press. After some familiarization this is just a fun tranny, and one can really push / abuse it and it does really well, lots of fun.

Once the basic jitters of the CC are conquered, this thing responds just great, fantastic fun.

The only possible down side is that one drives with both hands on the wheel so that the paddles are reachable, which may make you look like a prude... <g>

 

[Vincent]

Many thanks RQ... i did notice that the CC is quite jerkish... in a way that when you shift from first to second, the car kind of jerk forward... but i think it's just me not be familiar with the car...

is the CC the same tranny as the one in the 360 or 430?

 

[Vincent]

Oh just two more questions... does the CC automatically shift down if the rpm falls to a certain level? Tip S will switch down (if though u r engaged at a higher gear) if the rev falls below a particular mark...

anyone has the skyhook suspension? any comments?

 

[M!]

vincent, congrats on the GS MCV.
how many were allotted to HK? I remember they had 3 90th anniversary spyders.

hmbgransport is correct on 'lifting the big toe' on these manumatic gearboxes on upshifts. it smoothes out the shift a little. I have no idea why they don't build this into their shift program.

as for tiptronic, the funny thing is in HK, they sell more Porsches with Tiptronics than MT. understandably the traffic congestion is a concern. the suggestion of letting the car in front go further instead of creeping up makes perfect sense but it will not work in the HK style driving though; you will be cut in endlessly and you will never get anywhere.

 

[Vincent]

Hey M! - thanks, as far as i know, only 2 will be coming to HK and i am the only confirmed order so far. I will post pics when it arrives... sigh, that will be a few months. the dealers here is still stuck with a UK spec 90th anniversary spyder... but they are using as a show car at the showroom.

ok so slight ease off on upshifts... gotcha.

how about downshifts? the dealer mentioned that "technically" you can up or down shift without worrying the gas/brake pedals... is that true? sorry for being naive but i think i m too used to the tiptronic on the porsches (yes, u r right, it is impossible to get a MT C4S cab in HK... i checked, there's only 1 or 2 officially imported and it is always easier to sell a tip in HK).

 

[haha]

I usually let the CC downshft for me, I put it in N most of the time when breaking. I don't use breaks to often either

 

[Vincent]

I see... so once you got to the speed u want, u just flip the up paddle?

very interesting... by the way I learnt how to drive with a MT car but I havent driven one for a long long time - believe me, HK is one place u dont want to have a MT...

 

[M!]

how much are they asking for the 90th? it was $1,280,000 HKD a year ago i think.

there is really no difference in selecting the proper gear in the CC or DS as if you were driving a MT. yes, when slowing down you can let the box pick the right gear down for you.

 

[Vincent]

I see... Nice, i will remember that try it when the time comes (or i will try to do that with the demo here).

I think they are still asking for 1.288mil... but of course they will give a slight discount... but i suspect not much.

 

[PacoSaca]

i did notice that the CC is quite jerkish... in a way that when you shift from first to second, the car kind of jerk forward... but i think it's just me not be familiar with the car...

I would call it racing... it just throws the shifts so fast that it feels jerkish, remember that we are talking about a fine Italian sports car and not a Caddy. That is why I completely disagree with those that say the Maserati is an Italian opera, I'd say they are PURE Rock'n Roll.

does the CC automatically shift down if the rpm falls to a certain level?

Yes it does but I never let it, I always downshift even from 2nd. to 1st. on the very tight curves.

The only possible down side is that one drives with both hands on the wheel so that the paddles are reachable, which may make you look like a prude...

I totally agree... sometimes you don't want to grab the paddles and would rather place your hand on the girl

sitting next to you... then you can push the automatic button.

IMO, an improvement all these cars should have is bigger paddles or having them move with the steering wheel when taking on a curve.

Vincent, I bet you'll get the hang of it real fast, its no biggie. The only time I've driven my car on automatic was on my first test drive...

 

[Iwan]

....IMO, an improvement all these cars should have is bigger paddles or having them move with the steering wheel when taking on a curve.

bigger paddles - yes, but don't attach them tho the steering wheel, I have
also an Alfa Romeo with a CC kind of transmission (Selespeed), those
paddle's are attached to the steering wheel and it's just crap compared to
the 'flying' paddles.......

as for the 'mastering of CC'....took me maybe a half a day intensive driving....my brother in law needed roughly
10 minutes, but that guy is a more than just a petrolhead.....

cheers
Iwan

 

[Vincent]

I see... many thanks guys... now i just need to sort the the interior colour... (re: my other post...)

i guess italian being italian... they have so many shades of blue.

 

[M!]

i agree that with a larger (longer) paddle there is no need for spinning paddles however, the ones on the QP are just fine. i do wish that the action should feel more crisp and 'mechanical' instead of springy.