Originally posted by ZeroShift
I guess your definition of 'high' with respect to torque is relevant ... I know the Murano has a CVT option as does Audi's A6. These are not big-torque motors though. Anything close to heavy-truck with 'CVT' in it may well be an Aisin IVT - the Japanese have a few CVTs/IVTs on the market.
Thanks for you good wishes. Please drop us a line via the web site if you'd like to be an agent over there.
I completely hear what you're saying about the North American market compared with Europe. Price will, for sure, limit volumes but the sense of price is a little off the mark. For a start the target prices are inc UK sales tax (17.5%) and they include installation. Then you've got the weak dollar to consider at the moment.
Take the dollar/sterling ratio back to a more normal 1.4 and extract sales tax/install and a T5 is about US$4900 (T56, c.US$7300) - which includes the ZCU controller and transducers on the clutch, ignition and throttle. There's no point comparing the price against a 'spare part' - the closest boxes to these might be Holingers, Quaife gear kits etc. Go look at their prices...
The real key to this though is that ZeroShift can move the focus from being quicker in gear (i.e. more horsepower) to reclaiming all the time between gears. Therefore, instead of buying a bunch of BHP and a tough gearbox, compare the price of doing so with fitting just a ZeroShift gearbox and compare the expected quarter-mile/lap time gains.
All this will make a lot more sense when the magazine reviews hit the streets and put some video on the web site. Also - as you kindly pointed out before - US sales are up to a year behind UK sales. There will be plenty of time to reflect on whether or not you believe ZeroShift is value for money or not.
Well that's VERY encouraging to here the roll out price target in US dollars. I would think there would be no problems getting these into many cars if the products turn out to live up to the claims. Being that the US market is a bit less forgiving than the European market(many reasons for that) at least us American's have a chance to see the products in action for a year before getting out hands on them. That will cut down on a lot of cry baby attitudes and the immature bickering as you undoubtedly have run into on this board.
You got something in the works for my Yugo, or maybe the 1st gen metro's? Don't let the name fool ya. I have traction problem all the wat through 3rd gear.....
on ice that is.
