Information that the upcoming Honda Prelude will characteristic pretend gearshifts has induced some consternation amongst fans within the numerous elements of the web the place we’re at the moment scattered. Numerous skeptics, not a lot wild enthusiasm.

Of their earlier incarnations, Preludes have been among the many finest reasonably priced drivers’ coupes in the marketplace, with high-revving VTEC engines mated to good handbook transmissions.

There are lots of folks – and I’ll admit I’m one among them – who mourn the demise of such vehicles.

Some then say that Honda ought to simply match the brand new Prelude with a correct handbook transmission, like you may nonetheless discover in an Integra in some markets, and to screw up the inefficiency, as a result of the Prelude is a sports activities coupe.

Others say Honda ought to put off even the concept of ​​a gearshift as a result of it is clearly not actual and we simply have to develop up and recover from ourselves as a result of this transmission is attempting to trick us.

As Cypher mentioned within the 1999 movie The Matrix (nothing however the newest cultural references for you right here, reader): “I do know this steak would not exist. I do know after I put it in my mouth, The Matrix tells my mind that it is juicy and scrumptious.”

Disliking pretend know-how is, I can see, additionally an argument with benefit.

And it’s in the end pretend know-how. What this Prelude’s new S+ Shift system will do is take hybrid know-how however make it much less environment friendly whereas nonetheless not being actual.

As referred to on web page 11, it has a intelligent approach of working, developed as it’s from the transmission of the newest Civic. It’s generally mistakenly known as a CVT (constantly variable transmission), when it’s nothing of the type.

Quite unhelpful, e-CVT is even how Honda initially referred to it. It is type of the alternative, in that it isn’t a variable transmission in any respect.

A petroleum engine the overwhelming majority of the time simply acts as a generator, making electrical energy for an electrical traction motor that does all of the driving. Within the Civic, the engine additionally sometimes drives the wheels itself, however solely via one, single mounted ratio at highway-type speeds.

More often than not it is simply linked to a system that makes electrical energy, with the automotive doing the driving.