Why does a 2018 Honda Fit sport manual have more horsepower than an automatic version?
Probably the automatic transmission (CVT?) they're using can't handle quite as much power as the manual transmission.
In the early days of automatic transmissions it was the other way around, cars equipped with an automatic might have 5 or 10 more horsepower than with a standard shift to partly make up for the inefficiencies of those early slushboxes.
@chucktobias But how were manuals quicker back then if they made less horsepower than an automatic?
But how were manuals quicker back then if they made less horsepower than an automatic?
They don't make different engines for automatic transmissions than they do manuals. They're the same engines. 4-speed automatic transmissions are inherently less efficient than a 5-speed standard transmission. My 1999 Ford Ranger is equipped with a 4-speed automatic. When you're in 1st through 4th gear, the transmission's torque converter won't lock into one unit until the computer determines that the throttle is within a set parameter. There's a fluid coupling that can lock and unlock. This wastes gas if your torque converter is unlocked. The torque from the crankshaft is multiplied by some specific degree when the torque converter is unlocked. Increased torque means less gas mileage.
If you've ever accelerated to get on the highway in an old car, especially 90s cars, when you get to highway speed, the transmission shifts (the RPMs decrease slightly) then, when your speed is steady and your throttle input lessens, you'll notice it "shifts" again. It's not actually shifting again, the torque converter is locked up and the RPMs are low.
My V6 Mustang is a 2017, the much more advanced ECU is allows its transmission to lock and unlock almost instantaneously, as well as varying the degree of locking. The Mustang is also a 6-speed, not a 5-speed standard, so it's more fuel efficient.
But how were manuals quicker back then if they made less horsepower than an automatic?
I guess you've never dealt with cars from many years ago. Note that I mentioned the "inefficiencies" of older automatic transmissions. For a example, look up transmissions like the original Oldsmobile Hydramatic, the Buick Dynaflow, or the Packard Ultramatic to name just a few. In comparison, a standard transmission gives you a direct connection to the engine with very little power loss. Even more advanced transmissions available back then like the Studebaker Automatic Drive were power-hungry.