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Citroën Evasion (Synergie) with autoadaptive sequential gearbox

The new sequential auto-adaptive gearbox  marks a return to semi-automatic transmissions with the added benefit of fully automatic operation if desired. 

For the benefit of those unfamiliar with either sequential or auto-adaptive gearboxes, the auto-adaptive box is a fully automatic gearbox which employs fuzzy logic to select one of a series of gearchange patterns based on the driving style - if you are driving gently, the gearbox will change up at low revs and will stay in as high a gear as possible.  Drive more assertively and it will stay in each gear until higher engine revs are reached and it will change down more readily.  The gearbox computer analyses the driving style and selects an appropriate program to effect the gear changes. 

A sequential box allows the driver to change gear manually either by virtue of electronic paddles mounted near (or, in some cases, on) the steering wheel or, as chosen by Citroën, by a U-shaped gate with regular automatic selection on one side and an up/down selector on the other.  One paddle is used for up changes and another for down changes.  This permits all the control of a manual transmission but without the need for a clutch and also allows far more rapid changes than can be done manually.  The combination of auto-adaptive and sequential changes is a world first. 

This new gearbox will be fitted to Évasion/Synergie initially and then rolled out to other models.

I confess to being puzzled as to why Évasion/Synergie has been selected for this particular innovation - sales are poor and I can't see this particular innovation boosting sales to any great extent and to add to my confusion, Citroën has also decided to equip Évasion/Synergie with a new 138 bhp 2.0i 16V engine which actually returns better fuel consumption and lower CO2 emissions than the 8V unit it replaces. 

Sticking with Évasion/Synergie, a new eight seat version will shortly be available at the same price as the outgoing seven seat models and the 110 bhp HDi 2,0 litre engine is now available on base models.

Those of us who had hoped for a restyle and hydropneumatic suspension on Évasion/Synergie will be disappointed. Évasion/Synergie's styling is probably its greatest drawback.  Perhaps PSA could take a look at the Lancia Zeta (essentially the same vehicle) to see how it should be done.

Citroën was of course renowned for its semi-automatic transmissions, ranging from the never commercialised Sansaud de Lavaud system for the Traction, through the Trafficlutch-equipped A series, to the powered clutch and gearchange of the DS and on to the Convertisseur/C-matic system fitted to the GS/A and CX.  Many felt that the adoption of a classic American-style autobox was a step backwards - critics of fully automatic boxes claim, with some justification, that such systems are reactive and do not allow the driver to anticipate the need for changes.  I say "some justification" since one can, at least with most modern autoboxes, provoke gearchanges, either up or down, by the use of the throttle. 

© 2000 Julian Marsh