A150 - Variable Transmission?

[Rose Chap]

Due to ongoing problems with my Smart Roadster which I've concluded was built on a Friday afternoon by careless, left handed monkeys who were drunk I've been issued with an A Class 'courtesy' car.

This 1000 mile, 07 reg A150 Elegance is automatic, and if I put my foot hard down the revs jump to around 5000 rpm and stay there without moving, whilst the speed increases. At first I thought the ratios were unusually tall, but I went from about 20 to 75 without the sound of a gearchange or the rev counter moving. Weird.

Does anyone know anything about these transmissions? Its definitely an automatic, but not as we know it, Captain.

 

[crockers]

Sounds like a CVT transmission....same as AUdis multitronic

 

[PJH]

Yes the current A class auto is a CVT.

 

[sym]

And the B Class.

... and very effective it is too, if a little weird to get used to, but have lived with it for 18 months now.

Having driven a conventional 6 speed auto today, I think I know which one I prefer, although the 'Autotronic' fitted to the A & B is quite a smart idea, it has never felt very 'car' like .. and so will probably be reverting to something approaching 'normality' again in the not too distant future !

S.

 

[hawk20]

I've been issued with an A Class 'courtesy' car.

This 1000 mile, 07 reg A150 Elegance is automatic, and if I put my foot hard down the revs jump to around 5000 rpm and stay there without moving, whilst the speed increases. At first I thought the ratios were unusually tall, but I went from about 20 to 75 without the sound of a gearchange or the rev counter moving. Weird.

Does anyone know anything about these transmissions? Its definitely an automatic, but not as we know it, Captain.

The CVT box in infinitely variable instead of having 4, 5 or 6 or 7 gears. So what it does is go to optimum revs and then continuously vary the gearing so as to increase your speed. If you drive gently it may choose 2000 revs and change the gearing progressively till you get to 70mph. At 40 you are doing 20 miles per thousand revs and gradually this increases to 35 miles per thousand revs. I had a B class and those are the actual revs it did driven gently. If you push it, to get performance, it will choose higher revs for more power. But once you reach cruising speed it will gradually change the gearing till you get 35 per thousand. (2000 revs at 70mph).

Its very clever. Used by Lexus in their hybrids as well as by Mercedes in the A and B. BUT it is a bit odd having the revs and engine sound constant while speed is increasing. However it gives great economy and excellent performance. The B200cdi diesel I had did 0-62 in 9.6 seconds with CVT auto, while the manual took 9.7 seconds. Pretty amazing.

 

[Rose Chap]

Sounds like clever stuff, thanks Hawk20. Not sure if because it was new or because I was not driving economically, but I got 29.3 MPG on the 8 miles home from my office to my house which wasn't that impressive.

Rose Chick has it today for her 180 mile commute so I'll be interested to hear her comments.

 

[hawk20]

Sounds like clever stuff, thanks Hawk20. Not sure if because it was new or because I was not driving economically, but I got 29.3 MPG on the 8 miles home from my office to my house which wasn't that impressive.

Rose Chick has it today for her 180 mile commute so I'll be interested to hear her comments.

The trouble with short runs is you start with a cold engine. Round town the govt test shows 33 mpg so you are close for a new car, starting from cold. On a run you should get 45 plus as the combined figure is 43 and ex urban is 51.

IMO the 150 engine is a bit small for an auto. My brothers 160cdi does 65-70 on a run. Amazing. A 180cdi would be my choice for an auto. Nice mixture of grunt and economy. The 150 petrol auto probably had you heavy footing somewhat in the hope of getting the acceleration you are used to. And that eats fuel. The 0-62 figure is only 13.5 secs.

 

[Alfie]

Sounds like clever stuff, thanks Hawk20. Not sure if because it was new or because I was not driving economically, but I got 29.3 MPG on the 8 miles home from my office to my house which wasn't that impressive.

Rose Chick has it today for her 180 mile commute so I'll be interested to hear her comments.

I would strongly suggest getting a diesel CVT auto instead of the petrol. I say this beacuse the wife's B170 is petrol CVT auto and the A160CDI is a diesel CVT auto. The torque delivery of the diesel is far better suited to the CVT box than petrol in my opinion.

My A160CDI is currently doing between 49 and 52 around town! the A150 we had in for a customer was doing about 35 on a run from central london down the A3 to Woking. Not very impressed with that at all.

The diesels hold their value far better too as does a five door over a three door

 

[Rose Chap]

Thanks for the info guys. Like I said this is just a courtesy car whilst the Smart car is getting fixed (yet again ).

Mind you given that at the moment I'm thoroughly fed up with the Smart experience and we still need an economical commuting car, a CVT diseasel would do the job.

 

[Rose Chap]

I've just got an email from the better half I've decided to share with you.

Here it is completely unedited...

And I don't like the A class at all! Can you promise me we will never EVER
buy one! It is bulky, ugly and slow to accelerate. It only gets 35mpg -
which I think is just rude considering how gopping it is to look at ...it
should at least be economical! Why would anyone want one? It is so
upright, and totally un-streamlined! I felt like a HGV driver at some
points being so high up! The brakes are flighty, and the hand brake appears
irrelevant as it tried to drive off our drive way before I had released it.
The buttons on the steering wheel are clumsy. The wing mirrors seem hell
bent on admiring the side panels rather than the road behind - most likely
due to the huge '****' the car has. The central console is too chunky, and
the sliding arm rest is both pointless and naff. The trip computer is
pitiful - especially as they use the word 'distance' rather than the much
cooler 'range' left for fuel. The windscreen wipers appear to have been put
on backwards by some small child. The only thing I remotely like about it is
the stereo display which is sleeker than the entire car put together. But
this is nowhere near enough to rectify the abominal situation.
In summary it looks like a people carrier that's been cut in half....and
drives like one too...which considering how uncool people carriers are -
half a one is seriously uncool!
Phew, feel better now! On the plus side the car drove me here safely so I
should be thankful.


The lady has spoken! We won't be getting one of those then.

 

[crockers]

I've just got an email from the better half I've decided to share with you.

Here it is completely unedited...

And I don't like the A class at all! Can you promise me we will never EVER
buy one! It is bulky, ugly and slow to accelerate. It only gets 35mpg -
which I think is just rude considering how gopping it is to look at ...it
should at least be economical! Why would anyone want one? It is so
upright, and totally un-streamlined! I felt like a HGV driver at some
points being so high up! The brakes are flighty, and the hand brake appears
irrelevant as it tried to drive off our drive way before I had released it.
The buttons on the steering wheel are clumsy. The wing mirrors seem hell
bent on admiring the side panels rather than the road behind - most likely
due to the huge '****' the car has. The central console is too chunky, and
the sliding arm rest is both pointless and naff. The trip computer is
pitiful - especially as they use the word 'distance' rather than the much
cooler 'range' left for fuel. The windscreen wipers appear to have been put
on backwards by some small child. The only thing I remotely like about it is
the stereo display which is sleeker than the entire car put together. But
this is nowhere near enough to rectify the abominal situation.
In summary it looks like a people carrier that's been cut in half....and
drives like one too...which considering how uncool people carriers are -
half a one is seriously uncool!
Phew, feel better now! On the plus side the car drove me here safely so I
should be thankful.


The lady has spoken! We won't be getting one of those then.

So when you putting in your order??

 

[hawk20]

Clarkson described the 3 door A class as 'the funkiest looking car ever to come out of Germany'. I like it too. But that is all personal. In an age of 4x4s and mpvs a high driving position is a positive bonus not a negative. And just look at the room it gives compared with the spacially challenged BMW 1 series. That is for a midget, his wife and no kids -not of any size! The A class has room for people over six foot to be comfortable in the front and for people over six foot to sit behind them in the back. No small car before or since has ever equalled the A class in that respect.

What is not personal is this: when big cars hit small cars, the small ones get crushed and the occupants die or get seriously injured. You are 50 times more likely to survive a head on crash in a 4x4 than in an average saloon. Size matters and height matters.

The sandwhich floor in the diminutive A class was a stroke of genius. Head on with an E class, the occupants of an A class have the same chance of living as those in the £40k E class. Brilliant. So NCAP rate it the safest small family car money can buy. If hit sideways on, the floor keeps you above the point of impact and you may well get out with a pair of legs.

As for performance, surely your wife knows that acceleration, and so on, is purely a function of what engine you stick in it. Try the 200 turbo and it is faster than a 4 litre Porsche Cayenne. Had she driven that model, she would have come home with a smile on her face, maybe. As someone else said, the engine to go for with an auto is the 180cdi or one of the bigger petrols.

It may not be the long, low, slinky kind of car that some want, but I know which small car I would want my wife and children to be in.

 

[Robbo]

Sounds like clever stuff, thanks Hawk20. Not sure if because it was new or because I was not driving economically, but I got 29.3 MPG on the 8 miles home from my office to my house which wasn't that impressive.

Rose Chick has it today for her 180 mile commute so I'll be interested to hear her comments.

We get over 40mpg on our petrol engined A170 manual for a trip of the same distance from cold. My advice would be to stick to the manual. I'll probably last a lot longer than the autobox too.

 

[hawk20]

We get over 40mpg on our petrol engined A170 manual for a trip of the same distance from cold. My advice would be to stick to the manual. I'll probably last a lot longer than the autobox too.

From the MB website the A170 petrol
Manual Automatic

Urban 32.8 32.8
Ex Urban 51.4 51.4
Combined 42.8 42.8


Amazing gearbox. And according to Glass's Guide the autobox is the only extra for which you get all your money back on resale.

 

[BonzoDog]

The gerabox feels different but works perfectly. I wasn't convinced until we had an A series courtesy recently with a manual box. It felt extremely zippy but what a pain it was having to stir the stick.

 

[calum]

I felt like a HGV driver at some
points being so high up! The brakes are flighty, and the hand brake appears
irrelevant as it tried to drive off our drive way before I had released it.
The buttons on the steering wheel are clumsy. The wing mirrors seem hell
bent on admiring the side panels rather than the road behind

That handbrake must need some adjustment; ours (A150) is rock solid. Also, our wing mirrors fine, once adjusted.

Oddly, my wife loves the high-up driving position; she also loves the fact that she doesn't get the discourtesy from other drivers she was used to from my E350. But that was just jealousy, of course

 

[Rose Chap]

My fiance (she'll be my wife next year) is used to a Smart Roadster, so even my low slung CLK feels high up.

The handbrake can be forgotten about as it doesn't need to be used. Since its automatic it can just be left in Park.

I'm sure the bigger engined models are more economical and satisfying to drive. Its all relative though. Our Brabus Roadster feels spritely despite its crap gearbox and tiny engine (and the myriad of constant problems), so getting the same kind of economical fun is a tall order. The A Class handles about as well as you'd expect it to, which isn't saying much.

Once I have children I shall be installing them and my wife in something large, strong, heavy, and Range Rover shaped.