I ask and post this a having experience of towing with a Stilo Abarth with the older Selespeed semi-automatic (traditional dry clutch, 6 speed box with hydraulic clutch operation).
First I must say that I liked the Selespeed. Not a 100% perfect but never gave any issues and was good for towing except in traffic jams.
Basically when starting off with a 1000kg+ towed load then the selespeed would slip the clutch far more that I would in a manual car. When queuing and creeping in traffic it was a complete nightmare and very worrying as to how long the clutch would last. Also unlike a manual box and clutch once up and moving you could not just be in 1st gear and feet off both the clutch and the throttle to just crawl at idle rpm. To add to the problems I would let the traffic gap grow till I knew that the clutch would fully engage and the car progress with no slip. However some bright spark would always decide their lane was slower than mine and steal the gap and ruin may day.
Now with automatics (older?) that used fluid torque converters there was never a clutch slip wear issue.
With today's 9 speed box I'm assuming that it utilises a dry or even wet clutch plate that is designed to slip during the take off period? So has anyone towed in start/stop traffic? Can you crawl at idle rpm? Any other observations?
First I must say that I liked the Selespeed. Not a 100% perfect but never gave any issues and was good for towing except in traffic jams.
Basically when starting off with a 1000kg+ towed load then the selespeed would slip the clutch far more that I would in a manual car. When queuing and creeping in traffic it was a complete nightmare and very worrying as to how long the clutch would last. Also unlike a manual box and clutch once up and moving you could not just be in 1st gear and feet off both the clutch and the throttle to just crawl at idle rpm. To add to the problems I would let the traffic gap grow till I knew that the clutch would fully engage and the car progress with no slip. However some bright spark would always decide their lane was slower than mine and steal the gap and ruin may day.
Now with automatics (older?) that used fluid torque converters there was never a clutch slip wear issue.
With today's 9 speed box I'm assuming that it utilises a dry or even wet clutch plate that is designed to slip during the take off period? So has anyone towed in start/stop traffic? Can you crawl at idle rpm? Any other observations?