67mustang302

If the transmission is the same internally, there won't be a difference in drivetrain loss. Drivetrain loss is a result of rotating inertia of transmission components, friction between moving parts, fluid drag as the gears turn through the oil, and in the case of an auto or semi auto with a pump, you have power loss to run a hydraulic pump, and in a classic auto with a converter, loss going through the converter. If a trans has the same internal configuration with paddle shifters as it does with say full electronic auto control, or a stick type "shift by wire" then the drivetrain loss is the same in all instances. It's about the guts of the transmission, not how shifting is implemented.

Now, from a purely theoretical standpoint one could say that a paddle shift could result in additional drivetrain loss if the mechanical shift mechanism in the transmission was run by an additional hydraulic pump specifically for the purpose of the paddle shifter. But again, it gets back to the design of the transmission. Say you had a semi-automatic that used an external pneumatic shift linkage, whether you actuate the linkage with a stick or a paddle wouldn't matter as far as drivetrain loss is concerned.

Riptide

I guess the bottom line is I don't understand how these things go together mechanically. Are they more similar to a clutch based manual transmission car or an automatic. Maybe there is no simple yes/no answer to my question then.

67mustang302

Look it up. There's multiple ways of implementing the same thing, but they're not like a standard manual or an automatic, really a class all their own.

GreyStang

67mustang explained it perfectly. Paddle shifters OR regular shifter aren't part of the equation when talking driveline losses..

For example: When you put your car on a chassis dyno to measure its horsepower at the wheels, the car gets brought up to speed, and then stays in one specific "gear" in order to get the max net horsepower number. It doesn't matter WHAT kind of shifter the car has..

Riptide

It's been explained to me that automatic transmissions have more drivetrain power loss than a manual transmission car. The automatic has slip built into it. When you come up to a light and stop the car it doesn't stall out.

I was curious whether or not the transmission that these paddle shifters are part of have that same issue or not.

67mustang302

That's a result of the torque converter, which is really just a turbine type hydraulic pump. It has pumping loss due to inefficiency, even if only very minor. A paddle shifted transmission may or may not be implemented with a torque converter. I'm not even sure if there are any implemented with a traditional torque converter.

Fobra

The advantage is better shifts than you ever could, and not having to replace the clutch every year. I prefer a manual, but if you have a car with alot of power and intend to drag race it, then you should get a auto... or auto x then a paddle