Let's talk about the chameleonic and friendly Volkswagen Type 1, better known as the "Maggiolino" or "Beetle". According to sources, between 1938 and 2003, its sales exceeded 21 million units. Few people know that, among its variants, there was also an automatic version, or rather, a semi-automatic one.
Analyzing the technical aspect of this transmission, we discover that it is not so far from the solutions presented during the introduction of the ATC81 tank carrier. Hydrotrans (next photo) of our army.
The basis of the "Stickshift" system of the Beetle, which sometimes reported the simple wording Automatic, we find a Hydrodynamic torque converter. However, as for the ATC81, which was not a precursor of a true automation but an intelligent solution and still used for exceptional loads, the system of the Beetle and the ATC81, included a traditional clutch.
How it worked
In the case of Beetle, the clutch was not of the type lock up (which excludes the torque converter), but served to separate the converter from the three-speed manual gearbox, giving rise to the term semi-automatic. Consumption aside, the engine braking effect was minimal due to the lack of a converter block; the brakes, on the other hand, had a high braking effect.
This system, introduced in 1968 on the 1300 and 1500 models, eliminated the use of the clutch pedal while traveling or stopping, but still required its use to change gear.
The gears were engaged via a classic lever H with the following positions:
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L (Low): a short gear for climbs or sprints;
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Inline e 3rd gear: usable as main driving ratios;
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Reverse gear.
The engine was started with the lever in fuck, in the absence of a clutch pedal or an electrobrake pedal. The natural momentum of the vehicle was counteracted by pressing the brake.
Technical aspects and market
The semi-automatic system affected the vehicle's weight and fuel consumption, making it more popular in the United States and Mexico than in Europe, where it remained a rarity. In addition, the Beetle semi-automatic adopted independent double-joint rear suspension, more stable than the traditional swing axle.
Its production ended in 1975.
Similar systems in history
Systems consisting of a mechanical gearbox combined with a torque converter were precursors of automation already in the 30s in the United States, with names such as Fluid Drive. These systems, used mainly in taxis, still had the clutch pedal, necessary for changing gear but not for starting or stopping, as was the case on the ATC81 and the Beetle.
In the case of Beetle semi-automatic, a more modern system used a solenoid on the gear lever, which automatically disengaged the clutch to allow gears to be engaged, eliminating the need for a third pedal.
Similar technologies were used on other cars of the past, such as the Citroën DS (without converter) or on vans and minibuses, to ease the stress of driving.
Photo: web