Will Lexus ever go to push button transmissions?

 

I hope not. Nothing wrong with a lever that's been used in cars for decades.

 

It's useless and takes of usable space. time to upgrade to the 22 century.

 

I believe a 1956 or maybe a 1958 Plymouth my father owned had a pushbutton transmission!

Dave Mac

 

The Ford Edsel had a pushbutton transmission too. It was in the middle of the steering wheel.

 

Lexus may be testing the waters with their new electronic gear shift shifter. While it has what seems to be a familiar gear shift lever, the movement pattern for selecting gears is new. What's really new is shifting into park is by push button only.

Northside Lexus's Melissa O'Connell in her Tech Tip Tuesday - Top Questions Answered About New Lexus Vehicles video starting at the 10:58 timemark demonstrates Lexus's new means of shifting:

 

Coming from an Acura, I actually miss the push button. You get used to it, and the extra space to move things across to the passenger seat is nice. I don't mind the shifter at all and it gives me somewhere to rest my hand, but push button, at least Honda/Acura, is something I enjoyed over my years of ownership.

Had swapped cars with a buddy of mine the other day who has a Pilot with the push button. Been about a year since I had my Acura and the push buttons still felt natural to me.

 

I think that 7ES is the last one with the cable shifter.

I like Prius-like levers.

 

Also coming from Acura, I really disliked the push button, LOL. It was novel at first but it wore off fast as I realized there's nowhere to rest my hand. I love the look and the feel of this gear shifter.

 

1960 Dodge Dart convertible. Chrysler Torqueflite pushbutton tranny... Was high up on the left side of the dash by the wind out little window. 260 V8 and ran like a deer...

 

I always thought it was weird the 7ES hybrid converted the traditional PRNDL shifter to hybrid use unlike the prius or CT200h which had a nicer shifter for hybrids. but I guess it was cheaper to share the part with the ES350. the standard shifter takes too much effort, makes too much noise, and is too loud given it's just telling the hybrid's magnets to spin in a certain direction. With my move from CT200h to 7ES hybrid, i went from a slick little shifter i can flick w/ one finger while holding a coffee to this gargantuous plastic feeling **** in a plasticky gate i have to slide back half a foot like i'm in a 1995 camry.

if you must have a physical lever, i love love love the little stick on the column (basically a turn signal stalk on the right side)

but apparently it's now even getting more modern than that. the new standard is smart shifting! basically the car will determine if you want to go forward or backwards based on what's in front of you or in back of you and/or your usual route of travel. and if you must override it, you use buttons on the screen.

personally i prefer the stalk on the column.

 

Right you are. My Dad a 57 Chrysler with huge fins! Beautiful salmon color. Had the push button transmission. Worked fine. I have no problem with Lexus adopting it, though I’m perfectly satisfied with the floor shift style we have. Makes a comfortable hand rest while driving.

 

I think our 7 ES cars are the last ones to have a lot of traditional automotive set ups and features. That’s what I like so very much about it and one of the reasons I want to own and drive one for the rest of my years!

 

This thread makes me yawn. What a nuisance to shift from Park to Drive on the ES Too much effort, noisy and interrupts my morning coffee.

 

One problem with that design on the Edsel was the motor attached to the transmission that had to actually shift the gears on the transmission. Those motors would burn out on those heavy Edsels when shifting the transmission from park to drive while parked on an incline. We were instructed to always put my dad’s 58 Edsel Citation (the larger of the Edsel models) in neutral and use the parking brake rather than placing the car in Park. After production ceased in 1960 those shift motors became very hard to locate.

So how does this translate to the current conversation you might ask? I’m just pointing out that these new electronic shifters introduce additional components or additional failure points on a car, and repair parts for those components could become difficult to locate for those that keep their cars for a long time. Is this really a good idea for something as integral to the car as a shifter just for the sake of style or “gee-wiz” tech. As a former tech guy, we automated things that needed to be automated for the sake of efficiency and rarely just for style points. I wish I could say we never designed for style points but what can I say - we all work for someone and everyone likes “cool” gadgets or software. I’m sure every auto manufacturer knows their potential customers want the “cool” to keep up with rival carmakers.