was there an advantage to subaru having these if not why were thay introduced

 

Closer gear ratios keep you in the power band better, considerably stronger than the 5 speed boxes (by a large margin), that sort of covers it

Tony

 

As above, plus everyone else was doing it..............

 

Simply, the battle for Group N rallying supremacy with Mitsubishi.

An extra gear helped make the car more competitive.

IMHO.

dunx

 

Thats the one, Because prodrive actually made the six speed box originally and sti took the design off them to use in the every day road car to

 

Hey did I not mention the closer gear ratio's kept you in the power band better?

Tony

 

You certainly did

 

But it's not a reason for fitting one, IMHO they don't need it for a road car.

I have read that there are similarities with the Porsche transmission.

dunx

 

Prodrive developed the 6 speed box for GPN rallying, then subaru fitted them to there road cars, apart from having an extra gear and it being a lot closer ratio than a 5 speed it is also a lot stronger box hence why the 5 speed ***** it self once its got over 350bhp going though it.

Put it another way, if you were wanting to buy a car to modify but the gearbox wasn't up to it you wouldn't buy that make of car would you. How many of us are pushing huge power though a standard STI box, A LOT. and why do WRX owners put STI box's in when they get over the 350 mark. Subaru would of halved it market if it put the 5speed in the STI.

 

dont the evos have a 5 speed box in the road going cars?

 

The longer crank throw means they make better torque and so don't need any more than five gears.

Gp B Peugeots ran a four speed IIRC, as they were so torquey.

dunx

 

4 Speed box, that brings back memories: My first car, a 1.3 Escort, also had a 4 speed box..... Nowt to do with a surplus of torque though

 

FOUR gears? Escort?

Pah! My Anglia had three forward gears and no synchromesh on 1st........

From 2nd to 1st, you had to be at a standstill or learn to double declutch.

 

And you just past your 21st BD eh?

First car was a Vauxhall Chevette with 56bhp. Did have 5 gears though!

 

ott
my 1st car being a fiesta popular 950cc with 4 gears
i remeber "overtaking" a HGV on the M11 and realising we were starting to go up hill and i couldnt get past the HGV

 

Rally car for the road, the 6 speed box gives it far more of a rally feel, and as Tony said earlier, 6 speed box is significantly stronger than the 5

Greg

 

But a five speed "copy" would have cost less, and the STI has a broad enough torque band to not need a sixth gear, mine could hit the speed limiter in fifth gear IIRC.

dunx

 

The 6 speed box was a great idea I think. Shame that when they first brought it to the UK they made the horrible decision of making 5th and 6th silly long in comparison to the previous gears, making it feel like a brick wall when you change from 4th to 5th.

 

Did that change 2006 on?

 

Yeah, all the gears got longer I believe. Making it a much better box all round.

The JDM boxes have always been great and all the ratios match, it's just to suit the UK market the two longer gears were plonked in without too much thought !