Sportomatic transmission, Has anyone seen one? Options

[sarivers2001]

I just read that a very small number of 914s were fitted with an optional Sportomatic semi-automatic transmission.

Has anyone ever seen one? Pictures?

Thanks!

[wonkipop]

have not driven an early 911 sporto.
not that many were ordered by australian buyers.
def a USA market thing in the main.

but have driven this. NSU RO80.
very first rotary engined cars. original wankel engines.
all were fitted with 3 speed semi auto gearboxes with the fichtel and sachs electronic clutch then mated to what is effectively a manual trans. same thing was done for the 911 sporto using the porsche box and transaxle.

power about the same as a 911T engine. approx 110 hp.
except very weak torque and engines had problems with snatching and jerking when mated to a standard manual gearbox. so all RO80s got the sporto box.

fun to drive. took a little bit to get used to. usual habit that everyone says which is you rest your hand on the gearlever habitually (just about everyone does that in city driving with a manual. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif) ). so you have to really make yourself keep both hands on steering wheel. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif) good for the discipline i guess.

i can't imagine a 911T with one of these boxes. leisurely driving? or at least straight line acceleration.

the RO80 was not what you would call quick off the line.
but boy was it smooth. the closest thing to an electric car in 1968.
no engine vibration.
once you get them up and rolling they keep their pace up too.
a bit like a 914. no need to slow down in corners.
pretty shocking for a 1968 car.





i guess the sporto 914/6 is these days a rare creature and has rarity value as an artefact. but i can see why they would not have shifted many of these units.
you just would not have wanted one unless it had the grunt in the engine to make up for it.

i have also had a very close look at a citroen GS birotor that was in the shop right through the lockdowns in 2020. same deal as the NSU. that had a NSU-Citroen Co-motor wankel in it. basically same engine as the NSU. mated up to a citroen version of the same sportmatic gearbox. the F+S electronic clutch combined with a citreon 3 speed gearbox. very advanced car for its time. suffered the same fate as the NSU.
the one in the shop is the only one in north antarctica. so it was a real rare treat to get a good look at one. also got a few rides as the passenger with the mechanic - as lookout for him. the birotor is LHD which was fun in the city traffic!


the best 914 with the best shift pattern was one of the 914/6s that came here originally.
it had a 4 speed box. with short ratios. special order from the factory for the distributor. i drove that a couple of times when it belonged to a mate of mine.
that car was a dream to shift. of course it lacked the top end for high speed autobahn cruising but i don't think that was what the aus distributor had in mind as a use for it.
very fast off the line in city traffic with the first to second shift. in many ways this would have been a good option to tick on the box for a 914 in the early days of the car but the factory did not think so obviously. but then again like the sporto maybe not many buyers would have opted for it? (IMG:style_emoticons/default/beerchug.gif)