Longer 5th gearing

[BikNorton]

Does anyone know if there are existing options for giving the 133 a taller final gear, and/or how expensive that kind of thing tends to be, or what type of shop a person goes to for it?

I really like the car's peppiness in lower gears so don't really want to stick a different final drive in, but don't know what's possible in terms of box swaps or cracking the Twingo box and putting a longer 5th in.

Essentially, I'd much prefer 70mph to be more like 2/2.5krpm for noise and economy, it's nothing to do with extending the top speed.

 

[maggi200]

Far cheaper to buy a new swift sport

 

[Chicken]

Far cheaper to buy a new swift sport

+1

 

[maggi200]

Plus you would get sensors, auto everything. Standard Xenons and the rear end is quite tasty! The 6 speed box probably worth it alone though.

Renault have to up their game massively

 

[DrDrew]

I drove a standard model new swift a few months ago (so am willing to change my view on the sport version), and I actually quite enjoyed it for the first few minutes of driving, but quite quickly it became a very dull place to be. Also, whilst the car feels quite big, it didn't feel as spacious as the twingo to me inside.

Do think the next Twingo RS (if it exists) will need to up it's game though, and definitely include a 6th gear

 

[manofhow]

I drove a standard model new swift a few months ago (so am willing to change my view on the sport version), and I actually quite enjoyed it for the first few minutes of driving, but quite quickly it became a very dull place to be. Also, whilst the car feels quite big, it didn't feel as spacious as the twingo to me inside.

Do think the next Twingo RS (if it exists) will need to up it's game though, and definitely include a 6th gear

+1 i drove a swift sportwhen i was looking at the twingo, and i loved it to start with, with all the gadget, but it does get boring very quickly when driving it.

 

[Daveyb133]

this has been discussed before somewhere i think, asking about a 6 speed box

 

[Azzwar]

How does a swift get boring whilst driving????

Its exactly the same as the twingo apart from i can JUST pull past my mate user 'olliehemingway' in his silverstone after 100mph.

As for longer 5th gear many people on the swift forum, go for the extended fifth gear, but only claim it drops revs by 500 whilst sitting at 70mph so it takes the revs from 3800 to 3300, which i personally dont think would make for a noticeable difference apart from slower acceleration.

 

[BikNorton]

Not looking good then. Dang.

 

[N0ddie]

Would cost a couple of grand anyway with having to remove gearbox, strip gearbox, rebuild gearbox and refit gearbox.

 

[Alex_225]

I'd have thought rather than sticking in a 6 speed box they should just gear 5th better for sitting a littler more comfortably at the motorway limits.

Even the Clio 172/182 feels strained sitting at 70mph unfortunately and that's got the power to pull even if 5th gear was longer.

I remember my mum's old Focus 1.6 (2003) having the longer 5th gear ever but it meant on the motorway it cruised comfortably.

 

[1975DCS]

The Twingo RS is about 4000 rpm for 120 km/h in 5th gear and the Clio RS is about 3900 rpm for 120 km/h in 6th gear...

 

[1975DCS]

Just found out that the Megane station with K4M engine (non RS) is fitted with a 6 speed gearbox...

 

[maggi200]

I thought the issue was the space available?

 

[Dubz]

I thought the issue was the space available?

I thought jordy said that the 6 speed would fit?

 

[maggi200]

Perhaps. I've not looked and don't intend to really. Hence my post was i thought, and not a definitive reply by any means

 

[Araf]

Essentially, I'd much prefer 70mph to be more like 2/2.5krpm for noise and economy, it's nothing to do with extending the top speed.

Please, don't confuse low revs with economy. Engines can often be less efficient at lower revs, and use more fuel for similar speeds. You may actually find that 4th is more efficient than 5th already - but the noise would be unbearable.

 

[BikNorton]

My car at least has two very obvious steps in power profile - 2500rpm and 3500rpm.

If I use 3500+rpm (without being pedal-to-the-metal) for a more fun commute instead of 2000-3000rpm, the fuel consumption drops much more than you might expect - and 70mph is 3700rpm. Also, long distance driving on A roads at 50-60mph with more deceleration/acceleration is noticeably more economical than cruising on a motorway at 70mph (~45mpg instead of ~35mpg).

There's a definite fuel saving to be made by knocking 5th down to 2500rpm@70mph. To be honest it's more the noise that annoys me - it's more economical at 70-80 than my other half's 1.0 Micra and 10mpg better than my M3 was

 

[singlespeed]

would the engine be producing enough power to happily pull 70mph at 2500rpm and make it up a slight incline on a motorway?

If it was, I bet that it wouldn't be able to pull 80 or 90 as the drag force would be increasing faster than the increase in engine power

 

[Alex_225]

Essentially, I'd much prefer 70mph to be more like 2/2.5krpm for noise and economy, it's nothing to do with extending the top speed.

Please, don't confuse low revs with economy. Engines can often be less efficient at lower revs, and use more fuel for similar speeds. You may actually find that 4th is more efficient than 5th already - but the noise would be unbearable.

That is a very good point.

Having started the IAM advanced driving course I've been brought out of the mentality of going into a higher gear and actually using 3rd and 4th for sitting at lower speeds.

More efficient for an engine to have the power to hand than having to mash your foot to the floor to get any kind of power from it.