Yes, the automatic tranny is only 1-1 in third or high gear versus .85 for
the manual. But the auto final drive ratio is 4.09 versus 4.85 for the
manual. The Vanagon automatic does not have a locking torque converter. VW
was most likely the last car manufacturer to use them.

Dennis

-----Original Message-----
From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com] On Behalf Of
Loren Busch
Sent: Thursday, January 11, 2007 11:48 AM
To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
Subject: Re: RPM?MPH

Biggest difference with the automatic is the ratio in the final drive, 1:1
in the automatic vs .86 (or.77, someone correct me on this) in the manual
2wd.  Don't know on the Syncro.  And the biggest difference in gas milage is
around town, not on the highway.

On 1/11/07, Allen Hill <route66rider@knology.net> wrote:
>
> FWIW, I have always figured that due to the automatic vs. standard trans
> that the auto trans would need higher rpms for any given speed due to
> slipping in the torque converter and transmission.
>
>