Editing Semi-automatic transmission (section)

=== 1950s–1960s ===
The [[Automotive Products]] manumatic system, available on the 1953 [[Ford Anglia#Anglia 100E (1953–1959)|Ford Anglia 100E]], was a vacuum-powered automatic clutch system that was actuated by a switch that was triggered whenever the gear stick was moved. The system could control the throttle cable (to keep the engine at the required RPM for the gear change) and vary the rate of clutch engagement.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Staton |first1=Abbey |title=Practical Automobile Engineering – Clutch Systems |pages=193–194}}</ref> The successive Newtondrive system, available on the 1957–1958 Ford Anglia, also had a provision for [[Choke valve|choke]] control. A similar product was the German [[Saxomat]] automatic clutch system, which was introduced in the mid-1950s and available on various European cars.<ref>{{cite web |title=Rare Rides: An Incredibly Rare 1965 Lancia Flaminia Super Sport Zagato |url= https://www.thetruthaboutcars.com/2020/05/rare-rides-an-incredibly-rare-1965-lancia-flaminia-super-sport-zagato/ |website=thetruthaboutcars.com |access-date=17 August 2020 |date=14 May 2020}}</ref>

The [[Citroën DS]], introduced in 1955, used a [[Hydraulic machinery|hydraulic system]] with a hydraulically-operated speed controller and idle speed step-up device to select gears and operate the otherwise conventional clutch. This allowed clutchless shifting with a single [[Steering column|column]]-mounted selector, while the driver simultaneously lifted off the accelerator to change gear. This system was nicknamed "Citro-Matic" in the U.S.

For the 1962 model year, [[American Motors Corporation|American Motors]] introduced the E-Stick, which eliminated the clutch pedal in the [[Rambler American]] with standard three-speed manual transmissions.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Kirk |first1=W.R. |last2=Puidokas |first2=S.V. |title=SAE Technical Paper Series |chapter=The Rambler E-Stick Transmission |chapter-url= https://www.sae.org/publications/technical-papers/content/620106/ |publisher=SAE Technical Paper |date=1 January 1962 |volume=1 |doi=10.4271/620106 |access-date=16 November 2020}}</ref> This automatic clutch used engine oil pressure as a hydraulic source and was available for less than $60.<ref>{{cite journal |title=New Rambler "E-Stick" rated big '62 auto news (advertisement) |journal=Popular Mechanics |date=January 1962 |volume=117 |issue=1 |page=223 |url= https://books.google.com/books?id=POEDAAAAMBAJ&q=rambler+e-stick+transmission&pg=PA223 |access-date=16 November 2020}}</ref> Compared to fully automatic transmissions of the time, the E-Stick offered the fuel economy of a stick-shift, with vacuum and electric switches controlling the clutch. The E-Stick three-speed transmission was offered on the larger [[Rambler Classic]] models, along with an overdrive unit.<ref>{{cite web |title=1964 X-Ray Rambler brochure |url= http://oldcarbrochures.org/United%20States/AMC/1964_AMC/1964-X-Ray-Rambler-Brochure/slides/1964_X-Ray_Rambler-20-21.html |website=oldcarbrochures.org |access-date=16 November 2020 |page=20}}</ref> The system was only available with 6-cylinder engines, and the lack of a clutch proved unpopular, so it was discontinued after 1964.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Whitmyer |first1=Marty |title=Behind the scenes at new car showings |journal=Commercial Car Journal |date=1964 |url= https://books.google.com/books?id=6JknAAAAMAAJ&q=1964+Behind+the+scenes+at+new+car+showings+e-stick |quote=The "E" stick transmission offered by AMC in '64 has been dropped. |access-date=16 November 2020}}</ref>

The 1967 [[Volkswagen]] WSK (''Wandlerschaltkupplungsgetriebe''; English: ''Torque converter shift/clutch gearbox''), used in the [[Volkswagen Beetle|Beetle]], [[Volkswagen Type 3|Type 3]] and [[Volkswagen Karmann Ghia|Karmann Ghia]], was one of the first gearboxes of its kind, with an automatic mechanical clutch and a torque converter. It was also known as the [[Autostick]]. Shifting was done manually by the driver. The automatic mechanical clutch allowed the car to accelerate from a stop, whereas the torque converter enabled it to do so in any gear. Dampening engine vibrations and providing torque multiplication, it functioned as a sort of "reduction gearbox", so the actual mechanical gearbox only needed three forward gears (this is why conventional automatic transmissions with torque converters normally have fewer gears than manual transmissions). The WSK had no "first" gear; instead, the first gear was converted into reverse gear, and the second gear was labeled first (with the third and fourth gears respectively being labeled second and third).<ref>Harald Naunheimer, Bernd Bertsche, Gisbert Lechner: ''Fahrzeuggetriebe – Grundlagen, Auswahl, Auslegung und Konstruktion'', 2nd edition, Springer, Berlin/Heidelberg/New York 2007, {{ISBN|978-3-540-30625-2}}, p. 170–173.</ref>

The [[Powerglide#Torque Drive|Chevrolet Torque-Drive]] transmission, introduced on the 1968 [[Chevrolet Chevy II / Nova#Third generation|Chevrolet Nova]] and [[Chevrolet Camaro (first generation)|Camaro]], is one of a few examples where a semi-automatic transmission was based on a conventional hydraulic automatic transmission (rather than a standard manual transmission). The Torque-Drive was essentially a 2-speed [[Powerglide]] automatic transmission without the vacuum modulator, requiring the driver to manually shift gears between "Low" and "High". The quadrant indicator on Torque-Drive cars was "Park-R-N-Hi-1st". The driver would start the car in "1st," then move the lever to "Hi" when desired. The Torque-Drive was discontinued at the end of 1971 and replaced by a traditional hydraulic automatic transmission. Other examples of semi-automatic transmissions based on hydraulic automatics were the Ford 3-speed Semi-Automatic Transmission used in the 1970–1971 [[Ford Maverick (1970)|Ford Maverick]], early versions of Honda's 1972–1988 [[Hondamatic]] 2-speed and 3-speed transmissions, and the [[Daihatsu]] Diamatic 2-speed transmission used in the 1985–1991 [[Daihatsu Charade]].