[Roger Morrall]

Having discussed engines, standard or otherwise, my thoughts turn to the gearbox.

I have a vague memory that I might once have read that Bristols feared that the torqueflight would prove too sporty for a luxury car and disabled at least one feature thereof that enabled full performance and engine braking up and down all the gears. This seems an odd thing to have done, but bear with me - I quote from an article relating to the torqueflight as installed in Chryslers.

"The calibration strategy of the TorqueFlite was as follows:When the "D" button was engaged, the transmission would always start in first gear, automatically upshift into second and then direct drive or third gear. Kickdown into second gear was possible below 65 mph and into first gear below 30 mph. A closed-throttle downshift from direct to first gear occurred at 10 mph.When second gear was selected, the transmission would always start in first gear and automatically upshift to second. It would remain in second regardless of throttle opening until 70 mph, at which time it would upshift to third gear to prevent excessive engine rpm. Kickdown into first gear was possible below 30 mph. A closed-throttle downshift from second to first occurred at 10 mph. The provision for second gear operation allowed greater control in city traffic and hilly terrain.A selection of first gear had the transmission start and remain in low gear regardless of vehicle speed and throttle opening. If this position (first gear) was selected at speeds above 30 mph and below 65 mph, the transmission would downshift into second immediately and would remain in second until the vehicle speed fell below 30 mph. A that time, the TorqueFlite would step down to first gear.

The words I have highlighted are not reflected in the 410 drivers handbook and neither do they accord with my own experiences, some of which were recounted in my article Alarms and Excursions in the Alps in BOC Bulletins Nos 167 and 168.

Can anybody shed any light on this. Did Bristols modify the torqueflight in some way when it was installed in the 407 and subsequent cars?, if so how? and is it reversible?