The automatic car has never been as popular as its manual counterpart but as automatic transmission becomes more sophisticated and economical that could soon change. Manual cars have over 100 years of history but what are the origins of the automatic? The first fully-automatic car that was mass produced was the Oldsmobile in 1940. The automatic gearbox set-up was known as the Hydra-matic and gave you four speeds and reverse. The vehicle was so successful that Cadillac and Pontiac adopted this gearbox and then sold to other manufacturers including Rolls Royce and Bentley in England.

In the 1950s Mercedes designed their version of Oldsmobile’s Hydra-matic which used the four-speed transmission but with a different design. Some of this new gearbox’s features are still being used today. Improvements were then made in 1956 by Cadillac, Pontiac and Oldsmobile. Originally the ‘reverse’ gear was used when the car was stationary but the familiar “park” gear was included in the improvements. Improvements also meant for smoother transitions when the car changed gear. By the time the late 1960s came along the favoured gearbox was the three-speed unit with a torque converter. Prior to that the norm had been fluid-coupling four-speed gearboxes and gearboxes with two-speed transmission but they were largely obsolete by the end of the 1960s.

In fact, the torque converter four-speed gearbox reigned supreme until the 1980s when something known as the over-drive transmission got introduced to the industry with four forward speeds or more. This greatly improved the fuel economy. By now engine computers were becoming more common and powerful. During the late 1980s and early 1990s these onboard computers were controlling more and more of the valve functionality.

This meant the gear shifts in both manuals and automatics became more precise and automatic cars had greater performance. In 2002 the first automatic six-speed transmission arrived with the BMW 7-Series and E65. In 2003 the Mercedes 7G-Tronic was launched as the world’s very first seven-speed car in production. This inspired Toyota to launch the world’s first eight-speed gearbox in 2007, available on the Lexus LS 460. Modern cars allow drivers to choose between a totally automatic experience, the classic manual gearbox and now there is semi-automatic where the driver changes gear manually but with no clutch. There are also cars (usually production sports cars) with tip-tronic gear paddles by the steering wheels, meaning you can change gear with your fingertips.

Automatic cars are not that common in the UK but for anyone who wants a relaxing, smooth driving experience they can be a great choice. There are plenty of good automatic cars available to buy and if you are tired of shifting gears and riding the clutch then they can be the perfect antidote. Here are a few of the best selling automatic cars on the market.

Volvo XC90

This family wagon is large, luxurious and above all practical. If you pick it with the Geartronic semi-automatic gear box you get a 2.4 litre diesel engine under the bonnet. The six speed gear ratio delivers 34 miles per gallon and accelerates to 62 miles per hour in 10.3 seconds, which means is relatively sprightly for a large automatic vehicle. It may be a little too spacious and expensive for some, but if you want a hard-wearing all-rounder then this is it.

Skoda Superb

Skoda has managed to become one of the most respected motoring brands around after years spent wallowing in obscurity. This automatic edition of the Skoda Superb estate delivers good fuel economy with 46.3mpg and its diesel engine will pull you to 61mph in under 9 seconds thanks to the 170 horsepower it can muster.

Ford S-Max

This people carrier has a six speed auto Powershift gearbox with an engine that closes in on providing combined fuel consumption of 50mpg, a real feat for such a versatile, expansive family vehicle. Perhaps the most impressive thing about the S-Max is that its exterior styling manages to remain desirable without reducing the practicality of this versatile car.

Smart Fortwo Coupe

The Softouch Auto gearbox in this supermini may be in control of a tiny engine than accelerates to 62 in a weedy 13.7 seconds, but when you are getting over 65 miles to the gallon you can hardly complain. If you only have need for a dinky car for city run-arounds then this might be perfect. Because it is an automatic it will take the strain out of sitting in traffic and it is small enough to slot neatly into even the tightest parking space.

Toyota Prius

The premier hybrid car that is synonymous with green motoring is the Prius. Its electric engine requires just one gear for city driving, while the 1.8 petrol engine will kick in when you hit the motorway, so you get the best of both worlds.

Car Hire Pricing High

The reasons to use a cost comparison engine to book your upcoming rental are stacking up with reports of very high pricing direct with suppliers.

While recently sitting at Newcastle International Airport I spoke to one couple coming to Dublin for their daughter’s wedding. I was shocked to hear that from supplier Dan Dooley they had an economy car lined up for over ₤400.00 for 11 days rental. A search for eleven days on our engine in August comes up with a host of options with a lead in car from HolidayAutos for as little as ₤275.00. To be fair to Dan Dooley I did a search on their website for the same period in August (20^th – 31^st) and got a price of ₤327.50.

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Automatic Car Hire

All additional extras available through our suppliers are shown in the booking process. If you have any special requests for your hire car then full contact details are available after booking.

Remember that car hire fleets are varied and depending on the size of the rental location you may get a choice at the rental counter for vehicles of the same classification. Thus if you have a preference for a make, model or colour then you can take care of that at the desk.
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The Christmas Sell Out

Over the Holiday period car hire is in high demand with many travellers heading home to their families. This includes larger parties which makes seven or nine seat vehicles even more on request.

We recommend just as you would with your flight, booking early. When demand is high and product is low suppliers and brokers will increase pricing accordingly. So by booking early you will ensure the right hire car for you confirmed but you will also get it at the right price,
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Finally a viewer’s picture has come into us at Automatic Car Hire. Is it a picture of a new breed of automatic cars?

No, not to sound too ungrateful, it seems to be a picture taken our of the window of a plane while landing at Faro airport. Well thank you anyway Greta from Belfast, your the first on Automatic car hire.

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We at Automatic Car Hire appreciate that guaranteed automatic vehicles are considerably more expensive than manual vehicles. Although we have many suppliers fighting it out to give you the best deals on automatic car hire on the web but the cost of a automatic gearbox as standard relates to the higher cost of a guaranteed automatic vehicle – fact.

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We at Automatic Car Hire built the site due to the poor choice, price and availability of automatic vehicles given by car hire brokers and suppliers currently on the market.

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