>>>>Unless the point is to down-shift rather than break (whenever possible) for control (mountain driving and around curves). I learned that back in my teens when I took a couple of lessons from a race car driver. However, today they teach otherwise. Clutching produces less friction on the engion and since breaks are cheaper than a new engine, well, in relatively level areas it would be more cost-effective to clutch and break. (You can always pop out the clutch if you need immediate control). Of course, it also means that those behind you will know you are slowing down or stopping since the break lights will go on whereas down-shifting does not notify the person behind you that you are stopping.
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>>>Downshifting doesn't work in a Prius - the Prius has a single variable speed gear. That may be the only current car with that arrangement.
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>>Which isn't anything new, though - the continuous shifting using variable pulleys worked fine in DAF cars (van Doorne Automobil Fabriek - Dutch) in the sixties and seventies. Also, Tomos of Koper (Slovenia) had a little 50ccm motorbike with such a gearless transmission.
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>>Though in case of Prius it isn't entirely true that it doesn't have gears - it has a double planet gear shift (I was interested in getting one, so I read a lot and tried to understand the drawings), which is then coupled with a pair of variable width pulleys. So it's a combined classic automatic shifter AND a continuously variable transmission.
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>I never looked at the inner working of it. It works though. You never feel a shift. You do sometimes feel when the gas engine starts (the start more than the actual engagement in the drivetrain). Smooth...
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>The 2010 has a noticably better ride than the previous generation. Must be because of the lack of brakes.. :)

That was brilliant :o)