Alpha 156 Selespeed: a review In the much praised Alpha 156 there is also a Selespeed version available with two liter engine. With two paddles on the steering wheel it looks completely racy. But is it really a racer? Changing gear The Selespeed has been added to 156-gamma in 1999. On basis of the 2.0 Twin Spark, the Selespeed has appeared as separate model in the list. How nice and refined is the Selespeed? Well, in fact he is everything. The system is in the basis relatively simple: the Alpha has an ordinary five-gearbox, only the use of it (pushing the coupling, changing gear, releasing the coupling) is done for you. The only thing the driver must do is activating the electronics that sets these operations in progress. How can you change gear? That is possible in three manners: The most cool way is to use the two paddles on the steering wheel. Use the plus-sign to gear up, with the minus-sign you switch back. You start driving in the first gear, at 3000 or 3500 rounds per minute, you tick the plus with your right thumb release the gas a little and there you go: you are in the second gear. You can keep your right food on the gas, but it will be more comfortable when you release the gas a little. That paves the way to the limberness of changing gears. When you arrive at a turning in the fourth gear and you want to switch back to the second, while braking you can tip the minus two times on and there you are. The Selespeed itself takes care of a subtle quantity of gas, which feels really like a racer. Moreover, switching back isn’t really necessary. As soon as your speed is too low for a certain gear, the Selespeed switches back automatically. When you leave the motorway in fifth gear and you approach a red traffic light, then gradually slowing down is everything that you must do. The Selespeed takes care of it all. But there is also another possibility. On the location where you normally find the gear handle, the Selespeed has a kind of a joystick. A small tick forward (changing gear up) is enough to switch from a lower to a higher gear. So the same procedure as the paddles on the steering wheel. But the joystick isn’t only for the fun. When you want to switch to the neutral (N) or the reverse (R), you must use the joystick because it’s is not possible by means of the paddles. And there is still something else. When you’re in a traffic-jam or in slow-driving city-traffic, you can press the button City right beside the joystick. The Selespeed then Category:Home › Autos • Will the trend toward economy-size car models lead Americans back to buying smaller-sized cars? — part 2 • You should never use after-market auto parts when maintaining or fixing your car • Should a new car be rust-proofed? • Will the trend toward economy-size car models lead Americans back to buying smaller-sized cars? — part 1 • Five safest cars in North America • How to ensure your teen drives safely after getting a license • Pros and cons of using an hydrogen generator for your car • DIY automotive maintenance: How to change the oil