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If I recall correctly, Subaru did exactly this at one point, but it was a stop-gap solution until they could develop a suitable sequential gearbox. I believe their intial Group A/8 cars used a conventional H-pattern gear shift but it was somehow actuated by paddles. By the time the Subaru era had come and gone, the Imprezas were using sequentials with paddles like everyone else though. The H-pattern/paddle shift design was early and in retrospect it did smack a bit of desparation.
At the time, Subarus were mostly thought of as comedic relief while people tried to figure out how to defeat Lancia Martini (and I don't think anyone did quite figure that out; FIAT just decided to spend the money elsewhere so they withdrew). By the time Subaru had reached the end of the Impreza's evolution, people were all using sequentials with paddles and everyone was trying to figure out how to beat Ford. Then Peugeot and Citroen sorted that issue out, and everyone spent years trying to beat them.
Subaru did the right thing: they quit.
In any case the system was never offered on civilian cars.
Earlier, Audi (a better team than Subaru in many respects, and certainly with better cars than the Imprezas -- we're talking on the stages, NOT on the street, since I'd never consider an Audi as my road car) had used a conventional shifter H pattern but instead of paddles, to save time they placed a clutch BUTTON on the shifter itself.
At the time, Subarus were mostly thought of as comedic relief while people tried to figure out how to defeat Lancia Martini (and I don't think anyone did quite figure that out; FIAT just decided to spend the money elsewhere so they withdrew). By the time Subaru had reached the end of the Impreza's evolution, people were all using sequentials with paddles and everyone was trying to figure out how to beat Ford. Then Peugeot and Citroen sorted that issue out, and everyone spent years trying to beat them.
Subaru did the right thing: they quit.
In any case the system was never offered on civilian cars.
Earlier, Audi (a better team than Subaru in many respects, and certainly with better cars than the Imprezas -- we're talking on the stages, NOT on the street, since I'd never consider an Audi as my road car) had used a conventional shifter H pattern but instead of paddles, to save time they placed a clutch BUTTON on the shifter itself.
