However, weight has been added selectively in essential areas- she Powerplant Frame being the most prominent example. The pleasure of driving a sports car lies in the feeling of oneness between car and driver. It is a sensation felt only when the movement of the car immediately and precisely reflects the driver's input, such as the g-forces experienced when accelerating or decelerating. These characteristics are still important even though the new RX-7 is not intended to be a car that is merely fast in a straight line. Accurate response to delicate throttle openings is essential for enjoyable, controlled cornering. Although our philosophy was to reduce weight down to the last gram, we accepted weight increases in some areas at the expense of the reductions made in hundreds of other parts. The Powerplant Frame is one such example and is bolted between the trailing edge of the transmission case and the leading edge of the differential case, thus rigidly connecting these two drivetrain components. This effectively transforms the engine, transmission and differential into one unit. The distance between the front and rear mountings has been expanded to 2150mm, so that when starting from rest the reactionary forces that act on the differential case are reduced and the torque is transmitted directly and linearly to the roadas traction. This process eliminates differential wind-up, resulting in transmission of torque that is free from lag and vibration. It is like having the engine, or more accurately the rear wheels, directly connected to the driver's right foot. Another benefit of the adoption of the Powerplant Frame is the reduced pitching motion of the engine resulting in more precise feel to the gearbox. Furthermore, since there is no need for mounting points on the gearbox, the location of the engine and the floor pan could be lowered substantially. In the event of a crash, the Powerplant Frame is designed to crumple progressively to absorb the impact. The Powerplant Frame offers many advantages, however, we did not accept the extra weight unconditionally. On the main frame, which is made of high-tensile steel, there are large apertures and by creating a closed section with the inner frame made of vibration-absorbing steel, the entire frame is exceedingly strong yet lightweight. The Torsen limited-slip differential is another weighty contribution which we employed to realize direct and accurate throttle control. Powerplant Frame Developed by Zexel-Gleason USA, Inc., Torsen is a registered trademark and is short for torque sensing. Compared to conventional multi-plate or viscous-coupling type limited-slip differentials, the Torsen differential has a higher torque bias ratio, thus realizing more accurate control under changing road conditions and weight transfer during cornering. The dry, single-plate hydraulic clutch uses a diaphragm spring. Compared to a conventional push-type, a highly rigid pull-type actuator improves response and shift feel. Also operation is made easier by reducing the pedal effort for the latter half of the stroke. Double-cone synchronizers are fitted on second and third gears to improve shift feel. The gear stick shift stroke has been reduced to 50mm between neutral and third, and the select stroke to 30mm, reductions of 5mm compared to the previous model. The combination of the improved clutch operation and the new high-precision gear linkage has resulted in outstanding shift feel. The drivetrain of the new RX-7 becomes one with the hands and feel of the driver Torsen LSD