CVT has it's advantages (in theory at least)....
1. Having a narrow power band isn't a problem.... you don't have to worry about those gaps between gears.... there are no gaps. And think of all the effort that people go to for a wide power band, compromise induction and exhaust, variable valve timing, variable length induction. You could get rid of all that. See the link to the Mazda 4-rotor engine in the other message topic - here it is again:
http://www.mymazdarotary.com/mazda_r...paper_html.htm
2. and then there's those harpins that should really be 1st gear, but you don't want to be changing down to 1st right at the turn in point and then pulling 2nd on the exit.... so you take it in 2nd and accept that the revs are lower than optimum.... just as well you've got a wide power band (see point 1 above).... but with CVT it's not a problem.
3. And what about those decreasing radius bends, that needs 3rd gear on entry, but really need 2nd gear on exit.... are you going to unbalance the car by changing down to 2nd gear, midway through the corner? See 1 and 2 above.
With CVT, you could have a touring car engine that has peak power at 8250rpm (assume 8500 limit) and peak tourque at 8000rpm and still have the same acceleration out of those harpins and decreasing radius corners as someone with a much wider power band.