There is still a final drive gear, if you re read my post, that is the only difference between the FDI and FDII transmission. Everything else was to help somebody else who's never had a cvt understand better what I was trying to describe. and yes there are gear ratios, but there are no gears in cvt. Please re-read my post, and you will see that your comment is asinine.
"Mechanically? there is only one difference. A lower final drive, which gears down the CVT. so the typical cvt is equivalent to say... a 6 speed auto as far as the top and bottom gear ratios (with an infinite # of ratios inbetween) on the FDII those ratios are geared down with the lower final drive, so instead of having a first through 6th, its more like 1/4, 1/2, 1, 2, 3, 4th gears. That's why you take such a huge hit on MPG on the FDII, you effectively get rid of your OD gears. My other car has a 4 speed auto, and it runs at very similar RPM's at similar speeds. A few less, but close."