mclarenm8d

Just rambling here ...

I just got back to the US from a business trip to Zurich, while in Zurich I spotted an S8 with a manual transmission. There were also an unbelievable number of S Audi's in Zurich, every time I looked down the street I say another one.

Why, oh why, doesn't Audi import the manual transmission A8/S8 to the US? I know that it is expensive to get the drivetrains certified, but I've had cost estimates done for converting the auto in my A8 to a manual and I can't imagine it would be more expensive for Audi just to provide the manual as an option. Any one else out there wishing they could get the manual?

Seeing the MTM modified S8 on Speedvision has just made my cravings for a manual A8/S8 worse.

Andy P.

We also do not have the manual tranny option in the UK, auto only. You can also get a diesel V8 A8 in Europe too you know!

Andy P.

mclarenm8d

Not having the manual in the UK shocks me, I also didn't know about the diesel V8.

One thing I've noticed is that there doesn't seem to be any mention of a manual transmission option being available for the newly designed A8 in either US or European car magazines.

Bada Bing

The total A8 sales (A8/A8 L/S8) in the U.S. is about 3000 units a year. Also, in this class size, there aren't any manual transmission models in the U.S. Even BMW which offers the M3 and M5 in stick only, doesn't offer a 7-Series in stick form. Keep in mind that BMW probably sells a lot more 7-Series cars than Audi sells A8's. I think the demographics of people who can afford to drive a car costing $70K+ probably puts the average age well into the high 50's. Apparently these people don't want to shift for themselves.

Also, I think there's a perception in this country that stick shifts are for entry level economy cars and serious sports cars, and that a full blown luxury sedan won't sell in stick form.

PaulW

Okay, how many people on this list would like a six speed manual on their car? Drool....I just started driving the car around town in D3 and it is so MUCH more responsive and not violent....a six speed would be sooooooo nice....

Dreamin'.... :-)

peaceWeapon

I fantasize about it too, especially when I'm driving on a nice windy road on the weekend, but when it comes down to it, most of the time its to and from work with my latte in one hand and yapping on my cell phone (now a hands free), in which case I'm glad to have the automatic tranny

...and I'm only 36! ;-)

Egil A64.2s - S6

If you don't have a manual transmission on a 'sporty' car you just have a plain sedan. I just don't see getting an S8 with an automatic.
If you find shifting gears a pain - why bother with an S8 as you probably never use the potential of the car.

KjellA

The first S8 launced was the '97, delivered with a 6-speed manual only. Big mistake! It didn't sell well at all, customers wanted the tiptronic. So for the '98 model, the tiptronic was there. It has by far the biggest market share, and stick ****s, uhh, shifts, have a much greater depreciation.

Who wants the manual when the *fantastic* tiptronic gives you the best of two worlds? Not many. Think about it, what will the manual *really* give you that the tiptronic won't? A clutch? Yeah, even race cars dropped that years ago!

Yes, the manual will give you a tad more fingertip response and control on the accelerator, and a couple of ponies more on the wheels. Big deal. If you *really* need that, get an S4 or a Porsche. The S8 is a sports sedan, not a race car.

I had the 6-speed on my S4, and longed for a tiptronic. The *only* reason I did not buy the '97 S8 was that it didn't have the tiptronic. I sacrified the 40 extra S8 ponies and got the A8 sport tiptronic. Much rather! I do track driving several times a year, the tiptronic does that great too. Why someone ever would want a manual beats me, if they don't race the car.

If you think the tip shifts to slow, it can be chip upgraded. It might be that the shift program differs from europe to US, wouldn't surprise me at all. The european cars shift more than fast enough to beat cars like S3 and S4 with 6-speeds on a track. A 6-speed S8 wouldn't be much faster, just more hassle.

Traditional manuals will soon be history anyway, the future is automatically/button operated manuals with automatic clutch, or CVT boxes like Audi's multitronic.

Andy P.

My '99 A8 4.2 QS is the first auto I have ever owned, though I have occasionally driven autos in the past. I love it, when driving quickly it makes for a much smoother driving experience in my opinion, compared to a manual.

Andy P.

Andy P.

And how many ordinary road car drivers explore the full potential of any car??!! ;-)

Andy P.