DrGP

I'd get the Lambo!

Songer

Driving a MT car is fun. You get a satisfying sense of control over the car and how it's power is delivered. But, the main thing that has always drawn me to the MT is that they have historically been significantly faster and more efficient. Now that you can have that direct connection between the engine and tires without working the clutch, the MT is starting to lose my interest.

I just got an S4 with the S Tronic don't miss my B6 6MT a bit. I can still control it all I want, or just thow it in "D" if it's more convenient. I like it so much that I now semi-regret getting the 6MT in my R8. It's a lot of fun to go through the gears in that car and I don't sit in traffic with it enough for it to ever be a chore. However, for all but a handfull of people the car is slower on the track with the MT. There is enough to do as you approach a turn at 150mph without worrying about messing up a downshift or not modulating the brake perfectly as you heel-toe through 2-3 gears. Working 3 pedals simultaneously while the car is at it's traction limits is quite an art, but so was double clutching in the 1930s. Some people probably lamented the passing of that era then, but now it seems silly just as working a modern manual will seem to us someday soon.

NWS4Guy

Don't regret the R8, it doesn't have a DSG dual clutch - it only comes in R-tronic, which is a single clutch and woefully uncomparable to the S-tronic.

DrGP

Then I guess I won't be getting one of those either, Scratch the R8 and Ferrari off my list for cars to consider when my lease runs out.

NWS4Guy

It comes in 6MT also, what I was saying is that they offer only R-tronic, not S-tronic.

Songer

True. But even the old-tech R-Tronic is still an auto clutch system and therefore superior to the manual in both performance and convenience. I only semi-regret the MT choice because I am still not sure about the fun factor difference.

MadMadS4

good to know - thanks

desmo101

ahh one more advantage to dct... buying a used one.

dct will most probably have less wear and tear than a conventional manual.

DrGP

OK. Then its back on my list!

TCat

We have identified the problem.

• I drive my car; I am in control, planning the next curve, lining up for best results.
• You ride in your car; you are surprised by each corner, had no idea that yellow light was going to turn red, and are happy to reach the destination.

Okay, a bit of hyperbole, but you get the idea. You are correct that, given a sudden unexpected input, the S-Tronic shifts faster. But a real driver - the type who appreciates the S4, or M3, etc. - pre-plans the shifts and such. Here's what I can do better with a stick... I can engage the clutch, rev the engine while downshifting, and lay down some serious power out of the next corner. With an automatic, that combo, which is pretty useful, is essentially off-limits. The S-Tronic doesn't know the corner is coming, and while the tranny can do what you want quickly, the engine can't.

Although truth be told I just enjoy shifting.