EGan

ok, I've been reading posts about how good is the mb auto tranny(c32 amg), do they use entirely different technology than the rest of the automaker?. And what about the audi's multitronic? do you think it's better than mb auto tranny.

Thanks

BiturboBoy_V2.0_S3--

real "gears" but an infinite amount of gear ratios.

mercedes auto tranny is just a well built well implemented "slushbox" automatic transmission. it also has a manual gear selection mode. most people like its behaviors better than our tiptronics.

EGan

if the multitronic claim to be as fast as manual then it should be on the same level with the mb tranny performance wise.

Andy Hedin

...that it can't hold the HP/Torque that the S4 produces.

Audiboy

And with its current layout, it'll have to be a front driver since belt covers any paths to rear

gk1

Not sure what they do to it, but it's probably similar to putting in a shift kit in an ol TH350 and beefing it up a bit.

EGan

the next gen cvt s4 can compete with amg's or bmw's smg II tranny.

SuspendedLikeaMoFo.

There's no way around the torque converter. Period. CVT actually posts efficientcy *higher* than a regular manual, although the difference (just over 5%) is negligable, they claim it is just as efficient as a manual transmission.

Look for good things to come out of CVT technology. Any more powerful variants Audi will develop will be kept under very very tight wraps, so I wouldn't count out a CVT/Multitronic replacing Tiptronic gearboxes in S models.