[A4] New car considerations

[Quincy Chiang]

I've driven the A3 2.0T fwd with conventional 6-sp and DSG, and I gotta say DSG is mightly impressive.  It's shifts quickly and cleanly (unlike BMW's SMG, it shifts very fast but the entire drivetrain clunks violently against the car's frame), and it rev matches perfectly everything time when you down shift.  But here lies the problem, I have no doubt that a DSG car is faster on the track and when recording acceleration times, but I feel disconnected in the process because I didn't do anything.  95% of the time I drive on the street, I don't need optimal "lap time" going places.  I'd much prefer shifting the old fashion way, there's nothing quite as satisfying as braking hard into a sweeper turn, banging home a series of perfect heel-toe downshifts and then hard on the gas.  For this reason I'd never buy cars with semi-auto gearboxes.

Since this car is essentially the new GTI, my impression (DSG aside) was a pretty good one.  However when compared to the Mini Cooper S, all of a sudden it's feels wooden and slow (in terms of responses).  Sure it's faster in the straight line, but the Cooper S just feel so much more alive and will leave it in its tracks when the roads get twisty.

Quincy

----- Original Message -----
From: Nicholas Stock <nickstock at gmail.com>
Date: Sunday, September 4, 2005 2:42 pm
Subject: Re: [A4] New car considerations

> It will be interesting to see how the A3 3.2 quattro (due in December
> in North America) will fare against the R32. Evidently, the DSG really
> helps that baby get off the line quick...
> 
> Hmm, perhaps I'll wait until December for a new car....
> 
> Nick
> 
> On 9/4/05, Quincy Chiang <b5quattro at shaw.ca> wrote:
> > Mmmm, I need to figure out a way to import a R32 up to the Great 
> White North, perhaps that would put my lust for a Mini Cooper S to 
> rest ;-)
> > 
> > Quincy
> > 
> > ----- Original Message -----
> > From: michael pagano <mvp12547 at yahoo.com>
> > Date: Sunday, September 4, 2005 9:34 am
> > Subject: Re: [A4] New car considerations
> > 
> > > I must tell you, I feel lucky everyday I drive my .:R, especially
> > > when I have been offered what I paid for it by dealers, with 18K
> > > on the odo! I do prefer the feel of the Quattro from my A4s vs.
> > > the Haldex on the R but thats about it.
> > >
> > >
> > > ---------------------------------
> > > Start your day with Yahoo! - make it your home page
> > 
> >
>