a3 on the way to NA

[Louis-Alain_Richard at computerhorizons.com]

Damn Brett, you always seems to put the finger where it hurts... But I 
guess you did not drive one yet, eh?

You're right ; it is the fastest robotized manual transmission out there. 
Period.
And it is faster than any slushbox I know.
And there is a mechanical link between the engine and the road, without 
any slippage.

But what I was expecting was a kick-in-tha-butt when upshifting. You know, 
like the sequential gearbox we find on the small formula shool cars (Skip 
Barber and al). You push the lever, and "tack", next gear. For those who 
never tried these cars, it's way like a motorcycle shifted clutchless 
while keeping the throttle open. The DSG is not like that. 
The car I drove was very smooth, very fast too, but the gearbox did not 
impress me enough to actually make me want one. 
And guess what? Even my own girlfriend (Hi, honey!) still prefers the 
manual transmission. And she's not a "car person", believe me.

On the good side, as you said, there is the "fast launch" feature ; 
throttle to the floor, left foot braking, revs will rise to 3000 RPM and 
stay there until you release the brake pedal. Fun indeed.

Maybe the DSG needs only a couple of iterations to perfect its behavior? I 
will revise my judgement only when the second generation comes out.

Louis-Alain,
still thinking the DSG is not a better sport device than a true manual.






Brett Dikeman <brett at cloud9.net> 
2004-08-31 14:24

To
Louis-Alain_Richard at computerhorizons.com, "Matt Evans" 
<matt at mattevans.org>
cc
quattro at audifans.com
Subject
RE: a3 on the way to NA






At 11:39 AM -0400 8/31/04, Louis-Alain_Richard at computerhorizons.com wrote:

>Regarding this DSG, I have mixed feelings. I was expecting lightning fast
>gear changes "à la" F1. Sorry, the feeling is very close to a normal
>torque-converter auto trans. So this is very deceiveing.

The gear changes are faster than Ferrari's F1 gearbox, and it has no 
torque converter.

Every single reviewer I've watched or read who has driven the car has 
commented on the shifts- mainly that they're so immediate, it's like 
they never happened; you push the button, you're in the other gear 
before your finger is letting go of the button.

   Everyone I have talked to who has driven the DSG has loved it. 
Every person I've talked to who has driven BMW's SMG HATED it.  With 
a passion.  Like the Post Bangle 7-series, even die hard BMW fans 
will tell you it's garbage.

Oh, and the best part?  The DSG has a launch mode 'easter egg', and 
unlike the M3, you can use it as many times as you please.  Part of 
me suspects that VW/Audi want to see if anyone actually manages to 
break it, and how it breaks.

Top Gear's Jeremy Clarkson, who has thus far hated virtually every 
"flappy pedal gearbox" he's driven (BMW, Ferrari, Aston Martin, and a 
whole slew of others not worth mentioning) - loved DSG.  He 
purposefully tried to fake out the preselect system by doing oddball 
things on their test track- and couldn't.

Rumor has it Ferrari and others- are eyeing the DSG for their 
roadcars several years down the road.

I don't understand Matt's fuss about redline, especially since (as 
you said) it is conditional.

Brett