Tiptronic transmission

[Evan Parker]

good call man.  I was trying to type this out, and i found an awesome description, where else but on the Audi site...
 
http://www.audi.com.au/glossary/images/tiptronic/m024.jpg 
(see the picture)
 
"Tiptronic is a special kind of transmission. It combines the convenience and refinement of the automatic transmission with the driving pleasure and dynamics of a manual transmission. The driver can switch from automatic to tiptronic at any time while driving. In both modes, gear shifts take place with no power interruption. "
 
Basically it's an automatic, but! you have the option of literally pushing the shifter into that 2nd slot on the right, and pushing up makes the gear climb, and pushing back makes the gear drop.
 
It's like the shifters they used to have on arcade games, but in real life.  They honestly work great for passing/fats start situations, but for morons like me who don't like to actually use the brakes in a car, it's not the best thing to spin up the automatic transmission to slow down the car like it's OK with a manual.
 
The tiptronics don't take kindly to downshifting in turns although, and don't have any consept of pre-reving the engine when it puts it in low gear.  You can't heel-toe with a tiptronic.
 
Tiptronics do have one advantage over a manual though, they do provide constant power with out any interuption.  A lot of tiptronics end up actually being faster in a straight line than manuals just because of the down time you have shifting and clutching and revving.
 
Tiptronics get thumbs up from me.  Automatics are generally annoying, tiptronics are a good improvement on them, and a manual is still 100% better.

 
________________________________

From: quattro-bounces at audifans.com on behalf of Henry A Harper III
Sent: Wed 8/24/2005 10:12 PM
To: Cat ^. .^ ~; quattro at audifans.com
Subject: RE: Tiptronic transmission




> Would someone please explain what tiptronic transmission is?

Tiptronic is a marketing name for a type of fairly normal (mechanically)
automatic transmission with additional features (a shifter that pops over
into a special slot or maybe buttons on the steering wheel) to make it
easier to shift "manually" but with no clutch pedal. Other features may or
may not include shifting at redline vs. holding selected gear at all costs,
downshifting at a stop, etc. - the degree of "manualness" varies somewhat
per vehicle application.

_______________________________________________
quattro mailing list
quattro at audifans.com
http://www.audifans.com/mailman/listinfo/quattro