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Audi Q5 S Tronic and A4 S Tronic

turbox submitted on 03/20/2008 Official AutoSpies Timestamp: 9:15 AM
from: ucarmagazine.com

[12] user comments | category: Misc News

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Tags: Audi, Q5, S, Tronic, and, A4

Tag Links: Audi, Q5, S, Tronic, and, A4

Audi Q5 S Tronic and A4 S Tronic

Lightning fast, virtually seamless Audi S tronic gear changes will soon be within the grasp of drivers of the all-new A4 Saloon, the Q5 SUV and many more Audi models as a new version of the much loved dual-clutch transmission brings compatibility with longitudinal or ‘north-south’ engine installations.

Originally developed to work with transversely mounted units, and so initially restricted to the TT and the A3, the latest generation of S tronic can now extend its reach upwards to the A4, A5, Q5 and many other Audi models whose engines are mounted ‘lengthways’.

In its latest form the famously quick and slick gearbox, developed exclusively by Audi, offers the existing transmission’s familiar Drive, Sport and ‘Manual’ modes, the latter upgrading from six to seven fixed ratios, and boasts a higher torque threshold of 550Nm. This impressive capacity means that it is theoretically compatible with a wide spectrum of sports models, including the majority of the V8 and V10-powered performance flagships and the high performance TDI models.

The formidable outputs produced by these cars will be handled by two multi-plate clutches – one controlling the odd gears 1, 3, 5 and 7 and the other the even 2, 4, 6 and reverse. Both transmission elements are continuously active, but only one is powered by the engine at any one time. This means that when the driver accelerates in third gear, for example, fourth is already pre-engaged by the second transmission element. The switching process takes place in mere hundredths of a second as the clutch shifts – while one is opening, the other closes, so changes are remarkably swift and the power flow is never interrupted.

The new seven-speed S tronic has also been designed to work in conjunction with the latest generation quattro four-wheel-drive system with asymmetric-dynamic distribution, so in normal conditions 40 per cent of the power is channelled from the drive shaft to the front axle differential and 60 per cent to the rear, resulting in optimum handling poise.

Twenty three years ago Audi fielded its first dual-clutch transmission in the 476PS Sport quattro S1 rally car piloted by Walter Rohrl and Christian Geistdorfer, and since its transfer to the road in 2003 as the Direct Shift Gearbox or DSG over 188,000 examples have been installed worldwide. The latest version, with its dramatically greater scope for application across the Audi range, will make its debut in UK-bound Audi models in late 2008.

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miracle113 - 3/20/2008 10:40:12 AM

+1 Boost

remarkable.
but still, i'd like to shift on my own.

acutally, depends on what car it is.

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w209w114 - 3/20/2008 10:59:54 AMView My AgentSpace

+1 Boost

The dual clutch makes a weird puff in the rear of the car for some reason. I drove a new GTI last weekend and found it a bit annoying. However, it does work nicely.

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Neverfollow - 3/20/2008 2:30:38 PM

+7 Boost

This is the tranny of the future ladies and gentlemen. This will eventually be the only automatic transmission offered in all Audi products. Many models will still be offered as a traditional manual but will be noticeabley slower when driven next to one of these. Audi has been working on this arrangement for years with various different models for both high performance and economical applications. This technology will revolutionize the industry. Glad to hear they went ahead and made it a 7 speed. There are no sound engineering reasons to offer an 8 speed however.

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investor27 - 3/20/2008 4:05:21 PM

+4 Boost

There will always be those who want to a stick shift transmission. And there will always those who prefer land-line phones over cellular, and newspaper over the internet. But this dual clutch is the future.

To each his own.

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Heyhuub - 3/21/2008 9:35:00 AM

+1 Boost

I'll keep the manual thanks.

moto - 3/20/2008 6:30:48 PM

+4 Boost

With the exception of Ferrari's F1 shifting, no other auto-shift gearbox performs so beautifully. S-tronic is brilliant.

I enjoy to row the gearshift lever myself, however, I freely admit that the S-tronic gearbox is superior to me when it comes to shifting and vehicle performance. Vicki Butler-Henderson proved this on Fifth Gear as well.

S-tronic is the perfect solution for the family that has one manual transmission devotee and one "i never learned to drive a manual transmission" driver.

Kudos to Audi for leading the way.

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amazinBimmer - 3/20/2008 8:01:36 PM

-6 Boost

as always the bmw version will be better engineered and better performing.. niceeffort, though VW

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DasAuto - 3/20/2008 8:59:12 PM

+4 Boost

DO you have any proof of that amazinBimmer?

Considering Audi/VW where the first to inculde a DSG in their mainstream/affordable cars, it is pretty logical for other car companies to jump on the bandwagon and develop one for themselves.

I doubt the BMW one would be as better engineered or better performing as the 7speed DSG in the Veyron.

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Homer008 - 3/21/2008 1:56:53 AM

+2 Boost

best looking station wagon in the world with Audi's performance. Well done!

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israr316 - 3/21/2008 8:51:49 AM

+2 Boost

I love the Audi LED parking lights. You don't appreciate their coolness until you see it in reality. (Yes I know, nothing to do w/ the S tronic)

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Jaybrn - 3/22/2008 3:07:24 AM

+1 Boost

Audi certainly makes wagons very cool, Id take an RS6 if I could get one here.