R-Tronic your views please!

[malcR8]

All you r-tronic owners out there why should I spec it on my new R8?

I read so many negative reviews, even one this week on a V10 r-tronic, and I know journalists are notorious at rubbishing perfectly good cars/gearboxs etc.

I own a new Smart FourTwo which gets rubbish gearbox reviews and in my opinion it is good and just takes care when driving, a bit like not making a mess of a manual gearbox!

I like the idea of r-tronic so would welcome your views as Users!

As for delivery in the UK, who knows, no V8s until ?, and a chance of a cancelled V10 at the end of the year.

Look forward to your replies.

Thanks in advance

Malc

Porsche Cayman S / Smart FourTwo

[swansailor]

Malc,
You can find a lot of earlier threads with discussion and opinions on this many of which are based on the experience of people who have first hand knowledge of both (and, unfortunately, many opinions based on no experience ...but I am sure you can separate them).

I have driven both R-Tronic (which I own) and the stick-shift (which I drove for two days at the Audi Sports Car Experience in Sonoma CA). My 'daily driver' is also a stick-shift so driving one doesn't scare me at all. I liked both and I don't see any disadvantages with the R-Tronic ...on the contrary, once I got used to it (it does have a couple of quirks) I love it both for daily driving and, especially, for fast driving on windy roads. I never use the R-tronic in its "auto" mode so I cannot comment on it, I always drive it in "manual" mode.

The quirks? Automatic up-shifts when you reach the rev limit unless you have selected "sport" mode. Automatic down-shifts as you slow down and come to a halt. Kick-down if you floor the accelerator. Drops into neutral if you stop (eg at a traffic light) and don't keep your foot on the foot-brake ...this happens even if you apply the hand-brake and you then have to depress the footbrake again before you can select first gear.

I have not found any of these to be a problem once I got used to them.

Good luck.

[KADWAR]

Get the manual..............much better to drive.

[randombloke]

People telling you which they prefer isn't really going to help you.

A common theme to watch out for in threads like this is people assuming the r-tronic is a normal torque converter type automatic with tiptronic like the porsche tiptronic or some of the other audis whereas in fact it is a sequential manual gearbox meaning that the tranmission itself is basically the same as the manual but the actual changing of the gear is automated. It does this faster than a human driver can and it blips the throttle on downshifts to give the same rev-matching benefits that you'd get by heel and toe in the manual. Anyone who talks about the car not changing gear when they want it to with the r-tronic in sport manual mode is not talking from experience.

The auto-mode of the r-tronic is just a bonus imo rather than being the point of the transmission - it's nowhere near as smooth as a true auto. To me, it really comes alive at speed and in sport manual mode. The main irritations afor me are those mentioned by swansailor above but you quickly get used to them.

There are enough used r-tronic r8's floating around out there that you should be able to get a test drive in one - but bear in mind it takes a little while to get used to driving a sequential manual.

At the end of the day you need to think about how much pleasure you personally get from changing gear yourself - some love the added involvement in the gear selection process whereas others, like me, don't rank it high enough to offset the enjoyment the r-tronic itself adds by allowing for fast, accurate gearchanges with both hands on the wheel. I would be lying if i said it didn't appeal to my gadget loving side too.

Personally, I'd either buy a used r8 or wait for a new v10 given the pricing and standard spec of the v10 - any new r8's hitting once the v10 is out are going to take a big hit come resale time imo.

[SFR8]

The R-Tronic is an "automated" 6 speed manual. Instead of ****ing and clutching yourself, a machine does it for you. Same control of gears as a manual and is faster in Sports mode. I love it.

[randombloke]

Instead of ****ing and clutching yourself

it's a good job I wasn't drinking when I read that sentence with the typo or my keyboard would have got drenched

[mccltd]

I currently drive an SMG II M3 and read a lot of reviews on the R Tronic.
After driving 3 manuals and 2 R tronics I personally am looking for an R Tronic myself. I loved it. Personally it seemed a lot smoother than the SMG on the M3 and worked flawlessly for me.
As they say each to their own, manual was very smooth, light clutch but I love the no clutch bit and not having to take my hands of the steering wheel.
One thing to remember thou is the box going into neutral when stationery, makes a lovely noise when you try to pull away in neutral

[randombloke]

One thing to remember thou is the box going into neutral when stationery, makes a lovely noise when you try to pull away in neutral

and sods law you'll do it when there are lots of people around staring at the car who think you've done it intentionally to show off.

[bz888]

and sods law you'll do it when there are lots of people around staring at the car who think you've done it intentionally to show off.

Hahaa! Sounds like it's happened to a few of us!!!

[mccltd]

Happened to me on a test drive. Sitting at some lights watching 3 police breaking up a fight with a crowd and then theres me trying to pull away when they went green.
Gave them something else to look at.

Oh and MalcR8 look for a second user car they all seem to be up your end of the England I cant find a descent R tronic down in the South east at all. Well found one and they sold it 1hr after my enquiry. Dam good spec as well.