Manual or R-Tronic

[Paul]

Not sure if the question has been raised here ... so I thought I'd put up a poll.

Being a Brit I've grown up driving manual cars and have always felt more comfortable selecting the gear I feel is appropriate when I want, not when a bunch of cogs/torque splitters, or a computer, think I should change gear, let alone pick the one they think I want.

However, being able to specify flappy paddles for the R-Tronic leaves me with a tough decision ... do I go for a manual R8, with that fabulous looking gated gear shift ... or, go for the R-Tronic and have flappy paddles fitted ... so I can enjoy the ability to manually change gears at the flick, or two, of a paddle ... without the need for a manual clutch ... which technically you only need to put the car into first to pull away from a standing start as ... once you know your car’s engine and gearbox ... you can change gear without the clutch anyway.

The decision isn't made any easier when you consider just how nice the gated manual gear shift looks ... or that the shifts made by the R-Tronic box would be much quicker than even an experienced manual gear shift driver could make them.

Which would you go for:
Manual?
or
R-Tronic?

[Jabes]

I had a BMW M3 SMG and loved it. Everyone who drove it struggled to get used to it which was also cool ;-)

It also had a "launch control" mode that allowed you to do your own factory 0-60, gear change flashing lights, and when you had your foot to the floor and double down clicked to drop two gears, the sound of it double de-clutching as it pulled down the gears was just incredible

Seeya
James

[996TT]

This is probably the main feature of the car I'm disappointed with, no "DSG" dual clutch transmission like Audi offers in their lower HP cars. I've driven an SMG and it's definitely a compromised solution, but certainly preferable to a torque converter automatic in this car.
How did Bugatti manage to get one for their 1000HP Veyron?

[Jabes]

I must admit, I had assumed that the r-tronic would be a DSG type solution. It is just a conventional auto box with paddles to control the gear shift?

In which case, it probably will be manual for me...

Seeya
James

[e46m3fanatic777]

actually jabes its not an autobox its a variation of lamborghini's e-gear, which is similar to smg of bmw, and the f1 version of ferrari, people had hope it was be dsg due to the fact is a much smother shift and quicker for that matter.

[AZAUDIA8L]

If it were the DSG, I would consider it. It does not appear to be that thus it is the 6 spd for me!

[cooperr8]

its is an advanced version of the gallardo e-gear which is not a dsg but i wouldn,t class it as being a auto with paddles its a bit more than that i actually own one so im not just summising

[cooperr8]

paddles all the way for me

[R8 England]

Just driven a friends Gallardo...........

Interior looks just like R8, and the gearbox/gearstick/gate is the same as the R8.

It's was a manual and there is a nice "feeel" and a positive change.

Definitely a manual for me !

[GREA8]

Currently drive a 911 tiptronic, not going there again, give me a manual any day, the auto boxes just dont do it in a sports car.

I find they change up to soon unless you really push the car all the time and if you use it in manual mode the gear change just does not feel right, anyway if your going to use it in manual mode then you might as well save some money and by a manual IMO