R-tronic. Read it isn't perfect in an article. Traffic shows weaknesses

[Motown]

I was reading in an article That the driver didn't care for the rtronic. Said it had a bad jerk when upshifting in normal traffic. They said it was fine when they were stepping on it but during tame driving the tranition to up gears were clunky.

Secondly. Why is the rtronic fun? I am struggling here to understand the experience. I had paddles on a 2005 Benz e53 amg. It was an auto with paddles. Aloud me to shift like a manual with no clutch. It that the same as this?

I rarely used it. I mean very rarely used it.

So in short is the rtronic smooth day in day out driving?
What makes it different than my older Benz and why would that be good or preferred? Seems boring.

[SebringSilver]

You can't expect a journalist who spends only a couple of hours with a press car to fully understand the nuances of its operation. The R-tronic is not in any way similar to the automatic gearbox in your old Mercedes. Your E53 (typo?) AMG used a planetary gearbox, with a torque converter. The upshifts are slow and its paddle-activated downshifts do not rev-match like the R-tronic transmission does. The only Mercedes AMG models that rev-match on downshifts are the SLS, C63, and I believe the newer models with the MCT gearbox. Even the CLK63 Black Series does not rev-match on downshifts.

The R-tronic in the R8 has a clutch, and is for all intents and purposes a manual gearbox with an Auto mode. The vast majority of R8talk members here who have R-tronic drive their cars almost exclusively in Manual mode. The benefit is particularly felt in high-speed or aggressive driving as it would be unlikely that a human being could shift as fast as the R-tronic system could shift for you. But in city traffic conditions, you also receive the benefit of not needing to activate the clutch manually when doing the 1-2 shift. It's ironic that the writer of the magazine you cited actually failed to pick up on this. It would be unreasonable to expect the same smoothness as you would find in a luxury car like an E-class Mercedes.

As far as I can tell, the R-tronic is very smooth, especially if it has had the 24R4 software update. It's possible that the car used in the magazine's test article did not have its software updated. If you're in the market for an R8, be sure that it's had this software update installed.

[NASA R8]

I'm not sure my 2009 had the 24R4 update but when I drove the car home from the dealer in Auto it was a bad experience with "unexpected" shifts which were not smooth. Since then I have been driving it as an automatic manual and love it. Fast shifts up and down although you may have to get off the gas for a bit when down shifting.

[ignomini]

You can't expect a journalist who spends only a couple of hours with a press car to fully understand the nuances of its operation. The R-tronic is not in any way similar to the automatic gearbox in your old Mercedes. Your E53 (typo?) AMG used a planetary gearbox, with a torque converter. The upshifts are slow and its paddle-activated downshifts do not rev-match like the R-tronic transmission does. The only Mercedes AMG models that rev-match on downshifts are the SLS, C63, and I believe the newer models with the MCT gearbox. Even the CLK63 Black Series does not rev-match on downshifts.

The R-tronic in the R8 has a clutch, and is for all intents and purposes a manual gearbox with an Auto mode. The vast majority of R8talk members here who have R-tronic drive their cars almost exclusively in Manual mode. The benefit is particularly felt in high-speed or aggressive driving as it would be unlikely that a human being could shift as fast as the R-tronic system could shift for you. But in city traffic conditions, you also receive the benefit of not needing to activate the clutch manually when doing the 1-2 shift. It's ironic that the writer of the magazine you cited actually failed to pick up on this. It would be unreasonable to expect the same smoothness as you would find in a luxury car like an E-class Mercedes.

As far as I can tell, the R-tronic is very smooth, especially if it has had the 24R4 software update. It's possible that the car used in the magazine's test article did not have its software updated. If you're in the market for an R8, be sure that it's had this software update installed.

+1

The RT has a learning curve, but once mastered it is smooth and a real joy to use. The Auto mode is a joke, however. No idea why it was included. If you can't be bothered to tap a couple paddles to shift, you really shouldn't be driving a sports car.

[conm]

I can shift just as smooth as an auto in manual mode. Easy to master the finese in the shifting. Drive it as you would a manual other than no need to press the clutch. Forget about auto mode , it shouldn't be there.
I NEVER USE IT.

[NR8]

I use the auto in sports mode while driving in city traffic and there is no unexpected shifting and it is smooth. On the autobahn I am most of the time in manual mode and that is great fun, much better than bothering with a clutch.

[randombloke]

Never use auto mode either.

It's chalk and cheese comparing using the r-tronic to having a standard automatic box with paddles. I've had an a5 and x6 alongside the r8. Both were traditional automatics with paddleshift but I never bothered with the paddles on either even though I drive the r8 exclusively with paddles.

The r-tronic isn't for everyone though - you need to weigh up your own personal basket of preferences for what makes the ideal car for you.

For me, I like the immediacy and dependability of the paddles - I find I change gear more often than I would with a traditional manual box. It adds something to the whole driving experience rather than takes it away for me.

[Vincent]

Funny to see the only people complaining are non-owners. Most R-tronic owners including myself love it. One just need to realize that it is just a Manual transmission w/o a clutch pedal and not be driven as an Automatic.

[SebringSilver]

Funny to see the only people complaining are non-owners. Most R-tronic owners including myself love it. One just need to realize that it is just a Manual transmission w/o a clutch pedal and not be driven as an Automatic.

Fixed.

[Motown]

Funny to see the only people complaining are non-owners. Most R-tronic owners including myself love it. One just need to realize that it is just a Manual transmission w/o a clutch and not be driven as an Automatic.

I thought it had a clutch???? Sorry guys just don't know. I am learning though thanks to you.

One last time.... This is like having a manual but no gearbox to shift but instead there are paddles. So engage the clutch/shift the paddle/excelerate.

And to that other member that said it enhances the experience. Why? What makes to better than manaul?