Starting the car, R-tronic vs 6MT - a question

[KfabR8]

In my previous two cars, with the manual trans, getting the car started required nothing more than pushing in the clutch. I could pretty much plop my rear end in the seat as I pushed the clutch in and turned the key and "vroooom" the cars would come to life. No wait, not pause, just a quick start. I'd have the car under power and rolling out of the garage about the same time I got the door shut and started searching for the seat belt.

With the R-tronic, it seems that I have to turn the key (while stepping on the brake pedal) and wait a couple of seconds before the car seems ready to accept the key input of "start". I'm used to the instant start and this pause/wait's caught me off guard a couple of times now.

Is this a normal aspect of the R-tronic cars?

If so, I must remember that if I'm gonna drive get-a-way for any sort of heist, I must take the MT6 car, as it starts immediately.

I also have experienced the trans finding neutral w/o me realizing it and then trying to take off. One just makes noise at the light. Then I find that I'm scrambling to get it in gear and it won't shift until you put your foot back on the brake pedal.

What takes probably no more than a second seems like an eternity when you have a bunch of people sitting in the turn lane at a short cycle light waiting on the moron in the exotic to learn how to drive the darn thing! Where'd the gear go? Shift, darn you, shift!

One other thing I discovered this morning, during my daily Starbucks ritual, is that the automatic mode is very convenient. One hand holding my java and one on the wheel with no need to jockey it between the steering wheel and the stick. I like this!

[exhilR8]

OMG Kfab likes Automatic mode! It's official, he's into the R-tronic now.

The startup pause is totally normal.

The car only "finds" neutral at a stoplight if you take your foot off the brake for a few seconds. This happened to me a few times the first week. Keeping your foot on the brake, it never happens.

Another feature of the R-tronic that you will only notice on a track is its willingness to downshift for you in Manual mode. It does this to prevent stalling. On the track, it forces you to "stay ahead" of the programmed downshifts by downshifting yourself at highter rev points. You can still control every shift point yourself, but you have to keep the revs up, which is a good thing for lap times.

[randombloke]

Welcome to the fun world of the r-tronic!

Can't say I've noticed the pause, so just went outside and tried it. First time I tried it, it fired up instantly - but there's a reason for this: I seem to naturally wait for the dial needles to do their flick round before I turn the key. When I just tried hitting the brake and insert/turn key instantly there was a couple of seconds pause whilst the needles did their thing and then the starter motor kicked in.

The going to neutral thing used to drive me crackers, but it's something you get used to over time. I either leave my foot on the brake if it's a short stop or else take it off and wait the few seconds for it to ping into neutral - once I know it's in neutral I can just hit the brake, pull the paddle and I'm away.

[shazam]

Had my 3rd test drive today. I think of it as the brake functioning as both brake and clutch pedal when stationary. The logic is very German.

Also noticed today that the cup holder on RHD r8s is in the same place it is on the LHD r8s. So for those in RHD cars it's not really good for coffee runs. I could've noticed that by paying attention on Top Gear reviews but anyway lol.

[NVRL8R8]

Kfab, just curious.... why the switch to Rtronic? I've read that Ferrari and Lambo will not be producing true 3rd pedal cars anymore. I hope Audi doesn't go this route.

[harrison]

The R-T car is like a computer, hit power on, wait for boot-up. Like a fighter jet too...systems check, let engine warm up, hit more buttons, then take-off. Yesterday we cleared the runway. (Driveway and street) A few more routine steps before moving than a manual car requires.

[spyder ned]

My car definitely has the pause. Seemed very strange at first, now very normal. The sales manager at the dealership recommended when coming to a traffic light, it would be better for the transmission to be placed in neutral rather than to wait with just holding the brake. I find my self "slapping" the gear lever to neutral, leaving my hand on the level till the light changes and then moving it back to "A 1". Anybody else do this?

[harrison]

My R-T anticipates all my actions the second I open the door, whirring pump sunds, before I even insert the key. Getting off thread a bit...Try coasting to a stop in neutral, hit shifter back to left (you are still in neutral) ...Light turns GREEN, nudge shifter into 1st (FOOT on brake, of course). NO pause to be encountered. (in manual mode at least) I will go for a canyon run in a few to sharpen my skills. FIRST Check tire pressures...While she warms a bit, hit SPORT mode, traction control off, Mag ride on (during aggressive situations). and start shifting like crazy... in manual mode! Auto mode is for coffee on the way to church! (and if your mate is snoozing and you don't want to wake them with neck jerks.)

[KfabR8]

Kfab, just curious.... why the switch to Rtronic?

Not really sure. Just seemed like the thing to do with #3. Heck, the first two were pretty much identical - Daytona Gray on black, 6 speed. I went a completely different direction with this one and I'm quite happy about it.

I am finding that I stick the car in N when I come to a stop and then just tap the paddle when the light turns green. I'm also sticking it in Sport Mode as part of my start up ritual - the shifting is so much better, smoother and more controlled in this mode.

Auto mode is definitely going to become my standard morning coffee mode, though. I like not having to try to tickle the stick with one hand and hold with the other. Now I can be lazy and wake up w/o any second gear starts, shoddy shifts and what not.

It is a tad odd in the morning to not have the car shift to second as I get on down my drive way. Obviously a warming up procedure that the car does, as it goes into second just as I get to the end of my drive. I was used to being able to sneak up to third and stay just at idle revs in the morning. Definitely a few things to get used to and learn. Interesting how the computerization of the trans' shifting makes such a difference between the two systems.

[RS4Cab]

My R-T anticipates all my actions the second I open the door, whirring pump sunds, before I even insert the key

Pump starting up probably is the delay. I remember in my M3 SMG as soon as I hit the remote to unlock the door I would hear the pump starting up.