Why is the R Tronic so disliked?

[woodranch]

In the March issue of Automobile magazine(page 16) they claim the R8 will receive a seven-speed dual clutch transmission later this year to replace the"much disliked six-speed R Tronic". Why do so many people dislike the R tronic.I have not had my car but a month ,but I really enjoy the driving experience.Do other forum members that have R Tronic agree ?I never drive in auto so I really don't see any negative.Is the negative reviews coming from those who drive mainly in auto?

[gazza1]

Ok I will be brave with no maliciousness intent...

First let me say that the manual transmission is not a better transmission as that is just a personal preference.

Reading all the comments on this forum R-tronic owners seem generally very happy with the box which in the end is the way it needs to be AND ALL THAT REALLY MATTERS.. but non R-tronic owners or journalists or motoring writers find the transmission jerky and you need to drive around it to get the smoothness and crispness that you would except in this value of car.

I have now learned after driving a few in different R8'S(from 2008 TO 2012) that it a good transmission and it is also somewhat more rewarding than say a GT-R transmission which is sooo good..that it allows no art of driver input to finesse to make it perform better..which the R-tronic does allow and provide which is a good thing sometimes.

I have yet to see a road test review from a motoring writer in any magazine over many years where they praise the R-tronic box..unfortunately most claim it is the weak link in what is obviously a fantastic car because of its duck neck nod change and chunky thud changes under hard acceleration.

In this day and age..most drivers owners probably expect a bit better and smoother changes than what the R-tronic can produce.

If we look at the new Aventador..the transmission which is similar to R-tronic..it still comes in for the same criticism from expert motoring writers such as Chris Harris and is seen as a bit of a weak link in what is a fabulous car.

Then if we look at the 458 or Gt-R..these transmissions get full praise and I believe that's because the world has moved on and they just set a new standard of performance whether we like it or not.

This is most likely why the R-tronic is seen now as a bit of a poor cousin and lends itself to criticism.

To Audi's credit they have continued to improve the box over the years of the R8 and the 2012 Spyder R-tronic I drove was pretty nice..but it just is not in the same class as what has been available now for the last 2-3 years.

However..its you as a consumer and owner that only really matter..and if the hat fits..wear it proudly!

[randombloke]

.Is the negative reviews coming from those who drive mainly in auto?

a lot of it is down to that - people jumping in the car and expecting the box to feel like a traditional slushbox auto (or DSG these days) and not appreciating what the box actually is and what it is doing.

the second is that the motoring press tends to jump on bandwagons and they do seem to like to be able to have something they can pick fault (presumably with the goal of making their reviews seem more balanced).

in all honesty though, I don't sweat it. For years I've been reading about supposed faults with cars I've had - both from the motoring press and "received wisdom" forum posters - it doesn't alter my enjoyment or feelings towards them one jot.

[thebishman]

It takes a few days to get used to the idiosyncrasies of the R-Tronic; or any single clutch automated manual. Most 'journalists' simply don't get enough time with the car to learn how to finesse the gearbox. I am very familier with these types of gearboxes, and absolutely love the R-Tronic. It is far more visceral than any DSG 'box when you're in 'angry' mode (lol), and I bet I could drive it all day in stop/go traffic and my passenger would never know it wasn't a DSG; (or if I'm being very attentive, a tiptronic type 'box).
Bish

[BlkwdwR8]

I agree, having owned R-Tronic-like gearboxes in 3 cars now, it all comes down to how you treat it. Most people who have never ridden in the vehicles I own have no idea it's an R-Tronic as I drive them so smoothly now that even one passenger commented on how fast and smooth I push the clutch in and shift, to which I chuckled.

If you drive it like a manual, it acts like a manual... this took a while to grasp, but once you learn to control throttle lift while shifting you can make it a very smooth experience. When you want an angry blow the neck back experience, floor it and click the paddles

[ignomini]

Owning both an R-T R8 and an S-T S4, I have to say I do not consider Audi's current S-T box a good choice for the R8. Even in manual, with Dynamic driving mode selected, it will automatically short shift first and second gears. You have no choice in the matter. The two most fun and critical shifts are out of your control. When selecting gears, if you shift up when the box is prepared to shift down, or vice versa, it will bog slightly. Also, if you come to a quick stop and immediately restart it will experience a severe clunk as the wet clutch attempts to catch up with your inputs. The S-T is a brilliant compromise transmission, incorporating features of both a manual and a slushbox, but without being better at either. The S-T's one ringing endorsement is the fact it shifts very smoothly without any driver input on the throttle.

Right now today, given a choice between the two boxes as they currently exist, on an R8 I would choose the R-T. I would only recommend the S-T to someone who would prefer an automatic gearbox with some manual shifting ability.

To answer the question in advance. The current S4 redlines at 7k. First to second shift happens automatically at 5k, and 2-3 happens at 6k. Sucks a lot of the fun out of manual shifting. I assume this is done to limit torque in the lower gears.

[jh001ace]

Good post Gazza, I personally like the RT, in the GT, full throttle shifts in sports mode are violent and I just love it, I've had a GTR and its all a bit sanitised and too easy.

For the record, I always drive in MS mode - around town or on a blast, no issues, I feel some of the rough edges which give the RT character will be lost in the ST.

[soho]

Umm. I f--king love the R-tronic. I've said it before, but I would not upgrade to the S-tronic if I had the opportunity. It takes some time to get used to, but learning and mastering the shifts is part of the driving experience. A year and change and I can't even feel shifts when I don't want to. It's an art form feathering the throttle -- one that I particularly enjoy.

[ignomini]

The whole thing about feathering the throttle with the R-T is you are operating the throttle just as you would with a purely manual transmission. Dual clutch boxes eliminate the need for throttle manipulation, and are more like an automatic gearbox in that respect.

[woodranch]

It is kinda of interesting that there are quite a few R tronic members on the forum but only 7 of them offer there view on this subject.Don't know if that is good or bad but all that matters is I love my car!