scottacus

Tiptronic is really just a name Audi (and VW, Porsche, etc) give to any automatic with manual shift capability. There are different units between different model lines and years. I believe the current Audi 6-speed tiptronic is actually made by ZF, and is probably the same unit in the BMW 335i (but not the 328i). I believe the Passat also uses this unit, but I am not sure about other VWs.

Keep in mind few companies truly make their own automatic transmissions. BMW even gets some of theirs from GM.

irenesbob

Yes, I had an 1998 Isuzu Trooper that had the same AT (G400 seems to ring a bell) as BMW at the time - GM built. The issue I was referring to was the branding or brand stamping on various parts as the discussion was going that way. I am still not convinced there are not Audi vehicles with parts or components that say VW on them. I have no facts to support this supposition, however.

SFV A4

The V6 will most certainly not be disappearing. It may in fact become more popular for cars that normally have V8's. The trend for the last twenty years has been this..."car company X claims in three years to have clean, efficient diesels and compact engines..." Fast forward to the due date and all we hear is, "car company X has cancelled plans to introduce said engines." It's a promise everyone wants to make but the reality is public perception of a smaller engine scares people away and the plan is nixed. About the only blip to this trend has been Audi re-introducing a V6 for the S4 and S5, which remains to be judged by the market. I also believe the next M3 is slated to get a V6.

One interesting article in a recent Motor Trend showed no fuel mileage advantage when a V6 was compared to a turbo four. About the only 2WD, four cylinder car I can think of that gets better mileage than it's V6 counterparts would be the A4 CVT vs. the BMW 328i. For comparison's sake, my 2008 IS250 was rated 24/32 before the EPA made their revisions. At the time, it was the most efficient V6, albeit a slow one.

Bob58

The Tiptronic name is actually owned by Porsche with license use given to Audi and VW.

The Quattro name is owned by Audi with license use given to nobody.

Neither name are dependent on any specific technology or component other than:

Porsche/Audi/VW call all their various traditional automatic transmissions "Tiptronic"

And Audi calls all their various AWD systems "Quattro".

Bob58

Audi and VW have been sharing components for longer than I've been driving Audis.

My first Audi was a 1982 4000s. The overwhelming majority of individual plastic components that had a part stamp on them said "VW/Audi/Porsche".

My next Audi was a 1985 5000..... same thing.

The only "change" over the next 24 years with my next 5 consecutively newer Audis has been the drop of "Porsche" from those components and the fact that fewer and fewer of the pieces had VW stamped on them along with Audi.


As for the gooseneck hinges on the B8 trunk, they may be cheaper than the gas struts from the B6/B7 but that's not the only reason Audi is using them. They were the best design for the A5 so the trunk lid could open wide enough. Using them on the A4 became a foregone conclusion.

As for the rubber door trim on the US B8 A4 Premium models, the B6 1.8T used the exact same thing. Only the 3.0 models had aluminum trim. When the B7 A4 came out with ONLY aluminum trim, a small percentage of consumers (and probalby 50% of AudiWorld) absolutely lost their minds about it. "Black is sportier!! I don't want 'chrome!!!', leading Audi to produce the 'Titanium' edition of the S-Line package.

Now is aluminum more expensive than rubber? Of course it is, but we can't blame Audi for making that trim available on, at least their cheapest model, given the past outrage over it's absense on the B7.

I prefer to look at it as: Audi listened to their customers and found a way to accomodate them and save some money.

That's a win-win.

SoSuMi

True, it won't but we are going to see the "Euroization" of our vehicles, with four bnagers the norm. The six that I'd like to see is the 3.0 TDI. I"m not going to be holding my breath....

irenesbob

I would have thought the black look would be offered on the "sporty" models, it surprises me it is on the base model. I personally like the aluminum trim, though I would prefer the window frames themsleves to be the same as what ever the body color is. I feel designers started putting black trim around window frames to make them look like "hardtops" in the 1970's or 80's. On my 2002 Altima I was able to peel off the black trim after the dealer told me that the entire door was painted at the factory whatever the body color was (in my case Silver) and the blackout trim added later. I like that look, makes the vehicle look more solid. An A4 is still a sedan, no matter what sportier prentensions various owners may have abaout their cars. The Nissan Cube treatment of window frames is what I prefer.

CRB

I think the car is a pretty good idea from Acura's perspective. Something smaller than the TL (which is kind of a boat now)with enough power to classify as "luxury". To my eye it is the best looking car on the ACURA lot since the new "hit with the ugly stick" styling started.