Does anyone know why the Tiptronic is
almost 2 seconds slower than the stick
in the 0-60 (per the brochure)?
Also, is this real or just an estimate?

Thanks
Ken

NT

wheels. The gearing is different I am sure. Manuals are thought to be more sporting therefore a little more aggressive and 5-speed rather than 4 in most automatics not sure about the automatic. Tiptronic is like starting any other automatic in 1 then clicking to 2 then 3 and finally D and back down. Just a gimmick!

All three transmissions available in A4's are five-speeds with the fifth speed being an overdrive ratio. This includes the automatic, the Tiptronic, and the manual.

Secondly, most automatics manufactured in the 1990's do not allow you to "gate" first gear as a safety feature.

Third, "clicking" an automatic up and down selects the maximum gearing, normally the maximum gear where the car is not redline limited to its current or near-current speed. Under certain conditions, the gearing choices may violate these restrictions. Tiptronic allows you to select specific gears, not maximum gearing, though it will automatically downshift at wide-open-throttle at less than 3200RPM and less than 30 miles per hour. It will also upshift at 6800RPM, 500RPM shy of the engine's supposed mechanical redline and 600RPM beyond its indicated redline.

Fourth, I've never seen a four-speed automatic transmission. I'm sure they must exist, somewhere, I just haven't encountered one. I don't think that, among cars of any significant standing in the marketplace, this is still an issue. A well chosen set of ratios in a five-speed will keep up with a production set of ratios in a six-speed, there are diminishing returns as you add additional ratios. Just my opinion on ratios, I'm sure there are exceptions out there.

Cameron

Boy, you have not looked at too many cars lately! Most automatics are 4-speeds these days. A 5-speed automatic is a fairly rare item.