Quote:
Originally Posted by Heksi
I have never driver a automatic S8! I would love to try,
|
Don't then! It will just make you sad.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Heksi
PF manual S8 also reminds me a lot of my fathers 200 quattro 20V, which started my Audi-enthusiasm. It definately has the same "feel", although S8 is more agile, balanced and solid.
|
A surprisingly large portion of this is down to the manual gearbox. With the manual gearbox the sense of connection to the drivetrain is increased by an order of magnitude such that the car is extraordinarily lithe and responsive on the twisty bits compared to the auto which, even in S or tip, feels like its just blundering around like a drunken grizzly bear.
The 3.7 and 4.2 are perfect with the auto. They're great cruising cars and have plenty of torque to make up for the 5HP's stupidity. The S8 deserves the manual though.
The 2.8 is an odd case. I don't think a single drive of Big Red has taken place without the anguished cry of 'argh stupid gearbox' and a clunk in to 'S'. Even when I put it straight in to S (which is now becoming habit), I still have to override it with the tip buttons when it won't change up. That particular implementation of the 5HP is the dumbest of the lot IMO where the ECU/TCU combo is constantly seeking 1500rpm in the highest gear possible, where the engine doesn't have the torque to pull it. It ruins the experience of the 2.8 for me, and as soon as I have figured out D2 RHD clutch pedal 2.0 the 5HP19 will be banished to the pallet of shame!
I used to do 30-40K a year in my first 3.7 D2, and loved every mile, but then I did the same in manual A6s when the D2's 5HP blew up. Depends what you want from the car obviously. Most of my journeys are 12 miles of twisty Devon A roads, followed by hundreds of miles of motorway. I have a habit of tuning cars for those 12 miles and just put up with the compromise for the rest of it
