RyanS3

dimwitted? why not just use manual mode guys? c'mon now. seems absurd that you wouldn't use it, and then complain about the car's shifting on the track!

why not use the s-tronic in manual mode? even try it? can't be any harder than driving a manual car, right?
it allows you to keep both hands on the wheel. and two feet for two pedals.

how could s-tronic be slow in manual mode, compared with what? a ferrari? or compared with a manual audi car?
this is not designed to start a discussion on what is best, 3pedal vs flappy paddles.
this IS now a discussion on why someone who attends a track event (who would prefer a manual car) would go to the track and use AUTO mode in an S3 S-tronic?
if you were talking about a drag race, that's another story.

Cheers!

Kevin70

I also road raced karts for many years and got so used to left foot braking I often find myself doing it on the street.
Regarding the S3, will it's TCU learn any bad habits if the driver left foot brakes? I was warned by my AMG rep and others with that the Mercedes TCU will learn bad habits if left foot braking while in the three sport auto modes. Mostly related to down shifts. In manual it's all up to the driver and clearing the bad learning is easy with the service menu.
Will the Audi do the same?
If so can it be reset by the user?

jsausley

There's a noticeable delay if you shift during certain circumstances with the manual mode. It's better, for sure, but it's far from true manual precision - an example is during VIR's "roller coaster", which is a sequence of right-left-right downhill corners that requires a lot of on-off throttle balance. Several times during my track day in an S4, while in Dynamic with everything on its raciest setting, there was a 2-3 second lag in the upshift after pulling the lever. And this was on an Audi-prepped, low mileage car (during an Audi sponsored driving event). My friend's 2014 S6 was the same way.

I can tell it's mostly in the programming -- something in the car's brain telling it to wait to throw in the next gear, I'm not sure. No matter what engineers design into a car though, it will never be as responsive and precise as a manual transmission which by its very nature can be predictive since the driver can select a gear BEFORE the car knows it needs it.

Also, for goodness sake, why can't I tell the car NOT to upshift when nearing redline? Infuriating.

To the above poster: a lot of TCUs simply do not allow left-foot braking. One of the benefits of a DSG tune on a VW, for example (I have one on my CC -- it barely helped), is that it changes the programming to allow left-foot braking. The common coding for TCUs is to disengage throttle when the brake is applied (to give you engine braking and help the car slow down), so left-foot braking is impossible.

Kris Hansen

The brake/throttle cut is not to prevent left foot braking, it's to prevent "run away cars". Thanks to electronic throttles, one way to 100% prevent a repeat of the "unintended acceleration" is to guarantee the throttle will cut when the brake is applied. It's a safety feature. And it's not new, every DBW car VW/Audi makes does that, since 00 or even earlier. These are road cars remember, most "racing" techniques aren't used by most buyers.

And for those who don't like the automatic upshift at the rev limit, I'd suggest to go drive an RS car, those will sit there and happily bang on the rev limiter all day when in M mode. =)

Fixeroh

That makes perfect sense Kris. Appreciate the info. Had not attempted to left foot brake my S3 but sure I would have discovered the cut quickly! LOL. Shame we have to have the government mandate everything in the automotive world. Have never driven an RS type of any Audi model. Hope to someday however. Maybe trade up to an RS3 some years down the road?

arU4ic

Didn't intend to start a fire - hey, you paid 50k for your S3, drive it however you want where ever you want, seriously. Extra credit for taking it to the track!

However, I agree with the notion that unless you drive a car as manual as possible you can't fully assess the track-ability. BUT, if you are going to compare in D or S, the auto learns your driving habits and daily driving isn't exactly the same as a track with no lights or traffic, I don't believe that the trans is gonna be very accommodating when you suddenly start driving it like you stole it.

(wait, does the S learn too or just D?)

Kevin70

That does make sense, thanks!

Kris Hansen

Not sure it is our government, or any government, dictating this, or if Audi just thought it was a good idea to have this setup. I'll see if I can find more info on it..

blam89

is there a way to reset what the computer learns about your driving habit?

mroberte

Great write up.

I have not taken my A3 on the track yet, however everything you pointed out is exactly the stuff I have experienced in daily driving. Particularly the transmission. It's never in the right gear when in sport/dynamic when exiting turns, and the transmissions, IMO, is deathly slow at shifting. The lag between mashing the accelerator and then the transmission figuring out what I want it to do, really seems like an eternity.

Granted I came from a manual transmission and its been about 15 years since I've been in an automatic transmission vehicle, just figured this transmission would be better as it like the PDK's cousin. Hoping Audi releases a software update to address some of the weirdness (like staying in 2nd gear till redline... just isn't as smart for learning your driving style.)

The understeer, from what I have read so far, might be "fixed" by changing to aftermarket sway bars. Some have said its made the car feel far more solid in the twisty's.