OneLong8

Do most A8 drivers prefer the tiptronic mode for passing? I am not quite used to it yet. My old 95 S6 (with Hoppen Stage 2 upgrades) really spooled up well out of 3rd gear. I am not used to the A8 yet. Do most drivers downshift to third then shift into 4th on the pass? Does this seem faster than in automatic mode? I am not comfortable with the tiptronic mode yet for passing. Are there any worthwhile upgrades that make the car faster in this range?
I apologize if this question seems stupid, but I still have it after 1 month with the car.

Tom
2002 A8L

PaulW

Downshift is faster and it's to the correct RPM.

FastrNU

Well, I'm a new A8 owener myself (1 week!) and while I too am learning to use the Triptronic (and not forget to leave it in 4th gear all the way home after "playing") I must say the native response of the automatic is pertty impressive on it's own. I am used to more more sedate ride where when I try to pass a group of cars. In the old ride I basically floored it for the duration and, eventually, I got up enough speed to pass. But it took awhile and the car was really working. However, driving home from the Cape the other day in the A8, we were going about 60 behind a group of 4 cars that were clogging the left lane (latent majorettes). Among them a Bimmer and a Benz (who was leading the group). So, when a large enough open space appeared in the right lane I signaled and punched it. We silently gobbled them up in a few seconds with my foot still on the floor. But, surprise! we were going 100 MPH as we passed the Benz. Oops!!! New technique I guess is accelerate to the speed I need and sustain. No need to keep the gas mashed like the old car. Who knew? And it's so smooth and quite, the Mrs. didn't even realize except to ask "Aren't you going a little fast?" That's when I glanced at the speedo. I told her we hit three digits after we got home. I'm going to have to watch it. It's too easy. (Note to self: first mod, hidden laser scrambler.)

So yeah, while dropping back a gear like in my old BMW 2002 would be fun, it harldy seems neccessary for the unworthy prey on most highways.

Nigel

OneLong8

I was wondering if I was doing something wrong, expecting tiptronic to be faster (more like manual shifting).

Tom

-OvO-

I prefer tip, because I can downshift in advance of the pass and accellerate smoothly, instead of lurching down a couple of gears under full throttle.

If you floor it, the car will downshift into third, so if you use tip and just downshift into fourth, you aren't going to see the same accelleration.

It's more important to know the road and be able to anticipate locations with good visibility, and to be able to judge the closing rate of oncoming traffic as well as your own closing rate on the constantly-moving intersection point between the oncoming traffic and the car in front of you.