pfbz

I am considering upgrading my 2014 Q5 and I've been looking at the 2018 Q5/SQ5 order guides...

Am I the only one that thinks it strange that the Q5 gets upgraded to a Dual-clutch paddle shift transmission, the S-tronic, but the SQ5 keeps the torque-converter based Tiptronic?

I know Tiptronics can be made bulletproof in very high horsepower applications (modified 1,000HP+ 911 Turbo's, for example), but I can't imagine the DSG couldn't handle the 355HP of the new SQ5?

Are there negative opinions of the S-tronic? If it's even 80% as good as the sister-company Porsche PDK dual-clutch transmission in the Macan, it should be a huge upgrade over the tip.

pfbz

OK, in the finding-the-answer-to-my-own-question department, I'm guessing the Tiptronic retention is tied into the retention of the Torsen quattro system in the SQ5 vs. the new 'Ultra Quatro' on the Q5.

Thanks to larryV in this thread for the excellent quattro v. ultra quattro explanation.

bandersen

Great thread..thanks for pointing it out.

OHWHATDA

Good theory but don't forget he 2017 A4 has normal (non-ultra) Quattro but also has the DSG transmission. Seems that the 6 cylinder engine requires the Tiptronic for some strange reason because the S4 is in the same boat as the SQ5.

superswiss

Yeah, it has nothing to do with quattro. Cars like the RS5, outgoing S4/5 all have the S-tronic. The RS5 introduced the new crown-gear center differential with the S-tronic, but it looks like Audi has gone back to the planetary-gear center differential. The technical reason I've heard is that the new turbo 6 produces too much low end torque for the clutch packs to handle and that much low end torque makes it very hard to smoothly engage the clutch, resulting in a jerky drivetrain. We will find out next week if Audi is keeping the S-tronic for the all-new RS5. The engine in the new RS4/5 is the 2.9TT from the Panamera where it is paired with Porsche's PDK.