S4 sport Mode and S-Tronic operation
 

So I am driving in a friends 2008 3.2 TT with the 6 speed s-tronic (I realize the TT uses a different/Haldex unit)and when he goes into sport mode there is a significant impact on how the s-tronic responds. It immediately goes into a lower RPM range and the transmission handles significantly more aggressively especially for downshifts.

Now go to my 2012 S4. Realize I have only had the car a few weeks - but when I go to Sport Mode via the dash button I do not encounter the transmission/car feeling any different immediately. It seems the S-tronic is not effected with immeidate better rpm bands and I seem to not experience similar RPM response or more aggressive downshifting like on the TT.

Thoughts - Is this because the S4 has the 7 speed transmission? Is it because it is not a haldex unit?

Thanks.

I can notice a diff between dynamic (S) and comfort (D). for example, when driving around 50 mph, the DSG is in 7th gear right away when in D. when in S, the car would be in 5th or so and there is noticeable throttle and DSG responsiveness when I tap on the pedal in S.

I have not driven the TT tho, so not sure how the S4 compares.

Thank you for your observations - Most of my trials so far have been in the lower gear ranges - I will try what you have noticed and see what happens.

I realize each car is different and there are obvious mechanical differences but I thought my experience in Sport might be similar (not exact) especially with the S4 bring an "s" car. Just seems so far in the lower rpm range the TT did a wonderful job (using RPM in conjunction with braking more pronounced) in sport mode and the S4 sems to be much more docile.

np...if you have access to a vag-com cable, you should enable the gear selection in the driver info screen while in D. it will help you compare the gears the car is in - which is how i know that it is indeed in lower gears in S mode. as i said, tapping the pedal in different mods should help you feel the difference, but it still may not be enough of a difference for you.

when i want to feel more crazy, "push back in the seat" power, i leave the car in manual mode and it will PULL/rev all the way to the red line - and shift up automatically. combine that with S mode (more sensitive throttle response) it is the most aggressive mode for the car.

have fun testing. :) vag-com steps below!


Enable Automatic Gear selection shown in DIS:

[02 – Auto Trans] [Adaptation – 10]
Select “Single Gear Display” from top channel drop down menu
Select “D on/S on” from New value drop down menu

Audi seems to have programmed the sport mode much more conservatively on the 7-speed DSG than on the 6-speed DSG. My other car has the 6-speed DSG and it's a very dramatic difference. It really doesn't make sense, since the S4's torque peak starts at about 3000 RPM, but the "sport" mode makes no effort to keep it there.

If you floor it, the transmission does go into a temporary "super sport" mode that keeps the revs up, but it doesn't stay in that mode for very long after you let off.

I appreciate the input and opinions - they are all good and valid. So far (in my 3.5 weeks with the car) the 7 speed S-tronic Sport Mode is my only true disappointment with the car. As stated above the 6 Speed S-Tronic in the TT was so well tuned I never needed to use manual mode because for both speed increases and slowing/stopping the gear shifts were aggressive enough to where I had EXCELLENT control of the car for street, sport and aggressive driving needs.

In the S4 7 Speed S-tronic there is really no aggressive down shifting so far for me and I dont feel in S mode I am gaining that much and definately not control of the car through RPM's. So far my S mode difference from Auto is very marginal. I am a very perceptive driver and S mode is hugely disappointing from a "control" of the car sitution using Rev's/RPm's to control the car. When I am in the 15-45 mph ranges in S mode I get zero aggressive down shifting and the car is not in optimal RPM ranges to feel that "extra" control of the car.

If someone could get into this for an upgrade service - I would be there in a second.

I encourage each of you to try to drive a 3.2 with S-tronic in sport mode. I did not realize how great it was. The S mode on the S4 makes it still feel like a boat =(

I do feel the same. When in D, the car loves to stay around 2000rpm no matter what. I then always pull the selector all the way down to S unless....um by mistake.
Regarding the different throttle response, my gripe is why manual mode doesn't have S mode's throttle response?

I had full ADS in my A4 and dynamic felt more aggressive than the S4. It would hold the gear until 4-5k rpms. Of course the S4 is faster, but it would be nice if it didn't shift at like 2500rpm in dynamic.

Manual mode is really the only way to go for sporty driving.

Are you referring to non-ADS or non-SD cars? I was of the impression that an ADS or SD equipped car in "dynamic" mode slotted over to manual mode still has the enhanced throttle response.

yes. my S4 is non-SD one. don't know if VAG COM can do what I want??