Audi S-Tronic v Tiptronic - 3.0 Derv

[kmpowell]

Currently looking to upgrade the family bus (to another C7 A6 Avant but with bigger engine), and I noticed that Audi use a Tiptronic box in their 313 bi-turbo'd car, where as the 245 single turbo uses the S-Tronic.

Having spent a significant amount of time with the seamless double-clutch S-Tronic(albeit in another car to the A6) I'm wondering how the Tiptronic compares. I'm assuming they use the tiptronic due to the torque limits of the S-Tronic? If so what are the downsides day to day?

Thanks in advance.

[blank]

It sounds like the 8 speed in the biturbo is the ZF 8 speed as used by BMW, JLR etc.

In which case it's a cracking transmission. Better than S Tronic in many ways as you get proper auto creeping (I know S Tronics do creep but they're not as good as proper autos) and shifts that are just as smooth, and almost as quick (though I haven't timed them to check).

[john banks]

I have the 8 speed ZF in the A8 with the 3.0 TDI 250PS engine. I tried the 7 speed dual clutch with the lower tuned 3.0 TDI in the A7 and like both transmissions. Perhaps the dual clutch may be a little less reliable and needs fluid changes more often. I have a 6 speed dual clutch in the GTR and the ZF 8 speed is much smother when cold and much quicker to downshift, plus it will block downshift, can't remember if the 7 speed VAG DSG does. The 8 speed ZF is my favourite of them all I think, it combines the best of dual clutch with smoothness of torque converter autos.