Which Auto Box

[The Technician]

Hi,

Can anyone tell me which is the best automatic to go for in the A4?

Cheers

[AGW82]

I think this will be down to personal preference.. I would always opt for the S-Tronic or any type of SMG over a CVT or traditional Auto.

Maybe this will help with and explanation of the difference (Source and credits Manual vs Auto vs CVT vs SMG vs Steptronic vs ?? - Archived Threads 2001-2004 - Home Theater Forum (http://www.hometheaterforum.com/topic/73086-manual-vs-auto-vs-cvt-vs-smg-vs-steptronic-vs/):) )

Manual

Description: You shift gears with a hand-operated lever, and disengage the engine using a clutch pedal.
Pros: Offers excellent control of the vehicle, allowing engine braking and great launches. Direct connection from engine to transmission is very efficient - wastes little power as heat. Simpler in design, and can be easier to work on. Better fuel economy, cheaper to buy and cheaper to maintain. Many find it "fun" to use due to the more tactile connection between the driver and the engine/transmission. Better efficiency means better performance from smaller engines. Oh, and the push start option!
Cons: Requires a fair amount of skill to extract max performance. Can be very tiring in heavy stop-and-go traffic. Can be harder to learn for beginners than most other types of transmissions. Requires a great deal of attention to operation. Difficult to use hands for other tasks while driving, i.e. eating, drinking, talking on phone, etc. Some may consider this a pro.

Automatic

Description: Gears are shifted automatically by vehicles computer depending on conditions. Torque converter is used to provide slip between engine and transmission, making starts and shifts smoother.
Pros: Smooth in operation and easy to learn. Heavy traffic poses no problem. Convenient. Easy to use hands for other tasks while driving, i.e. eating, drinking, talking on phone, etc. Some may consider this a con as it can lead to distractions. Better implementation of cruise control function on cars so equipped.
Cons: Torque converter design is relatively inefficient. Wastes a lot of power in the form of heat/friction. Does not allow any real control of the gear selection. More expensive to work on, design is more complicated. Generally worse fuel economy, sometimes much worse (note: Some autos have equivalent fuel economoy and manual can have poor fuel economy if it is drivven very aggressively). Loss of fuel efficiency is caused both by the torque converter and the typical use of fewer gears than a Manual. Much more expensive to buy and more expensive to maintain. Many find it "boring" to use. More suitable than a manual when doing things like launching or retrieving a boat where you need to move very slowly and still have some pulling power.

Auto-Manual Tiptronic, Steptronic, something-tronic

Description: An automatic transmission that has been programmed to allow faster, firmer shifts. Shifts can be controlled manually using buttons, paddles, levers, etc.
Pros: Allows much more control than a regular automatic does. Performance is improved, as shifting is faster.
Cons: Still doesn’t allow the control of a manual transmission.

SMG (S-Tronic) "Sequential Manual earbox"

Description: The guts of a manual transmission mated to a hydraulic shifting/clutching mechanism that is controlled by computer. Driver can also shift using steering-wheel mounted paddles.
Pros: All the efficiency of a manual, with the convenience of not having a clutch pedal. Shifts are executed in as little as 0.08 seconds, which is faster that most people could ever shift. Computer does rev-matching and clutch-modulated launches. Performance is greater than most people can accomplish using a manual. Drivers can focus more on driving and less of making perfect shifts every time. Technology has been race-proven for many years.
Cons: During hard launches, sometimes a driver using a manual can better modulate the clutch, resulting in faster acceleration times than the SMG vehicle. System is complex and expensive.

CVT (Multitronic) "Coninuously Variable transmission"

Description: A transmission that directs power from the engine using belts and pulleys, ala a snowmobile transmission.
Pros: Since the transmission does not use gears, it can more easily maximize an engine’s power and torque peaks to obtain the best performance/mileage. Tests have shown that CVT equipped cars are just as fast as their manual transmission counterparts (in a straight line).
Cons: System is more complex and costly. Technology is not new, but it’s application in cars is. CVTs have a limited torque rating right now, and can’t be used in very powerful vehicles. May not be the best choice for racers, and it doesn’t allow engine braking and precise gear selection.