3 Z06ZR1

The video of the paddle shifted A8 is like the ones I had driven
with the A6. A delay then a shift.

After seeing that I would say the M7 with a good driver would beat the Auto in the paddle shift mode. Talking paddle shifters so don't chime in and say full Auto.

Cratchet

That's nice.

69L79

I am a "manual" type guy. My only auto was an '82 Collector Edition. So, I had no choice that year. At any rate, I am always hearing that the A6/A7s are faster than the manual versions. Is this "faster than" from a dead stop? From a roll? And, how would this "lag" in shifting I am hearing about affect a race between an auto and manual? The only paddle shifting experience I have had is when I rented a Hertz Vette on a few occasions. I didn't use the paddles. Just put it into drive. As I remember the Hertz car shifted pretty quickly/smoothly.

mpuzach

To most people, the response to a tenth or two of a second during an acceleration run is, "So what?" The MUCH more significant factor is which driving experience one prefers, that of a manual transmission or that of an automatic.

Cratchet

I'm for driving at a safe acceleration level. I short shift in Orlando traffic. It's fun! The paddles make it more fun. I do get beat by Camrys sometimes in the other lane because there's a car in front of me. So my auto isn't as fast sometimes.

bigjku

You might think you are faster and a better driver with a manual. You almost certainly aren't because your attention is divided and you have more task to accomplish.

This is the same nonsense that fighter pilots have thrown out as technology has advanced and made flying much more automated. You might loose the last percent or two of the theoretical performance envelope but you can much more easily fly to 95% of it at all times because the computer is better at all the little task than you can be.

In short every study of this subject came to the same basic conclusion. Anything you can remove that isn't core to making the airplane and weapons fight improves performance dramatically.

The same is going to apply to driving regardless of if people like it or not.

MitchAlsup

If all you are after is numerical performance, the above is correct.

If you want the thrill of actually doing it yourself well, then "not so much".

bigjku

Would never disagree with that. Not what the OP stated though. It's not a phenomenon limited to cars either.

Luckily a car is something you can still buy in the version that you find the most fun.

Jay_Davis

I don't know what videos people are watching, but you sure aren't driving the A8. Certainly not one that been broken in, warmed up, and in sport/track mode.

C7Joy

That's pretty much where I am at. I concede that I can't shift my M7 as quickly as a slick auto, but I don't care. I enjoy the M7 and roads that are not straight.

lastcowboy

paddle ......its faster

lancekl

For me nothing beats the feel and involvement of driving a manual transmission car.

Corgidog1

I just like the physicial act and art of pushing in the clutch and shifting gears when I want the car to shift gears.