RE: TIP vs DSG
The A3 uses the exact same DSG as the GTI.
I think the main difference between tiptronic and DSG is that tiptronic is an automatic that allows you to change gears, but the mating between the engine and the wheels still goes through a torque converter. It is precisely the torque converter that can give automatics that distinctly mushy feel, and in terms of tiptronic, slower shift times compared to DSG. DSG was developed after tiptronic and it does away with the torque converter. There is a dual clutch system that engages the gears with a direct connection between engine and running wheels. This contributes to DSG's incredible upshit times, better responsiveness (ie. a DSG A3 is faster in accelerating than a manual A3, all other things being equal), more fun driving, (the shift times are more predictable, instant on upshifts, and super quick on downshifts, whereas when I drive a tiptronic and flip the paddle, it feels like a 'request' that the car will do once it's ready. push the up paddle on the DSG, the transmission shifts RIGHT then.) Another plus of DSG is that it gives better fuel mileage because there is no torque converter to eat up power.
__________________
2008 TT 2.OT Ibis White
ABT Chip 19" S6 Rims
|