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Originally Posted by 7.3 AMG Wow, agreed on every comment  The Quattroporte really does an impressive lap time on the Bedford Autodrome. I also agree, the gearbox is the main concern, many of the magazine tests i rea,d they are quite frustated by the gearbox. However from what i hear the Sport GT version has made the gearbox more responsive and easier to use. |
Despite its responsiveness and ease of usage, it's still a flappy paddle gearbox and constant maintenance is required in replacing the clutch more often than usual. It is still more heavy on the pocket than the good ol' manual in the RS4. I don't know about SMG though, but I reckon it's still a good deal more practical than DuoSelect.
To show an example: my dad doesn't feel like driving the Quattroporte as a daily driver because of two main reasons: fuel consumption and maintenance. DuoSelect does not like start-stop traffic nor does it like starting up on an incline. It also requires you to be gentle when reversing. Tyres also need to be replaced pretty often as far as I know, especially the low-profile rubber on the Sport GT which will cost more. And as for FC we're talking about above 20L/100km for city driving.
Start-stop traffic in Singapore is just terrible for this car (gearbox & FC), so he's driving in only on off-peak hours or on weekends. And also on track days and get-together events for long-distance driving.