S3 S-Tronic Launch control
- Thread starter Joetidman
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These kind of stories all originated from the GTR and it's warranty been void if used or if it went on a track, since then it's been dreamt up on every car with launch control. Personally I think it's mainly spouted by the fairys that use it as an excuse not use there car as intended.
Besides I'll have some more times when the exhaust is fitted and will be done with a race logic not one of these apps which IMO are not accurate.
Besides I'll have some more times when the exhaust is fitted and will be done with a race logic not one of these apps which IMO are not accurate.
Silky-S3
Is loving his new 8V S3!
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Yes, Ive seen this counter on VCDS myself, and thats fine. Its the 200 and stop working thats a load of crap.
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Imagine if you bought a used car with all the launch control usage spent up, that would make your day. Is the dealer effectively miss-selling the product as surely it should be indicated to the new customer that LC is no longer valid as an option on the car.
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A YouTube video on using launch control in an S3:
http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=A04OI3pyU_s
so if you look at the time on the video when he launches, and reaches 100km/hr, it's approx 5 sec.
http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=A04OI3pyU_s
so if you look at the time on the video when he launches, and reaches 100km/hr, it's approx 5 sec.
Used the launch control about a week after i got the car with about 600kms on the clock loved it!! Didn't get a 0-100 time its plenty quick for me. Not sure about this limit of 200 though ill give my dealer a call tomorrow and see if they can get one of the techs to confirm be interesting to see if its actually correct. If you bought a 2nd hand car with the previous owner having launched the car 200 times does the dealer reset the limit for you I wonder.
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A friend of mine has the AMD gearbox software on his RS5 - he thinks that within the new software the count for launches is disabled? You'd obviously need to check with AMD on that one. Anyone with an s tronic box should take a look at this mod - it actually allows you to have total control over the gear box, as opposed to nanny in the box jumping in when you don't need it. I'm definitely having it on my S3, and you get £100 off if you get the stage one remap at the same time.
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Along with one use of launch control, 1 down 199 to go!
That's poor. It's your car and if you want to burn through the clutch, it should be up to you.
Log it by all means, but don't turn it off.
Log it by all means, but don't turn it off.
Battlekrapz
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I've seen a few videos of the Merc A45 launch control and that seems to do between 4.6 - 4.8 secs to 100 kmh so the S3 really it's that far off. So I'm not sure what that extra 70 hp in the A45 is doing ? Even videos timing up to 200 kmh I think they are evenly matched.
Itguy
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How odd - maybe the merc is torque limiting in the first couple of gears to save the gearbox? But you'd have thought above about 160kph it would just march away from a standard S3??
What's their respective kerb weights and drag co-eff?
What's their respective kerb weights and drag co-eff?
Not sure but most videos show the S3 quicker to 100mph and 200 kmh. The Merc A45 does torque limit in first few gears as salesman told me that when I test drove one. The Merc dual clutch box I would say might be slightly slower than the DSG box. I know it hasn't got the best reputation and maybe across the gears that also makes a difference.
This video is good example http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=kS2UcYuWdWY watch Battlekrapz's video and then this to see what I mean. Think they have GPS times too.
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Think if you own a AMG there is some snobbery about the A45 AMG. My friend owns new C63 AMG and he is always slamming the baby AMG saying it isn't built properly by AMG and it doesn't have the same level of engineering etc etc. I think he is annoyed he paid like £30k more for a car that won't out accelerate a little 5 door family car.
Either way loving the launch control videos and I'm going to be very careful how many times I use it now I know about the counter!
Either way loving the launch control videos and I'm going to be very careful how many times I use it now I know about the counter!
The S3's curb weight is 1445 with a 60kg driver and 10kg luggage and 90% fuel.
Mercs is 1480kg without driver not sure on fuel load. But add 70 kg to that comes in 1550 when compared with the S3 which is why the 0-100 times are about the same. Mercs a little quicker from real world figures I've seen and around 9 secs with a map
I reckon with a nice lightweight Ti exhaust and lightweight alloys, a map 400hp sub 1400kgs the S3 will see one off or it would be pretty close.
HPA do have gearbox maps available aswell so theres your launch control limiter gone
Mercs is 1480kg without driver not sure on fuel load. But add 70 kg to that comes in 1550 when compared with the S3 which is why the 0-100 times are about the same. Mercs a little quicker from real world figures I've seen and around 9 secs with a map
I reckon with a nice lightweight Ti exhaust and lightweight alloys, a map 400hp sub 1400kgs the S3 will see one off or it would be pretty close.
HPA do have gearbox maps available aswell so theres your launch control limiter gone
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Itguy
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It's almost like the ratios are wrong on the AMG and the revs drop off too much between the gears. First is also a short change into second rather than to the red line - it just seems like the engine is strangled at the top end somehow.
I've got an AMG and couldn't give a flying **** about the A45, which is why I bought a S3.
MBK
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Blimey, did the RS3 have this launch control limit too? I'm guessing it must have, I was certainly well acquainted with the system!
As for the 0-60/100 times I'd have thought the latest S3 would be pretty impressive as it shares the same 216bhp/ton power to weight ratio as the RS3. With a Stage I APR remap and sticky Michelin Pilot Super Sport tyres my RS3 ran these figures so I'd think a mapped S3 would match a standard A45 easily enough.
I did see a single best 0-60 of 3.67s but more consistently the RS3 ran 3.8 to 60 and 8.9 to 100 (reduced from 4.2 and 9.9 when standard). Once mapped the gear changes were much sharper but the tyres struggled with the extra torque at the top of 2nd gear.
As for the 0-60/100 times I'd have thought the latest S3 would be pretty impressive as it shares the same 216bhp/ton power to weight ratio as the RS3. With a Stage I APR remap and sticky Michelin Pilot Super Sport tyres my RS3 ran these figures so I'd think a mapped S3 would match a standard A45 easily enough.
I did see a single best 0-60 of 3.67s but more consistently the RS3 ran 3.8 to 60 and 8.9 to 100 (reduced from 4.2 and 9.9 when standard). Once mapped the gear changes were much sharper but the tyres struggled with the extra torque at the top of 2nd gear.
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MBK
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I agree and it's all due to Launch control which is a truly impressive. I couldn't match these times in my Evo IX 360 (running 400bhp), managing the wheel spin and manual shift meant ultimately slower times. Launch was the number one request of interested passengers so I know I must have been close to the limit, though the map might have removed the count as others have suggested!
The a45 is geared with a lot of power at the top end of the rev range so probably just as well its an auto. Way too expensive for what it is..a hot hatch
You'd think if you did hit the 200 limit you could buy a new clutch pack from the dealer and have it reset or something...
There's probably a way to fight back with VCDS or custom S-tronic/DSG software I'm guessing, if you don't mind raising the TD1 flag.
There's probably a way to fight back with VCDS or custom S-tronic/DSG software I'm guessing, if you don't mind raising the TD1 flag.
Anyone know if the 200 limit is for the lifetime of the car/gearbox? Just wondering if it's reset at intervals perhaps?
A friend had one of the first mk5 GTI's with the DSG and you could only do it twice before you had to take it in for a reset IIRC.
A friend had one of the first mk5 GTI's with the DSG and you could only do it twice before you had to take it in for a reset IIRC.
Itguy
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Cheeky launch in a demo car in the rain on a very wet road
Incredible traction.
Incredible traction.
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RYuill
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A remap will probably disable it, a gearbox map definitely will.
York raceway today 12.730@105mph not bad for a stock car with an exhaust.
York raceway today 12.730@105mph not bad for a stock car with an exhaust.
around 11.2 by vbox runs ive done. There was a decent headwind and a bit of drizzle aswell but a good starting platform. Really does run out of puff approaching a tone this car, I was doing 4.5 to 60 all day by there timing gear.
Really happy with a 12.7 though, that is very quick only two cars quicker than me, a 900hp gtr and a 550hp stripped mk3 golf.
Crying out for a map to improve the top end.
Really happy with a 12.7 though, that is very quick only two cars quicker than me, a 900hp gtr and a 550hp stripped mk3 golf.
Crying out for a map to improve the top end.
Yep sure is, first run of the day that. Golf did a 11.1 on that run as well 
I did a 12.8
Getting launch control set up for the lights was a nightmare as well. Ended up just doing it once the lights had changed most of the time, otherwise you'd be sat there on launch control and the boost would drop off while waiting for the lights and you'd have to re engage it to build the boost back up. Only managed to guess it right once or twice.
Never mind, most people needed a head start anyway baring the golf and a gtr haha
I did a 12.8Getting launch control set up for the lights was a nightmare as well. Ended up just doing it once the lights had changed most of the time, otherwise you'd be sat there on launch control and the boost would drop off while waiting for the lights and you'd have to re engage it to build the boost back up. Only managed to guess it right once or twice.
Never mind, most people needed a head start anyway baring the golf and a gtr haha
A huge turbo and a sly bottle of nitrous in the passenger footwell, only ran twice though...
