Short Gearing

[YoungMedic]

Anyone feel this car is geared significantly shorter than the MKV or MKVI GTI. I was wondering why I was caught turning 3500 RPM so often, and now I realize. I was trying to do 80 in 6th this morning and had to turn 3200 RPM and I never remember running that high in my old MKV, I think 3000+ was about 90. No wonder gas mileage sucks

[smd3]

I thought the gearing seemed a bit short too, I can't remember from my MK5 though. I bet it's at least 200rpm higher in 6th.

I never paid that much attention to the rpm in my DSG, but i know cruising at about 80 I'd get about 27mpg (indicated), and I don't get anywhere near that in my R.

I'm not upset, it'd be great for a good curvy road, but the road here in MS suck for driving. Everything's pretty much straight.

[VeeDubDriver]

I would love to know the logic behind the short gearing.

[Trackhead]

I posted about this too the day after I picked up my car in Dallas. Drove it back to Houston and kept thinking I was in 4th gear since the tach was reading 3,500+. City driving you're going to find yourself shifting ALOT! 1'st gear is practically worthless. A good highway 6th gear would be nice.

Certainly the engineers designed for this. Turbo's just rap high, I suppose. Not going to let it intimidate me from driving it like I stole it!

[autofi]

Love the short gearing,always feels like you're in the right gear!

[YoungMedic]

I would love to know the logic behind the short gearing.

quicker to 60, i would rather have better cruising RPM though, and I guess it would be geared "taller"

[SoNgMaN]

They aren't that much different from the gti just the final drive!

Gti: 1st 3.36 2nd 2.09 3rd 1.47 4th 1.10 5th 1.11 6th 0.93 Final 3.09
R: 1st 3.36 2nd 2.09 3rd 1.47 4th 1.09 5th 1.10 6th 0.91 Final 4.24

[VeeDubDriver]

They aren't that much different from the gti just the final drive!

Gti: 1st 3.36 2nd 2.09 3rd 1.47 4th 1.10 5th 1.11 6th 0.93 Final 3.09
R: 1st 3.36 2nd 2.09 3rd 1.47 4th 1.09 5th 1.10 6th 0.91 Final 4.24

Beat me to it by 5 seconds!

[VeeDubDriver]

Interesting that the transmission gearing is nearly identical to the GTI, with just the final drive gearing being lower (numerically higher). Perhaps to minimize turbo lag, since it does already feel more significant than the GTI?

[dogbolter]

Just out of curiosity, are the ratios for the DSG box much different?

[10Ten]

Anyone feel this car is geared significantly shorter than the MKV or MKVI GTI. I was wondering why I was caught turning 3500 RPM so often, and now I realize. I was trying to do 80 in 6th this morning and had to turn 3200 RPM and I never remember running that high in my old MKV, I think 3000+ was about 90. No wonder gas mileage sucks

we run around 3k rpm at 70-75mph in the mkV DSG R32. that's ballpark, but close enough. and actually, many of the mkV R32 owners have wanted either some shorter gears up top, or, in my case, simply a 7th gear for highway cruising. but the VR6 is butter smooth above 3k forever, so it's not really a problem, although a 7th still makes sense for mileage, noise, and engine life.

[scottisha]

we run around 3k rpm at 70-75mph in the mkV DSG R32. that's ballpark, but close enough. and actually, many of the mkV R32 owners have wanted either some shorter gears up top, or, in my case, simply a 7th gear for highway cruising. but the VR6 is butter smooth above 3k forever, so it's not really a problem, although a 7th still makes sense for mileage, noise, and engine life.

I'm pretty sure the 2004 R32 has identical gearing or nearly identical dearing as the R.
With your MK5 R32n it's only an issue at highway speeds, if an issue at all, because your shifts are happening so fast it doesn't effect your 0-60 time or 1/4 mile time, as it does the R, since we have 2 shifts and 4 shifts to do the same.

[jsausley]

We should be seeing 7-speed manuals making their way into road cars in the next few years. Porsche has done it, and I bet VW and Audi will get one soon due to the recent deal. Maybe the MkVIII R will have one.