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]

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?

[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!

[droopy1592]

It's not faster to 60 if you're shifting twice! I do wish the gears were bit taller.

[jsausley]

We were topping out at 76 MPH in 3rd gear at Wookies, so we could do a whole run in 3rd without needing to shift, whereas gotsol in his Porsche Cayman S was doing the whole run in 2nd. He'd do 80 in second.

NA power versus turbo power, heh.

I like the gearing, honestly. Just drive a bit slower on the highway. Keep it under 70 MPH and you'll get much better mileage, ~30 MPG.

In fact I think the short gearing is what gives this car such good city mileage. I'm used to 12-14 MPG in my 2006 GTO because I could never get it out of 4th in the city, but in the R you can use 5th and 6th often.

[VeeDubDriver]

Just drive a bit slower on the highway. Keep it under 70 MPH and you'll get much better mileage, ~30 MPG.

Around here, the speed limit is often 70-75 mph with the pace of traffic at 80.

I know this might sound like sacrilege, but what I would love to have an "eco" or "highway" mode that would electronically reduce boost in 6th gear, just so I could get better mileage for the sake of having a longer cruising range. The relatively small fuel tank and associated limited cruising range is one of my few complaints.

[dogbolter]

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

[VeeDubDriver]

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

[GRB]

Around here, the speed limit is often 70-75 mph with the pace of traffic at 80.

I know this might sound like sacrilege, but what I would love to have an "eco" or "highway" mode that would electronically reduce boost in 6th gear, just so I could get better mileage for the sake of having a longer cruising range. The relatively small fuel tank and associated limited cruising range is one of my few complaints.

Your car already does this. Boost is dependent on engine load. When you're on the highway, you're almost always in vacuum.

[BigmountainVMD]

This was the first thing I really noted when I picked up the R. I really wished 6th was a bit taller so that on the highway at 85 you were at 3000 rpm. I don't care about passing power in 6th. If I need to pass, I'm fine throwing it in 5th.

[21niko21]

I do wish sixth was taller. It's my daily driver and it get's driven 90 miles a day around 82 mph. At least the interior's quieter with the soundaktor removed.

The second day I drove it I dropped it into fourth to pass someone and was a little shocked when I looked down and saw I was going 100 mph. Ooops.

[YoungMedic]

Your car already does this. Boost is dependent on engine load. When you're on the highway, you're almost always in vacuum.

yeah my gti would pull 12lbs vacuum cruising at 80 with CC on, solid 33MPG

probably wont see that on the R

[Boosted2003!]

With 225/45/17 tires with my passat 2.0t ill run 3000-3100rpm(closer to 3000 though) at 80mph.

So 200-300rpm isn't to much worst.

[scottisha]

The best answer was that hitting 60 requires a shift to 3rd gear. There's no reason our cars, with the torque, need gearing this low.

I'm actively making calls, doing research to see if there may be a fairly simple solution, like just swapping out the two final drives.....think that may be a long shot, but i'm trying.

In the 2012 GLI I had, I could hit 63 in 2nd gear and 99 in 3rd.

That cars's gearing was perfect, in my opinion.

Scott

[VeeDubDriver]

I'm actively making calls, doing research to see if there may be a fairly simple solution, like just swapping out the two final drives.....think that may be a long shot, but i'm trying.

Can someone please explain to me the deal with the two final drive ratios? How does that work?

[scottisha]

Can someone please explain to me the deal with the two final drive ratios? How does that work?

There's a final drive for 1st-4th gears and a different one for 5th & 6th.
The earlier 6spds had only one final drive, I think.
Not sure why the need for two unless it has to do with keeping the gearbox compact or something.

[VeeDubDriver]

There's a final drive for 1st-4th gears and a different one for 5th & 6th.
The earlier 6spds had only one final drive, I think.
Not sure why the need for two unless it has to do with keeping the gearbox compact or something.

I understand, thanks!

I guess to do this it means dropping the tranny, which at that point one may as well just upgrade the clutch too.

[scottisha]

I understand, thanks!

I guess to do this it means dropping the tranny, which at that point one may as well just upgrade the clutch too.

Yes. In fact, my car is at APR right now and they will be installing a new clutch. I was really hoping to have a gearing solution already figured out, so they could do it while everything was already apart.

No luck for me though.

[HardKnox]

It's not faster to 60 if you're shifting twice! I do wish the gears were bit taller.

Indeed! One shift to 60 plskthx.

[scottisha]

Indeed! One shift to 60 plskthx.

Amen!

[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.