A4 or M6

[ktmfly1]

Sorry for the newb question but I am thinking about buying an ls1 and i cant decide between and A4 or a m6. Just wondering in general which get faster et's in stock form

[00SSvert]

A4 is faster on the strip, but the M6 is a lot more fun to drive IMHO.

I have the M6, btw.

If you don't ask the questions, how will we ever get to use all this knowledge we've built up over the years. My wife sure don't want to hear it anymore.

[shaun_t50]

I agree I have a M6 first manual I ever had and prolly wont go back!! FUN!!

[hpjunky]

a4 isnt nessicarily faster at the strip, it depends who is driving. you will get more consistant results with an a4, but i find autos get to be so boring, all you do is point and click if you know what i mean. i dont feel like i have any control over the car with an a4. just my opinon.

[Vega]

Yes I am also buying an 1998+ LS1 SS or Z28 this Saturday. I'm thinking about automatic thou...torque converter....drag strip.....

[hissin'98]

I sure do enjoy rowing through the gears especially cruising up the canyon here. It just feels like you have more connection and a sense of control. Personally I wouldn't enjoy my car half as much if it was auto. My friend has a 97 lt1 with an auto and it isn't quite as satisfying.

[Camaroblood]

well i have an A4, never had a manual, cuz its my frist car, but i enjoy it very much

[LT1 Camaro]

Controlling a manual transmission is SO much fun and to me it is the very essence of driving. As far as the drag strip goes an M6 is faster but an A4 is more consistent. The M6 allow you more power delivery to the wheels as well as the ability to control your stall speed and 50% more gearing ratios. Plus as an experienced driver you can shift as fast as an automatic transmission and can choose to powershift if you wish. An A4 with a higher stall converter and a shift kit may be almost as good as a M6 but no matter what you do to it you won't have the extra gearing ratios

[GradeZ28]

It ultimately depends on the person driving. I have an a4, and every single day i yearn for a m6 lol not because they are "faster" (which i beleive is a common misconception) but just because nothing beats the fealing of slamming the clutch to the floor and shifting..

[LT1 Camaro]

Originally Posted by GradeZ28

It ultimately depends on the person driving. I have an a4, and every single day i yearn for a m6 lol not because they are "faster" (which i beleive is a common misconception) but just because nothing beats the fealing of slamming the clutch to the floor and shifting..

Why do you feel that an M6 being faster is a common misconception? Wheneever somebody asks whether to go A4 or M6 this always comes up. I can't see how a transmission that has 2 less gearing ratios and delivers less power to the wheels can be faster. I'm not trying to start an argument or anything just asking for the perspective of someone on the other side of this debate

[GradeZ28]

Originally Posted by Raziel52000

Why do you feel that an M6 being faster is a common misconception? Wheneever somebody asks whether to go A4 or M6 this always comes up. I can't see how a transmission that has 2 less gearing ratios and delivers less power to the wheels can be faster. I'm not trying to start an argument or anything just asking for the perspective of someone on the other side of this debate

I honestly dont know enough to back that up. I only say that because i have heard equal number of arguments from both sides saying manuals are faster, and vise versa.

Thinking about it, a m6 would be "faster" if the 6th gear had the same ratio of the 4th gear of an auto because you could re use the powerband 50% more, however (which i may very well be wrong) doesn't the 4th gear of an auto, have the same ratio as 4th gear in a manual? (if so, then the extra 2 gears would simply allow you to have a higher top speed, and wouldn't make it any faster between 1-4).

Now this has got me wondering lol. Someone set me straight please... how does 6th gear in a manual compare to the gear ratio of 4th in an auto?

[LT1 Camaro]

Here are the ratios for an M6: 2.66 1.78 1.30 1.00 0.74 0.50
Here are the ratios for an A4: 3.06 1.62 1.00 0.70.

We'll just assume that .74 is close enough to .70 so the M6 doesn't really have a 2 gear advantage but more like a 1 gear advantage. You are absolultey right on that part and that was good thinking. I've heard that M6's come out of the quarter mile in 4th while A4s come out in 3rd. This is a broad statement as it depends on differential gearing ratios and for the love of god somebody please correct me if I am wrong.

With a good stall converter and a shift kit I see how an A4 can be 95% as fast as an M6 but I don't think they could ever make up for the extra power loss and less gearing ratios to make them equal or even faster

[GradeZ28]

ahh, thanks for the info. Makes me want a m6 even more now lol

[FANTA-Z]

An M6 is actually quicker and one reason is you dont lose as much HP to the wheels going through the drivetrain. If you have an equal car and the person in the M6 knows how to drive it will come out on top more than not.

[GradeZ28]

Do you know the approx. %ages of how much HP is lost from crank to wheels in a m6 and a4?