DCT hard launch with no drama on snow tires - normal?

[OF Hero]

With my break-in recently done, wanted to get a true feel for the car's power in a safe setting.

Sport+ throttle
DSC fully off
S3
Car & tires warmed up, appropriate and equal tire pressures

Now mind you this is with winter tires (Michelin Pilot Alpin PA4) and on a 45 degree day. Dry conditions.

Basically mashed it from a standstill a couple of times....and was kind of underwhelmed? I could feel the back starting to step out ever so SLIGHTLY...but the car tracked straight with no smokey tires, heck there wasn't even tire squeal. There was basically no drama whatsoever. Are these winter tires just super sticky or is there something wrong with my car LOL

[Olivo]

Winter tires = budget drag radials, confirmed.

[jstnstr]

Get a tune with E30. Problem solved.

[OF Hero]

But do you think tires/temp had something to do with it or is my car not putting down as much power as it should?

[Zayzel]

I haven't even had the balls to turn DSC off on mine yet and try it out. I've whipped out the back end a little bit just coming out of a turn a few times with all my nannies on and in sport+ and my summer tires, 50 degree dry roads. Try harder

Originally Posted by OF Hero

With my break-in recently done, wanted to get a true feel for the car's power in a safe setting.

Sport+ throttle
DSC fully off
S3
Car & tires warmed up, appropriate and equal tire pressures

Now mind you this is with winter tires (Michelin Pilot Alpin PA4) and on a 45 degree day. Dry conditions.

Basically mashed it from a standstill a couple of times....and was kind of underwhelmed? I could feel the back starting to step out ever so SLIGHTLY...but the car tracked straight with no smokey tires, heck there wasn't even tire squeal. There was basically no drama whatsoever. Are these winter tires just super sticky or is there something wrong with my car LOL

[mkoesel]

If you are concerned, schedule a dyno appointment. Or maybe start by checking acceleration times with a GPS or performance monitoring tool.

My personal opinion is that the results of your experiment do nothing to warrant concern. There are too many variables for a test like yours - a rather unscientific one - to be meaningful. Plus, as one person mentioned above (and you already touched on in your opening post), winter tires will be particularly sticky in non-freezing temperatures. Next time you start the car with cold tires drive to the nearest empty stretch of road and launch it using launch control. Maybe you will get a more thrilling experience. But even if you are still underwhelmed, I would not stress out about it. If you simply must get closure, science it up a bit as I said.

[5soko]

Smashing the throttle from a standstill is effectively dropping the clutch with big revs, it should spin big time...

Your car should rev up to about 4K rpms, and drop the clutch...

Have you had your break in service done?

[Howard_R]

Did the rear tires break free at all?

[OF Hero]

Originally Posted by 5soko

Have you had your break in service done?

Yep.

[OF Hero]

Originally Posted by Howard_R

Did the rear tires break free at all?

Some, but wasn't a squeal show like I expected.

[///M4ster Yoda]

Originally Posted by 5soko

Smashing the throttle from a standstill is effectively dropping the clutch with big revs, it should spin big time...

Your car should rev up to about 4K rpms, and drop the clutch...

Have you had your break in service done?

Out of curiosity. Why do you think break in service means anything? It's just an oil change

[5soko]

Originally Posted by ///M4ster Yoda

Out of curiosity. Why do you think break in service means anything? It's just an oil change

Just How they disable LC during break in service, i was wondering if they disabled the wot clutch drop feature aswell

[Blksnowflake]

Originally Posted by 5soko

Smashing the throttle from a standstill is effectively dropping the clutch with big revs, it should spin big time...

Your car should rev up to about 4K rpms, and drop the clutch...

Have you had your break in service done?

Doesn't sound like launch control. Just mashing the gas pedal. When Motor Trend first tested the F80 during launch they observed that using launch control the car would burn the tires.
But when they just mashed the gas from a stand still they were able to get the power down better and a faster 0-60 time.
So there preferred method was just mashing the throttle from a stand still. Seems like you are getting the same results, so sounds like normal. Sell your car get the new Challenger Demon.

[OF Hero]

Originally Posted by Blksnowflake

Doesn't sound like launch control. Just mashing the gas pedal. When Motor Trend first tested the F80 during launch they observed that using launch control the car would burn the tires.
But when they just mashed the gas from a stand still they were able to get the power down better and a faster 0-60 time.
So there preferred method was just mashing the throttle from a stand still. Seems like you are getting the same results, so sounds like normal. Sell your car get the new Challenger Demon.

LOL

To be clear I'm not disappointed in the car at all...love this thing! Just wanted to make sure my "test" wasn't indicative of something wrong.

[5soko]

Originally Posted by Blksnowflake

Doesn't sound like launch control. Just mashing the gas pedal. When Motor Trend first tested the F80 during launch they observed that using launch control the car would burn the tires.
But when they just mashed the gas from a stand still they were able to get the power down better and a faster 0-60 time.
So there preferred method was just mashing the throttle from a stand still. Seems like you are getting the same results, so sounds like normal. Sell your car get the new Challenger Demon.

When mashing the throttle from a stop, you can modulate the gas to control the wheelspin... this is what motor trend did and alot of guys do at the drag strip so with DCT

With LC, your leaving your foot planted and the computer is suppose to modulate the throttle and clutch for best traction.. thats the theory anyways lol

[OF Hero]

Originally Posted by 5soko

Just How they disable LC during break in service, i was wondering if they disabled the wot clutch drop feature aswell

I wasn't aware of a clutch drop feature nor it being part of the service? First I've heard of it TBH.

[Drew10]

Originally Posted by OF Hero

With my break-in recently done, wanted to get a true feel for the car's power in a safe setting.

Sport+ throttle
DSC fully off
S3
Car & tires warmed up, appropriate and equal tire pressures

Now mind you this is with winter tires (Michelin Pilot Alpin PA4) and on a 45 degree day. Dry conditions.

Basically mashed it from a standstill a couple of times....and was kind of underwhelmed? I could feel the back starting to step out ever so SLIGHTLY...but the car tracked straight with no smokey tires, heck there wasn't even tire squeal. There was basically no drama whatsoever. Are these winter tires just super sticky or is there something wrong with my car LOL

Steps For Added Drama
1. Return to said parking lot
2. Repeat launch procedure until a figure similar to this one appears -->
3. Keep throttle flat to the floor.

[Psychotic Mouse]

Have done exactly the same thing with different results. Stop with DCS off, S3 and Sport +. Mash throttle and the back end lit up.

I didn’t do it for long though. I immediately let off the throttle as I was in a narrow street.

What I have done though that worked well was to engage LC then as you let off the brake immediately let off and climb back on the throttle and manual shift into 2nd. It cancels the LC modulation and auto gear changes and just does a smokey burn out.

[frankiebones]

Originally Posted by Zayzel

I haven't even had the balls to turn DSC off on mine yet and try it out. I've whipped out the back end a little bit just coming out of a turn a few times with all my nannies on and in sport+ and my summer tires, 50 degree dry roads. Try harder

What kind of tires? on the stock Contis i had i never felt comfortable even with Euro MDM. With Michelin PS4S i run DSC fully off all summer.

[Zayzel]

Originally Posted by frankiebones

What kind of tires? on the stock Contis i had i never felt comfortable even with Euro MDM. With Michelin PS4S i run DSC fully off all summer.

Stock Mich PSS

[bmrwrld]

That is the problem with the Turbos, Just to much power in the lower RPM range to keep the back end straight if you smash it.

[FriedPiston]

There's a lot of false/inaccurate information in this thread.

The running in service (RIS aka break in) doesn't specifically unlock Launch Control. LC normally becomes available after 1200 miles, but can't confirm whether that's in conjunction with the Maintenance Reminder reset.

With the following options enabled:

DCT (S3)
Engine (Sports+)
DSC (Off)

Launch control = left foot on brake > right foot on gas > depress the gas kick-down button > Launch control activated message will be displayed in gauge cluster

Rolling burnout = briefly step on brake pedal to suspend vehicle motion > release brake pedal (the car won't move without stepping on the gas) > step on the gas all the way down > modulate power by reducing throttle or by lightly stepping on the brake pedal

If you attempt to do a launch or burnout by simply stepping on the brake pedal, and not fully activating LC, then engine power will cut out since there is no torque converter to pre-load the pressure onto.