Audi A8 first with full auto stop-start

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The stop-start technology will be standard only on Audi's 3-litre V6 turbo-diesel A8 model that has an eight-speed Tiptronic automatic.
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Neil Dowling

Contributing Journalist

2 min read

Audi is launching its luxurious all-alloy A8 saloon this month with stop-start technology - becoming Australia's first car with a full-automatic transmission to use the fuel-saving feature.  It will be standard only on Audi's 3-litre V6 turbo-diesel model that has an eight-speed Tiptronic automatic.

Bosch, which makes the stop-go system and to date has produced 1.5 million units, says that in a full automatic, it can save up to 8 per cent of fuel by automatically turning off the engine when the car is stationary. The engine restarts simply by the driver taking pressure off the brake pedal.

Audi isn't alone. BMW Australia says the new X3 SUV, expected here early next year, will be the first fully-automatic petrol fuelled car with the fuel-saving feature.  Currently, some car makers offer stop-start only in models fitted with manual transmissions.

This month, BMW introduced its M3 range with stop-start, including the dual-clutch automatic models.  "Technically, the M3 has an automated manual gearbox and unlike the X3's full-auto with torque convertor," says BMW Australia spokesman Piers Scott.

Bosch has made stop-go systems for the DSG transmission of the Volkswagen Passat and Porsche Panamera, the Fiat 500's automated manual, and the conventional torque convertor of the Audi A8 diesel.  Bosch claims the stop-go system in an automatic transmission will reduce fuel consumption and CO2 emissions by up to 5 per cent on the highway and up to 8 per cent in the city.

Photo of Neil Dowling
Neil Dowling

Contributing Journalist

GoAutoMedia Cars have been the corner stone to Neil’s passion, beginning at pre-school age, through school but then pushed sideways while he studied accounting. It was rekindled when he started contributing to magazines including Bushdriver and then when he started a motoring section in Perth’s The Western Mail. He was then appointed as a finance writer for the evening Daily News, supplemented by writing its motoring column. He moved to The Sunday Times as finance editor and after a nine-year term, finally drove back into motoring when in 1998 he was asked to rebrand and restyle the newspaper’s motoring section, expanding it over 12 years from a two-page section to a 36-page lift-out. In 2010 he was selected to join News Ltd’s national motoring group Carsguide and covered national and international events, launches, news conferences and Car of the Year awards until November 2014 when he moved into freelancing, working for GoAuto, The West Australian, Western 4WDriver magazine, Bauer Media and as an online content writer for one of Australia’s biggest car groups. He has involved himself in all aspects including motorsport where he has competed in everything from motocross to motorkhanas and rallies including Targa West and the ARC Forest Rally. He loves all facets of the car industry, from design, manufacture, testing, marketing and even business structures and believes cars are one of the few high-volume consumables to combine a very high degree of engineering enlivened with an even higher degree of emotion from its consumers.
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