Is it the general concensus that the 7 speed box is noticeably worse for hesitation/1st gear engagement from a standstill?
Our Polo GTI+ has the DQ250 wet clutch 6 speed box and my A4 40 (190TDI) Avant Quattro has the newer 7 speed wet vltch box as you'd see on most facelift performance Golf 7.5s.
The Audi seems to take an eternity to pick up 1st from a standstill and move off, unless you prod the throttle about 3/4s before you actually want to move. It's a knack I've mainly gotten used to, but it is annoying you have to drive in this way.
I can only assume that it's intentional by VAG to preserve the clutch packs or to facilitate comfort - or both.
Both boxes feather the gear changes in on the move very noticeably but the Polo GTI+ has a much quicker pick-up of 1st.
I wonder if it's tied to vehicle weight also?
The Polo GTI+ is no lightweight for it's size, weighing barely less than a manual 3 door MK7 Golf GTI, but it's got to be easier on the clutch pulling that rather than the A4 (which weighs about 40kg more than a MK7 DSG Golf R.
If car weight is a consideration, I'd expect the R to take a little longer to engage 1st at a standstill than a GTI.
The amount of feathering-in you experience with a DSG is huge. Those quoted 0-62mph times you see for a DSG R trouncing a manual R must only be possible if feathering-in isn't taking place, with launch control - presumably that's why you (apparently, was it ever proven?) only get 200 launches before your DSG gearbox warranty is toast.
I'd like to get a DSG remap on the A4 to reduce the 1st gear engagement time, not sure it's necessary on the Polo GTI+, but warranty implications are always a worry.
The hesitancy seems considerably less in proper manual mode (gear lever slotted left)