Auto only: Turbo vs V6?

CarGuy07

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curious what the pros are on the Turbo I4 with DCT vs pros for the V6 with slush box? I’m circling back to the Emira and don’t want manual.

Is the AMG engine reliable? How about maintenance vs Toyota V6?
 
When I test drove both, I thought the auto in the turbo was a lot more responsive than the v6 auto. I chose the turbo for future tune ability and the m139 engine is pretty stout. Never heard of major frequent issues in the Mercedes A43 or CLA forums. With that said, you can never go wrong with Toyota reliability and I believe I saw JUBU offers an Audi DSG upgrade for the V6
 
Dual clutch transmissions just feel so much better than torque converter automatics. There's never a time when they're fluid coupled, like a traditional auto, so it makes the car feel more responsive.

Modern turbo engines are amazing too, with very broad torque curves, more broad than that V6. I bought my V6 because I wanted the manual transmission, but if I had to buy the auto, I'd definitely go AMG, even though Toyota's engines are simpler and more reliable.
 
^ how’s the sound of the turbo vs V6?

I think you’re referring to this: https://www.jubu-performance.com/en/shop/part-jubu_dct__doppelkupplungsgetriebe_v6-2219

It’s $22K USD for the conversion. Probably makes more sense to get the turbo version unless someone really prefers the V6+DCT.
Inside the car, both sound amazing but I prefer the turbo sound. From the outside, the i4 doesn’t sound as impressive, but the v6 doesn’t sound all that great either. Either way, I think aftermarket exhausts will be needed. I think the v6 with 3rd car delete could be enough to achieve a great sound while the i4 would need a full exhaust.
 
Perhaps this article will help with your decision...
From a sound perspective, installed the valve controller on my i4 and it really brings the car to life. Waiting for GRP to offer a 2nd cat delete pipe, and I'll be done with mods.
 
So I went to drive the turbo yesterday evening. My thoughts below:
- sport suspension was too jittery for my liking
- there was a rattle in the driver side window sill that the salesperson said was seatbelt (definitely was not the seatbelt as I held it and the door/window was still rattling)
- engine was potent. Sounded good inside but pretty quiet outside.
- DCT was quicker than the V6 slush box but it’s definitely no PDK (downshifts were quick in sport mode while upshifts were a bit slower). I felt sometimes when I downshifted coming to a stop, it didn’t really react.
- everything else was pretty good: sound system, looks, interior, etc.

I’m still conflicted as I really want to like the Emira. It’s a bit below budget too. I just can’t help feeling like I need a bit more from the car.
 
If I was set on auto I would go DCT and turbo. I imagine it will feel faster due to how the engine builds torque and the directness of the DCT.

If you prioritize sound I would go with the v6 auto and 3rd car delete. It sounds genuinely exotic and you will be happy knowing you have a larger displacement v6 behind you. If you haven’t heard it I would try to find a forum member near you with this mod. It sounds very different from stock.
 
*with launch control
Their rolling start / 5-60 numbers are similar.

Really? I would have expected the I4 to have a significant advantage because of the much fatter HP curve despite having similar "peak" numbers.
 
Really? I would have expected the I4 to have a significant advantage because of the much fatter HP curve despite having similar "peak" numbers.
Correct (I4 torque comes on strong and early), the I4-V6 gap grows ever larger as speeds increase.

1740997604231.webp


I know Lotus cars are not about straight line bragging rights however just looking at the test results:

Ref. https://www.emiraforum.com/threads/jan-2025-car-driver-emira-amg-one-pager.5617/

Ref. (V6 Manual) https://www.caranddriver.com/reviews/a45779706/2024-lotus-emira-test/
 
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I4 sports w/ cup 2s 5-60 = 4.5 sec
V6 touring w/ Goodyears 5-60 = 4.7 sec

Additionally, the gap in acceleration between sports and touring accounts for 0.1-0.2 seconds.

The I4 (sports) has a torque advantage but has to overcome turbo lag, evidenced by the 1.1 sec gap between its 0-60 and 5-60 times, as opposed to 0.4 sec for the V6 (touring).
 
0-60 and 1/4 mile ET have been the gold standard for decades. Yes, 5-60 has been in the mix, however so many factors play into a street start it often not a figure cited by manufactures or discuss by road test editors.
 
0-60 and 1/4 mile ET have been the gold standard for decades. Yes, 5-60 has been in the mix, however so many factors play into a street start it often not a figure cited by manufactures or discuss by road test editors.

True. 0-60 and 1/4 mile are the gold standard, yet they are calculated times, not measurements. 0-60 not only omits 1-ft rollout of 0.2 sec, but relies on the highest rpm launch possible. It's often cited because it results in the quickest acceleration times, but it's rarely understood. It's not representive of street performance. 5-60 is the most realistic acceleration figure and is achievable in the real world. It's not cited because it's usually 0.1-1.5 seconds slower than 0-60 depending on the vehicles power delivery.

Without the high rpm launch and rollout omitted, acceleration between i4 and v6 is similar which is difficult to comprehend if only citing 0-60.
 
In another thread a US AMG owner just shared his infotainment performance data, wonder how close to reality this data is.... What torque and HP figures does the US V6 max out at? would be a good reference point

 

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