1. WE WERE STUCK IN TRAFFIC ON AN INCLINE FOR A PERIOD OF APPROXIMATELY 5 TO 10 MINUTES SLOWLY APPROACHING THE CALDECOTT TUNNEL (CAL. HIGHWAY 24-EAST BOUND) WHICH WAS BACKED UP. I WAS REQUIRED TO PUSH OUR MANUAL CLUTCH IN AN OUT REPEATEDLY DURING THE BACKUP, BUT WAS VERY CAREFUL NOT TO "RIDE" THE CLUTCH. 2. TWICE IN A PERIOD OF 12 MONTHS, THE SPECIAL "DUAL CLUTCH" FLYWHEEL AND CLUTCH ASSEMBLY BEGAN TO CATCH FIRE. IN THE FIRST INSTANCE, THE CAR BECAME INOPERATIVE AND HAD TO BE TOWED. IN THE SECOND INSTANCE I WAS ABLE TO GET OFF THE FREEWAY TO PREVENT FURTHER DAMAGE AND DANGER, BUT THE CAR WAS AGAIN INOPERATIVE. IT IS UNDOUBTEDLY THE DEFECTIVE FLYWHEEL DESIGN WHICH IS CATCHING FIRE SINCE THE CLUTCH IN THE FIRST INSTANCE HAD JUST BEEN REPLACED. 3. IN BOTH INSTANCES WITHIN THE 12-MONTH PERIOD, THE ENTIRE FLYWHEEL AND CLUTCH SYSTEM HAD TO BE REPLACED EVEN THOUGH THE CLUTCH WAS STILL OPERATIVE. THE EXPENSE WAS APPROXIMATELY $3000 FOR EACH REPAIR SINCE AUDI CLAIMED THIS WAS "DRIVER ERROR." (THE REPAIR PARTS ARE AVAILABLE.) THIS IS A PREPOSTEROUS CLAIM SINCE I HAVE BEEN DRIVING MANUAL TRANSMISSION VEHICLES SUCCESSFULLY FOR 40+ YEARS WITHOUT HAVING SIMILAR PROBLEMS AS EXPERIENCED WITH THE FIRE-PRONE AUDI FLYWHEEL. SIMILAR COMPLAINTS AND EXPERIENCES ARE REPORTED ON THE INTERNET ALL OVER THE COUNTRY ON VARIOUS FORUMS. ALL SUCH REPORTS DETAIL A SIMILAR DENIAL OF RESPONSIBILITY BY AUDI. *TR