Recently picked up a 2010 S2 and wondering if anyone else has experienced this strange noise on decel.

Essentially, when letting off the gas while in gear and decelerating, right before the throttle is fully let off (maybe around 3% throttle input), the car makes a deeper rumbling noise. The sound itself is not any louder but just deeper and there's slightly more vibration perceptible in the drive train but as soon as I left off more of the throttle or give it more, the noise goes away. It's not RPM dependent either, it's literally just this one spot in the throttle actuation that seems to make the noise.

Maybe it's something with the drive by wire?
Maybe something in the transmission when it's underload during decel?
Maybe it's irrelevant and doesn't really matter...

 

My 09 r3 does the same thing, I think it's just that sweet spot where the throttle plate isn't open enough to command more fuel, but is allowing enough air in to lean out a little bit. I may be completely off. But.your not alone

 

Sweet, good to know! Guess I'll stop trying to hang around that spot in the throttle range then to replicate

 

Pretty sure that’s normal as my 2010 R3 does the same thing.