Any doubt that Volvo, and its parent company Ford, intends to bring a dual-clutch transmission to market has been dispelled. Various sources have confirmed that Volvo plans to offer a DSG in the diesel versions of it S40 and V50 vehicles, beginning in late 2007.
Initially, only the Swedish marque’s oil burners will come equipped with a six-speed DSG, with other models benefiting from the new(ish) technology over the coming years. In an article in Automotive News, sources confirmed that the Ford Focus and C-Max people mover, along with other small vehicles, would be fitted with the dual-clutch tranny, currently under development with Getrag.
In addition to a 10-percent boost in fuel economy, Volvo and Ford vehicles equipped with a DSG will profit from smoother, quicker shifts and a certain amount of street-cred, that up until now, only VW and Audi have had a lock on.
[Source: Automotive News — Sub. Req.]