Dual Clutch Transmission

Ford PowerShift transmissions on the line – Click above for high-res image gallery

2009 BMW 135i - Click above for updated high-res image gallery

Try explaining turbocharging to someone who doesn't know cars, and if you do a good job, you're likely to get a reaction something along the lines of, "then why don't they put turbochargers on all cars"? Well, that's a perfectly fair question, and the answer of course is turbo lag. It's one major downside to using spools, and it's what's keeping Ferrari, for one, from implementing them immediately.

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2010 Audi A5 Sportback - Click above for high-res image gallery

Audi has just added a new transmission option to European-market versions of the A4 and A5. The company's 7-speed S-Tronic dual clutch gearbox is now available with the 2.0L TFSI four cylinder. The A5 picks up 0.3 seconds in the 0-60 run and cuts 1g/km of CO2 emissions with the new gearbox. In the sedan, the mileage is unchanged at 31.8 mpg compared to the 6-speed manual. Here in the U.S., the A4 2.0L currently comes standard with a CVT while manual and conventional automatics are opt

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Over in the UK, drivers buying a new Passat CC now have a new transmission option that gives them an extra 1.2 mpg. The 160 hp 1.8L TSI four cylinder can now be paired with VW's 7-speed DSG dual clutch gearbox in place of the 6-speed manual. The DSG yields a combined 32.2 mpg (U.S.) compared to the 31.0 mpg (U.S.) with the manual. Similarly, the CO2 emissions have dropped from 178 g/km to 172 g/km. The 2.0L TDI diesel and gasoline 3.6L V6 are available with the 6-speed DSG, in additio

Now that Chrysler's deal to build dual clutch transmissions in a joint venture with Getrag is officially kaput, the company will stick with its existing 6-speed automatic for now. In early 2007, Chrysler announced the deal with Getrag to supply up to 700,000 transmissions a year that could cut fuel consumption by six percent. It was part of a series of powertrain announcements that

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The roundabout that was the Chrysler, LLC-Getrag partnership recently came to an end with Chrysler pulling out the deal, citing untenable financing terms. Now Getrag Transmission Manufacturing, the U.S. company that was going to build the dual-clutch transmissions for Chrysler, has filed for Chapter 11. Getrag has done so in order to streamline its handling of claims and creditors.

The current credit crisis could be playing further havoc with Chrysler's future powertrain product plans. In the first half of 2007, Chrysler announced investment plans to build two new engine plants and a transmission plant for 2010 model cars. The transmission facility was to be a joint venture with Getrag to build fuel saving dual clutch transmissions. Chrysler already offers German-built Getrag DCTs in the European specification Journey and Sebring. Unfortunately Getrag's apparent inability

There's no doubt that there are a lot of advances in powertrain technology that will improve the efficiency of vehicles over the next few years. There are near-term features like direct fuel injection, turbocharging and dual clutch transmissions. Other features like start stop systems and electrification of accessory drives will help too. The problem is these features all add cost to the vehicle. If consumers don't buy vehicles equipped with this kind of technology, there is no net benefit. Erni

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BorgWarner has just opened up a second plant at their facility in Amstadt, Germany to produce dual clutch transmission modules. BorgWarner and other suppliers like Getrag have been experiencing huge growth in demand for dual clutch transmissions as demand for increased fuel efficiency and reduced CO2 emissions drives adoption. BorgWarner is the supplier of dual clutch systems to Volkswagen Group for their DSG transmissions. VW recently sold their Sam Abuelsamid