Volkswagen to Replace Automatics with DSG

Advanced Dual-Clutch Sequential to See Wide Use
Dan Fritter, Canadian Auto Press

In 1940 GM introduced the world to the automatic transmission. Marketed as a "clutchless" transmission, it was advertised as the best transmission for women who had trouble grasping the operation of a clutch. Now, 66 years later the automatic’s popularity is as high as ever, with it even becoming the transmission of choice for sport car manufacturers like Porsche, whose Tiptronic manu-matic transmission is more popular than the traditional six speed. Tiptronic is just one of various manual-mode offerings available; every automaker from Mazda and Honda to Bentley and Ferrari have them. Available in two different types; those with clutches and those without, the traditional clutchless automatic style is smoother, cheaper, and more prevalent, however, for performance driving it’s the clutched type that reign supreme.

And the best clutched manu-matic this side of Ferrari’s ultra-trick Magneti Marelli system (some would even say it’s better than Ferrari’s "F1" transmission), believe it or not, is Volkswagen’s Direct Shift Gearbox. Developed by Borg-Warner and known simply as DSG, it smoothes out shifts by using two computer controlled clutches; one inner and one outer, to disengage the current gear while simultaneously selecting the next gear during a shift. The outer clutch pack drives gears 1, 3, and 5 (as well as reverse) while the inner clutch pack drives gears 2, 4, and 6. Both clutch packs incorporate four smaller clutch discs (due to packaging constraints) as opposed to the more traditional large, single plate clutch found on most cars, and can upshift in a mere eight milliseconds thanks to the preselection of the next gear. Currently available on a select few Audis, Volkswagens, and the almighty Bugatti Veyron, traditional automatics are still more popular with most Volkswagen and Audi owners, merely due to the limited availability of DSG. This, however, could all change soon.

Wolfgang Bernhard, product chief at Volkswagen, recently made an announcement that there are plans in place to phase traditional automatic gearboxes out of Volkwagen’s lineup entirely. Replacement will be via the advanced DSG ’box. Bernhard elaborates that while they hope to strike all automatics from Volkswagen’s lineup, the initial phase-out will only effect VWs with transverse-mounted engines, with research being conducted for the application of the DSG transmission for longitudinal fitments.

Also, Bernhard said the DSG technology will not be licensed to any other companies, although he did not state whether this includes Volkswagen Group brands. It only makes sense that Audi (which now calls DSG "S-Tronic") will continue forth with its version of DSG, despite running somewhat independantly, being that much is now invested in the inclusion of it, but Audi’s Lamborghini division has reportedly long been requesting a version (which will probably come when Audi’s new mid-engine R8 supercar - see Le Mans concept) is introduced at the Paris auto show this fall, and Porsche, which now holds a significant shareholding in VW AG, could definitely use it. The DSG ’box in Bugatti’s Veyron (a brand directly owned by Volkswagen), was apparently unable to handle the power at first (the Veyron’s DSG ’box is reportedly quite exotic and very modified).