Want the benefits of a torque converter gearbox with the ability to manually shift gears? With the M DCT, this combination activates BMW M for sporty drivers. This is made possible by the incredibly quick M DCT, which can be used either automatically or manually without affecting traction. You experience more driving pleasure and even better performance both off-road and on the racetrack as a result.
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DCT says goodbye!
When Dual Clutch Transmission disappears, it’s undoubtedly a sign of the times. Whether you love it or detest it, it will be missed! The DCT proved that BMW truly is the Ultimate Driving Machine and was the best there is!
The popularity of the dual-clutch transmission (DCT) used by BMW M, a multi-speed transmission technology that uses two distinct clutches for odd and even gear sets, cannot be questioned. In fact, drivers who had M vehicles with it were head over heels in love with it! This is due to the fact that it produced rapid-fire shifts, was simple to use in any traffic, and provided more theater than the standard automatic. Bottom line: DCT sped up automobiles!
The DCT’s gear selector, which was described as a “bizarre type of transmission,” had the look of a frozen tear drop and had the most peculiar pattern. However, that pattern gave it personality and made it evident that it wasn’t your ordinary automatic gearbox. On the contrary, it was far more intriguing and unusual. The ancient DCT was in so many fantastic automobiles. It had excellent paddle shifters behind the wheel and had many levels of shift aggressiveness. You could be certain that you were operating a performance vehicle with a DCT and extremely quick, jerky shifts.
Fans of the DCT were a little miffed when the F90 M5 moved to a traditional, torque-converter 8-speed automatic from ZF. Even though the 8-speed was a top-notch automatic, people craved the quicker, full-throttle upshifts of the previous DCT. So, fans were much more disappointed when BMW gradually stopped offering the DCT for the M. That’s because the original DCT was associated with so many fantastic automobiles.
However, BMW has made the decision to abandon Dual-Clutch Transmissions in favor of conventional 8-speed torque converters, even in the M vehicles. The F90 generation M5’s 2018 model year launch marked the start of this transformation.
Following the phase-out of the DCT were the F10 BMW M5, F06/F12/F13 BMW M6, F80 BMW M3, and F82 BMW M4. DCT was originally an option for these cars, but it is no longer available. The new G80 BMW M3 and the G82 BMW M4 have both switched to the ZF 8-speed, hence the M Division no longer offers a dual-clutch option. And that modification is long-lasting.
Fans of the DCT should be aware that the BMW M2 is the only vehicle still using the BMW DCT.
All self-shifting transmissions for the M Division moving forward, whether they be the present ZF 8-speed or an upgraded model, will be conventional torque-converter automatics. Sadly, neither now nor in the future will there be a dual-clutch option. The DCT has officially said goodbye since efficiency is of the utmost importance in today’s automated environment!
Double-clutch gearbox
Diagram of a DCT
Using two distinct clutches for odd and even gear sets, a dual-clutch transmission (DCT), sometimes known as a twin-clutch gearbox, is a form of multi-speed automobile transmission system. The layout frequently resembles two independent manual transmissions functioning together as a single unit, each having its own clutch housed in its own housing. The DCT operates as an automated transmission in vehicle and truck applications, requiring no driver input to change gears.
The Easidrive automatic transmission, which debuted on the 1961 Hillman Minx mid-size automobile, was the first DCT to go into production. Several tractors from eastern Europe that operated manually and had a single clutch pedal came next in the 1970s, and in 1985 came the Porsche 962 C racing vehicle. The 2003 Volkswagen Golf R32 featured the first DCT of the current era. Since the late 2000s, DCTs have proliferated and replaced hydraulic automatic gearboxes in a number of different car types.
A transmission with multiple clutches is more often referred to as a multi clutch transmission. One clutch is used for each gear in the transmission of the Koenigsegg Jesko, for instance, for a total of seven clutches.
What does DCT, or dual-clutch, mean?
If you have read about modern automobiles, you have probably come across references to dual-clutch transmissions. And if you are young enough, you may have also questioned yourself, “What is a DCT? What is a dual-clutch transmission?” To answer all of those questions, let’s take a brief trip back in time.
In the past, learning to drive meant being an expert at manually shifting gears while simultaneously controlling the clutch pedal, the accelerator, and the gear selector lever. Almost all drivers today are familiar with the gear selection (shifter) and accelerator (gas pedal), but some may not be with the clutch pedal.
The clutch in a manual transmission car temporarily disconnects the engine from the transmission to allow the driver to change gears. To engage the clutch, the driver depresses the clutch pedal. When accelerating out of a stop in a car with a manual transmission, your feet perform a small dance as you shift into first or reverse, release the clutch, and add the appropriate amount of acceleration with the accelerator. The process requires a level of competence that some people find difficult to grasp.
So, in order to make cars easier to drive, engineers and hobbyists have looked for ways to automate the process so that the machine does what the driver once did.
Today, we change gears for ourselves thanks to a variety of automated gearbox systems. Torque converters are used in conventional automatic transmissions to speed up gear changes. Belts, chains, and pulleys are used by continuously variable transmissions (CVT) to adjust the gear ratios. The dual-clutch gearbox (DCT), the topic of this article, functions internally like a manual transmission but does not require the driver to depress a clutch pedal.
How come BMW stopped using DCT?
The ZF eight-speed is more effective and simpler to adjust for maximum efficiency, which is the real cause. The DCT is a victim of the times since efficiency in today’s automotive environment is more important than virtually everything else. Additionally, BMW M will soon make the transition to electrification.
Is there a DCT in the BMW 335i?
What vehicle comes to mind when you think about BMW? It might be the premium Z4 or the 7-Series. We wouldn’t be surprised if your first thinking was the 3-Series. In 2005, the 3-Series represented approximately 40% of the automaker’s total car sales. The 2011 BMW 3-Series is expected to perform similarly, especially with the 335i’s performance enhancements.
If those improvements don’t excite you, perhaps the faster 0-60 time (5.0 seconds) or enhanced engine management with an overboost capability will. Speaking of boost, the overboost feature, which enables drivers to receive an additional boost for up to 7 seconds at full throttle, is rather astounding. There are several, entirely legal, uses that come to mind for such. The price is also planned to increase to $50,525, which is a drawback.
The bottom line is that BMW keeps producing vehicles that excite the desire for performance through superior driving. So if you’re looking for a driver’s vehicle, keep an eye out for the 2011 BMW 335i’s formal appearance at the New York International Auto Show later this year.
How quick is the BMW DCT?
DCT is a product of BMW Motorsports, where winning on the racetrack depends on every tenth of a second.
The Performance Option 7-Speed Double-Clutch Transmission, which first appeared in the M3 Coupe, Sedan, and Convertible, is currently available for the new M3 and M4 vehicles and costs $2,900.
The BMW gearbox mechanism that enables quick gear changes is the 7-speed M DCT. Without interfering with the tractive forces like power and traction, it can reach 9,000 RPM.
Reliability of the BMW DCT transmission
DCT is a powerful unit. It is capable of 400lb-ft of torque at 9000 rpm. Strong, however, does not equate to trustworthy. In the end, it is more complex than the MT, and complexity equates to less reliability.
Is DCT preferable to manual?
DCTs can shift more quickly than a person can, and they can be as efficient as manual transmissions. Because of this, it makes perfect sense to use DCTs in performance vehicles. DCTs will, however, find it difficult to squeak through traffic and up hills in normal driving. DCTs’ innate tendency to judder at low speeds is a flaw.
Are DSG and DCT the same?
Millions of drivers favor automatic transmissions over manual gearboxes due to the quick and effortless driving experience. Many automakers are now providing cars with various automatic transmission types as demand has increased. In today’s mainstream vehicles, the Dual-Clutch Transmission (DCT), sometimes known as the Direct-Shift Gearbox Transmission (DSG), is a very common transmission technology. Let’s examine what a dual-clutch transmission is exactly and how it helps us.
DCT is it automatic or manual?
As we mentioned previously, a clutch separates the engine’s power-generating crankshaft from the transmission so that the driver can change gears without perhaps causing the machinery to become jammed.
It should not be surprising that a dual-clutch transmission contains two clutches. Why? Since a DCT essentially combines two gearboxes, each of which needs a clutch for the same reason that a manual transmission does,
Additionally, drivers of vehicles with dual-clutch transmissions do not have to manually shift from one gear to another by utilizing the shift lever. Instead, the process of choosing a gear is automated, allowing a DCT to function like an automatic transmission. It does not, however, choose the gears in the same manner as a typical automatic transmission with a torque converter, as we will explain.
The dual-clutch transmission’s beauty is in how swiftly it can shift from one gear to another. This quick shifting is made possible by the fact that, when a gear is engaged in one of the DCT’s two internal transmissions, the second internal transmission already has the selected gear selected and is prepared for immediate engagement.
As a result, switching between gears with a DCT is substantially quicker than switching between gears with a typical manual transmission or a standard automatic transmission. In performance and racing cars, where split seconds can mean the difference between winning and losing, this is very useful.