Why is the Porsche Cayenne lacking a PDK whereas the Macan has one? Why does Porsche still produce a Tiptronic when the PDK transmission is so much better?
As PCA’s technical director, I get asked these inquiries frequently. Understanding the differences between the two broadcasts will provide the solution. They both have automated transmissions, therefore there isn’t a clutch pedal. A Tiptronic is also widely renowned for its dependability and need for little maintenance, despite the fact that the PDK is quite sporty and quick to shift.
The Tiptronic has the strongest resemblance to a “typical” automatic transmission. Although it’s simple to write it off as a “slush-box,” Porsche has benefited greatly from it. Manually shifting through the gears is possible, but choosing a lower gear at the incorrect rpm won’t hurt the engine. The torque converter is what it has in common with other automatic transmissions, like the one in your dad’s Buick. The torque converter doubles the torque when transferring power from the engine to the transmission. Towing high loads effectively requires torque converters. The Macan has a lower tow rating than the Cayenne principally because of this. The Cayenne is rated for 7700lbs, however the Macan is only rated for less than 5,000lbs. This video provides a better explanation of the torque converter’s operation.
The Porsche Doppelkupplungsgetriebe (PDK) transmission functions somewhat like two gearboxes combined into one, with one clutch engaging even ratios and the other engaging odd gears. The software is so clever that it already has the next gear selected and ready for you to shift into. The shift mappings are modified in the Sport and Sport Plus modes, along with the suspension dampening and throttle response. Shifts happen more quickly, and if the automatic transmission is on, the engine revs up more before upshifts. Many drivers have realized that letting PDK handle the shifting is the quickest method to navigate curves.
Porsche initially used the renowned 956 Le Mans prototype race vehicle for PDK testing. The fact that PDK maintained the car on boost throughout upshifts was a significant improvement.
The two gearboxes that make up the PDK transmission are thoroughly explained visually in the video link below, explaining why it shifts so much more quickly than a Tiptronic.
Tiptronic is only available in the Cayenne lineup, which includes the incredibly sporty Cayenne Turbo GT, when looking for new Porsches. The Panamera is the only Porsche with an automatic transmission option other than PDK.
The Tiptronic originally made an appearance on the 964 in 1991, subsequently on the 968, according to the used car market. Mercedes-Benz provided the automatic transmission option for the 928. Along with the 986 and 987.1 Boxster models, the Tiptronic option was still available with the 993, 996, and 997.1 models. The Porsche PDK transmission made its début in 2009 in the 997.2 911 and 987.2 Boxster/Cayman, becoming the only automatic transmission available for the two-door sports car models. The Tiptronics have demonstrated to be extremely durable and dependable. Simply replacing the fluid as directed in your owner’s handbook constitutes maintenance. Although the PDK is just as dependable, track-day drivers should do more frequent fluid changes.
In This Article...
What you should know about Tiptronic
One can easily discover frequent, acrimonious disputes about the advantages of manual versus automatic gears by browsing automotive journals and websites, and nowhere is this more evident than in the realm of sports vehicles. The 997 Turbo S and 991.1 GT3 are two examples of cars Porsche decided to only offer with the PDK transmission (launched with the 997.2 generation), therefore the 911 hasn’t been exempt from such arguments.
But since the transmission we’re talking about here was the first to give the Neunelfer a true automatic (as opposed to the Sportomatic, which was released in 1967 and was a manual transmission with the clutch controlled by a microswitch in the gear lever), that problem is more recent. Tiptronic made its debut in the 964, a car that already represented a generational shift for the 911.
The four-speed electro-hydraulically controlled Tiptronic gearbox, which was created in collaboration with ZF and Bosch and debuted in 1988, was dubbed “revolutionary” by Porsche at the time. It was a typical torque convertor transmission that seemed to provide the best of both worlds: when in “Drive,” it would automatically shift ratios as with any other automatic transmission, but by sliding the selector lever to one side, the driver could engage in manual shifting by pushing the lever forward to change up or backward to change down.
The mode or gear that was chosen was displayed on the speedometer. The variety of ratios was larger than was genuinely desirable because the Tiptronic ‘box only had four speeds, but Porsche somewhat compensated for this by giving it a “Intelligent Shift Programme.” One of five shift programmes that altered gear change points according to whether the driver wanted to cruise or get the most performance was selectable from an ECU that monitored inputs such vehicle and engine speed, throttle position, and longitudinal and lateral acceleration. Additionally, this electronic control has other advantages, such as preventing gear changes at inconvenient times, including when cornering, and preventing over-revving by automatically upshifting at maximum revs.
What does Porsche’s Tiptronic do?
The function that enables the driver to manually manage an automatic transmission is known by the brand name Tiptronic. The technology was created by the Porsche firm in 1990 and was first only installed on Porsche vehicles.
Is there a clutch on the Porsche Tiptronic?
Tiptronic transmissions are initially purchased from ZF as a regular torque converter automatic. Power is transferred from the engine to the ground using a torque converter, clutch packs, and a sequence of planetary gear sets in this type of transmission.
Porsche PDK transmissions are produced by whom?
Porsche transmissions with two clutches. A form of semi-automatic gearbox called an electrohydraulic sequential manual transmission is made to give quick, easy shifting, which improves the skills of the typical driver. The automatic clutch in this concept is managed by hydraulic solenoids and vehicle electronics. In contrast to a conventional manual transmission, car electronics and engine management systems perfectly match engine RPMs to produce a smoother and faster shifting procedure. The technology automatically engages the clutch and regulates the throttle to match engine speed once the driver picks the desired gear with a shift lever or paddle.
Together with ZF Friedrichshafen AG, Porsche developed the PDK transmission, which includes both manual and automatic modes of operation. The PDK transmission offers exceptionally smooth gear changes and reliable power, just like other Electrohydraulic manual transmissions.
A particular kind of semi-automatic transmission is a dual-clutch one, such the Porsche PDK transmission (also referred to as an automated manual transmission). For odd and even gear sets, this gearbox is intended to employ two independent clutches. The complete range of the gearbox may be shifted quickly and smoothly thanks to this design. The transmission can work in an automatic mode and give more quick shifting than a driver can usually do manually thanks to the usage of electrohydraulics.
You can think of the Porsche PDK transmission as two half-gearboxes that have been combined into a single housing. Two clutches are needed to drive two input shafts due to the design’s reliance on two half gearboxes. While the other half of the transmission chooses the following gear in the sequence, the engine power is transferred from one of the input shafts via that half of the transmission. With first, third, fifth, and seventh on one shaft and second, fourth, and sixth on the other, the Porsche PDK transmission has seven forward speeds in addition to reverse. One clutch opens and the other closes simultaneously during shifting, making the process more fluid. A few hundredths of a second are required for this process.
The 997 Carrera and Carrera S, as well as the Cayman and Boxter, were the first vehicles to feature the PDK transmission, which was first launched in 2009. The shifting performance and overall fuel efficiency of modern models have undergone significant upgrades.
Numerous engine and power-train improvements have been made in Germany over the last ten years. Please visit our website’s technical advice area for further information in detail.
Do you have a query regarding your high-end car or does your model require specific maintenance? One of our specialists will respond to your question if you use the comment section below on our German Auto Center Facebook page. Len Gilmore is the owner and operator of German Auto Center.
A Porsche transmission costs how much?
Depending on the vehicle, a new 2019 Porsche 911 transmission could cost over $3,500, but transmission services like fluid changes and a transmission fluid cleanse are significantly less expensive, occasionally costing less than $150.